opentaps Open Source ERP + CRM Quarterly Update

In the last few months, we've introduced a few interesting new features to opentaps.

Query Builder for opentaps Analytics

We have completed a query builder for opentaps analytics, which allows you to query the opentaps data warehouse based on multiple criteria. For example, you can now run a report of sales by product for all "Gizmos" in the United States since 2007, or sales by product in California on Mondays during the Julys. This new tool, along with the data transformations, reports, and report generator we've already built, will give you a large number of available reports through opentaps analytics

Google Web Toolkit Widgets Now Officially in opentaps

We have merged back the Google Web Toolkit (GWT) widgets into the main development trunk of opentaps. These widgets will be part of the upcoming version 1.4 release. They will allow you to add and search for data much more quickly than before, while still allowing you to export lists of data to Excel.

opentaps - Asterisk Integration Under Way

We have also started developing an integration between opentaps and the Asterisk open source voice over IP (VOIP) system. This integration will also allow you to call out on your Asterisk VOIP phone from opentaps. When you receive a call on your Asterisk phone, a GWT widget will pop up with information about the caller and take you to the screen in opentaps with their information.

Other Development of Note

Some other important developments during the last few months include:

• Improved commission management and reporting. Commissions can now be issued when the customer invoices are paid, instead of just when the customers are invoiced. There is also a new commissions report to show the sales, payments, and commissions in detail.
• New cash lock box management feature, which allows you to import NACHA files from your bank to create payments automatically in opentaps.
• Material Resources Planning (MRP) can now account for sales forecasts as well as actual sales, purchasing, and manufacturing.
• opentaps 1.0.3 was released as an upgrade for users of opentaps 1.0.x

Upcoming Release Plans

The next major release of opentaps will be version 1.4, which we are currently planning for Summer 2009. Between now and then, we will be using the new GWT tools to improve the user interface, especially order and invoice entry screens. We will also be making some more fundamental improvements to the opentaps technical infrastructure.