PlanAutomate: The Strongest Project Management Solution for D365 Finance
The most capable and flexible choice for project-based companies
PlanAutomate turns Dynamics 365 Finance into a project-centric command center, connecting project schedules, cost structures, resources, supply chain, forecasting, governance, and financial control in one system.
PlanAutomate for when everything is about projects
Connect Everything
All parts of project financials and operations are connected in real time. Nothing in isolation.
Manage Everything
Schedules, capacity, supply chain, costs, risks, changes, forecasts, all in the same system with the detailed capabilities your teams need.
See Everything
Critical metrics always monitored, always in real-time.
Control Everything
Track and control changes. Get alerts that matter to you.
Better than D365 Project Operations? Yes.
PlanAutomate provides critical capabilities that project-centric companies need and you can’t get with Project Operations.
Use the matrix below to see all the PlanAutomate options available to you and how those compare with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations.
Find what you need and who provides it best:
This matrix compares solution capabilities (features) across selected options for Dynamics 365 based project delivery.
- Columns show the products/solution bundles you’ve selected to compare (e.g. Microsoft D365 Project Operations, an SI bundle, and PlanAutomate’s EPM base + optional add-ons).
- Rows list individual capabilities (i.e. planning, estimation, costing, change management, resource management, analytics, AI, etc.).
- Symbols indicate the level of support for each capability:
- = capability is supported
- = capability is supported in a limited/partial way
- (blank) = capability is not supported / not available in that option
Use this matrix to quickly see which options cover which capabilities, and differences in full vs partial coverage, especially in the areas that matter most to your project delivery model and finance requirements.
Truth in reporting: This matrix is compiled using publicly and privately available information to provide a fair, baseline comparison of solution capabilities. Solutions evolve over time; if any information is inaccurate or outdated, contact us with corrections.
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Compare to:
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PlanAutomate Essentials
Base
€135 /mo
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AEC
Add-on
€60 /mo
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ETO Manufacturing
Add-on
€60 /mo
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Professional Services
Add-on
€60 /mo
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Insight & Analysis
Add-on
€30 /mo
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Governance
Add-on
€30 /mo
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Advanced PM
Add-on
€60 /mo
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Project Modeling
Add-on
€20 /mo
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Risk Mgmt.
Add-on
€20 /mo
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Insights and analysis
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| Power BI cubes | |||||||||||||||
| Embedded Power BI reports | |||||||||||||||
| Portfolio analytics | |||||||||||||||
| Portfolio performance | |||||||||||||||
| Performance index | |||||||||||||||
| PlanVector AI (see agents below) | |||||||||||||||
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AI Agents
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| Planner agent | |||||||||||||||
| RAIDO agent | |||||||||||||||
| Costing agent | |||||||||||||||
| Change management agent | |||||||||||||||
| Staffing agent | |||||||||||||||
| Reporting agent | |||||||||||||||
| PayFlow | |||||||||||||||
| Time Entry & Expense | |||||||||||||||
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Planning
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| Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) | |||||||||||||||
| Gantt & drag and drop | |||||||||||||||
| Critical path and float | |||||||||||||||
| Task network | |||||||||||||||
| Role and resource scheduling | |||||||||||||||
| Capacity management | |||||||||||||||
| Soft/hard commit | |||||||||||||||
| Auto assign resources | |||||||||||||||
| Task and Gantt filtering | |||||||||||||||
| Task workflow | |||||||||||||||
| Custom grid views | |||||||||||||||
| Activity backlog | |||||||||||||||
| WBS sensor points | |||||||||||||||
| Manual tasks | |||||||||||||||
| Material planning | |||||||||||||||
| Material constraints | |||||||||||||||
| What-if simulation | |||||||||||||||
| Capacity leveling | |||||||||||||||
| Task driven serviceline and line property | |||||||||||||||
| Custom project/role/task attributes | |||||||||||||||
| Baselines | |||||||||||||||
| Embedded projects (WBS) | |||||||||||||||
| Constraint types | |||||||||||||||
| Gateway reviews and deadline management | |||||||||||||||
| Task tags | |||||||||||||||
| Project calendar | |||||||||||||||
| Project phases | |||||||||||||||
| Schedule backwards from finish | |||||||||||||||
