Studiometry 7 Template Editor and Invoice Preview Improvements

Studiometry 7 makes many large improvements to our powerful Invoice template and Report template system. If you're not familiar with the system, Studiometry has customizable templates that are filled with invoice, contact, and other information when you want to deliver an invoice to your client.

Studiometry has a WYSIWYG visual template editor that lets you place onto a page elements and variables that will later be replace with actual invoice data. Our visual template editor has been around for a while, but it's never been this easy to use.

New to Studiometry 7 WYSIWYG editor are the following updates:

• The template editor's properties window, used for modifying items on the template, is now integrated directly into the template editor window. This makes modifying invoice templates MUCH easier.
• Numerous new variables and data types give you more power over what you can show on your invoices and reports.
• You can now modify multiple items simultaneously. Previously only size and positioning could be modified for multiple items.
• Higher-quality image saving. Images are now saved into high quality PNG format, preserving transparency as well as quality.
• Huge performance improvements when editing complex templates.

Check out the screenshot of the new template editor below:



In addition to the template editor improvements, we've also added mini previews of your invoice and report templates in more areas. The preferences window will now show all of your visual templates in (quite appropriately) visual form, instead of a list.



Also, not only can you now view invoice output DIRECTLY in the invoice creation window, you can also view mineature previews of all of your templates and see your invoice with any template with only one mouse click.




Studiometry 7 is a HUGE upgrade, which we'll be releasing in early September. Shortly after that, we'll be releasing our iPhone companion program as well. A lot is going on here at Oranged software, so be sure to subscribe to our Blog or follow us on Twitter.

Also don't forget that all purchases of Studiometry made in August are eligible for a free upgrade to Studiometry 7 when it is released!

Buy Studiometry Now!

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 7 Project Planning Updates (w/ movie)

Studiometry 7 has many updates to the Project Planning aspects of the program. You can now link your To Do items to your GANTT chart to have progress automatically update based on completed To Dos.

On top of this, Studiometry 7 now has Project Stages, which show the progress of a Project from start to finish. You can link your GANTT and your To Do items to your Project stages to have Studiometry automatically update your Project's planning information every time you mark a To Do as complete.

Here's the new introduction video on the topic:
http://movies.oranged.net/7movies/todogantt.mov

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 7 Groups Feature

We've made another helpful training movie previewing a Studiometry 7 feature. This movie is an overview of Groups.

Groups are basically like playlists in iTunes. You can have regular groups where you manually put in clients and projects, or your can have "smart" groups that have rules to decide which items are automatically added. Groups can be synced and shared over a network and between employees and are a great way to manage and organize your clients and projects. Here is the new training movie:

http://movies.oranged.net/7movies/groups.mov

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 7.0 Watch List Feature (w/ movie)

Studiometry 7 will have a handy new feature called watch lists. Watch lists are employee-based lists where you can put a link to any item (client, project, invoice, etc) for easy access. There are 3 advantages to having an item on your watch list:

1. You can easily view specific data about items (such as client balance, invoice paid status, project hours, etc) directly in your main window immediately when you open Studiometry.
2. You can double click on any item in your watch list to view and edit the item. Quick access to your most pertinent items.
3. When an item is on your watch list, you can receive notifications via the new Notification features in Studiometry 7. Any time another user edits or deletes items on your watch list, you are sent a notification saying what happened, who did it, and when they did it. More info on notifications will be coming in an upcoming blog post.

We've made a quick overview movie of the watch list feature, available here:
http://movies.oranged.net/7movies/watchlist.mov

Studiometry 7 is slated for a late Summer 2009 release. Be sure to keep an eye on the Studiometry Blog for more sneak peaks at upcoming features.

Purchase Studiometry now and get a free upgrade to Studiometry 7

Studiometry 7 will be released later this summer, and with it will come many new features and additions to the already robust application.

