Foundation Resources: What are they working on?

[JayRam]

Hi Rushabh,

Would you please update us about the Foundation Resources. We have 4 developers.

What are they working on?

What have they done so far?

How do we prioritize and allocate projects to the Foundation Resources?

Next time around, can we please include the cost of travel for the Foundation Resources to travel to the Main Conference into the Conference Budget?

I think it is important for them to feel like they are part of an organization, so it would have been great to see Tunde at the conference and I am sure that it would have been great for Tunde to interact with everybody at the conference.

Thanks

Jay

[rmehta]

@JayRam thanks for asking!

@JayRam

What are they working on?

@vishdha

1. Non-profit domain ([domain] ERPNext for Non-profits by vishdha · Pull Request #11047 · frappe/erpnext · GitHub)
2. ERPNext.org (bug fixing)
3. Logistics domain (discussion with @tara_antonius)

@tundebabzy

1. General bugfixing (tundebabzy · GitHub)

@Zlash65

1. Bug fixing
2. Construction domain (with @salman_dawood) Converting Task into Tree Converting Task to a Tree structure by Zlash65 · Pull Request #11117 · frappe/erpnext · GitHub
3. He has been given a complex construction project data and he is trying to map it to the ERPNext Project module

@utkarsh_goswami

1. Working on MWS Connector

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Devs please add to your updates.

[rmehta]

@JayRam

How do we prioritize and allocate projects to the Foundation Resources?

Please suggest this. Need your help on this one. Right now its pretty random based on what immediate opportunity is available

[tara_antonius]

Hi, sorry to jump in,

Some of the Idea:
As for core development: 1st priority
Should concentrate on documentation, bug-fixes, stability and code review.

As for feature development: 2nd priority
As we were discussing about building development road map for ERPNext module ahead, I think we can compile a development wish-list from user in discuss for every module (CRM, Manufacturing, Selling, Purchase, Project, Etc) and start from there…

Best Regards,

Anton

[almeidapaulopt]

@rmehta

@Zlash65
Construction domain (with @salman_dawood) Converting Task into Tree Converting Task to a Tree structure by Zlash65 · Pull Request #11117 · frappe/erpnext · GitHub
He has been given a complex construction project data and he is trying to map it to the ERPNext Project module

Hi, Is there any definition/plan about this construction domain?
I work in a Construction Company and I think I could help with something.
It could be interesting to see if what you are planning to do is what other construction company needs.

[tundebabzy]

@rmehta

1. General bugfixing

2. Accounts Module

My Priority is general bug fixing. I also work on the Accounts module as I’m actually from an accounting background and I’ve worked on a few new features like Payment Terms (unreleased) and others.

Presently, apart from bug fixing, I have taken up the responsibility to test upgrades from v7 and fix the ever present, annoying issues that make everybody afraid to run bench update. Frappe is done, ERPNext is WIP with ETC tomorrow.

[James_Robertson]

I have proposed a number of accounting module enhancements that I think would make the platform a lot better. I am really glad @tundebabzy is putting some concentration on this core module. I am concerned that focus is being placed on new fun features like construction, logistics, etc “domains” that the core product is losing needed attention. There are a number of features in ERP Accounting and HR that still need a good deal of work to make it easier for these departments to do their work.

[James_Robertson]

Has anyone looked over this thread to see how v9 stacks up with the discussion points?

ERPNext Roadmap Document [Long Term Goal]

Hello, We want to take lead in organizing roadmap as mentioned in post here are initial list, please feel free to update it Merge other Domains: Health Care/Clinic Management Fleet Management POS for Restaurant Mobile APP Improvement Push Notification Location tracking for User, Customer, Warehouse Documentation User Manual Developer Documentation Documentation of all library/plugin used in Frappe with version Integration with third party: Google/ G Suite Integration Woo …

and also

[Roadmap] Path to v9

While the dust settles on v8, let us start working out a roadmap for v9. The goal is to shortlist some features to implement and maybe we can ask the foundation to sponsor code sprints to build those features. Here is my wishlist 1. Merging healthcare module (that is already scheduled) 2. Renaming (I know some people will groan, but part of what makes ERPNext awesome is that the naming is spot-on in most cases) Schools → Education (module rename) Warehouse → Location (and all those fields …

Just don’t want the new shiny thing to cause the team to lose focus on things we discussed in the past that have not been completed yet.

