Last Reviewed: November 14th, 2024

Best PSA Software Of 2024

What is PSA Software?

PSA software, short for Professional Services Automation, tackles the juggling act of managing project delivery in service-based businesses. It streamlines workflows by combining project management, time tracking, resource planning, and analytics into one platform. This eliminates juggling disparate tools and manual processes, boosting efficiency and visibility. For services firms struggling with profitability, resource utilization, and project predictability, PSA is a game-changer. It empowers informed decision-making, optimized resource allocation, and accurate project planning, leading to improved profit margins, happier clients, and empowered teams. Key functionalities include: time tracking, resource scheduling, project budgeting, and real-time reporting. Emerging features like AI-powered resource recommendations and client portals are enhancing collaboration and communication. Consultants, accountants, IT firms, and agencies are prime beneficiaries, but any service-based business can reap the rewards. Notable limitations include integration challenges with existing systems and potential adoption hurdles for less tech-savvy teams. Ultimately, PSA software empowers service-based businesses to deliver projects efficiently and profitably, leaving satisfied clients and thriving teams in its wake. It's an investment in operational excellence, paving the way for sustainable growth and a competitive edge.

What Are The Key Benefits of PSA Software?

  • Increased Visibility
  • Streamlined Resource Management
  • Improved Project Accuracy
  • Enhanced Client Communication
  • Boosted Team Collaboration
  • Reduced Administrative Overhead
  • Optimized Profitability
  • Data-Driven Insights
  • Scalability for Growth
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Our Research Analysts evaluated 127 solutions and determined the following solutions are the best PSA Software overall:

Overall

Dynamics 365 Project Operations  Award
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Why We Picked Dynamics 365 Project Operations

User reviews of Dynamics 365 Project Operations in the past year paint a picture of a powerful, integrated project management and ERP solution with plenty of potential, but not without its challenges. Users praise its unifying strength, bringing project delivery, financials, and operations under one roof, streamlining workflows and boosting visibility. Resource management shines, with real-time insights helping optimize allocation and avoid overbooking. Collaboration flourishes, with seamless teamwork across teams and phases. Real-time analytics empower informed decision-making, while customization and scalability cater to evolving needs. However, the learning curve can be steep for this feature-rich beast, demanding dedicated training and time to unlock its full potential. Customization, while appreciated, can require technical expertise or external help for complex workflows or integrations. Pre-built reports might not satisfy everyone, with some users wishing for greater customization options for specific insights. Integration, though touted, can be tricky, demanding careful configuration and potential troubleshooting for smooth data flow. And, let's not forget the cost: Project Operations packs a punch, but its price tag might deter smaller businesses or those on a budget. Compared to competitors, Project Operations stands out with its unified platform and tight integration with Microsoft products like Dynamics 365 Sales and Finance. While other project management tools might offer similar features, the seamless connection with the broader Microsoft ecosystem sets Project Operations apart, especially for existing Microsoft users. However, users who prioritize ease of use and affordability might find more lightweight options on the market. Overall, user reviews suggest Dynamics 365 Project Operations is a robust solution for organizations seeking a unified, data-driven approach to project management and ERP, provided they're willing to invest in training and potential customization. For those seeking simpler, cheaper options, or those not deeply entrenched in the Microsoft ecosystem, exploring alternatives might be wise. Ultimately, the choice hinges on specific needs, resources, and desired level of integration.

Pros & Cons

  • Unified Project and Finance Management: Streamlines project delivery, financial management, and operations within a single platform.
  • Improved Resource Visibility and Utilization: Enhances visibility into resource availability, skills, and costs for optimal allocation and utilization.
  • Enhanced Collaboration and Productivity: Fosters seamless collaboration across teams, departments, and project phases for increased efficiency.
  • Real-Time Insights and Analytics: Provides real-time visibility into project health, financial performance, and resource utilization for informed decision-making.
  • Customizable and Scalable: Adapts to evolving business needs and supports growth through customization and integration capabilities.
  • Streamlined Project Billing and Invoicing: Automates time and expense tracking, simplifies invoice generation, and integrates with financial systems.
  • Enhanced Customer Experience: Improves customer satisfaction through better project visibility, communication, and delivery.
  • Steeper Learning Curve: Comprehensive features can require more training and time to fully adopt and utilize effectively.
  • Customization Challenges: While customizable, tailoring complex workflows or integrations may require technical expertise or external assistance.
  • Reporting Limitations: Some users report constraints in pre-built reports and a need for enhanced customization options for specific insights.
  • Potential Integration Issues: Seamless integration with other systems may require careful configuration and potential troubleshooting for optimal data flow.
  • Cost Considerations: Comprehensive functionality comes with a higher price tag, which can be a barrier for smaller businesses or those with tight budgets.

Key Features

  • Unified project management: Manage the entire project lifecycle from opportunity to delivery, including project planning, scheduling, resource management, time and expense tracking, financial management, and invoicing.
  • Integrated sales and project management: Streamline the process from quoting to project delivery with seamless integration between sales and project management.
  • Robust resource management: Optimize resource allocation, track utilization, and match skills to project needs.
  • Visual project scheduling: Create and manage project schedules using Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and other visual tools.
  • Real-time project insights: Track project progress, costs, and resource utilization in real time to identify and address potential issues early on.
  • Collaboration tools: Foster teamwork and communication with built-in collaboration tools such as document sharing, task management, and discussions.
  • Financial integration: Integrate project financials with accounting and operations for accurate cost tracking, revenue recognition, and profitability analysis.
  • Customizable dashboards: Create role-based dashboards to visualize key project metrics and track progress against goals.
  • Mobile access: Manage projects and stay connected on the go with mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
  • Powerful reporting and analytics: Generate comprehensive reports and gain insights into project performance to make data-driven decisions.
  • Integration with other Microsoft products: Connect with other Microsoft Dynamics 365 applications and Microsoft Office 365 for a seamless experience.
Certinia PSA  Award
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Why We Picked Certinia PSA

Certinia PSA is an effective PSA application that extends a full variety of features to its users. Its interface is user friendly and the implementation process is straightforward, avoiding confusion. It also integrates with other programs such as NetSuite, Salesforce, Salescloud, Certinia Accounting, other financial management solutions and more. Certinia PSA's overall performance expedites routine operations and governs projects, teams, customers and financial duties with ease, making it a robust and handy software.

Pros & Cons

  • Friendly Interface: Precisely 62% of users stated that the program has an easy implementation process and an intuitive user interface.
  • Strong Performance: Certinia PSA is a single source of information that streamlines procedures and manages projects, teams, patrons and financial tasks, as stated by 65% of users.
  • Oodles of Features: This solution is equipped with a wide range of features including time tracking, resource planning and allocation, reporting, forecasting, bank reconciliation and more, according to 67% of users.
  • Smooth Integrations: Roughly 94% of users say the software can merge with other solutions such as Salesforce, Excel, NetSuite, Certinia Accounting, other CRM programs and more.
  • Customization Limitations: Certinia PSA's customization options may not be as extensive as some users require, potentially leading to workarounds or compromises in tailoring the platform to specific workflows.
  • Usability Challenges: The user interface and overall user experience of Certinia PSA can be complex and require a significant learning curve, particularly for new users or those transitioning from other PSA solutions.
  • Reporting Flexibility: Generating customized reports or accessing specific data points within Certinia PSA may require advanced knowledge or technical expertise, potentially hindering efficient data analysis and decision-making.

