Planview vs Upland: A Comprehensive Comparison of Project Portfolio Management Giants

In today’s complex business environment, organizations struggle to align strategic objectives with project execution while managing limited resources effectively. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solutions have become indispensable tools for modern enterprises seeking to bridge this gap. Among the leading contenders in this space, Planview and Upland have established themselves as robust platforms offering comprehensive capabilities. This in-depth analysis examines how these two PPM heavyweights stack up against each other across critical dimensions including core functionality, user experience, implementation complexity, integration capabilities, and overall value proposition.

Market Overview and Company Backgrounds

Before diving into specific feature comparisons, it’s essential to understand the history and market position of both vendors to provide context for their current offerings.

Planview: Enterprise Portfolio Management Pioneer

Founded in 1989, Planview has built its reputation as a specialist in enterprise portfolio management and work management solutions. Through organic growth and strategic acquisitions (including Innotas, Troux, LeanKit, and Clarizen), Planview has evolved into a comprehensive platform addressing portfolio management, resource management, work management, and strategic planning. With a rating of 4.2 stars from 654 verified reviews, Planview has established itself as a market leader particularly favored by large enterprises with complex portfolio management needs.

Planview’s product suite includes several specialized solutions:

• Planview Portfolios (formerly Planview Enterprise One) – Enterprise-grade portfolio management
• Planview AdaptiveWork – Agile work management and collaboration
• Planview Daptiv PPM – Project portfolio management for mid-sized organizations
• Planview Clarizen – Collaborative work management

Upland Software: Growth Through Acquisition

Upland Software emerged from PowerSteering Software, which was founded in 1998. Through a series of strategic acquisitions, Upland has built a diverse portfolio of enterprise work management solutions. With a rating of 4.1 stars from 72 verified reviews, Upland has carved out a niche particularly in Professional Services Automation (PSA). Their platform focuses on helping organizations build predictable and profitable services businesses through centralized timesheet and expense automation.

Upland’s key offerings in the project management space include:

• Upland PSA (formerly Tenrox) – Professional services automation
• PowerSteering – Enterprise project and portfolio management
• Eclipse PPM – Project portfolio management for mid-sized organizations
• FileBound – Document management and workflow automation

Core Functionality Comparison

Both platforms offer robust project and portfolio management capabilities, but with different areas of emphasis and strengths. Let’s examine how they compare across key functional domains.

Portfolio Management and Strategic Alignment

Portfolio management capabilities are central to both platforms, enabling organizations to align projects with strategic objectives and optimize resource allocation.

Planview’s Approach to Portfolio Management

Planview excels in strategic portfolio management with sophisticated capabilities for scenario planning, what-if analysis, and portfolio optimization. Its strength lies in helping organizations make data-driven decisions about which projects to prioritize based on strategic fit, resource constraints, and financial impact.

A standout feature is Planview’s comprehensive strategic planning module that enables organizations to:

• Create and manage strategic roadmaps with configurable visualization options
• Perform sophisticated capacity planning across multiple dimensions
• Conduct thorough trade-off analysis using multiple configurable parameters
• Link portfolio investments directly to strategic objectives with traceable relationships

A senior portfolio manager at a financial services firm noted: “Planview’s scenario modeling capabilities have transformed our portfolio selection process. We can now quickly simulate multiple investment scenarios and their impacts before making commitments.”

Planview’s portfolio functionality includes robust support for financial management, including:

// Sample configuration for Planview portfolio financial metrics
const portfolioFinancialMetrics = {
  capitalExpenses: {
    planned: 1250000,
    actual: 1180000,
    forecast: 1300000,
    variance: -70000
  },
  operationalExpenses: {
    planned: 850000,
    actual: 920000,
    forecast: 980000,
    variance: 70000
  },
  benefits: {
    planned: 3200000,
    actual: 2800000,
    forecast: 3100000,
    variance: -400000
  },
  roi: {
    planned: 1.52,
    actual: 1.33,
    forecast: 1.36
  }
};

Upland’s Approach to Portfolio Management

Upland’s portfolio management capabilities are more focused on operational execution and resource utilization, with particular strength in timesheet management and project financials. While it offers portfolio prioritization and selection tools, they are generally less sophisticated than Planview’s enterprise-grade capabilities.

