TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

ConceptDraw PROJECT vs. Fortra’s Automate vs. Microsoft Project

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    ConceptDraw PROJECT

    Score9 out of 10
    N/AConceptDraw PROJECT is a project management tool providing a set of options to plan and implement projects successfully, and belongs to the ConceptDraw OFFICE suite. The core features of the tool are task and resource management and reporting, along with change control. The vendor says managing multiple projects is simple due to the Gantt Chart and Multi-Project Views and shared Resource Pool. Tasks that occur on a…N/A

    Fortra’s Automate

    Score8 out of 10
    N/AFortra's Automate (formerly HelpSystems Automate) is a robotic process automation platform for desktop applications. According to the vendor, it offers the ability to automate almost any business process, and no technical expertise is required—IT and business users alike can understand the drag-and-drop interface.N/A

    Microsoft Project

    Score7.6 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Project is a project management software. It provides core PM functionality, including agile workflow support and resource management. Project can be deployed in the cloud or on-premise.

    $120

    per year per user

    Pricing
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Project Server
    $0
    Planner Plan 1
    $10
    per month per user
    Planner and Project Plan 3
    $30
    per month per user
    Planner and Project Plan 5
    $55
    per month per user
    Project Standard 2024
    $679.99
    one-time fee per installation
    Project Professional 2024
    $1,129.99
    one-time fee per installation
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Free Trial
    YesYesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptionalNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsPrice varies for Individual, Commercial, Academic, Nonprofit and GovernmentPlans are billed annually.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Considered Multiple Products
    CS Odessa LLC
    Chose ConceptDraw PROJECT
    Microsoft Project is a typical Microsoft product - too much programming overhead, poor graphics, confusing and fussy interface. OmniGraffle is close to CD PROJECT but has its own fussy parts, plus it is a lot more expensive than CD PROJECT; it is in the middle between …
    Incentivized
    Chose ConceptDraw PROJECT
    MS Project has far more features and functionality, but ConceptDraw PROJECT has the features we need at a price-point that is far easier to handle for a small business.
    Incentivized
    Chose ConceptDraw PROJECT
    ConceptDraw has a much simpler licensing and pricing model. Perpetual license and ability to use in offline mode was an important criteria for us. Perfect bundle for small and medium business.
    Incentivized
    Fortra
    No answer on this topic
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    87%
    Would buy again
    41 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    42 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    44 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    34 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    89%
    Implementation went as expected
    34 Answers
    Features
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Project Management
    Comparison of Project Management features of ConceptDraw PROJECT and Fortra’s Automate and Microsoft Project
    Feature
    ConceptDraw PROJECT
    9.0
    3 Ratings
    16% above category average
    Fortra’s Automate
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Project
    8.0
    111 Ratings
    4% above category average
    Task Management9.63 Ratings00 Ratings8.2110 Ratings
    Resource Management9.63 Ratings00 Ratings7.7107 Ratings
    Gantt Charts9.63 Ratings00 Ratings9.0107 Ratings
    Scheduling9.53 Ratings00 Ratings8.5109 Ratings
    Email integration10.01 Ratings00 Ratings5.082 Ratings
    Timesheet Tracking7.01 Ratings00 Ratings10.073 Ratings
    Budget and Expense Management7.93 Ratings00 Ratings7.486 Ratings
    Workflow Automation00 Ratings00 Ratings10.083 Ratings
    Team Collaboration00 Ratings00 Ratings7.298 Ratings
    Support for Agile Methodology00 Ratings00 Ratings4.483 Ratings
    Support for Waterfall Methodology00 Ratings00 Ratings7.783 Ratings
    Document Management00 Ratings00 Ratings9.077 Ratings
    Mobile Access00 Ratings00 Ratings10.067 Ratings
    Change request and Case Management00 Ratings00 Ratings7.464 Ratings
    Professional Services Automation
    Comparison of Professional Services Automation features of ConceptDraw PROJECT and Fortra’s Automate and Microsoft Project
    Feature
    ConceptDraw PROJECT
    9.4
    3 Ratings
    20% above category average
    Fortra’s Automate
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Project
    8.6
    79 Ratings
    11% above category average
    Project & financial reporting9.43 Ratings00 Ratings7.276 Ratings
    Quotes/estimates00 Ratings00 Ratings7.455 Ratings
    Invoicing00 Ratings00 Ratings10.045 Ratings
    Integration with accounting software00 Ratings00 Ratings10.050 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Small Businesses
    Any.do
    Score8 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Any.do
    Score8 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    KanbanFlow
    Score7.3 out of 10
    IBM Robotic Process Automation
    Score8.4 out of 10
    KanbanFlow
    Score7.3 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Microsoft To Do
    Score7.9 out of 10
    UiPath Automation Platform
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Microsoft To Do
    Score7.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.6
    (3 ratings)
    10.0
    (4 ratings)
    8.2
    (111 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.7
    (9 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.4
    (3 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.2
    (34 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    ConceptDraw PROJECTFortra’s AutomateMicrosoft Project
    Likelihood to Recommend
    CS Odessa LLC
    Getting started - using the Gantt chart to enter tasks in any order and then using those tasks to initially define a MindMap to further explore alternative dependencies. The alternative works better when initiating a project with significant unknowns.
    Read full review
    Fortra
    It's great for repetitive or regularly scheduled activities like reports or file transfers. However, it's not so good for on-demand activities. It doesn't support task shortcuts to run specific tasks. If it did it would be perfect.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Project Online is suited to Turnkey Projects where more Collaboration is required in Project Progress monitoring, risk assessment and conveying, issue recording and tracking. It is less appropriate when ERP Suites other than MS Dynamics are used, i.e when Enterprises need to integrate Finance / Accounting with It and having straight project management workflow
