Retain Resource Planning System is available in a range of editions, which are suitable for varying types of deployment. However, the user interface is very similar across all editions. Below is a comparison of the different Retain editions and at the bottom of the page is a Decision Grid to help you conclude which edition is suitable for different types of deployment. Some editions of Retain have been translated into French, German and Spanish.
Retain Enterprise
Retain Enterprise is the perfect solution for large international organizations or multinational firms looking to plan resources on a truly global scale using robust database platforms such as SQL Server or Oracle. This edition of Retain allows each office, group or site to view and share their planning data with the rest of the organization within a region or around the world.
Features
Using the same familiar user interface as the other editions of Retain, Retain Enterprise adds greater versatility and an extensive list of new features, including:
- Improved planning and performance across wide area networks (WANs).
- Improved database scalability for larger organizations.
- Connectivity with existing enterprise-wide database system.
- International features, such as multi-currency.
- Extended diary, color and charge rate features.
- Resource request management modules.
- Client, job, assignment and component hierarchy.
- Graphical reporting.
Retain Corporate
Retain Corporate is a true 3 tier client-server edition of the product and provides the capability for resource planning at a country level, or wider. It uses the TCP/IP protocol, so can also be run over a secure internal Intranet. Bandwidth requirements between the client application and the Retain Server software have been minimized to allow fast access over slower wide area networks or dial-up, even with large databases of, say, 10,000 resources, using Oracle or SQL Server databases.
Features
- Supports SQL Server or Oracle database platforms
- Uses local caching and data compression to optimize planning over low bandwidth connections
- Advanced user access controls for large or multiple resource pools
- Reduced client PC configuration (no ODBC setup)
Retain Planner
Suitable for smaller or less complex departments, but who still wish to access the database over wide area networks including dial-up VPN systems. It is simple to set up and is based on a proprietary database, so there is no additional cost in obtaining database software. It comes with a fixed set of fields which you can alias to suit your requirements.
Retain Planner is an entry level product, Retain Corporate is a more suitable edition if any of the following apply: you want to use your corporate standard database such as SQL Server or Oracle; you want to modify the database layout; or you have sophisticated access control requirements.
Planner |
Corporate |
Enterprise |
|
| Single user version available | Yes |
No |
No |
| Multi user use | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Works over LANs | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Works over WANs | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Works via dial-up over modem | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Allows off-line planning | No |
No |
No |
| Requires database licence | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Works on Oracle | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Works on SQL Server | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Good for 1 to 500 resources | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Good for over 500 resources | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Good for over 1000 resources | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Good for over 5000 resources | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Good for use in a single office | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Good for use in many offices | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Client database or driver configuration required | No |
No |
No |
| Web Viewer available | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Web Booking requests available | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Retain Advance Reports available for more detailed, tailored reports | Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Advanced user access controls | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Field level and functional user access controls | No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ability to track both cost and revenue | No |
No |
Yes |
| Multiple currencies, working diaries & color schemes | No |
No |
Yes |
| Enterprise booking Requests with more advanced features available | No |
No |
Yes |
| Tailorable database structures | No |
Yes |
Yes |