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Estimation
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| Budget versions | |||||||||||||||
| Templates | |||||||||||||||
| Create from quote | |||||||||||||||
| Create from existing project | |||||||||||||||
| Approvals | |||||||||||||||
| Copy from WBS | |||||||||||||||
| Import/Export XML | |||||||||||||||
| Cashflow | |||||||||||||||
| Qty budgets | |||||||||||||||
| Retainers | |||||||||||||||
| Models | |||||||||||||||
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Cost breakdown structure
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| Embedded projects (CBS) | |||||||||||||||
| Posting status | |||||||||||||||
| EVA principles | |||||||||||||||
| Cost codes & cost code reporting | |||||||||||||||
| Period close | |||||||||||||||
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Portfolio organization
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| Stakeholder workspace | |||||||||||||||
| Auto pilot | |||||||||||||||
| Project sensor points | |||||||||||||||
| Stakeholders | |||||||||||||||
| POS security | |||||||||||||||
| Batch lists | |||||||||||||||
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Risk management
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| RAIDO register | |||||||||||||||
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Costing sheet
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| Cost (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue (view) | |||||||||||||||
| By category | |||||||||||||||
| By category group | |||||||||||||||
| Embedded projects | |||||||||||||||
| CTC and EAC | |||||||||||||||
| Variance tracking | |||||||||||||||
| Contract line items (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Dedicated Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) | |||||||||||||||
| Budget periods | |||||||||||||||
| CBS sensor points | |||||||||||||||
| Variance reason codes | |||||||||||||||
| Deliverables (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Change control (view) | |||||||||||||||
| WBS estimate (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Revenue to complete (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Get WBS estimates | |||||||||||||||
| Retainer | |||||||||||||||
| Burn rate (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Earned value (view) | |||||||||||||||
| RAIDO (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Labor quantities (view) | |||||||||||||||
| Cashflow | |||||||||||||||
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Portfolio management
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| Project portfolios | |||||||||||||||
| Portfolio status | |||||||||||||||
| Portfolio sensor points | |||||||||||||||
| Project breakdown structure | |||||||||||||||
| Project budget periods | |||||||||||||||
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Change management
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| Revisions | |||||||||||||||
| Change orders | |||||||||||||||
| Change requests | |||||||||||||||
| Copy Change set | |||||||||||||||
| Copy WBS | |||||||||||||||
| WBS change sets | |||||||||||||||
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Resource management
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| Resource attributes | |||||||||||||||
| Calendars and exceptions | |||||||||||||||
| Resource loan management | |||||||||||||||
| Grade, service & location | |||||||||||||||
| Labor rates by grade and service line | |||||||||||||||
| Project resourcing (dispatch) | |||||||||||||||
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Workspaces
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| Project management | |||||||||||||||
| Project team member | |||||||||||||||
| Project costing | |||||||||||||||
| Project planning | |||||||||||||||
| Project change management | |||||||||||||||
| Project capacity management | |||||||||||||||
| Project material constraints | |||||||||||||||
| Project subcontract management | |||||||||||||||
| Project stakeholder | |||||||||||||||
| Project period close | |||||||||||||||
| Project RAIDO | |||||||||||||||
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Subcontract management
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| Subcontract management | |||||||||||||||
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Timesheet management
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| My assignments & widget | |||||||||||||||
| Team member workspace | |||||||||||||||
| My calendar | |||||||||||||||
| Task status update | |||||||||||||||
| My tracked RAIDO | |||||||||||||||
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Other
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| Fee Estimator | |||||||||||||||
| Electronic invoicing | |||||||||||||||
| Experience mgt. | |||||||||||||||
| Mobile access | |||||||||||||||
| AI Brief builder | |||||||||||||||
| Whitespace analysis | |||||||||||||||
| Copilot & AI Automation | |||||||||||||||
One System for Project Execution and Financial Control
PlanAutomate connects the operational reality of your projects with the financial reality of your business.
