Mobile App

[gcstech]

We are starting development of full blown Android/iOS native app. That would allow for full mobile access to most functions of CommitCRM. Just wondering if how many would be interested in a mobile app once it is available?

[northwestmsp]

+1 here

[HavenZone]

+1

[aaspeer]

+1

[mamoonr]

+1

[LFITServices]

goes without saying.

[asmith04]

+1

[stephan]

I'd buy it

[Entrust2US]

+1

[stephan]

I should also say that it was one of the best parts of "Interlink".

[nextechinc]

+1

[scoplin]

+1

[Kevin@multi.co.za]

+1

[Stanley Ng]

Depending on pricing. Btw, I thought Interlink is dying, no more development from DSG.

[AN-Tech]

Stanley, That's one of the problem with a mobile app that doesn't come directly from Commit.

That and potentially a third party having access to all of the private information in CommitCRM.

[pfessak]

Interested

[midwestN]

+1

[tfreitas]

+1000 here!!! Web ui is great, but hard to navigate menus sometimes.

[Project3IT]

CommitCRM - surely you guys must be working on a proper mobile app by now?

[Support Team]

We may introduce ones in the future, however, the original poster of this thread isn't us!

[orbit1234]

+1

[stephan]

Sure.. We would buy if the interface is good.

[mfluet]

Let's see it!

[alupanow]

+1

[zanazzi]

Any progress?

[adent-ctc]

ascendnet, data isn't a problem if the Mobile App accesses CommitCRM via our Jupiter Server product.
You would install our Jupiter Server on your CommitCRM Server, and configure port forwarding on your router for port 22222 (or which ever port you configure for SSL).
Then a mobile app accesses your data on your server using SOAP WCF.
No 3rd party cloud storage required.

zanazzi, it is on our roadmap. But not a priority at the moment, unless those with a paid subscription to our Jupiter Server start requesting it.

https://dentaur.com.au/jupiter-server/

Kind regards

Andrew Dent
Dentaur Pty Ltd

[LFITServices]

Wow...almost 2.5 years in when @gcstech announced they were building an app....guess they ran into some issues...ho hum...

[LFITServices]

So no movement on this still. Wow again..Is there anyone else willing to put up some funds? We will need about 10k to get where we want to be at first.

I'm either moving on this project or going to another solution. I just feel like we have outgrown CommitCRM but I do love it.

[aaspeer]

I would put some money towards it, I would love a native app to use instead of the web interface.

[LFITServices]

I have the job posted and have some developer interest.

I'm not sure where the company Commit Business Solutions Limited sits on this. If we create the app and put it in the app store are they going to come after us??

[Support Team]

For what it is worth, we'll be happy to help promote any descent mobile app that helps our user base.

[adent-ctc]

LFITServices, the first problem anyone has for building a mobile app for CommitCRM is the technical aspects of official CommitCRM API.
The API has been designed assuming that any application using the API can attach itself to the CommitCRM provided DLL. An iOS or Android mobile application is never going to be able to do that.

Our Jupiter Server product solves this by providing a WCF / SOAP API layer on top of the CommitCRM API.
https://dentaur.com.au/jupiter-server/
Anyone can develop a mobile application to use the WCF / SOAP API methods that the Jupiter Server provides to gain access to the CommitCRM API.
I am happy to provide a free developer license for Jupiter Server to a Mobile app developer that is wanting to create a mobile app for CommitCRM.

Any such mobile app would also be able to take advantage of the Webroot, Naverisk, IT Portal, IMAP and Office 365 Email integrations that Jupiter Server currently supports.
For example, displaying a asset from your CommitCRM database on a mobile app could in the same screen show when the device was last seen by WebRoot, and have a button to initiate a scan.

BTW: The Jupiter Server Office 365 email integration supports O365 mailboxes with Multifactor authentication.

Kind regards

Andrew Dent
Dentaur Pty Ltd

[AN-Tech]

I think the reality is that with the sensitive information being kept in a database like CommitCRM something like this should be coming from Commit and not a 3rd party.

Commit, please work on this internally and not through a 3rd party.

[tfreitas]

@Dentaur develop it for #CommitCRM, problem solved, everyone get's the warm and fuzzy that it came from #CommitCRM. :) +1 for a mobile app!

[Support Team]

Feedback noted. Thank you.

I would add though that Dentaur's Jupiter-Server runs locally on your server. It isn't hosted elsewhere and you should have full control over it. Also note that it does not replace RangerMSP's core API but rather uses it. One of nice thing with it is that it opens the door for new remote access options and configurations for the RangerMSP's native API.

Thanks!

