OffBureau supplies users with a document management, social networking and online collaboration tool. The application allows users to set up a virtual workspace and invite team members, clients and anyone else to join and participate. The personal bar gives users a built in search tool to help them find specific content and labels as they work. Users can view public and secure sections from the workspace dashboard as well as all available workspaces so they can navigate from one project to another. An activity stream provides the user with the latest files, posts, videos, discussions and labels similar to updates on Facebook. The user can centralize all their collaboration efforts in one organized online location. Files and content posted to OffBureau can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection.

Visit www.offbureau.com

OffBureau was designed to help professionals and their clients and colleagues work more effectively when they cannot meet at the office. The application includes a number of tools that allow the user to share files, information and talk about projects to work more efficiently. The application has not been widely discussed online, however it does boast a list of well-known clients including RazorMind, Collective, Schwepps and the city of Amsterdam.

OffBureau doesn’t offer anything to get excited about, especially when compared to other online workspaces. The application can get the job done and offers an organized, user friendly environment. Users who want more cutting edge features may do better looking elsewhere. Users can post messages to one another, share files and isolate projects into workspaces however little else is offered to entice the user. The application does not integrate with any popular third party applications at this time and doesn’t yet offer mobile applications.

The appearance of OffBureau will really appeal to professionals who want a practical but attractive application to collaborate in. The user interface is very clean, dividing workspace content into a pair of columns on the dashboard. The user can access their activity stream, personal bar and an overview of all other available workspaces at a glance. The user interface is very simple to understand and incorporates a few subtle visual elements that give the user dashboard just enough appeal to be interesting.

A new user can create an OffBureau account by scrolling down the homepage to the columns of subscription options. The user can click on the column that corresponds with the subscription they would like to purchase. After doing so, the user is taken to the registration form which asks for a first and last name, username (which will be the user’s OffBureau URL), password, email address and time zone. Two check boxes at the bottom of the form are automatically selected. The top box confirms the user’s agreement with the OffBureau terms of service while the bottom box signs the user up for emails. The user must manually uncheck this box to opt out of emails. Users who purchase a paid subscription are also asked to provide their payment details before completing registration.

OffBureau gives users six subscription options to choose from. The first is a free account that allows access for up to five users as well as all basic features and 25 MBs of storage space. The XS plan costs $15 per month and includes 2.5 GBs of storage space, SSL security and access for unlimited public users as well as access control for up to five users. The S plan costs $50 per month and includes access for up to 10 users and 5 GBs of storage space. The M plan costs $125 per month and includes up to 25 users and 12.5 GBs of storage space. The L plan includes access for up to 50 users and 25 GBs of storage space for $250 per month. The XL account costs $500 per month and includes access for up to 100 users and 50 GBs of storage space.

OffBureau offers basic collaboration tools for teams and companies. The free account option is ideal for small businesses and startups that may not have the funds to include a tool like OffBureau. The remaining five options can accommodate small to medium size businesses. Users who want a professional but simple collaboration solution will find OffBureau more appealing than those who want more features and mobile access.

• Users can choose from one free and five paid subscription options
• Files can be uploaded and shared through OffBureau
• Activity feeds show the user what their team members are doing
• Multiple work spaces can be accessed from the dashboard
• Unlimited public users can be added with all paid subscriptions

Visit www.offbureau.com

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