Michael,

I can't say that I can tell you which is best, since I have not used ConnectWise, only went through a demo during our evaluation process. However, I can tell you why we chose Autotask and describe our experience with them, which hopefully, gives you more information to help you with your decision.

You've stated the obvious, that ConnectWise integrates WAY better than Autotask with Kaseya. While we would have loved to get that integration, we went with Autotask for a number of reasons. These and our experiences follow:

1. First and foremost, it fit our model better. We are a franchised network of providers, so we needed a solution that could easily be deployed to different, separate business entitites rapidly. When we evaluated ConnectWise last year, that wasn't possible. Not sure if it is today.
   
2. Cost was dramatically lower with Autotask compared to ConnectWise, especially when you considered the costs associated with installing, hosting, and providing the care and feeding of ConnectWise vs the low monthly cost of having Autotask.
   
3. We have been pleased with the rate at which new features are added to Autotask. Recurring Service Contracts, Autotask LiveMobile, Enhanced Dispatcher's Workshop, and lots more have been released in the year since we started using the product. Were these features already in ConnectWise? We don't know, but it is nice to see that they come out with a release almost every other month.
   
4. We are also pleased with the training that they provide and feel that it is pretty comprehensive and easy for our franchisees to access. You can sign up for live classes every week, if you want to, and keep coming back for more if you need a refresher.
   
5. We are happy with their technical support, but as with most of our partners, we would be happier if some of it was quicker. There are times when they respond very quickly and there are times when it takes longer. However, they are always able to resolve the issues we've had.

Again, not trying to tell you what is best for you, but in our situation, Autotask was the best fit. YMMV, Void where prohibited by law, etc., etc.

Vince


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: vplaza

I've been running ConnectWise for about a year now. I've been phasing various pieces in. It seems tohave thebestintegration with Kaseya. ConnectWise uses Kaseya internally, so I assume it will probably always get better integration when possible.

Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: connectex

We used Autotask for almost 1 year before moving to Connectwise. I WISH we started with connectwise. On paper they look so simular. The best way to describe why Connectwise is better is 1000's of little things that makup a big thing. Basically, Connectwise REALLY gets IT - while Autotask feels like more of a software company's support software.

Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: far182

"We used Autotask for almost 1 year before moving to Connectwise. I WISH we started with connectwise. On paper they look so simular. The best way to describe why Connectwise is better is 1000's of little things that makup a big thing. Basically, Connectwise REALLY gets IT - while Autotask feels like more of a software company's support software."

The reason for that is that ConnectWise was written by a company that has been in the IT services industry for over 20 years. ConnectWise started off as an inhouse solution to the problem that all of us face: how to manage our business.

AutoTask on the other hand started as a field service tracking system that is getting a lot of traction in the IT services area. AutoTask was founded in 2001 and has been delivering the IT Services version for only three years.

So ConnectWise has the advantage of actually being in the IT services business (they have field service techs that service clients in the Tampa Bay area) and they have been at it longer. I first saw ConnectWise almost 5 years ago and I wish that I had purchased it when I first saw it instead of waiting over two years.

With ConnectWise, you own the data and a license for the software. After you pay for the software you can continue to run the software even if you dont renew the annual manitenance. With AT, if you stop paying the monthly fees... you loose access to the app... you pay forever. Not unlike Kaseya vs LPI. Kaseya you own x licenses that you can use even if you renew the maintance.

With AT, if your internet connection or their internet connection is down, you loose access to AT. With ConnectWise, if you loose your Internet connection, you can still get into CW in your office. If you have properly planned you CW hardware, then you should have minumal downtime. For instance, my CW is running on an IBM server with 2 hour on-site service 24/7 agreement from IBM; which is what we do for clients. No being down until the next business day or over holidays/weekends.

And the CW mobile agent is really cool. CW has written an app that runs on WM5 that pulls data from CW via wireless. So you dont have to be connected to use CW. AT on the other hand needs you to use the mobile internet browser, so you have to be connected to do anything... and we all know how poor web browsing is from portable devices. The downside with CW is that you need a Windows Mobile 5 device with enough memory to work while AT only needs a browser.

You are welcome to contact me if you have any questions.

Hc

703-359-9211




Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: howardc

We were looking for PSA software and the ConnectWise sales rep made us question their future integration with Kaseya.

I know we're trying to decide between ConnectWise now, or wait for Kaseya's offering down the road.


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: dataservcorp

Well I have talked with Auto Task and Connect Wise and so far I am a little concerned about ConnectWise myself. I called their offices about 9 times and out of those I got 4 call backs. That is a poor average when you are spending that amount of money. Especially when they boast as many customers as they do and they told me that they were short staffed. This guy makes a fortune off of this software and I don't see why he is short staffed.

They pitch you a price and then start in with the ad on's which carry it extremely high. They would have to be pretty good for the money they are asking. YOu will spend a ton of money with them and there is no cap on the amount of money they charge you for support. They assure me that the market won't let them take it too high but there are a lot of people who can't afford to redo their infrastructure every few years and will be stuck with it.

