Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Software Shortlist
Here’s the list of the best tools that I’ll cover in this article.
- 4. GanttPRO — Best enterprise project portfolio view that mixes project and resource information in one
- 6. Planview Clarizen — Featured in Gartner’s 2022 Magic Quadrant for strategic portfolio management.
- 7. Adobe Workfront — Security program built upon AICPA’s Trust Services Principles and ISO 27000 suite.
- 8. LiquidPlanner — Enterprise solution with predictive scheduling and task range-estimation features.
- 9. monday.com — Best enterprise PPM for its thousands of integrations and capacity of growing with your enterprise
- 10. ClickUp — Fully featured with high level of security through encryption and two-factor authentication.
Enterprise project portfolio management software covers the widest scope of project management. We're talking about a dashboard that shows how multiple project clusters are advancing towards strategic goals, their impact on business outcomes, and how that affects other initiatives down the pipeline.
These projects typically carry top dollar, sensitive company information and are complex in nature. So, when we look for software that can support this level of project management complexity, we need a reliable tool to help reduce this complexity as much as possible.
Moreover, we need a solution that has implemented the required level of security to protect your company's information. More commonly than not, cyberattacks exploit vulnerabilities in third-party software to gain access to company information.
In this article, I present you with good candidates for the way their interface looks, but mostly because of the security features they put at your disposal. You can find more details on how I selected the software at the bottom of this list.
Finally, if you are feeling overwhelmed with your research, you can always make use of our free software advice.
Overview Of The 10 Best Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Software
Here’s a brief description of each enterprise project portfolio management tool, a mention on features, security specs, and integrations. Most tools provide pricing on request, but you can get an idea of enterprise project management software costs here.
Smartsheet
Best no-code app builder and enhanced IT governance and administration
Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-based project management software with an enterprise solution that helps you align global teams, and scale business-driven solutions.
Why I picked Smartsheet: Its enterprise plan gives you access to Smartsheet Advanced. This allows you to have a control center for a strategic view on projects, a data encryption algorithm where you have your own key to control access, and access up to six months of event logs for your audits.
At a security level you get SSO, an integration with your directory software for easy user control, and recurring backups you can set up for your account. A feature that stands out for me is the app builder. This no-code builder lets you create web and mobile apps that are based on automations.
Smartsheet Standout Features & Integrations
Features include dashboards, reports that consolidate multiple sheets, workflow automation, resource management, multiple views, forms to collect information, and digital asset management using Brandfolder.
Integrations include DocuSign, Active Directory, LDAP, as well as development essentials like Jira, and useful business apps like Salesforce, ServiceNow, Slack, Box, and Tableau.
Bubble PPM
Best enterprise PPM tool for NPD and innovation
Bubble PPM is a project portfolio management tool that provides real-time insights and a full suite of reporting tools.
Why I picked Bubble PPM: This tool provides you with a real-time view of portfolios for informed decision-making. Its in-built process governance and best practices help you have complete control of your portfolios and the projects within them.
Bubble PPM's interface is highly configurable and has tons of colorful elements that help you identify things like risks, overdue tasks and delayed projects at a glance. Finally, its reporting feature allows you to create reports from scratch, access one-click reports, and even automate them so you can focus on other tasks.
Bubble PPM Standout Features & Integrations
Features include scoring projects based on importance, financial planning tools to align investments with strategy, what-if scenarios of alternate portfolios, roadmaps, resource planning, workload views, and dozens of reports from one-click to complex ones.
Integrations include personalized help with technical questions through Bubble PPM's dedicated in-house technical support team.
Zoho Projects
Best enterprise PPM software with CRM functionality
Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project portfolio management software that enterprises can use to plan and manage their projects. This solution offers a wide range of features to help manage projects, especially with the Enterprise plan’s portfolio dashboard, allowing users to manage portfolios effectively.
Why I picked Zoho Projects: Enterprises can effectively manage their project portfolios with Zoho Projects’ intuitive and easy-to-use UI. It is also possible to remotely manage portfolios and managers and employees can collaborate easily and efficiently, especially when considering the resource utilization chart. Using the Zoho Projects Enterprise plan gives enterprises the necessary tools to manage project portfolios effectively.
The enterprise PPM software also comes with a resource utilization chart that can be used to give users a clear view of a team’s workload and availability. Enterprises will be able to use color codes, taskbars, and views to monitor employee schedules and availability at a glance. The heatmap view functionality checks disconnected schedules to show how occupied people are during business hours.
Zoho Projects Standout Features & Integrations
Features include task management, time management, collaboration, automation, charts and reports, and user administration features.
Integrations include everything within the Zoho ecosystem, such as Zoho Books and Zoho’s finance suite. The new Zoho marketplace allows 3rd party integrations as well, like Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Zapier, Zendesk, and ServiceNow. Integrations via Zapier and Zoho Flow are also supported.
The portfolio dashboard necessary to manage project portfolios is exclusive to the Enterprise plan, allowing enterprises to use Zoho Projects as a project portfolio management software.
