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So we've had good discussion on numerous threads surrounding the need for improved capabilites for remote use of the CommitCRM full client while offsite. For many tasks the web client can be enough and will do in a pinch - but clearly it is not as efficient as using the full CommitCRM client either over Terminal Services or using some form of remote desktop client.
However, today for me was another good example as to why a fully functioning standalone client like that provided by ConnectWise can be a critical tool - what do you do when you're offline and there is no internet access? Many times whether in the field providing support- or on a plane traveling on business - we need access to data that is stored inCommitCRM. But if that data always requires us to be online - we're dead in the water. The ConnectWise is based on .NET and keeps a local synced copy of the database on the laptop/desktop so that work can continue even when offline - syncing changes and updates when the user returns to an internet access point or the office. This is going to be critical if we want to consider CommitCRM as a long-term solution for our business. We often - as I did this morning - find ourselves in situations without internet - but where the information we're storing in CommitCRM is needed. Furthermore- there are some facets of the tool - such as the sales component or Finance - that are more business-oriented than customer service oriented and I could benefit from being able to work with this data on my long domestic or international flights. I'm sure I"m not alone here and I hope others will chime in if this has been their experience. |
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Hi FunctionOne,
Interesting points for a good discussion! To my understanding, .Net technology defines a communication mechanism between a client program and a server program. It lets a client program easily run/use/call procedures that runs on the server side. On its own, .Net does not provide an off line database. There are other software layers, tools, components and database implementations that may offer support for this. These can then can be used either by a .Net program or by any other type of program (in other words, I don't see any advantages for using .Net for off line database implementations and it can be implemented with and w/o .Net). Anyway, there is no current plan to implement an off line client in the near future. You can currently work off line on contacts/appointments/tasks in Outlook and sync toRangerMSP. We may get to developing it in the future, however, we believe that at this stage there are other items on our to do list with higher priority. I believe that some of these were suggested by you :-) Thanks for the continuous feedback. Ethan |
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Hehee - touche` Ethan :) Hey, I will not complain if some of my ideas are being delayed by my 'other' ideas ;)
I wasn't focusing so much on .NET as providing the DB functionality as much as that seemed to be a common platform for developing the stand alone client. Clearly - there may be other ways of approaching this solution - the fundamental concept I wanted to convey I think is clear, however - that in the endgame - being able to access this data while offline will be critical. |