Project Lounge

Product Feature Comparision

ProjectLounge manages the logistics of hosting online collaboration portals for their clients. The corporate portals have optional project management, document management and customer relationship functionality. Hosting services include security, hardware, software upgrades, bandwidth, backups, redundancy and other administration requirements. Clients don't need to hire additional IT staff or invest in IT infrastructure. QuickPlace portal templates can be implemented to deliver functionality in stages. They have a customizable user interface so that basic understanding of the application and navigational skills are easily picked up by the users, so significant investment in formal training is usually not required.

Print a copy of the Product Comparison - check your current or proposed solution for matching functionality.ProjectLounge Features.pdf

Features

Low Cost – Start-up easily, run without overhead costs.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Instant Set-up	An online collaboration portal can be created instantly online via our website. No investment in IT infrastructure, staff or formal training required.				Server Set-Up Required	Server Set-Up Required
Hosted Service	Online collaboration portals are hosted on ProjectLounge's secure servers; each invited Member of a WorkPlace will be able to access the site by clicking the URL for the WorkPlace in their invitation email and authenticating with a username and password.
No Fixed Costs	Payments are based on the number of Members each month.	Free			Plus Server Charge	Plus Server Charge
24/7 Technical Administration Support	We provide 24/7 technical administration support, so there is no need to hire any IT support staff or add to the existing workload of internal staff. To contact our support staff, simply email .	Fee
Free Software Updates	ProjectLounge automatically updates/upgrades the software as they are released by Microsoft and IBM Lotus Software.
Security – Data stored and transmitted is fully protected.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Data Encryption	The data stored in the WorkPlace is encrypted. Offline copies are also encrypted and have the same security applied to them as the Server based WorkPlace.
Works Across Firewalls	Members can access their online WorkPlace from wherever they are connected to the Internet. ProjectLounge manages the security of their WorkPlace, removing the need to collaborate within organizational firewalls.
Role Based Security	Members cannot perform functions that are outside their Role.
Discreet Role Based Security	Functionality and Menu Options that are not available to individual Members are hidden from them.
Reader/Editor Permissions	Members can select others who can read and/or edit individual items or pages that they author, or retain complete control of their additions.
Secure Spaces	Sub-sites can be established that have the same members and permissions as the main site or are accessed by different members.
Secure, Customizable Spaces for Selected Members	Managers can organize their WorkPlace with "Rooms". They can define a new look and feel for each Room, establish new Folders and Forms (including Calendars and Gantt charts) to use in each Room. They can limit access to each Room to a sub-set of the team such as individual clients, the editorial committee etc. Rooms can be added or renamed by Managers at any time to match the team's organizational structure.
Secure Access	Members are challenged for User Name and Password if they attempt to access areas to which they have not been given access.
Discreet Access Security	Pages, Rooms and Folders are hidden from the view of Members who do not have access permissions to them.
SSL Certificate Support	SSL enables a secure connection between the client and server that provides privacy, authentication and integrity control for the exchanged data by using a private key to encrypt the information that is transferred.
Flexibility – Geographically dispersed teams with mobile Members fully supported.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Work Online and Offline	Mobile and Remote Members can work with their WorkPlace offline when traveling and/or when Internet connections are slow or not secure. This feature can be scheduled to automatically synchronize offline copies with the server while online; synchronization is performed as soon as the team Member logs on to the network or reconnects to the internet.		One offline copy only - Server copy locked
Multiple Offline Members	Support for many Members to work on offline copies of the WorkPlace as the data is fully synchronized, with all work retained - none overwritten.
Time-Zone Awareness	Members "operate" in their own Time-Zone. Meetings for geographically dispersed team Members are arranged with invitations to attend specifying local time.
Works Across Firewalls	Members can access their online WorkPlace from wherever they are connected to the Internet. ProjectLounge manages the security of their WorkPlace, removing the need to collaborate within organizational firewalls.
Project Management – Keep the Project Manager in control and everyone up to date.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Established Structure	A Project Management Room is available with established Folders and Forms that can be easily modified to suit any individual project. This can be hidden until required.
Gantt Charts (Task Management)	Assign action items to multiple team Members in one place and keep track of accountabilities in a shared Gantt chart (a horizontal bar chart that shows the start date, end date, milestones, assignees and duration of Tasks.) A Gantt chart will help Project Managers to easily get a complete snapshot of their project.		List only
Task Assignees Receive Email Notification	Project Managers know that team Members are aware of Tasks assigned to them, their due dates and their responsibilities as assignees automatically receive emails with links to their Tasks.		Members request notification
PRINCE2	Optional inclusion of PRINCE2 Templates ready for customization and use within projects via the Document Management Room or Library.	Master Documents
