QG | Software Expands Client Base and Adds Features to Project Manager Called 5pm

Theresa Stone

Since its release in November 2007, the 5pm project management service is constantly gaining new customers, and is expanding the product with new feature.
With an intuitive and customizable interface, 5pm is designed to synchronize dynamic teams working in different places, on different platforms, and even across time zones.
Unlike most project management tools, 5pm has a unique interface that allows users to access all features within one or two clicks and hide features they do not use.
“5pm gives the user a lot of flexibility,” says CEO Greg Roy. “We don’t put everything out there and force our customers to use it. The application allows you to decide what’s important to your workflow.”
5pm offers a full set of project management features, including grouping, time reports, security levels, email notifications, and attachment support. An interactive timeline (which is a simplified Gantt diagram) offers an alternative view of projects and tasks. Best of all, the entire application is web-hosted, so even geographically dispersed teams can access it 24 hours a day.
“We have spent a lot of time looking for the right solution,” says Tim Johnson of SAFI Tech. “It seems that it is very difficult to get a solution which is simple and attractive but still has all the features we need…. I think 5pm definitely has it right.”
5pm was developed using the latest technologies, including AJAX and Flash, and is compatible with a wide range of Windows and Macintosh browsers. New features are being added on a regular base. Since its initial launch 5pm added the possibility to create tasks directly from emails, clone existing projects and integrated SSL for better security.
5pm was also expanded to be able to communicate with other applications: users can be imported directly from Gmail, tasks can be synchronized with Google Calendar and the Reports can be exported in Excel. 5pm also plans to integrate with a popular online invoicing service called FreshBooks and also to release their public API, so other developers can integrate 5pm with their products.
The other areas that will see big changes are the Timeline and Reports. These will include the ability to drag the tasks directly on the Timeline, a totally new report, called General Report and the Print View. Some of these features are planned for release as soon as the end of August.
QG Software is currently offering 5pm as a hosted service, available at www.5pmweb.com. It comes in a variety of plans, ranging from $14 to $84 per month. A free 14-day trial is also available. For more information, including a live demo and a two-minute introductory video, please visit www.5pmweb.com.