TeamLab.com

TeamLab is a platform for joint work and project management on the basis of web technologies. It is developed by Ascensio System SIA, the company offering IT solutions for personal and corporate use. The idea to make the most effective and convenient project management and joint communication online was the basis for TeamLab. The platform includes broad tool kit which help collective to work as a uniform organism, solving the general problems and achieving results. TeamLab provides flexibility of use thanks to 3 solutions for deployment:

• SaaS – for the organizations interested in ready service.
• Open source – for experienced users who want to configure and support the portal manually.
• AMI – for the companies wishing to unroll TeamLab on own virtual server.

Offering an absolute majority of options it is free, TeamLab gives the chance to the organizations easily to include the latest technologies in daily activity.

TeamLab is the cornerstone the idea of increase in efficiency of joint work within the organization without finance costs: all services TeamLab are provided to users absolutely free of charge. The platform differs in high functionality and reliability and also usability.

Today many Russian companies still have no well organized and reliable schemes of corporate cooperation optimizing labor productivity in a command. Proceeding from requirements of modern business, Ascensio System SIA developed the free platform for TeamLab joint work. Similar solutions well proved in the West and are widely applied not only in large corporations, but also in the small organizations. Thanks to TeamLab the staff of the company can communicate with the help of such services as Wiki, news and events, blogs and forums, a photo and tabs. Now any company can create own corporate knowledge base and provide an effective information stream, create lists of departments and store data on the employees. Users of TeamLab can have the blog of the company in real time and share the ideas with colleagues, create new subjects at a corporate forum to discuss important problems, to manage tabs of web resources, to create photo albums of corporate events, to conduct surveys and also to be aware the last of news and declarations of the company.

In the advanced version of TeamLab released on the Russian market in addition to already existing 2 new services appeared: TM Projects and TM Talk. They are intended for effective management of projects of the company and also for communication between employees in real time. TM Projects allows users to create project teams, to distribute tasks and to plan stages of projects, to watch their implementation, to discuss important working issues, to create reports, to keep track of activity of participants, to exchange documents and other files in a project team. Using TM Talk service employees can exchange messages and information online, using the built-in web client, or to integrate it in popular clients of instant messages. New employees will be automatically added to the contact list.

The improved solution with an expanded set of opportunities is proposed to the Russian users in two options. The cloud platform, already ready to use, exempts the organization from need of purchase of personal servers and installation of the platform on them: the portal is registered on servers of the world famous company Amazon guaranteeing reliability and safety of all data for 99.99999%. At the same time registration procedure and further use of a corporate portal is most simplified and requires only 10 seconds.

For the companies interested in installation of the platform on their own servers and its further modification according to their individual requirements, TeamLab is offered as open source software. Existence of an open source code of TeamLab allows to unroll a corporate portal on servers of the company, to take the code of the program and process of upgrade under control. The source code is available to testing, assessment, modification at own discretion and improvements. The open code TeamLab extends on the terms of open license agreement GNU GPLv3 (the license for the open source created within the GNU project in 1988).

The TeamLab platform supports several foreign languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Latvian. For the Russian users technical support of TeamLab is conducted also in Russian now.

In March, 2011 it was announced start of the new module TeamLab "Dokumenty" allowing to carry out work with documents directly on a corporate portal. A main goal of Ascensio System SIA developers is Teamlab implementation as uniform, full-fledged and convenient corporate online office. With respect thereto the module "Documents" was integrated into the portal. The new module is generic collection of options for document management, storage and editing files. Thus, employees have an opportunity easily and just to organize personal and corporate databases, to exchange documents, to monitor their changes by other users, to publish information for general access. Basic functions of the text and tabular processor were performed using the Open Office built-in application. Thanks to it, users can create and edit (including jointly) documents, tables and the presentations, saving all changes directly on the Teamlab portal.

Using technology of the virtualization developed by Ascensio System SIA, Open Office is started directly from the interface of the portal without the need for installation of any collateral office software. Operation of application is ensured by Ascensio System Plug-in which is offered to the user to installation during the first appeal to Open Office. At the moment only users with the Windows operating system can seize the opportunities of the module, however, support of other systems will also be implemented in the future.

In May, 2011 it is announced start of mobile version of Teamlab optimized under platforms Android and iOS — now users will be able to stay in the know of corporate news and to participate in work of a command using the mobile phone. Thus, owners of mobile devices have additional opportunities for communication with colleagues even in the absence of access to the personal computer. The current version includes basic tools of the module Community and gives the chance to monitor activity of a command and to take active part in it: read, comment and browse blogs, forums, events, tabs and also to obtain if necessary information from a profile of each employee.

