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Struggling to manage your projects and maintain financial control and transparency? Accounting project management software is the best way to track project financials and progress throughout the project life cycle.

There are plenty of software tools to choose from, so figuring out which is the right option for your organization is tough. I'll help make your choice easy by sharing my picks for the best accounting project management software, as well as my personal experiences using dozens of different tools to invoice clients.

What Is Accounting Project Management Software?

Accounting project management software is a specialized tool designed to integrate accounting functionalities and project management capabilities. This type of software caters to the unique needs of project-based businesses and offers features that allow you to manage both finances and projects.

It typically includes project budgeting and cost tracking, invoicing and billing, expense management, and integration with accounting systems. This type of software helps improve your financial processes, reduce the risk of errors, and make sure financial data is synchronized with project progress.

Overviews Of The 10 Best Accounting Project Management Software

Find a tool that sounds like it meets your needs below, and then dig deeper or check out the vendor’s demo for more information.

Best for invoicing and billing

  • 14-day free trial + free demo available
  • From $26/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.5/5

Scoro is a versatile work management software designed to enhance business operations by integrating project management, CRM, billing, and reporting into one platform. 

Why I picked Scoro: The software offers real-time financial insights, allowing users to track project profitability and manage budgets effectively. Its automated invoicing and expense tracking capabilities simplify the financial aspects of project management, ensuring accuracy and reducing manual work.

Furthermore, Scoro’s integrated billing and cost management features are specifically beneficial for project management. The software allows for tracking of billable and non-billable hours, ensuring accurate client billing. Its cost management tools also help monitor and control project expenses, preventing budget overruns. 

Scoro Standout Features & Integrations

Features include reporting and analytics for your agency's operations as a whole (rather than just per-project), which provides insights into progress, results, and future outlook in financials and agency performance. The tool also includes automatic retainer invoicing so you get paid faster and stay profitable.

Integrations include Google Calendar, Xero, QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Exact Online, Expensify, Stripe, Jira, HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Drive, Dropbox, Okta, Azure AD, and Zapier.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Comprehensive features for end-to-end business management
  • Good resource management capabilities
  • Real-time tracking of projects and team progress

Cons:

  • Mobile app could be more robust
  • Customization options may present an initial learning curve

Best for existing microsoft users

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $10/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.7/5

Considered by many to be the original project management software, Microsoft Project helps teams track project efforts and is designed to work well with traditional project structures led by a certified PM.

Why I picked Microsoft Project: Teams that are already using other Microsoft Suite projects, especially Teams and Excel, may be able to integrate Microsoft Project easily into their project processes. This platform includes seamless integration with Teams, making it a good choice for accounting projects that are already running on Teams or for firms that use teams as a primary collaboration tool. The familiar Office-based tools and environment reduces learning curves and can allow individuals who aren't super familiar with project management tools to get started quickly. 

An easy-to-use Gantt-style chart supports planning and scheduling of a project, and task distribution among a small or mid-size team works well in this software. You can opt for simple use or gain experience with this software to use it for complex task dependencies and various visualization and reporting options. Because it's a tried-and-true program that's been around for a few decades, there are plenty of support options including tutorials and knowledge panels. 

Tool Standout Features and Integrations

Features include advanced portfolio management tools that allow you to evaluate and prioritize projects based on financial forecasts and potential profitability, resource availability, and strategic goals. The resource allocation heatmaps also provide an overview of resource usage to prevent bottlenecks and keep efficiency high.

Integrations include Excel, SharePoint, Word, Write, GanttPro, WorkOtter, and numerous other solutions on this list.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Plenty of integrations
  • Simple data visualizations
  • Intuitive for Microsoft users

Cons:

  • Limited reporting
  • Complicated user management
  • Some limitations on project visibility

Best accountant pm software for keeping track of multiple projects

  • From $39.97/month (billed annually) + free plan available
Visit Website
Rating: 4.5/5

ProProfs Project is one of several ProProfs tools and is designed to provide all-in-one project management functions.

