The viability of your organization depends on many factors, and one of them may just be your choice of whether or not to use business performance management software. The collection of business management processes you systematically use to plan, implement and review your company's long- and short-term business activities is critical to its success. If all these areas of your business operation are in sync and you have the means to accurately assess, analyze, forecast and make any adjustments that may be needed to keep them that way, maintaining a healthy organization will be simply a matter of course.

Yet, coordinating all these activities can be a tall order for any business. Fortunately, modern technology has provided the means for integrating your budgeting, coordinating, forecasting and reporting functions into a single business performance management software package.

Some benefits of using performance management software are

1. A streamlined budgeting process

2. Better strategic planning

3. More accurate enterprise-wide data integration, analysis and reporting

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn why automating your company's business performance management functions would benefit you

Getting a little background information on the benefits of business improvement software can help you better assess your company's own needs.

I recommend: Companies like Strafford Technology and Cognos offer webinars and other helpful information which describe the different types of business performance software available and demonstrate precisely what the right performance management software can do for your organization.

Use a comparison site that offers descriptions of various performance improvement software solutions

Such websites can prove invaluable in pointing you to the most popular software available and allowing you to compare the features of the various brands, which can help you choose the best one for you.

I recommend: Capterra offers comprehensive descriptions of numerous performance management software offerings, complete with website, demo, tour and webinar links for many of the products it features. It also offers the option of requesting information from multiple vendors simultaneously. CFO.com also offers a chart describing each of the BPM software market leaders and their products, which you may access via the website's drop down text box.

Continue your business performance management education online, even after purchasing your software

The better your understanding of the concepts of good business performance management, the more effectively you will implement your program once you've chosen the software that's right for you. Consulting and other ongoing educational opportunities are always available online.

I recommend: BMG (Breakthrough Management Group) offers a broad spectrum of services to help you understand and implement your chosen performance improvement software solution. Its offerings include consulting, training, technology and e-learning, as well as its "Six Sigma eHandbook," a customized online portal which "provides companies with a complete roadmap for success." Pinnacle also provides consulting, a "2009 Budgeting Made Simple" webcast and other training to help you understand how to best use your business performance software to build a healthy enterprise.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Business improvement software comes in many shapes and sizes and with varying features and functionality. Be sure you've thoroughly assessed each product by watching its demo or webinar and downloading its free trial version, if one is available. These helpful tools will give you an opportunity to better compare each one's features and match them more precisely with your company's own needs.