Upland PSA excels in:

• Resource utilization tracking with detailed billing and costing capabilities
• Project financial management with robust revenue recognition features
• Time and expense tracking with comprehensive approval workflows
• Operational reporting focused on project performance and profitability

A director of project management at a consulting firm commented: “Upland PSA gives us unprecedented visibility into resource utilization and project profitability. Its time tracking and billing capabilities are best-in-class for services organizations.”

Resource Management and Capacity Planning

Effective resource management is critical for project success, and both platforms offer tools to help organizations optimize resource allocation and utilization.

Planview’s Resource Management

Planview offers sophisticated resource management capabilities that extend beyond simple allocation to include skills-based planning, capacity forecasting, and demand management. Key features include:

• Skills and competency tracking with resource heat maps
• Role-based planning with automatic matching of resources to roles
• Resource scenario planning for long-term capacity decisions
• Sophisticated resource analytics with utilization tracking across multiple dimensions

Planview’s resource management interface allows portfolio managers to visualize capacity vs. demand with intuitive charts and dashboards. The platform can anticipate resource bottlenecks weeks or months in advance, enabling proactive decision-making.

// Sample Planview resource allocation algorithm (conceptual)
function findOptimalResource(projectRequirements, availableResources) {
  let bestMatch = null;
  let highestScore = 0;
  
  for (const resource of availableResources) {
    const skillMatch = calculateSkillMatch(projectRequirements.skills, resource.skills);
    const availabilityMatch = calculateAvailabilityMatch(
      projectRequirements.timeline, 
      resource.availability
    );
    const costFactor = calculateCostFactor(projectRequirements.budget, resource.cost);
    
    const totalScore = (skillMatch * 0.5) + (availabilityMatch * 0.3) + (costFactor * 0.2);
    
    if (totalScore > highestScore) {
      highestScore = totalScore;
      bestMatch = resource;
    }
  }
  
  return bestMatch;
}

Upland’s Resource Management

Upland PSA approaches resource management from a services delivery perspective, with strong capabilities for tracking time, utilization, and billability. Its resource management functionality includes:

• Detailed timesheet tracking with multiple approval levels
• Resource forecasting with visualization of upcoming assignments
• Utilization reporting with billable vs. non-billable analysis
• Resource request workflows for project staffing

A key strength of Upland PSA is its ability to track billable utilization and translate time entries directly into client invoices, making it particularly well-suited for professional services organizations.

The platform also offers sophisticated rate management capabilities, supporting multiple billing rates by client, project, role, and individual resource. This flexibility is crucial for services organizations with complex billing models.

Project Execution and Work Management

Beyond portfolio and resource management, both platforms offer tools for managing the execution of individual projects and work items.

Planview’s Project Execution Capabilities

Planview offers a range of work management approaches to accommodate different methodologies, from traditional waterfall to agile and hybrid approaches. Key features include:

• Comprehensive Gantt chart capabilities with dependencies and critical path analysis
• Kanban boards for agile work management with customizable workflows
• Support for hybrid methodologies that combine waterfall and agile elements
• Integrated risk and issue management with configurable workflows

Planview’s acquisition of LeanKit and Clarizen has significantly enhanced its capabilities for agile and collaborative work management. The platform now offers sophisticated support for scaled agile frameworks like SAFe®, enabling organizations to implement agile practices at an enterprise scale.

A project management office director at a healthcare organization noted: “Planview’s flexibility in supporting both traditional and agile methodologies has been crucial for our digital transformation. We can manage regulatory projects in waterfall while our development teams use agile, all within the same platform.”

Upland’s Project Execution Capabilities

Upland’s project execution capabilities are more focused on traditional project management with strong support for task management, status tracking, and project financials. Key features include:

• Task management with dependencies, duration, and assignment tracking
• Project templating for rapid creation of standardized projects
• Status reporting with customizable dashboards
• Change request management with impact analysis

Upland PSA is particularly strong in tracking project profitability and financial performance, with built-in support for earned value management and variance analysis. The platform also offers robust document management capabilities through integration with Upland FileBound.

