ArtifaxEvent Reviews

Compliments our work flow well.

Comments: Having Artifax Event allows us to work remotely and still be able to access our calendar and continue to manage our four venues, even if we cannot be physically in the office. This is beyond important as we have many members of our organization who travel and need quick access to our calendar. The North American Artifax User Summit is an incredible opportunity to meet other facilities that use the software and learn from them, but it also allows us to meet with the members of the JCA team as well as a representative from Artifax.

Pros:

After a very short basic training course it is easy for new users to start using Artifax to find information they used to have to ask for which streamlines requests and helps manage our time better. The ease of access with Artifax Event being on the web allows for travel or inclement weather to not slow down the fast pace at which we work. There is also a great community around Artifax and having a message board with information on how to use features as well as a place for users to suggest improvements.

Cons:

There have been growing pains in our upgrade from our former Artifax edition, and trying to streamline the data that is incorporated with the new platform. Sometimes we cannot remove a field because it would delete all historical information, but we no longer have a use for it, so we have to find another way around that, however whenever we have encountered this the JCA team always provides suggestions on ways to work around the issue we are having, which is immensely helpful.

excellent for manging dozens of business uses and thousands of events

Comments: Artifax has allowed us to streamline many processes and ensure that everyone is working with the same information when making decisions. It's reporting functionality has also enabled us to auto-generate contracts, itemized invoices, schedules, letters, marketing materials, and much more with rich amounts of detail coming from different areas of the database. Best of all, Artifax is now so entrenched in our way of working that our end users often immediately ask (and hope!) that a business challenge they've encountered might be solved most easily by the software before considering other options.

Pros:

Artifax's flexibility is one of the key reasons it works so well for our organization -- it's breadth of built-in features allow us to manage all facets of our work from booking spaces and capturing programming details to creating staff schedules and tracking guest travel and accommodation, and almost everything in between. But there's also a level of customization available in Artifax that allows us to tweak those built-in features to maximize how we work in the software in a way that is wholly unique to our needs as an organization.

Cons:

Our biggest challenge with Artifax is managing user expectation; they're often so used to Artifax being able to do pretty much whatever it is they need that they're surprised by the odd occasion where we can't find an Artifax-based solution to a problem they might be having.

The most user-unfriendly software I've ever had to use

Comments: Horrible. We have realized zero business benefits. Even though it is the "official" calendar, many in this organization maintain their own separate calendars because it is so unusable for so many. This has actually made our situation worse than it was before.

Pros:

lots of flexibility and options, and different ways to view things.

Cons:

I don't even know where to begin. It's difficult to pick just one thing, so I'll just go with the interface. There is no standard calendar view that gives a decent overview of what's happening. There are multiple ways to enter certain types of information, but they are confusing, ambiguous and inconsistent. User interface is horrible, and navigation and data entry seem to require at least three times the number of mouse clicks than should be necessary. Will log you out after a period of inactivity, but doesn't notify that a logout has occurred, so you can continue to enter data, only to find out about the logout when you try to save, and of course, it's not saved. Has no in-app communication/notification tools, so any notifications of new events, changes, etc. must be communicated in other ways. Seriously, I can't NOT recommend this software enough.

Essential software for anyone managing a large venue with multiple events

Comments: Allows us to manage a large number of events across a large number of spaces relatively easily

Pros:

Artifax as an organization know their industry well, they have lots of experience and understand their client's needs. My experience is with their classic software, so can't comment on their latest release, but has been working for 10 years solid.

Cons:

A little outdated and clunky, but again, that's based on an old version of the software, so not a true reflection of what the current version may be like

Record keeping and Outlook calendars

Pros:

Artifax 4 has been a marvelous addition for our staff. We are able to utilize the software for keeping our day to day calendar as well as using the documents function and custom reports to help us catalog information. Record keeping within the software continues to be valuable as shows make their way back to us after a couple of years. It gives our production managers a springboard for the show by having all pertinent information in a central location. I also love having the ability to now pull up our venue calendar on my phone through the new Outlook functions.

Cons:

The biggest con is that at first sight, the software can seem daunting to new users. There are so many levels in the program, that on the surface it isn't always the most user friendly. It tends to scare off staff who are not as familiar with the program.

Some of the least intuitive software we have

Comments: We manage our spaces through Artifax and have the rule that if it isn't in Artifax it isn't happening. However, we are now looking to replace it with another product as it is so cumbersome and expensive to use.

Pros:

It allows us to manage multiple rooms and venues and the whole organisation can view the events

Cons:

Expense. This works on a per user licensing model, which is a fantastic way to haemorrhage money. Reporting: All reports come in RTF format. This is utterly useless and means we spend a large amount of time and energy converting reports to something useable.

Excellent product with some quirks

Comments: I love Artifax. Aa a non IT person, but primary user, I was able to build the system easily with Customer support and guidance. We have now been slowly building our database to help us automate everything! The issue for us is our manpower keeping up with the changes!

Pros:

-ease of use and programming - reactive support from knowledgeable staff

Cons:

- more robust reporting inherent in the system. - Would like an open source API for report building - Better way to track budgets and targets. A P and L.

Artifax is awesome!

Pros:

At my organization, Artifax made it possible for us to stop doing double, triple and even quadruple data entry of the same information about space use.

Cons:

Once you get to know the software, it is easy to use, but at first it can seem a little daunting. The customer service/onboarding is great though.

Great Venue and Calendar Management

Pros:

How customizable Artifax is- whenever I have an idea for a custom report or tracker, it is able to be accommodated. The developers are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable of the system and that shows when I am making requests.

Cons:

It is not inherently intuitive. This is a comment I receive a lot from our staff. The system does require some basic knowledge of key terms as well as basic navigation knowledge.

Artifax Review

Comments: Overall, I enjoy Artifax but feel I am only really getting 25% of its functionality and what it is capable of.

Pros:

The calendar views and "big picture" abilities are the most helpful in event planning/bookings.

Cons:

Lack of mass editing abilities, non-intuitive reporting, the cost/restrictions of licenses.

Artifax as a catch all

Pros:

I like how Artifax allows you to enter info once into the database and then you can use it to pull different reports, calendars, etc so that the info is conveyed in efficient and effective manners despite the needs of those receiving the info.

Cons:

It takes a lot of front work to make sure the input of info is correct and where to find said info.

Excellent software

Pros:

Absolutely solved double booking problems at our venues. Pulled everyone into one calendar system, and also doing so much more for us!

Cons:

Build out was more complicated than we expected, but it was worth it in the end.

track resource usage

Pros:

Assign details, photos, floor maps, and resources to each space. track resource usage task-driven workflows

Cons:

very pricey.. i mean..a lot, that is the only downfall or Cons of this platform only large organisation could afford it