Review

Tenrox PSA Release 7 Review From Tenrox Corporation
Tom Kappel, Reviews Editor, Allpm.com

Tenrox PSA from Tenrox Corporation has so many features, processes, modules, and functions; it would take a large book to completely cover everything this program can do. You know, one of those big 6-inch thick books, which is about the amount of information I had to wade through to provide you with this brief review. As with all my reviews, I am going to tell you what the program is, what it costs, and what is of importance and value to project managers.

Project management software, in my mind, comes in four sizes. The first size is the smallest single-purpose, mission-specific, software. It’s usually a small program designed to do one thing only. Programs of this type that come to mind are WBS Chart Pro and Pert Chart Expert. By the way, this is some of my favorite software as they usually do what they’re designed to do extremely well and are not overly complicated. The next level of software is the one we’re most familiar with and that’s multifunctional programs such as Microsoft Project or Milestones Professional. These programs are more complex with multiple processes, but still somewhat mission specific in that they’re focused on and work best on a single project with a great deal more interconnected input and information available. The third level is software designed to handle multiple projects on an enterprise wide basis. Primavera Enterprise Project Management (P3e) is, in my mind, an example of this level of software with MS Project and Milestones Professional working hard as want-to-bees at this level. Finally, we have the humungous software that operates enterprise-wide and can impact every department and function in a business. Such software capability is what Tenrox PSA is all about.

WHAT IT IS

Tenrox PSA advertises itself as the pioneer of a new breed of web based Professional Services Automation (PSA) software. Their purpose is to automate and streamline the performance of project or service oriented businesses through the use of their software and thereby increase productivity and profit. This is a big order taking big software.

All of the independent modules that make up this complete software program are fully integrated, Web-based, and can also be implemented in a phased install approach. These modules or family of Tenrox products when purchased together are called Tenrox PSA and is their complete PSA solution. Each module can be purchased and operated as a standalone program as well. The family of modules are:

• Tenrox PSA: The main project oriented enterprise level software
• Tenrox Time & Expense: Time and expense tracking
• Tenrox Expense Reporting: Expense Report Processing
• Tenrox Incident Management: Customizable workflows, change management processes, service requests, and knowledge base management
• Tenrox Purchasing: Complete requisitioning and purchasing processes
• Tenrox Time & Attendance: Office time and attendance module
• Visual PM: Development kit for Tenrox software

As you can see, there’s a lot more here than just project management software even on an enterprise wide level. This is or can become full business, corporation, or global enterprise software. Here, briefly, is what they say the software can do:

"Tenrox PSA can be implemented in a phased manner. Employees can enter information, managers can track a team’s progress and administrator’s can access information from anywhere using a browser, email, wireless, Windows based user interface and a variety of devices."

In addition it also can provide the following:

Core Business Functions

A. Performance Analysis
B. Operations
C. Resource Planning
D. Project Management
E. Opportunity Management
F. Proposal Management
G. Revenue and Cost Accounting
H. Invoicing
I. Timesheet Management
J. Labor Management
K. Expense Reporting
L. Knowledge Management
M. Purchasing
N. Request and Issue Tracking

Extended Business Functions

a) Customer Relationship Management
b) Human Resource Processes and Management

Components (with some description)

I. Access: to software via browser, email, wireless, and Windows based data capture and process systems
II. Batch Processing: automate reporting, update processes, background services and sync technology
III. Customizable workflow engine: Transitions, Roles and Authorities, and many pre-canned workflows
IV. Alerts: Automatic notifications and system triggered emails
V. Customization: Visual PM program available to develop, integrate with other systems, create and customize reports and web pages.
VI. Integration: This featured component requires a small list of it’s own and to name just a few:

i. ACCPAC
ii. Great Plains
iii. ADP Payroll
iv. SAP
v. Visio
vi. Visual Source Safe
vii. Microsoft Project

So, finally, as you can see, Tenrox PSA and the complete family of products from Tenrox Corporation is quite a bit to wrap your arms around and also to present in a reasonably sized review here. But, Allpm.com and this review is all about project management, so we need to see what PM processes and advantages Tenrox has for us in the main Tenrox PSA module.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

I will tell you to begin with that digging out just the project management information from massive promotional material available from the company was no minor task in itself. I did have a full demonstration of their products and modules that worked flawlessly on their equipment, which was no surprise. Their software has won many awards and support.

What was a major surprise from this demonstration was that in all of these modules and features and processes, Tenrox PSA does not create a project plan. By that I mean that it does not create what we Project Managers have come to understand as a printable project timeline plan. Instead, it OLE integrates with Microsoft Project, and perhaps other project planning software, I’m not sure exactly which one’s, to create the project plan itself. Combined, the two programs provide tight, fast, error-free project management processes with the immense power of both programs. I have not seen a demonstration of this integration of Tenrox PSA and MS Project functioning myself, although I have seen a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation from Tenrox that shows the import, export, and synchronization process. They have also received a Solution of the Year award from Microsoft for their MS Project integration, so I do believe they work well together. I will also say, from my knowledge of both programs, that a combination of these two programs would give a project manager a massive number of tools to address nearly every issue, concern, and process at their fingertips.

