Choosing the best strategic planning software depends primarily on the goals of the user. In general, a good strategic planning software program will assist the user in the strategic planning process, including organizing resources, analyzing opportunities and determining the best course of action to accomplish short-term and long-term goals. The best strategic planning software will allow the user to create a plan that helps an organization make sound decisions and implement effective strategies and techniques into its business operations.
A strategic planning software package should allow the user to create forecasts revolving around the categories and metrics that are important to his or her organization, including financial goals, sales goals and marketing goals. Upon creating various metrics, the best strategic planning software programs will allow their users to analyze the data in the areas that are critical to the objectives of the users' organizations. A good software package will also allow the user to instantly view anything that is contrary to the goals of the company.
The best strategic planning software programs also allow their users to track key performance indicators (KPIs). Every organization has specific metrics that are critical to accomplishing the goals and objectives of the company. For a sales team, these metrics might include the number of phone calls or the number of proposals made to prospective clients. Every department within a company has its own set of KPIs that help measure the operations of the department. Good strategic planning software gives its users the ability to track multiple KPIs across different departments and can instantly show its users the health of the company through customizable reports.
Collaborative tools also are great features that are available in the best strategic planning software. These tools allow multiple users to work together in the creation and tracking of strategic plans. This feature is especially beneficial to large organizations and companies that have employees in multiple locations. By allowing users to collaborate on strategic plans through the software, companies can create, edit and manage the strategic planning process more effectively.
The best strategic planning software programs are hosted on the Internet. This offers organizations the additional convenience of being able to use the software from any computer that has Internet access. By using software that is hosted on the Internet, companies no longer have to worry about how to integrate the software on multiple computers in various locations.