10 Essential Redmine Plugins to Transform Your Business Operations

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Redmine is a robust open-source project management system that can handle everything from tiny personal or departmental projects to major corporate initiatives. It is compatible with all major operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, but it requires Ruby to function properly. 

 

Redmine is meant to be very adaptable, with each project having its own set of settings and users, but it also offers a set of default features that work for the majority of projects. You add plugins — little bits of code that enhance the platform’s capabilities and perform specific duties — to access and adjust these default features. 

 

There are several Redmine plugins available, ranging from bug trackers to agile development tools and everything in between, all of which serve to facilitate project execution. 

 

Redmine plugins are free to download and use, but some programming experience is required. Depending on the plugin you choose to use, the installation procedure might be simple or need sophisticated settings. 

The 10 Best Redmine Plugins

If you’re not sure what sort of plugin your team needs, the Redmine website provides a thorough evaluation of all accessible solutions. Redmine’s official directory presently contains over 1,000 plugins. As more developers produce new hacks and discover new ways to connect plugins with the program, this list will increase. 

 

However, sifting through hundreds of plugin pages may appear to be a chore. There’s also the issue of not knowing whether plugins are compatible with the most recent version of Redmine. It’s also worth mentioning that some plugins are free while others are not. The latter benefit from the development team’s regular upgrades and customer support.

 

In order for you to decide which Plugin to use, here is a list and breakdown of the top 10 best Redmine plugins for your business.

Usersnap

Redmine is frequently used by software teams to manage website development and app-building projects. As part of the prototype and initial testing stages, such teams may face errors and malfunctions on a daily basis. 

 

A plugin that catches issues and reports them to the appropriate teams is useful, especially for time-sensitive projects. 

 

With built-in functionality for internal issue tracking and reporting, Usersnap’s premium plugin helps software teams expedite feedback and project testing. The plugin gives project managers more authority and improves communication with their designers and engineers. Users may quickly record bugs and annotated screenshots and email them to the Redmine team.

Redmine Agile

If your company or business uses tools like Agile project management, Scrum, or Kanban, Redmine’s free plugin is a must-have for Agile teams. 

 

This plugin provides quick access to a Kanban whiteboard for managing backlogs and ongoing projects. It also includes visualization options, with 11 distinct types of charts available. If your team uses the Scrum technique, the sprint planner is ideal for facilitating simple cooperation and effective communication.

 

Access to customer assistance, preserving your boards and chart templates, a version planner, bulk editing, and additional category choices are all available in the Pro edition.

RedmineUP Checklist

This plugin has the highest rating in the Redmine marketplace to date, and it’s easy to see why. To save time, you may develop your own checklist templates and combine them with the preceding plugin’s agile boards. 

 

The plugin can update instantly without sacrificing efficiency thanks to Ajax technology, and it also keeps a history of checklist version modifications.

 

A Pro membership, in addition to customer assistance, enables additional capabilities such as problem checklists, templates, and the opportunity to examine the history of edits/changes in checklists.

Hide Sidebar

You may be wondering how much of a difference hiding the sidebar may make in your productivity. This minor detail is surprisingly important in improving your UI.

 

When it comes to project management software, it’s not necessarily about how feature-rich it is. Because the user interface may make or break a user’s experience, having this easy plugin installed can be beneficial in the long term. The little “hide” button allows you to collapse the sidebar and free up additional screen space for your current job.

RedmineUP CRM

Redmine isn’t simply for project management. It can also be linked to customer relationships and database management systems. Certain Redmine plugins make managing big contact lists a snap.

 

The CRM plugin provides teams with access to all of their critical connections (clients or internal workers). You may also combine it with other RedmineUP plugins to gather all information about orders, tickets, and projects in one place. 

 

In addition, the plugin has a notes feature, visibility for linked issues, and the ability to send HTML-formatted emails directly from Redmine. 

 

You may save more sorts of information with the Pro edition, such as deals and attachments, kanban boards, and time reports. In addition to bulk editing, you may categorize based on contact/deal groupings and custom fields.

Monitoring & Controlling (M&C)

RedmineUP is a lightweight plugin for creating charts that provide your project managers with a 360-degree perspective of project progress.

 

This GitHub plugin has no cost associated with it. Although it is free and basic, it may be quite useful for managers who want instant information on all active projects. This plugin also includes pie charts and column charts for classifying issues by status type, manageable versus unmanageable, and which tasks are overdue.

Redmine Gantt

Gantt charts are an excellent tool for seeing where your team is on the project roadmap, modifying timeframes, and planning project updates.

 

With the plugin loaded, you may see the project from several timeline perspectives, list problematic issues, and filter the timeline. It also supports parent-child concerns, alerting users to any difficulties that arise between the parent (primary) file/folder and the child (secondary) file/folder that falls beneath it. 

 

Users may additionally enable critical path analysis with the Pro (paid) edition of the plugin, which helps to emphasize the complete workflow and illustrate which actions are dependent on others. 

 

Setting baselines (reference points to compare your project against), global Gantt supervision, which offers a 360-degree, high-level perspective of all your projects, and access to any changes to new problems and versions are other Pro features.

