What is Change Management Software?

Whether web-based or local-server-based, change management software helps businesses document and report on the change process. The software provides an automated way to keep all necessary information in an easily accessible location, so any authorized employee — or client — may access the specific information or summary required. Of course, the streamlining creates the benefits of integrated workflows and better productivity.

Without a software program to handle the tracking and reporting, change management employees would have to keep paper records and manually calculate the progress of the change process. Reports would take precious time to pull together. Change management employees in different locations would need to obtain copies of the paper records to have the same information at their fingertips.

With change management software, especially a web-based program, multiple employees at different business sites are able to access the same information at the same time. Everyone can see the most up-to-date information. Reports can be run quickly, and the latest information can be tracked in an organized, paperless manner.

Views and reports are typically customizable, allowing the company to display the information relevant to its individual needs. For related change requests, some change management software can tie the requests together in a parent-child relationship, if desired. The change process itself can often be documented in a workflow to see the project at every turn. If there is a glitch in the change plan, the software will sometimes allow the business to return to a previous condition. Some change management software includes risk assessment, so the business can calculate the risk of a particular change request, and when the change process is audited, the software provides a record of all the steps.

There are some change management software programs that boast compliance with other widely used management systems. Some provide automated e-mail communication to stay current with the latest information. In addition to automated e-mail, some offer drag-and-drop capabilities, calendars, timesheets, or the ability to generate spreadsheets.

Businesses involved in change management want a seamlessly smooth, consistent change management process. Change management software can provide that. In addition, some programs are specifically designed to manage change within a particular industry or business segment. This means, for example, that a construction company handling change to a building project can purchase a system designed specifically for the construction industry. The best part, perhaps, is that the customization, whether in an entire system or in an individual calendar view, can be used without needing to know computer programming.