Factor AE Reviews

“Workflows feel clearer than before”

Pros

It has been really useful for keeping project details organized and managing tasks and deadlines in a single place. The interface is also user friendly which makes it easier for our team to monitor progress and work together across different projects. It has clearly improved our workflow and given us better visibility into the work.

Cons

One issue is that adjusting the invoicing templates on your own can be somewhat difficult. It becomes even more challenging when dealing with public agencies that need specific invoice formatting or documentation. The system does a lot well but more flexibility or simpler customization options for invoice templates would make this part of the process much better.

“good tool”

Pros

Entering time is really easy which makes the whole process very hassle free. Also it is helpful to see the impact on time budgets and how much time is still remaining for each project.

Cons

At times it seems to run into sync issues. I'll open the website and it just keeps loading and on some days I cannot access it at all.

“Great help keeps team together”

Pros

Getting started is very hassle free because the platform is user friendly and simple to work with. The customer support has been excellent and readily available whenever needed which adds a lot of confidence. It also delivers strong value for the money and the project collaboration features are a real plus.

Cons

A few metrics we'd like to view at a glance across multiple projects still aren't available in one clear overview. There's also no open-source API and custom reports cannot be created independently although the support team will build them for you when needed.

“automation does the heavy lifting for us”

Pros

Handling time tracking and billing has been completely transformed for us. It manages our more complicated projects that combine T&M and fixed fee models without missing billable hours which has made a big difference. The platform is amazing, the workflow automation saves us a lot of time and the way it manages data gives us one reliable source of truth across every project. It has easily turned into one of the most worthwhile investments our company has made.

Cons

Because the system is so comprehensive, there are a few limitations and some adjustment that comes with learning how to use everything effectively. That said the learning curve did not last long because the support team was excellent at helping us through it. One thing I really like is how quickly they respond as most of the time we get answers back within a matter of hours.

“Fast interface gets the job”

Pros

The interface is well organized and does the job really well. It takes a bit of time and experience to understand how everything integrates but once it clicks, it becomes very quick and simple to use.

Cons

There is nothing major that I dislike. A few smaller areas could still be improved but the team clearly seems committed to developing the software further so I expect it will keep getting better over time.

“layout always stays clear”

Pros

Its interface is clean, simple and never seems overwhelming. One feature I keep coming back to is the resource schedule by person tab which I use much more often than the resource schedule by project.

Cons

One thing that would really help is a quicker way to enter a full week of hours by clicking a button and copying whatever was already scheduled for that week. On the Enter Time screen, you also cannot see how many hours you were scheduled for a project until after you've entered time into it. It would be much more useful if that number appeared beforehand since it would make weekly goals and planning the rest of the workweek easier to visualize. A toggle showing something like 0/4 hours in the small completion dial instead of only a percentage would solve that nicely especially since I have never really ended up relying on the Schedule tab.

“covers everything well”

Pros

Having everything under one roof has been a big win for our firm. It really serves as a complete all in one system and its QuickBooks Online integration works exceptionally well, making invoicing and financial tracking very hassle free. The timesheet feature is simple for staff to handle and the project management tools do an excellent job of helping us monitor projects, budgets and overall progress. It has replaced a lot of separate systems for us and keeps the entire operation much more organized.

Cons

There really are not many significant downsides. As with most powerful platforms, there is a bit of a learning curve during the initial implementation and a few parts could use more flexibility when it comes to customization. That said once the workflows are set up and everyone is familiar with the system, it performs very well.

“Onboarding was smooth”

Pros

Right from the beginning the setup was handled very well and with real attention to detail. Our support contacts took the time to learn how our firm works and made sure the system was configured to match our internal processes and reporting requirements. During onboarding, they guided us toward the features that mattered most for our day to day work which helped us build a good operational base from the start. Ongoing access to the support team has been just as helpful whenever we need to fine tune reports or get answers as our needs continue to change.

Cons

One feature that would make the experience even better is having the option to switch the timesheet view between a weekly layout and a full monthly view. That added flexibility would make it much easier for employees to quickly check their total hours especially when keeping an eye on overtime or planning out the rest of their month. Seeing a wider calendar view could also help team members manage responsibilities more evenly and maintain a healthier work-life balance while still staying on top of deadlines.

“reminders are great”

Pros

Being able to add a payment link for credit card or ACH payments has been a huge plus and sending reminders for unpaid invoices is just as helpful. Those features have made our workflow much more efficient and cut down on extra manual follow-up.

Cons

Right now invoices still have to be drafted one at a time since there's no batch drafting option available. That's easily the most time-consuming part of working with it.

“boosts our daily output”

Pros

the customer support has been outstanding and our firm was able to take full advantage of the onboarding training. It has made our task and project management much more organized and the user friendly setup has really improved our day to day productivity.

