Multi-PC Business Client version?

[actnewbie]

Hi

I'm looking into using Actinic for a new client and would value some advice on the best version(s) for the job.

I want to design the site for the client and then allow them to manage the stock/add products and process orders themselves.

My understanding suggests I would need to buy Actinic Designer to design the shop for them, and they would need Actinic Business Client to run and maintain the shop themselves. As they want to integrate with Sage, they'd need the business client version, rather than the catalog client version.

Correct?

However, the client is anticipating that they will need to manage the shop on multiple machines within their own network (ie allow more than one user to process orders, add products, etc). Now, with this requirement, will Actinic Business Client suffice? Does this allow a shop to be managed on a handful of PCs? If not, will the client need to get the "Multi-User Business" version at £1000+?! If so, would I still need to buy a Designer version to develop the site myself, or would I be better going on-site to the client and use their Multi-User Business, all singing, all dancing, mega-bucks version to do the design and then leave the client to manage the products/orders?

Any advice on this, much appreciated as I'm new to Actinic and would value some help to get me on board...

[I-CC]

If they want to add products and have multiple users processing orders, then they will need Business MS/MU version.

Once licenced, then as the developer, you can develop the site and then hand it over completed and remove the software from your machine, and they then go about the day to day and continuation of it all.

[I-CC]

PS: We will be offering the v8 range including MS/MU from beginning of September when the 8.0.1 release is hopefully being released, which might save you and your clients a few bucks

[Jan]

Note that even with multiuser, you can't edit the catalog from several PCs at the same time, at the moment only one person at a time can do this (but it can be done from any of the PCs).

Regards,

[pinbrook]

if you develop thesite, your client then has order processing on one PC and product updating on a different PC, you might only need one copy of business.

However you really should talk to Sales and fully discuss the alternatives to ensure you get the right working scenario

[actnewbie]

Thanks for the clarification (I *think* it helps!?!).

So, upshot seems to be, if the client wants to process orders from more than one machine (e.g. 2 machines), we need to buy the full Business Multi-User product (£1549); and if we do that, there's no need to mess about with Designer...

OK - but...

I came across a recommended "plug-in" from Mole-End that provides "multi-user" access to process orders simultaneously from more than one machine £200 (for first machine).

So, could I buy Designer (£350) to set it all up (and use for other future clients as well), buy one licence of Business Client (£xxx?! - not shown on Act website! but available elsewhere for around £450) and then this Multi-User plug-in for another £200?

This would cost £350+450+200 (=£1000) rather than £1549 for one copy of the full Business Multi-User version of Actinic (saving myself/client almost £600)?

Looks like I will need to ring sales and discuss it through, although I'm surprised what a nightmare it is to work out which product(s) to buy to do something so straight-forward?! Strange way of doing business if you ask me!

Has anybody not been in this situation before? (Web designer set up a shop for a client, then hand over to them to manage/process orders on two machines?) I'd assumed this would be fairly common practice.

PS Are you saying v8 of Business Multi-User isn't yet available then, although it is listed on Actinic's site for sale? Even more confusing!!!

[I-CC]

So, could I buy Designer (£350) to set it all up (and use for other future clients as well), buy one licence of Business Client (£xxx?! - not shown on Act website! but available elsewhere for around £450) and then this Multi-User plug-in for another £200?
This would cost £350+450+200 (=£1000) rather than £1549 for one copy of the full Business Multi-User version of Actinic (saving myself/client almost £600)?

Afraid not. They can only run it on 1 machine for order downloads as the Client does not allow maintenance of the site.

Also, Designer titles and Client titles are (AFAIK) only to be available direct from Actinic to end users, or the client package included in a customers project as part of the project fee in effect (which yes can be stated that the client forms 'x amount' of that total project fee) but again AFAIK, should not be available for resale as a standalone item to end users like good old Order Manager was (or are we misinformed Actinic?).

PS Are you saying v8 of Business Multi-User isn't yet available then, although it is listed on Actinic's site for sale? Even more confusing!!!

V8 is available, but a number of issues in new software like this version especially being so new in every respect, has its niggles and bugs which need sorting out, so whilst brand new sites (which have a build time of atleast a month or so) can buy and build and before they launch be in a position to upgarde with the first maintenance release, those with existing sites upgrading are advised not to upgrade until the maintenance release is available, which is why we do not provide it just yet, as problems with these bugs can have a dramatic effect on existing sites for many minor and major reasons, hense our stand on it right now.

[RuralWeb]

Client does not allow maintenance of the site.

Yes it does, the only difference between the full catalog and client catalog is that the design features are not available, all design work needs to be done using Designer.

[I-CC]

Afraid not. They can only run it on 1 machine for order downloads as the Client does not allow maintenance of the site.

Apologies, don't know why I typed that when I was thinking something different and ended it abruptly.

Thanks for the correction and apols once again.