2014 Review of Commercial Logic PowerPM

Subscribers access all modules except the TrakTime time entry application through a remote desktop connection to servers operated by Commercial Logic.

Time Management Capabilities: 4.5 Stars

Time entry is performed through the TrakTime application, which is installed onto Windows personal computers.  Data can also be entered, reviewed, and edited into a batch entry screen. 

Invoicing Functions: 4.5 Stars

Clients are invoiced by writing up and writing down the time accumulated in work in process (WIP).  Receivables are tracked, and payments are recorded in batches within the application so that the accounts receivable balance is always current.  PowerPM supports progress billings.

Management Features: 5 Stars

Time and expense data tracked in standalone TrakTime tool is designed to be uploaded into PowerPM directly.  A due date tracking module, TrakDate, can be used to remind partners and staff of the due date of any projects and the stage of completion of that project. The application also includes task tracking, budgeting, and scheduling capabilities.

Integration & Data Management: 4 Stars

Although the application has tools for importing and exporting data from the solution, most users will instead prepare invoices, post client payments, and use a small portion of the capabilities of the application.  The solution offers a number of options for invoice preparation, including showing the work details on the bill, and supports printing reports to local printers from the Company’s servers.

Help/Support/Training: 4 Stars

Support is included in the subscription price. Additional training and resources are available from Commercial Logic, Inc. for $250 per hour, or $2,000 for a full day.  Our sample instance did not include a Windows Help file, although the production instances of the solution include this assistance.  While the application is relatively easy to use, the application might be easier for novices to use if more help content was visible from within the application. There are context-sensitive help screens on the more complex modules.

Summary and Pricing:

PowerPM is accessed using Microsoft Windows Server Terminal Services, and user licenses are purchased in units of five, with a minimum user count of 10 and a $200 minimum monthly recurring license fee, plus a one-time $1,000 setup fee.  PowerPM starts at $20 per user per month for the first fifteen users and drops to as low as $10 per user per month for organizations who need over 100 named users.  PowerForecast is priced at $2 per user per month, and the TrakDate Due Date Tracking application is $4 per user per month.

Best Fit: Small to midsized firms who need time, billing, and reporting capabilities as well as project management features from a practice management solution which is hosted on a cloud-based server.  PowerPM is designed to handle from 5 to 100 timekeepers, and is used by firms as large as 300.  Although the application was designed for accounting professionals, the publisher reports that the solution has been used successfully by a wide range of professional service businesses including attorneys, architects, engineers, and consultants.

Strengths

• PowerPM is supported on almost any computer or mobile device, and is only available as a hosted solution
• Users can license only those modules which are necessary for the desired features.
• PowerPM user locations are required to have a fixed IP address so that users are allowed to access the application.

Potential Limitations

• The user interface feels dated when compared to some of the other solutions in this section, although the menu structure is well organized.
• The application does not offer a version of the application for use with mobile devices..

2014 Overall Rating: 4.25 Stars