Introduction
Project management tools are a necessity for any business, regardless of its size. It allows a company to plan, manage and properly execute a task or project, minimizing the room for errors.
HighGear and Workday Adaptive Planning are two very well-known tools that aim to aid companies in planning but have very different means of delivering that goal.
To understand how each tool is different, it is important to understand their features, pros and cons, cost and the unique reasons they stand out.
HighGear
If you are a regulated organization looking to create customized workflow apps that fit your unique requirements, HighGear can be the solution for you.
HighGear is a user-friendly visual workflow builder with a drag-and-drop user interface that allows users to develop and manage sophisticated workflows without the need for IT support. It enables organizations to quickly create customized workflow applications that increase user engagement and produce desired results.
Through features like task assignment, progress tracking tools and automated job routing, HighGear further facilitates efficient work management.
What makes it stand out?
The workflow engine allows users to create unique apps using various nodes, such as entry, decision and exit points.
Furthermore, HighGear’s analytics capabilities include facts on project completion status, length, and the number of ongoing projects, delivering insightful information about project progress.
Features
Some of the features are:
Drag-and-Drop Form Builder, Enterprise Task Manager, Real-time Reporting, Integrations and Workflow Automation.
Who is it for?
Made for business analysts, business teams and IT professionals. Generally, it caters to mid-sized and large businesses.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Custom form building: Users may easily create tailored forms with custom fields using the drag-and-drop form builder without being tech-savvy.
- Automated task management: Includes features for task assignment, automated task routing, and progress tracking, leading to enhanced management efficiency.
- Visual workflow engine: The visual workflow engine that allows users to design custom applications.
- Data analytics: Provides in-depth analytics, offering insights into project completion status, project duration and number of active projects.
Cons:
- Resource extensive: Maintaining and implementing HighGear may require dedicated resources and time, especially for businesses lacking IT expertise.
- Pricing: Less accessible to smaller organizations with a limited budget.
- Complexity with customization: Without dedicated IT support, users with complex workflows may find it a bit challenging to create intricate processes.
- Learning curve: For first-time users of a workflow management software, there may be a learning curve.
Pricing Structure
HighGear starts at $59/month/additional licensed contributor. Other than this, there are four pricing plans which are:
- Team
- Department
- Business
- Global
Each offers different package details that can be catered to your specific needs once you contact their representative.
They also have a transparent ‘A La Cart Pricing’ which is:
- Workflow: $100/month to add one additional workflow
- Forms: $100/month to add five additional forms
- API Transactions: $100/month to add 50k additional transactions
- SSO: $250/month (included in Department and above)
- Storage: $50/month to add 100GB of additional storage
Demo
A free demo is offered, which you should schedule before investing in HighGear. It saves precious time and money and gives you a better insight into how the offered features work.
Workday Adaptive Planning
Workday Adaptive Planning is not as old as most of its competitors, but it still knows how to lead among them.
It is web-based software made for forecasting, reporting and budgeting. You and your team can manage your business effectively from virtually anywhere to keep up with the fast pace of the project management industry.
It is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model that does not need purchasing of new hardware, making its utilization easy. Another way it makes itself more user-friendly is its similarity to Excel sheets, streamlining workflow like a cool breeze.
What makes it stand out?
Its scalability, easy-to-use interface and high performance with the use of AI and machine learning to produce valuable insights make it a sought-after tool.
These features, in their full swing, can make businesses of all sizes capable of taking strategic actions that can advance their business operations to a whole another level.
The Excel sheet resemblance allows even the least tech-savvy users to get on board with this tool way faster as compared to other tools.
Features
Some of the features are:
Analytics and Reporting, Budgeting and Forecasting, Scenario Planning, Strategic Planning, Talent Planning, Project Planning and Workforce Capacity Planning.
Who is it for?
It caters to numerous fields such as banking, government, healthcare, hospitality, insurance, higher education, manufacturing, media entertainment and retail. In general, it aims to cater to small, mid and large businesses.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Streamlined financial planning: Offers robust planning, budgeting and reporting features that simplify financial planning significantly.
- Scalability for growth: Suitable for small or large organizations due to its scalable nature.
- Data driven: Utilizing AI tools, this software provides data-driven insights, allowing enterprises to make strategic and informed decisions impacting the future.
- User-friendly interface: Resembling Excel with its interface, it becomes a tool that is easy to navigate and adapt.
Cons:
- Limitations leading to errors: Some users report that there are restrictions on changing sheets, leading to inaccurate calculations for monthly planning.
- Lacking speed: Users report that some processes can render the software slow and unable to get a task done timely.
- Insufficient training options: The tool can prove to be too complex for some users, requiring additional training by individuals, but there aren’t many options for training.
- Allocation feature: This feature, in particular, has caused a few users to reportedly have a difficult time.
Pricing Structure
Workday Adaptive Planning does not make its pricing structure public as most software. This is usually done to maintain credibility and allowing serious potential customers to get an in-depth detail with a representative personally.
Demo
A free demo is available, as well as a free trial option, which is a great sign of transparency. This will allow you to get the most information about this tool and the features it offers without having to spend a dime.
Conclusion
Both HighGear and Workday Adaptive Planning have different ways to cater to your planning goals.
HighGear is notably on the pricier end, but it is still robust when it comes to form building, offering its very own workflow engine. Though it may not be ideal for small businesses, it still offers enough variety in its pricing package that ends up making it more inclusive.
On the other hand, Workday Adaptive Planning takes pride in its scalability feature, catering to a huge number of fields. It does seem to lack in speed, which can lead to trouble in some big sectors, but nothing still beats its user-friendly interface that makes it an easy pick for many.
Even though this guide covers all the major points about each software, we still strongly advise that you go through these project management tools yourself for an in-depth evaluation. Do not miss out on scheduling the demos, they are an open window into the software before you walk in through the door.
We hope this guide serves you well. Good luck!
Implementing idea management software enhances team invention and collaboration, which promotes a culture of creativity. This tool facilitates the collection and evaluation of ideas, which fosters the growth and success of organizations.