Why I picked ProProfs Project: You can easily use this tool to keep track of a variety of accounting projects. Features such as milestone and cost-to-completion tracking help project leaders and teams keep track of important details and see quickly whether projects are on track or are coming up against challenges. A client portal lets you set up appropriate client access for individual projects so teams don't need to manually send updates about efforts.  

ProProfs Project offers a pricing structure that doesn't account for number of users, which may make it cost-effective for mid-size teams. You can also integrate the tool with other ProProfs solutions, including its Help Desk, for additional features and benefits. 

Tool Standout Features and Integrations

Features include an intuitive dashboard that allows you to easily monitor project timelines and budgets so you can maximize profitability. The task dependency feature is also useful, as it allows teams to sequence tasks and make sure they progress smoothly from one to the next.

Integrations include numerous options when you connect through Zapier, but that may require a separate paid plan.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Clients can track progress
  • Centralize efforts on single dashboard
  • Easily see project status

Cons:

  • Software sometimes lags
  • No external native integrations
  • Limited automations

Best accounting project management software for work and time tracking

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $39/user/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.8/5

Financial Cents provides the features you need to scale projects and accounting work without losing track of the details like time spent on each job. 

Why I picked Financial Cents: Financial Cents hits the top list in part because its primary audience is accountants. It includes some features designed especially for use in financial niches. It also supports robust tracking of time and work for accurate and timely billing processes.

Financial Cents is for accounting offices and financial teams that want to improve processes, scale work, or drive efficiencies. Collaboration tools let teams communicate easily wherever they are, supporting remote work or support between offices. Robust tracking tools let everyone see the status of a project at a glance.

Tool Standout Features and Integrations

Features include the ability to set up automatic reminders for your clients about paying invoices or completing a specific task, which saves you time and helps you get paid quickly. The tool also integrates with Outlook and Gmail for increased visibility into financials, operations, and client relationships.

Integrations include QuickBooks and email clients.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • User-friendly
  • Remote access for collaboration
  • Easily tracks project status

Cons:

  • Lack of robust reporting
  • Dashboard can be confusing
  • Limited integrations

Best with client and resource management features

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $29/user/month (billed annually, min 5 seats)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.1/5

Ravetree is an all-in-one work management platform that covers not just project management, but client management and resource planning, too.

Why I picked Ravetree: This software made my list because of its capacity to centralize various aspects of your work management. In addition to project planning and task management tools, it also offers a built-in CRM, customer portals, and resource allocation features. For accounting firms and accountants working with multiple clients, this makes it a good choice.

Project management features specifically include breaking projects into tasks that can then be assigned to specific team members, and outlined with action items and checklists. You can also save your project plans as templates for reuse. Team members receive notifications regarding their upcoming tasks, and you can keep an eye on resource utilization with a timeline view. Time tracking is also included, allowing you to break down your estimates vs. time spent on specific projects and tasks. This data can then be used to inform your future planning.

Ravetree Standout Features & Integrations

Features include a suite of capabilities to help teams better collaborate, like board views and workflows that you can customize to better support the way your team works and hands off tasks to each other. The tool also includes a forecasting feature that you can use to determine project budgets based on required resources and time.

Integrations include Box, Dropbox, Facebook, HubSpot, Instagram, Github, Google Drive, Gmail, OneDrive, Outlook, QuickBooks, and Stripe.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Video and chat support
  • Project, resource, and finance management in one
  • Personalized onboarding

Cons:

  • Limited internal communication tools
  • Large feature set comes with a learning curve

Best for automations

  • 7-day free trial + free live demo
  • From $20/user/month

Accelo is actually a customer relationship management tool, but the ability to automate functions makes it a contender for this list.  

Why I picked Accelo: Accelo makes an appearance on this list due to its front-to-back automation capability. Teams can simplify processes by tracking leads and customers automatically, and the data gathered during those processes can be converted automatically into quotes, contracts and even invoices. Accounting firms might use the software to capture and manage clients. 

Accelo's functions bring it outside of the CRM space and allow it to operate in the project arena. The ability to create custom workflows allows teams to use this program for a variety of efforts. Top features such as calendaring, interaction tracking and reminders increase productivity at all levels. 