Oranged Software regularly offers free upgrades to users who purchase Studiometry just before pay-for upgrades are released, and we are continuing this tradition with the release of Studiometry 7. Any new single user, add-on, or site licenses purchased on or after July 14th will be eligible for a free upgrade to Studiometry 7.

Mac Download: Link
Windows Download: Link
Version History: Link
What's New in Version 6: Link
Purchase Studiometry: Link

Studiometry Nightly Builds Now Available

We're happy to announce that we've added a new section to our Studiometry website, Studiometry Nightly Build, which allows us to get fixes out quicker to the users who need them. These won't be truly "nightly," as there won't be an update every single night, but they will be updated whenever a stable build is available that contains updates or fixes that users need.

These builds will require registration just the same as any other Studiometry version. They will also technically be considered the same as the current official release version (for example: Studiometry 6.1.1 pre-release will be Studiometry 6.1nb, while Studiometry 6.1.2 pre-release would be Studiometry 6.1.1nb) so that you can still be alerted when the final version is released.

The nightly builds page is available here:
http://www.oranged.net/studiometry/nightly

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 6.0 Data Rows Feature

Studiometry 6 will have a great new addition to the visual Invoice and Report template editor: Data Rows. Currently to display, for example, work items on an Invoice you need to set up several Data Columns, where each column represents a specific variable for each item on an invoice. See the image below.



This setup of Data Columns will produce something similar to the following:



Data columns are great for setting up basic invoices, but they don't allow you to create more advanced layouts. Data rows address this by allowing you to setup a template-within-a-template that will be repeated for each item. You design the entire "row" that will be created for each item, which can include variables, images, graphics objects, and text.

One of the great parts of Data Rows is the ability to have each row stretch vertically to fit all of the data for a specific item. This allows for invoices that can show large amounts of text for each item, which works great with the Extra Info field when editing a Debt/Credit item.

Here is an example setup for a Data Row where the row is set to expand vertically based on the data available for the ItemExtraInfo tag.



This row will be reproduce for all items on an invoice, and we have set the ItemExtraInfo tag to expand vertically based on the available content. Here is what it can produce:



The Data Row feature gives you the power to design exactly how each item will appear on an invoice, including all fonts, sizes, colors, and graphics for the associated item. This feature brings Studiometry up to an entirely new level of flexibility and control over the already powerful Invoice and Report template system.

Studiometry 6 is slated for a late Summer 2008 release. Be sure to keep an eye on the Studiometry Blog for more sneak peaks at upcoming Studiometry features.

Studiometry 6 Beta Update: Even Faster Load Times!

With the first few beta releases, Studiometry 6.0 was already much faster than version 5.x with loading and saving data thanks to the new data format. The most recent release, however, has the most astonishing results of any Studiometry release yet. A data file with over 11,000 debt/credits (as well as thousands of clients, projects, contacts, and other data formats) has been tested to load in just 3% of the time it took to load in version 5.x. See the chart below:

The file, which took 4 minutes and 52 seconds to load in 5.x (and 2 minutes and 5 seconds to load in the last beta) will now take only 9 seconds to load completely. Add the fact that modifications are saved instantly, effectively removing the 5.x save time, and you have a blazing fast Studiometry even with huge data files!

Registration for the Studiometry 6 beta program is still open to the public. If you'd like to see this and the many other features before they are released sign up at:
http://www.oranged.net/studiometry/beta/betasignup.php

Studiometry 6 Announced: Will be released later this summer

The new version of Studiometry will contain many great enhancements and feature additions. We've spent a lot of time focusing on improving saving and loading time for users with large amounts of data. A completely overhauled data format, where common items such as Debt/Credits and Projects are stored in a local SQL database as opposed to an XML file, produces incredible performance results. Load times will be significantly faster after a one-time process of converting your data to the new format. In testing we have seen Studiometry 6 take as little as 40-50% of the time Studiometry 5.x took to load the same data.

