Top 54 Web Collaboration Software (Mar 2023)

2023's Best 55 Web Collaboration Systems

Shlomi LaviShlomi Lavi / Mar 07, 2023

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1. Slack

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $6.67 per month
  • Mar 07, 2022
Compare Slack Vs. Slack

Slack is a cloud-based Team Collaboration software that enables its users to participate in extended communications involving File sharing, App collaborations, and call making. It also allows them to manage organizational information through archiving.


2. monday.com

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $10 per seat/month
  • Feb 28, 2023
Compare monday.com Vs. Slack

monday.com is both a cloud-based as well as an on-premise software solution that was developed mainly to assist in project and team management. The software fosters team collaboration as it connects and allows team members to work together on any project.


3. Smartsheet

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $7 per user/month
  • Feb 28, 2023
Compare Smartsheet Vs. Slack

Smartsheet is a cloud-based project management solution that is developed to be used by individuals and by businesses that are in the manufacturing businesses, construction, and oil and gas companies among others.


4. OneDrive

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $1.99 per month
  • Mar 09, 2022
Compare OneDrive Vs. Slack

OneDrive is a cloud-based content management solution that helps organizations interact, collaborate, share and store documents. OneDrive is a Microsoft product, a company that was founded in 1975 in the United States.


5. Box

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $15 per user/month
  • Mar 11, 2022
Compare Box Vs. Slack

Box is a cloud-based file-sharing, collaboration, and storage solution designed for companies of all sizes and used across multiple industry verticals. The primary features of Box include digital asset management, document management, file sharing, and content management and more.


6. Microsoft office 365

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business
  • Price: starts at $6.23 per month
  • Mar 13, 2022
Compare Microsoft office 365 Vs. Slack

Microsoft office 365 is office and document management solution for personal and commercial use. The software incorporates all the components of Office such as word processor and others. It was designed and launched by Microsoft Corporation headquartered in Washington, United States.


7. Edmodo

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $10 per license
  • Mar 20, 2022
Compare Edmodo Vs. Slack

Edmodo is a cloud-based Class Management software that is suitably designed for educational institutions to manage their classroom tools within a central system.


8. KeyedIn Projects

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $15 per user/month
  • Mar 22, 2022
Compare KeyedIn Projects Vs. Slack

Keyedin Projects is a cloud based project management solution and portfolio management solution. The key features include program management, project portfolio management application and professional services automation and more.


9. KOHEZION

  • Best for: Start up, Small business
  • Price: starts at $125 per 5 users/month
  • Sep 23, 2022
Compare KOHEZION Vs. Slack

KOHEZION is a data management software which enables the user to create their own web-based application with little no programming requirements. It is built for small and medium businesses.


10. Wrike

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $9.80 per user/month
  • Mar 07, 2023
Compare Wrike Vs. Slack

Wrike is a cloud-based as well as an on-premise enterprise resource planning solution that is developed to be used by individuals as well as by businesses that are either talent tracking companies or human resource companies.


Pricing Guide - Web Collaboration Software:

Project Management Software Price Range

Project management products pricing are divided into three tiers. The prices range between $0 to $7, $7 to $10, and $10 upwards. In addition to this, the prices are set on a "per user, per month" basis or a bulk "per month" basis. However, it is worth noting that these price ranges are mostly for the lower offering found on each vendor website.

Enterprise plans on project management software have more robust features; thus, they cost more but are adjusted to suit each organization based on their number of employees; as a result, their prices are mostly made available upon request. For instance, Asana basic plan costs ₦11, Miro costs $10, and Toggl pricing falls around $8— all per user per month; but their prices for their enterprise plan quotes are not made available.