Document Management – Guarantee only approved documents and Forms are in use.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Established Structure	A Document Management Room is available with established Folders that can be easily modified to suit any individual project. This can be hidden until required.
Check–in / Check–out	Check–in/Check–out page/document facilities for control of templates, forms, procedures, manuals etc.
Approval Workflow	Managers can set approval workflows whereby nominated Members are automatically alerted to content additions for their approval before they are published to the site.
Revision Control	Members can review documents and post revisions where Check-in / Check-out are not required. Revisions will appear with their author, date of publication and a revision number.
PRINCE2	Optional inclusion of PRINCE2 Templates ready for customization.	Included
Information Sharing – Eliminate email roadblocks with tools to assist teams to work more effectively.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
File Sharing	Electronic files of any type can be attached.
File Attachments	Multiple electronic files of any type can be attached to all pages throughout the WorkPlace.			(max file size 50mb)	(max file size 50mb)	(max file size 50mb)
Rich Text Content	Pages can be created that contain rich text, graphics and links to web pages.		Contacts, Discussions & Tasks only
HTML Display	Members can create or import Microsoft Office files in QuickPlace portals which will be displayed as HTML, no need to open attachments. Members do not need any client software/ the correct version of the client software to view content – great for Mac/Linux users.
Message Board/ Discussions	Each team Member can post brief messages of interest to the team or respond to messages already in the message board.
Discussion Threads	Members can begin a discussion on any content by clicking on the message or document and creating a response. Their response will appear as a thread linked to the original message or document so that their team can easily track the progress of a discussion. Responses can contain text, graphics, web links and file attachments.
Calendars	Schedule Meetings and Events with a bird's eye view of team availability and upcoming obligations. Members can enter Events such as the days they plan to work from home so that team Events can be scheduled with limited hassle.
Meetings	Meeting page holds Agenda, Minutes, File Attachments ensuring attendees are kept informed. Recurring meetings can be created to support projects.
Events	Event pages hold contact and location details and supports single or multiple occurrences for such things as Trade Shows, Store Displays etc.
Notify Option	Email Notifications can be sent out when a page of special interest is noted.
Email Notification of New Content	When Members add a new page or create a response to an existing page, they can select Members for automatic Notification via an email with a link to the new information.
Daily News/Weekly News	When new pages or responses to existing pages are created, or when changes are made to existing pages, links are provided in the News: Daily/Weekly section of the WorkPlace. Members can go straight to the latest information by clicking on News: Daily/Weekly when they arrive in the WorkPlace to get a summary of all new contributions and Tasks due with links to the information.
Subscribe to Email Notification of New Content	Members can elect to receive Daily or Weekly News updates via an email with summary information and links to the new/changed pages. This feature helps ensure that team Members are informed and up-to-date effortlessly.
Request Email Notification of New Content	Members can request email Notification of changes to specific areas of the WorkPlace.
Bookmarks	Each team Member can post/collect links to web pages of interest to the team.
Contacts Database (Customizable)	Members can enter detailed information on contacts important to the team using the optional Contacts Database. ProjectLounge extensions support Customer Relationship Management if required		No Customization
Simple Search	All text in WorkPlaces pages and in attached files can be searched for specific text, including text strings.		Not attached files or strings
Advanced Search	WorkPlaces, Rooms or Folders can be searched for pages and attached files that contain specific text, created by a particular author or by the date created or modified.
Server Search	Searches can be run across all WorkPlaces on the Enterprise / EnterprisePlus Server.
User Support – Help for those that need it, where and when they need it.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Online Tutorial	There are step-by-step instructions throughout the WorkPlace with straightforward online tutorials to help Members understand the components of the WorkPlace.
Online Help	There are step-by-step instructions throughout the WorkPlace with straightforward online tutorials to help Members understand the components of the WorkPlace. Members can click on Help any time they need assistance performing a Task.
Time-Zone Awareness	Members "operate" in their own Time-Zone. Meetings for geographically dispersed team Members are arranged with invitations to attend specifying local time.
Access Levels	Managers or Super Users have access to all functionality while Readers, Authors and Editors only see what they need to work with.	No Editor Role	No Editor Role
Single Sign–in	Members of multiple WorkPlaces have single sign–in with "My Places" functionality to navigate between WorkPlaces.
User Management – Non-technical administration for business people to manage.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Add Members	Managers can add Members and set controls on their access to information by creating them as Readers, Authors or Editors. They also define Member access to Rooms which can be different to their general WorkPlace access.	No Editor Role	No Editor Role. "Sites" not Rooms
Simple Remove Member Process	One single step enables a Manager to remove a Member's access to the entire WorkPlace.
