The recent end-of-life announcement for Cherwell has left many organizations searching for new IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions. For years, Cherwell has been a reliable tool for managing IT operations, but with its upcoming retirement, it's time to find a new platform that fits your needs.While this change might seem challenging, finding a Cherwell alternative also offers a great opportunity. The market of ITSM tools has many advanced options with new features to improve your IT processes.
In this blog post, we’ll review some Cherwell Service Management alternatives and provide insights to help you make an informed decision.
We'll also offer a detailed comparison between Cherwell Service Management and InvGate Service Desk and give you some tips on how to prepare for your migration.
Cherwell end of life: When will it happen?
Cherwell will discontinue product support for its current platform by December 31, 2026, a significant challenge for existing Cherwell customers.
Ivanti announced the end-of-life (EoL) to Cherwell customers on October 31, 2023. For many of their users, the announcement caused significant frustration. They felt that Ivanti decided to push them toward its own ITSM platform, Ivanti Neurons, by discontinuing Cherwell, and the move was not well-received.
Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of communication from Ivanti and their implementation partners. They felt misled by previous assurances that it would remain supported until the "last Cherwell customer left the platform."
What is Cherwell?
Cherwell Service Management is an IT Service Management platform that provides automated IT service delivery through a comprehensive set of pre-built tools. Ivanti acquired Cherwell in 2021, and its end-of-life date has been set for December 31, 2026.
Cherwell Service Management could be deployed either as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution or through on-premises deployment. Among its main features, the product provided a codeless architecture, drag-and-drop functionality, and automated workflows.
It also included Project Management capabilities and Mergeable Applications (mApps) to share custom applications, extensions, and improvements without affecting the core system's functionality.
How to pick a Cherwell Alternative?
Key features you need to consider:
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IT Service Management capabilities
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Incident, Problem, and Change Management
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Service Request and service desk features
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Cloud-based or on-premise deployment options
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Customization and integration capabilities
Cherwell pros and cons
Cherwell Service Management had features highly appreciated by its customers, like its user-friendly interface, a Low-Code/No-Code approach for less tech-savvy users, solid automation capabilities and workflow management features, and API integrations.
As for its cons (apart, of course, from being deprecated in the near future), Gartner reviews mentioned:
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Performance issues.
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Frequent bugs and problems with upgrades.
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Customization challenges.
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Outdated user interface.
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Slow and unsatisfactory customer support response.
InvGate Service Desk as a Cherwell alternative
InvGate Service Desk is an advanced software solution created specifically for IT Service Management. Its main objective is to help organizations streamline their IT support processes and improve their overall service delivery to end-users.
The software allows organizations to choose between cloud-based or on-premise deployment, allowing them to select the hosting environment that best suits their needs.
InvGate Service Desk is a unified platform that can help your IT Services department be in line with industry standards, including Incident Management, Problem Management, and Change Management.
Additionally, the software offers a self-service portal and personalized dashboards and reports to enhance the user experience and facilitate efficient operations.
Feedback from customers evaluating InvGate Service Desk indicates a positive experience. Here are some direct quotes from satisfied customers.
"The support team is knowledgeable and responsive. It has all the most common features you could expect from a cloud service ticketing system today, and they work well (knowledgebase, self-service portal, task assignments, approval flows, time management, reporting). The bang for the buck is excellent." IT in Non-Government organization
"Dashboards and reports Easy to use/intuitive, very good user experience for clients and agents Workflows, automation and customization options." General Manager, IT Services
The feedback underscores InvGate Service Desk’s ability to meet the needs of different organizations and deliver a positive experience across various ITSM aspects.
UI/UX
Users describe InvGate Service Desk’s User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) as simple, intuitive, and easy to use.
On the other hand, Cherwell Service Management's UI and native mobile interface were criticized for being outdated and non-responsive. Users find the GUI to be non-modern and sometimes confusing.
Reporting and dashboards
InvGate Service Desk is praised for offering various report-generation options and personalized views. Its dashboards and reports contribute to a positive user experience.
In contrast, users express dissatisfaction with Cherwell Service Management's reporting capabilities. They found extracting information from the system difficult and lacked visibility on closed calls and their resolution details.
Integrations
InvGate Service Desk is commended for its integration with InvGate Insight's inventory database and mobile integration. On the other hand, users found Cherwell Service Management's configuration of complex workflows and external integrations unnecessarily challenging.
Customer support
InvGate Service Desk receives positive feedback for having a responsive and knowledgeable support team. In contrast, Cherwell Service Management's support has received criticism for being generally poor and unhelpful.
Many users have experienced frustration with Ivanti's support team, who frequently refused to acknowledge software issues as bugs.
Given the context, it's possible that Cherwell's support was subpar because Ivanti planned to deprecate it. This lack of support left Cherwell users feeling stranded and unsupported.
Moving forward, there is a valid concern about whether Ivanti Neurons will be any different if it relies on the same support team.
