Autotask PSA vs. Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner): Comparing Best Project Management Solutions 2026

Overview: Autotask PSA and Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner) as Project Management Category solutions.

Autotask PSA excels in managing sales, contracts, and workflows, ideal for IT services and large enterprises. LiquidPlanner focuses on collaboration, social media, and forecasting, appealing to marketing and large businesses. Autotask facilitates scaling and enhancing customer relations, while LiquidPlanner aids risk management and ROI improvement. Autotask offers extensive 24/7 support, aligning well with IT demands. LiquidPlanner provides robust onboarding and diverse industry applications, making it versatile for large enterprises.

Autotask PSA: Autotask-PSA is a robust, cloud-based PSA platform by Datto. It offers IT professionals a unified view of their entire business operations.

Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner): LiquidPlanner is a project management solution that uses predictive scheduling to optimize team performance and manage uncertainty. It offers features like workload views, time tracking, and data-driven insights for better decision-making.

Deployed Industries: Autotask PSA vs Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner)

Lengths: relative industry prominence (square-root scale) · Labels: comparison split. Click any item for supporting evidences.

Autotask PSA
Shared
Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner)
Shared by both · Industries

Autotask PSA only
Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner) only
Autotask PSA Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner)
Key Capabilities Supported Autotask PSA supports capabilities like sales document management and contract management, making it fitting for enterprises in IT services. → LiquidPlanner excels in collaboration and social media management, which benefits marketing teams needing effective communication tools. →
Business Goals Autotask PSA is designed to enhance customer relationships and increase sales, aligning with enterprises focusing on growth and customer engagement. → LiquidPlanner assists users in managing risk and improving ROI, which is ideal for businesses prioritizing performance optimization. →
Core Features Autotask PSA offers features like data export and integration, appealing to IT sectors requiring seamless data management. → LiquidPlanner's standout features include advanced analytics and custom reports, suitable for large enterprise data needs. →
Vendor Support Autotask PSA provides 24/7 support, email, and phone support, catering well to complex IT environments needing constant assistance. → LiquidPlanner offers robust training and onboarding support alongside 24/7 service, beneficial for diverse enterprise operations. →
Segments and Industries Autotask PSA is predominantly used by IT services and large enterprises due to its comprehensive management functionalities. → LiquidPlanner is widely used in marketing and advertising, reflecting its strengths in communication and social media. →
Operational Alignment Autotask PSA fits into enterprise workflows focusing on IT management and data processes, ideal for large-scale operations. → LiquidPlanner integrates well into large enterprise settings, offering tools for enhancing collaboration and communication across teams. →
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Autotask PSA and Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner): Best activities based on customer satisfaction


Autotask PSA in Action: Unique Activities

What makes Autotask PSA ideal for Workflow Management?
The system helps manage and track various business processes, including projects, contracts, sales, and client satisfaction. It offers automated workflows that streamline service delivery, saving time and increasing efficiency. However, some users have indicated that there is a learning curve associated with understanding how workflows operate.
"...The ticketing workflow system is fairly flexible for routing purposes, but could be improved by allowing workflows to trigger off UDF values, as well as the built in fields...." Peer review by Derek H, Senior Associate, Financial Services
What Are the key features of Autotask PSA for Helpdesk Management?
Autotask PSA helps manage help desk tickets and set priorities. It tracks time spent on tickets, manages billing, and integrates with other business systems. The system lacks the ability to restrict user access to sensitive data.
"...Autotask makes it easy for support helpdesk staff to multitask and set priorities in a very easy to use fashion...." Peer review by User
How does Autotask PSA facilitate Contact List Management?
Autotask Psa allows you to manage contacts for various business needs. You can use it to track customer issues, manage billing and client requests, and assign tickets to companies. nAutotask Psa enables you to efficiently navigate and run reports after gaining experience. nHowever, the system has limitations in granular security that require assistance from an account manager.
"...Once users have experience with entering new tickets, creating new projects and tasks, and setting up customers/contacts, it's easier to navigate the system and run reports with great efficiency...." Peer review by Kathy B, Business Analyst/Technical Writer, Computer Software
How efficiently Does Autotask PSA manage your Billing And Invoice Management?
Autotask provides tools for managing time, billing clients, and tracking projects. It includes features for project management, contract management, and creating invoices. However, it lacks the ability to manage invoices, contracts, or users directly.
"...We used autotask for billing, project management of our web design department and our IT support staff...." Peer review by Michaela Good, Project Manager, iSynergy

Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner) in Action: Unique Activities

How does Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner) address your Collaboration Challenges?
LiquidPlanner is a project management and scheduling tool that facilitates team collaboration. It enables teams to plan, track, and analyze projects in real time, promoting efficient workflow and task completion. However, LiquidPlanner lacks the ability to directly collaborate on documents.
"...The online collaboration means each team member can update their status without a PM having to hover over them or update schedules constantly...." Peer review by Gwen Bender
What makes Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner) ideal for Forecasting?
LiquidPlanner provides forecasting capabilities for project management and resource allocation. nIt enables users to forecast projects up to 18 months in advance and adjust resource allocation based on actual workflow.nThe forecasting feature is limited to project managers, finance personnel, and business development members.
"...Reliable project forecasting. . ...." Peer review by Andrew J., Project Manager, Insurance

Business Setting

Autotask PSA Portfolio Manager (formerly LiquidPlanner)
Peer score 4.1 4.3
Peer insights 1583 2280
Top industries
Information Technology And Services 55.0%
Computer Software 14.0%
Computer & Network Security 11.0%
Marketing And Advertising 13.0%
Computer Software 10.0%
Information Technology And Services 10.0%
SMB and Mid-Market 91.0% 77.0%
Enterprise 9.0% 23.0%

Integrations

Ecosystem partners each product commonly connects with.

News

Latest Autotask PSA news

Kaseya launches Datto RMM updates at Connect Edge

Kaseya announced updates to Datto RMM, integrating FIPS 140-3 validated cryptography and native Apple MDM. These enhancements aim to improve compliance and simplify endpoint management for MSPs and IT teams. The updates, available from October 2026, provide centralized management for Apple devices and ensure compliance without compromising functionality.

01/09/2026 - source