PM3 Software Reviews

“Brilliant experience of PM3 - perfect project management software!

Pros

I am particularly impressed by PM3s methodical and logical approach as it makes everything easy to navigate. It allows for capturing all project aspects and effectively tracks actions, tasks and milestones while providing email reminders to users. PM3 ensures that our projects stay on track and generates a wide range of easily printable or emailable reports. The layout is clear and simple, and when I started my role in PMO, I quickly adapted to the system. The user help guides and videos available are excellent sources of new information.

Cons

I would like to mention the milestone and task pages are not interconnected with the actions page, leading to duplicated information. However, I understand that these are separate pages and cannot be joined together. This is only a minor inconvenience and does not cause any issues. Other than that I have no complaints about the software.

“PM3 Review

Pros

This portfolio management tool is excellent. especially for an Enterprise PMO as it provides a comprehensive top down view of portfolios. Additionally, it serves as an all-around project management tool for day to day project management.

Cons

The strict Business Change Programme (BCP) > Programme > Project structure doesn't perfectly fit all scenarios in my organization but we have found workarounds.

“Great for managing projects, programmes and portfolios...I would definately recommend!

Pros

The milestone plans are clear, user friendly and can be seamlessly rolled up from project to program level. Having visibility of risk and issue management in one place greatly simplifies the process. The portfolio reporting function and prioritization matrix significantly reduce the time spent on collating portfolio-level reports.

Cons

At the project plan level the action log doesn't link to the milestone plan. The risk reports also do not include the inherent risk scores.

“Great PPP Product!

Pros

The automated reports are a game changer. Inputting information only once and linking projects to multiple programs or portfolios automatically pulls all the relevant data for reporting purposes.

Cons

Some pages have automatic saving while others require manual saving. I am unable to understand why there is a difference.

“PM3

Pros

The software is very easy to use and configure straight out of the box. It offers high configurability for project, program, and portfolio membership, allowing for efficient top down portfolio management. It doesn't require intricate project details before adding them, providing value right from the start. The tool offers project visibility without significant changes in workflow, as project managers can perform their tasks within the system instead of relying on scattered files and folders. The customer support during implementation is flexible and responsive, and the software is available through government procurement frameworks.

Cons

The planning function lacks some features compared to Microsoft Project which makes it less useful for project managers with advanced skills. However the supplier is working on enhancements for the next release. Although there are many pre-configured report formats included, none of them fit our needs exactly. It would be great to have a report-builder tool included. Additionally, the inability to bulk-upload pre-existing documents like RAID logs or project registers increases the workload when transitioning existing projects to the tool.

“Why use PM3

Pros

The setup process is effortless and the administration is intuitive. It provides useful reports right from the start. I found it effective from various perspectives, including as a customer, project manager, portfolio manager and program manager.

Cons

PM3time requires further development to ensure better integration.

“PM3 Review - NEL CSU

Pros

Understanding the system is a so simple and the required training was minimal. thanks to the excellent training provided. The system guides you to manage your project methodically, ensuring that all projects meet the minimum requirements.

Cons

So far I have not found anything about the system that I dislike. However if I had to mention something, it would be that reports can take a little while to load at times. This is not a criticism of the system itself and could be due to my network connection.

“Highly configurable and user friendly

Pros

Getting familiar with the system is easy. I really like the ability to select which functions to enable or disable, allowing for a gradual start and gradual expansion as familiarity and maturity with the system grow.

Cons

While you can configure some fields and change them to your liking it would be better to have the ability to create additional fields to capture a wider variety of information in the system.

“Continues to impress and deliver

Pros

The product continuously improves and develops to enhance its capabilities. Its the only product that links benefit plans to delivery plans. It has an intuitive design, clearly created by practitioners who understand our work processes. Unlike other products we've used, it comes with over 200 high quality reports, eliminating the need for designing and building our own. I love the portfolio structure, which allows plans to be included in multiple portfolios, providing great flexibility to showcase different views of project information. The training and configuration were handled by knowledgeable staff who always prioritized the customer's needs. Bestoutcome truly values customer feedback and welcomes suggestions for additional features and functionality. The customer service is excellent, with quick responses and a can-do attitude from the Bestoutcome team.

