Modern businesses, especially professional and project-based firms, rely on technology to operate. They’ll need it for almost every aspect of their operations. But, their technological solutions can often be a bit hit-or-miss, as they could’ve taken a scattershot approach to what they have.
That’s what enterprise software providers help with. They design, develop, create, and implement software solutions their clients can benefit from. There’s no reason why your business couldn’t benefit from using one for your software solution needs.
What is an Enterprise Software Provider?
An enterprise software provider delivers integrated platforms that unify a client’s core business functions under one digital roof. Instead of juggling various tools, clients can work from a single system that combines finance, operations, people, and projects.
For service-driven firms, these solutions are often project-centric. Solutions are designed to manage engagement, billable hours, resource allocation, and similar areas under one roof.
While solutions that offer this could be developed in-house, this is often a long and costly process. By working with an enterprise software provider, companies see more than a few benefits. The largest of these are:
- Giving you instant access to expert tools and software solutions.
- Enhancing profitability by making more informed data-driven decisions.
- Scaling up your solutions when you need to, and even scaling down if needed.
- Staying regulatorily compliant with your software with little effort.
- Not needing to invest in software development, updates, and maintenance.
These can be more than enough to persuade your firm to consider using enterprise software providers. But, you’ll need the right one for your business.
You could go for more than a few options, but it doesn’t mean all of them are as effective as you’d like. Some could be much more effective to work with, and five of these could be more than worth it. Let’s look at how they measure up.
Best Enterprise Software Providers Ranked: Top Five Picks
1. Unit4 – A Project-Centric Approach
Unit4 was built from the ground up specifically for project-based and service-oriented firms, bringing together project management, financial and billing, and resource management features. Then there are the real-time insights and similar features.
These are all offered through a cloud-based approach, making it relatively quick and easy for these services to be deployed. The only real negative here is it mightn’t be a great fit for companies in non-service focused areas, like manufacturing.
Pros:
- Strong alignment with various professional services industries.
- Cloud-based approach makes it relatively fast to deploy.
- Features span everything a project-based business could need.
Cons:
- Firms focused on less service focused areas, like manufacturing, might find it lacking.
2. Oracle Netsuite ERP – All-in-One for Services
Oracle Netsuite is a cloud-based, unified ERP and professional services automation platform that supports service-based businesses of all sizes. This includes billing, resource planning, and analytics, all of which are quite scalable because of their cloud-based nature.
There’s quite a large ecosystem of features and software to take advantage of here, allowing for a certain amount of flexibility and customizability. But, this comes at a relatively high cost and could take longer to implement than some alternatives.
Pros:
- Strong cloud-native architecture designed for scalability.
- Integrates various features and services in one platform.
- Large marketplace and ecosystem to customize what you use.
Cons:
- Relatively high cost and time to implement compared to alternatives.
3. Microsoft Dynamics 365 – A Flexible Approach
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is one of the more well-known options on offer, and countless companies flock to it because it’s a recognizable brand. Then there’s the fact it offers quite a bit of flexibility with what it offers. It outdoes quite a few competitors this way.
That’s primarily because it has a more comprehensive list of software solutions for clients. But, this can often be costly to implement, with more than a few alternatives coming in at more budget-friendly prices.
Pros:
- One of the more recognizable and well-known brands.
- Offers more flexibility than many of its alternatives.
- Has a more extensive offering than some of its main competitors.
Cons:
- Implementation overhead might be higher than alternatives.
4. Deltek Vantagepoint – Built for Project-based Firms
Deltek Vantagepoint mainly works with agency-type companies and purely project-based firms, with the company specializing in this area. It’s developed deep resource management and project lifecycle features because of that, making it a great pick for those firms.
This is especially true for this in the consulting, engineering, and architecture industries. But, it’s not great for those outside these industries. With real-time access to project status and other areas, this could be one of the better options to go for.
Pros:
- Deep resource management and project lifecycle features.
- Real-time access into project status, budget, and resource allocation.
- Great fit for firms in the consulting, engineering, and architecture industries.
Cons:
- Not a great option for any companies with non-project-based processes.
5. Sage Intacct – Cloud Finance & Project Accounting Specialist
Sage Intacct is a cloud-based financial management platform with strong professional-services accounting features and flexible architecture. It’s a great option for mid-size financial firms who want a comprehensive platform to take advantage of.
The features and solutions offered here are also faster to deploy than many competitors, and it shouldn’t cost nearly as much. But, this does mean you could be sacrificing a few features for the sake of saving a bit of money.
Pros:
- Excellent for mid-size service firms that prioritize financial control and similar areas.
- Can be deployed faster and for a lower cost compared to alternatives.
- Better option when finance can be a tricky area to manage.
Cons:
- Mightn’t have as many features as other options.
Summing it Up
Enterprise software providers can be worth focusing on for more than a few reasons. The software solutions they offer could help you take your project-based or service-oriented business to the next level. At a minimum, they’ll bring everything under one roof.
But, don’t just partner with the first provider you come across. Go with one that understands your needs and helps you take your business to the next level. It’ll directly impact your operations, so you’ve no reason not to.