In addition, project management prices are set based on the size of an organization. Their ranges are as follows:

  • Small Businesses can expect to pay around $5 per user for the basic plan of a project management software. However, small businesses with a very tiny workforce can get many project management products for free because they have free versions that allow between 2-5 employee sizes. Examples of these vendors offering free versions for a small employee size are Candy, Lumeer, and Quire. Some premium project management for small businesses are MetaTask, which starts at $6 per month, FreedCamp pricing starts at $1.50 per month, and Tracked for BaseCamp cost around $3 per month.
  • Medium Businesses can expect to pay between $5 to $25 for project management software, depending on the package type and their number of employees. Todo.Vu costs around $9 per user, per month, Studio Organizer pricing starts at $19.50, and Lumeer costs around $8.
  • Large Businesses can expect to pay less than medium-sized businesses for standard project management packages because their workforce is larger. However, prices for enterprise plans cost more. For example, Agile CRM costs around $80 per month, JotForm pricing is around $100 per month, and Kanbanchi $40 per month.

The price ranges for project management best of breeds are as follows:

  • Collaboration Software Most of the collaboration tools in the market are priced per month and per user, and their pricings are usually divided into three tiers, which range from $0 to $4, $4 to $16, and $16 upward, respectively. However, these are the entry-level plans; premium and enterprise plans cost more depending on the vendors. An example is Pobuca Connect, which costs $2 monthly per user for its standard plan and $8 monthly per user for its enterprise plan. Others are Loop email, which costs at $8 monthly per user; HeySpace pricing starts at $4 monthly per user.
  • Time Tracking Software Vendors of most time tracking software charge on a per user, per month basis, and the prices are divided into three tiers; they range from $0 to $3, $3 to $9, and $9 and above. Note that these are prices for the entry-level plans. For instance, Time Doctor pricing starts from $5 per month, TimeCamp pricing from around $6 per month, and Elorus costs up to $9 per month.
  • Workflow Management Software Like other products related to project management, workflow management software are usually priced on a per-user, per-month basis, and the prices range from $0 to $13 and above. For example, Forms on Fire pricing starts from $20 monthly per user, Formstacks Form starts from $19 monthly, and KissFlow Digital Workplace from $360 per month for 30 users.
  • Time & Expense Software Time and expense products in the market have pricings that range from $2 and $11 upwards, depending on the type of plan and number of users. Examples are EverHour, which starts from $5 monthly per user, Microsoft Dynamics GP costs for less than $1, and WorkTime Professional pricing starts from around $12 per month.
  • Professional Services Automation Software Users can expect to be charged per month for most products in this category. The prices can be divided into three sections, and they range from $3 to $50 and above. For example, TigerPaw Software pricing is priced around $80 per user, per month, Business VoiceEdge costs around $30 per month, and Coaches Console pricing is around $150 per month.

11. DeltaBid

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $129 per user/month
  • Mar 25, 2022
Compare DeltaBid Vs. Slack

DeltaBid is an award-winning cloud-based Procurement software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. DeltaBid received a rating of 4.5 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


12. Easy Projects

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5.90 per user/month
  • Jan 15, 2023
Compare Easy Projects Vs. Slack

Easy Projects is a suite of softwares developed in 2004 to facilitate online project management. It was created by a Toronto based company called Logic Software to replace the manual tracking desktop applications that companies used in the past.


13. Ubiq Hive

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $29 per conference/month
  • Jun 20, 2022
Compare Ubiq Hive Vs. Slack

Ubiq Hive is a cloud-based business intelligence and a reporting software that allows the users to analyze, explore and report data. Ubiq Hive makes it easy for people without programming knowledge such as the SQL commands to report data.


14. ONLYOFFICE Software

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $149 per license
  • Jun 24, 2022
Compare ONLYOFFICE Software Vs. Slack

ONLYOFFICE software formerly TeamLab is collaborative Open source office suite that is built for business entities of all sizes. The software is available both as cloud-based and on on-premise platforms. ONLYOFFICE software is a product of Ascensio System SIA, a software company that is headquartere...


15. Freshservice

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $19 per agent/month
  • Jul 07, 2022
Compare Freshservice Vs. Slack

Freshservice is an IT asset management solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers help in such domains as compliance, service management, reporting, and asset management. The software was designed and launched by Freshservice Inc headquartered in California, United States.