Tool Standout Features and Integrations

Features include work tracking that integrates project, time, and expense management into a single view to provide visibility into performance, budget usage, and future forecasts. The tool offers automated client communication tracking for organizing emails, meetings, and notes to make sure you have a complete record of client interactions.

Integrations include QuickBooks Online, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Xero, HubSpot, and others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Easy task management
  • Native integrations
  • Report creation is easy

Cons:

  • Limited client portal
  • Processes can be cumbersome
  • Limited customer assistance without paying

Best for enterprises

  • Free product demo available
  • Pricing upon request

NetSuite's project management platform is part of a larger suite of enterprise management tools, making it a good solution for mid-size and larger teams.  

Why I picked Oracle NetSuite: In some cases, NetSuite's large suite of tools may be overkill for accounting projects and teams. However, I picked this platform because it offers some functions that aren't available in other tools and may be ideal for enterprises or even fast-growing accounting start-ups that are looking at an enterprise future. When it comes to projects, NetSuite supports both agile and traditional methodologies for high levels of flexibility.  

Some of the features that make NetSuite unique on this list include idea management, prioritization, templates, and workflows designed around popular agile methods. Accounting teams that are part of larger organizations can use this platform to work well with other departments and external stakeholders. NetSuite can be more expensive than other tools on the list and may require more in-house tech support, which is another reason it tends to work better for larger organizations. 

Tool Standout Features and Integrations

Features include analytics and reporting features that provide comprehensive insights into resource utilization, so you can identify inefficiencies and make informed decisions. The tool’s integrated financial and operational dashboards also give you a unified view of costs, timelines, and resources.

Integrations include all compatible NetSuite software products. You may also be able to use third-party tools to connect other apps.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Customizable processes
  • Works for larger enterprises
  • Robust project management

Cons:

  • Limited customer and tech support
  • Steep learning curve
  • Relatively expensive

Best for knowledge & document management

  • 14-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $10/user/month (billed annually)

Notion is a unique tool in that it connects all your notes and project roadmaps to wikis and documents to keep everyone on the same page.

Why I picked Notion: I picked Notion because it allows teams to focus on what really matters while keeping compliance rule sets, knowledge management documentation, and other resources close at hand. While it takes some practice to figure out how best to organize information and projects in Notion's tables, once teams set everything up, record-keeping, reporting, and collaboration is much easier. Notion works in a variety of environments, including apps for Android, iPhone and iPad.

Custom layouts in Notion give accounting teams the flexibility they need to support various project types. Robust support and training options reduce the burden of the steep learning curve. You can get assistance with this tool via email, chat, forums, and phone, and Notion publishes a knowledge base and offers webinars and live online training. 

Tool Standout Features and Integrations

Features include custom databases to manage workflows, a web clipper to save content for later, and version history that lets you track changes over time. The tool also includes linked databases and the ability to connect information from multiple sources or other financial reporting tools.

Integrations include multiple other tools on this list, OneDrive, Zoom, Google Drive, and many others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Highly customizable
  • Note-style organization
  • Integrated templates

Cons:

  • Doesn’t work for all processes
  • Sometimes slow to load
  • Fairly steep learning curve

Best project management software for accountants for increased efficiency

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $30/user/month (billed annually)

Why I picked Jetpack Workflow: I picked Jetpack for this list partly because of its flexibility in designing workflows. You can customize this solution to meet various needs and maximize your accounting staff's effort. Collaboration tools support communication without adding extra work for your team.

The ability to filter and sort in the job view lets individuals find the work they need to complete quickly, and deadline tools ensure time-sensitive tasks don’t fall through the cracks. This tool is easy to use, even for people without accounting project management experience.

Tool Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include document management capabilities that help with overall, centralized organization and save you time by avoiding the need to switch between tools to access documents. The tool also includes the ability to automate your accounting processes and create custom workflows that fit the way you work.