A project manager in the engineering sector commented: “Upland’s strength is in its no-nonsense approach to project execution. The interface is straightforward, and it excels at tracking the metrics that matter for project delivery – time, budget, and scope.”

Technical Architecture and Integration Capabilities

Modern PPM solutions must integrate seamlessly with other enterprise systems to provide maximum value. Let’s examine how Planview and Upland approach system integration and technical architecture.

Planview’s Integration Approach

Planview offers a robust integration architecture with pre-built connectors, APIs, and a dedicated integration platform (Planview Hub) that facilitates bidirectional data exchange with enterprise systems. Key integration capabilities include:

• REST and SOAP APIs with comprehensive documentation and developer support
• Pre-built connectors for major enterprise systems (Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, etc.)
• OData support for advanced reporting and business intelligence integration
• Webhooks for real-time event-driven integration scenarios

Planview’s integration architecture supports both real-time and batch integration patterns, allowing organizations to implement complex integration scenarios. The platform’s API-first approach enables custom integrations with virtually any enterprise system.

// Example of Planview REST API call for retrieving project data
const getPlanviewProjectData = async (projectId) => {
  try {
    const response = await fetch(`https://api.planview.com/projects/${projectId}`, {
      method: 'GET',
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
      }
    });
    
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`HTTP error! Status: ${response.status}`);
    }
    
    const projectData = await response.json();
    return projectData;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching Planview project data:', error);
    throw error;
  }
};

Planview also offers robust support for single sign-on (SSO) through SAML 2.0, OAuth, and OpenID Connect, simplifying user management and enhancing security.

Upland’s Integration Approach

Upland offers a pragmatic approach to integration with a focus on key enterprise systems commonly used by professional services organizations. Its integration capabilities include:

• REST APIs for programmatic access to Upland PSA data
• Pre-built connectors for major CRM and financial systems
• Bi-directional synchronization with accounting platforms
• Integration with other Upland products through the Upland Integration Platform

Upland PSA is particularly strong in its integration with financial systems, supporting complex scenarios for revenue recognition, billing, and expense management. The platform’s integration with CRM systems like Salesforce enables seamless handoffs from sales to delivery teams.

A technical director at a mid-sized services firm noted: “Upland’s integration with our financial systems has eliminated duplicate data entry and significantly improved our month-end close process. The bi-directional sync between PSA and our accounting platform ensures data consistency.”

Implementation, Usability, and User Experience

Even the most feature-rich platform provides limited value if users struggle to adopt and use it effectively. Let’s examine how Planview and Upland compare in terms of implementation complexity, user experience, and overall usability.

Planview Implementation and Usability

Planview is generally recognized as a sophisticated platform that requires significant configuration and setup to deliver maximum value. Implementation considerations include:

• Typical implementation timeframes of 3-6 months for enterprise deployments
• Requirement for dedicated administrators with platform expertise
• Extensive configuration options requiring careful planning and governance
• Standard implementation methodology with phased deployment approach

In terms of user experience, Planview has made significant investments in modernizing its interface, particularly with its newer products. The platform offers:

• Role-based interfaces tailored to different user personas
• Configurable dashboards with drag-and-drop functionality
• Mobile applications for key functions like time entry and approvals
• Context-sensitive help and embedded guidance

User reviews highlight Planview’s comprehensive functionality but note a steeper learning curve compared to some competitors. As one reviewer put it: “Planview is like a Swiss Army knife – it can do almost anything you need, but it takes time to learn how to use all the tools effectively.”

Upland Implementation and Usability

Upland PSA is generally considered more straightforward to implement, with a focus on getting core functionality operational quickly. Implementation considerations include:

• Typical implementation timeframes of 2-3 months
• More prescriptive implementation approach with standardized configurations
• Focus on core workflows like time tracking, resource management, and project financials
• Strong implementation support for financial integration

Upland’s user experience is pragmatic and functional, with an emphasis on operational efficiency. The platform offers:

• Intuitive interfaces for common tasks like time entry and expense submission
• Streamlined approval workflows with email notifications
• Comprehensive reporting with standard templates for common metrics
• Mobile access to key functions

Users generally find Upland PSA straightforward to learn and use, particularly for operational tasks. As one reviewer noted: “The strength of Upland PSA is its simplicity – users can grasp the basics quickly, which leads to higher adoption rates, especially for time tracking and resource management.”

