FAQs about PDWare for Resource Management
PDWare helps leaders build high value, achievable project portfolios by using resource management as a foundation for PMO operations and portfolio management decision-making. Explore frequently asked questions about how the platform’s resource capacity planning software differs from project schedulers, task trackers and spreadsheets; and how it uses resource management as a foundation for improving your portfolio management.
Overview
What does PDWare’s Platform do?
PDWare is portfolio management software that uses resource capacity planning to help leadership decide what work is actually feasible. The software models prioritized skill demand versus skilled resource capacity across portfolios, teams, and time. This allows organizations to fund projects that have a chance to succeed, rather than watch investments fail due to overloaded people or competing priorities.
Who uses this software and why?
Executives, PMOs, and Portfolio Leadership generally use PDWare in organizations where project labor costs are significant and resource talent is constrained. Teams rely on PDWare for developing realistic forecasts, scenario planning, and trade-off analysis—helping leadership better understand success probabilities and delivery risk. PDWare also goes beyond operational planning, providing solutions for Project Intake, Strategic Prioritization, Portfolio Optimization, Asset Management, and Time Tracking. As a result, when the PMO operations of a company grow, PDWare can scale to support all portfolio management needs as they occur.
What are PDWare’s core capabilities?
Core capabilities include portfolio-level scenario planning, waterline budget planning, capacity and utilization modeling, trade-off analysis, and executive decision support. PDWare focuses on decisions that impact multiple projects at once—which projects to start, delay, or stop—going well beyond the myopic views presented by task tracking or scheduling software.
PDWare is portfolio management software that uses resource capacity planning to help leadership decide what work is actually feasible. The software models prioritized skill demand versus skilled resource capacity across portfolios, teams, and time. This allows organizations to fund projects that have a chance to succeed, rather than watch investments fail due to overloaded people or competing priorities.
Who uses this software and why?
Executives, PMOs, and Portfolio Leadership generally use PDWare in organizations where project labor costs are significant and resource talent is constrained. Teams rely on PDWare for developing realistic forecasts, scenario planning, and trade-off analysis—helping leadership better understand success probabilities and delivery risk. PDWare also goes beyond operational planning, providing solutions for Project Intake, Strategic Prioritization, Portfolio Optimization, Asset Management, and Time Tracking. As a result, when the PMO operations of a company grow, PDWare can scale to support all portfolio management needs as they occur.
What are PDWare’s core capabilities?
Core capabilities include portfolio-level scenario planning, waterline budget planning, capacity and utilization modeling, trade-off analysis, and executive decision support. PDWare focuses on decisions that impact multiple projects at once—which projects to start, delay, or stop—going well beyond the myopic views presented by task tracking or scheduling software.
How we differ from task trackers & PPM tools
How is PDWare different from task-based work tools?
Task tools focus on assignments which help with workflow within a project; PDWare operates across projects, considering how each project impacts the portfolio at large. PDWare models portfolio-level skill demand against the available talent pool and reveals systemic overloads so leadership can address potentially big problems early when the reaction cost is much less expensive.
Why choose capacity-first software over generic PPM?
When a project or group of projects start to fall behind, the solution is usually people and money. Diverting those resources will have an impact on the other projects, both active and in the pipeline. PDWare believes this is the most difficult part of the portfolio management process, and as a result, we think it should be implemented first. Over the years we have seen products that focus on prioritization, task planning, sprint planning or time tracking never quite solve the resource planning problem. As a result, users spend a lot of time and money on implementation and never quite see the results they were hoping for.
When should teams move from trackers to a portfolio decision tool?
The PDWare approach is to implement resource management first for top-down planning and forecasting and then move to bottom-up task planning. PDWare offers industry leading request functionality that allows organizations to reconcile those task level project plans with resource forecasts, so both are in synch at the end of planning periods.
Task tools focus on assignments which help with workflow within a project; PDWare operates across projects, considering how each project impacts the portfolio at large. PDWare models portfolio-level skill demand against the available talent pool and reveals systemic overloads so leadership can address potentially big problems early when the reaction cost is much less expensive.
Why choose capacity-first software over generic PPM?
