Augeo Software launches Planzone, a new SaaS collaborative project management platform

Web 2.0 concepts and technologies applied to collaborative project management

Paris, June 18 2008 - Augeo Software, a leading European Project and Portfolio Management software vendor, announces the launch of Planzone, its new SaaS (Software as a Service) platform for collaboration and project management based on Web 2.0 concepts and technologies.

Augeo Software designed the Planzone service to be a catalyst for collaborative and participatory project management involving all project team members, including cross-boundary resources and staff both inside and outside the company. Based on the foundations of Web 2.0 self-managed communities and Augeo’s expertise in project management, the platform implements the concepts of shared project workspaces and  an interactive user community.

Planzone – where teamwork begins   – brings together, in the same secured Internet collaborative workspace, all data related to the life cycle of a project. Whether it be the schedule, the various tasks assigned to each project team member, the milestones or the resources and documents needed for the success of the project, all data are accessible to all team members from a Web browser. The Ajax interface offers the user intuitive ergonomics and elegant graphics design. An on-line multi-media collaborative notebook (Wiki), RSS feed management and automated e-mail notification of alerts and activity reports round out the product.

Planzone addresses the new collaboration and project management challenges of a globalized economy in which project team members are increasingly geographically remote and also have to work more efficiently with each other. Planzone targets teams of managers and professionals working on cross-boundary projects and relying on internal and external resources to get things done:  marketing campaigns, new business and product launches, budget validation cycles, customer services, event management, consulting assignments, etc.  Planzone more specifically targets distributed project teams within “digital economy” companies such as communications agencies, consulting companies, software and technology vendors, service companies or freelancers – as well as company departments such as marketing, HR or finance. Planzone is also an ideal solution for associations and public administrations looking for a simple and affordable technical solution to better coordinate their activities.

“Our experience with project management customer needs, gained through contact with our European major accounts, has allowed us to understand recent changes in the market”, remarked Simon Trudelle, VP of Products and Marketing at Augeo Software. “By taking into account these new expectations, integrating the potential of new Web 2.0 technologies, and implementing an agile development process based on an avant-garde technology framework, Augeo is differentiating itself and once again bringing innovation to the international market for project management software”, added Laurent Raynaud, President and CEO of Augeo Software.

The Planzone platform embodies a new generation of enterprise software applications, developed in iterations, continuously tested and validated using resources and partners from many different backgrounds, both in Europe and overseas, inspired by the same vision and using Open Source technologies and components.

Augeo Software already offers the Planzone product in 5 languages (French, English, German, Dutch and Russian) to make it accessible to as many users as possible. Planzone is available at attractive rates, with an unlimited trial offer and subscription plans starting at 9.90 Euros per month, including all taxes. Enterprise plans are also available.

Press Contacts
Ballou PR
Aline Dubucq – aline@balloupr.com – +33 1 42 22 97 65
Stéphanie Bonnet – stephanie@balloupr.com – +33 1 42 22 94 44

Augeo joins the German Project Management Association

Founded in 1979, the GPM is a non-profit professional association that is focused on training, development, and promoting research and information on project management.  The GPM is also the German partner of the International Project Management Association (IPMA).

As a leading European Software vendor of Project and Portfolio Management (PPM), Augeo Software is a proud sponsor of the GPM Forum that will take place on October 22 and 23, 2008 in Wiesbaden.

New product release: Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 5

Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 5 (SP5) introduced two new functional features designed to address the needs of existing customers and new prospects: Project Snapshots and Advanced Password Management.

Augeo Software participates to the French ASP Forum annual conference

The ASP Forum is a French association promoting SaaS and ASP solutions as well as fostering the development of the SaaS industry ecosystem in Europe.

Click here to see the agenda of the annual conference that will take place at the Paris Chamber of Commerce (CCI Paris) on January 29, 2008

Simon Trudelle, VP Products and Marketing for Augeo Sofware, commented:  “the ASP Forum is one of the key industry associations that brings together all the members of the French SaaS ecosystem.  As a European leader in the project management market segment, the event is an opportunity to exchange views and share market insight with other industry specialists which is key when managing an innovative and value-driven product roadmap.”

Augeo Software launches Augeo5 QuickStart for Medium-size IT Departments

Augeo Software, a European project and portfolio management (PPM) software vendor, launches Augeo5 QuickStart, a new pre-configured software package dedicated to information technology (IT) departments of less than 50 people.

