A property management software (PMS) tool is an application that businesses use to manage day-to-day operations like scheduling, organizing, occupancy management, account management, and much more . These systems gained prominence as businesses wanted to transition from humans performing multiple tasks with errors to automated information recording, usage, and task management. The best property management software tools can be described as centralized online systems  used for workforce automation and efficiency maximization .

Tips for choosing the right property management software tool
Considering certain factors can help one select the right tools that fit specific requirements perfectly.

Determine the requirements
Companies need to assess specific requirements from property management tools before they invest huge sums of money in their purchase, installation, and implementation. Certain questions need to be answered for businesses to know what they need from their tools. For example, does a given business need rent and lease management, financial management, and maintenance tracking? Does a business work with residential properties or commercial ones? What are a given company’s scalability requirements?
After a company finds a tool that answers all these questions perfectly, it can then go ahead and purchase property management software to streamline its various operational processes.

Assess data security and privacy measures
The reason companies use software for property management is to secure their data. The level of data protection such tools provide cannot be matched by human workers and managers. Property management is all about handling sensitive information such as maintenance records, financial records, and tenant data. Data security and privacy should be adequate so that robust encryption and regular data backups for protection against potential data breaches or loss are always taken care of. Also, the system must have multi-factor authentication for greater data security and context-based data protection in order to keep sensitive business and client-related information safe and secure.
The best property management tools offer companies and their clients top-notch data protection and access management controls.

Check for quick invoice generation and bill collection
These tools are used mainly in the hospitality industry. Hotels and lodges have hundreds of clients every single day. Human receptionists and professionals may find the tasks of bill collection, information verification, and invoice generation overwhelming. This may result in the workers making multiple errors and struggling to complete tasks on time. Fortunately, property management software tools can manage this process effortlessly.

A key factor to check while zeroing in on a particular tool is whether it has a simple user interface and controls that make invoice generation and bill collection easy. If the controls are complicated and the process is difficult to manage within the stipulated time that it should be, then businesses must refrain from purchasing them.

Look for ease of implementation and user-friendly features
Companies look for software tools that can be implemented in as little time as possible and, as immediately as possible, become fully operational. Businesses cannot afford to choose a software tool that takes an eternity to install, implement, and integrate with the other software tools and interfaces they already use for other purposes. The software must feature an intuitive interface that makes it easy to use for housekeeping, front-desk staff, and other departments of the business . If the operation of a given property management software is seamless, it will offer greater productivity to businesses.

Features of property management software tools
The wide range of features of a PMS tool makes it a valuable source across multiple industries.

• Managing rental payments
  Property management software tools are packed with features that allow users to efficiently track and manage rental payments . These tools enable businesses and rental property owners to stay informed about their upcoming rental dues, whether they are payable or receivable, as well as the amount owed by their clients or tenants.
• Improving customer service
  The PMS tools help businesses keep track of important dates like lease renewals and rent payments. These systems help companies to manage their customer interactions and communication.
• Accounting and bookkeeping
  Managing finance is a crucial part of business, and property management systems play a key role in simplifying this important task. By using these systems, businesses can maintain accurate accounts, create ledgers, tally balance sheets, and perform a host of other similar financial tasks with ease and efficiency.

Average cost of commercial property management software
While there may be additional costs and other expenses, the average cost of building a customized property management software typically falls between $40,000 and $250,000. The development budget of such tools can be affected by various factors, including the tool’s UI/UX design, the feature list, the underlying technology, and the software development agency’s location.

Best property management software tools
Some of the commonly used tools in the industry include Rent Manager, Guesty, Rentec Direct, PayHOA, TenantCloud, and Buildium. These tools provide functionalities that assist in tasks such as short-term rental management, rent collection, tenant data management, and overall property maintenance.