Outlook helpdesk supports Unicode

The Unicode work at kalmstrom.com Business Solutions goes on, and today we have released an updated PF HelpDesk that supports all characters. Unicode is a standard that allows computers to represent text expressed in most of the world's writing systems in a consistent way. As this standard is used in the Microsoft products the kalmstrom.com applications are built on, it is possible for kalmstrom.com to make products that can be used all over the world and by users with different kinds of alphabets. PF HelpDesk is already used in countries with non-Latin characters, and for them I hope this new feature will be a great improvement. 

More and more companies decide to invest in a helpdesk system for issue tracking and user support, and for a team that is connected within a LAN PF HelpDesk is a good choice. PF HelpDesk can be installed in an Exchange public folder or in a shared mailbox. (For a more distributed group we recommend HelpDesk OSP for Outlook and SharePoint/Office live.)

Since Outlook only fully supports Unicode from version 2003, this enhancement of PF HelpDesk actually also gives it a limitation. Now the PF HelpDesk administrator installation must be performed from a system with Outlook 2003 or higher. This is not required for the client tool installation, only for the installation on the sever, and users with Outlook 2000 and 2002 can still work with the tickets.

Welcome to try the new PF HelpDesk!

kalmstrom.com Community has new page on Facebook

Welcome back after the holiday! We have had a good time, but yesterday I took some time to create a Community page on Facebook. So far we have not many fans, but you are welcome to be one!

The Facebook page will give the same kind of information as the blog and newsletter, but if you use Facebook, the Community page is a convenient way to check what is new at kalmstrom.com.

However there is one big difference between the Facebook page and our other information channels: you may comment. And I hope you will do that! We in the team get good response from users of our products via the support e-mail and chat, but this is a chance to let other users see your comments - and comment in their turn.

If it turns out well we hope to have several discussions going. It will be very interesting and in line with the closer customer contact we strive for with kalmstrom.com Community.

Swedish Christmas holidays

In Sweden Christmas is the most important holiday of the year, maybe because we need some light and festivities during the long, dark and cold winter. Even before the Swedes were christened a big feast was celebrated at the winter solstice.

This year my husband and I have travelled from our home in Spain to spend the holiday with the family. We have experienced snow for the first time in ten years, and the temperature has been down to -15°C. Most Swedes like the snow, because of the light it brings during this dark season. Everything looks clean and fresh with the snow, but you have to bundle up with warm clothes and thread carefully when you go out.

Not only is Christmas the most important Swedish holiday, but today, Christmas Eve, is also the most important day of Christmas. Families get together to eat too much traditional food, and Santa Claus comes with presents. But many prefer an alternative Christmas, with less food and few or no presents, either they spend it with family or friends or join a gathering arranged by an organization.

I wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas!

Calendar Browser: Speed Is Not Everything - But Important Enough!

The kalmstrom.com team is happy to announce that version 6.1 of Calendar Browser was released today. Calendar Browser is a tool for booking and handling the resources within an organization. Booking resources and supplies is as easy as making an appointment in the Outlook calendar, and there are also smooth ways to describe the resources and to follow up their usage.

In version 6.1 our developers worked much with the speed, to make Calendar Browser quicker to work with. They have tried to make both the Book supplies application and the Overview load quicker, and our QA engineer has clocked the time on different systems to confirm that they have really succeeded. The Book supplies window is not only loaded quicker, but when it is filled out it is also saved and closed faster than before.

The new Calendar Browser of course has the latest, Unicode supporting OLAP Reporting Tool, that I have written about in earlier blogs. In Calendar Browser the Overview is used for studying future resource bookings, and OLAP Reporting Tool gives statistics on earlier usage of resources. For a list of the improvements in Calendar Browser V6.1, refer to the Calendar Browser revisions page.

I recommend all current users to upgrade, to get a quicker application. As the registration process in version 6.1 is a bit changed, (to accommodate users where the clients have different time zone settings) you have to register again when you have upgraded your installation.

Have you not tried Calendar Browser yet? Welcome to evaluate the application for 30 days without any obligations! If you are a Community Member you may add it to the other kalmstrom.com products you already use without extra cost. And if you are not a Member yet ‒ we are waiting for you!

E-mail Images in SharePoint List Items with HelpDesk OSP

HelpDesk OSP, the kalmstrom.com add-in that connects Outlook to SharePoint or Office Live, has become an increasingly popular tool for for issue tracking and user support.

Now our developers have found a way to embed images in the list objects. This means that if the e-mail has any embedded or inline images, they will appear at exactly the same place when the e-mail has been converted to a ticket.
It looks very nice. Enlarge the image and see for yourself!

HelpDesk OSP has integrated the statistics tool OLAP Reporting Tool, and updated HelpDesk OSP has of course the new version of OLAP Reporting Tool which supports Unicode. Welcome to try HelpDesk OSP! All Community Members are very welcome to upgrade their installations and get an even better product without any extra cost.

Statistics Tool With Full Support of Unicode

OLAP Reporting Tool is by far the most used application from kalmstrom.com Business Solutions, and the explanation for this is that it is not only a stand-alone product. OLAP Reporting Tool is also integrated in four other kalmstrom.com products – Calendar Browser, HelpDesk OSP, PF HelpDesk and TimeCard. All these are enhanced by OLAP Reporting Tool, the powerful statistics software that helps the management to organize data into simple, understandable graphs and tables. This means that improvements in OLAP Reporting Tool affect most of the kalmstrom.com customers, so we are especially happy about today's update.

Version 3.1 of OLAP Reporting Tool supports all characters. To manage that our skilful developers, Bahrur Ipham and Jayant Rimza, added a new dependency library 'Microsoft Windows Common Controls 5.0'. Most users already have the file comctl32.ocx in their system, but those who don't will be prompted to download this free product from Microsoft.

Today the stand-alone product was released, and the new OLAP Reporting Tool will of course be added in the next updates of the four applications where it is integrated. This means that the kalmstrom.com team looks forward to an increase in the use of the products in parts of the world where the Latin alphabet is not dominating. It feels very exciting!