Most of the PM Software available offers similar features on paper, but once you can try them you find out that there are big differences between them. After that first selection process, you can have an idea about the minimum requirements of your company for the Project Management tool you will eventually purchase.
But that’s not all, you will have to take the final step: should we stick to proprietary software, or should we move to web-based solutions? Both of them have some particular characteristics that could be advantages or disadvantages, depending on your business model. We on ITQlick have identified some of those critical points that could help you make a decision for your company:
Web Based Means Saving Up in Structural Costs, But Increasing Overall Expense
This is almost the common factor in online systems. The creators of the software offer a turn-key solution so that the client has no need to assume other structural costs such as hardware acquisition and/or maintenance, new personnel, or training. The software is web-based and ready to use, hosted in optimal conditions, and provides your company with real-time, collaborative solutions for eventually all your employees from pretty much anywhere they can have Internet access. However, all this comes at a bigger cost than traditional software-based PM solutions, as the prices are established on a monthly basis in most cases, and even per number of users.
Why Go Web Based If You Already Have the Infrastructure?
A web-based PM software may be the way to go for new, fast-growing companies with little or no IT structure or personnel. Even at a higher cost than software-based systems, the cost in the long-term will be a lot smaller than the costs of hiring IT personnel, running servers, or keeping software updated for all the computers in your network. But what happens if you already have that structure up and running? Then, Project Management Software based on local computers or servers is an excellent, cost-reducing solution. It will make extra use of your existing infrastructure to improve productivity and probably at a much more affordable price.