Kantata

What is kantata

Kantata is a cloud-based professional services automation (PSA) and resource management platform designed for teams that deliver billable projects. The product consolidates resource planning, project management, time tracking, and project accounting so services leaders and delivery managers can plan capacity, staff projects, track utilization, and measure profitability in one system. Kantata is aimed at mid-market and enterprise professional services organizations, agencies, and consultancies that need to connect project delivery to financial outcomes.

Kantata centralizes project data—scopes, budgets, timesheets, and resource allocations—so project managers, finance teams, and executives can make coordinated decisions. The platform replaces disconnected spreadsheets and point solutions with a single system of record for project lifecycles, from bidding and staffing through delivery and invoicing. Kantata also provides portfolio-level reporting and performance metrics, enabling data-driven forecasting and utilization tracking.

Typical Kantata deployments include professional services firms with mixed time-and-material and fixed-price engagements, internal services organizations, and agencies that require both scheduling and project accounting. The platform supports multi-role workflows (resource managers, PMs, finance), global teams with different billing and cost rates, and integrations with ERP and accounting systems to close the loop on revenue recognition and invoicing.

Kantata features

Kantata groups features into delivery, resource, financial, and collaboration categories to support end-to-end services operations.

• Resource planning and capacity management: multi-dimensional resource pools, demand forecasting, skills tagging, and drag-and-drop staffing to assign people to engagements and visualize utilization against capacity.

• Project planning and delivery: work breakdown structures, phase and task hierarchies, Gantt timelines, dependency management, and templated project types for repeatable delivery models.

• Time and expense tracking: timesheets with approvals, mobile time entry, expense capture, multi-rate time policies, and billable vs. non-billable categorization for accurate invoicing and utilization analysis.

• Project accounting and financials: budget vs. actual tracking, cost and margin visibility, billing models (time & materials, fixed fee, retainer), revenue forecasting, and integration-ready posting for accounting systems.

• Reporting and analytics: portfolio dashboards, resource utilization reports, profitability by project/client, burn rate and forecast variance, and configurable executive dashboards.

• Automation and workflow: approval routing, notifications, recurring entries, and automated alerts for budget thresholds, timesheet exceptions, and overdue approvals.

• Integrations and data connectors: pre-built integrations for common ERP, accounting, CRM, and collaboration tools (see the integrations section below for examples).

• Security and administration: role-based access controls, single sign-on (SSO), audit logs, and enterprise-grade data protections suited for regulated organizations.

What does kantata do?

Kantata aligns staffing, project plans, and financial controls around billable work. It allows resource managers to plan who will work on what and when, project managers to define and track scope and schedule, and finance teams to monitor budgets and prepare invoicing entries. Together these capabilities reduce manual reconciliation between delivery and billing and provide one source of truth for utilization and revenue planning.

Operationally, Kantata replaces spreadsheets and disconnected tools by capturing real-time time and expense data and mapping it to projects and budgets. That makes it possible to compare planned hours and costs to actuals, flag projects that are burning through budgets, and reforecast revenue or staffing needs quickly. It also supports different pricing models and billing cycles so organizations can manage fixed-price engagements and hourly billing within the same platform.

From a tactical standpoint, Kantata helps teams deliver projects on time and on budget by enforcing approvals, providing workload visibility, and surfacing bottlenecks across the portfolio. Executives get consolidated KPIs around utilization, backlog, margin, and revenue that inform strategic decisions like hiring, pricing, and go/no-go on new bids.

Kantata pricing

Kantata offers these pricing plans:

• Free Plan: $0/month (limited to basic time entry and single-user testing; not intended for production use)
• Starter: $29/month per user (billed monthly) — core time, expense, basic project tracking, and small-team resource views
• Professional: $49/month per user (billed monthly) — advanced resource planning, project accounting, reporting, and integrations
• Enterprise: Custom pricing — advanced security, SSO, dedicated support, multi-entity financials, and custom SLAs

Kantata also offers annual billing options that reduce per-user cost when billed yearly. Typical annualized pricing for standard plans is shown by multiplying the monthly rate by 12 and applying vendor discounts; confirm current discounts via sales. Check Kantata's current pricing tiers (https://www.kantata.com/pricing) for the latest rates and enterprise options.

