Entertainment Partners Alternatives
One of the most widely used production accounting software systems in the industry today is Entertainment Partners’ SmartAccounting software. Designed to manage budgeting, scheduling, payroll, and reporting in a single unified system, EP streamlines complex financial and administrative workflows for productions of all sizes. Its cloud-based tools and extensive reporting capabilities make it a central hub for production teams seeking efficient solutions.
While EP claims to be made for productions of all sizes, does it deliver? Considering its high licensing fees and steep learning curve, EP might not be ideal for every production. For teams seeking alternative production accounting software, the article provides a list of options tailored to different needs and budgetary requirements.
Entertainment Partners Advantages
Entertainment Partners offers a comprehensive library of tools within its integrated, end-to-end solution, handling everything from budgeting and scheduling to payroll and reporting. EP provides powerful applications such as SmartTime, SmartStart, SmartPO, and EP Payroll; each works seamlessly together, reducing manual entry and minimizing errors. EP appeals to productions that value a reliable, all-in-one system capable of managing complex workflows while keeping all financial and administrative processes centralized.
Entertainment Partners Disadvantages
While powerful and integrated, it is not without its drawbacks. Customers have noted that Entertainment Partners can be complex and overwhelming, particularly for smaller productions. Additionally, concerns about costs and training can deter some users.
Cost & Budget Considerations
- Higher licensing and subscription fees
- Movie Magic Budgeting now costs $39.99 per month
- Small budgets and productions find the investment steep
Training & Learning Curve
- Steep learning curve when using EP’s software, especially for modules such as:
- SmartTime (timecards)
- SmartPO (digital POs)
- SmartStart (paperless onboarding)
Movie Magic Budgeting
- Switched to a subscription model of $39.99 per month
Entertainment Partners Alternatives
1. Wrapbook
Wrapbook excels in simplicity, speed, and automation, with a platform designed to get productions up and running quickly and smoothly. Featuring intuitive payroll, fast onboarding, and compliance tools, Wrapbook’s strengths lie in its modern interface, ease of use, and efficient digital workflows—appealing to small- to mid-sized productions seeking streamlined processes. While Entertainment Partners’ software comes with a steep learning curve, Wrapbook allows users to jump in immediately.
2. ABS Payroll & Accounting
Compared to ABS Payroll and Accounting, Entertainment Partners’ SmartAccounting can be more complex and daunting, and less flexible for smaller to mid-sized productions. While EP offers a fully integrated production accounting platform, it may be overwhelming for teams with limited accounting staff or tighter budgets. ABS focuses on streamlining payroll and simplifying accounting workflows, making it easier and faster for smaller productions to manage payroll.
ABS’s strength lies in its efficiency for indie or lower-budget projects, where simplicity and cost-effectiveness take priority over the full suite of features offered by EP.
3. Revolution Entertainment Services
ProBooks’s strength lies in its customization and user-friendly approach, providing customers with straightforward accounting tools that adapt to the unique needs of individual productions. Customers can easily manage budgets, expenses, and reporting more efficiently without a steep learning curve. While EP offers a more comprehensive and fully integrated system, it may be too rigid and complex for productions seeking tailored reporting, flexible budgeting, and simpler workflows.
4. Greenslate
Compared to Greenslate, SmartAccounting can be less flexible and more cumbersome for productions that prioritize intuitive, cloud-based workflows. Greenslate’s strength lies in its modern, cloud-based design and ease of use, offering streamlined budgeting, scheduling, and accounting features that enable production teams to work efficiently and collaboratively, reducing administrative overhead compared with SmartAccounting’s heavier, feature-rich system.
Conclusion
While Entertainment Partners provides a fully integrated production accounting platform used by many industry giants, the software itself isn’t always suitable for productions with limited budgets and smaller scale. SmartAccounting comes with complexity, a steep learning curve, and higher costs that can be challenging for smaller productions. Compared to competitors such as Greenslate, Wrapbook, ABS, and ProBooks, EP can feel less flexible, slower to onboard, and less user-friendly, making these alternatives more appealing for productions that prioritize simplicity, speed, and tailored workflows.
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