BMC FootPrints Service Core vs SCSM comparison

BMC Helix and Microsoft are both solutions in the IT Service Management (ITSM) category. BMC Helix is ranked #27, while Microsoft is ranked #16 with an average rating of 6.7. Additionally, 90% of BMC Helix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 64% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

SCSM and BMC FootPrints Service Core are two popular IT service management solutions. SCSM stands out for its integration with Microsoft services, while BMC FootPrints Service Core is favored for its comprehensive feature set, including customizable workflow automation and asset management.

Features: SCSM offers integration with Microsoft ecosystems, automatic ticketing systems, and strong reporting services. BMC FootPrints Service Core boasts customizable workflows, a relational database for history and audit trails, and the ability to auto-generate email messages and approvals.

Room for Improvement: SCSM could improve its user interface for better accessibility and streamline its setup process for users outside the Microsoft environment. Enhancements in customizable features and support documentation could also benefit its users. BMC FootPrints Service Core could improve its pricing model, offer more scalable solutions, and enhance its integration capabilities with non-relational databases.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SCSM is easily deployable in Microsoft-aligned environments but can require more configuration for others. Its online training resources are helpful for new users. BMC FootPrints Service Core offers a straightforward deployment with extensive support resources, ensuring a smooth setup process for a wider audience.

Pricing and ROI: SCSM provides an economical setup for Microsoft environments, which can translate into a favorable ROI for such organizations. BMC FootPrints Service Core, while potentially demanding a higher initial investment, presents strong ROI potential owing to its expansive feature set, making it a worthy investment for those seeking robust IT management.

To learn more, read our detailed BMC FootPrints Service Core vs. SCSM Report (Updated: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

BMC FootPrints Service Core vs. SCSM

August 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Automation Anywhere

Featured Reviews

Venkat Sivaprakash

Management Consultant at Accenture

Has significantly improved document-driven workflows and reduced processing time across finance and HR functions

Automation Anywhere has evolved significantly and upgraded itself to provide agentic AI and AI-based automation solutions for document automation. The product has matured considerably over time. We can create workflows that can call an API. We can include prompts in particular workflows for ChatGPT-related functions, connecting to an LLM and RAG to perform tasks. For document automation, modern features are available to train documents, ensuring high accuracy and repeatability over time. The system is very easy to use. I recently completed a course in document automation, typically designed for people involved in coding and technical aspects. Though I understand coding comprehensively, I don't do actual coding. The course was very accessible. Currently, extensive coding isn't necessary due to the hybrid model incorporating GenAI aspects, low-code, no-code capabilities, APIs, and numerous pre-built objects in Automation Anywhere. The features include GenAI-driven prompting methods and workflow creation capabilities. In these workflows, we can create decision boxes and call APIs without coding. We simply pull objects, drop them, connect them, and add minimal coding when needed. The most crucial aspect isn't coding but rather sizing the automation and fleshing out the details. Automation Co-pilot takes notes and performs automated analysis. It can extract details from videos, summarize conversations, and provide detailed information. During calls, it identifies instructions and performs tasks such as preparing reports and reconciliation. Automation Anywhere can also connect with Microsoft Co-pilot. Through Co-pilot, real-time operations can be executed, allowing direct interaction between vendors and automation through this component.

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reviewer1765752

System Engineer at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees

A flexible, comprehensive, integrated IT service and asset management platform with good technical support

We use BMC FootPrints Service Core to manage network issues, infrastructure issues, software issues, and ERP. We also use it to manage our facility. So, we do some work orders and also use it as an extra ticketing system Technical support is good. It would be better if it were more…

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LuisSanchez3

Director Metropolitano de Gobierno Digital at a government with 10,001+ employees

Current setup enables smooth problem-solving but lacks comprehensive guidance and local support

More information about setup procedures and a more user-friendly front end would be beneficial. We need more information for setup processes. It is difficult to do the work independently, requiring us to hire external companies for maintenance hours to fix small issues that could be resolved faster in-house if we had better information. We have been looking for an upgrade version, but finding local service has been difficult. It has been challenging trying to get things done. Speaking with the Microsoft office, we found there are no local companies with substantial experience with SCSM. What we have now was installed five or six years ago. It has been difficult to change configurations and look for upgrades, even with all the manuals. Our office is considering moving away from SCSM and getting a service desk solution outside of Microsoft. For me, it has been a good tool to get help and solve internal problems in the office. It is a very good tool, but the difficulty in getting local service or more information is pushing us to look for another tool.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It's easy to use for business users. Everything is good. It's a nice product."

