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The goal of the project openCRX:

It is our goal to establish openCRX as a reference server for

  • relationship management and collaboration
  • enterprise resource planning

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The history of openCRX

After careful analysis of the market for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software we came to the conclusion that the world needs a professional enterprise-class Open Source CRM solution for several reasons:

  • Spending millions on a commercial CRM solution to get an "intelligent data warehouse" with a few business rules simply does not seem justified - with a professional Open Source CRM solution you can spend your money on company-specific features and integrating CRM with the rest of your business (systems and processes) instead of financing the marketing machinery of the typical CRM vendor. It is just a fact that the true value of any CRM solution can only be unlocked with proper customization and integration, regardless of what you read in glossy brochures.
  • The cost-advantages of rented/hosted CRM applications over commercial solutions may materialize - or not (and yes, the marketing machines of many CRM providers are really outstanding...); far more important, however, is the fact that neither rented/hosted CRM solutions nor commercial CRM solutions can beat the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a well-designed Open Source CRM solution like openCRX.
  • While it is very smart to let somebody else do the work for you (e.g. running your CRM application) it is definitely not so smart to trust your most valuable data (information about your customers) to just anybody. In particular, handing over all your valuable customer data to a company under foreign jurisdiction is a substanial business risk. So, when you looked at those hosted/rented CRM applications, did you ever ask yourself where exactly they would store your data and how much better you would feel about staying in control?
  • We are strong believers in platform-independence. And honestly, is it not great to know that you can decide for openCRX without committing to a particular platform? openCRX is deployable on any J2EE-compliant application server and you can use a wide range of major database management systems (Open Source and commercial).

Hence, back in 2003 we started modeling the core of a reference CRM-application. The tool of choice for developing an open source CRM solution was openMDX, the leading open source MDA platform (MDA = Model Driven Architecture). In February 2004 we already released an initial version of the core models. The first public version of openCRX was released on 1-August-2004 and we admit that we have been totally overwhelmed by the interest in openCRX ever since.

Some of the openCRX milestones:

Date Milestone
01-Aug-2004 initial launch of openCRX v1.0.0
09-Aug-2004 made the Top100 on Sourceforge for the first time ("most active" ranking)
04-Sep-2004 openCRX v1.1.1 (support for additional DBs and language localization)
06-Sep-2004 reached 1,000 downloads
20-Sep-2004 reached 3,000 downloads
25-Sep-2004 made the Top20 on Sourceforge for the first time ("most active" ranking)
29-Sep-2004 made the Top10 on Sourceforge for the first time ("most active" ranking)
21-Oct-2004 reached 5,000 downloads
8-Nov-2004 openCRX v1.2.0 (multi-entity, security, workflows, es_MX, zh_CN, etc.)
1-Dec-2004 First openCRX-based ASP offering launched
09-Dec-2004 reached 10,000 downloads
15-Dec-2004 openCRX v1.3.0 (BEA Weblogic, IBM WebSphere, etc.)
14-Jan-2005 openCRX v1.4.0 (Security, MySQL, DHTML Calendar Control, HTML 4.01)
28-Feb-2005 openCRX v1.5.0 (MS Word Integration, E-mail Notification, Audit Trail, ...)
1-Jun-2005 openCRX v1.6.1 (Activity Mgmt, Issue Tracking, UI enhancements, cs_CZ, nl_NL, pt_BR)
1-Aug-2005 more than 85,000 downloads in year 1
17-Aug-2005 openCRX v1.7.1 (Depot Mgmt, Booking Engine, RAS, UI enhancements, etc.)
25-Sep-2005 reached 100,000 downloads
11-Oct-2005 openCRX v1.8.1 (Product/Contract Extension, Single Sign-On, Perfomance Tuning...)
31-Jan-2006 reached 125,000 downloads
02-Apr-2006 openCRX v1.9.1 (Activity Processes, Pricing Models, E-Mail Adapter, Perfomance Tuning...)
10-Sep-2006 reached 150,000 downloads
23-Feb-2007 openCRX v1.10.0 (DB2 support, Enhanced GUI, AJAX-support, ...)
01-Aug-2007 reached 180,000 downloads
26-Aug-2007 openCRX v1.11.0 (JDO/JPOX compatible DB schemas, data bindingds, grid drill down, es_CO, ja_JP, ...)
25-Feb-2008 openCRX v2.0 (Groupware Functionality (ICS/iCal, LDAP , IMAP, Wiki, index-based search, ...)
29-Feb-2008 reached 200,000 downloads
06-Mar-2008 MS Outlook ICS Adapter for openCRX v2.0
10-Jul-2008 openCRX v2.1 (Reporting, Mail Merge, Social Networks, Groupware, in-place editing, ...)
21-Sep-2008 openCRX v2.2 (Enhanced GUI, support for iPhone and Google Chrome, enhanced performance, ...)
11-Oct-2008 reached 225,000 downloads
16-Oct-2008 openCRX v2.2.1 (enhanced stability and performance, new locale ro_RO)
17-Dec-2008 openCRX v2.3.0 (REST service, various UI features, Mail Merge Wizard, Work Report Wizard, JBOss 5 support)
10-Mar-2009 openCRX v2.4.0 / openCRX v2.4.1
AJAX Forms and Wizards, Mandatory Attributes, Scheduling/Polling Wizards,
vCard/iCal Exporter, OpenJPA, OpenEJB, Thunderbird 3 Add-on, IE8
15-Jun-2009 openCRX v2.5.0
Enhanced GUI / new Icons, Enhanced Work/Expense Records with wizards to easily create them,
Wizard to create work/expense reports, Excel account importer, new openCRX plugin, OpenEJB 3.1.1
22-Jun-2009 reached 250,000 downloads
   