RedmineUP Helpdesk

Do you utilize ticketing software to give customer service? You may integrate a plugin with Redmine to improve your customers’ experiences even more.

 

The helpdesk plugin works in tandem with the CRM plugin. You may retrieve all client information from the database and create an email address list for sending support emails using this combination. You may also answer to customer tickets straight from the Issues page of the plugin or set up auto-responders so consumers don’t have to wait for status updates.

RedmineUP Budgets

It is not enough for your team to track deliveries; project managers must also monitor financials and cost restrictions. This is when a budgeting plugin might come in helpful.

 

The budgeting plugin integrates the financial aspects of project management into the Redmine version of your project file. Users may explore several billing choices, calculate expenses and project costs, and obtain an overview of the hourly rates and project durations connected with each cost. 

 

They may also change individual budgeting parameters for each user, making projects easier to manage in terms of financial reporting.

RedmineUP Drive

Everyone in today’s digital world demands cloud storage to keep their work safely and conveniently available, regardless of the type of team. 

 

If you need a lot of storage, the Redmine Drive plugin can help you manage and map out your organizational structure. Permissions for each user may be changed and toggled from the global settings. Users may additionally link Drive file attachments and sort the files chronologically. 

 

However, if you want to access the full power of the Drive plugin, including features like folder sharing, savable searches, time linkages, and more, you should consider upgrading to a subscription plan.

Tips for Choosing the Correct Redmine Plugin

1. Choose The Correct Third-Party Tools

In optimizing your Redmine experience, it is imperative to discern two pivotal attributes: its robust plugin architecture and seamless integration with third-party tools. A judicious selection of plugins aligned with your corporate priorities is paramount for maximizing user benefits. 

 

For technology-intensive enterprises like online platforms and content providers, a strategic and comprehensive approach to development and enhancement is of paramount importance. Redmine plugins emerge as a catalyst in these realms, and the astute choice of plugins and tools further amplifies advantages for both enterprises and individuals. 

 

Ensure that the selected Redmine plugins intricately align with your organizational needs, fostering a synergy that propels efficiency and innovation.

2. Smooth Integration

Proper use of Redmine plugins begins with an easy installation process. Once you’ve learned the ropes, using it is a breeze. In the constantly changing world of marketing, integration is increasingly important. Thus, Redmine’s linkages to platforms such as Trello are very helpful. This connection allows marketing firms to use Trello’s project management tools, which, in turn, creates custom fields within Redmine.

 

Not only does this strategic integration make campaign monitoring more streamlined, but it also integrates activities and milestones in the corporate world into a big picture. It optimizes the operation efficiency of the organization as well as precision for project management.

3. Test Your Plugin

On a smaller project scale, a strategy for customizing Redmine within a corporate context involves first conducting pilot tests. Redmine user synchronization is the Users’ responsibility so that data syncs are correct and smooth updates take place for everyone concerned.

 

In order for Redmine to follow the company’s goals, a clear test strategy needs to be established with active participation from users. For manufacturing companies that heavily rely on software with advanced features like synchronous inventory management, accurate time intervals, and effective allocation of resources, the testing process is an indispensable step in Redmine’s seamless adoption into complex business operations.

4. Team Training

The integration of Redmine plugins into a business environment should focus on deep user training. Businesses must provide thorough instructions on how these plugins should be used, outlining important rules and regulations. It involves offering live training courses, forming dedicated support departments, and establishing an environment conducive to education in the learning of the use of this software and its plugins as a compulsory technology.

 

In Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industries like call centers, training with the use of specific tools is vital. Redmine plugins allow call center agents to be in contact with both contracted organizations and customers at the same time. They have intensive training sessions to get them up to speed on Redmine functions before they go out and take the ship.

5. Optimize and Monitor

For software firms, continuous monitoring and optimization of tool consumption is a necessary strategic step. With Redmine Plugins, administrators and managers have access to additional features that could help them monitor and access

 

Managers can judge business performance with the help of these advanced tools and plugins, knowledge that can enable them to solve problems or make changes before they become serious.

 

It is particularly significant in fields like marketing, where the effectiveness of an email campaign can be studied thoroughly. In this never-ending corporate quest to continually optimize product and service marketing, monitoring campaign effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement becomes an important step.

6. Maintain Security

Testing the system, policies, and character of a business is one of the most basic functions in today’s high-tech company. Consequently, it is also essential that these tools and systems do not compromise your company’s security mechanism.

 

So, it is especially important for companies that have access to sensitive information, like banking houses, insurance firms, and online traders. Be that as it may, the prevention of leaks and fraudulent activities remains a must in today’s Information Age.

Conclusion

In the ever-changing world of business, Redmine has proven unbeatable. Along with a wide variety of plugins that cater to all aspects and applications in between, these are tools no modern enterprise can live without. Redmine’s strength is its versatility, smoothly handling projects of any size. The robust network of these plugins meets unique needs, whether it’s fast access to project management tools or a solution for linking in the company’s CRM system.

 

You can only accelerate your company’s business by matching decisions with corporate goals, ensuring smooth implementation and giving utmost attention to user training. Take on this transformative process, tapping into Redmine’s strength and fostering organizational efficiency.