10 Best Enterprise Performance Management Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
As a CFO, you're juggling countless responsibilities, from budgeting to forecasting. Enterprise performance management (EPM) software can help ease these burdens by offering tools that simplify planning and decision-making.
I've spent years in finance and accounting, testing and evaluating software independently. I’m here to share unbiased insights on the best software available.
In this article, I'll guide you through top picks, highlighting what makes each tool stand out. You’ll discover solutions tailored to your team's needs. Let's find the right fit for your financial strategy.
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Best EPM Software Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top enterprise performance management Software software selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best for advanced vendor management | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 2 | Best Excel-native EPM platform | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 3 | Best for connecting all business units | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 4 | Best for goal and objective tracking | Free demo available | From $70/user/month | Website | |
| 5 | Best for demand forecasting and long-range planning | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 6 | Best for mobile | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 7 | Best for financial close management | Free demo available. | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 8 | Best for advanced scenario analysis | Free trial available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 9 | Best for manufacturing firms | Free demo available | Price upon request | Website | |
| 10 | Best for custom software solutions | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
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Rippling Spend
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.8 -
LiveFlow
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.9 -
Float Financial
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The Best Enterprise Performance Management Software Reviews
Below are my detailed summaries of the best EPM software that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Payouts.com is a solution designed for those who need to automate global payouts and manage vendor relationships. It specializes in facilitating transactions across various currencies and payment methods, making it a versatile tool for businesses operating on an international scale.
Why I Picked Payouts: I picked Payouts as a top choice for EPM software because of its advanced vendor management capabilities. It offers analytics that help you manage vendor relationships, giving you insights into performance and compliance. This means you can focus on strategic decisions rather than getting bogged down in administrative tasks. Additionally, the software's ability to handle global transactions in local currencies across 150+ countries is a game-changer. This allows you to work seamlessly with international vendors without worrying about currency conversion issues.
Another reason Payouts stands out is its comprehensive accounts payable automation. It simplifies the accounts payable process, allowing you to capture invoices, match them automatically, and set up approval workflows. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors, ensuring that your financial operations run smoothly. The platform's universal connectors further enhance its utility, allowing you to import data through APIs, email, and file uploads, making it easier to integrate with your existing systems.
Payouts Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include crypto integration, which allows you to handle crypto transactions and convert them to fiat without hassle. This opens up new payment avenues, especially for forward-thinking businesses. The platform also offers prepaid and virtual cards, providing flexible payment options for global expenses. Lastly, its universal connection tools allow for seamless data integration, whether through APIs, email parsing, or file uploads, ensuring your data is always up-to-date and accessible.
Integrations include NetSuite, Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Data analytics and reporting
- Vendor portal access
- Cryptocurrency and fiat payout options
Cons:
- Limited mobile access
- Potential slow payment processing
Vena is a comprehensive EPM platform that’s built on the framework of Microsoft Excel. It inherits the familiar Excel interface and expands on the functionality of Office 365 Suite. It’s profoundly simple in a way, but it has a wide range of data analysis features and planning tools that help companies make the most of their data.
Why I picked Vena: I picked Vena because it’s built on the back of Excel, one of the most popular spreadsheet and business tools ever made. Vena is user-friendly and is an easy switchover for Excel-familiar firms.
Vena is built for Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365/Power BI users. And really, it’s best used in combination with existing Microsoft products. The solution does not support Mac products, and while it does offer third-party integrations with tools like Sage and NetSuite, it’s best for organizations already utilizing Microsoft software solutions.
Vena Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of Vena include collaborative functionality for teams (like threaded comments, task management, and tagging), a simple Excel-native design, visual process management, advanced financial modeling, and central database architecture.
Integrations include Microsoft Office 365 Suite, QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, NetSuite, and Salesforce.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Drag-and-drop template and report building
- Excellent collaboration and task management features
- Intuitive UI (particularly for Excel users)
Cons:
- Microsoft native; does not support Mac products
- Does not support Google Sheets or competing spreadsheet solutions
New Product Updates from Vena
Vena Integrates Six New Microsoft Data Connectors
Vena launches six new Microsoft Fabric data integrations, including a unique Dynamics 365 F&O connector, to tackle FP&A data fragmentation and enhance real-time financial and operational data access. For more information, visit Vena's official site.