Integrations include Zapier, which can connect to over 2000 applications such as Slack, Salesforce, Active Campaign, and Jira.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Easy to collaborate
  • Supports client updates
  • Great for work tracking

Cons:

  • Hard to edit changed templates
  • Some limitations on calendar management

Best for managing projects and tracking budgets

  • 14-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $7/user/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.7/5

ClickUp is a complete work organization platform with project, resource, goal, and document management capabilities.

Why I picked ClickUp: When it comes to project management, this platform offers a comprehensive feature set. You can outline project scopes, assign tasks to team members, and track progress across your workflows. It also has resource management tools that allow you to organize staff into teams and departments to keep things organized. Templates are available to speed up your project and task planning.

The software can also be used to track budgets and spending across your organization. You can set up custom dashboards to display the most important financial data, as well as performance data to track projects and resources. You can use the recurring tasks feature to remind you when payments are due, ensuring no payment gets missed. The software also has automated calculations to help you keep up-to-date records.

ClickUp Standout Features & Integrations

Features include custom recurring task automations that allow you to schedule repetitive tasks based on triggers or timelines. The goal-tracking automation also links tasks directly to objectives and automatically updates progress as work is completed. The tool also offers a time tracking automation that starts and stops timers automatically.

Integrations include Dropbox, Figma, GitHub, Google Suite, HubSpot, Slack, Toggl Track, and more. Zapier also unlocks additional integrations.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Lots of video tutorials
  • Highly customizable
  • All-in-one solution

Cons:

  • Robust platform, can be overwhelming
  • Relies on manual input

The Best Project Management Software For Accountants Comparison Chart

Use this table to compare my software picks side-by-side.

Tool Best For Trial Info Price
1
Scoro

Scoro supports invoicing and payment collection directly within the platform.

Best for invoicing and billing

14-day free trial + free demo available

From $26/user/month (billed annually) Website
2
Microsoft Project

Use any of the built-in templates to start managing various types of projects.

Best for existing microsoft users

30-day free trial

From $10/user/month (billed annually) Website
3
ProProfs Project

Look at your projects and their progress using a timeline.

Best accountant pm software for keeping track of multiple projects

Not available

From $39.97/month (billed annually) + free plan available Website
4
Financial Cents

Keep bookkeeping and tax returns under control.

Best accounting project management software for work and time tracking

14-day free trial

From $39/user/month (billed annually) Website
5
Ravetree

The software allows you to manage projects, clients, and resources in one place.

Best with client and resource management features

14-day free trial

From $29/user/month (billed annually, min 5 seats) Website
6
Accelo

Manage recurring client work and improve productivity by automating recurring work and tasks

Best for automations

7-day free trial + free live demo

From $20/user/month Website
7
Oracle NetSuite

Reduce administrative tasks and quickly identify projects that need your attention.

Best for enterprises

Free product demo available

Pricing upon request Website
8
Notion

Keep all your documentation in a single place and use tags to filter through the content.

Best for knowledge & document management

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $10/user/month (billed annually) Website
9
Jetpack Workflow

Jetpack is a project management software for accountants that aims to simplify processes.

Best project management software for accountants for increased efficiency

14-day free trial

From $30/user/month (billed annually) Website
10
ClickUp

Set up customized dashboards to track budgets across your organization, and centralize project management across teams and departments.

Best for managing projects and tracking budgets

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $7/user/month Website

Other Options

Here are a few more options that didn’t make my top list, but which are still worth your consideration:

  1. monday.com

    Template for bookkeeping

  2. Smartsheet

    Project management resource for accountants for reporting

  3. Wrike

    Accounting project management solution for workflow management

  4. Kantata

    Accounting project management resource for stakeholder collaboration

  5. Sage Intacct

    To track multiple accounts.

  6. Tempo Portfolio Manager

    For predictive scheduling.

  7. Asana

    For recurring accounting and bookkeeping.

