Many of our customers use Wrike’s API to build their own integrations to optimize their team’s unique workflow. Now there’s an alternate method for customization: Google extensions. This tool enables you to quickly add any functionality to the Google Chrome browser. Today we want to share a great example of this type of customization created by one of our customers, Imbibe.Many of our customers use Wrike’s API to build their own integrations to optimize their team’s unique workflow. Now there’s an alternate method for customization: Google extensions. This tool enables you to quickly add any functionality to the Google Chrome browser. Today we want to share a great example of this type of customization created by one of our customers, Imbibe.

Imbibe challenge

Each time they start a new project, they need to log a number of specific parameters about the customer’s business. They previously did this by manually typing data into the task description or by attaching a Microsoft Word template to the task. This standard operation wasn’t efficient, and the team was looking for a solution to optimize it.

How custom task templates work

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With the help of Google extensions, the Imbibe team has solved this problem and saved hours on entering project info. The extension enables users to add any custom elements to Wrike, so the team used this opportunity to attach the template project forms to tasks for their salespersons.

Now each time someone on the team opens a task in the Google Chrome browser, they see the “Select templates” button right under the task details.

Depending on the stage of work, the person can choose one of the four active templates: “New project”, “Call report”, “New product requirements”, or “Product commercialization”.

For example, let’s say a salesperson is creating a new project with a new customer. In this case, he or she chooses the “New Project Brief” form and quickly enters the key parameters of the new project into the corresponding fields, such as beverage flavor (natural, natural and artificial, artificial), sweetener system (natural or artificial), color, etc. This saves the sales department hours per week on processing important data!
 

Creating a Google extension

Do you use Google Chrome and want to create the same thing in your workspace, too? Then, this adorable example with kittens and puppies provided by Google will give you a clearer idea of how this extension works.

If you are familiar with computer technologies (HTML, CSS, or JavaScript), you can easily create html and manifest files for the extension by yourself. Or, you can follow the Imbibe team example. “We’ve found a freelancer at Elance, and he did everything very fast. We only needed to prepare the templates for him,” shares Laura Klibanow, Opportunity manager at Imbibe.

After the extension files are ready, each team member needs to upload them to their browser. You can do this by going to the menu in the upper-right corner of your browser, choose Settings, and then select the “Extensions” section. Don’t forget to tick the box for developer mode. Then, simply click on the “Load unpacked extension” button, choose the corresponding directory, and hit “OK”. After you restart your browser, you can enjoy the new functionality!
 

“Wrike provides a great solution for Imbibe’s project management and an alternative solution to a traditional CRM software. One of the reasons I think Wrike has been such an effective tool for our company is that we developed an internal procedure for how all Wrike tasks must be formatted. I would recommend other users to do the same; the detailed instruction for how tasks must be utilized keeps the system very organized and makes it much easier to navigate- especially if you have lots of customers and projects. For example, we created a comprehensive internal manual on exactly how to write different types of tasks in Wrike- from what the title needs to be, exactly what information must be included, etc. It keeps the data organized and provides a much more for efficient workflow.”
Laura Klibanow, Opportunity Manager at Imbibe
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