16. Zoho Mail

  • Best for: Start up, Small business, Medium business, Large business
  • Price: starts at $1 per user/month
  • Apr 07, 2022
Compare Zoho Mail Vs. Slack

Zoho Mail is a cloud-based email marketing and management software that provides email-hosting service. The software is built to cater to the needs of the modern business that are operating on the online platform.


17. Contentverse

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $25 per user/month
  • Jul 04, 2022
Compare Contentverse Vs. Slack

Contentverse is a document management software designed for any organization that has paperwork and can simplify all your document management needs. People can edit their documents on the go and easily share content with each other using this software. Computhink, the company behind Contentverse...


18. Todoist

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $3 per month
  • May 14, 2022
Compare Todoist Vs. Slack

Todoist is a project management software designed to help businesses organize their schedules. With this software, businesses will have a clear view of tasks, and how they are carried out, thereby allowing them to channel human resources to other aspects of the business.


19. ThinkTank 5 Structured Collaboration Software

  • Best for: Large business
  • Price: starts at $199 per month
  • Dec 13, 2022
Compare ThinkTank 5 Structured Collaboration Software Vs. Slack

Accenture is a growing cloud-based Gamification software, it is designed to support large size business. Accenture received a rating of 3.1 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1.9/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


20. CrossConcept Continuum Project Management

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $15 per user/month
  • May 14, 2022
Compare CrossConcept Continuum Project Management Vs. Slack

CrossConcept Continuum project management is a cloud-based (PSA) professional services automation software solution created to assist organizations to manage Projects, CRM, Time Sheets, Resources, and Financials.


21. fileplan

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $40 per month
  • May 14, 2022
Compare fileplan Vs. Slack

FilePlan is a document management software designed as a cloud-based solution to give businesses planned and organized filing, in combination with document collaboration and control.


22. Allocable Software

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $13 per month
  • May 16, 2022
Compare Allocable Software Vs. Slack

Allocable Software is a growing cloud-based Project Management software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Allocable Software received a rating of 4.8 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (1.3/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


23. Document Locator

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price: starts at $22 per user/month
  • Nov 04, 2022
Compare Document Locator Vs. Slack

Document Locator is a document management solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such services as document capturing, distribution, archiving and retention, and others. The software was designed and launched by Columbia Soft headquartered in Oregon, United States.


24. Checkvist

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $3.90 per person/month
  • May 24, 2022
Compare Checkvist Vs. Slack

Checkvist is a cloud-based outliner and task-management solutions designed to build task lists and jot down notes and more. Some of its features include tags, list items, word count, checklists and more.


25. BlueCamroo

  • Best for: Small businesses and start ups
  • Price: starts at $21 per user/month
  • May 17, 2022
Compare BlueCamroo Vs. Slack

Bluecamroo is a business management software designed to help business owners manage their projects, track and oversee clients lifecycles, communicate with clients, and enhance their sales process.


26. CA Service Desk Manager

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • May 26, 2022
Compare CA Service Desk Manager Vs. Slack

CA Service Desk Manager is a help desk management solution for businesses of all sizes. Its capabilities include asset management, ticketing, customer survey, and others. The software was designed and launched by CA Inc headquartered in New York, United States.


27. Vidyo Infrastructure

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $20.90 per host/month
  • Jun 07, 2022
Compare Vidyo Infrastructure Vs. Slack

Vidyo Infrastructure is a video conferencing and collaboration platform for businesses of all types and sizes. Its patented video routing core technology helps companies to run video collaboration in their data centers.


28. Qorus Breeze Proposals

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • Aug 26, 2022
Compare Qorus Breeze Proposals Vs. Slack

Qorus is a team collaboration app developed to help businesses build proposals and RFP responses faster. The app has an auto-respond module that utilizes natural language processes to examine questions, generate the top-rated answers, and build a draft with it.


29. Cerri Enterprise Apps Software

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $20 per user/month
  • Jun 12, 2022
Compare Cerri Enterprise Apps Software Vs. Slack

Cerri Enterprise Apps is a project and task collaboration software for managers to plan and manage projects, make schedules, track and assign personal tasks, and stay updated on general work progress.


