In previous posts I described a number of very useful free Redmine plugins, that I usually use in almost all my Redmine implementation projects, specially if we want to use Redmine in an horizontal manner, as an intranet.
I also explained the convenience to pay for some premium plugins.
In this post I list 5 premium plugins, packages or services which I think may be of interest to any organisation that uses Redmine or is thinking of implanting it. In my opinion, these plugins are plenty worth what you pay for them.
1. Redmine CRM Contacts
With RedmineCRM you can implement a CRM in your Redmine installation. Yes, with a very sensible investment you can generate your contacts, customers and leads database and track all tasks in your Business Development or Marketing Dept. Everything is integrated: leads, contacts, customers, opportunities and tasks. It is by far the most powerful and professional Redmine plugin. It gives an outstanding versatility to any Redmine. Essential. There is also a free (“light”) version available, with fewer features but it may be useful in many cases.
If you are interested or have any questions, contact the manufacturer or directly me, because I've used it in numerous implementations and know it thoroughly.
2. Redmine Helpdesk
Redmine UP Helpdesk plugin turns your Redmine or one of your Redmine projects in a comprehensive Helpdesk support system. This module automatically transforms the emails sent to a mailbox in Redmine tickets (tasks). It also allows generating autoresponders and replying the sender right from the helpdesk module, leaving traces of the responses in the Redmine tickets. It also identifies the sender with a CRM contact or, if still not included, it is automatically inserted in the CRM database.
As its name suggests, this module can be used to create a Helpdesk in Redmine, but it can also just serve to include tasks in Redmine directly from the mailboxes.
A very interesting use would be to convert the emails received through the website forms in tasks for the Marketing Dept.
3. Redmine Invoice
This plugin, Redmine Invoice, allows generating invoices from the same Redmine. These invoices can be created “from scratch” or may be based on billable tasks already created in Redmine.
Attention, this is not a comprehensive billing software, but it can be very useful for those companies or freelancers who are just doing their invoices in Word or Excel and then send them to their accountants to be accounted.
This module could lead to a faster billing process, as the PDF is automatically generated and can be sent directly from the plugin to the customer.
4. Redmine Agile
Agile plugin was initially intended for projects where “agile development”, “kanban” or “scrum” techniques are applied. Task management by status and by users becomes very intuitive, by generating a “post-it” for each task, that you can “drag&drop” on a board to change its status or other characteristics.
If you know “Trello”, then you will be familiar with the “cards” or “”post-its” of Redmine Agile.
However, not only the “agile” development can be managed with this plugin. You can also use this module to perform a kind of GTD (“Getting Things Done”) of your own tasks, with your inbox, the task status and priorities and their contexts.
There is a free version of this plugin, but has no color code and you also don’t dispose of an exhaustive plugin’s setting panel.
5. Easy Redmine
Well, actually “Easy Redmine” is not a plugin, but I include it here because you can say, without equivocation, that Easy Redmine is the company that has developed more plugins, modules and functionalities than any other.
I know Easy Redmine in a superficial way as a user and I must say that I find it extremely complete, so even it is sometimes difficult to distinguish Redmine under their functions and user interface layers.
However, in my opinion, Easy Redmine has a characteristic that might be on some occasions an important drawback: Easy Redmine is a different version to “community” Redmine. It is actually a proprietary version and none of the plugins and themes that have been developed by the community during the last years are compatible with the “Easy” version. So you will depend on them for updating your Redmine platform all their plugins.
Thus, “Easy Redmine” is a complete solution but you must think twice before deciding whether it is for you or not.
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[Disclaimer: since June 2014 I'm authorized reseller of RedmineCRM products]