GanttPRO
Best enterprise project portfolio view that mixes project and resource information in one
GanttPRO is a gantt chart software that is great at handling individual projects. However, they have translated that to their enterprise tier which focuses on increased security, better support services, and granular control over the product and users.
Why I picked GanttPRO: If you buy the enterprise version of the software, you will unlock a workload module, advanced reporting, SAML Single-Sign-On, and a personal success manager to help you navigate this robust product.
One more thing, their portfolio view can be customized so you see the projects you are interested in. Once set up, you will get updated statuses in real time.
GanttPRO Standout Features & Integrations
Features include SSO through various software, time tracking, workload, advanced resource information on actuals and estimations, advanced reporting, and portfolio views.
Integrations include Slack, MS Teams, Jira, and advanced import/export with Jira, MS Project, and Excel.
Asana
Flexible work management platform with extensive privacy and data protection.
Asana is a full fledged project portfolio management solution that works for small, medium, and large enterprises. With their universal reporting feature you can track business objectives in real-time.
Why I picked Asana: As you can see below, the features in this tool are pretty much standard. However, when it comes to security… wow! Asana has 4 ISO certifications regarding data protection and privacy. Add that to the GDPR compliance, GLBA, FERPA, and all the other letters in the alphabet combined in random groups of 4.
Final note, Asana has been in the market for over 14 years. When it comes to this level of service, that plays a part for me.
Asana Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource, project, task management, reporting, portfolio tracking, goals, approvals, proofing, and a workflow builder.
Integrations include Splunk, Okta, Active Directory, OneLogin, and a dozen more enterprise and IT tools. Add to that over 200 productivity apps, and thousands more available through their Zapier connector.
Planview Clarizen
Featured in Gartner’s 2022 Magic Quadrant for strategic portfolio management.
Planview is an enterprise portfolio management software which has been recognized in Gartner’s 2022 Magic Quadrant for strategic portfolio management. They offer enterprise agile planning, strategic portfolio management, and other features that focus your efforts on the strategic outcomes of your projects.
Unlike other tools on this list, Planview offers on-demand demos in exchange for your contact information (they’re smart). Clarizen is their enterprise work management for project portfolio management and professional services delivery teams.
Note: they have a dedicated page for their platform security on their website. You should go check it out.
Planview Clarizen integrates with Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Google Drive, MS OneDrive, DocuSign, Box, Microsoft SharePoint, Zoom, Outlook, Slack, Microsoft Power Automate, Microsoft Power BI, and Google Workspace. More integrations are available using a paid Zapier plan.
Pricing and demo available upon request.
Adobe Workfront
Security program built upon AICPA’s Trust Services Principles and ISO 27000 suite.
Workfront is a work management software by Adobe that makes your goals visible to the entire organization so everyone can strategically prioritize work.
Why I picked Adobe Workfront: You can probably guess the level of security just for being an Adobe product. Their uptime SLA is 99.9%, their security program is built upon AICPA’s Trust Services Principles and ISO 27000 suite, and uses AES 256-bit encryption to protect data.
Although there’s much more info on security, let’s talk features. The platform has dashboard views that will help you see projects and their status through progress bars and color-coded grading scales. Resource management, advanced analytics, and budgeting features complement this powerful tool.
Adobe Workfront Standout Features & Integrations
Features include file sharing, goal alignment, scenario planning, customizable reports, workflow automation, resource management, capacity planning, and collaboration tools, reporting dashboards.
Integrations include Google suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, Slack, Salesforce, box, and more.
LiquidPlanner
Enterprise solution with predictive scheduling and task range-estimation features.
LiquidPlanner is a dynamic project management software that adapts to change automatically as your team logs progress, as priorities shift, and as resources change. Project schedules in LiquidPlanner sync to real-time changes quickly to prevent bottlenecks and backtracking.
Integrations include Google Drive, Dropbox, Box; plus, the LiquidPlanner API, which connects you to the tools you use on a daily basis; and hundreds of more third-party app options via Zapier.
LiquidPlanner is great for enterprises because: Their resource management tools have the kind of depth and breadth that enterprises need in order to prevent under-the-radar resource waste. The tool can also help you scan a database of employees to quickly check availability.
LiquidPlanner is great for mid-sized businesses because: LiquidPlanner is hyper-focused on relieving the aches and pains of uncertainty and change during a project’s process. Mid-sized teams will appreciate the low-risk, high-reward approach.
LiquidPlanner starts at $45/user/month (with a minimum of 5 users) and has a free 14-day trial.
monday.com
Best enterprise PPM for its thousands of integrations and capacity of growing with your enterprise
monday.com is a work OS that offers features like resource planning, reporting & analytics, built-in communication at project and task levels, and much more.
Why I picked monday.com: Their enterprise level integrations let you connect with CRMs like Salesforce so the platform imports relevant information directly to your software.
If you are concerned about security standards, monday.com is GDPR compliant, offers you ownership over data, user permissions, and granular audit logs without compromising the user experience.