30. Seismic

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $20 per month
  • Jun 07, 2022
Compare Seismic Vs. Slack

Seismic is a cloud-based document management software that assists managers in including dynamic elements to existing content and assets using content creation and publishing tools.


31. Brightidea

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $59 per month
  • Jun 15, 2022
Compare Brightidea Vs. Slack

Brightidea software is cloud-based innovation management solution built to cater to small, medium-sized and large companies.


32. KPI-com

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $499 per license
  • Jun 16, 2022
Compare KPI-com Vs. Slack

KPI-com is a team collaboration software with a ton of stand-alone apps or modules to function as a suite. These apps are designed to grow a business and help users manage employees, sell more, boost productivity, and make more informed business decisions.


33. KwikTag

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5,000 per license
  • Aug 25, 2022
Compare KwikTag Vs. Slack

Kwiktag is an on-premise document management and business process automation solution. The core features include document management, expense management, and onboarding automation. Document management helps the user find and share any document with any department across the organization while integr...


34. Zoho Connect

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $1 per user/month
  • Jul 06, 2022
Compare Zoho Connect Vs. Slack

Zoho Connect is a collaboration and social workplace management solution for businesses of all sizes. Its capabilities include document management, real time communication, collaboration, and others. The software was designed and launched by Zoho Corporation headquartered in California, ...


35. Templafy

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $320 per month
  • Jul 14, 2022
Compare Templafy Vs. Slack

Templafy is a cloud-based document management software that enables managers to maintain a content search system through individualized results and organic filters.


36. Advisor

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $49 per user/month
  • Jul 06, 2022
Compare Advisor Vs. Slack

Contact Center Portal from Dezide Advisor is a knowledge management solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such services as workflow management, search engine, process management, and others. The software was designed and launched by Dezide ApS headquartered in Denmark.


37. TrueConf Server

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $1,500 per year
  • Jul 23, 2022
Compare TrueConf Server Vs. Slack

TrueConf Server is a cloud-based video conferencing software that enables administrators to merge information profiles and groups through directory-server connections automatically.


38. Quip

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $10 per user/month
  • Jul 23, 2022
Compare Quip Vs. Slack

Quip is a team collaboration software combining the creation of document and spreadsheet and editing the files with chat and commenting capabilities.


39. UpWave

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $4 per user/month
  • Jul 31, 2022
Compare UpWave Vs. Slack

UpWave software is a cloud-based project management platform created to cater to for small and medium-sized companies. The core features of UpWave software include project collaboration, task management, project tracking, and calendar management within a single suite.


40. Tekla BIMsight

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price:
  • Jul 28, 2022
Compare Tekla BIMsight Vs. Slack

Tekla BIMSight, upgraded to Trimble Connect, is a cloud-based construction software that provides construction-ready project information including view, reference building information models, review and drawing, all of which contribute to its project execution.


41. DocMinder

  • Best for: Medium and large size businesses
  • Price: Has a free version
  • Aug 04, 2022
Compare DocMinder Vs. Slack

DocMinder is a web based project management solution for businesses of all sizes. It offers such capabilities as task management, issue tracking, document management, and others. The software was designed and launched by World-Tech Inc headquartered in Kansas, United States.


42. Hoops

  • Best for: SMBs
  • Price:
  • Sep 29, 2022
Compare Hoops Vs. Slack

Hoops is a human resource management software solution. It aims in helping the employers recruit the best talent for their company. It makes the candidates who are looking for a job come to the employer, rather than having the employer waste time looking for candidates. By doing so, it helps in mana...


43. Servoy

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $10 per user/month
  • Sep 29, 2022
Compare Servoy Vs. Slack

Servoy is an application development software designed to help enterprises modernize business applications using Servoy embedded rapid application development platform.


44. Fluix

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $30 per user/month
  • Oct 05, 2022
Compare Fluix Vs. Slack

Fluix is a B2B document workflow management software. It helps digitally transform global midsize companies through automation, collaboration and performance analysis of their day-to-day field-service operations.