The platform commonly requires a minimum seat count for mid-market and enterprise engagements, and implementation, onboarding, and integration services are typically priced separately as one-time professional services fees. Budgeting for a Kantata deployment should include licenses, initial implementation, data migration, and change management costs.

How much is kantata per month

Kantata starts at $29/month per user for the Starter plan when billed monthly; standard Professional seat pricing is typically $49/month per user billed monthly. Enterprise accounts are quoted based on scope, user count, and required integrations. Many organizations see lower effective per-user rates with annual billing and volume discounts.

Monthly pricing is useful for short-term pilots or proof-of-concept projects, while annual contracts are common for production deployments because they lower the per-user rate and align procurement.

How much is kantata per year

Kantata costs approximately $348/year per user for the Starter tier when paying monthly-equivalent annualized pricing at the stated monthly rate; the Professional tier is about $588/year per user at the standard monthly rate annualized. Enterprise pricing is available on request and often negotiated based on total seats and feature scope. Always consult Kantata's sales team for the most accurate annual quote and any bundled professional services.

Annual pricing frequently bundles implementation workshops, onboarding credits, and reduced support response times for larger contracts.

How much is kantata in general

Kantata pricing ranges from $0 (free trial or sandbox) to custom enterprise pricing per user per month. For production seats, expect entry-level paid plans in the low tens of dollars per user per month and full-featured professional tiers in the mid-to-high tens per user per month, with enterprise agreements priced higher based on scale and custom requirements.

Total cost of ownership should include license fees, data migration, integration work with accounting/ERP systems, and training. For services organizations, factor in time to value—how quickly the system reduces manual billing reconciliation and improves utilization to offset licensing costs.

What is kantata used for

Kantata is used to plan, staff, execute, and govern billable projects. Its primary functions include capacity planning, resource allocation, timesheet management, project financials, and portfolio reporting. Organizations use Kantata to reduce manual tracking, align staffing with demand, enforce consistent time capture, and improve financial visibility across projects.

Specific use cases include: forecasting headcount needs based on upcoming bids and booked work, enforcing timesheet approvals and expense policies to support accurate invoicing, and centralizing budgets so project managers and finance can quickly reconcile actuals to planned margins. Kantata also supports utilization reporting so leadership can make hiring decisions driven by measured demand rather than intuition.

Kantata is commonly used by professional services firms to:

• Manage mixed-mode billing (hourly, fixed-price, retainers) while keeping accurate project margins
• Staff projects based on skills and availability rather than ad-hoc assignments
• Monitor project financial health with real-time budget vs. actual reporting
• Automate timesheet collection and approvals to speed invoicing cycles

Pros and cons of kantata

Kantata provides a specialized feature set for professional services, but like any category-specific platform it has trade-offs.

Pros:

• Deep alignment between resource planning and project accounting reduces reconciliation work and improves margin visibility.
• Strong timesheet and expense capabilities support accurate billing and utilization tracking across global teams.
• Portfolio-level reporting and forecasting help executives plan capacity and predict revenue.
• Integrations with accounting and CRM systems allow Kantata to be the system of record while feeding finance and sales tools downstream.

Cons:

• As a specialized PSA platform, there is a learning curve for project managers and resource managers accustomed to spreadsheets or general-purpose project tools.
• Implementation and integration work may be required to map existing billing rates, multi-entity accounting rules, and legacy ERP systems.
• Smaller teams with simple needs might find the platform more feature-rich than necessary and could prefer simpler tools with lower per-user cost.

Overall, Kantata is advantageous for organizations that need a single system tying staffing decisions to project financials; smaller teams with limited billing complexity should evaluate whether the platform’s depth delivers ROI over lighter-weight solutions.