  8. Teamwork.com

    To track expenses vs total project budget

How to Choose Accounting Project Management Software

It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:

FactorWhat to Consider
ScalabilityMake sure the software can grow with your business and handle more users, projects, and data without compromising performance.
IntegrationsLook for tools that integrate with your accounting tools, ERP system, and other critical business systems to avoid manual data entry.
CustomizabilityChoose software that lets you tailor workflows, dashboards, and reports to fit your team’s unique needs and preferences.
Ease of UseOpt for a user-friendly interface with simple navigation so your team can adopt it quickly without extensive training.
BudgetFind a solution that aligns with your budget and offers a balance of essential features and long-term value. Look out for hidden costs.
Security SafeguardsVerify that the software has robust security features, such as data encryption and user permissions, to protect your financial information.
Reporting ToolsMake sure the software provides customizable reports to track project progress and financial performance.
Support OptionsConfirm that the provider offers reliable customer support through multiple channels, like live chat, email, or phone, so you can resolve issues quickly.

If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these tools closely related to accounting project management software that we've tested and evaluated.

Features of Accounting Project Management Software

When selecting accounting project management software, keep an eye out for the following key features:

  • Task management: This helps you improve your project workflows and assign, track, and prioritize tasks for team members. It also includes workflow automations, which can reduce some manual and repetitive tasks by carrying them out for you.
  • Time tracking: This feature allows you to monitor billable and non-billable hours for accurate invoicing and project cost management.
  • Budgeting tools: The tool should help you set financial limits, track expenses, and compare actual spending against budgets.
  • Resource allocation: This lets you make sure team members, materials, and equipment are being used efficiently across multiple projects.
  • Automated invoicing: This allows you to simplify billing with pre-configured templates, recurring invoices, and integration with accounting systems.
  • Document sharing: The software should allow secure, centralized access to project-related files for better collaboration.
  • Reporting: The tool should allow you to generate insights into project performance, costs, and profitability for data-driven decision-making.
  • Customizable dashboards: You should be able to tailor views, reports, and dashboards for quick access to relevant metrics and project details.
  • Third-party integrations: The software should connect with your other tools (e.g. QuickBooks, ERP systems, communication platforms) for cohesive workflows.
  • Compliance tracking: This features helps you make sure you're adhering to financial regulations and industry standards by automating compliance checks.

People Also Ask

Here are a few popular questions answered for your convenience!

Is Project Management Useful for Accountants?

Yes. Project management is useful to accountants in many ways, including:

  • Being able to handle and plan for all the different accounts they handle at any given time.
  • Being able to meet strict deadlines, especially around tax season.
  • Collaborate with other people in their office to complete projects on time and have all relevant documentation in one place.
  • Monitor multiple projects at a glance using dashboards.

What are the Key Features of Project Management Software for Accountants?

Every firm or accounting team has different needs, but some common key features are important in most cases.

  1. Custom template options: Templates help you avoid starting from scratch with project work, which increases productivity throughout the life of the project.
  2. Reporting tools: Numerous options for pulling data about projects—and exporting it to other programs—help project leaders and stakeholders stay informed.
  3. Time tracking: Accountants know that time is money, and the ability to track project time accurately is critical when invoicing clients.
  4. Dashboard options: Visual dashboards that include charts, graphs, and other information let teams and leadership understand project performance at a glance.
  5. Collaboration tools: Teams work best together when they can quickly communicate in a variety of ways, share and delegate tasks, and keep each other informed about progress, challenges, or next steps.

What’s Next?

Since accounting is closely related to money management, you should read about the 6 techniques for project estimation. We also have information on the 4 ways to improve your project estimation process and an interview with Tomislav Car where we talk about managing project budgets and profitability.

Ben Aston
By Ben Aston

I’m Ben Aston, a digital project manager and founder of thedpm.com. I've been in the industry for more than 20 years working in the UK at London’s top digital agencies including Dare, Wunderman, Lowe and DDB. I’ve delivered everything from film to CMS', games to advertising and eCRM to eCommerce sites. I’ve been fortunate enough to work across a wide range of great clients; automotive brands including Land Rover, Volkswagen and Honda; Utility brands including BT, British Gas and Exxon, FMCG brands such as Unilever, and consumer electronics brands including Sony. I'm a Certified Scrum Master, PRINCE2 Practitioner and productivity nut!