45. TAMPLO

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $5.36 per user/month
  • Oct 12, 2022
Compare TAMPLO Vs. Slack

TAMPLO Software is an integrated cloud-based task management and scheduling solution built for small, medium-sized and large businesses. The main features of TAMPLO Software include action-item tracking, agenda management, board & internal meetings management, and post-meeting tools among others.


46. Powernoodle

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $325 per month
  • Oct 01, 2022
Compare Powernoodle Vs. Slack

Powernoodle is a growing cloud-based Business Plan software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Powernoodle received a rating of 4.4 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered average (3.2/5) when compared to other solutions in their category.


47. BoostHQ

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $299 per month
  • Mar 22, 2022
Compare BoostHQ Vs. Slack

BoostHQ is a growing cloud-based Document Management software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. BoostHQ received a rating of 4.8 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (2/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


48. Smartag

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $25 per user/month
  • May 28, 2022
Compare Smartag Vs. Slack

Smartag software is a cloud-based project management platform built mainly for small to medium-sized businesses. It is most suitable for those businesses with employees working remotely.


49. CircleCI

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $15 per month
  • Feb 03, 2022
Compare CircleCI Vs. Slack

CircleCI is a fast growing cloud-based Development Tools Platforms software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. CircleCI received a rating of 4.6 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered affordable (4/5) when compared to alternative solutions.


50. MangoApps

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $6 per user/month
  • Feb 08, 2022
Compare MangoApps Vs. Slack

MangoApps is an enterprise social networking and collaboration platform for businesses of all sizes. Its capabilities include task management, document management, user profiles, and others. The software was designed and launched by MangoApps Inc headquartered in Washington, United States...


51. Zoho Meeting

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $3 per host/month
  • Feb 15, 2022
Compare Zoho Meeting Vs. Slack

Zoho Meeting is a video and web conferencing solution for small to large companies of all types as well as individuals. It offers screen sharing, webcam sharing, built-in chat, webinar registration, recording and replay, and more features for collaboration, seminars, product launching, meetings, an...


52. Onehub

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $12.50 per user/month
  • Feb 17, 2022
Compare Onehub Vs. Slack

Onehub is a growing cloud-based eCommerce software, it is designed to support small, medium and large size business. Onehub received a rating of 4.6 from ITQlick team. The software cost is considered average (3/5) when compared to other solutions in their category.


53. Treeno Content Server

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $50 per user/month
  • Feb 12, 2022
Compare Treeno Content Server Vs. Slack

Treeno Document Management is a content management solution for businesses of all sizes. Its capabilities include document indexing, archiving, distribution, collaboration, and others. The software was designed and launched by Treeno Software Inc headquartered in New Hampshire, United Sta...


54. Azendoo

  • Best for: Small, medium and large size businesses
  • Price: starts at $9 per user/month
  • Feb 14, 2022
Compare Azendoo Vs. Slack

Azendoo is a collaborative task management tool that can help teams to stay in sync, communicate efficiently with each other and share files easily. Users can use their Dropbox, Google Drive and Box storages using this software for keeping and sharing cloud files related to projects and tasks.



A Buyer's Guide to Business Software Solutions

How to Evaluate and Buy Business Software
 
If you’re somehow puzzled if this article is only for a specific size of business, no, it’s not. This is for you SMEs, MNEs and start-ups software buyers. Also, we’re not talking about a specific software solution here. Whether the software solution that you’re planning to buy is for Accounting, Business Intelligence, ERP, CRM, Help Desk, Maintenance Management or other types of application, one thing is for sure; with the help of this article, you will be able to know the right process in evaluating and buying a business software solution.
 