Unified Schedule & Finance
Integrate the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) with a dedicated Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), ensuring your operational reality always matches your financial reporting.
Real-Time Financial Control
Move beyond month-end surprises. Utilize embedded Estimate at Completion (EAC) forecasting and real-time variance analysis to spot margin fade weeks before it becomes critical.
Single Source of Truth
Replace disconnected tools with a single, high-performance system that lives inside Dynamics 365. When dates shift, you know about it in real time.
Easy to start. Room to grow.
Flexible options for exactly the right fit.
PlanAutomate is modular, so companies can start with the project foundation they need today and add deeper capabilities as their business matures.
Customize with optional advanced packages
Empower your people with advanced enterprise project management features from PlanAutomate you won’t find anywhere else.
Adv. PM
Insight
Governance
RAIDO
Modeling
Optional industry kits
PlanAutomate offers industry kits to tailor your system to your industry with additional capabilities that support your specific workloads.
AEC
ETO Manufacturing
Pro Services
PlanAutomate Project Essentials
PlanAutomate Project Essentials capabilities are embedded in Dynamics 365 Finance aligning projects with finance, supply chain and HR. PlanAutomate is designed for project-driven organizations that need a complete project system inside the Dynamics environment.
PlanAutomate Essentials
(Estimation, Scheduling, Costing, Resource Management)
The Foundation: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance ERP
We implement our solution to ensure D365 Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources work for project-centric processes.
Finance
SCM
HR
Dive Deeper into PlanAutomate
Explore project industry kits
Add capabilities designed for the way your industry runs projects.
Engineering & Construction Industry Kit
Designed for the engineering and construction industry, this kit unifies project scheduling with material logistics and financial control to ensure projects stay on track and on budget.
- Material Constraints: Link project tasks directly to material availability to ensure work only begins when supplies are on-site.
- Quantity Budgets: Create detailed budgets based on specific operational quantities (e.g., square footage or linear feet) rather than just financial totals.
- Progress Billing: Automate billing based on physical percent complete or the delivery of specific project milestones.
Engineer-to-Order Manufacturing Kit
Designed for custom project-based manufacturers in Aerospace, Defense, Equipment and Industrial Manufacturing, Biotech, CDMOs, and more, this kit bridges the critical gap between project schedules and the supply chain, ensuring that engineering timelines are perfectly aligned with procurement and production realities.
- Project-Supply Chain Coordination: Automatically connects your project schedule with procurement and production to ensure materials arrive exactly when needed.
- Material Constraints: Links task execution to material availability, preventing work from starting until the necessary parts are in stock.
- What-if Simulation: Runs scenarios to predict how material delays or production bottlenecks will impact the your project schedule, resource loads, and final delivery date.
- Revenue Forecasting: Provides accurate revenue-to-complete forecasting derived directly from the operational Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
Professional Services Kit
Empower your service teams to maximize billable utilization and streamline complex client engagements with advanced resource and billing tools.
- Resource Capacity Leveling: Optimize workforce allocation by smoothing out peaks and valleys in consultant schedules across the entire portfolio.
- Task-Driven Billing: Automate billing rates and properties based specifically on the task or service line being performed to ensure accurate invoicing.
- Retainer Management: Easily manage client retainers and automate the drawdown process against billable work to simplify financial tracking.
- Revenue Forecasting: Gain real-time visibility into future revenue for Time & Material or Fixed Price contracts based on the latest operational plans.
Explore advanced feature packages
Add deeper project control where the business needs it.
Insight & Analysis Add-on
Transform raw project data into actionable intelligence, providing executives and PMOs with the visibility needed to optimize project and portfolio performance.
- PlanVector AI: Leverage artificial intelligence to uncover hidden factors driving project success and predict future outcomes before they occur.
- Portfolio Analytics: Instantly aggregate views of health, progress, and financial status across the entire enterprise to identify trends and outliers.
- Performance Indices: Automatically roll up key KPI (Sensor Point) data into an executive dashboard that tracks performance and progress in key operational and financial views.
Advanced Project Management Add-on
Designed for more complex and large-scale ventures, this package unlocks deep capabilities in rigorous financial control, advanced scheduling, and Earned Value Management (EVM).
