Best Strategic Planning Software Shortlist
Here’s my shortlist of the best strategic planning software that I’ll cover in this article, with detailed tool summaries below:
Strategic planning software helps businesses define, track, and manage their short and long-term goals. It enables managers to select different ways to reach their objectives and measure their progress, while keeping detailed records of the company’s efforts.
Read my review to discover the best strategic planning software you can use today. My review includes short descriptions and screenshots of each solution, along with a comparison chart so you can identify the right tool for your organization.
Selection Criteria
Wondering how I selected the best strategic planning software for this list? Here’s a summary of my selection criteria:
- User Interface (UI): Strategic planning software is complex, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. The tools I selected offer clean interfaces, so you and your team can manage your resources without difficulty.
- Usability: Project planning and strategic management solutions enable you to complete multiple tasks. As a result, they tend to be somewhat difficult to understand and use. I chose tools that offer comprehensive onboarding or training materials so you and your team members can learn how to use them.
- Integrations: Your strategic planning software should be part of your day-to-day app ecosystem. That’s why I picked solutions that offer native or third-party integrations to other business apps.
- Value for $: Planning tools help you achieve various goals. I selected platforms that can help you organize all your strategic initiatives so you can get a nice return on your investment.
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Overviews of the 10 Best Strategic Planning Software
Here’s a brief description of each strategic planning software system that showcases each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and pros & cons. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too.
Wrike
Best strategic planning software for charting tasks, projects, and milestones
Wrike is a versatile strategic planning software that is used by more than 20,000 companies around the world. Some of its strategic planning features include resource management, portfolio management, customized performance reports, as well as workload overview and management. The software also offers several visualization options like Kanban boards and Gantt charts. Moreover, it has automation capabilities with over 400 integrations.
As a cloud-based project management and collaboration platform, Wrike helps professional services firms and teams manage simple to complex projects from beginning to end, offering complete control and visibility over their workloads and tasks. It is a scalable, end-to-end software solution that helps users tackle projects from the initial request phase to keeping track of work in progress, generating reports, and delivery.
Why I Picked Wrike: One of Wrike’s most relevant features as a strategic planning solution is the total control it provides users when it comes to task management. Users are given the ability to fully control tasks, ensuring that everyone is aware and has a handle of their task status upon logging into the platform. Project leads can easily change the task owner as soon as task dependency changes. This will let that individual know that action on their part is needed to move a task forward, thus eliminating potential bottlenecks that could cause unnecessary delays.
Another notable feature of Wrike is the customizable user interface (UI). Whether the project team likes to use Gantt charts, lists, or Kanban boards, the Wrike project management and strategic planning solution has it all covered. Its user interface can be easily customized to suit the requirements of any project role and requirement.
Wrike Standout Features and Integrations
Features include project management, task scheduling/tracking, resource management, expense tracking, API, budgeting, Gantt charts, marketing automations, collaboration support, and reporting.
Integrations include 400+ pre-built native integrations, including integrations with the most popular file management software from Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox, along with sales and marketing software from Salesforce and Marketo.
Pros
- Built-in help centers and documentation
- User-friendly and intuitive for all skill levels
- Variety of fully customizable dashboards
Cons
- No alerts to warn against unassigned/untagged tasks
- Time tracking is included in Business/Enterprise plans only
Lightcast
Best strategic planning software for workforce scenario modeling
Lightcast is a cloud-based strategic planning software that facilitates long-term workforce planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes for corporations.
Why I picked Lightcast: Their software helps you create a comprehensive view of your organization's projected future, along with actionable insights and data analytics to help you make better data-driven decisions. You can use Lightcast to create and analyze multiple scenarios, evaluate the potential impact of each scenario on your organization, and adjust your plans accordingly. Their scenario modeling covers workforce and headcount planning, as well as talent acquisition capabilities such as skill-based hiring, and DEI & salary benchmarking data.
