Niku: Portfolio Manager and Archiving 1

[nikuadmin]

Hi!
Is anyone out there administering a sizable Niku Portfolio Manager project database and needing to archive? We have purchased a 3rd party software since Niku does not provide an archiving functionality. We have Archive AGE, which does copy Niku projects to a second Niku repository, then deletes them. However, the deletes are so time-consuming we are not finding this a viable solution.

Anyone tried a back-end database solution, or have alternative methods to archive from the Niku Repository? We are on Oracle 8.05.

 

[cook77]

Hi Nikuadmin,

I am trying to find out some more infor about Niku. You mentioned that you are using it in a large implementaiton. Before you implemented where you able to get a demo version. I am a project manager and we are planning to implement Niku workbench and trying to get a demo but the sales guys from Niku don't that.

Any ideas?

 

[nikuadmin]

Hi cook77-
Niku would not give us a demo version when we purchased the product. Once we had a contract signed, they were willing to load their product onto 5 laptops that we supplied so we could "play" while designing our implementation. However, Niku's a bit challenged for revenue lately- you might try pushing them for the laptop load solution as a pre-condition to making your decision. Just from my experience, Workbench is a terrific tool, VERY powerful, but not very user friendly and training support is limited.

 

[cook77]

Hi Nikuadmin,

Thanks I will do that. Did they supply you with any useful training material and was the laptop install a "time release" version?

Any idea where I could get a demo if they won't do a laptop install?

 

[nikuadmin]

Niku didn't supply any useful training. You can contract them to come out and teach a Workbench class, but I found their instructors to be on the weak edge of OK. You'd be better off going to third party vendor- we know of two- PRC Consulting in Minneapolis and PPCG out of California I think. Both can be found on the web.

The laptops were not time release as we had already agreed to purchase the product. Check out Niku.com, Niku has started running webinars. I'd bet they'd be willing to do a custom webinar to demo the product. Also, I've always found the Niku sales staff very willing to come to your site and demo the product.