We're looking to track and report on dozens of projects and would like to find a tool that provides at a glance status for multiple projects. Saving Changes...
There are hundreds of PPM tools out there so you'd need to narrow the field a bit by providing must-have requirements, technology standards (e.g. is cloud-based okay?) and an idea of the maximum your company is willing to spend (one time and ongoing).
Gartner does a regular (annual?) evaluation of PPM tools so if your company subscribes to their service you could review their most report.
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
How about Excel?
Most recommend you first get the portfolio processes right and then select a tool. Someone has to create the (standardized) data for the tool on a regular base, so it requires more effort on the side of the projects, which project managers do not appreciate.
I worked on a tool selection process for 9 months, and they still are going with excel.
Mikel SteadmanPMO Leader| Development Dimensions InternationalTroy, Nh, United States
I have been searching for this for several years. I have yet to find an all encompassing solution that works best. My recommendation is to start with your most critical requirements and build against that.
It's expensive, but there are some providers out there (Sensei) who can integrate MS Project and JIRA to manage resources and time as well as the reporting you seek. Saving Changes...
Having worked with a few hundred companies helping them in the PPM space, I've witnessed that the biggest issues are not tools-related but rather related to the behavioral change on the part of portfolio decision makers. Until those happen and the decision makers align to a consistent, objective approach for portfolio management, any PPM tool will just make the issues more visible.