Invite Members by Email	Managers have the option to send an automatic "Welcome" email to new Members, with a link to the WorkPlace they have been given access to.	Automatic Email	Automatic Email
Members Directory	Member contact details are stored in the Members Directory.
Groups	Managers can create Groups, to simplify establishing access to Rooms and make it easier for Members to assign Tasks and send Notifications.
Secure Spaces for Selected Members	Managers can organize their WorkPlace with "Rooms". They can define a new look and feel for each Room, establish new Folders and Forms (including Calendars and Gantt charts) to use in each Room. They can limit access to each Room to a sub-set of the team such as individual clients, the editorial committee etc. Rooms can be added or renamed by Managers at any time to match the team's organizational structure.
External User Directory***	Use an External User Directory for Authentication and User Management.***
Quality Control – Ensure everyone is working with the correct information.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Check–in / Check–out	Check–in / Check–out page/document facilities for control of templates, forms, procedures, manuals etc.
Revision Control	Members can review documents and post revisions where Check-in/Check-out are not required. Revisions will appear with their author, date of publication and a revision number.
Index	A list of all pages in the WorkPlace that can be sorted by date, author or subject, helping Managers keep track of the content in the WorkPlace and to delete unnecessary content.
Cleanup	Every section of a WorkPlace has a cleanup tool that makes it easy to organize content. Managers can check all of the pages they would like to delete, move, or copy in one step.
Reader/Editor Permissions	Each Member can choose to assign editors to content that they author, or retain complete control of their additions.
Approval Workflow	Managers can set approval workflows whereby nominated Members are automatically alerted to content additions for their approval before they are published to the site.
Content Management – Ensure information is current, valid and required.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Index	A list of all pages in the WorkPlace that can be sorted by date, author or subject, helping Managers keep track of the content in the WorkPlace and to delete unnecessary content.
Cleanup	Every section of a WorkPlace has a cleanup tool that makes it easy to organize content. Managers can check all of the pages they would like to delete, move, or copy in one step.
Customization – Tie in with corporate image and public web site, support workflows.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Custom Visual Themes	Managers can modify the WorkPlace to match branding guidelines or a specific motivational theme by changing the color scheme and adding company logos or other images.
Secure Spaces for Selected Members	Managers can organize the WorkPlace to suit the specific needs of the team by designing a collaborative structure using Rooms and Folders.		"Sites"
Create Place Types/Templates***	QuickPlace online collaboration portals can be customized to suit different team/project requirements. However when they first setup an online collaboration portal, they can choose a Place Type that will have custom features and information already in place to work with (and customize!).***
Approval Workflow	Managers can set approval workflows whereby nominated Members are automatically alerted to content additions for their approval before they are published to the site.
Advanced Customization – Add sophisticated and complex functionality.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Create PlaceBots***	PlaceBots are LotusScript or Java programs that can add advanced functionality such as automating workflow or building additional levels of authentication or auditing.***
Specify Which Users Can Add PlaceBots	Managers control the use of PlaceBots by limiting those Members with the ability to add PlaceBots to the WorkPlace.
Custom Forms	Forms enable Members to author pages without HTML or programming knowledge. Existing page types use particular Forms. Events displayed and opened from a Calendar are created with an Event Form. Managers can create new Customized Forms based on existing Forms or "from scratch". Custom Forms add greater flexibility to the way information is entered and processed, particularly when WorkFlow is incorporated into the Form.
Real-Time Collaboration – Know who's online and work together even when geographically dispersed.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Presence Awareness	See which team Members are online and are available to converse in real time through instant messaging or web conferencing.	Skype
Instant Messaging	Converse in real time through Chat Facility.	Skype
Web Conferencing	Conference in real time, share a screen to view an application (Microsoft Office files, Mainframe Application sessions, web browsers, etc.), an entire desktop, or engage in team white boarding; with joint navigation and editing.
Polling****	Use the polling feature to pose questions to meeting participants for immediate feedback.****
Other Features – More flexibility for organizations that need it.		Lite	Standard	Premium	Enterprise	Enterprise Plus
Choice of 14 Languages	Choose between English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional), and Korean as the default language for their WorkPlace. Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional), and Korean as the default language for their WorkPlace.
Choice of US, UK or Asia Pacific Server	Organizations can locate their WorkPlace / Server in the most appropriate centre.
Corporate Domain Name	The URL for a WorkPlace can be a corporate domain name rather than www.projectlounge.com/organization's_chosen_name that shows a hosted solution.
Select Attachment Size Limit	Managers can set a limit on the size of files that Members can add to the WorkPlace.

***Advanced Users or ProjectLounge Consultants Only.

****To initiate Polling you will need to upload a Polling Form. Email if you would like to activate this option.