CMAP alternative

CMap supports services businesses.
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 — the way your work actually runs.

→Purpose-built for A&E, not a generalist services platform
→18,000+ A&E users run $3B+ a year through Total Synergy
→24/7 support from consultants who live in A&E workflows, not general PSA onboarding

RATED BY A&E  FIRMS

The short answer

Three reasons A&E firms leave CMap.

01

Reporting that actually reconciles

Stage-based, not service-based. A&E firms bill by stage and variation — reports built for generic professional services never quite line up.

02

Built for how A&E actually bills

Fee proposals in minutes. Percentage splits, lump sums and hourly caps live together on one project instead of being worked around.

03

Support from people who know the work

AEC specialists, not a ticket queue. Our onboarding team has migrated practices off CMap before and knows what to move first.

Head to head

Go ahead, compare for yourself.

Built only for A&E firms

Forecast by stage, phase & discipline

Sub-consultants & disbursements

Onboarding & support

Total Synergy

Purpose-built for A & E firms with tools that connect projects, time, and billing in one place.

Native. Stage, phase, and discipline forecasting from one connected data model

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.

CMap

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.

Built only for A&E firms
Total Synergy
Purpose-built for architecture and engineering, start to finish
CMAP
Multi-industry professional services; A&E is one of many.
Forecast by stage, phase & discipline
Total Synergy
Native. Stage, phase, and discipline forecasting from one connected data model
CMAP
Reporting works best inside its own workflow; combining fee and timesheet data into one report is a recurring user complaint
Sub-consultants & disbursements
Total Synergy
Modelled the way A&E firms actually structure and bill sub-consultant work
CMAP
Built around a standard quote-then-invoice model; funded/non-standard fee arrangements need workarounds.
Onboarding and Support
Total Synergy
Fast, responsive support with consultative onboarding from A&E specialists who understand your firm.
cmap
Broad support, with limited focus on A&E-specific workflows.
labworks

Customer Story

How Lab-works Architecture Transformed Project Visibility

ARCHITECTURE Practice

AUSTRALIA

87%

Faster Invoicing

8 Hours

Back a Month

“In hindsight, I should have just started with Total Synergy on day one. I would definitely recommend it. If you’re taking your business seriously, and you want to make sure your projects are performing, then it’s a no brainer.”

TIM HANSEN

Director

“I would definitely recommend Total Synergy. The development that’s going into it is incredibly good. The user interface is so great. I can find everything I need in a couple of clicks.”

STEPHANIE MOORE

Operations Manager

URPS

“There’s big opportunity for us to be more profitable, and Total Synergy is part of how we get there.”

MATTHEW KING

Managing Director

Switching

Moving off CMap takes weeks, not quarters.

Every onboarding is guided by a dedicated Synergy consultant through a structured programme of live sessions. We configure Synergy around how your firm works, and help your team bring your data across.
01
Week 1 – Scoping session
Tell us how your firm runs, including rates, project structure and invoicing. We then set up your Synergy site to match.
02
Weeks 2-4 – Data migration
Your team loads clients, staff and historic data using our upload templates, with a consultant on hand to help. We also get your invoice templates ready.
03
Week 5 – Go live & team training
Role-based training for all users, project managers and finance. After go-live, you get follow-up sessions with your consultant over your first six months.

get a demo

Talk to our A&E Project Experts Today

Our experienced team is here to guide you through how Total Synergy can transform your project management approach.

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.

“Total Synergy was the tool that actually spoke our language.”

OLIVIA HAMILTON, OFFICE MANAGER

LAB-WORKS ARCHITECTURE

Compare systems today

Frequently Asked Questions from CMap Users

What is Total Synergy?

Total Synergy is a complete project management platform that guides architecture and engineering practices to the clearest path to project profitability. We bring together project management, project financials, and project analytics to help practices eliminate time-sucking tasks, reduce common project risks, and gain access to real-time practice insights for smarter decision making, ensuring repeatable project success.

Total Synergy is used by architecture and engineering firms. These firms require efficient project management tools to handle complex workflows, manage resources, and improve collaboration. It’s tailored for businesses looking to scale and improve project visibility while reducing administrative headaches.

Total Synergy simplifies project management for A&E firms by offering tools for task tracking, resource planning, budgets, and templates, along with financial features like timesheets, expenses, invoicing, and forecasting. It includes pre-built dashboards for analytics across projects, finance, and teams, as well as tailored onboarding and dedicated support to ensure success. Additional features cover HR management with staff availability and leave tracking, CRM tools for lead tracking and client management, and a unified workspace with document control and centralised email management. Everything you need to streamline your business is in one platform.

Managing architecture and engineering projects can be a headache—juggling resources, staying on budget, and keeping everyone aligned isn’t easy. Overworked teams, scattered data, clunky invoicing, and poor project visibility can derail progress fast. Total Synergy helps fix this by bringing everything together—project management, project financials, project analytics, and collaboration tools—all in one platform, so you can focus on delivering great work without the operational headaches.

Total Synergy Logo
Why Total Synergy?

Simplify Product Delivery

Free Your Team to Focus On What They Do Best: Delivering Great Projects

Reduce Project Risk

Reduce Project Risk with Real-Time Financial Insights.

Win the Right Projects

Win Projects That Drive Profit and Avoid the Ones That Don’t.

Receive 24/7 Support

Expert A&E-Focused Support Whenever You Need It.
Solutions

Produce Budgets & Quotes

Make budgeting and quoting easier, more accurate, and less stressful.

Manage Projects

Stay organized, on time, and on budget with tools that drive project profitability and efficiency.

Track Time

Track time effortlessly, stay on budget, and improve billing accuracy at every project phase.

Allocate Resources

Easily see who’s 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.

Use Cases

By Practice

Architecture

Deliver Your Best Designs with Project Management Built for Architects

Engineering

Manage Engineering Projects with Precision and Clarity

By Role

Business Owner

Run a Smarter Practice with Less Stress

Finance Leader

Take Charge of Your Firm’s Financial Future with Confidence

Project Manager

Lead Projects Without the Stress

Operations

Simplify Your Operations for Unmatched Efficiency

Resources

Blog

Customer Stories

Webinars & Events

Guides

Videos

Integrations

Customer Support

About

About Us

Careers

Partners

Contact Us

Log In

Book a demo