Project Management vs Business Management:

Are you looking for a system that will support you in project delivery, save time on repeatable activities and improve overall team communication? If you are reading this article, you are probably already tired by the amount of choice on the market and different names for very similar solutions.

We understand that finding the best digital tool is not easy, especially if you are not familiar with technical aspects of it. That is why to help you understand the market better, we will show you a comparison between project management and business management software. So, if you are still unsure which one will suit your company better, this article is for you!

Project Management Software

Project Management Software is a system used to organise, manage and execute projects. Its main goal is to support project delivery on time, within budget and of a required quality. Also, it helps the project manager have a clear understanding of what is happening in the project and gives the possibility of reacting faster to any changes during its execution.

Business Management Software

Business Management Software is a system used to organise, manage and execute processes in the whole company. Its main goal is to improve the existing structure, make it more transparent and connected by fast information flow. Also, it helps the users understand what is happening inside the company and how specific processes can impact others.

What Is the Difference?

When putting these two together, we can see a strong division on projects vs processes. But are they really two completely different aspects of management? Actually, not so much.

When it comes to project management system, it concentrates mainly on specifications of each separate project that include:

• budget for a particular investment

• employees that will perform the work

• materials that will be used

• delivery date until which the project must be finished

Having a project management perspective means treating your company’s assets individually as if each project was a unique investment that has nothing to do with the company.

Business Management on the other hand, has a broader perspective. BM software gives you a holistic view of your company and let’s you control all aspects of it (project management being one of it), as one.

Why Does A Holistic View of Your Company's Assets Matter?

But why do I have to invest in business management software if my company focuses mainly on project management? After all, I need this system primarily to perform projects faster, better and easier.

At first, it might seem that you do not need a business management perspective. But, let us give you an example:

Imagine you are currently executing a few construction projects. Everything is going great. In project A, the work is almost finished, so the machinery will start working in project B as soon as the tasks are executed. Suddenly, there was a material delivery delay due to external difficulties and now, the works in project A cannot be finished according to schedule. Your machines should have already started another project, but they are still needed here. You have to decide fast to minimise money and time loss.

• If you are only using project management software, you might be lacking the broader perspective of your assets. For example, you know very well how the delay in materials will impact the specific project’s delivery date, budget and quality. Still, you cannot see inside the system how it will affect other investments and how possible solutions like moving employees between projects, assigning more equipment or outsourcing a company will impact the company’s profitability and financial stability.

• If you are using business management software, you can still see the single project’s perspective, just like in project management software but apart from tha, with a few clicks, you can also check the company’s situation. Thanks to a holistic view, it is easier to estimate and predict how possible delays in materials supply will impact other projects and the whole company’s stability.

To read more about the need for a more holistic view inside your company, check out our other article - Why Project Management Is Not Enough?

Your Company Is More Than Project Management

Even though the main aspect of your company is delivering construction work for clients, your company is not only that! You still need to perform financial activities like sending and settling invoices. Also, you need to manage your employees' schedules and provide the repairs of your machinery. These processes are not made at a project level!

That is why it is essential to take care of both aspects of your construction work: project management and business management. To do it right, the tools should be joined by a fast information flow that connects different teams, projects and processes. In management terminology, it is called a golden thread. Thanks to it, you can benefit not only from the variety of tools but also from a faster and more efficient way of managing them.

What Software Does Your Company Really Need?

Let’s summarise the significant differences between project management and business management software:

We know that choosing the right software is never easy. You have a large selection of different tools and solutions on the market. So how to choose the best for your company? The first thing you should do is understand what problems your company is facing and what solutions you truly need. After defining the problem, you can look for solutions. We advise you to concentrate on the ones that treat your challenges as a whole, not those which specialise only in a small part of it.

The Best Construction Management Software for your Company

As you can see, Project Management and Business Management software have a lot in common. However, the second one can give you not only control over your projects but also a holistic view of your whole company. Therefore, we believe that having one tool with both of these aspects can give you real support in such processes.

Such software, like our construction management platform, equally supports your project and business management.

If you want to learn more about its features and solutions for your business, do not hesitate to contact us! We would be happy to propose a customised software structure and possible integrations with the systems you are already using. Curious to know more?

I want to discover the solutions for my company!