When a project or group of projects start to fall behind, the solution is usually people and money. Diverting those resources will have an impact on the other projects, both active and in the pipeline. PDWare believes this is the most difficult part of the portfolio management process, and as a result, we think it should be implemented first. Over the years we have seen products that focus on prioritization, task planning, sprint planning or time tracking never quite solve the resource planning problem. As a result, users spend a lot of time and money on implementation and never quite see the results they were hoping for.
When should teams move from trackers to a portfolio decision tool?
The PDWare approach is to implement resource management first for top-down planning and forecasting and then move to bottom-up task planning. PDWare offers industry leading request functionality that allows organizations to reconcile those task level project plans with resource forecasts, so both are in synch at the end of planning periods.
Why organizations switch or add PDWare
How is PDWare different from tools like Monday.com or Planview?
Task management tools like Monday.com help with bottom-up planning and workflow within a project or team. PDWare operates across projects and teams, allowing big-picture adjustments and strategic resource allocations so that individual projects get the staffing and funding they need to be successful. Larger PPM systems like Planview offer extensive functionality, but that often comes with higher costs and reduced flexibility. PDWare provides deep functionality in the areas that matter most while remaining flexible enough to adapt to each organization’s unique needs.
What do tools like Monday.com and Planview miss?
By implementing resource management first, PDWare users are better prepared for the challenges of managing a portfolio, developing annual operating plans, and confidently forecasting project delivery dates. Without a foundation of resource capacity planning and strategic resource allocation, the effectiveness of task planning tools and complex PPM systems is limited. PDWare’s real-time approach enables faster, more informed decisions so issues can be addressed before they become costly.
Task management tools like Monday.com help with bottom-up planning and workflow within a project or team. PDWare operates across projects and teams, allowing big-picture adjustments and strategic resource allocations so that individual projects get the staffing and funding they need to be successful. Larger PPM systems like Planview offer extensive functionality, but that often comes with higher costs and reduced flexibility. PDWare provides deep functionality in the areas that matter most while remaining flexible enough to adapt to each organization’s unique needs.
What do tools like Monday.com and Planview miss?
By implementing resource management first, PDWare users are better prepared for the challenges of managing a portfolio, developing annual operating plans, and confidently forecasting project delivery dates. Without a foundation of resource capacity planning and strategic resource allocation, the effectiveness of task planning tools and complex PPM systems is limited. PDWare’s real-time approach enables faster, more informed decisions so issues can be addressed before they become costly.
Capacity planning & scenario modeling
What is capacity modeling and how does it work here?
Capacity modeling compares demand for skilled resources to available person-hours over time. PDWare’s engine tests the constraints of each assignment in real time and shows the impact of adding, delaying, or removing work.
Can I run “what-if” scenarios quickly?
Yes. PDWare offers what-if planning by priority, schedule, and budget (waterline). PDWare also provides powerful scenario planning that allows leadership to test alternative futures, including adding projects, delaying work, and changing resource allocations. Results are displayed instantly, supporting real-time decision making.
How does the tool show resource overloads and bottlenecks?
Visualizations of demand and capacity are available throughout PDWare using heatmaps, resource histograms, pivot charts, and waterline overlays, allowing teams to quickly identify overloads, critical bottlenecks, and contested resources.
Capacity modeling compares demand for skilled resources to available person-hours over time. PDWare’s engine tests the constraints of each assignment in real time and shows the impact of adding, delaying, or removing work.
Can I run “what-if” scenarios quickly?
Yes. PDWare offers what-if planning by priority, schedule, and budget (waterline). PDWare also provides powerful scenario planning that allows leadership to test alternative futures, including adding projects, delaying work, and changing resource allocations. Results are displayed instantly, supporting real-time decision making.
How does the tool show resource overloads and bottlenecks?
Visualizations of demand and capacity are available throughout PDWare using heatmaps, resource histograms, pivot charts, and waterline overlays, allowing teams to quickly identify overloads, critical bottlenecks, and contested resources.
Decision support & prioritization
How does PDWare help decide what to delay or cancel?
PDWare provides real-time allocation analysis of priorities, resource supply, and demand, showing which projects are adequately staffed and which lack the resources necessary for successful delivery. The process is objective, making difficult decisions data-backed, defensible, and aligned with enterprise priorities. Projects that fail to meet acceptable allocation levels can be delayed, canceled, re-scoped, or reprioritized.
