Next Release?

[g2computersolutions]

I'm curious as to when you're looking at releasing the next version of CommitCRM and perhaps which features you expect to have in it.

Thanks

[Support Team]

Thanks for asking. We plan to release a beta in a few weeks and will have a list of new features ready then.

Sheli

[mcjack]

are we there yet?

[Support Team]

Almost... We are currently finalizing the release for Beta, once nothing major is found by our team it'll be release for Beta.

Sheli

[g2computersolutions]

Can you guys provide any insight as to what may be included in the next release?

[Support Team]

All info will be published as soon as the version is ready. We refrain from publishing features that might not make it to the final release and prefer not to post a disclaimer. Anyway, it shouldn't be long before the version is released.

Thanks,
Dina

[Mister-c]

Sorry to hijack the thread but it is semi related:
What date was the last update released? I'm just trying to work out whether its worth paying for the yearly update plan or just buying a one off update every few versions.

[Support Team]

On average about 3-4 new versions are being released each year (it doesn't mean a new version every 3 months, this is just the average). The annual upgrade plan is by far more affordable than obtaining single upgrades. Yet some prefer the single upgrade option.

Hope this helps,
Sheli

[AN-Tech]

I believe 5.5 was release in Oct of 2010. Also 5.4 was July and 5.3 was around May. So they typically do release 3-4 per year making the maintenance a better option.

I am expecting that 5.6 must have some really good stuff in it since its taking longer then usual to get through development :-)

Ed

[lpopejoy]

Ok, so on April 5th the release date was in a few weeks. It's been over a month now?

[Support Team]

True. We had a delay. We hope to have news on this in the near future. I guess this is why we try to avoid announcing release dates. It builds expectations and if new features are added or issues are discovered and there's a delay (even a short one) it doesn't meet the expectations...

Anyway, thank you for following up on this and we will be notifying you as soon as the Beta is ready.

Thanks,
Sheli

[lpopejoy]

Yeah, it does build expectations. It also creates accountability, and it is viewed by most software companies as a way to inform their users of what problems are getting fixed in their software. For some reason, public roadmaps freak and being accountable to release dates and those roadmaps freak you guys out.

It seems like for a software application that could use so many "features", it would be good to lay out how you are going to effectively address those features, so that people who are on the fence about the product would possibly continue using it.

Anyway, that's my .02 that I bet most of the users on this forum would agree with... But whatever... I'm going to get some coffee; if my perspective changes after that, I'll let you know. :)

[Support Team]

Thanks Luke! We appreciate your feedback here and pretty much agree with it.

How was the coffee :-)

[AN-Tech]

I'm drinking my coffee now so I thought I would chime in too :-)

I would love (pretty much need) to see an on going roadmap. I know this has been brought up on numerous occasions and I'm glad that it Luke keeps on bringing it back up. The problem that I have is that I am being brought requirements from my clients in how we work that CommitCRM cannot do right now. I believe some of it is coming down the pipe but don't know for sure. Others features/updates/changes have been brought up numerous times in the past and who knows where they are in the plan or if they even are.

As a user of CommitCRM for several years you get to the point where you quit asking for things because the things because at times it feels like it falls on deaf ears. I'm not saying that CommitCRM hasn't become a better product since I started using it, because it has come a long way. I just have many things that I need that can't be done right now. Which leads back to the roadmap, if one was available it would help determine how to work around things until the new feature is there.

So I either have to ignore the need, try to push it off, find a work around, or jump ship to another product. I have been happy with CommitCRM but if the client needs something that can't be done then then something has to change.

[Support Team]

Thanks ascendnet.

This matter has been discussed before and we do intend to publish a roadmap. We haven't done this by now for a lot of different reasons.

Anyway - and like always - we hear you and everyone here works around the clock to provide new enhancements and solutions to things we've been asked for. So yes, please do share your feedback and requirements for us. We only get better. We cannot implement all but nobody can, we do try to implement the things that are most popular first.

Thanks again for all your feedback and support.

Sheli

PS: I think I'll take a coffee break now :-)

[northwestmsp]

A a previous PM for a software development firm I can agree to the above posters- if CommitCRM intends to compete long term in this space (especially because of the regional disconnect) you MUST have a road map (for both internal and external purposes). Show us a fancy PowerPoint, and, like I used to tell my programmers, if you think it's going to take you a week, tell me two. Then I'll tell the customer three and we'll never have a problem.

On that note, one of the comments here that bugs me- "..and if new features are added" there should almost never (my opinion) be last minute "feature additions" to a milestone release. Set a realistic feature list to be added within a SCHEDULED product cycle.

We're a new user (less than three months) and I feel like I'm playing Russian roulette with whether or not to purchase the annual support- I don't know what I'm getting if I do buy it, and I don't know what we'll be missing out on (or how much it will cost me) if I don't. Bad for Commit, bad for our company.

[Support Team]

exbabylon, thank you very much for your feedback. We plan to publish a roadmap of main features that will be added in the future while each release will include more features that haven't been listed. As for adding features in the last-minute, well, you are probably correct. However, if we have a feature that is 90% ready we sometimes prefer to delay the release for a while and have it included instead of having it wait to the following release for an average of 3 months. So these last-minutes additions are intended to the benefit of our users. Anyway we definitely see your point and mostly agree with it.

Thanks!
Sheli

[David Halvorson]

Is there a monthly calendar in the cards for the next release? We have been using Outlook for our monthly, well, outlook, and CommitCRM to assign our scheduled appts. But it is double duty, making the CommitCRM calendar kind of a pain, because we can't see the whole month for planning purposes. Please, please, move it up on the list.

[Support Team]

No detailed monthly Calendar is included in our next release. I added your vote to it.
When viewing the Daily Calendar all dates of the month are listed. The ones that have scheduled appointment are displayed in bold formatting.

Thanks,
Sheli