Kantata free trial

Kantata commonly offers demo accounts and trial periods for prospects to evaluate core capabilities such as resource planning, timesheets, and reporting. Trial accounts typically include sample data and a sandbox environment so teams can test integrations and workflow configuration without affecting production systems.

Trials are useful for validating that Kantata supports an organization’s billing models, mapping of cost rates vs. bill rates, and the required approval workflows for time and expense. When requesting a trial, include a list of sample projects, typical staffing profiles, and any integration endpoints you want to test to make the trial as conclusive as possible.

For enterprise evaluations, Kantata sales teams often recommend a pilot focused on a representative portfolio of projects to measure improvements in cycle time for invoicing, accuracy of utilization reporting, and reduction in manual reconciliation work.

Is kantata free

No, Kantata is not generally offered as a free production product. The platform provides trials and sandbox environments for evaluation, but production use requires a paid license. Small pilots or developer sandboxes may be available at no charge for short evaluation periods.

Kantata API

Kantata exposes APIs and integration points to connect time entry, project records, resource allocations, and financial data with other enterprise systems. The API enables automation of common workflows such as creating projects from proposals, syncing timesheet entries to payroll or accounting systems, and pushing resource assignments into external calendars.

API capabilities typically include REST endpoints for:

• Projects and tasks (create, read, update)
• Time and expense entries (bulk import/export, approvals)
• Resource and user management (skills, roles, availability)
• Financials and budgets (budgets, burn reports, invoice triggers)

Kantata also supports middleware and connector-based integrations with common platforms; for example, organizations integrate Kantata with ERPs to automate invoice posting and with CRMs to feed project pipeline data. For specifics on endpoints, authentication methods, and rate limits, consult Kantata's developer documentation or the integrations pages: view Kantata's API and integration documentation (https://www.kantata.com/integrations) for full connector lists and developer guides.

10 Kantata alternatives

The market for PSA, resource management, and professional services tools includes several established vendors and niche platforms. Below are ten alternatives that organizations commonly evaluate against Kantata.

1. Deltek — Enterprise PSA and ERP solutions focused on government contractors and professional services, with strong project accounting and compliance features.
2. Wrike — Work management platform with resource views and integrations; often chosen by marketing and creative teams needing flexible workflows.
3. FinancialForce PSA — PSA built on the Salesforce platform with deep CRM-to-project alignment and accounting integration.
4. Mavenlink — (Note: Mavenlink’s features influenced Kantata’s roadmap) comprehensive PSA with project accounting and resource planning.
5. NetSuite OpenAir — PSA aimed at larger services organizations that need tight ERP integration with NetSuite financials.
6. Workday Professional Services Automation — Enterprise-grade PSA with strong HCM integration for services organizations already on Workday.
7. Planview — Portfolio and resource management focused on enterprise portfolio management and strategic planning.
8. Smartsheet — Flexible grid-and-Gantt tool with resource and work management capabilities for teams that prefer spreadsheet-like interfaces.
9. Asana — Project and task management tool; with integrations can support lightweight resource planning for smaller services teams.
10. Teamwork — Project delivery and time tracking platform built for agencies and customer-facing teams with built-in billing workflows.

Paid alternatives to kantata

• Deltek: Enterprise-grade project accounting and compliance features; better suited for government contracting and regulated industries.
• FinancialForce PSA: Native to Salesforce, it’s preferred where CRM-to-project continuity is essential and Salesforce is already the system of record.
• NetSuite OpenAir: Strong choice for organizations that want PSA integrated tightly with NetSuite ERP for end-to-end financials.
• Wrike: Easier to adopt for creative and marketing teams; offers flexible work views and resource features without specialized accounting.
• Planview: Scales well for enterprise portfolio management and strategic resource planning across large, complex organizations.

Open source alternatives to kantata

• OpenProject: Community-driven project management with Gantt charts, time tracking, and cost reporting suited for teams willing to self-host and customize.
• Taiga: Agile-focused open source tool that can support lightweight project tracking and time logging through plugins and integrations.
• Odoo (Community edition): Modular ERP with project and timesheet apps available in open source form; requires configuration for advanced PSA features.
• ERPNext: Open source ERP with projects, timesheets, and accounting modules; suitable for small services firms that want an integrated stack.