Phocas is a comprehensive platform that offers a range of analytics and business solutions for various industries. The software provides tools for financial statements, budgets, forecasts, strategic planning, and data modeling.
Why I picked Phocas: I picked Phocas because it consolidates your data in one place and provides customizable reports for financials, performance, budgets, and other metrics across all your business units. It also has a robust forecasting capability that allows you to scenario plan, create goals, and compare real-time actual stats with planned performance across teams, products, and even regions.
I also like the Phocas AI feature which helps those with limited technical expertise with finding the data they need to make informed decisions. Phocas AI lets you ask questions and it will provide insights, whether it's about customers, sales, products, or financials.
Phocas Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include CRM functionalities, customizable dashboards, rebate management, collaborative workflows, an ad-hoc analysis layer, privacy compliance, and security controls.
Integrations include Sage, SAP, Sympac, Netsuite, Oracle, QAD, Retail Express, Epicor, IFS, Jonas Metals Software, Acumatica, Xero, Accolent, Datafile, MYOB, Enapps, Kerridge, Khaos Control, MAM Software, Merlin, Microsoft, SYSPRO, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Phocas AI for better accessibility
- Robust data modeling capabilities
- Consolidated, real-time analytics
Cons:
- May take time to learn how to maximize its features
- Overwhelming amount of data
AchieveIt is a strategic planning software that assists businesses in managing and assessing progress updates and data across various plans and initiatives.
Why I picked AchieveIt: I like its goal and objective tracking system, which allows organizations to set, monitor, and achieve their strategic targets with precision. By providing a centralized platform for aligning goals across departments and teams, AchieveIt ensures that everyone is working towards the same objectives, fostering a more cohesive and focused approach to performance management.
The software also generates detailed reports that offer insights into key performance indicators (KPIs), allowing organizations to continuously assess their progress and make necessary adjustments. These reports are not only automated but also customizable, providing the flexibility to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders.
AchieveIt Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features include tree, list, and Gantt charts for plan creation and automation for collecting updates, compiling reports, and creating dashboards. It also offers real-time data dashboards, customizable project templates, automated task reminders, and risk management tools.
Integrations include Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, Salesforce, Tableau, Google Analytics, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Trello, Asana, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Dropbox.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Real-time updates
- Various ways to visualize data
- Automated reporting capabilities
Cons:
- May not fully integrate with some existing systems and tools
- Interface can be confusing for some users
Anaplan is an industry-leading EPM software that has applications for finance, sales and marketing, supply chain management, and HR. The advanced platform is used by thousands of large enterprises, including Coca-Cola and Amazon Web Services—but it’s versatile enough for companies of all shapes and sizes.
Why I picked Anaplan: I selected Anaplan because of its supply chain management tools and advanced forecasting features. It has solid applications enterprise-wide, but it’s particularly useful for supply chain and procurement.
In the age of supply chain disruptions, Anaplan’s inventory management features really stand out. Anaplan can help you predict future demand with more accuracy, so you have time to ramp up, or slow down, production accordingly.
Anaplan Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of Anaplan include its scenario planning and demand forecasting capabilities. It can give you predictive warnings for low-stock levels, inventory shortages, excess inventory alerts, and other information to help manage your supply chain.
Anaplan makes data more accessible, so business leaders can model complex “what if” scenarios to help firms identify the most profitable price point for a product or the ideal reorder point for different inventory items.
Integrations include cloud data platforms from AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google BigQuery.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Personalized demos available with customized setup
- Departmental solutions across finance, marketing, and HR
- Advanced supply chain management features
Cons:
- Additional fee for most features and add-ons
- Steep learning curve
Jedox focuses on financial and operational insights to help firms accelerate planning, and all of its features are accessible through the mobile app (both iOS and Android).
Why I picked Jedox: I selected Jedox for several reasons, but the main differentiator is that it has a great mobile app on both iOS and Android. While mobile functionality is slightly different from the desktop version, users will still appreciate mobile support.
It utilizes machine learning and AI to help automate certain financial processes and provide predictive analytics to managers. It’s fairly finance-focused but also has some use cases in marketing, HR, and sales.
