Projektmanagement Software

Portfolio/multi-project management of a company or organisation for planning, budgeting and project controlling is accessd in the pm-smart multi project module (MPM). The process, from the project idea/proposal, and the evaluation of these ideas, the portfolio scenario display and release of portfolios is displayed here with tables and graphics that are freely controllable by user settings and filters.

The definition of company specific key figures and project attributes happens here, as well as implemented company or organisation specific project management standards in the form of settings or configurations. Through the comprehensive possibilities from pm-smart in the range of parameters, the software can be modified to efficiently fit your individual requirements. We offer For the PMO team further work supporting features such as To-Do functions, Chat Feature and meeting management.

Portfolio / Multi project management
for planning, budgeting und controlling
release of portfolios and projects
key figures management

Project ideas & proposals

The starting point in pm-smart is the project idea-collection window. Ideas, proposals, and requests are populated with freely configurable data fields, including required fields. Later in the work-flow, these ideas can be assessed by different, freely defined criteria, for example margin contribution, monetary benefit, or risk. The various assessed ideas are presented with their data in selectable portfolio tables and are grouped by the user. Graphical representations support managers to retain an overview.

pm-smart offers customer-specific definable project life-cycles with graphical representations (project pipelines) of defined portfolios. Additionally, custom product life-cycles can be defined.

Portfolio formation / budget planning / project release

As many portfolios as desired can be defined. Project ideas and project charters can easily be assigned to (multiple) portfolios. The central filter allows creating various portfolio analyses for managers that can also be made available in a pm-smart web portal for managers in read-only mode.

Analyses are available as lists with freely configurable tables, data fields and the option to export to Excel, or, alternatively, as graphical representations of the various portfolios.

Another overview, especially for internal projects, is the “Product Roadmap” which uses Gantt charts with an overlay of the most important milestones. This overview allows to easily link milestones from different projects.

Once portfolios are released in the budgeting process, projects can, if necessary, also be released via a stepwise signing-process in digital workflows in the pm-smart web portal for managers.

pm-smart supports you in creating projects by offering to import data from templates to pre-fill work breakdown structures, work schedules, risk catalogues and checklists.

By importing data into new projects, project managers benefit from lessons-learned and established standards of your company.

Multi-project controlling

pm-smart distinguishes itself through a comprehensive multi-project controlling and reporting system.

The central project overview offers a table with selected projects and columns that can be saved into a filter profile for later use.
Many forms are available for printing or saving as a PDF such as performance progress, activity, deadlines and, of course, costs and profit contribution.
The Gantt deadline overview for selected portfolios is highly valued by users of pm-smart. Here, the user can see a comparison between the deadlines defined in the project request and the current data, as well as a visualisation of the deviations.
Furthermore, project closing reports, an overview of open issues and lessens learned are available in the multi-project controlling.

Key figures

Another highlight are the configurable dashboard-views and earned-value analyses for selected project portfolios in the form of diagrams. These analyses show the development of goals, budget, and date targets.

The analyses of date and cost deviations of selected projects can be done via an analysis dialogue. This dialogue allows to search across projects, for example, for date deviations in all work packages called “Design”. In this way, potentials for improvement can be identified.

pm-smart follows your project management methods

pm-smart can be freely configured to adhere to your company-specific project management guidelines and processes. This is reflected in the various commercial areas where pm-smart has been successfully introduced, from hospitals to banks to the steel industry. Company-specific data fields, or custom fields, where qualitative and quantitative data can be entered, can be added where necessary. This enables the easy implementation of pm-smart into your company. In addition, defined standards and templates let your project managers benefit from company knowledge and lessons-learned of past projects.

pm-smart Single Project Management is built to be process-oriented. This module contains all the standard project management methods and functions.

The individual functions can be grouped into categories such as project planning, controlling, risk management, etc. for a better overview. Restricting project data for certain user groups is possible. Depth of method operation can be set for different project types and complexities. Communication, coordination and reporting helper-functions support work in the project. Integration with ERP systems such as SAP, to Jira and Microsoft Office helps to avoid double-work.