Speaking of support they couldn't or wouldn't give me any guidelines on what support is. I asked things concerning installation, support and training and they fell under different catagories depending on their "VIEW". They want you to buy a high end server and if something goes wrong and you have to get another server they charge you all over again to install it. Support doesn't cover this. I believe you are paying support for nothing but helping them build their software.

You also have to buy a very high end dedicated Server which runs 64bit Windows Server 2k3 and a Dual Core CPU with 6gigs!! of memory and there was no answer to the question of whether their software actually used the Dual Core or not.

I will admit I have a lot of concerns with ConnectWise. AutoTask offers a low monthly fee and you get Unlimited Support and Training. Everyone called me back immediately. ConnectWise only offers support with no guidelines as to what they covers. The Training is very expensive or you watch their videos. Which is just that much more time you are behind and can mess up the program before you get going good.

ConnectWise may or may not be best but I have to have someone I can deal with. Also I emailed questions yesterday to my sales rep and still haven't gotten a response.

Still looking....



Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: Medde

If support and training are important, I can say that we have been pleased with training, especially, as you mentioned, it's unlimited, both from recorded sessions to live online web training classes that you can take over and over.

Support is support, and can be responsive or can lag. Our sales team is fairly prompt as well.

I have no experience with ConnectWise support or training to compare it to, but so far, we like these aspects of Autotask. And the fact that I don't have to worry about care and feeding of a ConnectWise box. I can focus on Kaseya.


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: vplaza

We were an autotask client and moved to Connectwise after 1 year with Autotask. I have seen both sides of the coin.

I wouldn't worry to much about Connectwise support and training. They do provide a very deep level of training. Also, Connectwise helps you with how you setup your IT management (internal proccess) - and provides a very good level of this. While we didn't use it/need it - I can see how helpful it would be for many companies.

Connectwise also has never charged us for support. I think the reason they put hour caps on the service is only for the clients that are PITA's. You know, some mom and pop who just bearly learned computers 2 years ago who want to be a MSP now. We have used Connectwise support plenty and have never worried about overages or anything of that sort. I will say though, that Autotask was faster at responding to our support requests. But Connectwise usually gets back to us in a couple hours.

I know you must be at a diffcult juncture - because I was there twice. It's hard. On one hand you have autotask that seems to have all the same features, costs less, really responsive sales team, and unlimted training/support. While Connectwise is slow to get back to you on sales, seemingly limits everywhere, etc.

What I can tell you - which is not specific in anyway - is that Connectwise "gets" IT. What does that mean? For every part of the product its very intuitive and works how you work. Many times you will find yourself saying "wow, can't believe they tought of that". Autotask, while it's good feels likeits made for a"software company". Which is amazing because Connectwise is an IT company and Autotask is a software company.

Is that enough of a reason to go with Connectwise? For us it was. It was enough for us to spend 100's of hours converting our data into Connectwise from Autotask. Not an easy task.

As far as the server and software costs, if the prices are over your budget I think that you budget needs to be re-looked at. The cost of Connectwise or even Kaseya is almost nothing. When I review our monthly overhead, it never even crosses my mind that Kaseya/Connectwise are expensive.

Good luck in your choice and with the implementation of your new system.


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: far182

My opionion is that there should be a few hours of training in the price of the software. I mean lets compare Connectwise to something like Great Plains and Microsoft CRM 3.0. Even though these are not geared specifically towards what we do they will work just fine. I created templates in CRM that did exactly what I needed for customer equipment and then you have the Tech schedule, sales, marketing and everything. Then add Great Plains and you have it all for about the same price without the recurring cost. The only drop is Kaseya.

As for budget...it isn't so much budget as it is the initial cost and not knowing for sure that it will pay itself off. If I drop $10,000 up front on equipment and then software just to dump it, it would be a substantial loss. I just dropped $50,000 on Kaseya and its hard to lose 10k.

But I am still weighing it out. I'm not sold either way yet.

ME




Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: Medde

Please give more details on this. Are you saying Kaseya is going to drop Connectwise intergration?

ME


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: Medde

How many people are you having on your system?

A HP380 or less would be fine. We have dual 72gb 15kRPM drives with a single CPU and 4gb memory. No performance issues at all.




Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: far182

I have 3 on it now but possibley 4 in a couple of days. I think I am going with Connect Wise now after talking with Howard.

ME


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: Medde

Medde wrote:

I have 3 on it now but possibley 4 in a couple of days. I think I am going with Connect Wise now after talking with Howard.

ME

In that case you only need a 2-3k server. Would handle everything fine.

Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: far182

Medde

You learn a lot about the operation of the software as part of the implementation process.



I have been a CW user for over two years, I first saw CW over 4 years ago and should have purchased CW 4 years ago... If you would like to call me, I would be happy to discuss whether or not CW would pay for itself.

Howard Cunningham

Macro Systems, LLC

howardc@macrollc.com

703-359-9211


Legacy Forum Name: Partner to Partner,
Legacy Posted By Username: howardc