LAMP Requirements for v1.2.0

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Even if I upgrade to the very, very, very latest version of my server software (it is still in RC) I can only achieve:
PHP 5.3.3-23
MySQL 5.1

I note in your blog that v1.2.0 needs PHP 5.4 - is this then not possible for me?

Some other questions whilst I am at it:
(1) export / import tasks and calendar entries to sync with email calendar?
(2) would it work with Owncloud?
(3) Can I change the layout of the Top-Bar in Admin?
(4) Is there a way to search 'Accounts' and Prospects by 'last contact date'?
(5) is there a way to configure for geographical sales areas linked to one salesman?
(6) is there a way so that when you click on the calendar that it defaults to 'Call' and not 'Meeting' (i.e. make this Admin configurable)
(7) is there caldav and carddav for Android etc
(8) is there a way to classify Accounts, Prospects and Leads so that I can mass email a certain sub-group from within EspoCRM
(9) click-to-call voip telephoning, like Dolibarr (if yes, how do I set it up)

You have an issue with your website (I think). I cannot open a Demo for Salesman and then open a Demo for Admin (hence some of my questions above) - cookies or something.

I like your software - it hasn't gone silly like vTiger and XRMS and is STILL fast unlike EPESI. Please don't make Invoicing and stock and all that stuff core - that belongs in an ERP.

[yuri]

Hi

Thank you for your feedback.

EspoCRM should work with PHP 5.3. But no guarantees that will work in future.

(1) export / import tasks and calendar entries to sync with email calendar?

Now there is only CSV import/export. In future we are going to implement google calendar and outlook sync.

(2) would it work with Owncloud?

Not sure. I hope it will.

(3) Can I change the layout of the Top-Bar in Admin?

You can only change list of tabs and logo.

.(4) Is there a way to search 'Accounts' and Prospects by 'last contact date'?

No.

(5) is there a way to configure for geographical sales areas linked to one salesman?

No. Can you describe more?

(6) is there a way so that when you click on the calendar that it defaults to 'Call' and not 'Meeting' (i.e. make this Admin configurable)

No. But will make it in the next version.

(7) is there caldav and carddav for Android etc

Going to make it in future.

(8) is there a way to classify Accounts, Prospects and Leads so that I can mass email a certain sub-group from within EspoCRM

There is no Mass Mailing feature in EspoCRM, and not sure whether we will do. We are going to make MailChimp integration.

(9) click-to-call voip telephoning, like Dolibarr (if yes, how do I set it up)

No.

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OK, have now had a dig around admin. I am liking more and more.

I will try with PHP 5.3 and report back. However, it goes without saying that if just works with just the latest LAMP software - you are limiting your audience considerably.

(1) It would be nice to be able to sync tasks/calendar with other Linux LAMP email/groupware e.g. SOGo, Horde, Roundcube, eGroupware
(2) perhaps Owncloud is the way to do No.1
(4) This is really important for CRM. You could then order your Accounts by last contact date and then just phone them all up - last contacted, first etc.
You will then also quickly see if a salesman is avoiding a customer etc.
(5) Let's say that you gave salesmen accounts based on Geography e.g. 4x salesmen for sales areas - North, South, East and West etc
perhaps this can be donw with your 'TEAMS'
(6) Great bit of added flexibility as I would want my salespeople just to make calls - no client meetings (normally)
(7) this is connected with Owncloud etc - I'm no expert here though
(8) MailChimp integration good. Can you also make sure to integrate with phplist (the world's most popular opensource email campaign manager)
(9) you should perhaps consider adding this to your ToDo list - copy Dolibarr on this.

New Qns.:
(10) I don't see any backup functionality. How do you see a user of EspoCRM backing-up?
(11) why is it that when I go into Accounts and click on an email address of a contact found there and then send them an email, that it doesn't then show up on the RHS of the Accounts page in History (emails)? I would like to be able to bring up the Account page and quickly see what the last contacts were all about. This sort of thing becomes an urgent priority when a salesman leaves etc
(12) One feature that I haven't yet understood is your 'Mass Update' feature - when would I use that?

Thanks BTW

[yuri]

(11) why is it that when I go into Accounts and click on an email address of a contact found there and then send them an email, that it doesn't then show up on the RHS of the Accounts page in History (emails)? I would like to be able to bring up the Account page and quickly see what the last contacts were all about. This sort of thing becomes an urgent priority when a salesman leaves etc

Will do it in future.

(12) One feature that I haven't yet understood is your 'Mass Update' feature - when would I use that?

You select needed records and update some fields for them all. For example reassign them to another user. It will be more useful after we implement the ability to select all records on the list view. It will be done in future.

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Having had a good look at EspoCRM now, I am intrigues that you have the following as your sales process;

Prospects -> Leads -> Opportinitiy/Account/Contact

I know that there is generally some disagreemnet on this, but I had always believed that it was Leads -> Prospects ...
The reason being, that a 'Prospect' offers the prospect of a sale; a 'Lead' might become a 'Prospect' once a salesman has qualified it.

The confusion comes, I think, from the term 'Prospecting' which means 'hunting around' for whatever it is you are trying to find (Gold, potential customers).

When I was a young salesman, we used to go out "prospecting", but we came back with "leads" if we didn't get the info we wanted and had to follow up by phone and "prospects" if we thought that there was a credible chance of a sale. It was a "hot prospect" if we were really excited about the chance of a sale (or the girl on the front desk). The Sales Manager was more interested in 'prospects' than a few dreary 'leads' - all he really wanted were 'HOT prospects'. At the weekly Sales Meeting, any salesman without a few 'hot prospects' was in trouble - you could have all the leads you liked, they wouldn't save you.

If a girl wandered in from the typing pool waving a piece of paper with a persons name and number on it - it was a lead. It needed to be followed up - qualified. There was no such term as a 'hot lead'.

I can find credible comments on the web arguing strongly for both. This isn't a big deal.

[yuri]

Our sales process is Lead -> Opportunity/Contact/Account. I think it would be reasonable to remove Prospect entity type at all in the next release. We added Prospect as a person w/o any info about their purpose. For example for targets for Mailing Lists. But it came out confusing.

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OK, so I have just loaded the files etc onto my local LAN server - a linux box.

I can't get past the install screen - it is complaining about PHP - "Supported php version >= 5.4"

See screenshot.

PHP currently on server - 5.3.3 Any solution?

[tarasm]

You can try to change the line in a file /install/core/SystemHelper.php

'phpVersion' => '5.4', 

to

'phpVersion' => '5.3', 

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OK changed the PHP requirement, as above.

Now getting a Mod-Rewrite complaint

I have allowed AllowOverride which sets Mod-Rewrite, I believe, and I'm still getting the following complaint.

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So I have now set up another server with the very latest SMEserver9.0 (which is still RC).
EpsoCRM requirements:
PHP 5.4 with pdo, json, GD Library, mcrypt
MySQL 5.1

SME9:
PHP 5.3.3-23
MySQL 5.1

I get the splash screen (Welcome to EspoCRM) but when I click on the 'Start' button, nothing happens.
EDIT: this last issue was because my FireFox was too old - updated and now advances past splash screen.

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OK, I am getting the same AllowOverride and Mod-Rewrite error on the new server software.
Ideas?

[tarasm]

Hi,

Try to open this URL: http://<YOUR-ESPO-URL>/api/v1/Settings. What do you see?

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Not Found

The requested URL /crm/api/v1/Settings was not found on this server.

[tarasm]

It is the problem with URL rewriting in your server. I can check the problem if you send me an access to espocrm via PM.

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I am on the verge of solving this. I will report the outcome here. Thanks