Traffic-light-functions and key figures deliver an overview at a glance. Using templates reduces risk and raises efficiency. With pm-smart you can create standard reports in the form of a project handbook for all project management documents.

Graphical work breakdown structure
Gantt charts
Project management documents / forms
built to be process-oriented
Risk management
Stakeholder / context analysis
online project handbook

Project management documents & forms

pm-smart can create all required project management documents directly in the software.

Every document can be configured according to the project type and complexity.
Apart from typical project indicators, company-specific figures can be included.
Document releases can be carried out digitally.
Documents can become part of the project handbook with just one click.
With the Report Designer, companies can create individualised documents and reports.

Project organisation und communication

Build your project organisation and communication graphically for a clearer overview. Permissions are normally set centrally on a role-basis in the company, but indivdual users can be given different permissions in this window so that they can access various levels of the project. From here, users can also manage regular communications such as meetings and status reporting, all from within pm-smart.

Graphical work breakdown structure for planning activities

The work breakdown structure is, together with the Gantt Chart, the main working environment and the central control area for the project leader. A large variety of entry and evaluation functions are available here.

Presentation of the structure, objects, phases and work packages in the form of a graphical modelling of the work breakdown structure.
Templates can be imported as a basis for new projects
The following applies to all dimensions such as costs, deadlines, content: planning depth per phase or object and work package are all freely selectable
Work package presentation with content description / result description / function diagram
Milestone and process display - on the same database as the Gantt chart with traffic light system for deviations
Checklists / documents / ToDo's can be linked to all elements

Cost and cashflow management

Keep track of planned, commited, previewed and actual values in x any currencies
Yearly, monthly or quarterly view is available.
Import actual values directly from other software, such as SAP, with inbuilt integrations.
See cost trends in tabular form or graphically.

Gantt Charts

The project structure is imported from the work breakdown structure and can be edited from here.
View phases, work packages, milestones and their relationships.
Critical path display.
Compare original plans and changes to your project graphically.
Import and export to MS-Project or Excel.

Actual costs and time booking management

The current values of your project can be entered either manually or automatically imported via an interface to your accounting software.
For time-booking we also offer the pm-smart web portal. Here, users can also report the progress of their work.
Project progress is normally reported in the web portal.

Performance, cost and schedule controlling

The controlling process is cyclical, employing rolling planning following the calculation of actual costs.

In distributed organisations, suggested values, such as progress and required expenses from the person responsible for the work package, are entered via the web portal and are checked by the project manager before being comitted to the system.
Deadline controlling takes place after examination of deadline change suggestions, imported from the web portal, direcly in the Gantt chart.
Risk and change management can be constantly updated.

We offer a comprehensive reporting with cost overview, detailed cost reports, deadline overview and trend analysis for costs, gross margins and milestones. As a report for the project owner, a project performance report, configurable by project type, can be created and digitally released. The software supports the entry of data from those responsible for work packages through overviews and communication tools, such as reminder emails.

Change & claims management

Identify and and asses changes and claims
Define the status and set measures
control the claim or change release via digital workflows
Automatically integrate changes and claims in cost management
Checklists are integrated for efficient claim handling

Risk management

Our smart risk management module contains an overview list that can be pre-configured as a template.
Risks can be assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively and attached to work packages.
Important is the definition of preventative measures, supported by the central ToDo list. Processes for the implementation of a FMEA are supported.
A risk overview gives users a weighted summary evaluation. Other analyses for project risks, as well as risk trends analysis, are created during the cyclical risk controlling.

Stakeholder- / environment analysis

The stakeholder and environment analysis is a graphical representation of the stakeholder relationships and project environment.

Multiple, separate environment analyses can be created for a project, e.g., one social and one technical.
Describe, evaluate and create measures for each entry.
Measures are automatically saved in the central ToDo list.
Direct transfer to the risk overview.

The pm-smart web application is designed for project team members, such as those responsible for work packages and their employees.

Users can see at a glance the relevant projects are work packages that are relevant for him or her, appointment and expenditure data, his or her capacity and to-dos. He or she can see the content and results from the single-project management module and can report on the status and measures that may be necessary. An integral element is time recording for projects and normal business. In this module, users can record their time expenditure efficiently, with support from settings of favorites.

