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Microsoft Project Server vs ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.2
Microsoft Project Server's ROI varies, influenced by existing processes and Microsoft's market dominance, affecting project visibility and efficiency benefits.
Sentiment score
7.7
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management delivers high ROI through streamlined planning, enhanced decision-making, and application consolidation for mature organizations.
Microsoft Project provides significant return on investment through time savings, enhanced visibility, real-time reporting, and risk mitigation for projects.
For organizations that haven't invested in people and processes, the product is underutilized and seen as overpriced.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.3
Microsoft Project Server support varies; quick resolutions exist, but efficiency and service quality depend on plans and local assistance.
Sentiment score
6.8
ServiceNow's support is generally positive, with some noting delays; training and documentation aid but needs vary.
Their support tends to decline when not supporting cloud solutions.
It's challenging to navigate, often making it necessary to search for solutions externally.
Communication with two people, one was knowledgeable while the other was learning.
They have knowledgeable teams across all levels.
While they have a skilled team, reaching the right resource can sometimes be a challenge.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Project Server is praised for scalability, especially in cloud versions, though some face challenges with older versions.
Sentiment score
7.6
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management excels in scalability and adaptability, supporting diverse companies and departments, ideal for larger enterprises.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Microsoft Project Server's stability varies, affected by integration and configuration, with 2019 cloud versions offering improved performance and reliability.
Sentiment score
8.1
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management is highly stable and reliable, with minor slowness during updates and customizable features.
I have never had to reach out to their support because the product works as expected.
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Project Server struggles with usability, integration, and performance, needing enhancements in flexibility, interface, and training resources.
ServiceNow SPM struggles with complexity, pricing, UI, integration, and lacks intuitive features, hindering user experience and satisfaction.
Exporting data from Microsoft Project, especially Gantt charts, is overly complex and not user-friendly.
Microsoft has become increasingly expensive, and there seems to be a push towards cloud solutions which can be challenging for some.
The lack of collaboration capabilities on the desktop version, unlike the cloud version, is a limitation.
Making the product more cost-beneficial would help more organizations consider investing in it.
It's not that the product lacks features, but rather organizations often adopt it at a maturity level beyond their capacity.
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Project Server prices vary by model, with additional costs, and may be cost-prohibitive for small businesses.
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management is costly, with variable pricing and additional fees, suitable for large enterprises' needs.
Considering the infrastructure commitments to SharePoint and SQL, the implementation costs are low if already set up.
Microsoft's products are expensive for individuals.
The pricing for Microsoft Project is fair, considering it is ahead of competitors and offers a comprehensive suite of features.
If a company is prepared to get a return on the investment, the price is worth it.
It's a bit costly currently.
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Project Server excels in resource management, scheduling, and integration, offering seamless collaboration and customizable dashboards for effective planning.
ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management excels with integration, flexible project management, and cost tracking, enhancing strategic decision-making and goal alignment.
This setup allows for comprehensive reporting and management across multiple projects and portfolios.
The Gantt chart is also a very powerful tool for a visual presentation of sequences, critical paths, and execution processes, which simplifies comprehension for users.
The level of customization is significant, and there are ample resources available online about how to use it.
The platform consolidates multiple offerings into one module, eliminating the need to invest in siloed applications.
The most valuable features include managing our portfolio, getting a grip on demand in the environment, and making informed decisions about which projects would provide the greatest return.
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Project Server
Ranking in Project Portfolio Management
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
ServiceNow Strategic Portfo...
Ranking in Project Portfolio Management
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Agile Planning Tools (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Project Portfolio Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Project Server is 6.8%, down from 9.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management is 12.7%, down from 13.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Project Portfolio Management
 

Featured Reviews

Sean Achim - PeerSpot reviewer
Unlock comprehensive reporting and management with robust data extraction
The major advantage for me in using Microsoft Project Server is the SQL Server component. Using Power BI and SQL Server, I can extract a lot more data. The combination of Microsoft Project with Project Server and SharePoint provides a perfect solution for me. This setup allows for comprehensive reporting and management across multiple projects and portfolios.
Srinivasa Neelapu - PeerSpot reviewer
Strategies and goals are aligned with demands and partners, making it a strategic approach for the enterprise but the finance part needs improvement
SPM is definitely strong for project management, but its finance capabilities are not as robust. While there is a separate Financial Management product, it would be beneficial to have more out-of-the-box support for finance integrations within SPM. I’m not suggesting replacing systems like SAP for finance, but there should be better support for financial integrations. Currently, connecting to SaaS solutions is complicated, and getting into detailed financial calculations is challenging. Forecasting is manageable, but handling actual financials is not as straightforward. The finance area needs improvement, specifically making finance application integrations easier. Generic finance capabilities should be more user-friendly and integrated into SPM. Although they have started this journey, it hasn’t been fully released yet. There seems to be a roadmap, and once complete, it will be very useful. Additionally, incorporating a Q&A feature for entire strategies or project demands and enhancing text analytics within SPM would be beneficial.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Government
12%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
9%
Healthcare Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Project Server?
The ability to track a project's progress using Microsoft Project Server is the most valuable aspect. It depends, especially when managing multiple projects.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Project Server?
The pricing model is currently a challenge since it seems aligned to push users cloud-based. Considering the infrastructure commitments to SharePoint and SQL, the implementation costs are low if al...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Project Server?
I am not convinced that the pricing model is the right one. Microsoft has become increasingly expensive, and there seems to be a push towards cloud solutions which can be challenging for some. Addi...
What do you like most about ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management?
We mainly use the solution to support operations and align our ITSM operations with our business goals. This involves coordinating between our application development, support teams, and network en...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management?
It's a bit costly currently. Efforts are being made to explore cost-benefit measures for investing in it.
What needs improvement with ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management?
There is always scope for improvement. As of now, making the product more cost-beneficial would help more organizations consider investing in it.
 

Also Known As

MS Project Server
IT Business Management, ServiceNow IT Business Management Suite, ServiceNow ITBM Suite, ServiceNow ITBM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Magnachip, Gwinnett County Schools, CLEAResult, Medbit Oy, Intelbras S.A., ETS, CORE Construction, Keller Foundations
Proximus, UNT SYSTEM, SAP SuccessFactors
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Project Server vs. ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.