In June, 2011 it was announced availability of new functionality within service for TeamLab joint work: a set of options on management of access rights in the modules "Projects" and "Documents". Based on regular polls in which users of TeamLab are offered to define the most priority features, new to them, the possibility of access rights restriction in projects became the absolute winner. Once again confirming the focus on need of users, TeamLab suggests owners and participants of the portal to create private projects and documents, at the same time managing access rights at own discretion. Improvement of functionality in the module "Projects" allows the users who made the projects closed to receive additional privileges: not only to create the projects available only to the invited participants, but, besides, to set the level of availability to viewing and to configure access rights for each specific section, namely, for milestones, tasks, files and discussions.

As work with documents makes an integral part of project management, the system of differentiation of access rights is implemented also in the module "Documents". From this point users have an opportunity to appoint access rights to documents to the certain participant of a command or group, selecting from three modes: full access, only reading or lack of access. Administrators of the portal also have the right to manage access parameters in "The general documents". Dmitry Orlov, the sales director, comments: 'Adding new features, we move towards requests of our users for receiving bigger control over that information which participants of a command and partners can see. At the moment the ability to manage is given by access rights free of charge, but since July, 2011 we are going to pass to the Freemium model at which the mentioned functionality will be available for a certain payment. We select this method of monetization as it allows each owner and the participant of the portal to use on TeamLab all earlier released options and 90% future without finance costs. At the same time it will provide sufficient financing of further improvements of our product.'

In August, 2011 it is announced start of mobile version of the section 'Projects". The optimized under devices on the popular Android and IOS platforms, new module allows users of TeamLab to manage projects and to exercise control of execution of tasks irrespective of location.

Mobile version of Projects provides the full range of tools allowing to control and be directly involved in projects out of office: both heads, and team members can browse, create and comment on tasks, set new milestones, open discussions and monitor activity of colleagues. The new module also gives the chance always to be aware of the latest news and changes and to control business processes round the clock. Thanks to the optimized interface, the worthy list of functions for project management, mobile version of TeamLab ensures easy navigation and effective operation of application on devices with operating systems Android and iOS.

Designed especially for work with web projects, TeamLab significantly differs from similar mobile applications thanks to speed of functioning: the optimized version of a system offers easy access from mobile devices and always the updated content, thereby saving users from updates and obligatory races manually and also forced attachment to one separate device.

The module "Projects" is considerable improvement of earlier released mobile version of TeamLab which already includes the section Community. Unlike the majority of web applications in this category which offer functionality either for joint work, or for project management TeamLab integrates necessary options in both directions for providing a full-fledged effective work on the Internet worldwide.

HTML5

Advanced technology at the heart of TeamLab Document Editor differs from all existing analogs in what fully uses all opportunities of HTML5. This innovation approach allocates the tool with a wide number of competitive advantages and turns it into a worthy alternative to desktop text editors in terms of multifunctionality.

Pursuing the aim to erase borders between desktop and on-line word-processors, the editor of the documents TeamLab Document Editor combines convenience and mobility of web applications with multifunctionality of traditional text editors, such as Microsoft Office Word or OpenOffice Writer.

Teamlab CRM

Ascensio System SIA, developer company of the software for internal use, announced in November, 2011 Teamlab CRM start - the fourth multifunction module a web of office Teamlab.

Teamlab CRM is a system for effective management of customer relations. A new set of the options integrated into the platform provides users with the instruments necessary for maintaining base of clients and automation of sales.

The focused on sales management and customer interaction, new module allows to integrate all contacts of the company in a single system. Employees have an opportunity to conduct the history of work with each client, and heads in turn - on a centralized basis to trace and coordinate work of subordinates.

Teamlab CRM includes four functional parts:

• Contacts - the Section allows to organize and store contacts of all clients with which the company cooperates or plans work.
• Tasks - Users have an opportunity to deliver and tie tasks to a certain contact or the transaction and to configure the notification about the forthcoming meeting, phone call, a business lunch.
• Transactions - Employees can monitor potential sales, define stages of transactions according to business process of the company, conduct history, set tasks and load documents.
• Actions - the functionality Included here in many respects is similar to a set of options in the section 'Transaction 'and is provided for convenient organization of events with participation of several contacts.

The flexible system of personalisation of the module allows to customize a system, proceeding from specifics of work of each company: add additional fields of customer information, transactions or actions, to configure stages of transactions and category of tasks. The system of tags considerably simplifies search of necessary information.

Unlike the majority of the similar Teamlab CRM systems provides users with an opportunity not only loadings, but also creations of documents, the presentations and spreadsheets. Taking into account that information on the portal is visible to all staff of the company, developers provided a possibility of separation of access rights to information which is contained in the module CRM.