Cons

Honestly there are no cons to PM3. It has been a great experience overall.

“Fast Effective Relief from other Project Management Toolsets

Pros

PM3s key feature is its simplicity of use. Once the team provided the necessary introduction and overview. the system became very intuitive, effectively capturing and communicating the important aspects of project management.

Cons

Nothing. This system saved my program and ensured timely delivery.

“Great product!

Pros

The reporting functionality is outstanding, offering a vast suite of reports that retrieve a wealth of information with a simple click. We even purchased bespoke reports specifically tailored to our needs, which have been fantastic. The monthly RAG rating functionality is simple allowing for easy monthly RAG score updates.

Cons

There isn't a specific issues but the system has so many options and can be considered quite complex for project managers to navigate.

“PM3

Pros

The ability to roll up projects into programs and ultimately business continuity plans (BCPs) strikes the right balance between appropriate detail for activity management and high level reporting to the Board. The helpdesks customer service is also a major asset with instant responses and high quality advice. The product continues to evolve and develop to meet customer needs.

Cons

The occasional record locking can be troublesome but it happens rarely.

“Great project management software

Pros

It is easy to see the connections across the hierarchy from projects to portfolio level. The functionality to promote and demote risks and milestones is excellent.

Cons

I think that visually the system could have a more modern look but it functions well.

“An easy to use, really useful PPM tool

Pros

The user interface is superb, highly intuitive and quick to learn. The reports are concise, impactful and visually appealing, especially the high-level milestone plans.

Cons

There is nothing bad to say. It does exactly what it promises.

“Flexible, versatile solution to managing portfolios, programmes & projects

Pros

I like the flexible structure that allows easy grouping of projects based on our organizational structures and strategic goals. The software offers a fast setup out of the box, requiring no complex tailoring of processes, which enables managers to start using it productively within a few days. The multi level tracking and reporting feature generates valuable status reports with minimal effort. The controlled sharing of information across the portfolio empowers project managers to proactively manage interfaces and dependencies. PM3's extensive collection of standard reports has successfully fulfilled all our reporting requirements. The support and training provided by Bestoutcome are excellent.

Cons

Due to the wide range of functions and options it is sometimes easy to forget where a specific option is located. However I prefer having these options rather than a simpler product without them.

“PM3a usable PMO tool

Pros

IT projects can often be opaque, lacking transparency and hiding numerous issues. Many PMOs and their tools burden project managers without delivering much value to developers, often providing only financial summaries to higher management levels. PM3 stands out with its simplicity, comprehensiveness, relevance, and actionable insights.

Cons

Not much to say as it can be beneficial for use in most contexts. While it is not clearly an agile tool it can be readily adjusted to accommodate agile projects that have significant milestones.

“PM3 @ WHHT

Pros

The ease of use is remarkable and the support provided is excellent.

Cons

Initially there were issues when using Citrix but they were resolved with the latest version.

“PM3 - PMO

Pros

The PM3 dashboard is easy to read and transitioning between modules is simple. There is no need to wait for information to be saved and deleting or amending plans is a not a hassle. Inputting finance data is effortless, and the highlight reports are easy to read with the option to convert them to Excel format.

Cons

Changing and formatting reports can be challenging. I struggled with modifying columns and rows.

“A practical, affordable tool for manging complex project portfolios

Pros

The software offers a flexible structure that allows projects, programs and portfolios to be easily grouped, aligning with our organizational structures and strategic goals. It offers a fast out of the box setup, eliminating the need for complex process tailoring, enabling managers to become productive in just a few days. The multi level tracking and reporting feature effortlessly generates valuable status reports. The controlled sharing of information across the portfolio allows project managers to proactively manage interfaces and dependencies. PM3's extensive range of standard reports has successfully met all our reporting needs.

Cons

The breadth of system functions can be a bit difficult for new users and support staff initially. However I understand that unused functions can now be hidden when they are not needed although I haven't used that feature myself yet.

“Simple & Effective

Pros

This software is very user friendly and at the same time provides a real-time snapshot of project status. Its simplicity ensures high user adoption.

Cons

Copying and pasting into the tool can lead to formatting issues.