Power IMS in comparison
Do you know this decision: have it built, buy separate QM software – or use a finished product in your own Microsoft 365 tenant? Here are all three routes side by side.
The three routes to a management system – and their hidden catches
Before comparing features, look at the underlying model. It determines cost, speed and whether your people use the system every day.
Route 1: SharePoint custom build or agency project
The promise
“We'll build it with the tools we already have in Microsoft 365 – it barely costs anything.”
The reality
30 to 50 consulting days until go-live. Then Microsoft changes an interface or the internal builder leaves the company – and nobody maintains the workflows.
Route 2: External QM island
The promise
“A fully featured enterprise suite covering every standard.”
The reality
A separate system outside Microsoft 365: its own login, its own user management, data in third-party data centres and a licence per user. The result is familiar – most of the workforce never signs in.
Route 3: Power IMS
The approach
A finished product that runs in Microsoft Teams and in your own tenant.
What that means
Fixed prices from CHF 3,300 per year or CHF 9,900 one-time, live within days via the Setup Center, data 100% in your own Microsoft 365 tenant and nine modules sharing master data and actions.
One system for many standards – instead of one silo per standard
Many solutions build a separate manual or module per standard. In Power QMS for Teams you configure one shared process structure for ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001 and 42001 based on the ISO Harmonized Structure – shared requirements are maintained once, further standards are added without rebuilding.
How the multi-standard structure worksThe comparison in detail
| Feature | Power IMS Finished product · Teams-first · your own tenant | SharePoint custom build Agency or internal IT | Classic QM island Standalone QM software outside M365 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment | |||
| Runs in your own Microsoft 365 tenant | External SaaS hosting | ||
| Installed as a native Teams app | Self-setup via setup.power-ims.com | Custom build required | |
| Guided setup without mandatory consulting | Setup Center plus six steps inside the app | Concept & workshop phase mandatory | Roll-out project over months |
| Try with demo data, no obligation | Only after sales process | ||
| Go live within 2–3 months | Four phases: try, configure, pilot, go live | ||
| No additional licences beyond M365 | |||
| Guaranteed release maintenance for Microsoft 365 updates | Vendor maintenance with mandatory Basic Support | Customer carries risk and cost | Only affects the external system |
| Module coverage | |||
| Quality management (Power QMS) | Teams app, plus Power Platform variant | Only file storage & lists | |
| Audit management (Power Audit) | Program, execution, actions, reports | Often a costly add-on module | |
| Maintenance / CMMS (Power Maintenance) | |||
| Continuous improvement (Power CI) | CIP/Kaizen incl. impact tracking | ||
| Occupational safety / EHS (Power Safety) | |||
| Risk management (Power Risk) | Matrix, assessments, actions | ||
| Central launcher (Power Hub) | Free from one purchased module | ||
| Modules share master data and one action pool | Nine modules, one hub, one data base | Every capability built from scratch | Only within the vendor suite |
| Knowledge & energy management (Power Knowledge, Power Energy) | Both available | ||
| Capabilities | |||
| Document control with approval workflow | Versions, audit trail, preview | Manual configuration | |
| Process map & process permissions | |||
| Process designer with AI assistant, BPMN import & export | Import from Bizagi, Camunda, Signavio, Visio | Often static graphics only | |
| Training & read confirmations | |||
| Read confirmation with AI summary “What's new?” | Two to three bullet points per version | ||
| Read confirmation reports & manual requests | Pending/done per version, as audit evidence | ||
| QR notice for production and workplace | The code always opens the current version | ||
| Deputies for tasks during absences | Configurable, with automatic forwarding | ||
| Action workflow incl. effectiveness review | Across modules, e.g. from audits | Lists without process logic | |
| Standard coverage & evidence (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, IATF) | Incl. AI gap analysis against the standard | ||
| Dashboards, analytics & reports with PDF/CSV export | Via Power BI with effort | ||
| Reminders, escalations & notifications | Configurable lead times | ||
| Digital signatures & approvals | |||
| Multi-language incl. content translation | DE, EN, FR, IT | ||