Cons

The thing I noticed it that a few items can be tricky to edit after a project has already been created so that part seems a bit tedious. Still, it's not a bad system at all but just an area that could be more flexible.

“Whole project view in one”

Pros

Having it as the hub for our work has made a real difference in how we organize projects and manage proposals, billing and project phases in one system. It's much simpler now to see exactly where every job stands and keep the whole team aligned on tasks. The opportunity tracking and invoicing tools have been especially valuable for the way we work.

Cons

A few parts of the interface take some time to learn and not every feature is immediately clear when you first start using the platform. It would be even better if some workflows felt more organized and the setup options were a little clearer.

“pop ups help without being annoying”

Pros

One of the best things about it is how user friendly the interface is. It's flexible, clean and concise which makes it very user friendly. Instead of having to jump back and forth between different webpages, the system uses pop up windows where you can enter the information you need and that makes the whole process much more convenient.

Cons

Well the part I like least is the lack of built-in help for technical terms. There isn't a question mark icon beside those terms or a hover-over explanation feature so it can be harder to understand exactly what you're doing at times.

“Custom templates cut down work”

Pros

Custom invoice templates make billing much easier for us because we can keep our formatting and branding consistent while still turning out invoices quickly across multiple projects. The project template feature is just as useful since it helps standardize how new projects are set up with the right structure, phases and billing settings already in place. That cuts down on mistakes, saves time and keeps the whole team working more consistently.

Cons

The QuickBooks Online integration is good overall and does a good job syncing financial information between both systems. One gap, though, is that late fees added in QuickBooks Online do not automatically sync back so they still have to be tracked or adjusted manually. PTO tracking is a helpful feature too but yearly rollover means re-entering balances by hand each time. It is workable but automating PTO rollovers would make the process feel more up to date and reduce admin work.

“allows do everything from one place”

Pros

Having time tracking, project invoicing and profitability review all in one system has been really helpful. It's convenient to see everything in a single place instead of jumping between multiple programs and that makes managing projects much more efficient.

Cons

It would be even better if there were a way to import an MS Project schedule since building and keeping schedules updated can be difficult. It would also help to have options for organizing CRM opportunities in A to Z order or by a ranking like 1 to 10.

“Keeps time and projects visible”

Pros

Navigation is pretty easy and it works really well for tracking time and staying on top of projects to make sure everything gets finished on schedule.

Cons

There are times when the system runs slowly or stops working altogether. When that happens, we have to reboot it which is frustrating.

“Our team relies on this tool”

Pros

For several years it has been the project management and invoicing system our office relies on. The interface is easy to pick up which is a big advantage compared with other tools we have tried and that has helped us reach full adoption across the entire team. It's also been nice to see the product continue to evolve, with new features being added on a fairly regular basis.

Cons

One thing I'd still like to see is a stronger CRM module. It covers the basics right now but having more options for sorting and querying customer information would make it much more useful.

“One hub for all consulting”

Pros

Having everything in one place makes this a very efficient system for managing clients, projects and staff. The user friendly time tracking tools, along with the CRM, give consulting firms a complete and well-rounded way to keep operations running successfully.

Cons

It does take a while to learn the program although the onboarding team does an excellent job of helping along the way.

“has some flaws”

Pros

It's fairly simple to click around and get the hang of. From what I can tell, it has the potential to be a really strong product once I have had time to go through all of the training videos.

Cons

I am still working out how to bring in the last 5 8 years of project information so my project history is current. I do not like the idea of losing historical data and having to start from scratch. Maybe the answer is to send over my old project files and have them uploaded instead. I also wish I had more control to customize reports and invoice templates on my own.

“Billing wrapped up within a day”

Pros

The biggest win with this tool has been the amount of time it gives back to us. Before we started using it, handling time tracking and converting that into billable invoices could take as long as two weeks. Now with this one we can finish that entire process in just one day. We honestly have not come across another tool that makes time tracking and billing this efficient and simple.

Cons

There are only a few additions we'd like to see down the road. One would be support for multiple brands or companies under a single account. Another would be the option to apply sales tax to just part of a project rather than the full invoice. Even so these are pretty specific needs for our business so we do not really view them as shortcomings in it, just useful upgrades that would make it an even better fit for us.

“Time tracking actually delivers results”

Pros

Running my small business has been a lot easier with Factor handling time tracking and billing. My employees usually get up to speed very quickly which saves me a lot of time on onboarding. On top of that the technical support team has been outstanding whenever I have needed help.

Cons

Nohing major to complain about. If anything software development and product updates feel a little slow. I have submitted a few suggestions and requests but I still have not seen those changes rolled out on our side.