Key Features

  • Streamline Resource Allocation: Certinia PSA's resource management accessory enables users to comprehend every quality of a resource schedule such as project time, PTO, non-billable time and more, to maximize staffing and dominate project management. Users can track resource skills, certifications and availability and oversee and tailor utilization measurements to achieve their resource scheduling demands. 
  • Monitor Every Resource: Users can employ the resource management tool to review capacity, backlogs and availability throughout projects. This module can proactively display resource schedule information online 24/7. Users can find, preserve and generate needed resources right away or in the future. 
  • Establish Practical Expectations: This solution offers a sales engagement tool for users to actively participate in the sales cycle to formulate trustworthy quotes and monitor customer expectations. Users can project requirements and prices to create realistic expectations. When users gain visibility in the brainstorming stages of sales, they can boost margins and clientele gratification.    
  • Transparency in the Sales Channel: Users receive whole visibility in the sales channel with the sales engagement tool to plan ahead by recognizing gaps in supply and demand beforehand. Users can also forecast resource requirements before deals close so they can make informed business decisions. 
  • Communicate with Stakeholders and Clientele: The PSA communities accessory enables users to share current data, reports and project plans with internal and external stakeholders. Users can initiate prompt discussions and share the necessary documents. This tool also allows users to convey and work together with customers by sharing project statuses, data and files.  
  • Manage Partners and Subcontractors: Users can employ the PSA communities module to ensure partner and subcontractor stakeholders are in the know by sharing related costs, availability and project influences. This accessory can exhibit partner and subcontractor costs as they occur, automatically submit time and expenses and monitor invoices and vendor cost budgets. 
  • Develop New Projects in One Click: The project management accessory authorizes users to create new projects with one click and all of the significant information is automatically entered. Users can benefit from advanced project templates to reduce time and guarantee cohesive delivery methods for projects to reach positive outcomes.  
  • Launch Elaborate Procedures: Users can execute workflows and strategies with the project management tool. Managers receive configurable views of their assignments, intricate workflows are promptly activated to meet the most complex assignments and resources can be assigned to specific projects or jobs with thorough work breakdown structure (WBS) support. 
  • Gantt Conspicuity: The project management tool also offers hands-on Gantt charts to fully see plans, dependencies and timelines. Users can search and filter project information and dive into single resource schedules. The drag-and-drop component enables users to move or place assignments and effectively respond to changes.  
  • Facilitate Time Entries and Approvals: Users can implement the time and expense management tool to easily modify time for responsibilities and jobs in one place. Users can copy from other schedules or previous weeks. This module allows users to approve procedures through emails, social channel feeds and mobile devices. Bulk approvals come in handy for large quantities of timecards or expenses.  
  • Mobile-Friendly: The time and expense management module is available on the Certinia app so users can input or validate timecards and expenses. Users can also load snapshots of expense receipts. 
  • Oversee Project Profits: Users can leverage the project financials accessory to study the financial progress of a project. They receive authorization to revenue, bookings, backlog, billing, budgets and rate realization any time anywhere. This module enables users to effortlessly filter data by region, practice or group breakdowns. Users can also monitor the project's revenue costs and margins with the project or portfolio-mode views. 
  • Seamless Billing: The project financials module can be utilized to automate the bid to bill process that can be shared with a user's sales, services and finance departments. Users can also bill by time and expense, flat fee and retainer and combine several billing types for one project. This accessory also produces invoices or mixed billing events for the financial backend of a user's choosing.  
  • Set Budget and Watch Progress: Certinia PSA's project financials component has a revenue recognition extension that permits users to create revenue recognition standards to match your business needs or procedures. Users can upload revenue transactions into their financial system and receive complete transparency over what's ready to bill, what's already been billed and what's been invoiced. This tool can monitor actuals against budgets immediately as it occurs. Users can employ access and workflow restrictions to control budget approvals and requested modifications.  
  • Swift Billing and Easy-to-Find Revenue:  The billing and revenue recognition accessory permit users to pass along bills to their preferred financial system. This tool offers instant assembly of billing data as their projects are finished and submitted for flexible approval. Users can implement a protected audit trail for guaranteed compliance and effortlessly input revenue transactions into your financial application. 
  • Real-Time Data and Insights: Users can employ the dashboard and reporting accessory to promptly display performance and essential KPIs. This feature has vigorous, adaptable dashboards and reports and significant data so users can make crucial and punctual administrative decisions. Users can also develop a library of status reports for their archives and adjust automation options to email customizable reports and files. 
  • Role-Based Dashboards: The dashboard and reporting feature is equipped with personalized management dashboards. These dashboards are flexible for executives, resource managers, project managers, financiers and consultants. Users can also create data access rights that align with a particular role and divide metrics to review extra practical metrics.  
OpenAir  Award
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Why We Picked OpenAir

OpenAir, a project management software solution, has received positive feedback from users for its ability to streamline project management processes. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and comprehensive features that enhance efficiency and organization. The software's task management, resource management, collaboration tools, and reporting capabilities have significantly improved project outcomes for many businesses.

Compared to similar products, OpenAir stands out due to its ease of use and adaptability to various project types and sizes. Users have highlighted its intuitive design, which allows for quick adoption and minimal training time. Additionally, OpenAir's flexibility enables businesses to customize workflows, dashboards, and reports to align with their specific needs. This adaptability is crucial for organizations with diverse project requirements and evolving processes.

OpenAir is well-suited for businesses of all sizes seeking to enhance their project management practices. Its scalability and comprehensive features make it an ideal choice for small teams, large enterprises, and everything in between. The software's ability to centralize project information, facilitate collaboration, and provide real-time insights empowers teams to make informed decisions, optimize resource allocation, and deliver projects on time and within budget.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: The system is easy to use and intuitive, as noted by approximately 86% of users who mention the system’s usability.
  • Time Tracking and Expense Reports: Approximately 90% of the users reviewed think this feature increases their productivity and effectiveness.
  • Customization: Nearly 75% of the users reviewed find this feature to be quite robust.
  • Reporting: About 57% of the users reviewed find its reporting capabilities to be helpful and informative.
  • Support: Nearly 67% of the users reviewed think the support offered by OpenAir is helpful.
  • Cost: Nearly 100% of users who mentioned cost reported that OpenAir’s offerings were too expensive for smaller businesses or prohibitive.
  • Implementation: The physical implementation process misses the mark, and can be difficult according to 70% of reviewers who mention implementation.
  • Intuitive Interface: Nearly 65% of the users reviewed think that the interface is not intuitive and that administrative tools are limited.
  • Bugs: Approximately 100% of users that mentioned bugs or slowdowns think that the system is clunky and disrupts work.
  • Integration: Nearly 60% of the users who mention integration think that integration between OpenAir and NetSuite is not seamless. Also, Microsoft Projects importing is not smooth.