| Roles, permissions & own branding | |||
| Everyday adoption | |||
| Work without a media break directly in Microsoft Teams | Tabs, deep links, activity feed | Only linked lists and pages | Separate web portal with its own login |
| No second system for employees to learn | |||
| Mobile use through the existing Teams app | Separate app, separate sign-in | ||
| Integration | |||
| Native Teams & Outlook integration | Tabs, deep links, activity feed | Only via connectors | |
| Single sign-on with Entra ID | |||
| AI features inside the app | Summaries, report drafts, translations | Copilot without domain context | |
| Modules link to each other | Shared master data & actions | Only within the suite | |
| Data & compliance | |||
| Data stays in EU/CH tenant | SharePoint lists & libraries | Depends on vendor | |
| GDPR / DSG ready | DPA & subprocessor register available | ||
| No vendor lock-in (data in SharePoint) | |||
| Pricing | |||
| Transparent fixed price, calculable online | From CHF 3,300/year or CHF 9,900 purchase (excl. VAT) | Open consulting budget | Individual quote only |
| Entry tier for small companies (1–20 users) | Six tiers up to 5,000 users | Usually enterprise sizes only | |
| One-time purchase instead of per-user subscription | From CHF 6,599 per module (excl. VAT) | Custom build & maintenance | Usually per-user subscription |
| Yearly rental available as an alternative | Roughly one third of the purchase price | ||
| No duplicate user licences | Uses your existing M365 licences | Extra licence per user | |
| Bundle discounts for multiple modules | 10% / 20% / 30% | ||
| Installation & setup included | Basic Support: separate 15% p.a. for purchase and rental | Usually an implementation project | |
Power IMS
A finished product in your own M365 tenant. Fixed price, start via the Setup Center, no vendor lock-in, nine modules with shared master data.
Explore modulesSharePoint custom build
Flexible, but every capability needs to be designed, built and permanently maintained – including workflows, permissions, reporting and standard evidence.
Classic QM island
Functionally mature, but a separate system outside M365: additional per-user licences, a separate login and export risk when changing vendors.
The three-year calculation for 50 employees
A typical example for an SME with around 50 users and one quality management module.
SharePoint build / agency
- Implementation: approx. CHF 34,000 (workshops, development)
- Ongoing: approx. CHF 6,000 per year (maintenance)
- Internal effort: very high
Total cost over 3 years
≈ CHF 52,000
External QM island (subscription)
- Implementation: approx. CHF 15,000 (setup, training)
- Licences: approx. CHF 21,000 per year
- Internal effort: high
Total cost over 3 years
≈ CHF 78,000
Power IMS (yearly rental)
- Implementation: CHF 0 via the Setup Center
- Rental: CHF 5,000 per year (21–100 user tier)
- AI & support: CHF 1,250 per year
Total cost over 3 years
≈ CHF 18,800
Indicative values based on typical market day rates and subscription prices, excl. VAT. EUR figures are converted at an indicative rate of 1 CHF ≈ EUR 1.05 and rounded to the nearest 100. The Power IMS figure reflects the yearly rental of Power QMS for Teams in the 21–100 user tier (CHF 5,000) plus AI support (10%) and maintenance & support (15%).
Frequently asked comparison questions
Why not simply build the management system with our internal IT or a SharePoint agency?
Simple lists and libraries are quick to build. Standard conformity is not: audit trails, version control, effectiveness reviews, multi-language support, permission logic and evidence management cost hundreds of development hours – and permanent maintenance afterwards. Power IMS delivers this as a finished product at a fixed price, including further development for Microsoft 365 updates.
Why not an established standalone QM software?
Because an island solution forces your people into a second system. Power IMS uses your existing Microsoft 365 environment: sign-in via Entra ID, interface directly in Teams, data in your own tenant. The result is higher adoption, no additional user licences and no data silo at a third party.
What sets Power IMS apart from large SharePoint suites?
Power IMS is built consistently for Microsoft Teams: lightweight, mobile-ready and with AI assistants for gap analysis, process design and form creation. Instead of sprawling portal landscapes there is one clear app per topic – and a transparent price tier that already starts at 1 to 20 users.
Comparison based on publicly available information and typical market values. Mentioned product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
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