Basecamp and Dabble

I've been using Basecamp and Dabble since starting at Undercurrent just over six months ago. We use - Basecamp - an online project management tool, in combination with - Dabble - an online customizable database. Both tools together allow us to manage internal milestones and activity, disseminate project updates to remote Agents, and keep up with day-to-day client communication.

I have to admit, I only started using Basecamp and Dabble seriously since January, and since then, it has totally turned me into a believer.

Basecamp takes project organization and accountability to the next level, turns email into collaborative ongoing conversations, reminds users of upcoming and late milestones, and files all messages and documents in a way that it can be easily found.

Dabble has pretty much completely discontinued my need for Excel and Numbers - and that my friends is a beautiful thing. Not to mention I can create charts and graphs from all data entered, and incredibly valuable tool for reporting.

Basecamp has recently added two features that makes me want to cry with joy:

Responding to a message using email. Before, you would have to click on a link in the email with the message, sending you to the  company basecamp site, in order to make a comment on the message. This feature probably saves me 7 hours a week in basecamp work.

Frequently accessed project feature. Hallelujah. I use about 6 different projects daily, so this helps navigate through the other projects with ease. I bet this feature is saves the entire office 20 hours a week of basecamp work, at least.

Comments

[Paul Fabretti]

Yay - another Basecamp convert! We use BC too and my CEO is writing a book entitled "How to run a profitable marketing agency using Basecamp " - guess what it's about?!

We have taken Basecamp and have devised a way to use the To-Do's to allocate time to tasks within jobs we have quoted. In theory, the amount of time someone takes to complete the "to-do" matches that which we have quoted (and placed on Basecamp) in the first place...

p.s. what's "Amanda Chapel" been up to to upset you....

[Yianni Garcia]

Basecamp and Dabble have brought be one step closer to world domination. Moo hahaha!

[Baratunde Thurston]

yo! i'm using google sites and docs in much the same way. the way you're doing it sounds particularly awesome.

i tried basecamp a while back and didn't like how it seemed to work only if you used it the way they wanted you to. was less flexible.

things may have changed. and dabble makes me drool.

am also worried about the cost both in money and converting users. google tools are nice because the accounts are all linked. no separate logins is a big deal when you work with non-geeks.

that's all for now.

[Baratunde Thurston]

ooh. and your blog is in some kind of gigantic frame. when i clicked to dabble, i was still showing juliaroy in my address bar. not that i have a problem seeing your name. just makes linking hard

[Jonathan Mulholland]

If you're enjoying Basecamp at work, have you taken a look at 37Signals Backpack for personal use? It really is a great organisational tool. I use it for everything - managing trips, keeping expense receipts, personal projects. I really recomend it.

[Natalija]

If you like very effective pm tool you must try ProjectOffice.net.
It covers all basic project management features and functionalities, and you can't even imagine what is being prepared in the background.
I strongly suggest you to try it and tell me your experience.

Regards,
Natalija

[Jeffrey D]

Yep, basecamp is great - we use it over here for inter and extra office collaboration and file sharing. Another tool I think is great is Doodle. Its focused at finding common meeting times, so you can set that meeting up with all your people and get it done!
Anyway, its cool, assemble-able url is Doodle [dot] ch

(dont want to link spam here... not the point)

[Jim]

Basecamp is ok for some projects. I tried it before they added the email feature. I actually like Wrike.com better. It was originally designed with email integration.

[Lucas]

Wow this sounds wonderful, I wish I could go.
I could use a chance to meet some of the people I write to everyday.