Archive for the ‘ERP’ Category
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Tryton
Tryton is a three-tier high-level general purpose computer application platform on top of which is built a business solution (or ERP) through a set of so-called Tryton modules.
The Tryton platform is organised around a three-tiers architecture: The Tryton client, the Tryton server and the DBMS (mainly PostgreSQL). The platform along with the official modules is licenced under the GPL-3.
The name Tryton refers to Triton, the largest moon of planet Neptune, and Python, the implementation language.
Tryton’s origin is a fork of the version 4.2 of TinyERP (which was later called OpenERP). The first version was published in November 2008, this version came with a major rewriting of some parts of the kernel and the main modules.
In contrast to their parent project and other open-source business software, the Tryton founders avoided creating a partner network which tends to generate opposition and duality between the partners and the community of volunteers. They followed the PostgreSQL example where the project is driven by a federation of companies.
The release process is organised around series. A series is a set of releases with the same two first numbers (E.G. 1.0 or 1.2) that shares the same API and the same database scheme. A new series appears every six months and new versions in older release are introduced when bugfixes are available.
Modules and functional coverage
The official modules provide a coverage of the following functional fields:
* Accounting and analytic accounting
* Sale management
* Purchase management
* Inventory management
* Timesheet and project management
* Calendar managementTechnical features
The client and the server applications are written in Python, the client use GTK+ as graphical toolkit. Both are available on Linux, MacOS and Windows. A standalone version including client and server exists and is named Neso.
The kernel provides the technical foundations needed by most business applications. However it is not linked to any particular functional field hence constituting a general purpose framework:
* Data persistence: ensured by accessor objects called Models, they allow easy creation, migration and access to records.
* User Management: The kernel comes with the base features of user management: user groups, access rules by models and records, etc.
* Workflow Engine: allows to activate a workflow on any business model.
* Report Engine: The report engine is based on relatorio that uses ODT files as templates and generate ODT or PDF reports.
* Internationalisation: Tryton is currently available in English, French, German, Spanich and Italian. New translations can be added directly from the client interface.
* Historical data: Data historization may be enabled on any business model allowing for example to get the list of all the past value of the cost price of any product. It also allows to dynamically access historized record at any time in the past: for instance the customer information on each open invoice will be the ones of the day the invoice was opened.
* Support for DAV protocols: WebDAV, CalDAV and CardDAV. This allow out-of-the-box document management and synchronizations of calendars and contacts.
* Support for XML-RPC protocols.
* Database independence is allowed since the 1.2 series and is used in the 1.4 series for the SQLite backend.
* Built-in automatic migration mechanism: it allows to update the underlying database scheme without any human manipulation. Migration is ensured from series to series (releases inside the same series doesn’t require migration). This automation is possible because the migration process is taken into account and tested continually within the development.
* Advanced modularity: The modularity allows to provide a layered approach of the business concepts along with a great flexibility, which speeds up custom developments.
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Postbooks
PostBooks is an open source accounting and enterprise resource planning business system geared toward small to medium sized businesses. It is released under a CPAL license and is thus free software. PostBooks is maintained as an open source project on SourceForge.net but is based on the commercially licensed xTuple ERP system created by xTuple, a private software company based in Norfolk, VA.
The name PostBooks is derived from three aspects of the project. First “Post” alludes to the common concept of posting journals in accounting. Second, the name refers to the project’s technological roots as it runs exclusively on the PostgreSQL database. Finally, the name suggests PostBooks as a logical step of progression for businesses that have outgrown the popular QuickBooks small business accounting product by Intuit.
Translations: Chinese (Simplified), French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish.
History
PostBooks is the foundation of the xTuple ERP software solution developed and marketed by the company of the same name beginning in the year 2000. All of the xTuple ERP Editions are targeted toward small to midsize companies. PostBooks is the Free and Open Source Edition; Commercial offerings are the Standard Edition and the Manufacturing Edition. The company adopted a “community code” model, meaning that customers who purchase or subscribe to licenses for the product have access to view and modify the source code. Unlike open source software, however, the code was not made publicly available.
In July 2007 the company formally known as OpenMFG simultaneously announced the change of their corporate name from OpenMFG to xTuple and the launch of the PostBooks open source project at the O’Reilly Open Source Convention in Portland, Oregon. The project was originally to be released under the “xTuple License,” a derivative of the Mozilla Public License, but xTuple was quickly criticized for introducing “yet another” open source license variant. However, at that very same conference SocialText announced the release of the new Open Source Initiative approved Common Public Attribution License (CPAL). Two days later xTuple switched PostBooks to CPAL and became the second company to adopt this license which is currently the license in use today.
The first stable release of PostBooks was version 2.2.0 announced in September 2007. Since then PostBooks has quickly catapulted to and stayed in the top 20 most active projects on SourceForge.