Pricing Models and Total Cost of Ownership

Understanding the cost implications of PPM platforms requires looking beyond license fees to consider implementation, customization, and ongoing support costs.

Planview Pricing and TCO

Planview typically follows a user-based subscription model with different tiers based on functionality and user roles. Key considerations include:

• Higher per-user costs compared to Upland, especially for full-featured licenses
• Different license types based on user roles (portfolio managers vs. team members)
• Additional modules (like strategic planning or advanced analytics) may require separate licensing
• Significant implementation services typically required for enterprise deployments

The total cost of ownership for Planview implementations can be substantial, particularly for large enterprises with complex requirements. However, organizations often justify the investment based on Planview’s ability to optimize portfolio selection and resource allocation, potentially saving millions in misdirected investments.

A CIO at a Fortune 500 company shared: “While Planview’s initial cost was higher than alternatives we considered, its ability to help us prioritize our $200M project portfolio has delivered ROI many times over in avoided costs and better investment decisions.”

Upland Pricing and TCO

Upland PSA typically follows a user-based subscription model with pricing tiers based on functionality. Key considerations include:

• Generally lower per-user costs compared to Planview, particularly for basic user licenses
• Different license types for project managers, resource managers, and team members
• Special pricing for timesheet-only users, which often constitute the majority of the user base
• Implementation costs typically lower than Planview due to more standardized deployment

The total cost of ownership for Upland implementations tends to be more predictable, with fewer complex configuration options. Organizations find particular value in Upland’s ability to automate time tracking and billing processes, directly impacting revenue capture.

A CFO at a professional services firm noted: “Upland PSA paid for itself within six months just by improving our time capture and billing accuracy. The reduction in revenue leakage alone justified the investment.”

Industry and Use Case Alignment

While both platforms offer broad applicability, they show particular strengths in specific industries and use cases. Understanding these patterns can help organizations make more informed decisions.

Planview’s Ideal Use Cases

Planview tends to excel in scenarios that require sophisticated portfolio optimization, strategic alignment, and management of complex interdependencies. Typical scenarios where Planview demonstrates particular strength include:

• IT Portfolio Management: Managing complex application portfolios with dependencies, technical debt, and architectural alignment considerations
• Product Portfolio Management: Managing product development portfolios with stage-gate processes, complex resource requirements, and long-term roadmaps
• Enterprise PMOs: Supporting enterprise-wide project management offices with standardized methodologies, governance processes, and cross-portfolio reporting
• Strategic Transformation Initiatives: Managing large-scale organizational change with complex interdependencies and strategic alignment requirements

Industries where Planview has particular traction include financial services, healthcare, pharmaceutical, and large manufacturing organizations – sectors characterized by complex regulatory environments, significant capital investments, and formal governance processes.

A pharmaceutical portfolio director explained: “Planview gives us the ability to model complex drug development pipelines with interdependent clinical trials, regulatory submissions, and market launch activities spanning multiple years. The platform’s scenario planning capabilities are invaluable for making strategic portfolio decisions.”

Upland’s Ideal Use Cases

Upland PSA demonstrates particular strength in scenarios focused on operational execution, resource utilization, and project financial management. Typical scenarios where Upland excels include:

• Professional Services Automation: Managing service delivery organizations with a focus on resource utilization, time tracking, and project profitability
• Billable Project Management: Managing client-billable projects with complex rate structures, expense tracking, and invoice generation
• Resource Management: Optimizing resource allocation across multiple projects with a focus on utilization and skills matching
• Project Financial Management: Tracking project budgets, costs, and revenues with sophisticated earned value management

Industries where Upland has particular traction include professional services, consulting, marketing agencies, and IT services organizations – sectors characterized by billable work, project-based delivery, and a focus on resource utilization metrics.

A managing director at a consulting firm shared: “Upland PSA gives us unprecedented visibility into our services operations. We can track utilization, project profitability, and pipeline coverage in real-time, enabling more proactive management of our delivery organization.”

Strategic Differentiation and Future Direction

Understanding the strategic direction and investment focus of both vendors provides insight into how their platforms may evolve in the future.

