Best ERP Software for HVAC, Plumbing, Field Service Businesses
Aptoraās Total Office ManagerĀ® is undergoing a complete rewrite. We are calling the next generation of Total Office Manager – Total Office Manager Next Gen.
There have been some misconceptions about the Total Office Manager Next Gen software, the reasons for creating it, and how we will be releasing it. Hopefully this FAQ will clear up some of the misconceptions. Please feel free to contact Aptora if you still have any questions. We would love to talk with you more about it.
A: Aptora sold the first copy of Total Office Manager in 2004. It is used by some of the largest HVAC companies in America. The features and workflow have been perfected and finetuned over those nineteen years. We didnāt need to redesign the software, we needed to rebuild what we already have. The technology that has served our clients so well has become outdated. Adding new features and bug fixing has become inefficient. Total Office Manager Next Gen is built for rapid accurate development. That means Aptora can deliver more features in less time.
A: We are scheduled to begin releasing the software on April 1st, 2024. Companies that use our hosting service will begin receiving notices first. This will be a āphased rolloutā. We will not be making the update available to all hosted companies at the same time. It will take several months for all companies to receive the update. We have not determined a release date for our on-premises (self-hosted) companies.
A: If you have had continuous service agreement coverage for Total Office Manager, there will be no charge for Total Office Manager Next Gen. You must not let your service agreement expire. You will have the same features you have already paid for. Aptora will offer additional software systems and capabilities that take users far beyond what they currently have for a reasonable fee. This is no different than when we released our text reminder and notification system. We have a small fee for each text sent and received. We will have more information about availability and pricing later.
A: No migration will be needed. Both programs use the same database. We have made many architectural improvements to the database. Total Office Manager Next Gen will make those changes to your database without you knowing anything about the process.
A: Somewhere between no time and very little time. We rewrote the program; we did not change the way you use it. Total Office Manager is a proven highly refined software program that did not need to be redesigned, it needed to be modernized. Total Office Manager Next Gen and Total Office Manager have the same forms, same reports, and the same features. Even the labels have the same words as before. The right-click menus are the same. Your workflow will remain the same. Our existing help files will barely need to be modified.
A: You will pay a lot more for Total Office Manager Next Gen than you would for Total Office Manager. Best of all, when Total Office Manager Next Gen is released, you will get it for free and you will keep paying the cheaper fees. Everything you learn about Total Office Manager will apply directly to Total Office Manager Next Gen. The new version will use the same database as the current version so there is no migration or loss of data. You will not need to learn new software. You will benefit from the giant head start you will have from investing in Total Office Manager now. There is no reason to wait, but there are plenty of reasons not to wait.
Total Office Manager Next Gen is a true 100% webapp. The system will not use an RDP Connection. You will access it with a browser. Usersā login via an Employee Portal and there will be two-factor authentication. Once logged in, all software programs and systems that you have a license and authorization to access will be available without logging in again.
Total Office Manager Next Gen has been built for speed. It will handle an extremely large number of records and transactions with ease. It will be much faster. Forms will open and close almost instantly. Searching for records will be faster than ever. We have made dozens of enhancements and improvements that were not possible with the older technology we used. Total Office Manager Next Gen features a cutting-edge API, and we are using the latest technology for data security. There is an Employee Portal that features single sign-on. This gives each user access to all the systems and features that are authorized to access without the need for logging into each We have a complete list of new features below.
A WebApp typically does not allow you to maintain separate company files for different businesses or for training, but we will. Our users love this feature and we have worked hard to make sure we include it.
Here is a link to a more complete list of new features and improvements. Please keep in mind that this is not a complete list. We will update this list as more features become available. In the same document, we are also provide you with a software development roadmap that expresses our vision for the future of Total Office Manager Next Gen.
Total Office Manager Next Gen is protected by a hardened proprietary Authorization Service. It provides a single sign-on experience for all apps. We also provide 2-factor authentication. When you log in, Total Office Manager Next Gen contacts the authorization service and requests a security token. If you provide the correct username and password, you are issued the token. That token is used to access all software services Aptora provides. End-to-end encryption using OAuth 2.0 (pronounced oh-auth2) and OpenID Connect, assures you are protected with the best possible technology.
An API, or Application Programming Interface, allows you to connect existing software to Total Office Manager Next Gen. An API acts like a bridge between software programs. Using our API, someone can design their own timesheet in Excel and still seamlessly connect it to our ERP, fetching and updating data automatically without manual entry. It’s like having a special adapter that lets two different gadgets work together smoothly.
There will not be many differences except we will continue to improve AMII. The email and texting system will also be replaced. We will also be replacing the Chat system. Remember that you can use the entire Total Office Manager Next Generation in the field too.
Yes. We will offer both options.
This is our best effort to try and provide a feature list useful roadmap for software development as it relates to Total Office Manager ā Next Gen. This information is subject to change. We are not able to provide exact details of how things will work or a precise description of capabilities. Software development is fluid in nature. Our commitment is to provide our clients with a modernized software system that does what it currently does, faster, better, and more reliably.
Please read our Total Office Manager ā Next Gen frequently asked questions page.
Please Note: Our staff will not be able to give you a timeline or additional details. We do not want to create any misunderstandings. We will update this document as more information becomes available.
Be sure to attend our regular TOM Next Generation Reveal event. Thatās your opportunity to see this new program demonstrated and explained.
Aptora 360Ā° is the name for our entire suite of field service business management software programs. Total Office Manager will become Total Office Manager ā Next Gen. We believe it will be the newest full enterprise level ERP accounting system in the USA. We know of no company in the USA that is building an enterprise level ERP accounting system. There seems to be very little interest in building accounting software. Everyone builds to interface with QuickBooks and others generic software programs like them.
Most of these features came straight from our Feature Request system at support.aptora.com. Thank you for your feedback.
*Certain aspects of this feature will be offered for a reasonable fee or as a paid option.
The following is a list of things we will be doing after the initial release of Total Office Manager ā Next Gen. Please keep in mind that some new features will be offered for a reasonable fee. Not all of them are free. Our staff will not be able to give you a timeline, additional details, or pricing. We will update this as more information becomes available.
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