Functionality
PostBooks is based on a client-server platform using a front end Graphical client written in C++ using the Qt by Trolltech, with PostgreSQL providing the back end database. The use of Qt and PostgreSQL allows both the client and the server to be run on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux operating systems. The strategy behind this technology platform is to avoid the number of “moving parts” and complexity that accompanies interpreted language based solutions such as the Java or .NET framework that require a runtime library to be installed and kept up to date on every client machine. This approach allows the client software to be run from a server with no installation requirements at the client machine, which is presumably helpful to smaller businesses that do not have the in-house technical resources to support a complex deployment. As a general rule, as much business logic is stored and maintained in the database as possible to reduce the size and complexity of the client.
PostBooks is divided into 7 functional modules: Accounting, Sales, CRM, Manufacture, Purchase, Inventory and Products. It supports multi-currency and multi-language capability and is therefore suited for international deployment. All modules are integrated into a single common code base in the client, and reside in a single database schema on the server. The client for both PostBooks and its older and more comprehensive commercial brethren, OpenMFG, is identical. The difference between the two is completely managed in the database schema where the OpenMFG database includes additional tables and functions to support larger enterprises. At login the client checks to see whether it is logging into a PostBooks, Standard, or Manufacturing database, and changes its menu structure accordingly.
PostBooks uses the OpenRPT report writer and renderer as its embedded reporting engine. OpenRPT is an LGPL licensed open source project also administered by xTuple and hosted on Source Forge.
Community
PostBooks has a young but growing community. While the project is technically maintained on Source Forge, most community activity is initiated at the xTuple hosted community website where additional forums and technical documents are available.
PostBooks is written using English as the base language but has been or is being translated into several languages by the community at large including Spanish, French, German, Russian, Turkish, Chinese and Portuguese.
A dedicated Russian community website being maintained independently of xTuple has been created.
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Openbravo
Openbravo is a web-based, open source ERP business solution for small and medium sized companies that is released under the Openbravo Public License, based on the Mozilla Public License. The model for the program was originally based on the Compiere ERP program that is also open source, released under the GNU General Public License version 2. The company is a member of the Open Solutions Alliance, a non-profit organization working for open-source standardization. The program is among the top ten most active projects of Sourceforge as of January 2008. Development decisions are made by Openbravo, S.L., located in Pamplona, Spain.
History
Openbravo was first developed by two employees of Engineering School Tecnun of the University of Navarra, Nicolas Serrano and Ismael Ciordia. They were both involved in the mid 1990s in developing the management of the university. They used emerging Internet technologies while doing their work, and subsequently introduced a new approach for Web applications. Their concept was realized in a new company called Tecnicia (today known as Openbravo), which was founded in August 2001 by Serrano, Ciordia, and Aguinaga. The product was a new framework for the ERP world called Openbrave ERP. In 2005, two management consultants, Manel Sarasa and Josep Mitjá, were asked by a venture capital company to evaluate Tecnicia and prepare a business plan for its evolution. In 2006, the two consultants joined Tecnicia as the CEO and COO respectively.
As is the case for all open source projects, the source code was published (in April 2006).
Features
Openbravo features a web-based interface, where the user can view the entire status of a company, including production information, inventory, customer information, order tracking, and workflow information. It is possible to synchronize this information with other applications through the Java-based Openbravo API. Openbravo can also create and export reports and data to several formats, such as PDF and Microsoft Excel. As Openbravo is web based, it is possible to access the interface from anywhere that there is an Internet connection.
Architecture
Openbravo’s architecture, based on that of Compiere, focuses on two development frameworks:
* model-driven development, in which developers describe the application in terms of models rather than code
* model-view-controller, a well established design pattern in which the presentation logic and the business logic are kept isolatedThese two models allow for integration with other programs and for a simple interface.
The Wizard for Application Development (WAD) generates most code automatically by referring to the Data Model Dictionary. The engine recompiles the application whenever a modification is made by the administrator in response to new user requirements.
A series of applications have to be installed to run Openbravo. These are the Java Platform, the Apache Tomcat server, and a database engine (currently Oracle or PostgreSQL).
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OpenERP
OpenERP (formerly named Tiny ERP) is an ERP/CRM system.
The software is claimed to be a complete and the most feature rich ERP and CRM system. It has separate client and server components. XML-RPC interfaces are available.
Among the features are management accounting, financial accounting, inventory management, sales and purchase management, tasks automation, Human Resource Management, marketing campaigns, help desk, and point of sale.
The software is open source and is released under the GNU General Public License.
The Linux user interface is GTK+ based. Windows and Mac OS X versions are also available. A web interface ‘eTiny’ is also available using the Turbogears web framework. Since 2008, a KDE user interface is also available. The latest version of Open ERP (5.0) provides dynamic Gantt charts (with drag&drop), shared calendars, an integrated BPM view, a workflow editor and a screen designer.
OpenERP is known to be very complete and extremely modular, with 500+ available modules. It is based on a strong MVC architecture, with a distributed server, flexible workflows, an object database, a dynamic GUI, an XML-RPC interface, and customizable reports.
Business model
OpenERP follows a fully open source business model. The development and community efforts are managed through Launchpad, using the repository system Bazaar. The OpenERP community is organized on the OpenObject website, where you can find the forums, the IRC and all the available modules for OpenERP. The documentations are also managed on launchpad but a website dedicated to all books has been set up in 2009.
