CMap supports services businesses.
Total Synergy supports A&E practices.
CMap is built for consultancies, agencies and professional services firms broadly. Total Synergy is built for architecture and engineering practices, with project planning, resource planning and project financials connected across the whole project lifecycle, the way your work actually runs.
RATED BY A&EÂ FIRMS
Trusted by 18,000+ A&E professionals across Australia, New Zealand and the UK
The short answer
Stage-based, not service-based. A&E firms bill by stage and variation, so reports built for generic professional services never quite line up.
Fee proposals in minutes. Percentage splits, lump sums and hourly caps live together on one project instead of being worked around.
A&E specialists, not a ticket queue. Our onboarding team has migrated practices off CMap before and knows what to move first.
Head to head
Built only for A&E firms
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Forecast by stage, phase & discipline
Sub-consultants & disbursements
Onboarding & support
Purpose-built for A&E firms with project management tools that connect projects, time, and billing in one place
Modelled the way A&E firms actually structure and bill sub-consultant work
Fast, responsive support with consultative onboarding from A&E specialists who understand your firm.
Designed to serve many industries rather than focusing on how A&E firms really work.
Reporting works best inside its own workflow; combining fee and timesheet data into one report is a recurring user complaint
Built around a standard quote-then-invoice model; funded/non-standard fee arrangements need workarounds.
Broad support, with limited focus on A&E-specific workflows.
Customer Story
ARCHITECTURE Practice
AUSTRALIA
Faster Invoicing
Back a Month
âIn hindsight, I should have just started with Total Synergy on day one. I would definitely recommend it. If youâre taking your business seriously, and you want to make sure your projects are performing, then itâs a no brainer.â
TIM HANSEN
Director
âI would definitely recommend Total Synergy. The development thatâs going into it is incredibly good. The user interface is so great. I can find everything I need in a couple of clicks.â
STEPHANIE MOORE
Operations Manager
âThereâs big opportunity for us to be more profitable, and Total Synergy is part of how we get there.â
MATTHEW KING
Managing Director
Switching
Every onboarding is guided by a dedicated Total Synergy consultant through a structured programme of live sessions. We configure Total Synergy around how your firm works, and help your team bring your data across.
Our experienced team is here to guide you through how Total Synergy can transform your project management approach.
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Take the first step toward transforming your practice. In just one demo, our team will show you how Total Synergy simplifies project management, project finances, and project analytics for over 18,000 A&E professionals.
OLIVIA HAMILTON, OFFICE MANAGER
LAB-WORKS ARCHITECTURE
CMap is a single project management platform split into separate editions for consulting firms and for architecture and engineering firms, with add-on products for email and document management. A&E firms comparing CMap alternatives usually want software built around how A&E projects actually run, from project planning and fee proposals through to delivery and final invoice, rather than a platform serving two quite different sectors.
Total Synergy is built exclusively for architecture and engineering practices. Every workflow, from staged fee budgeting and resource planning to discipline-level reporting, follows the A&E project lifecycle. CMap‘s core platform serves consulting firms as well as AEC firms through separate editions, so its underlying workflows are built to flex across two service industries rather than one.
No. Document control, version tracking and transmittals sit within Total Synergy‘s core platform, with SynergyPIM available for firms that want deeper centralised document and email management. CMap delivers document and drawing management through a separate product, CMap PIM, and firm-wide email filing through another, CMap Mail, so matching that coverage means adopting several connected products rather than one integrated system.
Most CMap alternatives, including Total Synergy and Wrike, cover core project management ground such as timesheets, task tracking and project planning. The real question is fit. Wrike is a general-purpose work management tool and CMap spans consulting and AEC. Total Synergy offers a single integrated platform built only for A&E firms, connecting resource planning, invoicing and project financials across the whole project lifecycle, backed by 25+ years in the sector and 24/7 A&E-focused support.
For most A&E firms, yes. Total Synergy is built only for architecture and engineering, so staged fees, variations, sub-consultants and discipline-level reporting work the way A&E projects run, across multiple projects and the full project lifecycle. CMap serves consulting firms as well as AEC firms, so A&E practices often end up configuring around workflows designed to suit both. With 25+ years in the sector, 18,000+ A&E users and a strong focus on ease of use, Total Synergy tends to be the more natural fit for firms that want project management software built around their work.
No. CMap the project management software is unrelated to C-MAP, the marine navigation brand. If you’re searching for C-MAP charts, C-MAP Genesis, C-MAP Plan2Nav or the C-MAP app, or comparing Navionics maps and Jeppesen charts for plotting waypoints and shaded relief on a Simrad or Lowrance chartplotter, you want a marine electronics site. It’s also different from CmapTools, the concept mapping software. This page compares CMap with Total Synergy for architecture and engineering firms.
Simplify Product Delivery
Reduce Project Risk
Win the Right Projects
Receive 24/7 Support
Produce Budgets & Quotes
Make budgeting and quoting easier, more accurate, and less stressful.
Manage Projects
Track Time
Track time effortlessly, stay on budget, and improve billing accuracy at every project phase.
Allocate Resources
Easily see whoâs working on what, their availability, and how to best balance workloads.
Process Invoices
Get invoices out faster, reduce delays, and keep cash flowing with clear project finances.
Track Finances
Make budgeting and quoting easier, more accurate, and less stressful.
Decide with Data
Make smarter decisions with real-time dashboards and reports.
Forecast Revenue
Gain crystal-clear visibility into your future revenue, project profitability, and resource needs.
Apply Document Control
Centralize your project information for seamless collaboration, better control, and fewer headaches.