Support Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This FAQ provides additional information about Community Enterprise (CE) support.

Does CitySoft provide support for CE?

Yes. CitySoft provides 24 x 7 technical support for the CE hosting and infrastructure.  And, CitySoft provides free training support in our support forums, documentation, and demonstration videos. Finally, CitySoft provides free email support for Subscription License and Purchase License clients.

What is technical support?

Technical support is any support that is related to the hosting and technical infrastructure of CE.  It includes server and infrastructure monitoring, network and server up time, application up time, software upgrades, software patches, and the like. 

What is training support?

Training support is training that helps client users learn how to use different features within CE such as creating and modifying web pages, adding and managing contact records, creating and sending email newsletters, and much more. 

How does my organization get training and training support in person or by phone?

Organizations using CE can get in person or phone support through CitySoft or CitySoft's large network of CE consulting partners.  We strongly encourage clients and donation recipients to include training in their implementation engagements.  CE includes hundreds of features so training is necessary to get the most out of CE.  There is a list of featured partners on our web site and additional partner referrals are available upon request.  Please contact us for additional information on CE consulting partners who can support your CE implementation.

How do I get access to the support forums?

All CE clients and donation recipients using recent or current versions of CE can have access to the Client Support Portal and from there can link to and participate in the support forums.  If you don't have a login to the Client Support Portal, contact us to request a login.  If you have a login but have forgot your user name or your password, go to the Client login screen and click the "Forgot My Password" option and CE will send you your login credentials via email.

Does CE include user documentation?

Unlike most open source software (and many commercial software products) in the social sector, CE is extensively documented.  CE includes approximately 1,000 pages of written documentation in a suite of guides including the User Guide, Design Integration Guide, Installation Guide, Upgrade Guide, Technical User Guide, and Release Notes.

Does CE include training and demonstration videos online?

Yes.  CitySoft has posted several demonstration and training videos online and will be adding to this library over time.

What if my CE implementation consultant cannot answer all of my user support questions?

CitySoft supports CE consulting partners.  So, your consultant can escalate any support questions to CitySoft and we will help them provide you with the answers that you need.  In addition, if you find that your implementation partner cannot provide you with adequate support, there are many other consulting partners to choose from.  One of the many benefits of our approach is that you are never "stuck" with a consultant who isn't providing the level of service that you require.  If a consulting partner is not providing quality service or is not skilled in the particular area that you need, you can easily switch to another partner.

What happens if I find a bug in CE?  How do I get that fixed?

CitySoft fixes bugs and provides them either as part of upgrades or as patches.  This is one of the reasons that it is valuable to purchase a CE Subscription License in which upgrades are automatically included.  If you do not have a CE Subscription License, such as with donation recipients or with the CE Purchase License, we recommend that you arrange for periodic upgrades.

How do I know if my issue or problem is a bug?

CitySoft defines bugs as features that do not function as they were designed to function.  There are very few bugs in CE and they are fixed as they are discovered and are provided to clients as patches or through upgrades.

Sometimes clients report issues that are not bugs (based on the definition provided above) but for some reason a feature doesn't function precisely the way the client wants it to function.  In that situation, the client can report the feature to CitySoft and/or a CE consultant and it can be added as a future customization or enhancement.  If the client wants to pay for the enhancement, then it can be given a high priority.  Otherwise, we will do our best to add the feature but in those cases we can't provide a guaranteed priority or completion date. 

What is the biggest support-related risk with CE?

The biggest support-related risk is when clients or donation recipients don't budget for training as part of their CE implementation budgets.  The cost does not have to be significant.  At a minimum, we recommend budgeting for 5 to 10 hours of training.  This would typically require a minimal cost of $5,00 to $1,000 depending on how much training you require and over what time frame.  Although these costs are very modest, sometimes these training services are forgotten, taken for granted, or considered as an after thought that is not included in the initial project planning and budgeting.  If these costs of training do not seem viable for your organization, we would recommend that you do not attempt to implement CE.