Key Features

  • Time Tracking: Customizes timesheet approvals by client and project, supports multi-level and project-based approvals and lets users track leave and vacation time. View who is in or out of the office to schedule meetings and appointments. Add notes and descriptions to each input, and sort time by billable and non-billable hours.  
  • Project Management: Users can view the complete status of a project to keep tasks on-track and reduce the potential for errors or incomplete deliverables. Develop “what if” project planning scenarios to adjust margins, billing rates, pricing and staffing. Also supports Gantt charts, project status summaries and exceptions reports.  
  • Reporting/Dashboard: Dashboards reflect KPIs on initial login. Present profit margins, resource utilization and projected vs. actual budgets as graphs to make development of actionable insights faster and easier. Build reports using drag-and-drop tools. 
  • Resource Management: View labor resource allocation and deploy staff members to different projects based on experience, skills, availability and more. using the resource management tool. Deploy labor resources from across the globe, attribute work back to the correct project teams and bill labor resources in the appropriate currency.  
  • Expense Tracking: Integrates with workflows like project accounting and invoicing to expedite the expense management cycle, including expense submission, approval and reporting. Expenses are tied directly to projects, eliminating confusion regarding where an expense came from and who should be billed.  
  • Invoicing: Supports multi-currency and multi-taxation requirements such as PST, VAT and GST. Manages finances from the time a bid is prepared to the time an internal charge-back is issued. Project profitability is tracked on a case-by-case basis due to the complexity of measuring ROI for diverse projects. Revenue recognition is conducted separately from project billing. 
Polaris PSA  Award
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Why We Picked Polaris PSA

User reviews for Polaris PSA paint a picture of a powerful, albeit demanding, PSA tool. Many praise its intuitiveness and flexibility, with one user calling it "a breath of fresh air compared to clunky legacy systems." It stands out in its comprehensive project management, effortlessly handling everything from planning to billing within one platform. Another user loved "ditching the patchwork of apps we used before and having everything in Polaris." However, Polaris' learning curve can be steep. "It's not as pick-up-and-play as some simpler tools," admitted a reviewer. The initial setup can also be complex, especially for smaller teams. This complexity, while offering deep customization, led some to feel limited in tailoring it to specific workflows. "We have a unique process, and while Polaris is flexible, it took more work than expected to get it just right," shared one user. Performance isn't always flawless, with occasional lag and bugs reported, particularly on older systems. Despite these hiccups, many appreciate Polaris' robust reporting and data-driven insights, with one user exclaiming, "Finally, we can make informed decisions based on actual data, not just gut feeling!" Ultimately, Polaris PSA shines for its comprehensiveness and power, but demands investment in training and setup. Users often compare it to Asana or Monday.com, finding it more robust but less user-friendly. If you're a growing team seeking a one-stop PSA solution with deep customization and powerful reporting, Polaris is worth a look. Just be prepared to dedicate some time to mastering its intricacies.

Pros & Cons

  • Intuitive Interface: Users consistently praise Polaris PSA's ease of use, even for those without extensive technical backgrounds.
  • Flexible Customization: The software allows for tailoring to specific workflows and business needs, ensuring a seamless fit within existing processes.
  • Comprehensive Project Management: Users appreciate the ability to manage all project aspects, from planning and scheduling to resource allocation and budgeting, within a single platform.
  • Accurate Time Tracking: Polaris excels at capturing billable hours precisely, streamlining timesheet submission and approval processes.
  • Streamlined Invoicing: Generating accurate invoices based on project data is effortless, leading to faster client billing and improved cash flow.
  • Robust Reporting: The software provides insightful reports on project performance, resource utilization, profitability, and other key metrics, empowering data-driven decision-making.
  • Learning Curve: Users report a steeper learning curve compared to simpler PSA tools.
  • Initial Setup Complexity: Setting up Polaris PSA can be complex for smaller teams or those with limited technical expertise.
  • Limited Workflow Customization: While flexible, some users find it challenging to tailor the software to highly specialized workflows.
  • Performance Issues: Users have reported occasional lag or glitches, especially on older hardware or with large datasets.
  • Software Bugs: While uncommon, some users have encountered bugs that require technical support to resolve.
  • Pricing Concerns: Polaris PSA's pricing can be higher compared to some basic PSA tools, especially for smaller businesses.

Key Features

  • Live Intelligence: Harvest live information through its SmartBeats interface that provides a 360 degree view of how actions impact business. Visualize and filter data within MissionControl and display recommendations relevant to a user’s role. 
  • Project Management: Reference historical metrics to create pipelines and budgets for new clients. Oversee beats in each stage or improve collaboration with instant updates and feedback. Push notifications to manage project statuses and expenses. 
  • Financial Forecasting: Track resource costs, billing rates and finance benchmarks using SmartBudget. Simulate prices, revenue and other factors to strategically bid on accounts. 
  • Client Management: Organize customers, vendors, funding institutions or sales partners under the client entity. Share workload reports and presentations to define project metrics. Deliver account support in the consolidated view to assess project recommendations, billing and client profiles. 
  • Governance:  Achieve compliance by setting validation rules for forms and attachments. Simplify complex workflows by creating checklists and forming breakdown structures to monitor process adherence. Adapt to users in different time zones, currencies and languages. 
  • Time and Expense Tracking: Create customized or pre-populated timesheets for faster submission. Track time and expenses from a desktop or mobile device with built-in GPS tracking and geofencing capabilities. Enable automatic approvals, upload receipts or manage availability and budgets. 
  • Resource Allocation: Configure dimensional reports to determine availability and pinpoint underutilized resources. Reduce training time and create positions based on skills needed or assign placeholders to account for pending projects. Leverage the recommendation engine Smartmatch to analyze talent and recommend applicants based on skill rating to expedite hiring efforts. 
  • Billing and Invoicing: Create rate structures to accommodate versatile contracts and eliminate invoice discrepancies. Offer flexible billing plans specific to the user level, role or other combinations. Manage invoices, track delinquencies and monitor financial health in real-time. 
  • Integrations: Connect platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams and Quickbooks for seamless workflows. Increase revenue and engagement with the use of its open APIs. 
Deltek Vantagepoint  Award
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Why We Picked Deltek Vantagepoint

Deltek Vantagepoint has carved out a niche for itself in the project management software market, attracting a loyal following of users who appreciate its comprehensive features and robust capabilities. Feedback from the past year highlights several key strengths that set Vantagepoint apart from its competitors. Users consistently praise its ease of use, flexibility, and scalability, making it a suitable choice for businesses of all sizes. The software's intuitive interface and customizable dashboards provide a clear overview of project progress, financials, and resource allocation, empowering project managers to make informed decisions and keep projects on track. Additionally, Vantagepoint's ability to integrate with other business systems, such as accounting and CRM platforms, streamlines workflows and enhances overall efficiency.

