License & Deployment Mix: 15 tools – 1 OSS, 11 SaaS. (OSS and SaaS counts can overlap when an open-source tool also offers a vendor-hosted edition.)
What Is Engineering Firm Management Software?
Engineering firm management software serves Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms with integrated tools for running project-based professional services businesses. Unlike generic ERP or project management tools, AEC-specific platforms understand the unique workflows of design and engineering firms: project accounting with percentage-of-completion revenue recognition, multiplier-based billing, resource planning by discipline and utilization targets, proposal/pursuit management, and compliance with FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) for government contracts.
These platforms typically combine:
- Project accounting – budgeting, cost tracking, revenue recognition (ASC 606 / IFRS 15), and profitability analysis at the project, phase, and task level
- Resource planning – staff allocation by discipline, utilization tracking, capacity forecasting, and skill-based scheduling
- Time and expense – timesheet capture, approval workflows, expense reporting, and billing integration
- Billing and invoicing – multiplier-based, lump-sum, cost-plus, T&M, and percent-complete billing methods common in AEC contracts
- CRM and pursuit management – tracking opportunities, go/no-go decisions, proposal generation, and win/loss analytics
- Project management – Gantt scheduling, milestone tracking, deliverable management, and document control
- Business intelligence – dashboards for firm-wide KPIs (utilization, backlog, net revenue, overhead rate, multiplier)
The AEC firm management market is dominated by Deltek Vantagepoint, which holds the largest market share among mid-to-large A/E firms. BQE CORE is strong in the small-to-mid segment. No viable AEC-specific open-source solution exists; ERPNext is the closest general-purpose OSS ERP but requires heavy customization for AEC workflows.
The information on these pages was researched by a combination of human review and large language models. To suggest an addition or correction, please contact us. Prepared by Rhodium Systems Inc., author of the ResorsIT platform — a unified IT operations management platform for IT teams and MSPs that integrates a curated suite of open-source, commercial, and SaaS applications into a single system with shared identity, single sign-on, access control, and a common audit trail. Use this catalogue only as a starting point for your own research, and review any tool carefully against your own requirements before relying on it. Catalogue data version 2026.197.
Comparison
Tool Overview
| Tool | Type | Vendor | License | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | AEC ERP | Deltek (Roper) | Proprietary | Cloud / On-Prem |
| Deltek Ajera | AEC ERP | Deltek (Roper) | Proprietary | Cloud / On-Prem |
| BST Global | AEC ERP | BST Global | Proprietary | Cloud / On-Prem |
| Unanet AE | AEC ERP | Unanet | Proprietary | Cloud / On-Prem |
| BQE CORE | AEC ERP | BQE Software | Proprietary | Cloud |
| Newforma | AEC PIM | Newforma | Proprietary | Cloud / On-Prem |
| Monograph | AEC PM | Monograph | Proprietary | Cloud |
| Total Synergy | AEC ERP | Total Synergy | Proprietary | Cloud |
| BigTime | PSA | BigTime Software | Proprietary | Cloud |
| VOGSY | PSA | VOGSY | Proprietary | Cloud |
| Scoro | PSA | Scoro | Proprietary | Cloud |
| Kantata | PSA | Kantata | Proprietary | Cloud |
| Autodesk CC | Construction | Autodesk | Proprietary | Cloud |
| Unit4 | Enterprise ERP | Unit4 | Proprietary | Cloud / On-Prem |
| ERPNext | General ERP | Frappe | GPL v3 | Self-Hosted / Cloud |
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Model | Starting Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Per user/mo | ~$30/user/mo | Volume discounts |
| Deltek Ajera | Per user/mo | ~$25/user/mo | Simpler, lower cost |
| BST Global | Custom | Custom | Enterprise pricing |
| Unanet AE | Per user/mo | ~$24/user/mo | Module-based |
| BQE CORE | Per user/mo | ~$15-55/user/mo | Tiered plans |
| Newforma | Per user | ~$100-500/user | Perpetual + maintenance |
| Monograph | Per user/mo | $25-55/user/mo | Free tier available |
| Total Synergy | Per user/mo | ~$30/user/mo | AUD pricing |
| BigTime | Per user/mo | $35-60/user/mo | Tiered plans |
| VOGSY | Per user/mo | $14-56/user/mo | Google Workspace add-on |
| Scoro | Per user/mo | $26-63/user/mo | Min 5 users |
| Kantata | Custom | Custom | Enterprise pricing |
| Autodesk CC | Per user/yr | ~$590-890/user/yr | Suite bundles |
| Unit4 | Custom | Custom | Enterprise pricing |
| ERPNext | Free / Hosted | Free (self-host) | Cloud from $50/mo |
Project Management Features
| Tool | Phases/Tasks | Budgets | Gantt | Resource Plan | Utilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deltek Ajera | Yes | Yes | Basic | Basic | Yes |
| BST Global | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unanet AE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BQE CORE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Newforma | Basic | No | No | No | No |