"We used to set up 150 to 250 products in a week; that has come down to a day, and now I initiate the bot, go home, and by the time I am back it is done, so time is something that we are saving, we are becoming more efficient, and our partners are happy."

"We have hundreds of cases a day. There were around two to three employees who were just moving a case from one state to another. This was a repetitive, tedious job, which was frustrating for the employees. It helps to have the bot doing this work now. We have immediately seen effects, so this is a good use for it."

"The ability to automate repetetive tasks and processing that should not require human intervention."

"Automation Anywhere is scalable and capable of adapting to any new requirements and technologies."

"The cognitive automation gives us an edge towards intelligence using IQ Bot, and this allows us to integrate and give a combined solution to a customer."

"Overall, the product is very good where the repetitive tasks are more in manufacturing industries and the finance department."

"The automation of data entry is the most valuable feature for us."

More Automation Anywhere pros

"Now all IT related issues, problems, changes and even projects are more controlled using Footprints."

"This is certainly a solution that I recommend for big enterprise."

"I like the fact that FootPrints is a relational database, so every item in the database can be linked to another. This helps create history and audit trails for each CI."

"We have found the reports and the lockdown on a ticket valuable, so only one person can update issues."

"It is stable and its technical support is good and quick."

"The discovery feature is very flexible."

"This product solidly handles incident management, problem management, and change management."

"We can track issues easier and run reports on issues to see if there are patterns."

More BMC FootPrints Service Core pros

"The remote access is one of the features I really enjoy. The pushing of email updates and things like that are very good."

"With integration capabilities with the other system centers like SCCM and SCOM, for example, we are able to build a robust CMDB configuration management database, and overall, most customers just prefer the product."

"Microsoft System Center Service Manager is a good product; it seems very easy and is better than most of the other solutions, which often have only a few features and cannot do what Microsoft can do."

"The solution has made managing the environment streamlined and much easier."

"It is one of the most stable solutions in the market."

"The call logging is the solution's most valuable feature; it's very easy to use and isn't too resource-intensive."

"I like the reporting service, as SCSM has a good reporting service and analysis service for analysis requests."

"Improved time management, all the details logged (nothing missed), roles and responsibilities in tool are set according to policy/procedure."

More SCSM pros

Cons

"One key feature for improvement I have been providing feedback on through the MVP program is enhancing natural language conversation to action. The Automation Anywhere product team is actively putting this feature into their roadmap, which I believe is crucial."

"The pricing, setup cost, and licensing of the platform are the worst. This is my major concern and complaint."

"One thing about it that we have not found to be exceptionally useful are the built-in bot analytics, the Bot Insights. From our own extensive experimentation, as well as from what we've understood from other people using this solution, we've been able to come up with better solutions using our own in-house analytics and our own systems than through theirs."

"There is a lot of scope for improvement in terms of stability. It is a concern, because right now we are close to 20 to 25 percent false negatives that are coming up."

"I'd love to see the ability to build web or mobile applications that are integrated with Automation Anywhere bots, so that a user can work on a web interface directly. Then, it can be linked to the Automation Anywhere bots in the background. They just hit a button, and all the data or information will be used by the bot to do some process in the back end."

"It still uses old, deprecated Microsoft components that have an end date."

"Automation Anywhere can improve by implementing a Citrix environment and increasing the stability of tools, such as IQ bot."

"When comparing the code under version checks, although there is a change done, it doesn't say so because the change is done at the variable level and not in the line of code."