Jedox Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of Jedox include simple deployment for an easy and low-cost setup, a great mobile app, multidimensional data analysis, and machine learning predictive tech. There’s an impressive library of pre-built forecasting models, and Jedox gives you custom modeling abilities as well.
Jedox’s streamlined collaboration features get teams on the same page. Data can be integrated from any source and stored in a central hub that everyone on your team can access.
Integrations include Jedox Marketplace apps for financial consolidation, sales and operations planning, and HR, plus self-service integration with third-party apps.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Simple customizations and self-service integration
- Solid mobile app
- No-code customization
Cons:
- Slow support response time
- Intermittent performance issues and downtime
Where the software shines brightest is in finance: Oracle is known as a leading platform for financial close solutions. Automatic cash flow and balance sheet calculations, intelligent process automation, and built-in reporting standards are just a few of the standout features for finance departments.
Why I picked Oracle EPM Cloud: I picked Oracle Cloud EPM primarily because of its financial close features, global reporting standards functionality, and multi-currency support. This platform also excels for multinational firms. Multi-currency support and global reporting standard compliance tools help large organizations manage global operations more efficiently.
Oracle EPM Cloud Standout Features and Integrations
Standout features of Oracle EPM Cloud include personalized recommendations from comprehensive AI, built-in global reporting and compliance standards and multi-currency support for international firms, and tools for efficient financial closing.
Oracle EPM Cloud helps organizations manage, plan for, and model scenarios for specific departments, regions, or market segments. It’s still easy to drill down on a local or product-line level, making Oracle Cloud EPM a versatile tool.
Integrations include Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and native apps for reconciliation, tax reporting, and financial consolidation.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Pre-built departmental solutions with the ability to customize
- Direct integration with MS Excel
- Streamlined financial closing and account reconciliation
Cons:
- Difficult UI for new users
- Data retrieval can be slow
Workday Adaptive Planning is part of the Workday software suite, a set of tools used by the likes of Microsoft, Airbnb, and HubSpot. “Adaptive Planning” is a well-suited name, as Workday users can collaborate across multiple platforms (web, mobile, Excel) to plan and budget with confidence.
Why I picked Workday Adaptive Planning: I selected Workday because it has some of the most advanced scenario analysis tools to help firms plan for contingencies and new strategy implementations.
Workday Adaptive Planning Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of Workday Adaptive Planning include work-anywhere deployment (very useful for remote teams), self-service reports, data-driven financial planning and modeling, and interactive data visualizations.
Workday utilizes machine learning and AI to power predictive analysis tech, as well as advanced reporting. Its scenario planning features, in particular, are some of the best in the EPM software industry.
Integrations include other Workday products, over 600 third-party integrations, and full custom integration support.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Support for tons of integrations with runtime and tooling
- Access anywhere on any device
- Rapid deployment
Cons:
- Can be slow with heavy data loads
- Steep learning curve
OneStream XF is a comprehensive EPM solution for midsize and large organizations. The platform boosts organizational agility with its advanced budgeting, planning, and forecasting functionality. OneStream’s core functionality can be expanded with more than 30 native XF apps, including apps for task management, capital planning, and tax provisioning.
Why I picked OneStream XF: I selected OneStream XF because of its forecasting and planning features, particularly for manufacturing firms. OneStream is versatile enough to be deployed in virtually any industry, but I particularly like its feature set for manufacturing firms.
The platform blends top-down visibility with the ability to drill down into product lines, geographical regions, and customer accounts to identify trends and track performance.
OneStream XF Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of OneStream XF include product line/brand-specific planning and analysis, making it easier for manufacturing firms to analyze profitability across product categories, along with access to the XF Marketplace with 30+ native apps for plug-and-play functionality expansions.
Profitability analysis forecasting lets managers assess the impact of new strategies, price points, or product lines, while predictive analytics draws insights from over 10 built-in predictive analysis models.
