We know it from our school days: group work can be efficient and fun – or it never gets off the ground and only produces frustration. It is no different with email communication. This article shows what you should look for in groupware software and what the market has to offer in terms of open-source solutions.
The ability to connect with the entire world via email is one of the greatest achievements in modern communication. All you need is a computer with an internet connection. Freely available or integrated mail programs such as Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Web.de, GMX, and others handle the rest. “Freely available” naturally comes at a price: the user is graced with advertising emails, the corresponding websites are overloaded with ads, and mail communication is partially or completely passed on to third parties, who then use the treasure trove of data and contacts for their own purposes.
In a commercial environment, Google and others are less common – but that is currently changing. Google in particular is enjoying growing popularity in companies with its G Suite (formerly Google Apps). Otherwise, the Microsoft top dog Outlook/Exchange dominates there, while IBM’s Lotus Notes can almost be counted as a relic from past internet days.
Widespread – But Is There No Alternative?
Despite the clear market conditions, there are many good reasons not to rely on Outlook and Exchange for mail software:
- The license price is quite high.
- Those using Linux must use a different mail client because Outlook does not support this platform. And since Exchange only plays to its strengths with Outlook, you can confidently use an alternative mail system that is not based on Exchange.
- Outlook surprises its users every few years with a new menu navigation, just when they have finally gotten used to the old one. Additionally, the system is quite slow and comparatively complicated.
- Last but not least, providers face a specific problem: managing an Exchange Server mandatory requires operating a Windows Server – a real “no-go”: proprietary operating system, sluggish, inflexible, expensive, and tends to be insecure.
The good news: alternatives exist, specifically in the open-source environment. The best known are:
Groupware Defined
Let’s first take a look at the “Wikipedia-official” definition of the term: Groupware or group software (also collaborative software) refers to software designed to support cooperation in a group across time and/or spatial distances. Groupware is the implementation of the theoretical foundations of computer-supported group work (Computer Supported Cooperative Work, abbreviated CSCW) into a concrete application. Occasionally, hardware components are also included in groupware.
The rule of thumb is: Groupware is everything Microsoft Exchange can do. Accordingly, it is very easy to check whether an alternative system is suitable for this purpose. It simply has to be capable of what is available in Exchange.
Messages, Appointments, Addresses
In order for the aforementioned support of group work to run meaningfully and efficiently, the groupware solution must cover three departments:
- Mail or webmail; webmail ideally with a responsive user interface so that the software can be used on all end devices; calendar with appointment management or web calendar, including synchronization options on other devices; and
- Task/note function
- Address book, also with the possibility of synchronization
Webmail
The checklist for the webmail department in the groupware software should include these features:
- Simple, intuitive UI in responsive design
- Read, write, reply to, and forward emails
- Create profiles and define signatures
- Set up folders, set custom markers, create filters
- Generate automatic replies (out-of-office notifications)
- Search function
- Management of whitelist, blacklist, and spam filters
Calendar and Synchronization (CalDAV)
Regarding calendars and appointments, you should look for the following functions and usage options:
- Create calendar entries
- Create one-time events
- Set up recurrences and exception rules
- Reminder function
- Send and receive invitations
- Synchronize information on other end devices and in software
- Integration of mobile devices based on Android and/or iOS (iPhone)
- Usable with Outlook, Thunderbird, Mac (Mail/iCal), and other clients
Address Book and Synchronization (CardDAV)
As far as communication contacts are concerned, these features belong in a usable groupware solution:
- Save and manage contacts
- Synchronize information on other end devices and in software
- Integration of mobile devices based on Android and/or iOS (iPhone)
- Usable with Outlook, Thunderbird, Mac (Mail/Address Book), and other clients
The task/note function is not described in detail here because it is identical to the calendar in terms of technology and application.
Specials to Watch Out For
The previous sections presented the absolute “must-haves” that must be found in any serious groupware software. In addition, certain products offer interesting additional features that are worth a closer look. This applies in particular to the open-source solution SOGo, for which we at SaaS Web have developed a special preference.
Among other things, you will find the ActiveSync function there. It is used to set up email, address book, and calendar via one access point on iOS or Android devices. Once this “Exchange account” has been created, calendars and address books are automatically found in the relevant apps and only need to be displayed there if they have not already been activated automatically.
Shared folder support is also a feature that you should have on your radar, and it is part of SOGo’s range of functions. “Shared folder” means exactly what you would expect. Here, a special feature of the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) comes into play: via so-called Access Control Lists (ACL), you can allow various users access to an account with all directories and subdirectories and define exactly what each person is allowed to do. User A, for example, should only be able to read, User B can edit the emails from the subdirectory, while User C receives full access. On this basis, communication in the group can be regulated flexibly and the associated tasks can be completed more efficiently. The ability to mark all read emails as such or to set the status individually for each user is another feature of shared folders.
Conclusion
Even in the necessary brevity of this article, it becomes clear that professional and diverse functionality in groupware software is no longer only to be found among the “usual suspects.” A lot has happened in this regard, especially in the open-source environment, and it is worth taking a closer look at the range of solutions on the market. At SaaS Web, we are always close to the action and ensure that you receive the solution in this environment that best fits your individual processes, requirements, and wishes – contact us!