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... and the current road map of openCRX

openCRX was released into the public domain on 1-August-2004 and has been under active development ever since. With every new release a whole range of new features and enhancements are added (see also this comprehensive feature list for an overview):

Release Notes New Features / Enhancements explained
openCRX v1.2.0 multi-entity, security, workflows, es_MX, zh_CN, etc.
openCRX v1.3.0 support for BEA Weblogic, IBM WebSphere, etc.
openCRX v1.4.0 Security, MySQL, DHTML Calendar Control, HTML 4.01
openCRX v1.5.0 MS Word Integration, E-mail Notification, Audit Trail, ...
openCRX v1.6.1 UI Enhancements, Activity Mgmt, Issue Tracking, ...
openCRX v1.7.1 Depot Mgmt, Booking Engine, RAS, Mantis Adapter, ...
openCRX v1.8.1 Product/Contract Extension, Single Sign-On, Perfomance Tuning...
openCRX v1.9.1 Project/Resource Management, Price Lists, Wizards, E-Mail Adapter, Performance Tuning, ...
openCRX v1.10.0 DB2 support, Enhanced GUI, GUI modularization, AJAX-support, Report Generation, ...
openCRX v1.11.0 JDO/JPOX compatible DB schemas, data bindingds, grid drill down, es_CO, ja_JP, ...
openCRX v2.0 Groupware Functionality (CalDAV, ICS/iCal, LDAP , IMAP, Wiki, index-based search, ...)
openCRX v2.1 Reporting, Mail Merge, Social Networks, Groupware, in-place editing, ...
openCRX v2.2 Enhanced GUI, support for iPhone and Google Chrome, enhanced performance, ...
openCRX v2.2.1 Enhanced Stability and Performance, new locale ro_RO
openCRX v2.3.0 REST service, various UI features, Mail Merge Wizard, Work Report Wizard, JBOss 5 support
openCRX v2.4.0 AJAX Forms and Wizards, Mandatory Attributes, Scheduling/Polling Wizards,
vCard/iCal Exporter, OpenJPA, OpenEJB, Thunderbird 3 Add-on, IE8
openCRX v2.5.0 Enhanced GUI / new Icons, Enhanced Work/Expense Records with wizards to easily create them,
Wizard to create work/expense reports, Excel account importer, new openCRX plugin, OpenEJB 3.1.1