    Read full review
    Pros
    CS Odessa LLC
    • Integration with ConceptDraw Mindmap makes work breakdown very easy.
    • We have cross-functional teams where team members often work on different projects in parallel. The multi project management feature has been a blessing over these years.
    • Another import feature is the availability of many different predefined report generation templates that made it very easy to communicate different aspects of the project to different stakeholders.
    Read full review
    Fortra
    • Very detailed task builder. Easy to read step by step a task's operation even if you don't have much programming knowledge.
    • Scheduling for automation jobs is very flexible. Allows us to create all kinds of job schedules as needed.
    • Organization of jobs, tasks, conditions is done well. Allows us to easily manage our items.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • I love the Gantt Chart that Microsoft Project offers me, because it provides me with a view from various aspects, it provides me with exact details about the fulfillment of tasks over a period of time, it also allows me to make comparisons with the necessary data and the fulfilled data. by the employees, in order to know exactly if the project's expectations have been met.
    • I love the Gantt Chart that Microsoft Project offers me, because it provides me with a view from various aspects, it provides me with exact details about the fulfillment of tasks over a period of time, it also allows me to make comparisons with the necessary data and the fulfilled data by the employees, in order to know exactly if the project's expectations have been met.
    • The alert system for the fulfillment and delay of assignments is perfect. Microsoft Project allows me to configure the task system, I can assign the necessary tasks to fulfill the project, and the software alerts me immediately if the managers are fulfilling the assignments.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    CS Odessa LLC
    • Non-intuitive keyboard shortcuts
    • No advanced reporting or estimates
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    • A reporting capability on tasks: enabled, disabled, by folder, by trigger, etc. Currently there is none.
    • An "OR" in their conditional statements - currently there is only "AND".
    • Some kind of temporary backup when changing a task - separate from the current back up/restore functionality (which works well).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Seems overly complicated for users sometimes in using Project and its functionalities
    • Hard to share files for those folks who do not have MS Project, and then have to print out for them
    • Can be confusing since it looks and feels like MS Excel
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    CS Odessa LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    I like using Microsoft Project. It simplifies building a schedule
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    CS Odessa LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    It's just very easy to use, extremely versatile, and very reliable. It's hard to find use cases where it won't work.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft
    Project is easy to operate because data could be inserted, changed and
    deleted like you are in an Excel timesheet. Besides, it provides a great
    level of automation beween his fields allowing few data changes. Also, its
    funcionalities are well defined and grouped in upper menus, so you can find a
    funcionality quickly
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    CS Odessa LLC
    Online tutorials always available + chat, email and phone. Questions answered promptly and completely.
    Read full review
    Fortra
    Support is very helpful and responsive, although using the tool is very user-friendly, so I hardly use the service.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft in recent years has transformed itself and gives a positive feeling when one interacts with the company. The company is focusing on its customers and willing to go extra mile to make customers happy.The company continues to invest in its products and bringing new features from time to time. Overall it is a positive feeling to be associated with such an iconic company.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    CS Odessa LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft
    I wasn't part of it so I don't know
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    CS Odessa LLC
    ConceptDraw has a much simpler licensing and pricing model. Perpetual license and ability to use in offline mode was an important criteria for us. Perfect bundle for small and medium business.
    Read full review
    Fortra
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    While many of the above tools are extremely well-versed, Microsoft Project's largest advantage comes from it being related to the largest business productivity company in the world. Project does have its sharing limitations - but regardless, offers one of the most robust tools in the market today. Microsoft Project is built with large-scale projects in mind but is more than up to the task for smaller projects as well. However, there are options available (especially cloud-based options) that may be more fitting for higher-level projects that do not require going into the weeds.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    CS Odessa LLC
    • Inexpensive way to present a professional project plan when needed
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    • It's been a net positive as AutoMate requires less eyes on specific tasks so that people can focus attention elsewhere and do more analysis.
    • Less manual work also decreases the chances of mistakes and/or missed jobs. Since Automate can schedule everything, send email notifications, etc., there is less time wasted.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Project saved me, as the project manager, countless hours of digging through tickets and schedules to plan everything out. It also saved me time in adjusting the project triangle as needed, since it does so much automatically.
    • It is costly, and since it requires extensive training to master, it's not just the high licensing cost that you need to take into account.
    • The reporting features - even just printing out Gantt charts - makes it far easier to communicate with stakeholders. That means less time for PMs doing all of this manually, and it means less follow-up questions and delays moving forward.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    ConceptDraw PROJECT Screenshots

    Screenshot of Resource AllocationScreenshot of Gantt Chart ViewScreenshot of Multiproject DashboardScreenshot of Split and Recurring TasksScreenshot of Micro ReportsScreenshot of Custom Fields to a Project Schedule

    Fortra’s Automate Screenshots

    Product screenshotProduct screenshot