| Monograph | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Total Synergy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BigTime | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VOGSY | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scoro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kantata | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Autodesk CC | Basic | Basic | Yes | No | No |
| Unit4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ERPNext | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic | Basic |
Financial / Accounting Features
| Tool | Project Acctg | Rev Recognition | Billing | Multi-Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Full | ASC 606 | All methods | Yes |
| Deltek Ajera | Full | Pct-complete | All methods | Limited |
| BST Global | Full | ASC 606 | All methods | Yes |
| Unanet AE | Full | ASC 606 | All methods | Yes |
| BQE CORE | Full | Pct-complete | All methods | Yes |
| Newforma | No | No | No | No |
| Monograph | Basic | No | Hourly/Fixed | No |
| Total Synergy | Full | Pct-complete | Most methods | Yes |
| BigTime | Full | Pct-complete | Most methods | Limited |
| VOGSY | Moderate | Basic | T&M/Fixed | Yes |
| Scoro | Moderate | Basic | T&M/Fixed | Yes |
| Kantata | Full | ASC 606 | Most methods | Yes |
| Autodesk CC | No | No | No | No |
| Unit4 | Full | ASC 606 | All methods | Yes |
| ERPNext | Full | Basic | Most methods | Yes |
CRM & Proposals
| Tool | CRM | Pursuit Tracking | Proposal Builder | Win/Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Yes | Yes | Yes (SF330) | Yes |
| Deltek Ajera | Basic | Basic | No | Basic |
| BST Global | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unanet AE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BQE CORE | Basic | Basic | No | Basic |
| Newforma | No | No | No | No |
| Monograph | No | No | No | No |
| Total Synergy | Basic | Basic | No | Basic |
| BigTime | No | No | No | No |
| VOGSY | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Scoro | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Kantata | Basic | Yes | No | Yes |
| Autodesk CC | No | No | No | No |
| Unit4 | Basic | Basic | No | Basic |
| ERPNext | Yes | Basic | No | Basic |
Deployment & Platform
| Tool | Cloud | On-Prem | Mobile | Offline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Deltek Ajera | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| BST Global | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Unanet AE | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| BQE CORE | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Newforma | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Monograph | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Total Synergy | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| BigTime | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| VOGSY | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Scoro | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Kantata | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Autodesk CC | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Unit4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| ERPNext | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
SSO & Security
| Tool | SAML | OIDC | LDAP | SCIM | MFA | SOC 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Yes | Yes (v2025.3+) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Deltek Ajera | SAML | No | AD | No | Yes | Yes |
| BST Global | SAML | No | AD | No | Yes | Yes |
| Unanet AE | SAML | No | AD | No | Yes | Yes |
| BQE CORE | SAML 2.0 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Newforma | SAML | No | AD | No | Basic | No |
| Monograph | SSO (Scale+) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Total Synergy | SAML | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| BigTime | SAML | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| VOGSY | Google SSO | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Scoro | SSO (Enterprise) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Kantata | SAML | OIDC | No | SCIM | Yes | Yes |
| Autodesk CC | SAML | OIDC | No | SCIM | Yes | Yes |
| Unit4 | SAML | OIDC | AD | SCIM | Yes | Yes |
| ERPNext | SAML | OAuth | LDAP | No | Yes | No |
API & Integration
| Tool | REST API | Webhooks | Integrations | SDK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | Yes | Limited | QB, Sage, ADP | No |
| Deltek Ajera | Limited | No | QB, Sage | No |
| BST Global | Yes | Yes | Major ERP | No |
| Unanet AE | Yes | Limited | QB, Sage, ADP | No |
| BQE CORE | Yes | Yes | QB, Xero, Outlook | No |
| Newforma | Limited | No | Bluebeam, Revit | No |
| Monograph | API (Unleash) | No | QB, Xero | No |
| Total Synergy | Yes | Limited | Xero, MYOB, QB | No |
| BigTime | Yes (Premier+) | No | QB, Sage, HubSpot | No |
| VOGSY | Yes | Yes | Google Workspace | No |
| Scoro | Yes | Yes | QB, Xero, HubSpot | No |
| Kantata | Yes | Yes | Salesforce, Jira | Yes |
| Autodesk CC | Yes | Yes | BIM 360, Revit, Procore | Yes |
| Unit4 | Yes | Yes | Major ERP/HR | Yes |