Planview’s Strategic Direction

Planview has articulated a strategic vision centered around what it calls “Strategic Portfolio Management” – an approach that connects strategy, delivery, and capability management into an integrated framework. Key elements of Planview’s strategic direction include:

• Continued investment in AI and machine learning capabilities for predictive analytics and decision support
• Enhanced support for scaled agile frameworks and hybrid delivery methodologies
• Deeper integration between strategic planning and execution platforms
• Expansion of adaptive work management capabilities for dynamic team collaboration

Planview’s acquisition strategy has focused on broadening its portfolio to address diverse work management approaches, from traditional project management to agile and collaborative work. This positions the company to support organizations at different stages of their digital transformation journey.

Industry analysts view Planview as a leader in the strategic portfolio management space, with particular strength in large enterprise deployments where portfolio optimization and resource allocation decisions have significant financial implications.

Upland’s Strategic Direction

Upland has positioned its PSA offering as part of a broader suite of enterprise work management solutions, with a focus on operational excellence and financial performance. Key elements of Upland’s strategic direction include:

• Enhanced integration between PSA and other Upland products for end-to-end work management
• Continued investment in financial management capabilities, particularly for services organizations
• Expansion of analytics and reporting capabilities for operational decision-making
• Deeper integration with leading CRM and ERP platforms

Upland’s acquisition strategy has focused on building a comprehensive suite of complementary work management solutions that can be deployed independently or as an integrated platform. This approach offers customers flexibility in addressing specific operational challenges.

Industry analysts view Upland as a strong performer in the professional services automation space, with particular strength in organizations focused on optimizing service delivery operations and project financial performance.

Making the Right Choice: Decision Framework

Selecting between Planview and Upland requires a structured evaluation of organizational requirements, priorities, and constraints. The following decision framework offers guidance for organizations navigating this choice.

Key Decision Factors

Consider these critical factors when evaluating Planview and Upland:

Implementation Best Practices

Regardless of which platform you select, consider these implementation best practices to maximize your chances of success:

1. Start with clear objectives: Define specific, measurable outcomes you expect from the implementation
2. Adopt a phased approach: Begin with core functionality and expand gradually rather than attempting a big-bang implementation
3. Invest in change management: Allocate adequate resources to training, communication, and change management activities
4. Establish governance early: Define clear roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes for the platform
5. Plan for integration: Identify critical integration points with existing systems and prioritize them based on business value

Organizations that follow these best practices report significantly higher satisfaction with their PPM implementations, regardless of the specific platform selected.

A PMO director who successfully implemented Planview shared: “The key to our success was starting with a focused scope addressing our most critical pain points. We deliberately avoided the temptation to implement every feature at once, which would have overwhelmed our users and risked the entire initiative.”

Similarly, a services director who implemented Upland PSA advised: “Don’t underestimate the change management aspect. We spent as much time on training and user adoption as on technical configuration, and it made all the difference in achieving our business objectives.”

Conclusion: Making an Informed Decision

Both Planview and Upland offer robust platforms for project and portfolio management, but with different strengths and focus areas. Planview excels in strategic portfolio management with sophisticated capabilities for scenario planning, what-if analysis, and portfolio optimization. Its strength is helping organizations make data-driven decisions about which projects to prioritize based on strategic fit, resource constraints, and financial impact.

Upland, particularly through its PSA offering, demonstrates particular strength in professional services automation, with robust capabilities for time tracking, resource utilization, and project financial management. Its focus on operational efficiency and financial performance makes it particularly well-suited for services organizations and project-based businesses.

The right choice depends on your organization’s specific requirements, priorities, and constraints. Large enterprises with complex portfolio management needs and strategic planning requirements may find Planview’s comprehensive capabilities more aligned with their objectives. Professional services organizations and project-based businesses focused on operational efficiency and financial performance may find Upland’s pragmatic approach more suitable.

Ultimately, successful implementation of either platform requires clear objectives, executive sponsorship, adequate resources, and a commitment to change management. By following the decision framework and implementation best practices outlined in this analysis, organizations can navigate the selection process with confidence and maximize their return on investment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Planview vs Upland

References:

• Gartner Peer Insights: Planview vs. Upland Comparison
• G2: Planview Portfolios vs. Upland PSA