What is Professional Services Automation (PSA)?

While the advantages of a specific PSA solution depends on its capabilities (and how they are used), the central benefit of PSA software is enabling people who are responsible for business performance to manage and measure service delivery at scale. Reporting features enable account and resource managers to identify trends and allocate staff to match demand. Executives can see where the business is performing well and where there are opportunities to improve certain areas.

Effective PSA applications help organizations do three things

• 1. Easily Manage Projects (e.g., by reducing spreadsheet time)
• 2. Optimize Resource Use (e.g., by improving utilization rates)
• 3. Drive Stronger Margins (e.g., through greater reporting and visibility)

PSA tools can also help organizations gain control over their project, financial, timeline and resource data. Organizations often choose to adopt and/or upgrade their PSA tools when they need to increase headcount, when their demand increases, when their range of services needs to grow to meet client needs, when they expand their market geographically, or when projects, deadlines and timelines become more numerous and difficult to manage using manual processes. A great PSA tool keeps top thinkers out of spreadsheets and more engaged with the data at a high level, to make decisions that drive greater profitability.