This forum has been the first line for several years and it is working very well. The best part about people coming here first is that we can often answer each other's questions without any intervention by the busy folks at ISTech. I feel that changing the first mention method to a ticket would be a step backward. Perhaps all that is needed is to remind everyone that, if you are having a problem with the software, use the right forum. We have two "Problem Report" areas on this board. ISTech people should be concentrating on the Problem Reports, and turning them into tickets if they feel it is warranted. We users should continue to help people as we have time and knowledge. And users who report their problems in the Sales Order discussion forum (for example) should be gently reminded to use the Problem Report sections if they expect a response from ISTech. I'd even go so far as to say that threads should be moved the the Problem Reports areas when they are started in the wrong place.

And, once again, I've come to the conclusion that a trouble ticket system would really be helpful. It's usually a good development decision to have a centralized big tracking database. Particularly with a program which is as large as Evo and has as many users using it in such a wide variety of ways. I know that ISTech tries to get all the bug reports and fix things the best that they can but that's hard to do without a centralized database of bugs. Now, they probably do have something internally but we users can't see it and it's currently difficult to check up on the status of a bug report.
 
A large number of software packages have bug databases. It's not as if I were suggesting something revolutionary. It's a very much time tested and well validated approach to software maintenance.

I suppose I don't really know quite yet. Maybe a full blown bugzilla install is overkill.
 
My main motivation for posting this is that some issues seem to be hard issues for users to pin down properly (like the labor entry issues) but someone with developer access could check things out and/or speak on a much more informed level. Yet, sometimes the developers seem to never comment at all. I've talked to some people who got very frustrated at the lack of communication that they perceived from ISTech. They'd like to at least know that ISTech actually read their plea for help. A bug tracking system would tell you whether the developer has read the report and whether they agree that there is a problem or not. It just all around could provide that extra level of communication that people are looking for.  
 
So, even a home grown status web applet could probably work. Just something to say  
 
- Bug XYZ has been submitted,  
- ISTech says "yeah, we see that too. We'll fix it"
- ISTech closes the ticket "We fixed it. It's in the June 23rd update"

Sounds like you are on top of the game! I'd be happy if something like that came to pass on their website.

An open ticket system can get confusing. If the problem is a general software bug, then it is a good way to collect them. But if the problem is one that is particular to one customer or one of simply not knowing the software or not wanting to read the help files, then the site needs to pay for Silver support and send an email to their rep.  
 
Perhaps the bug tracker would need to have a login and be reserved for those who pay for support?

Eventually, they would get in. Perhaps a human challenge for the posting would be enough to stop bots, but it would still get abusers. Unless log in is required and limited to trusted users.
 
The automatic email updates is a nice touch.

Sounds great! Thank you other Colin Michael.
 
I think that it would be a very welcome addition.