reviewer1365099 - PeerSpot reviewer
Director of IT at a recruiting/HR firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Has made us more efficient, eliminating manual processes that free up our employees to take on more of their prioritized projects on a daily basis
Pros and Cons
  • "The ability to clone jobs to shorten the time it takes to implement a process has been invaluable, but its flexibility also gives us the ability to create a job that can handle a multifaceted process with a complex workflow."
  • "VisualCron seems to operate like an efficient machine when it comes to improvements and enhancements and new features. I always appreciate the quick response I get when bringing up an issue or coming up with suggestions. I've mentioned before that it would be great to see a move away from SQLCE and XML configuration files."

What is our primary use case?

We use this product for practically everything when it comes to data management and much more. We've been able to automate a great number of processes that make us more efficient, eliminating manual processes that free up our employees to take on more of their prioritized projects on a daily basis. It also greatly helps with communication, whether it be for error reporting or status reporting. It's hard to come up with a primary use case when we've been able to improve so many different processes.

How has it helped my organization?

VisualCron has helped us with regular processing and simple tasks, but a key advantage to using it is the ability to automate practically any process. There are so many different task types, it would be difficult to find a problem that a VisualCron job couldn't solve. 

We were on a proprietary platform that handled all of our data management needs, but the implementation of VisualCron has rendered that platform almost obsolete. The only thing we use it for now is configuration. The ability to clone jobs to shorten the time it takes to implement a process has been invaluable, but its flexibility also gives us the ability to create a job that can handle a multifaceted process with a complex workflow.

What is most valuable?

The Database, Process and File tasks are probably the most used task types for our operation. A lot of these powerful tasks are used in a single job, taking on a workflow that formerly required multiple systems, third party components, and/or software programs to assemble a complete process. VisualCronv is currently handling so many different critical processes for our company, it's become a key factor in our livelihood and success. This tool has also sparked a lot of innovation from our analysts and developers.

What needs improvement?

VisualCron seems to operate like an efficient machine when it comes to improvements and enhancements and new features. I always appreciate the quick response I get when bringing up an issue or coming up with suggestions. I've mentioned before that it would be great to see a move away from SQLCE and XML configuration files.

VisualCron support was lightning quick starting a response to this suggestion by allowing configuration of the location of log data, so I'm sure a move to persist everything to any version of SQL Server is close.

Buyer's Guide
VisualCron
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about VisualCron. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
771,170 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VisualCron for 4+ years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've yet to experience a situation where this platform has become unstable, and the logging/communication features provide a high level of comfort for any IT professional.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The ability to host separate instances on different servers leads me to believe that there shouldn't be a user out there with a bad impression. There are certain task types that can be used to perform operations that could put a significant load on a server, but these tasks are only as stable as the responsible developer using them. That said, there are plenty of debugging and logging configurations and features to help make any task stable.

How are customer service and support?

VisualCron technical support has been second to none. The turnaround on bug fixes, enhancements, and new features in the release cycle is very impressive. I deal with many third parties and I've never seen anything like it.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were stuck using SSIS and a proprietary portal/service, which involved a lot of from-the-ground-up development, working with several third-party components that had to be maintained and supported. After experiencing the power of this product, it was very easy to make the switch.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward, as easy as installation and basic configuration.

What about the implementation team?

The setup of VisualCron is so straightforward, only one IT professional was required to get it up and running. Once live, I recommend enforcing best practices and the use of variables to prevent hard-coding key values that could change during the lifetime of the software.

What was our ROI?

Our ROI is incalculable. This tool has prevented the need for an uncountable number of development projects and has eliminated countless manual tasks that have sprung up in the daily activities brought on by the whirlwind nature of the business we're in.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is extremely fair, and because of that, I recommend purchasing multiple instances to split out the processing load across multiple application servers.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We found VisualCron on the web very early in the process, which stopped our research dead in its tracks.

What other advice do I have?

It's been a lifesaver.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1356075 - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT at Bouw Logistic Services
Real User
Automates different steps in your business processes
Pros and Cons
  • "VisualCron is a very powerful program to automate different steps in your business processes. We use it to automate replacing files and inform departments about the replacement."
  • "There are some conditions in the mail trigger, but you can only use them as an "AND" condition, not as an "OR" condition. This is an improvement that could be useful. For example, some people put "invoice" in the subject and others put "invoice" in the body. If I want to make a trigger for everybody whose sending invoices, I have to make two jobs for this now."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for replacing files from our FTP server to our network work folders or as an email selector for invoices. We receive invoices into a certain mailbox depending on the sender address where we make mail triggers. In the trigger, we can manage what to do with the attachments:

  1. We put the invoice into a process folder. 
  2. We put the attachments into a subfolder where we merge the invoice with attachments. 
  3. Once you make the job/trigger in every mail, it is processed automatically.

How has it helped my organization?

VisualCron is a very powerful program to automate different steps in your business processes. We use it to automate replacing files and inform departments about the replacement.

What is most valuable?

Mail trigger: When a mail is delivered into a specific inbox, you can fire off your task depending on this.

Event trigger: When a file is placed in a certain folder, you fire off your task depending on this.

There are a lot of tasks that you can use for all kinds of stuff. 

It's very useful to use variables which help you to specify some jobs.

The forum is very useful.

What needs improvement?

There are some conditions in the mail trigger, but you can only use them as an "AND" condition, not as an "OR" condition. This is an improvement that could be useful. For example, some people put "invoice" in the subject and others put "invoice" in the body. If I want to make a trigger for everybody whose sending invoices, I have to make two jobs for this now.

For how long have I used the solution?

Seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Very good.

How are customer service and technical support?

Michael and Henrik from support are very kind, helpful, and almost always available for questions when there is something wrong with a job (you have made), but is not working anymore. The have helped me often with different things. 

The forum is very useful for solutions on things you want to change or problems you are struggling with.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

No.

How was the initial setup?

Straightforward with the help of support.

What about the implementation team?

In-house.

What was our ROI?

One month.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

No.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
VisualCron
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about VisualCron. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
771,170 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1346658 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Sitecore Developer at XCentium
Real User
Helped us reduce manual steps
Pros and Cons
  • "It helped us reduce manual steps."
  • "The error timeout and info could be better. When making web request calls, it will time out sometimes and we won't get any useful info out of the error response."

What is our primary use case?

We set up nightly sync tasks in which it is making different requests.

How has it helped my organization?

Helped us reduce manual steps.

What is most valuable?

Nightly sync tasks.

What needs improvement?

The error timeout and info could be better. When making web request calls, it will time out sometimes and we won't get any useful info out of the error response.

For how long have I used the solution?

Since 2017.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Nine out of 10.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Eight out of 10

How are customer service and technical support?

Support is AAA+, fast, and very detailed. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Yes, but VisualCron was chosen by our client. 

How was the initial setup?

Straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

In-house.

What was our ROI?

ROI is 95 percent.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I am not be aware of what our clients evaluated as other tools.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free VisualCron Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free VisualCron Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.