Their customizable dashboards provide a quick overview of all relevant information and can be modified to plot key metrics and identify any areas for improvement. To help you understand complex data quickly and easily, their software includes a range of charts and graphs, as well as other visualizations that can be customized according to your business preferences.
Lightcast Standout Features and Integrations
Features include scenario modeling tools, data insights, workflow management tools, and recruitment-specific talent acquisition tools.
Integration details are not available, though Lightcast does have an API to help you connect their system to other applications you're already using.
Pros
- Integrated benchmarking data is useful for staying competitive in the global talent marketplace
- Additional consulting services are also available
- Able to dissect employment trends across different sectors and regions
Cons
- No free trial available
- Pricing details are not transparent
AchieveIt
Best strategic planning software for data visualization
AchieveIt is a strategy software that helps teams identify pressing issues by visualizing their data in different ways.
Why I picked AchieveIt: AchieveIt offers a clean interface and is not difficult to use. The software creates useful dashboards you can use to steer meetings and conversations, and its reports help you identify gaps in your strategic plans.
AchieveIt enables you to visualize your data as you like. You can organize your goals and ideas in trees, lists, Gantt charts, or Kanban boards. You can create multi-plan views to understand what’s happening across multiple departments, and use filters to get a granular view of different business metrics. AchieveIt is a great tool for data-driven organizations.
AchieveIt Standout Features and Integrations
Features include goal planning, dashboard creation, task management, performance assessment, and automation.
Integrations are available natively through the software’s open API. Their implementation team will work with you directly to connect to other tools.
Pros
- Templates help you organize your business strategy
- Real-time updates for increased visibility
- Automation features
Cons
- Setting up goal and milestone dates could be easier
- No portfolio management features
Anaplan
Best strategic planning software for sales planning
Anaplan is a web-based strategic planning software that enables large organizations to increase their revenue with agile sales strategies.
Why I picked Anaplan: Anaplan helps you design and optimize your targets, quotes, and segmentation strategies. The software allows you to transform your initiatives into actionable plans and use forecasts to increase the effectiveness of your sales pipelines.
Anaplan’s machine-learning algorithm analyzes your internal and external performance data to deliver insights. These insights enable you to create multiple scenarios, so you can anticipate and prepare for market disruptions, seasonal sales, or singular sales opportunities.
The software’s ability to plan sales strategies makes it ideal for large organizations that have vast sales departments.
Anaplan Standout Features and Integrations
Features include interactive dashboards, custom planning models, KPI tracking, analytics, and predictive insights.
Integrations are available natively with several tools, including DocuSign, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, and Workiva.
Pros
- Flexible solution that can help with multiple business aspects
- Can create complex models that help with decision-making
- Great for sales and financial planning
Cons
- Limited notification options
- Software tends to slow down when analyzing large sets of data
Jedox
Best strategic planning software for retailers
Jedox is a strategic planning and business performance software that helps mid-sized and large retailers plan their sales strategies.
Why I picked Jedox: Jedox helps retailers that have multiple point-of-sale systems plan for the future. The solution connects your sales, HR, and business performance data to create scenario models that take into account your workforce, wages, locations, competitors, return rates, and SKUs. The models help you budget your initiatives and react to market disruptors.
Jedox enables you to create detailed purchasing plans and workflows so you can reduce overstock and sales losses. The scenario models help you plan for seasonal selling cycles, so you can increase your profits.
Jedox Standout Features and Integrations
Features include demand planning, revenue forecasting, churn predictions, smart insights, and analytics.
Integrations are available natively with several apps, including Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, Oracle, SAP, Salesforce, and Tableau.
Pros
- Can analyze huge sets of data to create scenario models
- Dynamic reports
- Flexible dashboards that are easy to follow
Cons
- UI could be improved
- Report builder can be buggy at times
Workday Adaptive Planning
Best strategic planning software for workforce planning
Workday Adaptive Planning is a strategic planning tool that enables medium and large businesses to manage their workforce.