Dmitry Orlov, the head of sales department, comments:' When developing Teamlab CRM we tried to be focused first of all on requirements of small and medium business. Researches showed that first of all the database with the detailed customer information, a possibility of separation of access rights, trackings of transactions, notifications and reminders is necessary for users. We are ready to offer this tool kit to our users. Certainly, it is only the first steps in Teamlab CRM development, and a number of considerable improvements of a system which will be based on responses and wishes of our users is planned already in the near future'.

2012

January, 2012: updating of the module "Documents"

The company starts the new version of the module Documents, one of the main components of web office Teamlab.

In addition to creation, editing and exchange of documents in the portal, now clients of TeamLab will be able to provide access to files to the users unregistered to Teamlab.

In addition to new opportunities, significant changes are made to the interface of the portal:

• The contents of the document open on width of all working space in 1 thousand pixels now
• There was a line of the filter for quick search and sorting of files
• Recently created or changed files are noted by an icon now 'new' so any updating of the document will not remain unnoticed.

"The last updates in the module "Documents" is a serious step forward in development of a system. They considerably increase the speed and efficiency of work with documents online', - Anton Smirnov, the project manager comments. 'The advanced tool kit for work with documents brings virtual office Teamlab to new level and allows the companies of small and medium business, freelancers and remote commands to conduct work with documents quicker, more reliably and more qualitatively.'

Server solution for Teamlab

In February, 2012 the server solution for Teamlab - systems for shared control is announced by projects, documents and customer relations. The installation version is available on Sourceforge in the form of the file of the .exe format and allows to unroll Teamlab on corporate servers of the company.

Thus, in addition to SaaS of the version of Teamlab, users are given an opportunity of start of Teamlab on own server that provides additional control over the data which are stored in the portal and also complete independence of the supplier of service.

The server solution contains all tools necessary for the organization of joint work of a command over projects. Installation process of a system was reduced to a gallop and start of installation during which the configuration is adjusted in the automatic mode. Besides, from now on the IIS setup and creation of a DB also do not require active participation of the user - process of installation becomes completely automated.

In case of absence by machine Microsoft. net Framework 3.5 SP1 or MySQL ODBC Connector 5.1 these components are downloaded and established independently. In other words, to start Teamlab on the corporate server no costs of time the high level of technical knowledge are required now. Anton Smirnov, the head of department of development, comments: "The server solution of Teamlab gives a fine opportunity to reduce to zero any sort of concern about data security, stored on your portal. Besides, the total absence of dependence on the supplier of service provides to users additional confidence in stability of a system"

Teamlab Office Edition 7.0

Teamlab Office Edition 7.0 brings the idea of cloud tools for business to new level. This version represents a combination of the most demanded functions of the platform and the revolutionary technologies giving to users the chance to transfer work with documents to clouds.

Already sensational online the editor of documents on HTML5 provided as a part of cloud office and which does not have analogs and the world becomes a key innovation. Ascensio System SIA developers claim that on the functionality, speed and quality of display of the documents Teamlab Office Edition it is as close as possible to desktop editors. Thus, HTML5 the editor of Teamlab brings work with documents to the stage which is not reached similar SaaS by solutions, such as Microsoft Office 365 yet.

Along with global innovations Teamlab continues to support the idea of integration of modules of a vnuta of the platform. Alexey Bannov, the Head of Department of development comments: "Not only implementation of enough tools for joint work, but also their high-quality interaction within one platform was our purpose". The new version of Teamlab allows to connect contacts from CRM with specific projects, to work with documents directly in the module "Projects" and to attach them to the letters sent via the mail Teamlab aggregator.

Intuitivism - one of the most criticized parties of Office 365 therefore when developing the new Teamlab interface the defects allowed in the similar systems were considered. Alexey Bannov: "We made every effort to give to the interface intuitivism and to simplify navigation between the modules Teamlab"

Price policy of Teamlab Office Edition at the moment remains unconfirmed, however on assurances of representatives, service will be available on the conditions more profitable in comparison with competitors.

Hybrid version of TeamLab Office

"Hybrid version" combines main advantages of private and public clouds. Data which require the strengthened control (Projects, CRM, Documents and records of the section Community) are stored in a private cloud while supporting services, such as office applications and email notification, are connected from a public cloud that allows to provide technical support and to perform updates.

Making the choice for benefit of advanced technology, you receive several advantages:

• Independence of software supplier minimizes technical risks and guarantees data security;
• An opportunity to select territorially close server resolves an issue of high-speed performance of a system and increases workflow speed;
• At connection of SaaS services safe connection without caching is used, i.e. the safety of data is ensured to the maximum.