However, some users have noted that Vantagepoint's extensive functionality can lead to a steeper learning curve compared to simpler project management tools. While the software offers comprehensive training resources and support options, navigating its full range of features may require additional time and effort, particularly for new users. Furthermore, a few users have mentioned that Vantagepoint's pricing structure can be complex, with various modules and add-ons available, making it essential for businesses to carefully evaluate their specific needs and budget considerations.

Deltek Vantagepoint is well-suited for project-based businesses across various industries, including professional services, construction, engineering, and government contracting. Its ability to handle complex projects, manage resources effectively, and provide real-time financial insights makes it an invaluable tool for organizations that prioritize project control, profitability, and client satisfaction. Whether it's a small team managing a handful of projects or a large enterprise overseeing a diverse portfolio, Vantagepoint offers the scalability and flexibility to adapt to evolving business requirements. Its focus on project intelligence, collaboration, and financial management empowers businesses to optimize their operations and achieve successful project outcomes.

Pros & Cons

  • Centralized Project Data: Vantagepoint acts as a single source of truth, keeping project details like schedules, budgets, and resource allocation organized and accessible in one place. This can help teams stay aligned and avoid confusion caused by scattered information.
  • Real-Time Insights: The platform provides real-time dashboards and reports, offering immediate visibility into project performance. This allows project managers to quickly identify potential issues, track progress against goals, and make data-driven decisions.
  • Resource Management: Vantagepoint helps optimize resource allocation by providing tools to track employee skills, availability, and workload. This ensures the right people are assigned to the right tasks, preventing overbooking or underutilization of resources.
  • Collaboration Tools: The platform facilitates communication and collaboration among team members through features like discussion boards, file sharing, and instant messaging. This can improve teamwork, reduce email clutter, and keep everyone informed about project updates.
  • Financial Management: Vantagepoint includes robust financial management tools, enabling project managers to track budgets, expenses, and invoices. This helps ensure projects stay within budget and provides insights into profitability.
  • Steep Learning Curve: Deltek Vantagepoint's extensive features and functionalities can overwhelm new users, requiring significant time investment to achieve proficiency.
  • Customization Challenges: Adapting the software to specific workflows or unique project requirements can be complex and may necessitate assistance from Deltek consultants or experienced administrators.
  • Reporting Limitations: Generating customized reports or extracting specific data points might involve intricate steps or require familiarity with the software's underlying data structure.
  • Integration Complexity: Integrating Deltek Vantagepoint with other essential business systems or third-party applications can pose technical challenges and may require additional configuration or middleware.
  • Performance Concerns: Users occasionally report performance issues, particularly in large-scale implementations or when handling substantial data volumes, leading to potential slowdowns or system lags.

Key Features

  • Project Management: Avoid schedule and cost overruns by monitoring deliverable progress. Make adjustments to meet client demands and stay on track while informing managers of potential risks. Increase project profitability by expediting invoice approvals and reviews while using dashboards for a glance into project financials. 
  • Accounting and Financial Management: Allocate expenses to the correct projects by producing accurate invoices. Automate vendor invoice approvals while monitoring payment status to improve cash flow. Predict and regulate future cash flows by scheduling vendor payments with precision. 
  • Reporting and Business Intelligence: Get visibility into the entire business by accessing single view metrics. Customize dashboards to view relevant data. Instantly access financial metrics to get a pulse on business performance. Customize to deliver understandable reports to the right people. 
  • Resource Management: Manage resources proactively by putting qualified people on important projects. Boost utilization by building profitable project plans while balancing fluctuating workloads. Adjust resources to meet changing demands while securing resources from the start of an initiative. Construct scenarios to find the best project solutions. 
  • CRM and Pipeline Management: Nurture client relationships by creating new contacts, follow-up tasks and setting reminders. Design and manage pursuits from initiation, negotiation and contract management. Identify and pursue profitable projects while increasing client satisfaction and business growth. 
  • Project Command Center: Control all project information from one place, including proposal, planning and financial management. Get overarching visibility into projects from initiation to completion across the organization. Make informed decisions using actionable insights. 
Kantata  Award
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Why We Picked Kantata

Overall, users find Kantata a robust PSA program with an extensive amount of features such as quote management, capital management, time and expense tracking, reporting, invoicing, project overview and more. It's configurable, so users may adjust it to fit their business practices. It's built on Salesforce and integrates with Peoplesoft Financials, Sage Intacct and separate resource management applications. Customer support and designated software experts offer helpful troubleshooting techniques and resources. Although the user interface is a bit difficult to master and the implementation process is long, most users believe Kantata is well worth it.

Pros & Cons

  • On-Par Customer Support: Approximately 94% of users say Kantata's customer support and/or designated software expert is efficient in providing resources and troubleshooting issues.
  • Effective Performance: The platform's speed and quality of performance is excellent, as stated by 66% of users.
  • Flexible: Nearly 80% of users reported Kantata as a flexible solution that is configurable to their business needs.
  • Features Aplenty: Kantata has an assortment of various accessories to streamline productivity and display the overall health of a project including data and analytics, project overview, time and expense tracking, quote management and more, according to 68% of users.
  • Useful Mobile App: Precisely 71% of users say the mobile app is proficient with timesheets and the ability to take photos of receipts.
  • Integratable: Kantata integrates with several programs including Peoplesoft Financials, Sage Intacct and resource management tools, as stated by 73% of users.
  • Steep Learning Curve: Kantata's extensive customization options and complex interface can be overwhelming for new users, leading to a prolonged onboarding process and potential frustration.
  • Resource Management Challenges: Some users find it difficult to effectively manage resources and allocate tasks due to limitations in resource forecasting and scheduling tools.
  • Reporting Limitations: Generating customized reports or accessing real-time data insights can be cumbersome, requiring manual effort or workarounds.

Key Features

  • Plan Accordingly: The foresight analytics accessory allows teams to plot future business performances. It also aids operational teams in managing routine resourcing and project management. 
  • Model Projects: Users can employ the proposal modeler tool on future projects to evaluate profitability with precision. Extensive project plans gauge components such as resource efforts, margins and expenses. 
  • Maintain Resources: The resource planning feature allows users to pinpoint the required skills and available resources for projects. It also offers accurate scenarios to maximize resources. 
  • Varying Modes of Delivery: Users can utilize various delivery methods, such as waterfall, agile and more, to give up-to-date expected efforts, costs and margins. The intelligent insights component detects risks and issues early so users can promptly take action. 
  • Generate Accurate Invoices: The billing engine element assures users that all revenues are invoiced in real-time to magnify cash flow and deplete debt. Invoices can be drafted with either step-by-step or batch processing. 
  • Build Customer Relationships: Users can use the CRM module to improve outcomes and forge stronger relationships with their clientele by connecting and partnering with them during project deliveries.  
Scoro  Award
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Why We Picked Scoro

Scoro comes equipped with a control center that allows users to create, transfer and assign tasks. It also generates alerts automatically from the calendar. It is user-friendly, and the interface is intuitive. Its advertising management tool is also quite helpful. Many users find the cost prohibitive, and it does not support Gantt charts. Integrations with Outlook and QuickBooks aren't smooth.

