Fund management is the practice of organizing and tracking investments, such as stocks and bonds, as well as assets, such as real estate and equipment. Professionals who work as investment consultants or brokers, as well as individual investors, may use fund management software to create financial reports, generate graphs that illustrate gains and losses, create income schedules, and perform other functions that help them to gain a clearer perspective of their financial health. There are different types of fund management software for professionals who play different roles within the investment field. For example, there is software designed for individual investors as well as software that is designed for larger firms or consultants who have a number of clients.
Individual investors often seek fund management software that allows them to track investment performance of their securities. This software normally allows users to view graphs and charts that clearly illustrate patterns and behaviors of their investments. The capability to receive funds from a broker is another feature common in this kind of software. In contexts in which taxes are a concern, investors may prefer software that allows them to transfer information from the fund management program to tax software.
Financial consultants and investment firms also use fund management software. Professionals in this field tend to prefer software that allows them to track investment performances of a number of different clients. Larger operations may choose programs that allow multiple users to access information at the same time and even communicate with one another.
Both kinds of fund management software often include features that allow users to monitor prices of instruments in various markets. This information is normally retrieved from the Internet. Multi-currency transactions are also found in both kinds of software. In each type of fund management tool, the ability to track data in real time is often considered by users to be a helpful feature.
Types of fund management software also tends to differ in the ways they are provided. Many individuals prefer software that they can install directly onto their computers. Others may prefer to use software on demand. This is a service that enables users to access software from the Internet. While installed software allows users to own a program and therefore take responsibility for upgrades, software on demand is perceived by many to be easier to operate since upgrades and updates are normally performed by a software provider.
Different types of fund management software has different prices. Some basic software can be downloaded online for free. This tends to be relatively simple software designed for individual investors. Professionals with more complex needs often pay more for their programs.