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Especially for small and mid-sized companies, project management software is not always an optimal solution. In addition to the cost of software licensing, there are costs for installation, configuration, and long-term maintenance of the software and hardware (server).

In contrast, Software as a Service (SaaS) is simpler. With SaaS, software is not purchased outright, but used as-needed, with costs incurred on a pay-as-you-go subscription basis.

The introduction of a company-wide project management solution represents a big challenge. In order for a project to be done professionally from the beginning, a number of points need to be taken into account. We have summarized for you what we consider the most important factors. This affects more the factors for success that deal with the decision making and introduction process. Here, we will not talk about the essential factors that the tool needs to fulfill.

Evaluating and choosing project and portfolio management software (PPM) for a bigger department or an entire company is usually done top-down. To control the complexity of the decision and the software introduction, individual projects are created. The task of the project team is then not just a decision and implementation of the tool. Classical project management tasks like stakeholder management, risk management, and project marketing are also crucial. When choosing the tools, it is vital to have a method for picking the most appropriate tool from the large number of tool manufacturers. Because of the different demands of the tool and of the individual IT–systems in place, the individual tools that are suitable can be quite different.

Projects are able to attract talent from across the world and project managers are today working with team members located in far flung corners of the globe. Many project personnel feel it would be far more comfortable if team members were physically located together for more effective interaction. The advantage of having members in far-off places is that there is greater concentration on the work, and less room for personal rivalry and misunderstandings. Many project managers agree that the project work output is the same when individual team members are distantly placed - others do not.

The activities of a project manager are diverse and complex. Some of the activities cannot be made easier by using a project management tool. However, where the planning and control of a project are concerned, the use of software can be practical.

 The following may apply in general, or only to specific products.

The new "Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Project and Portfolio Management" has been published. You will find the document as a reprint on many PPM sites.