Integrations include Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Azure, SAP, and dozens of native apps that can be added to OneStream directly.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Beautiful and intuitive dashboard displays
- Drill-down planning across product lines, regions, and customers
- Extensive selection of native apps to expand functionality
Cons:
- May require professional implementation for initial setup
- Not very user-friendly
InsightSoftware offers a suite of tools that are customizable based on your organization’s needs. In fact, it’s among the most customizable of software on this list, because you can pick and choose applications and features during the signup process (which also affects the pricing structure).
Why I picked InsightSoftware: I picked InsightSoftware primarily because of its scalability. It’s simple to choose the features and functionality your firm needs, then add on more as things evolve.
The more EPM-specific features of InsightSoftware are solid, although the tool is often marketed as a supplement to existing EPM or ERP solutions. Regardless, Insight offers comprehensive reporting, budgeting, and planning features across its toolbox.
InsightSoftware Standout Features and Integrations:
Standout features of InsightSoftware include a build-a-bundle pricing structure for cost-effective subscription costs, equity management tools, tax and transfer pricing, and expedited closing for financial teams.
Integrations include Sage, Yardi, Oracle, NetSuite, and SAP.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent first-party scalability
- Diverse feature set with the flexibility to only pay for desired features
- Integrates with most ERP and EPM platforms
Cons:
- Some features require specialized knowledge or training to utilize
- Onboarding can take time
Other Enterprise Performance Management Software
Here are some additional EPM software options that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out: Here are the unique selling points for another selection of EPM software vendors based on the information available:
- Epicor
For retailers and e-commerce
- Planview Portfolios
For enterprise project portfolio management
- IBM Planning Analytics
For change management
- EPM Live
For collaboration via MS SharePoint
- Infor d/EPM
For user-friendly modeling
- Abacum
For teams with 100-500 users
- Productive
For agency profitability tracking
- SAP Analytics Cloud
Scalable EPM solution
- Planful
For rolling forecasts
- Planview Enterprise One
For project portfolio management
EPM Software Selection Criteria
When selecting the best enterprise performance management software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like integration with existing systems and ease of use for non-technical users. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
When selecting the best EPM software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like integration with existing systems and ease of use for non-technical users. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Financial planning and analysis
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Consolidation and reporting
- Performance management
- Data integration and management
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- Real-time data analytics
- Customizable dashboards
- Scenario modeling
- Mobile accessibility
- AI-driven insights
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Intuitive interface design
- Ease of navigation
- Learning curve for new users
- Customization options
- User feedback and adaptability
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of training videos
- Interactive product tours
- Access to templates and guides
- Supportive chatbots
- Webinars and live demos
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- 24/7 availability
- Multiple support channels
- Response time
- Quality of help documentation
- Personalized support options
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Pricing transparency
- Cost compared to features offered
- Availability of free trials
- Discounts for long-term use
- Comparison with competitor pricing
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Overall satisfaction ratings
- Commonly reported issues
- Praise for specific features
- Feedback on customer service
- Frequency of updates and improvements
How to Choose EPM Software
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
| Factor | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Scalability | Can the software grow with your organization? Consider user limits and data capacity. Ensure it can handle increased demands without significant cost hikes. |
| Integrations | Check if it connects with your existing systems like ERP, CRM, and HR tools. Lack of integration can lead to data silos and inefficiencies. |
| Customizability | Determine if the software allows you to tailor workflows and reports to fit your processes. Beware of rigid systems that can't adapt to your unique needs. |
| Ease of use | Assess the user interface and learning curve. A complex tool might require extensive training, affecting productivity. Look for intuitive designs that your team can adopt quickly. |
| Implementation and onboarding | Evaluate the time and resources needed for setup. Check for available support, training, and guides to ensure a smooth transition. |
| Cost | Analyze total costs, including hidden fees, subscription rates, and long-term discounts. Ensure it aligns with your budget and offers value for money. |
| Security safeguards | Ensure the software complies with data protection standards. Look for features like encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular security audits. |
| Support availability | Consider the level of support provided. Is there 24/7 assistance? Check for multiple support channels and response times to avoid downtime. |
What is EPM software?
Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) software is a tool that helps organizations manage and analyze their business performance. It's commonly used by CFOs, finance teams, and business analysts to improve strategic planning and decision-making. Budgeting, forecasting, and reporting features help with aligning strategies and tracking performance. Overall, these tools offer valuable insights and efficiencies for financial management.