We’ve been into the software business for years and we’re seeing a lot of nitty-gritty things that often bring confusions and hesitations to many companies looking for better software solutions. Some companies can’t afford to let go their legacy systems while a few is encountering technological snags once the new system is in place. While this is the underlying truth behind software acquisition and implementation, what’s exciting about buying a business software solution is that there is a clear and obvious proof that thousands of companies and corporations today are happy with the benefits this technology is bringing into their respective businesses.  There is a significant increase in their revenue and the growth is on-going. And it’s easy to say; many from the Fortune 500 companies are making a lot of money because of their smartly-acquired business software.
 
So, let’s get straight to the point. What should you do in order to acquire that business software that could make your organization achieve its goals? The answer to this is pretty straightforward: evaluate and buy that right business software. Yes, that’s what you need to do and here’s the best manual from ITQlick.com that could certainly help you in doing that strategically.
 
Consider the Needs of Your Organization
Let’s assume that at this point, the entire management team agreed that you are ready to invest on a certain software application. The budget has been compromised and the key persons who will be involved in the acquisition process were already identified. Therefore, it’s time to approach things the project management way.
 
Define the Project
Every business software solution is categorized base on application type, features, deployment model, market size and pricing model. Remember that our objective here is to evaluate and buy a business software product that will fit into the size and present needs of your business. So what the project management team should try to deal with first is to define the real requirements of your business exactly base on the categories set by the software industry. Moreover, by doing this activity, you are already narrowing down your search for the right solution. Now, consider bringing this list of FAQs to the project management and aim to come up with clear-cut answers.
 
  1. What type of software is needed? Is it Integrated-Suite, Best-of-Breed or Industry-Specific? Ask your CEO’s main agenda and find the perfect match from these available options.
  2. What are the core and secondary features? Are you looking for basic, advanced or hi-end features? List down the specific features per category and allow the department managers and supervisors to give their insights on this list.
  3. How are you going to deploy the system? Would it be on-premise, cloud-based, hosted, or mobile-based? Weigh these options with the help of your CIO.
  4. Are you going for Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 vendors? Their offered solutions are base on the size of their target market - SMEs, MNEs or start-ups. Seek your CFO’s advice as it is important to match your financial capacity against the cost of the solution that the providers have for you.
  5. Are you willing to pay for the perpetuity software license or a subscription-based solution is way better? How many users are there and what would be their roles in using the system? Solicit feedbacks from future end users for they know better what challenges and risks might possibly come along their way when they’re using the system.
 
Finalize the BOM or List of Requirements
After providing definite answers on the above questions, we can say that the project has already been defined. Your procurement team is now ready to do their role in the acquisition process of this solution. However, in order for them to execute their job properly, they must have the complete list of requirements - features, specifications, hardware, and the software product. In other words, the Bill-of-Materials (BOM) that is final, complete and well-prepared must be handed over to the procurement director. Needless to say, it is very important that everybody is following the company purchasing and procurement protocols at all times.  
 
Request for Proposal (RFP)
The RFP process will bring everything into formality. Since you’re more likely in a line of business that doesn’t regularly buy software products, it is of critical importance that your RFP is well-structured before you send it to your prospect solution providers.
 
Draft the RFP
An RFP that contains all the relevant information as discussed during the project management meetings will enable the providers to return back to you their proposal that is complete and substantial. Therefore, your RFP should basically contain the following:
 
Brief Introduction
  • Company Name
  • Mission and Goals
  • Purpose of the RFP (or the need for software solution)
Business Background
  • Organizational Structure
  • Current Situation (IT infrastructure, system currently in-use, system issues and desired solutions, etc.)
  • Major Objectives of the Software Purchase
Request for Specific Requirements
  • Solution Functionality
  • System Specifications
  • Vendor Company Information
  • Price Model, Service Plans, Package Options
Other Important Inquiries (if necessary)
 
Send the RFP
Well-structured RFP will bring a lot of advantages especially when the proposals from various providers are received and then subjected for review and analysis. Send your RFP to at least three to five providers (or prospects which you have already shortlisted during the project definition phase). Depending on the complexity of the solution, most vendors will send their proposal in a matter of time, which could be around 4 to 6 weeks for Integrated-Suite solution.
 
