Insight (former Encamp)


Help and FAQs

General questions

Usage

Known issues

General questions

What is Basecamp?

Basecamp is an easy-to-use online project management service from 37signals. It enables users and clients to collaborate on their projects in a signle convenient environment with a few simple tools — messages and comments, milestones, and tasks.

If you're not sure that Basecamp is what you're looking for, you can always create a free account, which allows you to manage only one project (other restrictions may apply).

What is Encamp Insight?

Encamp Insight is a native iPhone application for Basecamp. Its designed specifically for mobile users, who wants to get a quick insight on their projects, assign, delegate, and complete tasks, post messages and comments, add time logs. And all of this using simple and powerful user interface.

Insight? Where is Encamp?

Encamp was rebranded to Insight in the v.1.3.2 (sometime in December 2009) on 37signals request. According to them the name "Encamp" confused Basecamp customers so that they thought Encamp was the official "Basecamp on iPhone" client app.

How do I enable Basecamp API?

In order to use Encamp Insight (or any other third-party apps that uses Basecamp data) you need to enable Basecamp API. If you're the account owner just login to your Basecamp account, than click Account (Upgrade/Billing), scroll to the bottom of the page, you'll see Basecamp API section, agree to the terms and click Yes, please enable the Basecamp API for this account. If you're not the account owner you should ask one to enable API.

Where is my data stored? Is it secure?

Your data is stored directly in Basecamp, so it's as safe as Basecamp is. Encamp Insight stores only credentials needed to access your account.

Encamp Insight shares the same security level as set in your Basecamp account. Generally its safer to use SSL (same as online banks), so if your Basecamp plan includes SSL security I recommend to turn it on (from your Basecamp account dashboard click Settings, scroll to the very bottom, you'll see SSL 128-bit encryption). Read more about SSL in Basecamp in its help center.

Note: Even if you're not using Encamp Insight, but some of its competitors (good luck to find one :), don't be fooled by some "SSL" switches or settings inside that iPhone app. All Basecamp API consumers share the same security option, as set in Basecamp's Settings page.

Can I work offline?

Encamp Insight fetches your project's data in a live mode, so you need an Internet connection to function properly. It could be any Internet connection that your device is capable of — Wi-Fi in iPod touch and iPhone, EDGE in first-gen iPhone, or 3G in iPhone 3G (fees may apply).

What localizations are available in Encamp Insight?

At this time the Encamp Insight interface elements are available in English, Danish, French, Norwegian, and Russian. If you want to help make Encamp Insight better by providing a localization, please contact me.

Usage

Encamp Insight settings

Encamp Insight has a couple of useful settings, most of them should be self explanatory, anyway here is a guide on all options.

  • Messages: only one option here called Preview. This should be known from Mail app - a number of lines to show in recent messages. Please, note that this setting does not affect message archive view.
  • To-Do: here are a couple of interesting settings
    • Description: number of lines of to-do list's description
    • Counting: remember those cool blue numbers on the right side of to-do list names? This setting changes what these numbers mean. Lets take an example - a to-do list, that have 3 current and 5 completed items. If you choose Current vs. Total - which means "number of current items vs. number of all items" - so the numbers will be 3/8. Selecting Completed vs. Total will show 5/8, and Current vs. Completed counting strategy will show 3/5.
    • Quick adding: enable this switch if you're adding new to-do items frequently. It adds a special row at the bottom of current to-do items. It makes a better look-and-feel of Basecamp.
  • Comments: at this time there is only one option for comments - you can choose a sort order for comments, either Ascending which is Basecamp default, or Descending, which will list most recent comments on the top of the screen.
  • Time tracking: here are a couple of options, Notes should be familiar to you already. Minutes interval is a step on "Add time log" form. Default value is 15 minutes, but you can choose a 5 minute step to make your time logs more accurate.

Does Encamp Insight supports OpenID login?

Yes, in this case you have to obtain special login and password generated by Basecamp. In your Basecamp account click My info, scroll down to highlighted OpenID block and click Reveal my special username/password. Use that login and password on welcome screen or Settings app.

OpenID login in Insight

How to do I configure a Basecamp account in Encamp Insight?

On the first launch you should tell Encamp Insight the information about your Basecamp account.

  • Name: is used for your own reference when you're using mutliple accounts feature.
  • Domain: is the source of most Encamp Insight problems, but its very easy when you understand what is domain and how it differs URL. In short - lets suppose you're using your account by logging at http://youraccount.basecamphq.com/, and that is your account's URL. The domain in this URL is youraccount.basecamphq.com, and that what you have to enter to Domain field.
  • User name: your Basecamp user name (see 37signals ID).
  • Password: your Basecamp password (see 37signals ID).

I have several Basecamp accounts. How can I use them in Encamp Insight?

Using multiple accounts in Encamp Insight is a breeze. From your initial account (you created it at first launch), go to Account tab and tap Log-out button. A new Accounts screen will appear. There you'll be able to create as many accounts as you need. This list will also appear everytime you launch Encamp Insight so that you can choose the account you want to work with.

What is 37signals ID? How do I use Encamp Insight with it?

The "37signals ID" is a new system of unified identity used across all 37signals products (including Basecamp). If you've already migrated your account over it, you need to re-configure Encamp Insight for it. Here is what you need to do:

  1. Go to Accounts list by navigating to Account tab and tapping Log-out button.
  2. Remove existing account.
  3. Create a new account by tapping a button in top-right corner.
  4. Set Name and Domain as usual.
  5. Obtain your Basecamp API token:
    1. Open your Basecamp account in desktop browser and click My info link in the top right corner.
    2. On the bottom you should see grayed box entitled Authentication tokens and a single link - Show your tokens - click on it.
    3. Put the first token (named Token for feed readers or the Basecamp API) as a User name in Encamp Insight.
  6. Set Password to X (or any other character - but do not leave blank!)

Thats it. You're now ready to go.

Alternatively instead of messing around with API tokens you can put your 37signals ID login and password as User name and Password respectively, but I'm not sure if its a bug or feature (37signals simply forgot to exclude it for API calls). OpenID users have no choice - you have to use API tokens.

Known issues

I have many private messages, but Encamp Insight doesn't list them as private.

This is one of the known bugs in the API - Basecamp does not return private flag in response, thats why Encamp Insight cannot understand if message is private or not. This problem does not affect to-do lists.

I cannot see announcements on my projects.

This bug is similar to the problem with private posts, but in this case Basecamp returns announcement only for the first project in the list.

I'm getting "Not Found" when viewing or editing resources.

In active projects the appearing of this message usually means that affected resource is removed or changed in some way outside of Encamp Insight - for example: you're viewing message in Encamp Insight, but your collegue decided to remove this message, so if you try to update or remove this message, you'll get "Not Found" error.

In archived projects this message appears more frequently because of some bug in Basecamp. For example, you cannot view comments for any resource, or you cannot view to-do items, because Basecamp says it could not find resource.

Limitations for clients

Basecamp API have some limitations to "client" users, I hope 37signals will do something about it in near future. Anyway, here are the list of problems you can encounter as a "client" user:

  • You will not see any people related information, i.e. you'll not see responsible for milestones and to-do items, message and comment authors.
  • You won't be able to assign people (including yourself) on to-do items and milestones.
  • You won't see anything on "My to-dos" tab.
  • The application badge won't be set.

The names and logos for Basecamp, and 37signals are registered trademarks of 37signals, LLC.

All text and design is copyright © 2008 Alex Batalov. All rights reserved.

Valid XHTML 1.0 Strict Valid CSS 2.1