- Earned Value Management: Automatically calculate and track EVM metrics to measure project performance against the baseline with precision.
- Complex Scheduling Logic: Utilize advanced scheduling features like strict constraint types (e.g., “Must Start On”), unlimited baselines, and embedded sub-projects for master planning.
- Deep Financial Control: Manage rigorous period-close procedures, model detailed cash flows, and track burn rates to ensure fiscal discipline.
- Variance Analysis: Require reason codes for budget or schedule deviations to systematically track and analyze the root causes of project variances.
Governance Add-on
Ensure standardization, compliance, and control across project portfolios, providing the strict security and automated monitoring essential for enterprise governance.
- Project Autopilot: Automates management-by-exception with an intelligent system that continuously scans projects to flag risks, anomalies, and deviations automatically for stakeholders.
- Project Organizational Structure (POS): Enforces strict security and access controls based on organizational hierarchy, ensuring users only access the projects and data they are authorized to manage.
- Sensor Points: Automated data monitor that tracks KPIs and watches for specific threshold deviations (e.g., budget variance or schedule slippage) for proactive intervention.
- Stakeholder Workspace: Provides a dedicated, streamlined portal for stakeholders to view project status, risks, and KPIs for ease of use.
Project Modeling Add-on
Revolutionize your planning process by dynamically generating accurate project estimates and schedules in minutes, not hours.
- Dynamic Configuration: Build complex project plans by answering simple configuration questions (e.g., specifications, dimensions), which automatically generate the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS).
- Speed & Accuracy: Eliminate manual data entry errors and “wishful” estimates by automating the creation of optimal project structures every time.
- Standardized Best Practices: Enforce enterprise-wide standards by using curated models that ensure every project starts with the best possible plan.
- Sales Acceleration: Empower teams to generate accurate, feasible proposals instantly without needing deep technical engineering support for every quote.
Risk Management Add-on (RAIDO)
Move beyond simple risk logs with a complete RAIDO framework that integrates Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies, and Opportunities directly into your project management workflows.
- Full RAIDO Framework: Centralizes the management of all uncertainty factors—not just risks and issues, but also critical assumptions, dependencies, and potential opportunities.
- Operational Integration: Links specific risks and issues directly to project tasks (WBS) and financial lines (CBS) to visualize the true impact on schedule and budget.
- Opportunity Tracking: Proactively identifies and manages positive opportunities for cost savings and efficiency, allowing you to capture value rather than just mitigating threats.
- Automated Response Workflows: Streamlines the resolution process with automated workflows for mitigation plans, ensuring that every identified risk has an owner and a deadline.
Get the most advanced AI for projects
Add 400 Years of Project Experience to Your Team. Instantly.
PlanAutomate, with built-in PlanVector AI, provides a veteran AI project advisor, trained on the complete lifecycle of thousands of projects. It doesn’t just analyze your data; it gives you seasoned judgments that make it easy for everyone to know what’s going on so you can steer projects to success.
Is PlanAutomate Right for You?
PlanAutomate is built for companies where projects are central to how the business makes money, controls cost, and delivers work.
It is a strong fit if:
- You need to run projects in Dynamics 365 Finance
- You tried or evaluated Project Operations and realize does not go deep enough
- Spreadsheets still fill critical project gaps
- Finance lacks real-time project visibility
- Project managers and finance teams work from different numbers
- Project schedules affect procurement, production, billing, or revenue
- Leadership has low/no visibility into project forecasts and capacity needs
If any of this sounds familiar, contact us.
Discover why PlanAutomate is the best project solution for Dynamics
Discover for yourself the best options for your company.
Schedule a free call to learn:
What the details are of the options above and how to evaluate them for your company.
How you can grow and scale your project management capabilities in the future with PlanAutomate.
What implementation with PlanAutomate looks like.
Whether you are evaluating or currently using Dynamics 365 Finance and/or Project Operations and want to make sure you are getting the best solution for your company.
Schedule a brief consultation with us to learn how to help your organization achieve the best possible outcome with Dynamics.