In the battle to stay organized, efficient, sane and maximize on billable time it helps to have systems in place to help deal with the daily business processes and management that make sure that you are working on what you should be and that projects, budgets and timelines stay on track. In particular, when you work on your own, its critical to have things like billing, time tracking and project management as a natural and seamless part of your workflow. This session aims to be a whistle stop tour of some useful open source tools and subscription solutions I have found to be well worth their costs - including how they can be used effectively together to allow you to make the most efficient use of your time designing and developing Drupal sites. I work as a remote contractor & consultant and my clients are drupal shops and companies needing web sites and systems designed, built, themed and/or maintained. These tools and services work for me to help stay organized and on top of my workload and help me to manage my responsibilities across multiple clients and timezones effectively. The material in this session is geared more towards individual freelancers although much of it will be relevant for larger drupal shops and teams too. A few of the topics I intend to cover will include * Project Management with Redmine - an overview of this powerful open source project management system and a demo of some of the plugins that extend its functionality and integrate well with Drupal, Dropbox, Github, Chrome and others. * Simplifying getting paid and easy record keeping - Easy invoicing, credit card processing and automatic importing of expenses using Freshbooks & Stripe * Design to theme tricks and up and coming in-browser design tools and workflows using Styletiles, CSS Hat, SASS, Typekit, Typecast & Livestyle * Faster Drupal development tips using Alfred & Sublime Text * Rapid protoyping using Bootstrap/Zenstrap * Site building strategies using install profiles and drush make files * Deployment and Maintenance using Aegir * Server monitoring using New Relic & load testing using Blazemeter * Hosting and managing your site in the cloud It is my aim to introduce ( in some cases briefly) tools and services that have made a difference to me that may have the potential to add to and improve your existing workflows.

1. Freelance Weapons
of Mass Productivity
Gregg Coppen
http://twitter.com/skabenga
http://github.com/iaminawe
http://drupal.org/user/218536
http://greggcoppen.com
http://iaminawe.com
gregg@iaminawe.com

2. Alfred
Drupal API lookup
d5 [substring_of_hook] (cached for 365 days)
d6 [substring_of_hook] (cached for 365 days)
d7 [substring_of_hook] (cached for 30 days)
d8 [substring_of_hook] (cached for 2 days)
g.d.o
dg [nid or group]
d.o
do [string]
- Search projects by name
- Open project url with shortname shortname
- Open nid
doi [project] (Load a project issue page at d.o)
dor [project] (Goto drupalcode.org repository page for
project)
dc [project] (Goto drupalcode.org repository page for
project)
Search Drupal
ds [string to search]
- Search Drupal site network for [string]
- Search Drupal issues for [string]
- Search Drupal groups for [string]
Find a user
du [user id or name]
- Find by Drupal username
- Find by IRC nick
Drush
dd d [command] (a Drush alias with a Drush
command command
Action - Invokes Drush
dd o [command] (a Drush alias Action - Opens the
URI associated with the Drush alias in a browser)
Alfred is a productivity application for Mac OS X,
which aims to save you time in searching your local
computer and the web.
$30 for power pack that allows using workflows
Integrates well with Evernote, Sublime Text, Twitter,
Terminal, Finder and many others.
http://www.alfredapp.com/
https://github.com/zenorocha/alfred-workflows

3. Virtualbox
• Disposable dev environments
• Self contained
• Used by vagrant
• Useful for IE testing
• Don’t use snapshots
https://www.virtualbox.org/
http://www.modern.ie

4. Vagrant
Development environments made easy.
Create and configure lightweight,
reproducible, and portable development
environments.
http://www.vagrantup.com/
https://drupal.org/project/vagrant

5. Drush Vagrant
Drush Vagrant Integration provides Drush
commands to accomplish common Vagrant
tasks, and provides a powerful templating
framework ('blueprints').
It also has tools to implement Drush aliases
for Vagrant projects and VMs, thus allowing
simpler remote control of Vagrant projects.
https://drupal.org/project/drush-vagrant
https://drupal.org/project/drupal-up
https://drupal.org/project/aegir-up

