WEB TIMESHEET

Abak's version 5 web timesheet is multi-user capable over a network, or it can be accessed over the Internet through a Web browser, when an optional Web module is installed.

One thing that sets Abak 6.1 apart from many of the other web timesheet
applications we examined is that it interfaces with Accpac International
accounting software, as well as QuickBooks. This interface is an option,
as is a Web client called AbakWeb that allows you to enter data and access
the collaborative date-book using a browser.

"With the new web timesheet software, it is now possible
to supervise every project management-related activity, including
employee performance, invoicing, accounting transfers, time
bank management (vacation, sick leave), project leader performance,
activity-based management, work in progress, budget control
and integration with Microsoft Project.

The new version web timesheet does offer an improvement in its
architecture from a two-tiered to three-tiered system. This sounds
technical, but is important to understand from a performance
perspective. A two-tier system separates the database from the rest of
the application, and is a big improvement over non-client/server
systems. In non-client/server (one-tier architecture), a request from a
workstation for a customer would send all customers from the server to
the workstation, and the workstation would pick the requested customer.
This is not good as the network is flooded with data not requested. A
three-tier system separates the business logic from the user interface,
and again improves network performance as only user interface web
timesheet commands are being sent over the network. A three-tier system has another advantage in allowing a “thin client”
on the workstation or on the server without any other software such as
Citrix, which can be expensive.

Groupe AGI had considered just a web timesheet product that only used a
browser on the workstation for the new release, but decided against it
because they would not have been able to give users access to the
entire system with the same flexibility and performance as their
three-tier approach. You will find that other products will have part
of their application available remotely via the Internet, but you need
to use the client/server system at head office for more demanding
functionality.

The company was were primarily interested in a web timesheet and
billing system. A web timesheet and billing system contains many of the
features found in what is called Professional Services Automation (PSA)
including time and expense management, invoicing, project management,
but may not include customer relationship management, opportunity
management, resource management or knowledge management. Objectives:
Management of Work in Progress (WIP) was on top of the list of AGTI
requirements. Some of AGTI’s clients required bills to be based on WIP
not at the end of a billing cycle, but rather on the completion of a
milestone.

Therefore, AGTI would prefer to continue using Abak web timesheet,
which only requires a browser on the workstation. However,
implementation of the new version is planned for the administrators in
December of this year.