[LifeP]

@rmehta I shared a possible mechanism to sort and address feature requests -

@LifeP

Let’s organize feature requests into 3 categories -

Framework Level
Domain/process Specific
Customer Specific

I propose to having a mechanism to address these separately.

For Framework Level - These include features that are core to the system, like addition of dynamic reporting (including charts ,groupings and BI), Improved customisations and other additions to bench, offline-online and multi-database sync capabilities, etc.

I think frappe team and foundation supported developers would be the best people to implement these. (of-course public beta like system to develop these will be great)

Domain and process specific Apps - One of the things I noticed at the conference and otherwise on forums is that there are a lot of users willing to contribute, only handicapped by their programming skills (myself included). I’ve been wishing for just this little more from the framework.

In my opinion ERPNext has great doctype and workflow capabilities. We are 90% there, but if we just add that 10% - A GUI like odoo/flectra studio or zoho app creator. We will definitely have a lot of contributions back from end users.

In manufacturing domain for instance - I promise to share and send back ISO/quality documentation & Reports, Maintenance module, training and skill matrix, Attendance! and more.

In fact we can get this “app-creator” (apologies for using the A word) online so that every app that is created on it, is published online for the community to comment and contribute to. Something similar to a wiki for module creators. Further enhancement of apps, if required for more complex tasks could then be taken up as public betas. This could then be integrated into the core.

You could think of this as an approach to enable the vast functional resource of the community to contribute back.

Customer Specific - ERPNext does this so well already! So as was said in the “scratch your own itch!”. And hopefully share your code using gist, etc.

Agree with @James_Robertson about prioritizing Accounting and HR (Hourly Attendances!)

[Zlash65]

It’d be really helpful if you can tel more about whats the kind of data you use revolving around construction. How does the data flow from one task to another…

[dufani1]

@Zlash65 @almeidapaulopt I am glad to help in development of construction project management model.

[lalnco]

@rmehta

Construction domain (with @salman_dawood) Converting Task into Tree

@Zlash65 @salman_dawood : you may like to incorporate ‘Batch Billing’ functionality, which is the critical challange of road construction and residential construction players.

@akurungadam from earthians, I believe is working on it - Collaboration could help making construction domain more comprehensive.

Regards,
Liyakat

[rmehta]

Awesome we have more than one projects going on in Construction, lets nail this one too!

@James_Robertson

I have proposed a number of accounting module enhancements that I think would make the platform a lot better. I am really glad @tundebabzy is putting some concentration on this core module. I am concerned that focus is being placed on new fun features like construction, logistics, etc “domains” that the core product is losing needed attention. There are a number of features in ERP Accounting and HR that still need a good deal of work to make it easier for these departments to do their work.

Specially for new (entry-level) devs its better to get them started on something new rather than build on existing functionality. This is because fixing existing functionality is mostly pretty hard which needs at least 6-8 months of development experience.

[Zlash65]

@almeidapaulopt @dufani1 Good to hear from you guys. I think we should start a dedicated thread for construction management and discuss over there. Construction Management

[JayRam]

I read the post from Rushabh on the fact that a new functionality is easier for a new resource to develop than enhancing an existing functionality.

That maybe the case, but I think we are all better off if the Foundation Resources struggle with enhancing existing functionality, rather than build new ones.

So, I would like to propose the following:

We only focus on ERPNext, Schools and Healthcare Module. The community can pick up the Not for Profit Module, the Construction Module and the AgriTech Module and develop that further using their own resources, or if they want the Foundation Resource to continue working on those functionalities, they pay for the resource for the duration that it will take the resource to develop these modules. Rushabh can indicate how much that will entail per month.