[adent-ctc]

Thankyou,
Some clarifications
For the Jupiter Server to access CommitCRM, the Jupiter Server can be installed on a different computer to your CommitCRM installation so long as that alternate computer can connect to the CommitCRM installation directory via a UNC path.
Correct, Jupiter Server does not replace the CommitCRM core API. All we are doing is putting a SOAP [1] layer over the top of the CommitCRM core API, which allows (your Firewall permitting) to connect to your CommitCRM data over the internet using any language that supports SOAP.

Jupiter Server is not a 3rd party cloud service. It is a Windows application running as a service on one of your local computers. Any mobile application developed would require your specific IP address/FQDN to connect to your data.....just like the current web UI that CommitCRM currently provides.

[1] Technically speaking we are using the Microsoft technology called WCF .NET which is a SOAP compatible service. We have successfully used C# .NET, Powershell and Perl to connect to the Jupiter Server using SOAP.

At the moment we have no funds to develop a mobile app.
But anyone else can develop a mobile app, that uses our Jupiter Server as middleware to connect to CommitCRM.
The result would be people buying the mobile app, would also need to purchase a AUD$60 annual subscription for the Jupiter Server.

[LFITServices]

I have found that app developers are much like web developers. They are interested until you get them the specs and then they disappear. So getting this done is almost impossible.

Honestly I have been looking at a lot of different platforms to replace CommitCRM for the reason on no mobile app/website that is actually usable. It is a shame too because the more I look the more it makes CommitCRM look good if it were 2005 but it's 2019 and a mobile app is a must. We are willing to give up features and pay a monthly fee for a system that can offer a more flexible way to access it.

Why doesn't CommitCRM just raise the price and build the damn features that the users want? It doesn't make sense to me. Which is also concerning. Companies are willing to pay so higher what you need to make it happen. Apparently this post is turning into an open letter to CommitCRM!

adent-ctc, if your platform resolves the issue and is so great why don't you let us see it in action? Build a demo or video or something. Perhaps then we may believe and pay. We are MSP's not dev shops. You say you don't have funds. What kind of funds do you need? I'm sure if we all kicked in it would be worth your while.

We are currently doing dual entry into another system to see if we like it. We have been doing it for a couple of weeks now.

[Blueplanet]

Do we just need a fund me page? i would happily chuck £800 GBP in to an app fund.

[LFITServices]

Well instead I think we are moving to another PSA platform. I hate to say it. I have spent the last month looking at Sherpadesk, Kaseys BMS, Autotask, & Connectwise Manage. I ruled out Syncro and Altera for many reasons, they are too immature plus I don't need a new RMM.

This all boiled up because of a damn accessible site via a phone. If Commit doesn't move with the world they will be gone soon I fear. I really like CommitCRM and we have been using it for 8 or 9 years. I just feel like at this point that they are a three people company and can't pull off any mobile platform. They also need some integrations for auto billing at least to a disti like Pax8 or something.

Even worse it looks like we are going to go with ConnectWise Manage. I despise the company but it seems they have the best integrations and mobile.

This route seems easier than nailing down some developer that will flake out on your three months into the project and never get anything completed.

Anyone know if Commit licenses can be sold and transferred?

[Blueplanet]

reading reddit, ConnectWise Manage on the outside looks very promising, you just read about people moaning about the speed and the cost for integration modulus. we looked at it, had a demo was sat with our money. but they did not come back with a competitive cost. our current systems are

Quickbook Online
CommitCRM
Kaseya
ScreenConnect
IT Portal

A mobile app is needed, even if it just a basic view tickets, add charges and close ticket.

[LFITServices]

Yes, I have read all the reddits etc. They all seem to have some issue or another. Pick your poison I guess but they integrate with our disti's for O365, Auvik, Passportal, & Netwrix plus others so for billing that will be huge for us. Monthly billing is very stressful around here with a lot of manual license counts etc.

My favorite platform was really Kaseya BMS. It is super fast but they really only integrate with Pax8. It is very affordable also.

Our quote for CW manage is $2100.00 for implementation and $75.00 per seat/per month. I would gladly pay Commit this instead if they had a competitive product.

They do have a 90 day out if not working as expected. Funny enough we did try CW 9 years ago before settling on CommitCRM. In the meantime CW Manage has continued to grow and pretty much become the 500lbs gorilla in the arena and CommitCRM has stood pat and really done nothing in the past 9 years.

When I talked to all these other PSA vendors none of them even heard of CommitCRM. Not even on the radar. That says something and if my company is to stay competitive we need to use the tools that are standard in the industry.