| ERPNext | Yes | Yes | Any (open) | Yes |
Open Source Comparison
Only one tool in this category is open source:
| Aspect | ERPNext |
|---|---|
| License | GPL v3 |
| Source | github.com/frappe/erpnext |
| AEC features | Generic projects + accounting |
| AEC gaps | No AEC-specific billing, no utilization, no pursuit mgmt |
| Customization | Extensive (Frappe framework) |
| Community | Large, active |
| Self-hosted | Yes (recommended) |
| Verdict | Viable with heavy customization; not AEC-native |
No other AEC-specific open-source firm management tool exists. Firms wanting OSS must either customize ERPNext or assemble multiple tools (e.g., ERPNext + Odoo Timesheet + custom modules).
Monitoring Integration
| Tool | Telegraf | Fluent Bit | Grafana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deltek Vantagepoint | SQL Server metrics | IIS/app logs | Project dashboards |
| Deltek Ajera | SQL Server metrics | IIS/app logs | Basic dashboards |
| BST Global | SQL Server metrics | App logs | Project dashboards |
| Unanet AE | PostgreSQL/SQL metrics | App logs | Project dashboards |
| BQE CORE | SaaS – API polling | API logs | API-based dashboards |
| Newforma | SQL Server metrics | App logs | Basic dashboards |
| Monograph | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| Total Synergy | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| BigTime | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| VOGSY | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| Scoro | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| Kantata | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| Autodesk CC | SaaS – API polling | N/A | API-based dashboards |
| Unit4 | DB metrics (on-prem) | App logs | Full dashboards |
| ERPNext | MariaDB + Redis metrics | App + worker logs | Full dashboards |
Tools
15 tools.
Autodesk Construction Cloud
Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) is a cloud-based construction management platform that connects design, preconstruction, and field workflows.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
BigTime
BigTime is a professional services automation (PSA) platform focused on time tracking, billing, and project management for project-based firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
BQE CORE
BQE CORE is a purpose-built project management and accounting platform for architecture and engineering firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
BST Global
BST Global (formerly BST) is a veteran AEC firm management platform with over 50 years of service to architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: none
Deltek Ajera
Deltek Ajera is an AEC-focused project accounting and firm management platform designed for small-to-mid-size architecture and engineering firms (typically 5-100 employees).
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Deltek Vantagepoint
Deltek Vantagepoint is the market-leading ERP platform for architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
ERPNext
ERPNext is a comprehensive open-source ERP platform built on the Frappe Framework. It provides modules for accounting, project management, HR, CRM, inventory, manufacturing, and more.
License: GPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native · SSO: none
Kantata
Kantata is an enterprise professional services automation platform formed from the merger of Mavenlink and Kimble Applications in 2022.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Monograph
Monograph is a cloud practice management platform for architecture firms, focused on project and phase tracking, time management, budgeting, invoicing, and financial reporting.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Newforma
Newforma Project Center is an AEC project information management (PIM) platform that focuses on email management, document control, transmittals, and project correspondence for architecture, engineering, and construction firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Scoro
Scoro is an end-to-end work management and professional services automation platform that combines project management, time tracking, CRM, billing, and reporting in a single application.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Total Synergy
Total Synergy is an Australian-developed project management and accounting platform designed for architecture, engineering, and construction firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Unanet AE
Unanet AE (formerly Clearview InFocus) is a project-based ERP platform designed for architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: native, saas · SSO: none
Unit4
Unit4 is an enterprise ERP platform designed for people-centric organizations including professional services firms, higher education, non-profits, and public sector entities.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
VOGSY
VOGSY is a professional services automation (PSA) platform built natively on Google Cloud Platform and designed to work as a Google Workspace add-on.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
