Cast and Crew Alternatives
Cast & Crew’s Production System Ledger (PSL) offers robust payroll, accounting features, and cloud services, making it well-suited for larger productions. However, it comes with notable drawbacks that frustrate users. The software lacks automatic integration with other systems, often requiring additional staff to handle manual data entry. For large-scale productions, this need for extra personnel increases overall operational costs. Other downsides include its high price; PSL is generally more expensive than competitors, making it less suitable for smaller productions or indie films. Its limited customization options also hinder smaller productions, which often rely on unique workflows.
Given these limitations, productions may seek alternative production accounting solutions that are both robust and efficient and preferably, unified in a single ecosystem. Below is a curated list of industry-standard options suitable for both large and small productions.
Cast & Crew (PSL+) Advantages
Cast & Crew offers comprehensive services, including payroll, financial services, residuals, workers’ compensation, and incentive guides. While the software provides several digital products to improve processes such as budgeting, cost tracking, vendor payments, seamless reporting, and ERP integrations, most users would prefer a single, consolidated production accounting application. The platform is primarily designed for larger productions, offering robust functionality but sometimes requiring extra staff to manage manual processes.
Cast & Crew (PSL+) Disadvantages
Despite its robust features, PSL+ has notable drawbacks in ecosystem design, automation, and user experience. Unlike other software that consolidates features into a single web-based platform, Cast & Crew’s fragmented system, limited capabilities, and lack of automation can frustrate users seeking a streamlined solution for production and financial management.
Fragmented Ecosystem & Charges
- Its ecosystem is fragmented, split across nine separate desktop-based applications. It also charges additional fees for DPO and technology usage.
Limited Digital Capabilities
- Digital capabilities are limited; users often note that the software feels as though it was designed for paper, scans, and PDFs, simply translated into a digital format. This creates frustration for those who need reliable, on-the-go access.
No Third-Party Software Integration
- The app lacks third-party software integration, hindering workflow.
Disconnected Customer Support
- Support is often disconnected, making it difficult to reach the right people. The reliance on specialized teams (due to the nature of each app) can create inefficiencies and confusion.
Lack of Automation
- Productions may require additional staff due to the lack of automation in the app.
Limited Wage Compliance
- The company does not assume liability for paying talent as contractors in compliance with California law or the regulations of other states.
Frustrating User Experience
- The user experience is cumbersome, with multiple logins and slow data access caused by import and export processes.
Indirect Talent Payments
- The software does not automatically pay talent as 1099 contractors in full compliance with state and federal regulations, which can complicate payment processes and risk labor law non-compliance.
Cast & Crew (PSL+) Alternatives
1. Greenslate
Greenslate offers a true all-in-one, web-based platform that integrates payroll, accounting, onboarding, approvals, training, and more into a single application. This gives it an edge over PSL+, whose features are spread across nine separate apps. Key advantages of Greenslate include embedded compliance training, customizable real-time dashboards across multiple projects, dynamic data filtering options, and a Chart of Accounts mapper that aligns production and studio operations seamlessly.
While PSL+ covers the same core functions, Greenslate delivers a more integrated, paperless, remote-friendly experience with stronger automation.
2. Wrapbook
Wrapbook stands out as an all-in-one finance platform integrating payroll, onboarding, cost tracking, vendor payments, and production accounting in real-time. Powered by AI, Wrapbook enables users to filter reports and upload invoice PDFs, with the system automatically extracting data to accelerate AP processing. Its production accounting suite includes real-time budgeting, EFC tracking, purchase orders, vendor management, AP and payment handling, and comprehensive accounting reports.
3. Revolution Entertainment Services
ProBooks by Revolution Entertainment Services delivers a modern, fully web-based production accounting experience designed for speed, efficiency, and automation. It enables a 100% paperless workflow, allowing users to store digital documents, analyze cost components with on-the-go calculations, and generate accounting reports (General Ledger, Trial Balance, Cost Report) in both spreadsheet and PDF formats. Key features include automated receipt and invoice capture via OCR, bank and credit card integration for auto-imported transactions, streamlined reconciliation, and robust financial reporting through real-time dashboards.
Furthermore, ProBooks’s AICP-ready tools support budgeting, accounts receivable, agency billing, and customizable charts of accounts, with built-in functionality for purchase orders and petty cash logs. These features are specifically tailored to production environments, capabilities PSL+ lacks.
4. ABS Payroll & Accounting
ABS Payroll & Accounting stands out from PSL+ being specifically tailored for indie filmmakers and small productions. The software offers real-time cost reporting and hot costs, enabling prompt adjustments during production. Users can set multiple budgets per project, making it easy to track different funding sources within a single project and providing flexibility in budget management. The platform also features robust reporting capabilities, allowing fast generation of financial reports and efficient import/export of data.
Customers consistently note its intuitive, user-friendly interface, which is accessible to all skill levels. Live technical support is also available, ensuring prompt assistance when required.
Conclusion
Cast & Crew (PSL+) provides up to nine digital products to improve processes, including financial services, payroll, residuals, vendor payments, reporting, and more. However, most users would prefer a single, unified ecosystem for their production accounting requirements. Conclusively, the platform is designed mainly for larger and more complex productions that could benefit from Cast & Crew’s elite platform.
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