Changepoint boosts PSA software

TORONTO-BASED CHANGEPOINT THIS week rolled out Version 7.5 of its PSA (professional services automation) software with enhanced performance-management features. PSA is a category of software targeted at services and consulting firms to help them track and manage projects, measure employee performance against specified goals, and provide updates and status reports to customers via a dashboard-like interface, according to Changepoint officials. Other players in this space include Evolve and Novient, with major packaged applications vendors such as SAP and Oracle also beginning to make moves in the market. Changepoint, Version 7.5 is a collection of modules highlighted by new performance-management functionality that gives users visibility into three assets: services employees such as consultants, project portfolios, and customers, according to Paul Lupinacci, vice president of product and customer management at Changepoint. In particular, the software allows users to assign metrics to individuals and teams to help optimize their performance. Other new features include enhanced financial management and CRM modules, Lupinacci said. Changepoint’s software can link into back-office applications via a set of pre-packaged integration components or through custom-coding to the application’s API, which the company makes available. Pricing is based on the number of modules and users, but starts at about $500 per user, company officials said.