Powerful project and portfolio management for mid-size organizations
With Augeo5 QuickStart, Augeo Software expands its range of PPM solutions with a ready-to-deploy package for companies and government agencies of several hundred employees. This offering complements Augeo’s flagship enterprise product, Augoe5, designed for the specific needs of large technical and business departments working in mode project.

With Augeo5 QuickStart, mid-size companies now have a collaborative, turnkey, affordable and fast to implement software package for project and portfolio management. The outgrowth of over 17 years of experience with key accounts, Augeo5 QuickStart for IT departments is operational in 8 days and includes:

• Comprehensive functional coverage across the entire project life cycle
• Fast adoption by project teams
• Flexible pricing with a subscription model or a classic license contract

"Smaller companies face the same performance and efficiency challenges as larger companies,” says Simon Trudelle, VP Products and Marketing for Augeo Software.
“With Augeo5 QuickStart, these organizations can manage every aspect of their project investments with software that has the same capabilities as enterprise solutions, but is faster to implement and more affordable.” 

An effective, right-sized project management solution
Augeo5 QuickStart meets the needs of IT departments with less than 50 people. It provides:

• Resource and activity management,
• Project planning and budgeting,
• Costs and risks monitoring,
• Collaboration and reporting.

IT Directors can thus better manage their departments, while providing their teams with all the flexibility and autonomy they need to be effective and efficient.

“Augeo5 QuickStart  helps project teams better plan, track and manage their work. Managers can provide accurate and timely responses to questions such as, ‘Who is works on what projects?', 'How much will this project cost?' and ’How quickly can we launch this product?’  With Augeo5 QuickStart, mid-size companies also gain visibility to the entire portfolio of projects which enables them to get a top-down picture of all projects to ensure they are aligned with company priorities and goals," added Simon Trudelle.

A global vision for a better project management
Augeo5 QuickStart provides a centralized view of all project information from a single collaborative web tool. It presents a “cost-time-quality" picture, to both the project teams and to management. This global view takes the form of dashboards, reports and performance indicators accessible through a web browser. Management and project leaders can:

• Stay informed of potential risk associated with a project, such as shifts in schedules or budget overruns
• Prioritize initiatives based on costs, critical resource needs, risks or ROI
• Ensure greater collaboration within project teams by sharing knowledge and information related to projects.

Immediate benefits and potential savings
Within in the first few weeks of implementation, Augeo5 QuickStart contributes to improved performance by enabling more effective management throughout the entire project life cycle.  Over time, PPM solutions can help reduce the total cost of IT projects by 10 to 30% – and more when other departments of the company are also involved on specific IT projects.

Fast implementation
Augeo consultants follow a documented and proven 8-day implementation plan to:

• Install and set up the software
• Analyze the needs and adapt the pre-configured settings
• Transfer knowledge to an internal project team

Affordable and flexible commercial packages
Augeo5 QuickStart is available in two attractive commercial packages, license or subscription.  The subscription model allows customers to get started with a lower first-year investment.

New product release: Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 4

Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 4 (SP4) adds Application Server support for BEA WebLogic 9.2 and IBM WebSphere 6.1 on AIX 5.3. Windows Vista is also now supported for Augeo5 Central clients.

Augeo Software joins the SIIA

Augeo Software has joined the Software Division of the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA). 

SIIA is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry worldwide. SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development, corporate education and intellectual property protection to the leading companies that are setting the pace for the digital age.

The SIIA’s Software Division runs a special Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) program intended to help vendors develop and share best practices through work sessions and conferences also taking place in Europe.  “Joining the SIIA allows us to be part of the international SaaS ecosystem, opening up new opportunities to gather market insight, leverage industry expertise and share our European market vision with other industry specialists,” commented Simon Trudelle, VP of products and marketing for Augeo Software.

Augeo Software participates to SIIA OnDemand Europe 2007

Augeo Software is participating in the SIIA OnDemand Europe event taking place in Amsterdam on May 30 – June 1, 2007.  OnDemand 2007 is the European software industry's first comprehensive conference for enabling and delivering Software as a Service. Delegates represent the complete SaaS ecosystem, including ISVs, platform vendors, systems integrators, venture capitalists and other influencers.

 

“OnDemand 2007 brings to Europe the key industry speakers and experts who have successfully deployed SaaS solutions in other areas of the world.  It’s a fantastic international forum for European software vendors” commented Simon Trudelle, VP of products and marketing for Augeo Software.

New product release: Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 3

Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 3 (SP3) adds Microsoft SQL Server 2005 to the list of supported databases.

New product release: Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 2

Augeo 5.3 Service Pack 3 (SP3) adds Firefox 2.0 and Internet Explorer 7 to the list of supported browsers.