Project management, What do I need to buy?

[jimboot]

First let me say I love SUgar CRm.

I am trying to make it work for my SEO business.

I am looking for the fastest way to achieve the following. Do I need to commission a module? Buy some modules?

For each project we have a predefined set of tasks. A new project has several dependencies within the tasks. We are using Prject task copy 4.7 to create a project template then duping it for new projects.

As tasks are completed I would like users assigned to dependent tasks to receive an email telling them to start their tasks. This does not seem to happen atm.

I also have external suppliers that we have perform tasks for each project on a monthly basis. What is the best way to handle external suppliers? Should we be adding them as users and set up portals for them or is there a better way.

Thanks in advance.
Jim

[jimboot]

Am I asking the wrong question?

[lvangool]

Nope, not at all.

What a lot of people here won't admit (and, since Sugar's people definitely will not sell you a "No", nobody hardly ever says), Sugar's mostly a CRM system. Not a project management tool. Of course, Sugar has broaden its pallet with all kinds of modules, but those aren't much more then simple data storage modules (You just define some things in modules like Bugs or Projects - they won't really do anything else then show you the lists and detail views), but this broadening is just bonus, not core CRM functionality.
Simply said: there is a possibility of storing projects, tasks and participants in Sugar. But it won't do much more (maybe with Pro/Ent versions, "Advanced project management"). But: the datamodel Sugar uses can definitely be of use to you. Ergo: please find an integrator who can make this for you.

[jimboot]

Nope, not at all.

What a lot of people here won't admit (and, since Sugar's people definitely will not sell you a "No", nobody hardly ever says), Sugar's mostly a CRM system. Not a project management tool. Of course, Sugar has broaden its pallet with all kinds of modules, but those aren't much more then simple data storage modules (You just define some things in modules like Bugs or Projects - they won't really do anything else then show you the lists and detail views), but this broadening is just bonus, not core CRM functionality.
Simply said: there is a possibility of storing projects, tasks and participants in Sugar. But it won't do much more (maybe with Pro/Ent versions, "Advanced project management"). But: the datamodel Sugar uses can definitely be of use to you. Ergo: please find an integrator who can make this for you.

Excellent thankyou. Are there any popular PM systems that Sugar users tend to favour? As our business is growing fast I want to make sure we don't build a system that doesn't have an upgrade path.

[lvangool]

I never heard SugarCRM favor any PM system.

To be clear: I'm suggesting above that you MODIFY Sugar, not using another system alongside of it. Please look here: http://www.sugarforge.org/softwarema...p?form_cat=322, maybe there's a free module you can use. Otherwise, please get a Sugar expert to change Sugar to your needs.

[REByers]

We are looking at implementing Sugar Professional, and I asked our project manager to have a look at the projects module in there.

He came back quite impressed, and we may use this in place of our current MS Project system in the future.