Pros & Cons

  • User Friendly: The system is easy to use and intuitive, as noted by approximately 96% of users who mention the system’s usability.
  • Interface: Nearly 73% of the users that mention the interface think it is quite intuitive and easy to navigate.
  • Control Center: Approximately 81% of the users reviewed think that the Control Center’s many features are useful and increase efficiency.
  • Timesheet Tracking: About 54% of users who mention time-sheet tracking find it helpful for organization and work tracking.
  • Cost: Nearly 100% of users who mentioned cost reported that Asana’s premium offerings were too expensive for smaller businesses or as prohibitive.
  • Integrations: Available integrations are not seamless, as reported by 64% of reviewers who mention integrations.
  • Mobile App: Almost 100% of the users who mention the mobile app think it is difficult to use and does not add value. They prefer the web version of the software.
  • Reporting: Nearly 55% of the users who mention the reporting feature don’t find it useful. It does not offer Gantt charts.

Key Features

  • Project Management: Manage budgets, a project portfolio and planned tasks from one central page. Allocate billable and non-billable work and stay aware of the team’s progress in real time. 
  • Work Scheduling and Tracking: Has a planner that provides a visual overview of deadlines, individual employees’ workload, open slots and potential over-bookings. Link projects and events with a shared team calendar. Manage tasks by priorities, deadlines, statuses and projects using task lists.  
  • Financial Management: Automate invoice reminders, send invoices as PDF files and keep track of purchases and costs with financial management features. Advanced capabilities include forecasting, budget scenario comparison and the option to set multi-currency custom rates based on team members, clients or projects.  
  • Customer Relationship Management: Manage customers with an intuitive contact list. View communication history, invoices, projects, quotes, orders and contact information on one page. Search, sort or filter contacts based on location, latest activity and more.  
  • Quoting and Sales: Compiles quotes, sends them as PDFs and converts them into purchase orders. Provides an overview of the sales funnel.  
  • Reporting and Dashboard: The dashboard displays real-time company data like KPIs, actionable items and conversions. Generates financial reports and displays what the team is spending time on, missed deadlines and unassigned tasks. 
CloudBlue PSA  Award
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$9,000
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Why We Picked CloudBlue PSA

CloudBlue PSA emerges as a compelling contender, particularly for tech and service-oriented companies. User feedback from the past year paints a picture of a platform celebrated for its user-friendly interface and robust feature set, encompassing project management, time tracking, billing, resource management, and customer relationship management. Reviewers frequently highlight the software's ability to centralize internal systems, streamlining operations from sales to production, enhancing client communication, and simplifying revenue and invoicing processes. The service desk workflows receive consistent praise for their efficiency and modern design, making CloudBlue PSA a top choice for businesses prioritizing streamlined operations.

However, no software is without its drawbacks. Some users note limitations in customizing screens for end-users, potentially leading to confusion among employees navigating unfamiliar fields and options. Additionally, while CloudBlue PSA offers integration capabilities, some reviewers express a desire for more extensive integration options with other systems. Despite these limitations, CloudBlue PSA stands out for its comprehensive customer management features, providing a holistic view of each client, including quotes, orders, invoices, tickets, inventory, and projects. This 360-degree perspective empowers businesses to manage customer relationships effectively at all levels. Ultimately, CloudBlue PSA appears best suited for small to medium-sized tech and service businesses seeking an affordable, user-friendly, and feature-rich solution to manage their operations and elevate customer satisfaction.

Pros & Cons

  • Streamlined Billing: CloudBlue PSA helps automate recurring billing, invoicing, and payments, which can save time and reduce errors. It also offers usage-based billing capabilities, which can be helpful for businesses that sell cloud-based services.
  • Improved Project Management: The platform provides tools for managing projects, including task management, time tracking, and resource allocation. This can help businesses to stay on top of their projects and ensure that they are completed on time and within budget.
  • Enhanced Customer Support: CloudBlue PSA includes a ticketing system that can help businesses to track and resolve customer issues. It also offers a self-service portal that allows customers to submit tickets and track the status of their requests.
  • Integrations: CloudBlue PSA integrates with a variety of other business applications, such as accounting software, CRM systems, and marketing automation tools. This can help businesses to streamline their operations and improve efficiency.
  • Clunky UI: The user interface can feel outdated and cumbersome, making navigation and task completion less efficient than it could be. The platform's visual design and layout may appear dated compared to more modern software options.
  • Customization Challenges: Adapting the platform to specific workflows or unique business requirements can be difficult due to limitations in customization options. Users may find it challenging to tailor the system to their exact needs, potentially leading to workarounds or compromises in their processes.
  • Reporting Limitations: Generating reports or extracting meaningful insights from data may be hindered by limitations in the reporting capabilities. Users might encounter challenges in creating custom reports or accessing the specific data they need for analysis, potentially impacting decision-making processes.

Key Features

  • Holistic Overview: Determine beneficial solutions through 360 degree views of tasks, clients and revenue. Use real-time updates of project pipelines or expenses to scale capability and examine customer metrics to track profitability. 
  • Lead Analyzer: Generate leads automatically using website traffic data. Manage marketing analytics and track revenue from lead generation to contract renewal in one dashboard. 
  • Adaptive Billing: Create flexible subscription plans or incentivize bundling products. Secure revenue by using auto-renewal and monitoring contractual changes. Automate billing processes and manage sales, finance and operational processes. 
  • Public Supply Chain: Publish items on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud platforms. Maximize profit by offering XaaS bundles and set order parameters to streamline fulfillment and increase product availability. 
  • Marketplace Management: Equip partners with a branded storefront and customized catalogs. Manage global sellers through unified onboarding and provide product training on co-sell items. Create shareable tools and network with new partners to expand customer segments.  
  • Vendor Management: Collaborate with suppliers and enroll new vendors from one centralized place. Offer flexible contract options, create promotional packages and customize offer plans with existing distributors to drive engagement. 
  • Inventory Management: Distribute product information with consistency across all channels. Align with competition by offering market-based price points.  
  • RMM Functionality: Perform system analyses, sync assets or automatically manage tickets using integrated MSP software. Access reports or set system-wide policies such as alerts and canned responses to resolve concerns faster. 
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Why We Picked Changepoint SA

Changepoint SA shines in its ability to provide a comprehensive view of project portfolios, empowering users to make data-driven decisions. Its robust reporting capabilities allow for the creation of insightful reports and dashboards, offering valuable insights into project health, resource allocation, and financial performance. Users appreciate the ability to drill down into granular details, enabling them to identify potential roadblocks and proactively address them. Additionally, Changepoint SA's integration with other business systems, such as CRM and ERP, streamlines data flow and enhances overall efficiency.