Why I picked Workday Adaptive Planning: Workday Adaptive Planning helps you bring together your HR, finance, and operations data so you can gain a thorough understanding of your workforce dynamics. The software’s reporting features make it easy to spot how your existing hiring models and retention plans affect your costs, so you can develop long-term strategies to optimize your workforce.
Workday Adaptive Planning enables you to link your workforce data to financial models so you can deliver your hiring plans on time and within budget. Their built-in reports help you model your team’s skill capacity based on location or cost, allowing you to plan ahead for different scenarios. Thanks to its ability to plan for large workforces, this tool is a great option for mid-sized or large organizations.
Workday Adaptive Planning Standout Features and Integrations
Features include forecasting, strategy planning, milestones tracking, resource management, and performance management.
Integrations are available natively with several tools, including Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle PeopleSoft, Sage Intacct, Salesforce, and SAP.
Pros
- Accounts for seasonality, multiple locations, and different geographies
- Forecasting helps you prepare for different scenarios
- Role-based reporting enables managers to track their team’s performance
Cons
- User interface could be improved
- Has a learning curve
Adobe Workfront
Best strategic planning software for enterprises
Adobe Workfront is a strategic planning and project management solution that enables enterprises to organize their day-to-day activities so they can achieve their long-term goals.
Why I picked Adobe Workfront: Adobe Workfront is an end-to-end planning and management solution. The software has a clean interface, allowing people to start using it without too much training. As a planning tool, Adobe Workfront is great because it enables you to create connections between tasks and your high-level goals.
Adobe Workfront makes it easy to transform a plan into an actionable project that’s neatly separated into multiple tasks. You can assign tasks to different departments and individuals, and you can track their progress in responsive dashboards. Managers can send updates and status reports to keep everyone on the same page and working toward the end goal.
Adobe Workfront Standout Features and Integrations
Features include demand management, work management, portfolio planning, worker experience tools, and reporting.
Integrations are available natively with dozens of solutions, including Adobe Creative Cloud, Box, Google Workspace, Jira, Microsoft Outlook, Salesforce, and Slack.
Pros
- Easy to create and manage cross-department tasks
- Encourages user participation
- Superb project management features
Cons
- Some screens can become busy at times, making the tool difficult to navigate
- Advanced features have a learning curve
Knovos Cascade
Best strategic planning software for startups
Cascade Strategy is a strategic planning solution that helps startups plan, manage, and track their goals.
Why I picked Cascade Strategy: Cascade Strategy is a lightweight tool that integrates with popular business apps, so you can include it in your work environment. The software enables C-level executives to plan large goals, but it also offers a granular view that allows team leaders to track specific tasks.
Cascade Strategy helps you organize your teams with actionable insights. Its dashboards make it easy to see how your efforts align with your overarching goals, so you can identify which tasks bring you closer to your objectives and which waste your resources. Thanks to its generous freemium plan, the solution is ideal for bootstrapped startups who are just starting their strategic planning process.
Cascade Strategy Standout Features and Integrations
Features include goal creation, in-app communication, cross-functional alignment, key performance indicators (KPI) and objectives and key results (OKR) tracking, and analytics & reporting.
Integrations are available natively with multiple apps, including Google Analytics, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and Trello.
Pros
- Helpful reports that enable you to demonstrate your progress to stakeholders
- Good variety of project templates
- Flexible solution you can tailor to your organization’s needs
Cons
- Reports that process large amounts of data can be slow to update
- Some reporting features cannot be customized
Aha Roadmaps
Best strategic planning software for SaaS and tech businesses
Aha Roadmaps is a strategic planning and product management software that helps SaaS and tech organizations set their goals and deliver on their initiatives.
Why I picked Aha Roadmaps: Aha helps developers create transparent roadmaps anyone can follow and understand. The software helps you plan every product and feature release in great detail, and encourages teamwork and collaboration so you can achieve your goals on time.
Aha Roadmaps sends you and your team members constant progress updates, so you always know what’s happening in your organization. The tool is flexible, allowing you to create anything from project roadmaps to mockups and reports.
