- How can I try activeCollab before I Decide to Make the Purchase?
- What are the benefits of using the activeCollab Cloud comparing to the self-hosted edition?
- Are there any limitations when using the Cloud platform?
- I would like to use a third-party module with my activeCollab Cloud account. Is that possible?
- Can I move from my self-hosted activeCollab to a Cloud subscription?
- How many users can I include in my self-hosted activeCollab?
- Can we change the activeCollab code to add missing functionality?
- Can you customize activeCollab for us or develop a custom module?
- Is there something I should know before using third-party modules?
- Can you install or upgrade activeCollab for us?
- What is the Support and Upgrade Subscription?
- Can the “aC powered” logo be removed from the interface footer?
Can I move from my self-hosted activeCollab to a Cloud subscription?
If you wish to use our Cloud service instead of the self-hosted version, you can make the switch at any time. This is the article that will help you find out all you need to know before making such a decision.
What do I need to know before I switch platforms? #
There are a few pieces of information that you should be aware of, before making a final decision. For a start here are some options that you will not be able to use in the Cloud:
- Source Module is not available and you will not be able to use it.
- Branding Removal license can't be applied or purchased for a Cloud plan.
- You can not use an email address with your company domain to send emails out from activeCollab. When starting your activeCollab account you will get generated email address that will be used by your account only, in the format acme@mail.manageprojects.com.
- Third part add-ons are not supported.
On the other hand, there are a few significant benefits that you will be able to enjoy as a user of activeCollab Cloud subscription:
- You should not care about server maintenance and configuration any more. Our servers, where Cloud platform is placed, are already configured to fit activeCollab optimally. Our team is taking care of the fine tuning and you can focus on your running business and getting projects done.
- No more upgrade issues. All upgrades are done in the background by our team, without any downtime.
- activeCollab Cloud account will always running the latest stable version of actievCollab. This means that you will always have the latest, most stable release out of the box.
- Backups are made every day, so you can rest assured that all your data will be safe and sound with us.
- Subscription on a Cloud plan provides you continuous access to our dedicated support team. You can get in touch with us by email, chat or phone and we will be here to help.
- Footprints, MS Project Manager and Password Policy module are included in your Cloud plan, free of additional charges.
Please note that there were a lot of significant changes in activeCollab since the version 2. We will mention a few of them:
- Interface is completely changed and improved.
- Fully configurable System Roles are no longer available. You can use default role setup now with additional permissions that defines access to specific area. You can find out more about this improvement in the following article.
- Some of the tools are renamed (you will see Tasks instead of the Tickets) or removed (to be specific, Checklists are removed in version 4).
- and more.
The best way to find out more about the differences between versions is to check the series of What's new articles and our Release notes. You are also welcome to start a fresh free trial and test the application for a few days.
Data Migration process #
Our team will do the migration for you. Here's how the process goes:
We need you to send us your SSH (if your server is *nix or Mac) or Remote Desktop (if you are using Windows server) login credentials to be able to examine your activeCollab setup.
After logging in to your server we will check how large your database and upload folders are, as well as if you are using any third party add-ons or customizations and let you know if the migration can be made. After doing so, you will get an estimate on how long will it take for us to complete the process.
Next step is to agree on the timing that fits you best. Your activeCollab setup will not be available for a few hours and we can schedule the data migration after your working hours.
Finally, after we arrange it all with you, our team will do the data migration and redirect your current activeCollab URL to the new one.
When you log in to your new activeCollab setup you will see that all your projects, files, users, and invoices are here. You will be able to continue your work exactly where you have left off. Your entire team will be able to login by using the same user name and passwords, as they did before.
If you and your team were using activeCollab Timer, please make sure to let everyone know that you need to update the API URL info in the Account Settings of the Timer application. If you miss to do that activeCollab Timer will still be connected to your old setup and you will not be able to submit the time entries properly.
The same rule should be applied for all applications that are using actievCollab API, so don't forget to update this info.