OpenERP sets up a business model with a win-win relationship between the community, the partner network and the editor. The partners are useful to create the market around OpenERP and the services offers, the editor is responsible of the quality and the vision on the development of the product and the community generates activities and contribute to the growth of the product. All modules produced by the editors, the partners and the community are open source.
License
Owner of the OpenERP solution is Belgium based OpenERP s.a. (previously Tiny sprl).
OpenERP Server and GTK+ client is published under GPL version 3.0.
Web client is available through “OpenERP Public License”. It is Mozilla derived (as Tiny puts it), free for use and modifications. Most prominent restriction is to keep original logos of Tiny, OpenERP and Axelor on web pages visible to user.
Some modules are distributed under “shared funding” model. Tiny claims that modules are GPL and will be available for public download, but official release is postponed until “development costs are covered”. It is not disclosed what development costs have to be covered or when modules will be released.
Architecture
OpenERP has a 3 layer structure: database, server and client.
The database is PostgreSQL.
The server part is written in Python. Business functionality is organised into “modules”. A module is a folder with a pre-defined structure containing Python code and XML files. A module defines data structure, forms, reports, menus, procedures, workflows etc.
The client is “thin” as it contains no business logic. (Adding new objects, such as menus or forms, makes it available to any client; one OpenERP-server can be accessed by any type of client: gtk+, web or Qt).
The GTK+ client is the default and is based on the PyGTK (Python) platform.
The Web client is written in Python. It uses the turboGears platform up to version 5.0.1. Though content-wise GTK+ and web clients are equivalent, there are some differences in the functionality of the interface, e.g. the web client can have a “customise” link on every form but the gtk+ client has no comparable feature.
The Qt client is written in Python, but is not available as an official download as of August 2009.
Development environment
There is no integrated development environment. Python code must be edited in an external editor. There is no official or de-facto editor.
Some application logic (i.e. workflows and data structure) can be changed through the client interface.
A tutorial gives an example of using a tool called DIA for visual creation of a module and saving (via a plugin) into a folder structure suitable for OpenERP.
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Compiere
Compiere (pronounced KOM-pyeh-reh, “to accomplish, complete, fulfill” in Italian) is an open source ERP and CRM business solution for the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) in distribution, retail, service and manufacturing. Compiere is distributed by Compiere, Inc. and through the Compiere Partner Network, a collection of trained and authorized business partners.
Compiere was founded in 1999 by Jorg Janke and was a top 10 project in Sourceforge from 2002 for 4 years reaching one million downloads and 100 partners in 2006.
The application and source code is provided on the basis of the GNU General Public License version 2; this comprises the Community Edition. Also available for a fee is a Professional Edition with more features, a commercial license, documentation and support contracts.
Functionality
Compiere encompasses ERP functionality, but in order to avoid the duplication of information and the need for synchronization, it’s organized in a different way. Compiere modules are: Quote to Cash, Requisition-to-Pay, Customer relationship management, Partner Relations Management, Supply Chain Management, Performance Analysis, Warehouse, Double-entry Book-keeping, Work-flow-Management and Web Store. A manufacturing module is being developed within an independent project CMPCS.
Architecture
Compiere is a Model Driven Architecture development, deployment and maintenance framework designed with the intention of following changes as business evolves. At any time, customers can change the information structure, adjusting to new information needs. Compiere provides multiple views of business information based on the detail of the actual transactions. This structure allows flexibility and integration of supplemental external information. And since information is presented as views (using Compiere’s MVC architecture), they can be changed to meet the needs of the business.
Compiere is entirely based on the concept of Active Data Dictionary (ADD). Compiere Data Dictionary contains definitions of a data entity (type, validation, etc.), how it is displayed (label on screens and reports, help, display sequence and position relative to other fields), and the display rules. It also contains security and access rules.
Compiere has been developed with Java EE.
Database independence
Compiere has long been criticized for not being a pure open source product because of its dependence on Oracle database (including the free Oracle XE); this is changing now, since version 2.5.2 Compiere is database independent to some extent. The project has released a Database Kit for porting Compiere to multiple databases. PostgreSQL, MySQL and Sybase ports are in Beta status. Compiere can also be run under the Firebird database using the Fyracle extensions, without porting.
Taking advantage of the Database Kit to create a port for the Apache Derby database the ER/Box project provides an integrated all-Java, all open source Compiere distribution. In addition to the Apache Derby database port ER/Box is also capable of running on PostgreSQL.
Compiere also works with the open source alternative to Oracle database, EnterpriseDB. User documentation is still offered on a fee-based accessibility.
Adempiere spin-off
Disagreement between a component of the Compiere user community and Compiere, Inc. resulted in the creation of a spin-off Open Source project. The primary point of dispute was a belief by members of the user community that Compiere, Inc. had ignored the contributions and concerns of community members. More directly, their claim was that the continuing direction of the product was driven mainly by Compiere, Inc.’s venture capital partners and not the user community at-large. The new fork, named Adempiere, was established at SourceForge in September 2006.
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