6. Digital Ocean
• Excellent control panel
• Very cheap prices
• Great support
• Ridiculously fast
• Tugboat command line control
• Great documentation & articles
https://www.digitalocean.com
https://github.com/pearkes/tugboat
https://www.digitalocean.com/?refcode=1765785d0ea1
If you use the link below I will get $10 free hosting :)

7. Linode
• Clear control panel
• Reasonable pricing
• Excellent support
• Fast & Reliable
• Great articles & resources
• Frequent surprise upgrades
https://www.linode.com/

8. Deployment & Maintenance
Aegir allows you to deploy and manage many Drupal
sites, and can scale across multiple server clusters.
Aegir makes it easy to install, upgrade, and backup an
entire network of Drupal sites.
Enforces best practices site building using drush make,
features and install profiles
Comes in several tasty flavours Vanilla, BOA & Devshop
https://drupal.org/project/hostmaster
https://drupal.org/project/barracuda
https://drupal.org/project/octopus
https://drupal.org/project/devshop

9. Redmine
• Project Management, issue and time tracking
• Is extendable with an active ecosystem of useful
plugins and themes
• Is easy to get issue tickets into with multiple
approaches
• Offers a structured but flexible approach to
managing projects
• Is versatile with per project modules and custom
fields and trackers.
http://www.redmine.org/
http://bit.ly/1cCRPNr - 1 click installer

10. Redmine: Workflow
• Create project and assign members
• Create a target version and set a deadline
• Create issue
• Assign task
• Set Deadline
• Set Target Version
• Work on issue until ticket is closed
• Close all issues to reach target version

11. Redmine: issues input
• Through project manager interface
• Via Drupal site with Feedmine
• New issues/Responses by e-mail
• Batch issue import from spreadsheet
• Via chrome extensions
• Via iphone/ipad apps using the Redmine api
https://drupal.org/project/feedmine
http://www.redmine.org/plugins/issuefy
http://getredmineapp.com/

12. Redmine: Extendability
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/redmine-dashboard
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/zenedit
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/redmine_dropbox_attachments
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/clipboard_image_paste
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/redmine_spent_time
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/redmine_charts2
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/monitoring-controlling
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/issue_checklist
• https://bitbucket.org/akiko_pusu/redmine_issue_templates
• http://www.redminecrm.com/projects/questions
• http://github.com/techarete/redmine_timesheet_plugin
• http://www.redmine.org/plugins/status_button
You will need up upgrade Ruby to a more recent
version for many of these to work.

13. Github
• Hosted git repositories
• Edit files from any device
• Need to pay for private repositories
• Can interact with redmine via post commit hooks
• Can also be used for issue tracking/documentation
• Active community for open source projects
• Makes it easy to follow and track other projects
• Developer friendly tools
http://github.com/

14. Gitlab
• Self hosted github clone
• Edit files from any device
• Unlimited private repositories
• Can be on same server as redmine
• Redmine Issue crosslinking and syncing
• Can also be used for issue tracking &
documentation
http://www.gitlab.com/

15. Twitter Bootstrap
Sleek, intuitive, and powerful
front-end framework for faster
and easier web development.
http://www.getbootstrap.com

16. Advantages
• Fast to prototype with
• Robust & battle tested
• Platform agnostic and cross browser
• Expanding eco-system of resources
• Responsive and mobile first
• LESS & SASS versions exist
Disadvantages
• Unsemantic grid classes
• Potential jquery conflicts with Drupal
• Can be heavy - 458kb if using everything
• Sites look similar if left with default styling
• Uses Less by default but sass versions exist

17. Bootstrap Theme
https://drupal.org/project/bootstrap
• Supports Bootstrap 3
• Uses CDN or local js files
• Quick to implement within Drupal.
• Uses Less
• Includes the bootswatch.com drop in
css replacement files

18. ZenstrapTheme
Zenstrap is a drupal theme is based on the Zen
theme and Twitter Bootstrap
•The following is supported out-of-the-box
•Accordion Menus
•Message box can be closed
•Modal box for Login
•Modal box for any url
•Drop down Menus
•Horizontal Forms
•SASS based stylesheets
https://drupal.org/project/zenstrap