[Lampson_sec]

We have already written a CommitCRM JSON Web API for common tasks. This just lives on an IIS server that has LAN access to the CommitCRM server.
http://resources.bluenetinc.com/images/commitAPI.png

We've been using the WebAPI internally to perform a number of automation functions:
- synchronization of Microsoft CSP billing from distribution
- create & update client assets & contacts sourced from O365, ActiveDirectory, VMware, and discovery tools like RMM (Managed Workplace, Auvik, Datto, etc)
- automate ticket generation (and closing)
- integration with check_mk (Nagios)

Also have built synchronization with a graph database (neo4j):
http://resources.bluenetinc.com/images/ticket-label-rels.png
so we can create and analyze relationships between CommitCRM data and these other platforms within our data warehouse.

The least-costly method of standing up a mobile-friendly app would probably be using a platform like PowerApps (https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/) which could simply leverage the webAPI to actually communicate with CommitCRM. (side benefit is the development gives you a web, IOS, and Android platform all in one dev effort).

A mobile app wasn't on our agenda yet, but I'd like to hear a little more about what you would want to see in a mobile app (at least a 1st version). We're a strange MSP that also happens to has a development division.

[Blueplanet]

For us a mobile app would need.

View customer info
View all open tickets + a filter to only show my tickets
History of the ticket you are working on
To do list for the ticket
add charges
change status and manager
Email with predefined text, the same as outlook on the desktop

[LFITServices]

Yes, that look cool but we are not developers. The PowerApps looks awesome but no bandwidth to do a project like that. We are already buried wth our typical MSP work.

Ditto on Blueplanet's needs for a mobile app. It doesn't have to do everything but a tech needs to be able to open, close, update, add time and parts to a ticket. Look up client information and history.

[Blueplanet]

So LFITServices, lets get this moving. if you were to stay with CommitCRM how much would you put in the pot?

For the basic features I have said above, I would be happy to spend £400 and more for a fully feature app.

would either paul@bluenetinc.com or adent-ctc like to pickup on this?

Paul

[LFITServices]

Well if I were staying I would put up $5k towards the project

[Blueplanet]

Thanks for your input on this LFITServices, If anyone else would like to look at this project reply here.

[adent-ctc]

@LFITServices
Yep we are a MSP as well. Have been for a number of years. Fed up with the lack of automation between systems. This is a small snapshot of our journey to develop Jupiter Server.
We can have a wider discussion by email if you like.
andrew@dentaur.com

There are trial versions of the Jupiter Server here.
https://dentaur.com.au/jupiter-server/
There is a client app called Jupiter Client Explorer.
Support is included for Webroot and CommitCRM, with some minor integration with ITPortal and Naverisk included.
The CommitCRM features are limited to viewing Accounts, but you will see supporting other data records is on the agenda.
Screenshots are on the website.

I'll chime in again later regarding a mobile app.

[adent-ctc]

Sorry, took a couple of days for me to post back.

As the standard CommitCRM is a DLL file, a piece of middleware is required before any native mobile device will be able to connect.
That piece of middleware can be our Jupiter Server or it can be something someone else develops that does the same thing.
CommitCRM could develop that middleware, or they could develop a completely new API....but CommitCRM would still have to support the old API until all the historical solutions using the current API have been converted.
This might be on their internal roadmap, but as with all new features, developing them means that other things do not get worked on.

I am trying to focus on the middleware, and let others use that middleware to develop against to get the data that they need easily into a single interface.
If I spend time and money on a mobile app, I have to support it on current and future platforms/versions.
This becomes a distraction from the middleware that is Jupiter Server.
I'd also need to sell the mobile app to recover costs. Nothing is for free, and I don't like adverts in apps.
If there are some minor projects that don't take too much time and make sense in the context of Jupiter, then I'll take those on.
But embarking on a Mobile App....not at this stage.

Anyone here (including CommitCRM) is welcome to engage with a mobile developer to create an App that uses the Jupiter Server to connect to CommitCRM.
We will naturally assist with any knowledge about the Jupiter Server and its supported vendor APIs that we are aware of. If we need to modify/enhance Jupiter Server to fit into the requirements of a mobile developer then I am happy to consider that.

In closing, Jupiter Server was started to assist with connecting to CommitCRM, it then expanded in scope to support other APIs.
To my knowledge, it is the only platform currently available that would allow a Native mobile app to connect to CommitCRM.

[LFITServices]

So, we have inked a deal with CW Manage and have been slowly moving to it over the past two months. Say what you will but it is a powerful platform and integrates with just about anything. Just generate an API key.

The mobile app does everything we need it to do.

ConnectWise support is nowhere near as good as CommitCRM. This is what I see most moaning about CW Manage on Reddit.

Yes, it is a big monolithic platform and we are fighting our own employees about using it but from a business owner/manager prospective it is powerful. In the end I can see it saving hours especially in the billing area. It hooks into our distributors and is already saving hours a month for billing O365 subscription.