Each week we feature an app that has caught the attention of the Crozdesk community. We look for exciting features that make our lives easier, apps that take a radical approach to existing problems or a service that has everyone talking about it. In other words, apps that we think you should know about. This week, we’ve reviewed Avaza, a timesheet, invoicing and project management app for teams.
Sophisticated timesheet, invoice and project management
Avaza is designed to function across multiple devices
Avaza is a cloud-based app, designed to enable timesheet, invoice and project management among teams. Avaza’s minimalist UX is deceptive, masking a sophisticated well-designed core functionality. Avaza is orientated around particular customer accounts, in order to streamline the process of invoicing and timesheet management.
Projects
Projects form the focus of Avaza’s design
Projects form the focus of Avaza’s functionality, with the timesheet and invoice functions built to work around projects. Each project features a central dashboard overview of the tasks, questions and other activity associated with that project. Creating a new project within Avaza is as simple as specifying the project name and the name of the customer attached to that project. Once created, project settings can be easily adjusted, allowing users to alter information such as the project title; the customer associated with that project; budgeted time expenditure and project members. Other useful features include a burndown chart related to that project, showing a graphical representation of work left to do against available employee time.
Tasks
Questions can be created as part of Avaza’s task feature
Once a project is set up, project-specific tasks can be created and assigned to specific users. An optional email function notifies team members of any changes associated with that task. Questions can also be asked of all team members involved in that task; with each involved team member receiving a copy of the question via email.
Timesheets
Avaza’s timesheet function includes a useful stopwatch feature
Avaza’s timesheet functionality allows users to create timesheets associated with specific projects. A useful stopwatch function allows users to start and stop timers for each task, while timesheet approval settings can be specified for individual users in the “Manage” section of Avaza.
Expense Tracking
Add expenses and allocate them to customers in Avaza
Avaza enables new expenses to be easily recorded against clients or projects. In creating a new expense, users are required to input basic details such as the name, detail and type of expense, as well as whether or not it is attributable to a particular customer and the rate of tax applicable to it. Once created, new expenses will be categorised as either invoiced or uninvoiced, and a total of all expenses will be displayed at the bottom of the expenses window. Approval settings can also be set for expenses, in the event that managerial authorisation is required.
Invoices
Create invoices with Avaza
When creating invoices within Avaza, users can add time and expense details, as well as a company logo. Online payment functionality allows customers to pay online directly from an invoice using the ‘Pay Now’ button; this feature can be integrated with Paypal or Stripe accounts. Avaza’s Inventory Items feature within the invoices function allows product items or SKU’s to be pre-created and assigned a specific price and tax rate.
Estimates
Estimates work in a similar way to invoices
Estimates can be quickly created within Avaza and sent to customers. Inventory items, descriptions, expenses and logos can be added to estimates, in a similar way to invoices. Client responses to estimates can also be tracked from within the estimates module.
Pricing
Avaza’s free package allows users to add up to 10 customers
When it comes to pricing, Avaza offers a free package which allows users to add up to 10 customers. Avaza’s paid plans are very reasonably priced and range from between $9.95 and $39.95; more information can be found on Avaza’s pricing page.
Clear Use Cases
One of the most impressive features of Avaza is that potential use cases for the software have been very clearly defined, as part of its development. This means that the end product is full of features which make the tasks of project, timesheet and invoice management far easier. Avaza is highly intuitive and surprisingly easy to pick up. With only a few well-designed features to master, users can quickly get on with using Avaza to make their lives easier, rather than spending hours attempting to work out how the app works. While all this praise may sound over the top, it really is difficult to find a downside to Avaza.