Task/Incident Management
InvGate Service Desk is recognized for its efficient Ticket Management and the ability to add collaborators or inform users about tickets.
In comparison, users of Cherwell Service Management found it challenging to determine the correct category for their tickets.
Customization
InvGate Service Desk is praised for its versatility in configuration and ability to customize the platform to fully meet specific requirements. In contrast, users found that Cherwell Service Management lacked modularity, requiring too many components and functions to be built from scratch rather than offering pre-packaged options.
Workflow Management
InvGate Service Desk offers workflow automation and customization options that users appreciate.
However, users found Cherwell Service Management's workflow development complicated and time-consuming.
Learning curve
InvGate Service Desk users report a user-friendly experience, describing it as easy to configure. They can quickly become familiar with the platform and efficiently use its features. This is a very important factor to consider if you need to migrate to another platform and make it as smooth as possible for your users.
Ivanti Neurons
Ivanti Neurons was developed by Ivanti, the company that bought Cherwell. Their solution has good customization capabilities and is user-friendly, but the plataform's backend is complex, with options scattered across different areas, which makes navigation and management challenging. Some users also consider it lacks some out-of-the-box features expected from a solution at this advanced level.
Jira Service Management
Jira Service Management is a product part of the Atlassian suite, a company that specializes in developing software and tools for developers and project managers. It's recognized for offering user-friendly, centralized task management. Users also appreciate the platform's self-service experience.
However, it faces challenges with complex migration, limited integrations, and reported issues with support and UI. It also has a steep learning curve, so if you can't take the time to assist users and help them adapt to its functionalities, migrating to Jira software might be challenging.
ManageEngine Servicedesk
ManageEngine is a well know solution among service desks. It was developed by the Zoho Corporation (previously AdventNet), so it integrates well with their ecosystem but other integrations can be limited.
ManageEngine offers ServiceDesk Plus as one of its main products, featuring versatile deployment choices such as cloud-based and on-premise solutions. ServiceDesk Plus includes a range of functions for IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT Asset Management (ITAM).
Users have foudManageEngine mainly focuses on improving its existing products by adding new features, but it doesn't spend as much time on innovation. For example, ManageEngine has added some artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) features to help suggest fields and templates.However, their products are not as advanced in AI/ML capabilities as other similar software on the market.
Some users are also concerned about Security vulnerabilities given that in 2023, ManageEngine faced a notable setback with the discovery of two significant vulnerabilities across 24 of its products.
Cherwell Service Management competitors
If you want to explore other Cherwell Service Management competitors further, you can check out these in-depth comparisons:
- Cherwell vs. Ivanti Neurons
- Cherwell vs. ServiceNow
- Cherwell vs. Freshservice
- Cherwell vs. ManageEngine
- Cherwell vs. Jira
- Cherwell vs. SolarWinds
- Cherwell vs. Aranda Service Management
- Cherwell vs. BMC Helix
- Cherwell vs. TOPdesk
- Cherwell vs. SysAid
- Cherwell vs. Zendesk
- Cherwell vs. SymphonyAI Summit
- Cherwell vs. EasyVista
Tips for migrating to another IT Service Management solution
Migrating to another ITSM platform, while requiring careful planning, can be managed smoothly with the right approach. First, it's essential to evaluate and select a new platform that meets your organization’s needs.
Once chosen, you'll typically start by exporting your data from the old system and mapping it to the new one. Most modern ITSM platforms offer tools and support to facilitate this process.
Training your team on the new system is a crucial step, ensuring everyone is comfortable and understands the new workflows. Throughout the transition, maintaining clear communication with your IT team and the new platform’s support teams and services will help address any issues promptly.
Overall, with proper planning and support, migrating to a new ITSM platform can be a straightforward process that ultimately enhances your organization's IT Service Management capabilities.
In conclusion
When considering a Cherwell alternative for your IT Service Management needs, it is essential to evaluate various factors to make an informed decision. Begin by identifying the critical features and compliance requirements you rely on with Cherwell.
For instance, you might need on-premises deployment if you can't use a cloud-based ITSM solution for regulatory compliance, or maybe you need specific automation workflows that are crucial to your operations. Ensuring these must-haves are covered by any new platform will provide a solid foundation for your migration.
On a positive note, this transition presents a valuable opportunity, allowing organizations to search for alternative, modern service management solutions that can enhance their IT operations.
Once the most critical elements are mapped out, you can explore alternative Service Management platforms that not only meet your basic needs but also offer new and advanced features.
For example, many modern ITSM platforms provide advanced analytics, AI-driven automation, and seamless integrations with other tools. These features can streamline processes, improve service delivery, boost productivity, and provide deeper insights into business operations.
InvGate Service Desk offers a robust solution with its user-friendly interface, advanced reporting and dashboards, seamless integrations, responsive customer support, extensive customization options, and streamlined workflow management.
Discover how InvGate Service Desk can transform your IT support processes and enhance service delivery. Request our 30-day free trial or book a meeting with our experts!
