Resources: graphical utilization dashboard, generic resources, repeating bookings.

Resource managers can now use a new utilization dashboard to view hours and percentage resource bookings to projects and assignments to specific tasks on those projects. Managers can get quick visual answer to questions such as "Can we take on new projects?" and "Which resources are understaffed?" Managers access the utilization dashboard by navigating to Projects>Projects>Tracked>[select desired project]>Utilization. Click here to see the utilization dashboard.

Resource managers can now create generic resources, book them to projects, and assign them to tasks. Resource managers use generic resources to act as a placeholder in a project team until the appropriate individual can be found. For example, if a draft project plan requires a Business Analyst but none are currently available, a resource manager can put a generic resource in as a placeholder. Then, at a later date, the resource manager can replace the generic resource with a specific resource with the click of a button. Generic resources can be configured to hold places for job roles (Project Manager, Lead Engineer, Account Executive), skills sets (C++ Engineer, Financial Services Process Expert), or any other variety of skills. Generic resources are fully integrated in all OpenAir reports, project outlines, demographic information, skill sets and job roles, loaded cost information, resource searches, etc. To create generic resources, navigate to Account>in the New Entries: Create dropdown select Generic Resources>name the resource>click on Schedule to determine working schedule>click on cost to determine loaded cost. Then, book and assign generic resources just as you would a regular resource. When a resource manager wants to replace a generic user with a specific user, navigate to the Project Outline view and click on the generic resource’s name, then select the appropriate replacement.

Resource managers can now create repeating bookings. To record a regularly repeating booking, such as a consultant working one day a week on a project for three months, the resource manager navigates to the Resources>Bookings>in the New Entries: Create dropdown select Booking>fill out the form>click on the Repeat Booking link at the bottom of the form. Resource managers choose the frequency, number of repetitions, end dates, etc. to accurately log many bookings at once.

Projects: graphical task utilization dashboard, generic resources.

Project managers can now use a new utilization dashboard to view project and task bookings. Project managers can get quick visual answers to questions such as, "Who can I pull off of a project to handle an emergency over the next few days?" and "Who has time to do more work on this project?" Project managers access the utilization dashboard by navigating to Projects>Projects>Tracked>[select desired project]>Utilization. Click here to see the utilization dashboard.

Project managers can now use generic resources--placeholders for specific resources--to fill in gaps in project plans. For example, a project manager can assign a Business Process Analyst to a task in a project and later replace that generic resource with a specific resource with one click. See description in the Resources section above for more details.

Reports: combine detail and summary reports, revenue forecast report, booking detail report.

All users can now customize the data and layout of OpenAir summary and other reports. Users can add columns to reports that contain specific details such as address for clients, budget for projects, or email for users. Users can add a column to display any data contained in the Detail reports. Navigate to Reports>Summary or Other>select appropriate report>scroll down to the Filters and Detail Fields section of the form>choose fields to include on the report.

Sales people and managers now have a more accurate view of their sales pipeline. The new Revenue Forecast report lists deal revenue when it will be invoiced and/or booked (monthly, quarterly, etc.), displaying deal revenue in both absolute and weighted probability of closing figures. Navigate to Reports>Other>Revenue Forecast report.

Users can now import contacts from a variety of sources including comma-separated value (CSV) files, text files, Microsoft Outlook®, Intuit QuickBooks Pro®, and Peachtree®. Plus users can easily report on any contact data with the new Contacts detail report on the Reports>Detail screen.

Resource managers can now run detailed reports on bookings and all associated details. Navigate to Reports>Detail>view reports under Resources>Bookings.

Integration: bi-directional Microsoft® Project® data exchange.

OpenAir announces fully-functional export capability from OpenAir Projects to Microsoft® Project®. The new export feature complements the current Microsof®t Project® import to provide bi-directional data exchange between the two project management applications. Project managers can now import all of their important and detailed project plans from Project®, import them to OpenAir for tracking actual time against planned time, resource allocation, etc. Then they can export the project plan and any changes back to Microsoft® Project®. Navigate to My Account>Exchange>scroll down to OpenAir Projects Connector and download the one megabyte client onto a computer. Then follow the instructions for installation and use.

Timesheets: hide the description data field.

Account administrators can now hide the description field from timesheets. If your company requires users to record additional time information by clicking on the blue dot on the timesheet grid and filling in the notes field, your account administrator can remove the description field. This way user comments can be consistently gathered in the notes field alone. Administrators navigate to My Account>Settings>scroll down to Timesheet options>check the Hide the description field box.

Opportunities: projected revenue over time, revenue forecast report.

Sales professionals and sales managers can now more accurately forecast sales pipeline dollars with the OpenAir projected revenue feature. When sales professionals are logging a deal in the OpenAir solution, they navigate to Opportunities>Deals>select appropriate deal>Edit and then scroll to the Projected Revenue section of the deal form. Then, sales people can add the revenue amount and the projected date the client will pay the revenue.

Once sales professionals and managers have input the data using the new time-sensitive revenue forecasts, sales people can view the revenue over time and weighted by probability of closing in the new Revenue Forecast report. See details in the Reports section above.

Expenses: repeating receipts.

Users of OpenAir Expenses can now create repeating receipts. When a regularly repeating expense needs to be recorded, such as predictable hotel stays, users navigate to the Expenses>Envelopes>Open>select appropriate envelope>in the New Entries: Create dropdown select Receipt>fill out the receipt form>click on the Repeat Receipt link at the bottom of the form. Users choose the frequency, number of repetitions, end dates, etc., to accurately log many receipts at once.

Invoices: repeating timebills.

Billing managers can now create repeating timebills. When clients need to be charged regularly for time or expenses, users navigate to Invoices>Timebills>in the New Entries: Create dropdown select any type of timebill>fill out the form>click on the Repeat timebill "Create" icon on the bottom of the form. Users choose the frequency, number of repetitions, end dates, etc., to accurately log many timebills at once.

Would you like to see previous OpenAir product updates?

Click here to browse previous product updates including all new features, modules and functionality.

Suggestions, problems or questions?

As always, please contact us at support@openair.com or 888.367.1715 (outside the U.S. and Canada, call 617-351-0226). We want to ensure that OpenAir improves your company’s bottom line.