Aha Roadmaps is designed around the “best practice in development model,” so it’s ideal for companies that develop new solutions, such as SaaS and tech businesses.
Aha Roadmaps Standout Features and Integrations
Features include roadmap creation, workflow creation, whiteboard concepts, task dependencies, and analytics & reporting.
Integrations are available natively with dozens of tools, including Azure DevOps, GitLab, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and Slack.
Pros
- Multiple data visualization options
- Reactive support team
- Easy onboarding
Cons
- Presentation decks could look better
- Some advanced features have a learning curve
Elate
Best strategic planning software for dynamic planning
Elate is a strategic planning software that enables businesses of all sizes to create actionable plans they can review and adapt as needed.
Why I picked Elate: Elate makes it easy to oversee your roadmaps and identify potential roadblocks before they become problematic. The software monitors all your initiatives and sends you regular progress updates so you can spot weak spots or barriers in good time.
Elate enables you to create transparent plans and strategies that include all your team members. Every department can see how their work affects your performance and future direction, and how their objectives align with your organization’s goals.
The software allows you to review and update your roadmaps at all times, so it’s ideal for businesses that use dynamic goals.
Elate Standout Features and Integrations
Features include plan creation, OKR tracking, collaboration, automation, and real-time analytics.
Integrations are available natively with multiple apps, including Domo, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Jira, Monday, and QuickBooks.
Pros
- Good data visualization options
- Straightforward user interface
- Encourages transparency and breaks down silos between departments
Cons
- Some reports can become busy and difficult to understand
- Reports could offer more customization
10 Best Strategic Planning Software Comparison Chart
This comparison chart summarizes basic details about each of my top strategic planning software selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free trials & demos side-by-side to help you find the best software that works for your budget.
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wrike Best strategic planning software for charting tasks, projects, and milestones | Free plan available | From $9.80/user/month | Visit Website |
2 | Lightcast Best strategic planning software for workforce scenario modeling | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
3 | AchieveIt Best strategic planning software for data visualization | Free demo available | From $70/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | Anaplan Best strategic planning software for sales planning | Free demo available | Price upon request | Visit Website |
5 | Jedox Best strategic planning software for retailers | 14-day free trial + free demo | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
6 | Workday Adaptive Planning Best strategic planning software for workforce planning | Free trial + free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
7 | Adobe Workfront Best strategic planning software for enterprises | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
8 | Knovos Cascade Best strategic planning software for startups | 14-day free trial + freemium plan available | From $29/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | Aha Roadmaps Best strategic planning software for SaaS and tech businesses | 30-day free trial + free demo | From $74/user/month | Visit Website |
10 | Elate Best strategic planning software for dynamic planning | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
Other Options
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best strategic planning software list:
- Strategypoint
Best strategic planning software for simple strategy management
- Planview Portfolios
Best strategic planning software for capacity planning
- Rhythm Systems
Best strategic planning software for cross-departmental planning
- Spider Strategies
Best strategic planning software for KPI tracking
- Peoplebox
Best strategic planning software for fast-growing companies
- Roadmunk
Best strategic planning software for flexible roadmap creation
- MPOWR Envision
Best strategic planning software for holistic goal creation
- Board
Best strategic planning software for data-driven insights
- Planful
Best strategic planning software for financial planning
- ProductPlan
Best strategic planning software for product development
Strategic Planning: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a strategic plan?
What are the 5 stages of strategic planning?
What are the main features to look for when evaluating strategic planning software?
Other Resources
Strategic planning is crucial to growing businesses because it helps your team understand what you do and why you do it. When you outline clear goals and roadmaps, you’re helping your team members see how their work and efforts help the company as a whole. This, in turn, helps them feel valued and engaged, which can boost their motivation and productivity.
Read our articles on How To Develop an HR Strategy and What Is Succession Planning if you want to find out how to motivate your team and propel your organization to new heights.
Listen to our podcast episode, How To Grow Fast In A Sustainable Way with Manuj Aggarwal, if you want to discover the most important steps you should follow when scaling.
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