In the realm of project management and portfolio management solutions, Microsoft Project Server and ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management offer competitive capabilities. Microsoft Project Server appears to have an edge due to its seamless integration with other Microsoft products like SharePoint, enabling effective project collaboration.
Features: Microsoft Project Server provides in-depth project scheduling, global visibility over resource allocation, and powerful collaborative tools leveraging SharePoint. ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management excels with its portfolio management that aligns company strategy with projects, comprehensive resource management, and robust integration across enterprise functions.
Room for Improvement: Microsoft Project Server can enhance resource allocation algorithms and integration flexibility. Users also seek improvements in end-user collaboration capabilities. ServiceNow could improve its reporting features, simplify financial management, and enhance user-friendliness. Both platforms would benefit from better integration with external tools and more intuitive interfaces.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Project Server is typically deployed on-premises, whereas ServiceNow provides flexible cloud deployment options, easing integration with public cloud services. Both platforms offer satisfactory customer support, though Microsoft users report occasional delays in issue resolution, while ServiceNow's support may fluctuate based on plan and region.
Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Project Server is considered cost-effective for enterprises, though potentially pricey for small businesses, with costs influenced by on-premises setup and licensing. ServiceNow's higher pricing is tailored to large enterprises, but service flexibility leads to variable costs. Both solutions offer significant ROI through efficiencies and strategic project alignment.
Microsoft Project provides significant return on investment through time savings, enhanced visibility, real-time reporting, and risk mitigation for projects.
For organizations that haven't invested in people and processes, the product is underutilized and seen as overpriced.
It's challenging to navigate, often making it necessary to search for solutions externally.
Their support tends to decline when not supporting cloud solutions.
Communication with two people, one was knowledgeable while the other was learning.
They have knowledgeable teams across all levels.
They should improve vendor compliance to align with ServiceNow's strategy.
While they have a skilled team, reaching the right resource can sometimes be a challenge.
The desktop version does not have scalability.
Microsoft Project Server is fully scalable and is widely used in many industries.
Scalability is critical for our clients as they deal with numerous projects and changes.
Based on my experience, while I am unsure about how scalable ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management is, it is very adaptable, and I would rate that an 8.5.
I have never had to reach out to their support because the product works as expected.
I have not faced any outages or downtime with ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management.
Exporting data from Microsoft Project, especially Gantt charts, is overly complex and not user-friendly.
The lack of collaboration capabilities on the desktop version, unlike the cloud version, is a limitation.
Microsoft has become increasingly expensive, and there seems to be a push towards cloud solutions which can be challenging for some.
The integration of artificial intelligence is something my customer is considering for future upgrades.
The recommended export and import functionality could be developed into a real-time scenario to allow seamless data synchronization without manual interventions.
Making the product more cost-beneficial would help more organizations consider investing in it.
Microsoft Project Server is on the expensive side due to high licensing costs.
Microsoft's products are expensive for individuals.
Considering the infrastructure commitments to SharePoint and SQL, the implementation costs are low if already set up.
If a company is prepared to get a return on the investment, the price is worth it.
It's a bit costly currently.
The pricing is rated six, as it's relatively low-medium compared to other solutions.
The Gantt chart is also a very powerful tool for a visual presentation of sequences, critical paths, and execution processes, which simplifies comprehension for users.
This setup allows for comprehensive reporting and management across multiple projects and portfolios.
The dashboards are amazing for data crunching and provide a project focus with upcoming predictions, including burn-up and burn-down charts.
The platform consolidates multiple offerings into one module, eliminating the need to invest in siloed applications.
Aligning the portfolio with overall strategy and goals is essential for success.
The most valuable features include managing our portfolio, getting a grip on demand in the environment, and making informed decisions about which projects would provide the greatest return.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management | 7.5% |
| Microsoft Project Server | 4.1% |
| Other | 88.4% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 25 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 12 |
| Large Enterprise | 33 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 11 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 3 |
| Large Enterprise | 23 |
Microsoft Project Server streamlines project management with features like resource allocation, project scheduling, and SharePoint integration. It's valued for its intuitive interface and ability to provide comprehensive insights through advanced reporting and dashboards.
Designed to enhance collaboration and efficiency, Microsoft Project Server supports complex task management by integrating seamlessly with SharePoint. It offers tools like Gantt charts and timeline management for effective tracking. Users benefit from Excel and Power BI compatibility, enhancing analytical capabilities. Despite its powerful functionalities, users identify areas for improvement in tool integration, resource management, and collaboration features. There are calls for a modernized interface and more flexible pricing. While the cloud version boasts continuous updates, the on-premises model lags behind.
What are the main features of Microsoft Project Server?Microsoft Project Server finds its application across industries by providing tools for planning IT infrastructure and managing enterprise-level projects. It helps organizations document projects and manage portfolios, enabling clear visibility into performance through milestones and KPIs.
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management is a highly regarded value-added Portfolio Management solution and also a top-ranked Enterprise Agile Planning tool. Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) relates to the tools and processes that business organizations utilize to manage their usable resources and satisfy calculated business objectives.
ServiceNow SPM ensures organizations are able to precisely identify and promote the best investment initiatives that accurately match the organizational objectives, which will facilitate that the most profitable outcomes are consistently achieved.
Enterprise organizations can include the desired various factors of their business processes to include in their unique strategic portfolio. These factors can include but are not limited to employee performance initiatives, product promotions, client services, and more. When assembled together, these factors become integral elements to promote the most effective business process decisions that will ensure appropriate outcomes that align with the organization's overall goals and objectives.
ServiceNow SPM Best Practices
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management Benefits:
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management has many valuable benefits. Some of its most valuable benefits include:
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management's primary focus is to align business strategy with work. Decision-makers are able to plan, complete and easily track progress across different methodologies and processes. The solution has been developed to ensure that the appropriate activities and processes are being completed in a timely manner to satisfy the organization’s goals consistently and achieve the most profitable outcomes.
Reviews from Real Users
“The feature I find the most valuable is the one that lets you see how much time has been used in processing a ticket. This allows us to better monitor performance.” Lenny L., Support Engineer at a tech services company
“The ease of use is the most valuable feature. It's very intuitive to set up. Everything has a logical sequence, and you can see how it all links together. It's a good win for ServiceNow.” Fabrizio M., Head of Business Applications at Bio Products Laboratory Limited
“The demand management tool is very strategic because it helps assess risk, gives you a visual of different demands, and rates those values.” A Manager at a manufacturing company.
We monitor all Project Portfolio Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.