The best part of the new data format, however, isn't the improved load times. With the new SQL database behind Studiometry, all changes made to the common data items (projects, clients, debt/credits, etc) are saved IMMEDIATELY to file. This removes the need for periodic data saves, which previously could take upwards of 10 minutes in the background for users with tens of thousands of items in Studiometry. This also removes the need for Studiometry to save all data when quitting, which produces a reduction in quit and save times from several minutes to less than 5 seconds in nearly all cases.

The new data format still maintains the flexibility of the previous format where all data is stored locally on every machine and can be accessed without a connection to the server. It's the best of both worlds with an SQL database mixed with the previous XML data file format.

In addition to the revamped data format and performance, Studiometry 6 will contain over 75 new features, updates, and enhancements. Other notable new features include Data Rows for Visual Invoice templates, allowing you to create a template-within-a-template for displaying items such as Debt/Credits. Data rows are vertically a flexible space that will stretch based on the information shown for each item, giving unsurpassed flexibility in creating your custom templates.

Additions to the Report features allow you now to select specific items for each report, either manually or via Item Sets such as Paid, Unpaid, Estimated, Un-Invoiced, Billable, Purchase Order, and more. These new features give Studiometry the ability to create itemized estimates and purchase orders based on entered information.

Other features include a completely overhauled interface, one-click invoice and report generation, additional keyboard functionality, updated Time Sheet entry window, and many others. More information about these and other new features will become available soon via our website and blog. Keep checking back for sneak peaks and beta status updates.

Purchase Studiometry now and get a free upgrade to Studiometry 6

Studiometry 6 will be released later this summer, and with it will come many new features and additions to the already robust application.

Oranged Software regularly offers free upgrades to users who purchase Studiometry just before pay-for upgrades are released, and we are continuing this tradition with the release of Studiometry 6. Any new single user, add-on, or site license purchased on or after July 7th will be eligible for a free upgrade to Studiometry 6.

Mac Download: Link
Windows Download: Link
Version History: Link
What's New in Version 5: Link
Purchase Studiometry: Link

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 5.0 Estimate Features

Studiometry 5 has many new abilities for creating and viewing estimates for Projects. When creating a Project, you can now assign a specific number of hours for each Hourly Debt/Credit type and a specific amount for each Expense Debt/Credit type. Studiometry will take the entered information and calculate the Amount Quoted and Estimated Hours.

You can later edit this information, or compare the estimates to the actual work for each type in the Project's summary tab.



As you can see, these new features give you greater control and easier access to information regarding which types of work are being done on a specific Project. Having easy access to reports like these can help streamline your work and make future budgets and quotes easier for you to estimate.

The new information in the summary tab as well as the Estimate calculator are both printable, giving you the ability to create estimates for your Clients, or for in-house use. More features regarding estimates and quotes will be added in subsequent 5.x releases.

Studiometry 5.0 is slated for a late Summer 2007 release. Be sure to keep an eye on the Studiometry Blog for more sneak peaks at upcoming Studiometry features!

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 5.0 Interface Enhancements and Additions

Studiometry 5.0 has many new features to allow quick and organized access to your data. Please note that these features are still under development and any aspect of these features may be changed when Studiometry 5.0 is officially released. Here are a few examples of some of the upcoming features.


Expand the Client/Project list to view current Project information
With Studiometry 5.0, you will be able to horizontally expand the main window Client/Project list to view additional information regarding the current status of Projects. Three additional columns display the number of Running or Paused timers, incomplete To Do's, and Unpaid Invoices. Clicking on any of the totals will bring up the associated list for viewing and editing.



This small addition makes a big different when you want to quickly view the current status of many of your Projects simultaneously. As mentioned before, you can click on each total box to bring up the appropriate list of items, giving you very easy access to current items. This feature also takes into account the current employee's permissions. If the current employee does not have Invoice or Timer permissions, then those columns will not be shown.



