Managing Projects

[bajanboost]

I have started doing web development since Xmas 2005 and have been pretty productive and good at it. I have got a lot of clients and learnt a lot about PHP and Mysql not to mention a bit of other languages.

I am now at the stage where I have 6 projects going at any one time and I would like an online way of managing them. Currently, I write down on a peice of paper if I have been paid, the amount of the deposit, the date of payment, the date I started the website. Then I make a list of what needs to be done and check off as I do it. I would like the client to be able to follow this as I go along.

Also, I would like to see a list of what I need to do when the end of a night comes so I can see what projects are incomplete. I would also like to be able to have a support ticket that a client can post and then I reply to.

Another big problem for me is managing hosting dates. When clients are to pay me for hosting and the package they are using along with discounts they are getting. The same goes for Domain registration and SSL certs. I would like to login each day and see when the next payment for the client is.

Any of you guys have any sort of project managers such as the one I described above?

[Waylander]

This is pretty much what im looking for at the moment.

Ive known other people who have written thier own versions with slightly varying functionality. There is plenty web based tracking web apps on source forge, I think in the future im going to find one or mod one thats closest to what I want.

I still want a customised front end though so I might just end up making one as I go.

Waylander.

[bajanboost]

Thats great Waylander, but I don't have the time and do not intend to reinvent the wheel if you know what I mean.

I am sure there is an open source Project Manager for web developers that is free.

[Waylander]

... There is plenty web based tracking web apps on source forge, ...

yeah...

http://sourceforge.net/search/?words=client&type_of_search=soft&words=project+management&Search=Search

[pcthug]

37 Signals (http://www.37signals.com/) offers several project management orientated services. Check them out.

[asifbiz]

=ok i think there two things to keep in mind.
=Do u want a way to remember what ur client said and sent you based on per task.
I found something off the web called IPM, cant remember where, i think freshmeat.net or source forge would help. And it helped me for sometime

=or u want to run a project management suite.
for this i now use dot project really great

[Sten Pittet]

You can try the online project management tool Basecamp. I used it for a couple projects. It has just basic functionalities : todo list, time-tracker, milestones. I think it can help you to keep in mind what's done and what has to be.

Moreover, with a network based program you would have the possibility to have access to your data from any computer.

Here's the address : http://www.basecamphq.com/