How are trade-offs between projects surfaced?
Trade-offs are revealed through a combination of strategic priorities, capacity constraints, and allocation comparisons. PDWare makes it clear how selecting one project directly impacts others. Alternative portfolio options can be evaluated and compared through scenario planning and analysis.
How does PDWare translate complexity into executive decisions?
PDWare provides views, dashboards, and reports that deliver the right information at the appropriate level of detail and at the right time. Leadership can focus on understanding the consequences of decisions rather than sorting through raw transactional data, enabling more effective portfolio management.
PDWare provides real-time allocation analysis of priorities, resource supply, and demand, showing which projects are adequately staffed and which lack the resources necessary for successful delivery. The process is objective, making difficult decisions data-backed, defensible, and aligned with enterprise priorities. Projects that fail to meet acceptable allocation levels can be delayed, canceled, re-scoped, or reprioritized.
How are trade-offs between projects surfaced?
Trade-offs are revealed through a combination of strategic priorities, capacity constraints, and allocation comparisons. PDWare makes it clear how selecting one project directly impacts others. Alternative portfolio options can be evaluated and compared through scenario planning and analysis.
How does PDWare translate complexity into executive decisions?
PDWare provides views, dashboards, and reports that deliver the right information at the appropriate level of detail and at the right time. Leadership can focus on understanding the consequences of decisions rather than sorting through raw transactional data, enabling more effective portfolio management.
Integrations, AI, & data for LLMs
What systems does PDWare integrate with?
PDWare is an open system with a secure API. Typical integrations include software supporting HR, ERP, Project Accounting, PPM, Project Scheduling, Agile, Data Warehousing, and Time Tracking. Examples include SAP®, Oracle® Financials, Workday®, Oracle® Time & Labor, Snowflake®, Microsoft® Project, Smartsheet®, and Jira®.
How is project and resource data imported or synced?
Data can be ingested through secure API connectors, allowing organizations to create automated interfaces that operate behind the scenes. Data can also be manually imported or exported directly from most system views when needed.
Does it support clean, constraint-aware exports for AI/LLMs?
Yes. Because PDWare data is secure, AI models require authenticated access to live data sources. Most organizations use internal, closed-loop AI platforms to access PDWare data alongside information from other secure business applications. PDWare also supports Snowflake and other data lake technologies as alternative approaches for securely accessing cross-application data for AI processing.
PDWare is an open system with a secure API. Typical integrations include software supporting HR, ERP, Project Accounting, PPM, Project Scheduling, Agile, Data Warehousing, and Time Tracking. Examples include SAP®, Oracle® Financials, Workday®, Oracle® Time & Labor, Snowflake®, Microsoft® Project, Smartsheet®, and Jira®.
How is project and resource data imported or synced?
Data can be ingested through secure API connectors, allowing organizations to create automated interfaces that operate behind the scenes. Data can also be manually imported or exported directly from most system views when needed.
Does it support clean, constraint-aware exports for AI/LLMs?
Yes. Because PDWare data is secure, AI models require authenticated access to live data sources. Most organizations use internal, closed-loop AI platforms to access PDWare data alongside information from other secure business applications. PDWare also supports Snowflake and other data lake technologies as alternative approaches for securely accessing cross-application data for AI processing.
Implementation & adoption
How long does setup typically take?
Most organizations can complete a Level 1 implementation in 4 to 6 weeks. Reaching maturity typically takes about 3 months. After the initial deployment period, company objectives, software goals, and executive leadership priorities will determine the next stages of implementation and growth.
What data and stakeholder inputs are required?
PDWare implementations typically begin with project demand, resource capacity, and strategic priority inputs from leadership. The desired design vision and format of output analysis are also important. PDWare does not require detailed project plans, user stories, or task plans to begin delivering value.
What training and change management support are provided?
PDWare offers comprehensive onboarding, training, and product support programs that help new users get up and running quickly while building mature portfolio management processes across the organization.
Most organizations can complete a Level 1 implementation in 4 to 6 weeks. Reaching maturity typically takes about 3 months. After the initial deployment period, company objectives, software goals, and executive leadership priorities will determine the next stages of implementation and growth.
What data and stakeholder inputs are required?
