Hi,

I'm planning to buy web hosting management software like mentioned above. Can anyone point me which one is better.

Thanks,
Jai

did you look also into clientexec?

still a good question tho, but you will notice that some people like 1 of those and others a other 1 etc.

haven't got any of the above yet but i have worked with modernbill and clientexec in the past.

but AWBS looks good also atm.

let the people who work alot with it recommend or issue their experiences with 1 of those systems.

Regards,

TWS

After I surf a little bit in this forums and the website all of this software. I found that Modernbill and AWBS have al ot of features. Now I guess I narrow down my choice int 2 : Modernbill vs AWBS, In term of stability, user friendly and performance whuch one is better.

Thanks,
Jai

Modernbill is "rich" with features (I'd recommend MB), but one
disadvantage - their support is too slow.

Im using AWBS with Enom, and it runs great.

Hi,

I'm using AWBS and their support is GOOD .

Started with Modernbill and ended up using DRAMS+ (Now AWBS)

Works well and support is good.

Hi Guys,

I heard that WHMAutopilot v3.0 is almost release, maybe this week. What do you think about this version? Am I need to wait or just go with AWBS.

I had never heard of AWBS before this, I must look into this script.

I recommend WHMAP, why? Because it's simple and does exactly what you need it to do. They are releasing a new version3 soon, hopefully. :)

Originally posted by xisnet
Hi Guys,

I heard that WHMAutopilot v3.0 is almost release, maybe this week. What do you think about this version? Am I need to wait or just go with AWBS.

You are better to go with something NOW if you need something NOW.

AutoPilot v3 is vaporware, and has suffered from many delays without any sign of stopping from the same delay problems. There is supposed to be an ALPHA public release "any day now", but of course that will probably be delayed, too. Besides, it is ALPHA software, and you do not want to use it to run your business. IMHO, it will be at least a few more months before we see WHM AP v3 ready for public use in a live system.

If you need a billing system right now, then evaluate WHM AP v2 only, and make your decision.

For what it's worth, I think AWBS is a terrific script and the support is good. It will likely do everything you need from a billing system for a long time.

Hi guys,

Finally already bought AWBS, Now still study how to use it and configure it. Have anyone here succesful implement this AWBS without using their web template?

Thanks,
Jai

Originally posted by xisnet
Hi guys,

Finally already bought AWBS, Now still study how to use it and configure it. Have anyone here succesful implement this AWBS without using their web template?

Thanks,
Jai


Yes, we have a heavily modified template of our own design. It was a lot of work to create it... but it works well.

AWBS is a good management system.

However, I do wish it was possible to use it with a simple "header/footer" style of integration similar to WHM AP and ModernBill.

I purchased AWBS, but that made me continue with ClientExec. It is not right that we need to use the template that they want.

AWBS is a good management system.

I'm setting this up, also setting up MB and will pick the final winner soon.

How do you feel about the signup process in awbs? I don't like that people have to register before ordering. Seems like too many steps. But there are other aspects of awbs that are very, very nicely done.

MB isn't as complicated as I remembered it. But have have someone helping with the main setup. Still, it's a tough piece of software to evaluate given the varied feedback and love/hate users. It's capabilities seem incredible though.

Still deciding.

i am planning on using AWBS, but I wanna know if its easy to make a non n00bish site.

I am not prepared to stick with their templates as I am a web designer by trade, and am planning on using one of my designs.

-Punkstar

I am not prepared to stick with their templates as I am a web designer by trade, and am planning on using one of my designs.

My understanding is that their template is optional. You can have your own site and just link to the ordering part as with Moderbill and others. But for people who want a ready to go, turnkey hosting site, there it is.

Hi. I've tried both.
Until now, my decision is WHMA.
But I'll search more before my decision is taken.

Anymore suggestions? They are welcome.

AWBS is template based. They do have a BARE template that could be inserted into any theme or web design by using <IFRAME> calls and changing the menu system to use your particular buttons. PHP would still be necessary to run it.

Can you drop it in to your site in a day and start taking orders? No, it takes some getting used to as ALL programs that do so much.

But once you understannd how it works and what it does you'll come to appreciate it.

Took me several weeks to 'get it' but I'm a little slow and I come from an ASP windows world and AWBS lives in PHP. But now that I do, I think its great.

WebGuyz: Thank you for your post.

In my opinion, AWBS doesn't fit for me. I don't like the template based system and the order forms don't have the design I'm looking for.
So this will never be a solution for me.

I'll make my decision between Modernbill or WHMA.

Originally posted by xisnet
Hi Guys,

I heard that WHMAutopilot v3.0 is almost release, maybe this week. What do you think about this version? Am I need to wait or just go with AWBS.

Several months later and still no light at the end of the tunnel from seeing 3.0 released.

Well...

I prefer to wait and have a stable program instead a buggy one and hurry to be out to customers.

But I'm still testing both systems... and WHMA is the 1st in the list.

If you process credit cards in house and need the credit card number AWBS will NOT fit the bill. It will not save the card number for in house processing on orders involving the sale of a domain.

Therefore unless you depend on some third party solution like 2checkout, AWBS will not work.

Originally posted by page-zone
If you process credit cards in house and need the credit card number AWBS will NOT fit the bill. It will not save the card number for in house processing on orders involving the sale of a domain.

Therefore unless you depend on some third party solution like 2checkout, AWBS will not work.

Partially true.

AWBS does not process domain renewals automatically. This prevents auto-renewal when a customer doesn't want it and so on and so forth, understandable.