Features
When selecting EPM software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Budgeting and forecasting: Helps in planning financial goals and predicting future financial outcomes, aiding in strategic decision-making.
- Data integration: Allows seamless connection with existing systems like ERP and CRM to ensure data consistency and accessibility.
- Customizable dashboards: Provide tailored views and reports, making it easier to monitor key performance indicators and metrics relevant to your business.
- Scenario modeling: Enables users to test different financial scenarios and their potential impacts, supporting better strategic planning.
- Reporting and analytics: Offers detailed insights and visualizations of financial data, helping identify trends and areas for improvement.
- User-friendly interface: Ensures ease of use and quick adoption by team members, reducing the learning curve and increasing productivity.
- Security safeguards: Protects sensitive financial data with features like encryption and two-factor authentication, ensuring compliance with data protection standards.
- Mobile accessibility: Provides access to key functionalities on the go, allowing users to stay connected and informed anytime, anywhere.
Benefits
Implementing EPM software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Improved decision-making: Access to real-time data and analytics helps teams make informed financial decisions quickly.
- Enhanced collaboration: Integrated tools facilitate better communication and coordination among team members, leading to more cohesive strategies.
- Increased efficiency: Automation of budgeting and forecasting processes saves time and reduces manual errors, boosting productivity.
- Better financial visibility: Customizable dashboards and reports provide clear insights into financial health, helping identify trends and areas for improvement.
- Scalability: The software grows with your organization, adapting to increased data and user demands without significant disruptions.
- Cost management: Accurate forecasting and budgeting help control expenses and optimize resource allocation, improving overall financial performance.
Costs & Pricing
Selecting enterprise performance management software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in EPM software solutions:
Plan Comparison Table for EPM Software
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic reporting, limited data integration, and community support. |
| Personal Plan | $10-$30/user/month | Advanced analytics, budgeting tools, and email support. |
| Business Plan | $30-$60/user/month | Customizable dashboards, scenario modeling, and priority support. |
| Enterprise Plan | $60-$120/user/month | Full data integration, dedicated account manager, and advanced security features. |
EPM Software FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about enterprise performance management software:
What is the difference between EPM vs. ERP?
EPM (enterprise performance management) focuses more on the financial aspects of an organization. It uses information from almost every aspect of a company’s operations to gather data, analyze trends, generate reports, monitor performance, and inform management in their strategic planning and goal setting efforts.
By contrast, ERP (enterprise resource planning) is much broader, and focuses on day to day business operations—supporting processes in HR, supply chain, marketing, procurement, and IT.
How does EPM software support financial consolidation?
EPM software automates consolidation by pulling in data from different entities, applying accounting rules, and producing group-level reports. If you manage multiple subsidiaries or business units, this saves time and reduces errors from manual adjustments. You’ll still need to review currency translations, eliminations, and mappings, especially during the close. Some platforms also include audit trails and version tracking.
What are the basics of EPM?
Some of the basic functions of enterprise performance management include financial budgeting and forecasting, strategic planning, and a more efficient financial closing process (e.g. month-end or year-end close), and internal and external reporting.
EPM systems are typically in place at most large enterprises or corporations to bring together information from multiple systems so the organization can operate more efficiently.
Does EPM software support rolling forecasts?
Yes, most modern EPM software supports rolling forecasts out of the box. You can set the frequency and update assumptions as market conditions change. Your team can also link actuals and forecasts for better variance tracking. Just make sure your model design supports ongoing adjustments without breaking dependencies.
How long does it take to implement EPM software?
Most EPM software takes 3 to 6 months to roll out, depending on your company’s size and how much customization you need. If you’re migrating from spreadsheets or legacy tools, expect delays around data cleanup and process alignment. You’ll also want to factor in time for training and internal adoption. Some teams phase it in gradually, starting with planning or reporting first.
What’s Next:
If you're in the process of researching EPM software, connect with a SoftwareSelect advisor for free recommendations.
You fill out a form and have a quick chat where they get into the specifics of your needs. Then you'll get a shortlist of software to review. They'll even support you through the entire buying process, including price negotiations.
