I was thinking about creating a pretty large WordPress plugin which would be aimed at freelancers or small businesses. It’s aim is to be a sort of ‘one stop shop’ for everything one would need in relation to actually running a business, so:
Client Relationship Manager,
Full estimate system
Full invoicing system with PayPal/some other payment solutions options
To-Do List manager
Project system
Online document signing (i.e. for contracts, NDAs, etc.)
All of this with an API so it would be easy to integrate the front-end stuff (such as invoices, projects and documents) into WordPress themes.
Can anyone else think of things which would be suited for this - have any ideas? Also, as it’s a pretty large project, would anyone want to help with creating this and obviously reap the rewards from sales?
Also, do you think it’s a stupid idea? If so, please say why. Or do you think it’s a really good idea - again, if so, please say why.
Wordpress is the platform of choice for freelancers and having a plugin to manage everything from inside of Wordpress will be the perfect solution.
If designed and developed well and priced accordingly, it will sell like crazy…
Other features you can add is Lead manager, wireframe designer (if you think it will be the right feature and if you can do it) and ability for other developers to extend the application.
Now, i have already developed a similar application (presently making it ready for subscription based) but not for Wordpress, It’s a standalone application.
Though it’s a large application i think you can do it yourself…, but again depending on your knowledge & time partnership will be a better solution.
Do it FTW, I will definitely purchase it (if you do it well.)
Thanks very much for the reply, guys. I’ve actually already started the basic work on this - trying to make it look and feel as part of WordPress as possible. So am using Custom Post Types and Taxonomies and trying to use as many of the great new WP 3.0 features as much as possible.
Quite excited by it - but it’s a lot of work and I want to make sure I get it ‘right’. I figured, as you did dhruv, that it might sell pretty well, but it needs to be ‘on the money’ both figuratively and literally.
Working on another little WP-related thing too which will get sent for submission some time this week. It’s all happening
Adding private communications (discussion forum/thread) per client would be nice. Also adding file manager (upload, create, rename, delete folders) and the ability to move files between folders is a must in my book.
Maybe adding the ability to add notes to uploaded project files etc…
siredesigns - I hadn’t seen that, it does look pretty similar, but the idea I had in my mind was for it to be completely theme-independent. i.e. You’d be able to use any theme you wanted to display your different items - hence the API.
There’d be extensive docs to show people how to do this, naturally.
I like what Freelance Folder have done there, I must admit, but I’m hoping that my plugin would be significantly more customisable and have other features including a genuine CRM, To-Do list, project management (i.e. break a project down into several different sub-items (linked to the To-Do list) and then you can assign other WordPress users to these tasks (if you have more than 1 person) and you can set ‘due by’ dates for these things etc.) There’d also be a time-tracking tool in there to help you invoice properly.
The private communications that TwoJStudios mentions is a nice idea although I’m not 100% certain on having a file manager. Being able to upload files to different projects would be a no-brainer and even allowing clients, once they’ve logged in, to be able to upload files and make comments. A full filesystem would probably be complete overkill, imo.
The project has begun in earnest, but it’s a side-project for me at the moment so it’s not getting anywhere near full development time. I’m currently working out how to do a couple of template-related things as well as the best way to structure what I’m calling ‘projects’. It’ll come together. Probably in the new year not long after WordPress 3.1 is released which brings together ‘cross-linking’ which I might be able to take advantage of.
Hi, i already did such a plugin, but it was before the existence of CPT, so this would need code rewriting, but the basis is very good, let me know if you want more information/help to do your plugin.
For a complete client solution including estimates & invoicing, you could try WP-Client @ http://wp-client.com – we’ve been very happy with the plugin as a whole
You might also want to look into the WP E-Signature plugin by ApproveMe. They focus 100% on legally binding contracts, estimates, and proposals (UETA & ESIGN compliant) if you’re looking to collect signatures on court recognized contracts.
As far as I can tell WP eSignature is the most customizable (and secure) document singing application out there for WordPress.
For a complete client solution including estimates & invoicing, you could try WP-Client @ http://wp-client.com – we’ve been very happy with the plugin as a whole
If designed and developed well and priced accordingly, it will sell like crazy…
Other features you can add is Lead manager, wireframe designer (if you think it will be the right feature and if you can do it) and ability for other developers to extend the application.