While Changepoint SA offers a wealth of features, some users find the interface to be less intuitive than competing products. The learning curve can be steep, particularly for those new to PPM software. Additionally, the mobile experience could be improved to provide greater flexibility for users on the go. Despite these drawbacks, Changepoint SA's strengths lie in its ability to handle complex project portfolios and provide deep insights into project performance. This makes it an ideal choice for large enterprises and professional services organizations with intricate project structures and a need for robust reporting and analytics.

Pros & Cons

  • Adaptable Project Management: Users appreciate the ability to manage projects using various methodologies, including Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid approaches, making it suitable for diverse project needs and preferences.
  • Resource Management Capabilities: The platform's resource management features, such as skills tracking and capacity planning, enable efficient allocation of resources and optimization of project staffing.
  • Financial Management Tools: Changepoint SA provides tools for budgeting, expense tracking, and revenue recognition, facilitating comprehensive financial oversight of projects and overall business performance.
  • Business Intelligence and Reporting: Users value the platform's reporting and analytics capabilities, which offer insights into project performance, resource utilization, and financial metrics, aiding data-driven decision-making.
  • Integrations and Customization: Changepoint SA's ability to integrate with other business systems and its customization options allow users to tailor the platform to their specific workflows and requirements.
  • Customization Limitations: Some users find that tailoring the platform to their specific workflows can be challenging due to limited customization options for certain features, like data fields and reporting formats.
  • Usability Challenges: Navigating the interface and locating specific functions can be cumbersome for new users due to the platform's complex structure and extensive feature set. The learning curve can be steep, requiring significant time investment to achieve proficiency.
  • Mobile App Functionality: The mobile app's functionality is limited compared to the web version, which can hinder productivity for users who require on-the-go access to project management tools. Certain features may be unavailable or have reduced capabilities in the mobile app.

Key Features

  • Opportunity Management: Evaluate, trace and predict an opportunity's resource and billing tools to strengthen service delivery and sales effectivity. 
  • Contract Management: Meet operational success by accurately governing contract elements including billing methods and expenses throughout each new engagement. 
  • Resource Management: Review and administer the entire resource arsenal to allocate the ideal resources that pertain to the right projects at the right time for effective project deliveries. 
  • Project Management: Maintain existing and forthcoming projects and engagements. This provides users with enhanced productivity and precise project metrics while keeping projects on budget and in a timely manner.  
  • Time and Expense Management: Obtain access to time and expenses tracking at any time from any location via any device with the time and expense management accessory, thus boosting financial precision and experiencing real-time revenue recognition. 
  • Robust Analytics: Drive insights and data with recommended visualizations (charts, graphs, etc.) and AI through IBM Watson. 
  • Financial Management and Revenue Recognition: Supervise the financial status of projects and currencies with real-time data, thoughtful budgeting and cost distribution with the financial management and revenue recognition idiosyncrasy. 
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Why We Picked ConnectWise Manage

ConnectWise Manage is an effective PSA tool capable of executing job costing, time tracking, ticketing, project management, sending purchase orders, connecting to machinery and more. It integrates with accounting, sales, other ConnectWise software and more in addition to keeping users organized by sorting client information, tickets and more. Although ConnectWise Manage occasionally lags in performance, has a high pricing plan, a scattered customer support base and a clunky interface, most users believe it's worth every penny.

Pros & Cons

  • Abundant Features: ConnectWise Manage is equipped with a variety of features such as client communication, time tracking, ticketing, lead tracking, reporting, delivering purchase orders, quoting and more, according to 62% of users.
  • Integratable: Approximately 69% of users reported that ConnectWise Manage integrates with a vast amount of products including other ConnectWise solutions, Automate, Auvik, and LogicMonitor as well as certain sales and accounting solutions.
  • Arrange Client Information: Users remain organized by sorting client contact information, crucial documents, tickets and more, as reported by nearly 100% of users.
  • Highly Configurable: Roughly 57% of users reported that ConnectWise Manage is modifiable to align with their business needs.
  • Overwhelming Setup: When conveying how they felt about implementation, 42% of users stated that the setup tables are not user-friendly and there's an overwhelming number of customization choices.
  • Dated Interface: Approximately 71% of users conveyed that the interface is ugly, old and clunky compared to Zoho and Bullhorn. Users also report that there's a tough learning curve.
  • Inconsistent Customer Support: ConnectWise Manage's customer support is on a hit-or-miss basis, according to 90% of users. Some customer support agents allocate the best solutions and some don't. There's also a slow response time in offering the ideal troubleshooting resources.
  • Lagging Mobile Capabilities: Roughly 100% of users stated that ConnectWise Manage's mobile app does not match with its desktop or cloud counterparts.
  • High Price Tag: The overall cost of the system combined with its varying levels of support comes with a high price tag according to approximately 100% of users.
  • Slow as Molasses: Precisely 100% of users say ConnectWise Manage has a slow loading time when performing various tasks, including opening the right help tickets.

Key Features

  • Help Desk: ConnectWise Manage can track all ticket requests as they enter the system through different avenues, such as live chat, phone and email. ConnectWise Chat allows clients to enable instant online chat functionality and logs the information learned through these communications. The help desk feature also includes a customizable ticketing dashboard where users can view factors such as time-to-resolution history, team resources and total billable hours. 
  • Agreements: This tool automates the management of client contracts along with recurring billing parameters. Agreement templates are included in the system and can be customized to adjust factors such as support coverage and billing rates. The program can also help prioritize tickets based on client expectations. 
  • Account Management: ConnectWise Manage contains a centralized system where all customer interaction is stored, including purchases, communications, tickets and products so that reiterative information isn’t entered and the sales process can be streamlined. The program also develops standardized workflows for tasks such as client onboarding and ticket resolution to ensure a consistent customer experience. KPI and financial reporting are included to see where a customer stands financially with a company. 
  • Sales and Marketing: This program enables users to create and track sales opportunities. Campaign metrics such as links clicked and emails opened can also be monitored to assist with lead scoring. Customizable HTML email templates are available to help target specific groups. Automatic notifications of deals to close, opportunities that were won and agreements to renew keep sales teams up-to-date and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. 
  • Procurement: ConnectWise Manage can sync up with QuickBooks easily to facilitate operations between accounting and inventory management. The program allows users to visualize materials and products that need to be ordered per set minimum stock levels. The solution can also adjust inventory count and manage inventory quantities. Information can be shared between sales and procurement to provide more visibility into the work of other departments. 
  • Time Tracking and Billing: The system tracks billable and non-billable hours and can allocate them to specific agreements and SLAs. Accountability tools are included in the program to make the process of obtaining approvals less of a hassle. Time on-site can also be tracked through the solution so that users can ensure that they are getting paid for all of the time that they spend working on a project. 
  • Project Management: Sales opportunities can be quickly converted into projects so that nothing slips through the cracks between workflows and so that project-related tasks can begin immediately. ConnectWise Manage also gives users visibility over different project aspects such as resources, roadblocks, timelines and statuses. Project templates can be customized and used to streamline project workflows and ensure consistency. 
  • Reporting: ConnectWise Manage’s reporting functionality includes the ability to see how many assets an organization has on-hand along with inventory levels. Inventory management costs can be calculated based on this information. Tickets can also be reviewed, assigned and closed through this tool. 