Two options of deployment TeamLab in a private cloud will be provided to you:

• the virtual machine with Teamlab Office preset in a cloud of Amazon (EC2)
• Windows Hyper-V servers

TeamLab: history startup project

In 2008 in the company work as over the successful and already making profit IT projects, and new, just being at a stage of development and design was conducted. Naturally, there was regularly a need to discuss the new ideas, to share links to interesting web resources, to document development process, etc. Was decided to write the system including functionality for creation of blogs, forums, polls, Wiki and, of course, photo albums (where without it ;)) As a system was written under the needs, among employees got accustomed very quickly. It was followed by quite explainable desire to share the project with the public: if the portal so is pleasant to us, then why it cannot be pleasant to someone else? And this desire was realized. At the end of 2009 the platform distribution kit under the name TeamLab was released. Sociality — it is healthy! But how project management?

The distribution kit was downloaded, set, but did not use … Possibly, blogs, forums and photo galleries — not absolutely what was necessary for most of users. Communication by communication, but projects after all is more important. It is necessary to distribute tasks, to control the course of their accomplishment, to exchange files, to create reports. Need for the management tool projects already ripened also in our firm so rejection of community option only accelerated development of new functionality. And here, summer of this year the new version of TeamLab was released. I will not begin to describe in detail all its tools as they are quite standard. Tasks, milestones, discussions, files, reports, an online chat — similar functionality provide most the services similar to ours. The difference consists only in how this functionality is implemented, in convenience and a usability of the interface. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words …

Moving to clouds of Amazon

By that moment we also joined Amazon Web Services and transferred the corporate portal to servers of Amazon. Respectively and to our users began to offer not a distribution kit, but SaaS the version any more. Besides, we released an image of the portal (AMI) for Amazon EC2. Thus, the users who already have the account on AWS can use this alternative option and work with TeamLab on own virtual server. SaaS service, also as well as AMI, is provided free of charge without any limit. Open-source: if to share, so really

We also uploaded the source code TeamLab publicly on SourceForge. Yes, we are developers who opened the source code of the product. It was not so simple to decide on it. But how it was still possible to draw attention of colleagues to new service?

With the TeamLab code it is possible to do everything that keeps within a framework permitted by license GPLv3. First of all, of course, you can compile the code and set the portal on own server. If desired it is possible and to remake under itself: to remove something, to correct something — generally, to use as it is convenient. Before you follow this link and will download source codes, I will tell a couple of words about the used technologies. TeamLab is written on ASP.NET and works with a DB of MySQL and SQLite. Of course, it is some kind of minus as the vast majority have Linux hosting. So left, we specialize in a dotneta, and to do nothing with it. Good news nevertheless are. Next year we are going to perform porting of the project on Mono.

2013: New version of TeamLab Office

On November 6, 2013 it became known of start of the new version of the product TeamLab Office.

As a part of innovations - the chart Ganta and integration of CRM into the mail aggregator.

The chart Ganta will interest project managers, first of all, as represents one of the most popular tools for coordination of tasks and events. The chart Ganta in TeamLab Office visually displays the course of the project and dependence of tasks, allows to analyze activity of each worker and a command in general.

For optimization of work of sales managers, the CRM module is integrated with the mail TeamLab aggregator. There was a possibility of import of email correspondence with this or that client for a certain period, to tie a chain of letters or the separate message to CRM contact, the transaction or an action and also to send the message to the client directly from the profile.

The important part implemented in this version: for each contact it is possible to appoint the responsible manager. Thus, the project manager will be able always to have clear idea of the current activity of each worker.

TeamLab Personal: The free application for work with personal files

The solution TeamLab Personal provides to broad category of users instant access to creation and editing files online. TeamLab Personal combines multifunctionality of desktop programs for processing of texts, tables and the presentations with opportunities of joint editing and commenting in real time. Being the only thing online the editor developed when using the HTML5 Canvas element, the application has a number of technical advantages:

• identity of the initial and output data: the processed file is saved by the same style, paragraphs, interlower case and intersymbol intervals, etc. when viewing in any browser in any OS and also during the importing and printing;
• a wide choice of options for work with tables, line intervals, multilevel numbering, text styles and headings;
• possibilities of free processing of multipage reports, business or financial documentation in exact compliance with all standards;
• lack of language barriers, even hieroglyphs are available;
• the maximum quantity of fonts, styles and the supported formats.

It is possible to be registered in Teamlab Personal through an account in Facebook or Google. For the organization of a uniform working space for work with files it is offered to attach the file storages on Google Drive Dropbox, SkyDrive and Box. Thus, users have an opportunity to create, to jointly edit and comment on documents of any type, to provide access to them, to build in on the websites and to browse files on IOS or Android tablets.