Final shout-outs go to their 99.9% uptime SLA, their personalized on-boarding and training of your team, and their dashboard email notifications.
monday.com Standout Features & Integrations
Features include advanced reporting and analytics, resource and project management, multi-level permissions, time tracking, collaboration, file management, collaborative docs and reporting dashboards that can mix up to 50 boards.
Integrations include Jira server, Salesforce, Excel, Google Drive, Dropbox, your calendar, and more. You can also connect to thousands of apps through Zapier or connect your own apps using their API.
Pricing is available upon request. Get ready for a sales pitch and some demo time.
ClickUp
Fully featured with high level of security through encryption and two-factor authentication.
ClickUp, one of the project management powerhouses, offers resource management, task management, team collaboration through documents, built-in comms, reporting, and much more. A feature they offer at this level is the white label solution to make you feel you own this wonderful product.
We all want our information protected, and ClickUp knows that. All data uses a AES-256 encryption at rest, the software is HIPAA and GDPR compliant, and every account in the enterprise tier has two-factor authentication and single-sign-on features for increased security.
Other things that caught my eye are the dedicated success manager and the granularity of permissions within the platform. You will control who clicks where and with which finger.
ClickUp integrates with cloud storage, calendars, messaging, and more with 1,000+ native
and third-party integrations. It has a Tableau web connector, and also makes its API available if your IT guys want to set up their own integrations.
Pricing is available upon request. You will have to fill out a form and specify the number of users you intend to onboard.
The 10 Best Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Software Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Smartsheet Best no-code app builder and enhanced IT governance and administration | Freemium version available | From $7/user/month | Visit Website |
2 | Bubble PPM Best enterprise PPM tool for NPD and innovation | 14-day free trial | From $17/user/month | Visit Website |
3 | Zoho Projects Best enterprise PPM software with CRM functionality | Free trial available | From $5/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | GanttPRO Best enterprise project portfolio view that mixes project and resource information in one | 14-day free trial | From $7.99/user/month (billed annually) | Visit Website |
5 | Asana Flexible work management platform with extensive privacy and data protection. | Free plan available | From $10.99/user/month | Visit Website |
6 | Planview Clarizen Featured in Gartner’s 2022 Magic Quadrant for strategic portfolio management. | Free trial + free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
7 | Adobe Workfront Security program built upon AICPA’s Trust Services Principles and ISO 27000 suite. | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
8 | LiquidPlanner Enterprise solution with predictive scheduling and task range-estimation features. | 14-day free trial | From $15/user/month (billed annually) | Visit Website |
9 | monday.com Best enterprise PPM for its thousands of integrations and capacity of growing with your enterprise | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Visit Website |
10 | ClickUp Fully featured with high level of security through encryption and two-factor authentication. | Freemium plan available | From $9/user/month | Visit Website |
Other Options
I would love to know which tools you use in your day to day that help you manage projects at an enterprise level. There are so many tools out there that I cannot possibly cover them in a lifetime. I will gladly add yours to this section! Let me know in the comments.
- Teamwork
Platform add-ons integrate helpdesk, and CRM into an already powerful tool.
- Wrike
Best enterprise portfolio software with AI & machine learning that helps you focus on the important tasks
- Hive
Best enterprise project management platform with ongoing training and support
- Celoxis
Best enterprise solution with on-premise deployment options
- Sciforma
Best for coordinating all aspects of project portfolios in one platform
- ESPMI
Comprehensive enterprise-level project portfolio management software with advanced risk and financial tracking features
How I Picked The Best Project Portfolio Management Software For Enterprise
After searching for the most popular PPM tool, I came up with a list that I put through a filter of factors that make a tool great for enterprise projects. Then, I shortlisted the best software and picked the finalists based on the following criteria.
Customer service
You need a vendor that provides you with the support needed at this level. I’m talking about a 24/7, almost dedicated team to handle your cases. I looked for tools offering these services to ensure you are covered and not fear that the PMO will crash if you experience trouble outside of business hours.
Uptime SLA
It’s important to have a service that is operational most of the time. Mainly because we are talking about company-wide projects, most of which are strategically relevant to your organization. Therefore, I prioritized tools that disclose SLA guarantees.
Scalability
The software needs to be modular and have the capacity to support project planning according to your needs. I explored all the ways in which these tools offer to expand their reach. This includes add-ons, modules, and integrations.
Integrations
The tool must have ways to expand its functionality through third-party integrations. I looked at all the ways in which the tool can connect to others. This includes pre-built integrations, third-party connectors like Zapier, and tools available to build custom integrations.
Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Software FAQs
Find answers to common questions other people ask about this topic.
What is enterprise project portfolio management?
What is an enterprise project management software?
What are the key features for enterprise project portfolio management software?
What's Next?
I believe the one of the most important features I covered in this article is security. At this level we should all be concerned about how and where our company’s information is stored, and how we ensure it’s not accessed without our consent.
Related reads:
- Enterprise project portfolio management and how to do it
- How to implement a PM framework at an enterprise level
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