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ComplyWorks

by ComplyWorks
ComplyWorks
ComplyWorks offers a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline risk management and compliance tasks. This platform is particularly well-suited for industries with stringent regulatory requirements, such as construction, energy, and manufacturing, due to its robust capabilities in managing contractor compliance, safety protocols, and workforce qualifications. Users appreciate the software's intuitive interface, which simplifies the tracking of compliance documents and the monitoring of risk factors in real-time. One of the standout features is its ability to automate compliance workflows, reducing administrative burdens and minimizing human error. Additionally, the software provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, enabling organizations to make informed decisions based on accurate data. Pricing for ComplyWorks typically varies based on the number of users and the specific modules required, with options for monthly or annual payments, making it flexible for different budgetary needs. Compared to similar products, users often highlight ComplyWorks' user-friendly design and the efficiency it brings to compliance management. The platform's ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems further enhances its appeal, ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing operation. Overall, ComplyWorks stands out for its reliability and effectiveness in mitigating risks and ensuring compliance.
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Buyer's Guide

PSA Software Is All About Boosting Team Collaboration and Meeting Project Demands

PSA Software Buyer's Guide Intro Header

Purchasing new PSA software is like bookstore shopping because of the diversity of choices. Professional services automation software builds collaboration, manages project aspects and governs resources.

If you need to update your current system or you're a first-time PSA software buyer, you've come to the right place. This buyer's guide covers all things PSA, including benefits, features, trends and solutions.

Executive Summary

  • PSA software helps businesses centralize information and automate processes like ERP software.
  • Key features include project management, resource management, accounting and more.
  • Main industry trends include cloud computing, remote service delivery and customer collaboration.
  • Ask potential vendors questions about their services and products before making purchases.

What Is PSA Software?

PSA software is a system that automates processes and streamlines workflows for professional services and projects. Operations range from administrative duties to client scheduling and service deliveries.

Some professional services automation software types include:

PSA Industries

Some PSA industries include:

  • Accounting
  • Advertising
  • Consulting
  • Engineering
  • Law Firms/Lawyers
  • Marketing
  • IT Firms

Deployment Methods

Like most software, PSA tools work with on-premise and cloud deployments. Each tactic has its advantages and shortcomings.

  • On-premise: Host software, KPIs and other information on your company hard drives.
  • Cloud: Access software, project data and more on mobile devices with strong internet connections. You may also safeguard data with permissions, data encryption, multi-factor authentication and more. Cloud solutions may be more reliable if you travel or own many worksites.

Primary Benefits

Professional services software comes with numerous advantages, including boosting collaboration, managing profits, saving money and centralizing data.

PSA Software Benefits

Enhance Collaboration

Real-time collaboration accessories simplify oversea and remote partner collaboration.

Imagine hosting live video calls with your global stakeholders instead of sending emails. Remote work has never been more valuable. Centralized teamwork keeps everyone in the loop about modifications and changes.

Supervise Profits

Billing and invoicing modules manage all payments that enter or leave your company. This supervision enables patrons to pay you faster. You also differentiate cash cow and dud projects to make better business decisions.

For example, you own a shoe company, and a client wants shoes with small TV screens. You can converse with your team to determine profitability, expenses, materials and more.

Convert quotes into payments and report transactions to avoid financial bottlenecks. This extra monitoring allows you to stay abreast of where your money goes.

Increase Visibility

PSA systems' centralization offers better accuracy across departments and detects problems.

Let's say, for example, that you have new, last-minute changes in your revenue before the year closes out. Your financial leader can input the data into the system and it will carry over into your books in real time.

Reduce Administrative Tasks

This system automates repetitive tasks so you can focus on other responsibilities. This automation can boost productivity, customer satisfaction rates and profits.

You gain more time making shoes, meeting on-time deliveries and increasing profits. You'll gain more customers because of your productivity.

Save Money

PSA solutions diminish spreadsheets and manual data inputting, saving money, time and errors. If a mistake does occur, you can rectify it once and update everything in real time.

You also save money on internal IT teams. PSA, like ERP and other business solutions, is manageable. If you need maintenance or updates, you can reach out to your software vendor's support team.

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Implementation Goals

Goal 1

Maintain Project Data

Centralization eliminates the need to switch to other applications and saves time.

This software also prevents duplicate data entries since you enter information once.

You can review project budgets, milestones, client data, resources and more.

Goal 2

Make Better Business Decisions

Greater visibility allows more thorough project cost tracking. With more accurate data in hand, PSA tools can provide better analysis and reports.

These reports are handy for making strategic business decisions.

Goal 3

Automate Client Billing Workflows

Access a centralized hub to manage your invoices and associated accounts.

Personalize bills with custom colors, logos and more. Deliver automatic invoices and review statuses, such as seen, paid or late.

Goal 4

Gain In-depth Reporting

Leverage real-time reporting and analytical modules for fast client and company data gathering.

You can also record this detailed information for auditing purposes.

Goal 5

Increase Customer Satisfaction

Strengthen on-time, high-quality projects with automatic tasks, improved collaboration and increased productivity.

Consumers will grow because you deliver and meet their standards.

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Basic Features & Functionality

Project Management

Find team members with the appropriate skills to maintain projects. Historical data helps managers forecast project completion dates, ROIs and required resources.

Scheduling tools also fall under project management. Setting task deadlines is essential in maintaining your timelines and staying organized.

PSA tools usually include automatic alerts of looming due dates and unfinished jobs. Some automated reports detail a project's progress based on completed tasks and goals.

Resource Management

Visualize all project resources for planning and revising. This module makes rapid obstacle predictions and guides resource redirection.

Assign resources to projects based on skill levels and schedules. Manage staff on an individual level to determine underutilized or overworked employees.

Time and Expense Management

Supervise the amount of time each project contributor spends on their assigned tasks. Determine productivity and build a database to forecast similar project completion dates.

Expense tracking helps managers supervise accrued expenses by team members during project lifespans. This information also offers data to predict future project costs and resource management.

Invoice Management

Stay on top of your payment deadlines and manage invoices sent to your patrons for payment. Some features offer customization tools to include business logos and colors on invoices.

You also receive notifications when clients receive and pay invoices.

Project Accounting

Govern all revenue and expenses to aid in budget management.

Suppose you need accounts payable and receivable, payroll and other bookkeeping tools. You can use standalone accounting tools that integrate with your PSA system.

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Advanced Features & Functionality

Contract Management

Check several contracts in a centralized location instead of separate tabs.

Software Integrations

PSA solutions integrate with CRM, accounting, payroll, project management and other software (i.e., Trello, Sage Intacct, Asana, QuickBooks and more).

These integrations offer a centralized view of data.

Opportunity Management

Superintend client information from sales activities and proposals to contracts and more. You can also invest in CRM tools to maintain this and other client-related data.

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Current & Upcoming Trends

Technological trends also affect your organization's profitability. These trends can crop up as you browse PSA solutions. Invest in the technology that best meets your company's objectives.

