Top Project Management Software Used

By Brian Rhodes, Published Jan 30, 2018, 10:33am EST

What do integrators use to manage their projects? Nothing? Spreadsheet? MS Project? Online software?

This continues IPVM's series on project management, adding to Integrator Managing Projects Statistics, Security Integrator Project Management Certifications, and Project Plans for Security Integrators.

100+ integrators told IPVM what they software they use.

Project Work Planning Statistics

The largest group of respondents cited using Microsoft products (most typically Project or Excel):

Several ******** ********* ******

*** ******** ** *******, over **%, ********* ***** multiple ************ ** ****** project *******. ** ***** 'all-in-one' ******** ** ****, but ****** *** *********** of **** *********** ** using ***** ** **** applications *** *********** ********, scheduling, ******, *** ************* tasks.

**** *** '*************' *********, specific **** *** ******* deliverables ** ******, **** using ******* *** ********, Microsoft ******* *** ***** Charts, *** ******* *** Scheduling:

"** ** *** *********** Quickbooks, ******* ********, ********* Wordpad, *** ******* ** achieve ****. ************ *'** seen * ***** ***** but *'* *** **** how **'* ***** ********."
"****** (** **** ***) project **********. ***** *** information ** ***, *********** location. ***** (** **** for) ******** ************* ****, GroundPlan (** **** ***) ******** and ******, *** ******** (is **** ***) ******** revisions *** ******* *******."
"** *** ******* ***** is ********* **** ** a ******* ****** ******. But ** **** ********** it *** *********** ******* stages *** **** **********. At *** ****** *** general **** ** ******** this *** ****** *** for ** *** * can ******* ** ****** annual ******* (****?) **** would ****** * ****** issue. ** **** ****** at ***** ******** ********* (Microsoft's ******* ********** ******** most *******), *** **** all ******* **** ********/********** time **** ** **** to ******** ** *** system. *** **** *** out ** ** **** you *** **** **."
"** *** ***** ****** to ********** ***** ********, and ***** ************ ** administer ****** ********"
"********* *******, *****, ******. In ******* ***** ***** I *** ****** **********, cost ******* *** **** management."
"********** *** ***** *** software *** ******** ***** but ** **** **** excel ************ **** **** been ***** **** *** years **** *** ****** good ** ******* ***** thing ** ********."

Microsoft ******** ***

***** ** ****** ******** captured ******* *****, *********'* footprint ** ******* ********** software ** ***********. ******* in *********** **** ***** Microsoft ********, **** **% of ********* ********* ** least *** ********* *********** as * ******* ***** of *** ******* ********** toolbox:

"********* *******, ********* ******, SharePoint. ** **** ****** other **** *********"
"*****, ** *******. **** convenient."
"** *******. ****** ******** and ** ** **** we *** **** **."
"*********- *******, *****, *****, Access. ********** *** * few ***** ************ **** as ****** *** **** calculators."
"**** *** ********* ********* Excel."
"***** *** ******* ********** all ** *** ******** resources **** ** ************** to/from ********** *** ******* purposes, **** **** ***********, estimates, ***."
"** *** ***** *** item ******** & **** management, ***** *** ****** layouts, *** ********/******** ** sync *****/***** ****** *** needed ******* ********. ****** and *** **** **** is ***** $**/**** *** Evernote ***** *** ******* cost *** ********* ****** programs."
"********* *******. **** ********* due ** *** **** of *** ******** **** runs ** *** ** becomes ********** **** ******** systems."

********* *******

********* *********'* *********** ******* PM ******** ********, *** company's ******** ******** *** managing ***** ********* *******, Microsoft *******, *** ******* adoption.

***** *** ********** *****, widespread *********** ********* ** less **** ********, *** common ********* ********* ********** across **** ********** *** clients *** ********** **********.

******* ****** *********** *********** in ********** **** ** reports ** ****** *** can ********* **** * variety ** ******** **** sources ** ******** *****, to * ****** ***** PM ******** ** ***.

******* ****** *******$**/***** *** **** *** the ***** ****** *** version, ** ~$*** *** a ****** **** ***** install, ** ** ~$*,*** for * ****** ***** 'Professional' *****-**** *** ********** version.