19. Free web-based interface building
tool for Twitter Bootstrap.
http://layoutit.com

20. Design elements and code snippets
for Bootstrap HTML/CSS/JS
framework
Awesome for quick mockup elements
http://bootsnipp.com

21. Customizing Bootstrap
Its just css

22. Drop in bootstrap css file
replacement
http://bootswatch.com

23. Bootstrap css stylesheet
generator
http://stylebootstrap.info

24. Style Tiles
A visual web design process for clients and the
responsive web
Style Tiles are a design deliverable consisting of fonts,
colors and interface elements that communicate the
essence of a visual brand for the web.
They help form a common visual language between the
designers and the stakeholders and provide a catalyst
for discussions around the preferences and goals of the
client.
http://styletil.es/
http://alistapart.com/article/style-tiles-and-how-they-work
http://samanthatoy.com/washington-examiner/

25. Static Style Tiles
• Improvement on full mockups
• Still labor intensive to produce
• Usually done with Photoshop
• Type looks different in PS to HTML
• Not easy to make changes
• Still needs to be converted to css

26. Static Style Tiles
• Improvement on full mockups
• Still labor intensive to produce
• Usually done with Photoshop
• Type looks different in PS to HTML
• Not easy to make changes
• Still needs to be converted to css

27. The site outcome after using style tiles to define
design directions
http://canadiandistribution.ca

28. Dynamic Style Tiles
Andrea Burtons session at PNWDS
2012
• HTML Based Style Tiles
• Drupal orientated class names
• Foundation for Responsive framework
• SASS makes it easy to theme
http://abelb.github.io/drupal_styletiles/

29. Styling Tiles Distro
https://github.com/iaminawe/stylingtiles-profile
An install profile I have been working on
• Drupal based Style Tiles
• Intended for creating quick variations
• Can be used by designers
• Can be extended with custom css
• Uses Bootstrap 3
• LESS Preprocessing
• Responsive & Mobile first

30. $50 a year
Supports the foundries
and designers
http://typekit.com

31. Typecast.com
Is a commercial (optional) service but useful for fine
typography control in the browser
• Opentype ligature features
• Vertical rhythm grid
• Fonts from many providers
• Generates the css

32. Livestyle
Live edit your production web-site with original CSS
source
• No file saving, no page reloading
• You need only web browser and editor for live editing
• No special web-server or file watcher required.
• It doesn't matter where your CSS file comes from
• Use multiple windows to tweak responsive design
http://livestyle.emmet.io/

33. Sublime Text
• Integrates well with Livestyle & Alfred
• Drupal packages extend
• Snippets implementation
• Takes some time to learn
• Extensive ecosystem of additional plugins
• Installed through a slick package manager
• Quick to open, close and work with
http://www.sublimetext.com/
https://github.com/kostajh/subDrush
https://github.com/robballou/drupal-sublimetext

34. Freshbooks
• Automated expense imports
• Multiple Currencies
• Payment Reminders & Notifications
• Recurring Invoices
• Late Fees reminders and penalties
• Integrates with several payment gateways
• Range of useful reports for tax time
http://freshbooks.com

35. Stripe
• Get up an running almost immediately
• Transfers directly to bank account
• Takes about 7 days to clear into account
• 2.93% Fee and 30c per transaction
• Integrates well with Drupal through ubercart
and commerce modules
https://stripe.com

36. New Relic
• Great for Drupal Performance troubleshooting
• Free plan offers useful server and app metrics
• Easy to set up on any server
• Central dashboard to monitor multiple servers
• Integrates well with BOA
• Notifications via multiple channels
• Free T-shirt when you install
http://newrelic.com
https://drupal.org/project/new_relic_rpm

37. Blazemeter
Instant load testing platform that lets developers
focus on developing. Start testing right away.
Simulate any user scenario for webapps, websites,
mobile apps or web services. 100% Apache
JMeter™ compatible.
Scalable from 1,000 to 100,000 concurrent users.
http://blazemeter.com/
https://drupal.org/project/blazemeter

38. Thanks
Questions?
http://twitter.com/skabenga
http://github.com/iaminawe
http://drupal.org/user/218536
http://greggcoppen.com
http://iaminawe.com
gregg@iaminawe.com