Furthermore, online project handbooks in PDF format are available.

For the extension to the so-called hybrid PM approach, we offer a connection to Jira for users who want to use agile methods.

my work overview
personal capacity
time recording
To-Dos
Connection to Jira

Overview - My Tasks

List of all released projects and their work packages, the order and release for the user happens in the work package breakdown. Tasks can be planned in phases/objects or in the work package level.
Display and editing of the content and result of the work packets.
Status and deadlines imported from the work package breakdown/Gantt chart. Planned expenses in hours or working-days taken from the cost planning.

My To-Dos, meetings & project handbooks

Assigned and individual To-Dos lists can be worked on an added to direcly in the web portal
Documents attached to the To-Dos can be opened directly and worked on
Reminder emails for To-Dos can be set up
See all invitations and minutes from meetings
Online project handbooks and other linked documents

Time recording & progress

The online time recording system is used for all projects, work packages and predefined rolls.

Bookable elements can be worked on from a personal favourite list - save time.
Every time booking can be extended to include the type of activity through comments.
Time entry can be made either with from-to values or the total number of hours.
Time booking right, or who can book for whom can be configured.
Is is possible to compare the time spent in the office and compare that with time booked to projects.
Analysis is available online or as a report.

When configured, the user now has the possibilty to enter the current progress as a percentage or the still required hours. This value will be seen by the project manager at the next controlling as a suggested value.

Overview personal capacity

As an output of resource management in pm-smart, project team members see a table the capacity in detail and as a final sum. These details include all projects and work packages, their standard responsibilities and planned abscences.
With a filter, the user can quickly see his or her capacity and planned tasks.
Overloads are easy to spot through the use of colour codes. Data such as status, start and end dates and planned hours are of course available.

Connection to Jira - hybrid PM

For the assignment of Jira tickets to work packages, pm-smart provides a "flat" list of "assignable elements" in a web service. Via a web service provided by pm-smart, the Jira tickets are synchronized - event triggered - to pm-smart.
All assigned tickets to work packages are visible in pm-smart, e.g. for the project manager.

For a logged-in user, the following tickets are available for selection in pm-smart time booking:
• All tickets that are assigned to the selected work package in Jira and for which the user has a booking permission.
• All tickets that are not assigned to a work package in Jira and for which the user has a booking permission.

All pm-smart time bookings which are assigned to Jira tickets are also available in Jira for evaluations. A transfer of the performance progress per ticket is also possible.

We offer, as a standard feature, a simple personnel utilisation planning overview in pm-smart. Comprehensive resource management is available as an additional module.

All rough planning entries and values regarding capacity are centrally controlled. The fine planning of projects takes place in the single project management module and is, as decided by the project leader, carried over to the central resource management in the form of requests. The procedure repeats itself at changes in projects, for example, when schedules are altered.

We offer a working surface that shows possible overburdened resources and provides simulations from the project requests.

Rough and fine planning
Resource conflicts
Capacity scenarios

Personnel capacity & utilisation plans

Central resource management as well as management of personnel capacity is integrated in pm-smart multi-project management.

Define personnel capacities in the personnel master data – part-time employees are also covered.
Rolls & skills are individually customisable. The organisational membership of a person in a group, department or area as well as a hierarchical structure of the organisation can be represented in the software.
The capacity definition for project work appears directly in the utilisation-view through entry of general tasks and times of absence.

For customers for whom a rough overview of the personnel utilisation is enough, for example, where no central, comprehensive resource management should be carried out, we offer a personnel utilisation plan in table form. Here, the project data from the individual project plans, according to organisational units and skills/capabilities, are visualised together. A direct entry of daily business and times of absence is provided here. Naturally, personnel utilisation plans per project are available.

Rough planning of tasks and activities

In pm-smart resource management can be planned either on the level of organisational units (departments / groups), or rolls (skills / capabilities) or directly on the individual employee level. This applies to fixed projects and daily business as well as not-yet-confirmed duties such as orders and queries.

Rough planning for ideas or proposals will be populated as planning requests directly in the utilisation overview. Naturally, utilisation simulations can be carried out with these planning requests.
The rough planning of projects, daily business and small projects takes place direcly in the utilisation overview. Project rough planning does not happen here on the work package level.