PSA Software Trends

Cloud Computing

Most PSA and non-PSA vendors offer cloud solutions because of the versatility. You can access real-time data on all mobile devices. This access is likely why Research and Markets predicts the global cloud computing market could value at $1,240.9 billion in 2027.

Vendors usually offer extra security precautions. These tactics include:

  • Two-step/Multi-factor Authentication: Gain various authentication modes to log into your solution. These methods include facial recognition, text message access codes, fingerprint recognition and more.
  • Access Permissions: Restrict user access to sensitive company information based on their credentials.
  • Data Encryption: Embed data with illegible codes. Encryption keys are the only things that can decipher these scrambled writings.

Suppose you have a company with global or national partners. Unifying teammates on projects, meetings and more allows for efficient communication and suggestions. You can also make vital business choices.

Remote Work and Service Delivery

Remote work and digital workplaces increased in size because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most companies are requiring employees to return to the office. Some businesses offer an all-remote or hybrid process. This hybrid method enables workers to come into the office a few days a week, and work from home on other days.

All-remote and hybrid flexibility is likely why Market Research Future predicts the digital workplace market may exceed $76.6 billion in 2027.

Team and Customer Collaboration

It's also significant to open the gates of collaboration for clients. Keeping patrons satisfied is crucial to revenue and preserving your company's positive reputation.

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Software Comparison Strategy

The software selection process begins with a close examination of your business needs. Like snowflakes, no two professional service organizations are alike.

Focus on your unique circumstances and ensure you meet those priorities. This approach prioritizes your business needs and eliminates vendors influencing your choices.

Once you’ve built a list of criteria, you can go back and look at vendors with a better focus. Our PSA requirements template helps you choose the ideal requirements for your company. Gathering requirements is an essential step in our Lean Selection process. Lean Selection is a nine-step selection method for all company sizes and industries.

PSA Software Lean Selection Steps

 

 

 

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Professional services automation software can range from $100 to $100,000 or more. Budget, industry and company size are a few pricing considerations to mull over.

How Much Is Your Budget?

Establish a budget for how much you are willing to spend, and allot extra. Other costs include implementation, data migration, training and maintenance.

Ask suppliers if they offer subscription plans. Pick the plan that meets your required features and budget. Professional services software vendors may also have one-time, annual or monthly payment plans.

What Industry Does Your Company Serve?

PSA serves several industries, including law, IT, architecture, communications and more. It could be embarrassing to buy an RMM program when your company is a law firm or marketing agency. Understand the industry your organization serves and look for the appropriate PSA application. Your business and wallet will thank you.

You also want to know what software type you want. Do you want open-source PSA software (or open-code software), cloud-based or on-premise systems? Think long and hard about it before making purchases.

How Big Is Your Company?

Like most ERP, PSA systems cater to various company sizes. If you run a small law firm, it would be best to invest in a small business system. You may also look for scalable software if you plan to grow your business. Most software doesn't follow a one-size-fits-all approach.

Enterprise-level software may have too many accessories for small or mid-sized companies. A small business program may lack features for an expanding organization. So remember that size matters when investing in new programs.

Do You Need New Software or Add-on Modules?

Your current professional service software may streamline collaboration and manage resources. Yet, this solution may lack proper accounting tools. Look for fusible accounting modules instead of buying new professional services automation software.

But, your company may lean toward new PSA tools because your current system is outdated. You can browse newer PSA solutions and find the system that best aligns with your company's goals.

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Questions To Ask Yourself

Use these questions as starting points for internal conversations about new PSA solutions:

  • How big is our company? How many users will need to access the system?
  • What industry/industries does our company serve?
  • What key pain points are we facing in our current processes?
  • What's our budget?
  • Are we expanding or downsizing our company in the next five to 10 years?
  • What problems will PSA software help us solve?
  • Which deployment option do we want?

Top Questions to Ask About PSA Software

 

 

 

Questions To Ask Vendors

Here are guiding questions to ask potential vendors about their products and services:

About the Software

  • Do you offer customizations for your solutions?
  • What are the core strengths and modules of this software?
  • What security measures does this software provide?
  • Is this software compatible with my existing system?
  • To what extent can this software automate repetitive tasks?

About the Vendor

  • How many years of expertise do you have with our company size and industry?
  • How many successful implementations have you had in the past year?
  • How long does the onboarding process typically take for your product?
  • What's your customer support team's process for handling help requests?
  • Do you offer demos, use cases or proofs-of-concept (POCs) for your products?
  • What training materials do you offer?
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Next Steps

PSA software enhances productivity, improves collaboration and saves money via automated tasks. PSA tools simplify tasks and divides projects into manageable pieces for all industries.

We hope this buyer's guide helped you find the best system to help your company reach new pinnacles.

Are you ready to take the next step? Get started today with our comparison report to gain more insight into top software leaders.

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
Khaleel Hayes is a Technical Content Writer for SelectHub, with over 4 years of experience crafting content for manufacturing, PLM, ERP and technology selection audiences. He's also a freelance writer in his spare time. His body of work includes poetry, short plays, feature articles and film reviews either self-published or in Denver publications. He graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and an English minor from Metropolitan State University of Denver in May 2018. When not writing, he enjoys classic movies and music, tasty burgers, tasteful bookstores, and breathtaking art and photography.
Technical Research By Joan Akash
Senior Analyst
Joan Akash, a Senior Research Analyst at SelectHub, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with a specialization in Marketing. Her expertise as a researcher and reviewer spans diverse software categories, including Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Live Chat, and Help Desk. Beyond her professional pursuits, Joan is spiritually driven, with a passion for teaching children and a penchant for reading biblical blogs and crafting poetry.
Technical Review By Manan Roy
Principal Analyst
Manan is a native of Tezpur, Assam (India), who currently lives in Kolkata, West Bengal (India). At SelectHub, he works on categories like CRM, HR, PPM, BI, and EHR. He has a Bachelor of Technology in CSE from The Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, a Master of Technology from The Institute of Engineering and Management IT, and an MBA in Finance from St. Xavier's College. He's published two research papers, one in a conference and the other in a journal, during his Master of Technology.
Edited By Hunter Lowe
Content Editor
Hunter Lowe is a Content Editor, Writer and Market Analyst at SelectHub. His team covers categories that range from ERP and business intelligence to transportation and supply chain management. Hunter is an avid reader and Dungeons and Dragons addict who studied English and Creative Writing through college. In his free time, you'll likely find him devising new dungeons for his players to explore, checking out the latest video games, writing his next horror story or running around with his daughter.
Edited By Joe Evans
Content Editor
Joe Evans is an Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. A seasoned professional wordsmith, he has a bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media and a decade of professional expertise in crafting top-tier digital content for niche online brands. He leads his small yet formidable team in producing helpful, compelling content in vital categories like HR, payroll, talent management, performance management, marketing automation home health, MES. When not editing and writing, he enjoys sports, quality time with family and dogs, and remains constantly in pursuit of something new and interesting to read or listen to.