Frequently asked questions about Kantata

What is Kantata used for?

Kantata is used for professional services automation, resource planning, and project accounting. Teams use it to staff projects, capture time and expenses, track budgets versus actuals, and report on utilization and margin across a portfolio of projects. It is designed for services organizations that need to connect delivery activity to financial outcomes.

Does Kantata integrate with accounting systems like QuickBooks or NetSuite?

Yes, Kantata offers integrations with common accounting and ERP systems. Typical integrations include connectors for systems such as NetSuite, QuickBooks, and other general ledgers so that billed amounts and recognized revenue can flow from Kantata into finance systems for invoicing and reporting.

How much does Kantata cost per user per month?

Kantata starts at $29/month per user for the Starter plan with more fully featured Professional seats typically priced around $49/month per user. Enterprise pricing is custom and depends on features, seat counts, and integrations.

Is there a free version of Kantata?

No, Kantata does not offer a permanent free production plan. It provides trial and sandbox environments for evaluation, but production usage requires a paid license tailored to the organization’s size and feature needs.

Can Kantata handle fixed-price and time-and-material contracts?

Yes, Kantata supports multiple billing models including fixed-price, time-and-materials, and retainers. The platform tracks budgets, hours, and costs against the billing model to surface margin information and invoicing triggers for all contract types.

Does Kantata provide mobile time tracking?

Yes, Kantata includes mobile-friendly timesheet entry capabilities. Users can enter time and expenses via mobile or web interfaces, and managers can approve entries remotely to accelerate invoicing cycles and maintain accurate utilization reporting.

Can Kantata scale for enterprise deployments?

Yes, Kantata is built to scale for mid-market and enterprise customers. Enterprise plans include advanced administration, SSO support, dedicated support options, and configuration capabilities to support multi-entity financials and complex approval workflows.

How secure is Kantata?

Kantata provides enterprise-level security controls including role-based access and SSO. The platform supports administrative controls, audit logs, data encryption in transit, and compliance features that organizations can combine with their own IT security policies.

Can I import data from Excel or legacy timesheet systems into Kantata?

Yes, Kantata supports data import and migration from spreadsheets and legacy systems. Typical migration services include importing historical project data, user records, billing rates, and timesheet entries; professional services from Kantata or partners help map and validate the data.

What training resources does Kantata provide?

Kantata offers onboarding, documentation, and training programs for users and administrators. These include product documentation, role-based training sessions, webinars, and professional services for configuration and change management to accelerate adoption.

kantata careers

Kantata hires across product, engineering, customer success, consulting, and sales functions to support their enterprise customer base. Roles commonly emphasize experience with SaaS, enterprise integrations, and domain knowledge in professional services automation or resource management. Working at Kantata typically involves cross-functional collaboration on customer implementations and product evolution driven by real-world services challenges.

Career pages list open roles and often include information on benefits, remote work policies, and office locations. For current openings, review Kantata’s careers page where the company posts job descriptions and application instructions.

kantata affiliate

Kantata runs partner and reseller programs that allow implementation partners, consultants, and systems integrators to resell licenses and provide professional services around the platform. Affiliate-type relationships typically include training, partner portals, and co-marketing resources for certified consultants.

Organizations interested in affiliate or partner opportunities should contact Kantata’s partner program for details on certification requirements, commission structures, and enablement resources to support client implementations.

Where to find kantata reviews

Customer reviews for Kantata are available across software review sites and analyst reports. Look for detailed user feedback on project accounting accuracy, resource planning usability, and the quality of customer support. Review platforms often include ratings for ease of use, support response, implementation time, and ROI.

For up-to-date user feedback and case studies, consult Kantata’s customer success stories as well as third-party review sites and professional services forums to compare real-world experiences and implementation outcomes.