Search through the Main Window's Client/Project list
Studiometry now allows you to filter the main Client/Project list, searching through names and ID's for the entered text. Left-Clicking on the search row, or selecting "Search..." from the View Mode menu above the list, will allow you to enter a search string. Studiometry will filter out the view to only show Clients and Projects who's ID and/or Name match the string.



As you'll notice, the Expanded Project information is still readily available. The Clients in the list also maintain their "clickable" properties, allowing you to select a Client to view all of the Client's associated Projects. The filtered Projects list, visible below the Clients list, shows all Projects that match the search string independent of their associated Client.



You can easily Right-Click on the search string or select a different viewing mode from the menu above the Client/Project list to remove the search filter.

Auto-Complete Client and Project Selection
Many areas of the program now incorporate an Auto-Complete combo box that allows you to click or type to select your desired Client or Project. This feature is currently available when creating a new Project, entering a Time Sheet, creating a new Running Timer, and when creating a new Contact Log.



This feature can be a great time saver when entering information such as large time sheets, or simply creating a new Project. The New Project window now can be completely operated without the use of a mouse, allowing you to keep both hands on the keyboard and create Projects much quicker.

Studiometry 5.0 is slated for a late Summer 2007 release, however the Beta Program registration will be opening within the next week. Also, be sure to keep an eye on the Studiometry Blog for more sneak peaks at upcoming Studiometry features!

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 5.0 Invoice/Report Template Upgrades

It has almost been one year since we introduced the widely accepted Visual Invoice templates system into Studiometry. We're taking this great feature and expanding the capabilities for Studiometry 5.0. Users will now be able to create Visual Report templates using the updated WYSIWYG editor, giving the flexibility of the Reports features combined with the easy to use Visual Template editor.

In addition, Visual Invoice and Report Templates now have multi-page capabilities. Templates can easily have a cover page, or a specific page that repeats with new items until the Invoice or Report has been completely generated. Each page can then be previewed, exported individually, or printed as a whole. Printing multi-page Visual Invoices and Reports is a standard one-click process.

Studiometry automatically calculates how many lines of items fit onto each page based on the sizing of your data columns, and then produces the correct amount of pages until all items have been shown.



We've also added a few things to the Code-Based template viewing and printing. Multi-Page Code Based Templates can now be printed directly from Studiometry, and thanks to updated plug-ins, a few long-standing print display issues have been resolved. Code-Based previewing and printing remains a Mac-Only feature.

The addition of these new features greatly expands the power and flexibility of Studiometry, giving the end user even more control over the output of the program. Studiometry 5.0 is slated for a late Summer 2007 release, however the Beta Program registration will be opening soon. Also, be sure to keep an eye on the Studiometry Blog for more sneak peaks at upcoming Studiometry features!

Sneak Peak: Studiometry 5.0 Summaries Features

One of the main areas of Studiometry we are overhauling for our next major release is the ability to summarize and export large amounts of customizable data. Currently there are many great ways of doing this already in the program, including the current Invoice/Report templates systems, the current exporting abilities, and the vast amount of printable lists and sections.

There are some situations, however, where the current features just don't cut it, and we're working on a great solution based on your customer feedback to solve this problem. The new Summary features we have been developing are very powerful and flexible, yet require no programming or coding knowledge. These new features allow you to create and print powerful reports based on customizable filters, sorting behaviors, available fields, and more. They provide a great way to easily summarize and display large amounts of information quickly and elegantly.

Click on the screenshot for a full view of this hypothetical Client Activity review of recent work done for a Client, summarized by Project and Employee.



As you can see, the hierarchal controls on the left allow you to set up exactly how the report is sorted, filtered, and formatted. We feel this new feature will have countless uses for the majority of Studiometry users.

Studiometry 5.0 is slated for a late Summer 2007 release, however the Beta Program registration will be opening soon. Also, be sure to keep an eye on the Studiometry Blog for more sneak peaks at upcoming Studiometry features!