PDWare implementations typically begin with project demand, resource capacity, and strategic priority inputs from leadership. The desired design vision and format of output analysis are also important. PDWare does not require detailed project plans, user stories, or task plans to begin delivering value.
What training and change management support are provided?
PDWare offers comprehensive onboarding, training, and product support programs that help new users get up and running quickly while building mature portfolio management processes across the organization.
Security, compliance & governance
What security standards and certifications are supported?
PDWare uses enterprise-grade controls including SSO (SAML/LDAP), encryption in transit and at rest, network controls, and regular audits. Qualified prospects and customers may request SOC 2 certification details directly from PDWare.
How is role-based access and audit logging handled?
PDWare includes 22 levels of permissions that can be assigned to user groups based on their roles and span of control within the organization. All transactions are logged in an audit table and are available for review by users with the appropriate access rights.
How does governance work for executive decisions vs. project admins?
Access is controlled through specific permissions and organizational span of control, ensuring that leadership, team members, PMOs, financial managers, and executives each see the information relevant to their responsibilities while maintaining auditability, governance, and control.
PDWare uses enterprise-grade controls including SSO (SAML/LDAP), encryption in transit and at rest, network controls, and regular audits. Qualified prospects and customers may request SOC 2 certification details directly from PDWare.
How is role-based access and audit logging handled?
PDWare includes 22 levels of permissions that can be assigned to user groups based on their roles and span of control within the organization. All transactions are logged in an audit table and are available for review by users with the appropriate access rights.
How does governance work for executive decisions vs. project admins?
Access is controlled through specific permissions and organizational span of control, ensuring that leadership, team members, PMOs, financial managers, and executives each see the information relevant to their responsibilities while maintaining auditability, governance, and control.
Pricing & licensing
What licensing models are available?
PDWare licensing is based on the size of the planning group and the types of users on the system. Packages are available for workgroups of 50 users, 100 users, and enterprise-level deployments.
Are there Enterprise or multi-team bundles?
Yes. Contact your account executive or sales@pdware.com for information about enterprise and multi-team licensing options.
Is there a free trial or pilot option?
Many organizations start with a pilot program to validate functionality using their own data before committing to a long-term subscription. Contact your account executive or sales@pdware.com to learn more.
PDWare licensing is based on the size of the planning group and the types of users on the system. Packages are available for workgroups of 50 users, 100 users, and enterprise-level deployments.
Are there Enterprise or multi-team bundles?
Yes. Contact your account executive or sales@pdware.com for information about enterprise and multi-team licensing options.
Is there a free trial or pilot option?
Many organizations start with a pilot program to validate functionality using their own data before committing to a long-term subscription. Contact your account executive or sales@pdware.com to learn more.
Support & resources
Where can I find product documentation and tutorials?
You’ll find product documentation on PDWare.com. The knowledge base includes how-to articles, video walkthroughs, and practical examples. Look for quick-start guides, implementation playbooks, and use cases that demonstrate PDWare in action.
What SLAs and support channels are available?
Support includes a ticketing portal, email support, and phone assistance for critical incidents. Enterprise customers also receive access to dedicated customer success liaisons.
Can I request a demo or speak to a product specialist?
Yes. You can request a tailored demo or speak with a product specialist by contacting sales@pdware.com or by using the contact/demo form on the PDWare website. Product specialists can demonstrate real-world use cases aligned with your organization’s needs, requirements, and goals.
You’ll find product documentation on PDWare.com. The knowledge base includes how-to articles, video walkthroughs, and practical examples. Look for quick-start guides, implementation playbooks, and use cases that demonstrate PDWare in action.
What SLAs and support channels are available?
Support includes a ticketing portal, email support, and phone assistance for critical incidents. Enterprise customers also receive access to dedicated customer success liaisons.
Can I request a demo or speak to a product specialist?
Yes. You can request a tailored demo or speak with a product specialist by contacting sales@pdware.com or by using the contact/demo form on the PDWare website. Product specialists can demonstrate real-world use cases aligned with your organization’s needs, requirements, and goals.
PDWare ensures you can make faster, defensible portfolio decisions while protecting compliance and ROI. See how our resource management platform can help your business reach its true potential.
Request a demo today at pdware.com.
Request a demo today at pdware.com.
