Customizing DesignSmart

Software that works the way you need it to work

Over the past decade we have had clients that were small residential design firms, medium size commercial firms and  large multinational firms. But even among just the small residential firms, it quickly becomes apparent that even though they essentially provide the same services, the way in which they provide those services can vary widely. The differences magnify as the firm size increases.

For this reason DesignSmart has been designed to be customizable according to your firm's unique requirements. Here are some examples of how clients have had DesignSmart customized:

1.Developed a quality control check to prevent POs from being created if a client deposit has not been received

2.Developed countless client specific reports that clients had been using prior to DesignSmart and still needed so they could continue their established work flow processes

3.Added and removed fields and features to layouts so the client's staff were not distracted with fields they didn't need or use

Starting with DesignSmart Version 6, even if you have DesignSmart customized for your firm, your DesignSmart system will continue to be updated every month.

What you need to know about customizations

1.Learn DesignSmart before requesting any customizations

Prior to making any requests for customizations, be sure that you have a good understanding of all aspects of DesignSmart. Some clients will wait 6 months after going live with DesignSmart before requesting any customizations, while others will request them prior to going live. Both methods work as long as you have a good understanding of the system.

2.Create mock ups when appropriate

Often a client will have a general idea of what they want. That is a good start, but by creating a mock up of the layout or report, they will work out a lot of details involved in implementing the customization. This is particularly the case for custom reports. If the client already has a report, we can easily replicate it. However, when a client has a request for a new report, it can be time consuming and expensive if a mockup is not provided.  Your project manager can assist with this process.

All proposals for customizations have to be approved in writing

Once the details for the customizations have been determined, you will receive a proposal for the work to be done. It is important to read the proposal carefully.  When all of the details meet your satisfaction, you will need to approve the proposal in writing. Depending on the scope of the work you may be required to pay a partial or the full amount upfront.

Requests for small modifications

When clients need a customization that requires less than 3 hours of work, they will be requested to pay for a minimum of 3 hours of support time in advance. Then a proposal for the small change will submitted and the client will need to approve it in writing. Each month the client will be sent a report if they have a balance of any prepaid support time.