Custom ********** ************ ******

**** ********* ***** **** many *********** *** * customized ********* ** ******** packages, ** **** ******* with ***** ********* ** improve ********** ** ***** tasks **** *******, ***** quotations, ** **** **********:

"* *** ********** ** it ** ****** **** my ********** *** ** really **** ******* *** which * ** ******* for."
"** *** ****** *** with ********** ***** ***** ended ** ****** ********* or *** *****. **** and *****, ****** **** anywhere *******."
"********* ******* *** ********** for ******** ********** *** tracking. **** ***** *** cost ******** *** ********."
"********* ******* ** ********* to *** ********** ******** so ****** ******* ******** can ** **** ******, our ******* ******** **** over ******** ***** ** work."
"** *** * **** called ******* ** ******** to *** ******** ********** systems"

******* *** **** ******* of ******** ***** ** integrators, **** ** *** 'minor' ******** ******* * small ****** ** ****** votes. ***** ***** ********* multiple ********:

**********

*********** * *****-*****, ************* spreadsheet ******** ******** ***** Chart ********,********** ****** * ***** ** cloud-based ************ ** ********* like ****** ***, * Suite, *******, *** **********.

******* ****** *******$**/***** *** **** *** the '**********' *******, ** to * **** ** $25/month *** ****, ***** includes ***** ******** **** ****** logos *** ***** *****.

'None' ******, ****** ****** ***********

*******, *** *** *********** use * ******* ***** of ******** *** ******* management. ******, **** **** 10% ** ******* ********* no *** ** ** single ******* ** ***** used, ***** *********** ** color ******** ********** **** situation ** *** ***** and ** ****** ** be *********:

"**** ************, ****** ** have ******* **** ** Project. - ******* ** custom ***, *** *********** now. **** ** ******* up."
"****. ** ****** ** utilised *** ******* *** commissioning ********* ** ***** progress. ** **** *** found * ******** ******* that ***** *** ************."
"**** ** **** ****, but ******* *** * good ********** ******** **** would ********* **** **** we *** *** ********** and *******. *** ****** this ** ******** * problem."
"** * *******, ** don't *** *** ******** project ********** ********."
"** ** ******** **** I ** ***** **."
"****. *** *'* ****** to **** ********** **** D-tools."

Comments (8)

Edward Knoch

01/30/18 04:02pm

If you really don't want to use real scheduling software, there are plenty of excellent spreadsheet based scheduling solutions on the market OR you can build your own. For instance, you can get the following (https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/excel-gantt-chart.html) for free. It's a great tool to get started producing quality Gannt charts - it doesn't do PERT yet, but I'm certain some smarty out there can make that happen.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Edward Knoch | 11/24/20 09:53pm

(I know, old thread.) With all due respects, I wouldn't call a Gantt chart a scheduling tool. I'd call it a project management tool, which is what it was designed for. I'd call a scheduling tool one for scheduling jobs like service and installs.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

01/30/18 05:18pm

Avoid Connectwise like the plague. Slow, clunky and their support is poor. ....from experience...

Michael Miller

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 01/31/18 08:30pm

Are you running a hosted Connectwise server or onsite version?

Armando Perez

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 01/31/18 08:47pm

curious for more details. We just switched to ConnectWise and aside from the steep learning curve were finding it much better than out previous solution.

Michael Gonzalez

Integrated Security Technologies, Inc.
01/31/18 12:35am

I prefer using MS Project Professional for complex projects with a lot of deliverables from a lot of different people or groups. I like to use System Surveyor to plot devices, it's very useful when used on an iPad.

Cody McCormick

01/31/18 05:56pm

As a company we use a couple of softwares...D-tools is a good software for the quoting process. It is clean and very easy to use. Our A/V dept started with it and it is slowly trickling to Security. We also use Tigerpaw. It is a CRM software that completes the project from quoting, to service ordering, to purchasing. Time tracking and scheduling is including in their software suite. it is really geared towards the construction (Security Included) industry.

Rick Gallant

01/31/18 08:57pm

I use Asana for my team's project management. It has a lot of integrations with other software and tools and is really user friendly. I recommend it based on my experience.

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