To get around this, just have the customer fill up credits in their account. When renewal time hits, it'll deduct from it. You can use a credit card for this too.

AWBS has worked quite well for us with our merchant account as well as through Directi and Enom.

It doesn't matter, if the customer comes to your site and orders hosting AND a domain name you don't even get the card info for the hosting.

Interesting - wondering whether these allegations are true - can someone clarify whether AWBS can cope with monthly rebilling? Because if it does, it must store the credit card info somewhere.

This is a little hard to beleive, as it's such a basic requirement - can anyone with experience with AWBS comment? Speaking as someone teetering on the brink between AWBS and Modernbill, I'm really interested!

Well, I can confirm it. After spending 30+ hours setting it up, the first real order that came in on it had no card information. After contacting support at AWBS was told.

Quote:

You do know that only recurring items/services will store the credit card, right? Domain registrations are not treated as recurring and no credit card info will be stored upon a domain order.

****
Which is a little misleading in itself, because even if the domain is purchased WITH recurring hosting the card number vaporizes into thin air.

So now everything is set up to go through 2checkout after spending months trying to migrate customers OFF of 2checkout.

No answer from support yet on how you are supposed to sell domains and hosting and have a card number to rebill for the hosting part.

That little known fact should be on their front page in H1 font!
Asking the customer to fill up credits in their account is lame IMO and the whols thing seems to have been a huge waste of time.

Anyone planning to use it with a real merchant account in which you are in control of the numbers and the portability that comes with that should be warned. Otherwise your business model is crippled by the fact that if your merchant account goes down, your income goes down with it because THEY have the card numbers, not you.

If you order a domain + hosting then the card info is available for recurring use for the hosting only. IF you order just a domain, the cc info is not stored and every year the customer has to enter a credit card for yearly or multi-year renewal.

CC info is stored for hosting and other recurring plans.

Originally posted by WebGuyz
If you order a domain + hosting then the card info is available for recurring use for the hosting only. IF you order just a domain, the cc info is not stored and every year the customer has to enter a credit card for yearly or multi-year renewal.

CC info is stored for hosting and other recurring plans.

Not in my version. Which I assume is the latest version. I've tested it. Domain+Hosting and Domain purchases do not store any credit card information. Hosting alone stores the card information.

Are you sure you got it setup right?

I just processed a sale today for domain and hosting and I'm seeing CC just fine. The hosting order will grab the CC, which is what I see happening on our system.

Here's a copy/paste from Sam, one of the AWBS guys:

ccs is for recurring and used for hosting and other recurring items.
Domain names are not recurring and will get set to cc unless the user has a recurring package in their account.

When someone places an order in your system using a cc, it should show up as unencrypted. You use the link from the admin home page to encrypt the cc's. Use the same encryption password for all credit cards. Also use that same encryption password in your invoice_cron command. (see manual for details).

If you want to view an encrypted cc, you need to enter the enryption password to unencrypt it. Then you have to encrypt it again and save.

Originally posted by page-zone
Not in my version. Which I assume is the latest version. I've tested it. Domain+Hosting and Domain purchases do not store any credit card information. Hosting alone stores the card information.

Then you've got some other issue happening there. I've tested and am currently using it in production. It does indeed grab it for valid recurring purchases.

You are using "Manual CC Processing:" in Module setup page?
It would be nice if this was the case, but I just ran another test and nothing...

Nope, using Authorize.net, accepting Visa, MC, Disc and Amex.

So unless you use an online processor it will not work. Like I said, it should be H1 font on their front page. :(

I'm not following, you do or you don't have a merchant account?

My merchant account is through Quicken Point of Sale software. I need the card info to run the charges on the day they are due through our Quicken accounting software.

Did you contact AWBS yet and ask? I'm not sure why you aren't seeing the captured CCs.

I've been in constant contact. The only problem is I get one reply a day. So asking a series of questions takes several days. I'll see what they say (eventually)

Originally posted by GideonX
Did you contact AWBS yet and ask? I'm not sure why you aren't seeing the captured CCs.

I think the issue here isn't a merchant account, but rather an Internet Gateway. If you don't have a realtime Internet Gateway then NO billing package will store your cc info.

At best they will redirect you to a payment site similar to Paypal or other form based payment system where the customer would have to enter there cc info.

This billing package stores the cc info, unless a domain name is involved.

Originally posted by WebGuyz
I think the issue here isn't a merchant account, but rather an Internet Gateway. If you don't have a realtime Internet Gateway then NO billing package will store your cc info.

At best they will redirect you to a payment site similar to Paypal or other form based payment system where the customer would have to enter there cc info.

From what I've read from page-zone's replies, it doesn't sound like he's using a 3PP for his sales.

Originally posted by GideonX
From what I've read from page-zone's replies, it doesn't sound like he's using a 3PP for his sales.

Whats a 3PP?

3rd party processor

Originally posted by jdk
Several months later and still no light at the end of the tunnel from seeing 3.0 released.

Months?! V3 was supposed to be released ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.

http://www.whmautopilot.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1646 . Here's a link talking about how long it has been being worked on, in Nov. 2003

I suggest trying ModernBill.

I'd recommend modernbill also. I started off with the demo to test and see if it would meet my customer's needs and be easy for them to use. And then when that expired I upgraded to the leased version. Their support has been very helpful and it integrates prefectly with modernauthorze credit card processing. Soon they're going to have v5 out. They already have a few previews up on their site about it and the new features. Definately a company I'm going to be with for a long time to come. http://www.moderngigabyte.net/modernbill/index.htm

Andrew

whoiscart maybe