7 Best Canopy Alternatives to Manage Your Workflow
Canopy is a cloud-based practice management software that streamlines the workflow process and provides a way to connect with your clients. This comprehensive practice management tool is for mid-sized accounting firms looking to organize their team, workload, and clients, all within one platform.
Canopy works as an accounting practice management system with its easy migration process that takes just a few clicks and helpful features, including project management tools, document tools, a built-in CRM, an integrated time and billing system, and a client portal.
While the setup and some of Canopy’s features are the software’s strengths, accounting firms may become disillusioned with the pricing and some of their task and project management features.
If you’re unsure Canopy is the right choice for you and your colleagues, or you’re looking for the best alternatives or ideas on how to replace Canopy, here are some more robust workflow management tools.
Shortcomings of Canopy
According to users, there are issues with the pricing and some of the features. The following are some of those issues:
- Their pricing is based on “contacts” or clients and leads in your pipeline, which can cause the pricing to get out of hand. There are also implementation fees for new users.
- Users advise that the software is not as ideal for project management due to the task features being clunky and not as user-friendly.
- Users also complain that there are limitations in planning future work due to the software’s scheduling and capacity views.
The Top 7 Canopy Alternatives
Since Canopy has some shortcomings with its pricing and some of its features, let’s look at some potentially better alternatives to see if they can make up for some of what Canopy lacks and meet your specific needs.
Jetpack Workflow
- What is it: Jetpack Workflow is a cloud-based workflow management tool designed for accounting firms. However, it can be just as effective for other small businesses as well, with an easy setup process.
- Top features: Jetpack Workflow includes pre-made templates specific to the processes and services of your business, capacity planning tools to make it more efficient to allocate your team and resources in real-time, and detailed reports to see how your team is doing in real-time.
- Who it’s for: Jetpack Workflow is for accounting professionals and even other small to mid-sized businesses looking for a workflow management tool to track projects and streamline repetitive processes.
- Pricing: There are two unlimited plans with the same features, except the Scale Plan has new capacity management and scheduling features. The Organize Plan runs $36 per user a month billed annually. The Scale Plan runs $39 per user a month billed annually. The competitive prices are a key benefit to users.
- Final word: Jetpack Workflow is the hub of your accounting firm or other small to mid-sized business. It’s where everything takes place, such as streamlining, tracking, and automation. The software will meet the needs of your business, even if you’re not an accounting firm, with its fully customizable options. Plus you can access customer support for implementation help.
Karbon
- What is it: Karbon is a cloud-based work management software for accounting firms and other businesses that offer professional services. It’s a collaborative platform to manage workflow and communicate with team members.
- Top features: Some of Karbon’s top features are business process automation, contact management, compliance tracking, collaboration tools, and client management.
- Who it’s for: Karbon is ideal for managing medium and large accounting firms or financial-related businesses with teams who need to collaborate from different departments and locations.
- Pricing: There are three plans. The Team Plan runs $59 a month per user if paid annually or $75 a month per user if paid monthly. The Business Plan runs $79 a month per user if paid annually or $99 a month per user if paid monthly. The Enterprise Plan is custom pricing.
- Final word: While the features and integrations are some of the software’s strengths, firms may be frustrated with the interface, setup fees, and other hidden costs. Karbon places its focus on automation.
Aero Workflow
- What is it: Aero Workflow was designed by accountants for accountants and is designed to integrate processes and procedures into your tasks so you can quickly see what needs to be done and how to do it.
- Top features: Aero’s top features include step-by-step checklists for every task, task templates, generated recurring tasks, and built-in time tracking.
- Who it’s for: Aero Workflow is for bookkeepers and accountants looking to smooth out their pain points so they can efficiently run and scale their firms.
- Pricing: Aero offers three different plans. The Sole Proprietor Plan runs $39 a month if paid annually or $47 paid monthly. The Small Firm Plan runs $79 a month if paid annually or $95 if paid monthly. The Large Firm Plan runs $149 a month is paid annually or $170 if paid monthly. The number of users increases with each plan, but all integrations and unlimited clients are included in every plan.
- Final word: Aero Workflow is generally a checklist for every task with a few added features sprinkled in, but it doesn’t offer the vast array of features that some other alternatives provide.
CS Professional Suite
- What is it: CS Professional Suite is a cloud-based and on-premise accounting project management solution that streamlines administrative tasks.
- Top features: Some of their top features include client management, document management, project management, time tracking, and staff management.
- Who it’s for: Accounting firms of all sizes looking for products and services to manage workflow processes such as managing taxes, auditing, operations, payroll, and documents.
- Pricing: Contact Thomson Reuters for pricing.
- Final word: CS Professional Suite is mainly a billing and time tool with accounting project management capabilities. According to users, the design is outdated.
Financial Cents
- What is it: Financial Cents helps accounting firms manage their processes and workload.
- Top features: Top features include billing and invoicing, client management, document management, due date tracking, project management, staff management, time tracking, and workflow management.
- Who it’s for: Financial Cents is for accounting professionals who are looking to manage their staff, automate client data, track deadlines, invoice clients, track time, and store client information all in one place.
- Pricing: There are two pricing options. Financial Cents has a Monthly Plan for $29 a month per user and an Annual Plan for $23 a month per user.
- Final word: Financial Cents combines process management and workflow management with some invoicing tools. According to users, it lacks reporting and integration features.
Monday.com
- What is it: Monday.com is an accounting workflow platform with a lot going on between its features, use cases, and app marketplace.
- Top features: Its top features include the onboarding of new employees, built-in analytics for your workflow, customization, task management, and marketing.
- Who it’s for: Monday.com is for any project, business, or team size looking for an open platform to build, run, and scale your workflow. It’s designed for a variety of industries.
- Pricing: Monday.com has five pricing tiers. These include an Individual Plan that is free, a Basic Plan that is $8 per seat a month, a Standard Plan that is $10 per seat a month, a Pro Plan that is $16 per seat a month, and an Enterprise Plan that you will have to contact the company for pricing.
- Final word: Monday.com can be used as an accounting workflow hub but isn’t explicitly marketed for accounting. Monday.com’s strength is in its integrations. Users complain that with all the features, Monday.com is missing the client profile feature.
ClickUp
- What is it: ClickUp is an “all-in-one and everyone” app to plan, organize, and collaborate but isn’t specific to accounting.
- Top features: Some of its top features include assignment management, backlog management, automatic time capture, and billing & invoicing.
- Who it’s for: ClickUp is for teams of all industries and sizes who are looking for a project management tool, a workflow tool, and a task management tool.
- Pricing: ClickUp has a Forever Plan for free personal use, an Unlimited Plan for small teams for $5 per member a month, a Business Plan for mid-sized teams for $9 per member a month, a Business Plus Plan for multiple teams for $19 per member a month, and an Enterprise Plan that you will have to contact the company for pricing.
- Final word: The setup for ClickUp requires a little more effort since it is not explicitly designed for accounting firms. With that being said, the interface is just ok, and the company has a limited chat. Its strength is that it provides broader features such as marketing tools.