Finding the best solar project management software

Over the last decade, solar's share in energy mix has been rising, and so has the number of solar installers. Correspondingly, we have seen many project management software platforms claiming to be the best suited for solar EPC.

As a solar installer, how do you find the best project management software for your solar business?

Evaluating project management software for solar EPC

Solar EPC businesses have some peculiarities that need to be considered when evaluating project management software. Let's look at some important factors for evaluating if a project management software meets solar EPC-specific requirements.

A large number of smaller projects

Typically, the majority of rooftop solar installation projects are smaller in size, with a few kW capacity. So an average solar installer executes a large number of such small-scale projects every month.

This is very different than most other construction projects, where a contractor can focus on a few projects running for a number of months or even years.

Most construction project management tools are actually designed for larger and more complex projects with a lot of focus on individual activities, their schedule, workflows etc.

But in case of solar project management, you need a software that enables easy management of a large number of projects. Focus should be mostly at the project portfolio level, where you can oversee the execution of all ongoing projects, drilling down to a specific project only in case of delays or problems.

Fast-tracked projects

The average solar installer typically executes a large number of small projects in a month. Most of these projects are of a few kW capacity. They need to be completed in a few weeks.

So most rooftop solar installation projects are very fast paced. Comparatively, most other construction projects last for at least a few months and can even drag on for a few years.

Project management tools commonly used in traditional construction projects enable you to manage complex project schedule with dependencies, forecast schedule, baseline etc.

But in case of rooftop solar, project execution is so fast paced that you don't even get time to perform detailed scheduling, baseline and forecasting for each project!

In rooftop solar project management, you need a software that can easily create the schedule with a standard set of dependencies and then send you daily email alerts if any of those planned activities go off track.

Standardization

By now it's clear that in rooftop solar business you don't get time to schedule, manage or analyse each individual project in great detail.

Therefore, as an installer you should always try to standardize your project execution as much as possible. For example, having a standard BOQ, material rates, work breakdown structure, project dependencies etc, is going to significantly minimize the project management effort.

By and large, most rooftop solar installation projects are very similar to each other. So this standardization is easily possible.

You should select a project management software that allows such standardization of project activities, documents, BOQ, budget, schedule etc. Ideally, it should enable you to create standard project management templates which can be readily used and edited only when required. For example - templates for schedule, BOQ, approval workflows etc

User-friendly interface

For small solar projects, you don't actually need very highly trained project managers. In fact, for most rooftop solar businesses, the majority of project engineers don't have formal project management training (PMP, etc).

It's not even needed. Even without any project management certification, they do a good job of managing the projects.

But you don't want to confuse them or slow them down by using unnecessarily heavy project management jargon commonly found in complex project management solutions.

For example, a rooftop solar project manager doesn't really need to worry about the project baseline.

Rather, you should empower the project managers in your company with simple tools that they can fully understand and manage. So look for project management software that has simple user interface suitable for rooftop solar.

Remote sites

Many project sites are remote with low internet connectivity. But still, your site engineers will often need to access important documents, drawings, etc from the site.

The site engineers would also prefer to access project information straight from their mobile phones. For example, a mobile-friendly site survey form.

Keeping this in mind, you should look for a project management software that works well with low network connectivity or even allows offline working. Preferably, it should be mobile friendly as well.

Integration with material purchase & stores

Given the high competition in the solar installation industry, your success will depend on how efficiently you execute your projects. Any delay, idle time on site will shrink your profit margins.

But this can be avoided with proper coordination between your installation team and material stores.

Whenever a new solar project appears on your dashboard, it should trigger a notification to the purchase team with the BOM (Bill Of Materials) for that project and project schedule.

Your solar project management software should help purchase and stores to ensure that all required items are available on the scheduled installation date.

Integration with sales and maintenance

Rooftop solar projects are not executed in a stand-alone manner. Usually, these solar installation teams are small in size, and they work very closely with each other, frequently sharing and collaborating on the same data.

For example, a sales engineer performs the site survey when he meets with a prospect. Documents, photos, and data from this site survey are used by the project engineer at the time of actual installation. Later, the documents and drawings from the project execution have to be passed on to the maintenance team for regular upkeep of the solar PV system.

Therefore, your rooftop solar project management platform should be well connected and accessible to the sales and maintenance teams as well.

How much does solar project management software cost?

Costs of a project management software solution usually depend on a few factors such as complexity, flexibility, modules and features provided, number of users, customization requirements, hosting costs, etc.

Enterprise-level project management software solutions can easily cost upwards of $50,000-$100,000, plus annual maintenance and hosting costs.

But smaller solar EPC businesses wouldn't need all the fancy features and scalability of an enterprise-grade solution. Instead, they need a project management solution that is lightweight, inexpensive, and flexible at the same time.

That's why at Fuzen, we built the Solar CRM Template, designed specifically for solar businesses. Instead of paying hefty subscription fees or hiring developers, you can get started for just $49 with a one-time payment and minimal hosting charges.

Why Fuzen Solar CRM Template Stands Out

The Fuzen Solar CRM Template is a ready-to-use solution that simplifies your entire workflow:

• Integrated Platform: Combines lead management, site survey forms, engineering design inputs, automated proposal generation, activity logs, dashboards, and analytics in a single system.

• AI-Customizable: Modify your workflow instantly. Add fields, create new templates, or automate tasks — for example, add a “priority” field in lead creation, and AI will do it.

• Flexible & Scalable: The workflows are fully adaptable to your existing processes and can grow with your business. You can connect sales, project management, and maintenance processes seamlessly.

• User-Friendly & Mobile Friendly: Built on Fuzen’s intuitive platform, the CRM is lightweight, easy to navigate, and works even in low network areas.

• Portfolio Dashboard & Alerts: Track multiple leads and projects effortlessly with dashboards and daily email alerts, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

• Cost-Effective: Unlike enterprise CRMs that charge thousands per year, Fuzen’s solution is affordable, requires no developers, and eliminates monthly subscription headaches.

With the Fuzen Solar CRM Template, you get a professional, customizable, and scalable solution that manages your entire solar business workflow — from capturing leads to closing deals — without burning a hole in your budget.