The current roadmap looks as follows:

   openCRX Release
Target Release Date

Feature
v2.0
25-Feb
2008

 
v2.1
10-Jul
2008

 
v2.2.1
16-Oct
2008

 
v2.3
17-Dec
2008

 
v2.4
10-March
2009

 
v2.5
15-June
2009

 
tbd
tbd

 
CalDAV Server            
ICS/iCalendar Server            
FreeBusy Server            
LDAP Server            
IMAP Server            
Wiki            
Index-based Search (PDF, DOC, XLS, ODS, ...)            
Usability: User Settings Wizard            
Usability: Address Book            
Support for Safari Browser            
SDK (Software Development Kit)            
Installers            
AJAX in-place Editing            
Deep Relationships / Social Networks            
Admin Tool: Segment Setup Wizard            
Spreadsheet-based Report Generation            
Mail Merge Wizard            
Groupware VCF Servlet            
Support for HSQLDB            
New Layout / Enhanced GUI            
Support for Mobile Devices (incl. Apple's iPhone)            
Support Google Chrome            
Document Scanner Servlet            
Enhanced iCal Servlet            
MS Outlook ICS Adapter            
Enhanced Performance            
WYMeditor with support for Opera and Safari            
Inline Flash Media            
New Locale sk_SK (Slovak)            
New Locale ro_RO (Romanian)            
REST Servlet - openCRX as a REST service            
UI Enhancement - Composite Object DataBinding            
UI Enhancement - UI Perspectives            
Wizard Monthly Work Report            
Wizard Mail Merge            
Support for JBoss 5            
Thunderbird Add-on to sync openCRX Contacts            
Advanced Forms and Wizards            
Mandatory Attributes            
Advanced Scheduling/Polling and Voting            
vCard Exporter            
iCal Exporter            
RSS Feeds            
Migration from JPOX to Apache OpenJPA            
Migration from openMDX LWC to Apache OpenEJB            
Migration from RSM 6 to RSM 7.5            
Enhanced Mobile Support            
Support for IE8            
Enhanced GUI with new Icons            
Enhanced Work / Expense Record            
Wizard to create Work Records            
Wizard to create Expense Records            
Wizard to create Work / Expense Reports            
Excel Account Importer            
openCRX Application Plugin in openMDX 2 Architecture            
Upgrade to Apache OpenEJB 3.1.1            
Integration with Zimbra             X
Blog Server (e.g. Apache Roller)             X
Live Chat / Instant Messaging             X
FAQ Extension             X
Additional UI Languages             X
Customer Service / Knowledge Base - FAQ             X
Customer Service / Self-Service             X
Customer Service / FAQ Extension             X
Marketing Campaigns (E-mail)             X
Marketing Campaigns (Web)             X
Security Extension Model Permissions             X
Advanced Analysis and Reporting             X
Dependency Diagrams (Organizations, etc)             X
CTI Integration (e.g. Asterisk)             X
Guide: "Technical Overview openCRX" *call for donation             X
Guide:"openCRX Modeling Guide" *call for donation             X
Guide: "openCRX User Guide" *call for donation             X

*donation this feature is accelerated by a donation to the openCRX project - thank you!
*call for donations we are looking for additional sponsors to fund this feature

If you want to propose new features please post your request to the forum Feature Requests.

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The driving force behind openCRX

Werner Froidevaux and Chris Mueller have been the main drivers behind the development of openCRX; in total there are 4 people working on the project (each spending about 20% of their time on this project). Most of the resources have been donated by CRIXP Corp. and OMEX AG.

Localization is done by a dedicated team of translators who contribute their valuable business and language know how to the project - a list of available locales is available here.

The task of building a CRM suite with such limited resources is doable thanks to MDA (MDA = Model Driven Architecture), which makes our team roughly 10 times more efficient than typical development teams. Our development platform - openMDX - is also playing a major role. We spend virtually no time programming as all the main patterns (persistency, security, etc.) are readily available. Our focus is on analyzing business processes and modeling.

It is the hope of the openCRX team that lots of bright people join the effort to make openCRX the tool of choice for limitless relationship management. If you can contribute or want to co-operate . Any kind of support is appreciated.

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The openCRX project is registered with SourceForge:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/opencrx/

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openCRX mailing lists and forums:

All the mailing lists and forums related to openCRX are listed here.

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http://www.crixp.com/ http://www.openmdx.org/