Project Management Scope Creep Tops List of Challenges for 59% of MSPs, Moovila Report Finds

CHARLESTON, S.C., Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Moovila, the leading AI-driven project automation platform for managed service providers (MSPs), today announced the release of the second annual State of the Industry: MSP Project Management Trends & Impacts 2025 report, produced in partnership with The Channel Company. The annual research finds that project management challenges constrain profitability and efficiency across the MSP sector, with inaccurate project timelines, scope creep, and low process maturity identified as the most significant issues.  

While some high-performing MSPs recognize project management as a driver of business growth, many still lack the structure, visibility, and standardized processes needed to deliver consistent project results. The findings reveal widening gaps in tool adoption and project maturity that are holding some providers back from achieving higher margins and operational stability.  

"This year's research makes one finding undeniable—that scope creep is a major issue among MSPs of all sizes, and at its core, this problem is often driven by the project timeline," said Mike Psenka, CEO of Moovila. "Accurate timelines are the foundation of profitability for projects. Nearly every issue cited in the research either stems from or contributes to broken timelines. When MSPs gain visibility into real-time dependencies, risks, and project workloads, they not only deliver projects more predictably but also protect their margins and strengthen client trust. That's exactly what Moovila's AI and automation is designed to deliver." 

Scope Creep Surges as Top Project Challenge  

Scope creep ranked as the most common challenge for MSPs in 2025, cited by 58.7% of respondents, up from 46% in 2024. Inaccurate timelines (56.5%) and scheduling engineers (45.7%) remain close behind, while pricing and estimating challenges (44.4%) also persist. Respondents additionally cited client accountability and delays as a growing source of project disruption. 

About half of MSPs said their current project management practices impair profitability, pointing to fragmented systems and inconsistent communication as key pain points.  

Key Findings on Project Maturity and Tool Adoption  

• More than half of respondents (56%) rate their organization as operating at "Ad Hoc" or "Basic" maturity levels.
• Only 23% of respondents use the project management module within their professional services automation (PSA) platform as their primary tool, down from 30% in 2024.
• Excel usage rose slightly to 32.3%, reinforcing its role as a default option despite limited functionality for managing projects.
• 44% of MSPs plan to increase their project management budgets over the next 12 months, while 54% will maintain current levels.

One of the report's most important insights is that MSPs investing in structured project management processes are seeing measurable gains in revenue, efficiency, and client outcomes. This is a key indicator that project maturity is fast becoming a competitive differentiator in the industry. And that is clearly reflected in the fact that more mature MSPs who adopt project management software have greater visibility and consistency to their project operations.  

Click here  to download the report. Learn more about Moovila at moovila.com. 

About the Study
The study was conducted by independent third party The Channel Company as commissioned by Moovila. It surveyed 263 managed service providers, representing a 56% increase from the inaugural 2024 study, to assess project management priorities, tools, challenges, and trends influencing operational efficiency and profitability. Respondents included CEOs, senior executives, and directors of professional services and project management.  

About Moovila
Moovila is the leading AI-driven project and resource management platform that delivers supervised automation around project timelines, scheduling, and financial management. This allows teams to plan, collaborate, and execute more efficiently with accurate, real-time information. Moovila's project automation helps MSPs increase project margins, drive operational efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction. With bi-directional interfaces to most MSP PSA solutions, Moovila seamlessly integrates into your current workflows and processes, so you can realize benefits from day one.  

Media Contacts:  
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CJ Media Solutions, LLC for Moovila  
631-572-3079 
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SOURCE Moovila