Detailed planning for projects

In pm-smart, resource management can be planned either by organisational units (departments / groups) or rolls (skills / capabilities) or directly on the individual employee level.

The detailed planning of projects is mostly carried out by the projects manager in phases, objects or work packages. Through the entries in the project, a new statement about the utilisation results with these new duties. The transfer of project data to the central resource management happens mostly by the project manager sending a request. This request is evaluated by the resource manager and can be accepted directly or with returned with proposed adjustments.
pm-smart creates typical analyses for resource managers with the click of a button.
In the web portal, a “my capacity” table is available for every user.

In addition to all our features for project managers, for project team members and management, the following section describes general features that make project management easier for all users.

Features that link documents and other files to your project management, and can be easily viewed, imported or exported from pm-smart.

Features for project coordination and workflow control, such as a central meeting management system and ToDo list, to make sure everyone on you team is on the same page.

Many software interfaces are available for cost management, tickets, customer management, master data and import/export from Office programs.

Document management by links
Integrations to MS SharePoint DMS
To-do management & project diary feature
Checklists with central template management
Event manager / Workflow control
Meeting management
IT integrations to ERP systems / Jira / Microsoft Office...

Document management – integration with MS SharePoint DMS

pm-smart offers the possibility to connect project documents over relative links with different PM processes. Over these links in pm-smart windows, documents can be opened from the explorer, over a web address or from the MS SharePoint DMS system.

Inbuilt file explorer communicates with SharePoint.
Link files to specific project topics, such as project orders, project objects or work packages.
Control access rights for the SharePoint library directly in pm-smart.
Copy template documents, complete with folder structure, into new projects.
we support SharePoint on premise and also Sharepoint Online Solutions

Event manager & workflow control

Support the decision-making process with workflows, make collaboration concrete and increase clarity for better teamwork.

Digitally release project management documents.
Inform project team members automatically when new work packages are ready to be worked on.
Many individual notification settings are available.
Document the release of project management documents optimally.

To-do management & project diary feature

Central project to-do management with integrations with MS Outlook and Lotus Notes.
Reminder function via email.
ToDo's contain a reference to their source, e.g., from meeting minutes or a work package.
Meeting ToDo's can be directly saved in the ToDo list that is referenced in the minutes.
Project diary: The project diary entries coupled with the global search function can support knowledge management.

Meeting management & project handbooks

Create meeting appointments and invite participants.
Take meeting minutes directly in the system and send them via email.
Supports multiple project handbooks and lets you share them.
Create personalised reports with the Report Designer.
Export data and project information to Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents.

Checklists

Use pre-configured checklists or create custom checklists
Checklists support analysis, handover, quality assurance processes and especially the innovation process
Checklists are often centrally maintained and become available depending on the project type
Checklists are usually opened in the PSP dialog from a work package / milestone
Checklist items can also be edited in the web portal for project staff
As an important addition, pm-smart has a digital approval process for checklist items or for complete checklists - special applications result from the innovation process

IT integrations

Save time and work with pm-smart’s inbuilt integrations to many popular business software. Here are a few examples

Connect to ERP systems for cost management, for example to SAP, MS Dynamics NAV / AX, ABAS, Baan, AP Plus, BMD ...
Syncronise tickets with agile system Jira for ticket synchronisation, assignment of work packages and time booking
Connect master data systems such as personnel data, client data...
Synchronize with timekeeping systems to record attendance times
Connect to groupware systems to synchronize tasks and dates. Integration with MS Outlook and MS Teams is part of the standard installation of pm-smart
Connect to document management systems such as MS sharepoint DMS / SharePoint Online as part of the standard installation

We gladly advise you, weigh costs and benefits, and develop, depending on your requirements, detailled specifications.

Depending on the use-case, we use the following base technologies:

Web services
Database views
CSV, Excel
Remote function calls
...

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Project success with system - sustainable with the project management software pm-smart!

Have full control over your projects from the idea, to implementation, to project closing.

The software solution for your project management

pm-smart is optimised for your role in project management

pm-smart for managers / PMO