Still, Tenrox PSA by itself brings to the table for a project manager what is so often desperately needed and that’s, analysis information, reporting capabilities (with a large number of existing templates), graphics to support information, and Six Sigma style statistics.

What You See is What You Get

What You See

The opening screen of the program displays seven tabs. They are Entry, Management, Setup, Analysis, Reports, and Issues. Each of these tabs displays a screen with additional tabs for the many features and processes of the program. The screens, tabs, features, and processes of this program are, once again, too numerous to list here. I’ll tell you just a few relevant ones here so you can get a feel for the program.

1. Entry tab displays the following sub tabs:

a. Home; Timesheet; Assignment; Expense Report; To Do; All Issues; Purchase Order

2. Analysis Tab is one of the most valuable to a PM. Utilizing the information in the database the following analysis and documents can be provided.

a. Revenue Analysis, Expense Analysis, Time Analysis, Profit Analysis, Cost Analysis and more.

3. Issues tab has 16 sub tabs:

   a. Prepare RFI; RFI Response; RFI Evaluation; Process Quotation; Knowledge Base; and 11 more
   You get the idea here and this is only half the total tabs on the main screen!

What You Get

Tenrox PSA brings to the table for the project manager a wealth of information, metrics, reports, control, and information that is so often desperately needed by the PM to control, understand, and report to upper management on the project or projects. Once again there’s so much provided by this program that it’s difficult to concisely report on all the benefits to a project manager.

Here is a small list of what the program can do for a project manager:

1. Create an Organization Breakdown Structure (OBS)
2. Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
3. Create, display, print, and monitor individual timesheets, team times and expenses, budget and budget analysis
4. Track and monitor issues easily
5. Provide centralized storage of project documents
6. Do analysis, reporting, and time management
7. Validate and approve team time sheets
8. Approve purchases and expenses
9. Schedule team members vacations, evaluations, overtime policy, and auto time entry for holidays.
10. Share all of this across multiple projects with multiple project managers

Here is a small list of what the program can do for a Program Manager controlling multiple projects or a company executive:

1. Receive reports and monitor production, revenue and expense actuals and projections, budget and overruns
2. Establish, view, chart, and easily change the hierarchical view of the entire organization
3. Provide real-time access to all available information
4. Ability to map this software to other business processes in place
5. An aid in making critical business decisions utilizing graphs and summarized reports from the program
6. Allows manager to react proactively to developing concerns and issues

WHAT’S NEW IN RELEASE SEVEN

New Modules: Resource Planning and Web Business Intelligence

Feature Enhancements:
There are 22+ feature enhancements to the program in Version Seven. Just a few are:

1. Milestone billing
2. E-mail for timesheet ready for approval
3. Document attachment capability to timesheet, expense report, purchase orders, and more
4. Multi-Currency support
5. Resource planning, skill matching, interest matching
6. Full DB2 support
7. OLAP included in views, reports, and embedded as fully part of the program

IN CONCLUSION

As you’ve probably guessed from this review and all the numbered and bulleted lists, this program has a lot to offer a company, its management, and its project managers. All I can say is that if any of the above features and items addresses a need you have or are of interest to you, then you need to jump right in and check out Tenrox, Tenrox PSA, and Tenrox PSA yourself. As to my opinion, the company has been outstanding in meeting with me, providing me with information, contacting me, and answering and addressing any question or concern I had. Yes, I am a reviewer and it is in their best interest to provide all of the above to me, but I am not a customer---yet. I can only imagine the support they do provide their paying customers, and viewing the rewards and recommendations they’ve received, I have no doubt it is top drawer.

Also, as to the operation and functioning of the program itself, the demonstrations I attended and participated in, both standalone and on-line, worked flawlessly and speedily. It was fast and precise. What more can I say? In addition, I mentioned in the beginning that it would take a big book to explain everything about the Tenrox PSA program. Well, they have written a book explaining the theory and processes behind Professional Services Automation (PSA). You can get more information about this book from their website or by calling them at the information below.

Again, check out the program yourself!!

Tenrox provides a nice complete benefits page on their website for their software overall. You can check it out at www.tenrox.com/en/solutions/benefits.htm In other words; check out the web site link below for complete information on the company and its products, or give them a call. They’re real friendly and helpful.

Where To Go To Get A 30 day free test drive, on line demo, or more information visit: www.tenrox.com

Tom Kappel
Reviews Editor
Allpm.com

Tom Kappel is a Virginia based freelance writer and photographer who was a contributing editor for an Internet magazine, Internet Voyager, and has published fiction and nonfiction in over 17 publications including Albuquerque Monthly, Vistas West, the LERA Writer’s Guide, College and School Planning and Management, and Computer User Magazine. In addition, Mr. Kappel has scripted a video production and is currently a Reviews Editor and book reviewer for Allpm.com