If the community is not willing to fund it, we park these development at the logical point and redeploy these resources.

I hear @LifeP’s approach and it is a great approach, but I think that for the next 6 months we are better off focusing on the following four areas:

1. Bug fixing
2. Better Deliver existing functionality
3. Enhancements to deliver normal expectations of existing functionality
4. Localize existing functionality to countries we (Foundation) chooses to invest in (US, Canada, South Africa, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman - not that I have anything against other countries, but I’m choosing countries where the business language is English and has huge potential. If I’ve missed out any country, please let me know and I will add on those countries too).

I suggest that we have one resource dedicated to bug fixing. But because bug fixing is a drag and developers would much rather work on sexy enhancements, I suggest that each Foundation Resource focus on Bug Fixing and Bug Fixing only for 1 out of every 4 weeks. I understand that Tunde is the king of bug fixing, but he can help bring the other resources up to speed on bug fixing.

Each of the four Foundation Resources are allocated projects that they work on 3 out of every 4 weeks. The other one week, they are working on bug fixing.

Here are the projects that I think we need to get going on ASAP:

Manufacturing Module
Subcontracting Process
HR Module
Accounting Module
CRM Module
Fee Module and Integration with Accounting for ERPNext Schools
Please add your passion

We assign one Foundation Resource for each activity and two Foundation Members to drive the development on that module.

Tunde is an obvious choice for the Accounting related development.

If there are other important development of existing functionality that we need to address, please add to this list.

Once we come up with the final list of initiatives, we assign developers and Foundation Members and we get going.

After getting inputs on this thread, I suggest we post this as a separate thread, get the inputs of the Foundation Members and then the Community and we execute.

Your inputs please!

Thanks

Jay

[rmehta]

What we really need is a person to define work for the devs and help them with specs and feedback. Hence my earlier post for a full time analyst for the foundation.

[Yakulu]

I agree that improving existing features and bugfix should be the major point for foundation developers. That said, @rmehta is right : you need more experience to work on complex existing features and on bugfixes than when you create new ones.

So one question is : who can supervise new foundation developers ? Only Frappé ? Maybe foundation members employees ?

It could also be an idea to ask current foundations developers to systematically take time to document things they learn (docstrings, maybe doctests, developer documentation…) to help at the same time new community developers and new foundations developers.

Bugfixing, testing and documenting from the foundation can help Frappé team to have more time to made R&D.

[kolate_sambhaji]

My view:
Let them work what they like to do.
I am sure lots of more developer willing to contribute more features in ERPNext and Frappe. They just need some guidance and documentation.

After developer training video the contributions are increased. Foundation need some working plan for increasing community involvement.

I think we are concentring more on ERPNext Product rather than community. We need to build ecosystem which mentioned in following blogpost.

Building Ecosystems, Not Just Products

[kolate_sambhaji]

@rmehta

What we really need is a person to define work for the devs and help them with specs and feedback. Hence my earlier post for a full time analyst for the foundation.

As a developer we also face same issue when we make new feature OR making any generic design from customer specific requirement.
Developer might be good in Coding, but thats not mean every good developer understand business logic and able to design system.

[lalnco]

@kolate_sambhaji

Let them work what they like to do.

I disagree with this. It’s good to work within your comfort zone. but, foundation as an organization needs to make their resource work on things they like and related areas based on ERPNext-community priorities.

@kolate_sambhaji

They just need some guidance and documentation.

I also feel this is a challenge. Many want to contribute, but the process of pull request & related docs is too much for someone to motivate - Maybe the solution could be 2-3 contributors collaborate and work on one aspect/feature than everyone building their own ship.

@kolate_sambhaji

concentring more on ERPNext Product rather than community. We need to build ecosystem which mentioned in following blogpost.

Why do you say so? I thought ERPNext itself is the central part of ERPNext community eco-system. Please elaborate on what I might be missing while reading your comments.