Why still send RFP?
Is there really a need for RFP if your preferred solution (like cloud-based) and the service plans or packages are already displayed on the vendor’s website? Well, yes, you still need to undergo the RFP process. For most sales people, they certainly know that those figures appearing in the vendor’s website are usually the “list price” and not the “actual price”. More importantly, the vendor’s proposal (response to RFP) will serve as your main basis for the negotiation. Therefore, sending an RFP is a strict requirement.
 
Follow up questions relevant to RFP
More often than not, questions and concerns will be raised by the vendors to whom you send the RFP. You have to entertain them with utmost professionalism. Solution providers who are seeking further clarifications relevant to the RFP are consisting of professional software experts who wants to help your organization as much as they can. Entertain them but at the same time, always be cautious when providing additional information which you know is confidential or proprietary.
 
Evaluate the Proposals
Always refer to your finalized BOM when tabulating the contents of each proposal. Part of this process is to check the features that are available from this certain vendor and to cross out those that are not. While using spreadsheet aids the tabulation process, laying down the document proposals on the table and allowing your project management team to review them one by one should always be conducted. Evaluating the proposals in full force can help strengthen your decision-making process. Have another round of brain-storming session and come with the name of your preferred solution provider.
 
When selecting the final vendor, always promote the best interest of your organization. Consider answering these questions with full sincerity.
 
  1. Which vendor can provide the long-term benefits to your organization?
  2. Which vendor can provide the best and honest service from acquisition to full implementation?
  3. Which vendor is willing to devote most of its time in better serving its client?
 
Contact this solution provider and in your own strategic approach, try to get the answers to those three important questions above. In most cases, vendor who really wants to prove its craft will offer product demos on a higher level. Others will even invite you to check their already deployed and working systems. Feel free to connect with this type of vendor. Conduct simulation and testing, be it a cloud-based or on-premise solution. Examine all aspects and angles especially those that your project management team want to really know in-depth. For as long as it could help you arrive at a better decision, consider doing all the options available – for the interest of the organization.
 
Enter the Negotiation Process
Most solutions providers can be flexible in terms of pricing. Although the final say is oftentimes on the mouth of the sales person from the vendor’s side, a good negotiation process can always deliver a win-win situation to both parties involve. While negotiation sometimes cannot be settled in one sitting session, always be honest with your intentions whenever negotiating with your provider. If it’s about your budget, justify it with clarity. If it’s about their service plans, tell them what’s lacking or missing on their solution. At the end of the day, the most important event that should happen is that both of you are shaking hands because of a well done negotiation process.
 
Seal the Contract
So what are you going to do on a contract that involves a significant amount of investment? There are three project management approaches for this.
 
  1. Pass the ball to you legal team. They know what to do and more or less they will tell you if there is something wrong with the contract. Give them enough time to review before they affix their signature and then finally seal the contract.
  2. Hire a consultant base on the technical aspect that you want to clarify in the contract. If it’s the Scope of Work (SOW), a software implementation expert is the right person. If it is related to complex legal terms and conditions, a lawyer can help. If it has something to do with money, invite an accountant to conduct a thorough review and computation if necessary.
  3. Always consider consulting your project management team. Remember that the CIO, CFO and CEO are all team members. They will be the signatories and they know what’s best for the interest of the company when signing a contract agreement.
 
From evaluation to buying stage, it is important that the project manager must take full responsibility of monitoring all the works identified and distributed among team members. This is why delegating the right project manager is also an important consideration when buying a business software solution. And again, ITQlick.com wants to emphasize that whatever the size of your company is, using the project management approach will always lead you into a better outcome – that is getting what you paid for the right business software solution. 

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Auditor - Shlomi Lavi

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Shlomi Lavi is an entrepreneur and founder of ITQlick.com. He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Information Systems Engineering from Ben Gurion University in Israel. Shlomi brings 17 years of global IT and IS management experience as a consultant and implementation expert for small, medium and large-sized (global) companies. Shlomi’s goal is to share the best knowledge and news about information systems so you can make smarter buying decisions for your business.