More Automation Anywhere cons

"It is pretty clunky and not very intuitive. Even though I have used it for many years, I don't think it is a very good ITSM platform in general."

"Reporting could be improved along with the option to create more fine tuned reports and to create specific fields for each type of ticket."

"It would be nice if they added the ability to go directly to a form via a deep link URL."

"There are still a few odd issues in FootPrints 12.x, which are frustrating."

"The mobile version of this product does not support asset management."

"The pricing could be a little lower and the product should cover more iTel versions."

"We need more customizable reporting functionality."

"Hyphens are not allowed in the quick search bar. This has created a problem in our environment where we use hyphens in our asset names."

More BMC FootPrints Service Core cons

"Resources for understanding compliance and relative compliance need to be made available."

"It has not helped reduce the burden on IT resources."

"My company had planned a few months ago to apply SCSM over the cloud in order to provide updates, like regular updates, but it had to be put through a few tools from Microsoft on the cloud, which was not easy."

"Once we had an issue with a desktop download that would not open."

"The solution could be more simple. For example, it takes a lot of work to create reports. It runs on Microsoft SQL queries. Creating custom reports on ManageEngine takes less work from the administrator."

"Mobile application integration would be an improvement."

"One of the disadvantages in this product is that the reporting module is not very easy. It requires SQL development skills, which not all customers or IT professionals have."

"I have found SCSM not adequate enough to carry out some functions."

More SCSM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"As our team size increases, we may get some more licenses for the tool."

"Costs savings have been seen by employing bots for multiple shifts instead of people."

"In the Indian market, I feel that for mid-size companies, such as ourselves, that having multiple bots costs a lot. If Automation Anywhere wants to expand in the Indian market, they will need to look at their pricing."

"They are already coming out with a community license, which is really good. That's something that I wish to have."

"The pricing and licensing are definitely moderate to costly but easily recoverable by achieving ROI quickly."

"Our costs are approximately between $5,000 to $10,000 per license."

"In terms of pricing, it's not at all cheap, and that's a concern. The licensing cost is very high. While I don't know the exact prices of other tools, Microsoft offers the lowest pricing for its RPA platform compared to UiPath and Automation Anywhere."

"We would like them to change the license model of charging per bot."

More Automation Anywhere pricing and cost advice

"Our costs are well over $250,000."

"The licensing for FootPrints is a perpetual license with an annual support fee."

"Cost was on par with other service desk products, and well below Remedy, while still being a BMC product."

"This solution has good pricing."

"The platform is competitively priced."

"The price of the solution could be better. My organization has an enterprise annual license with Microsoft which provides us support."

"The price should be lower."

"The license for SCSM is cheap."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"Licensing can be complex and confusing."

"It comes free with the enterprise agreement that we have, but the expense really is in having to buy another product to sit on top of it to make it work properly. You wind up having to buy additional support and additional product with their own support and maintenance costs on top of that."

"It is a lower price vs. other things on the market."

More SCSM pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Construction Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Construction Company

21%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

10%

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	157
Midsize Enterprise	81
Large Enterprise	558

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

How good is Automation Anywhere for RPA processes?

It depends on your use case. Is it simply to automate a couple of processes? Is it to augment a human team? AA is ver...

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How good is Automation Anywhere for RPA processes?

From my experience using AA tool, it depends on the applications that you want to automate, because there some applic...

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How good is Automation Anywhere for RPA processes?

It is a highly preferred RPA tool. You can check my Automation Anywhere Review to know more.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SCSM?

I am not sure about the pricing as I do not have experience with it.

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What needs improvement with SCSM?

More information about setup procedures and a more user-friendly front end would be beneficial. We need more informat...

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What is your primary use case for SCSM?

In my job, I work for the city where we have an enterprise agreement with Microsoft. We have Office, Word, PowerPoint...

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Comparisons

UiPath Platform vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 12% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 9% of the time

Blue Prism vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 6% of the time

AutomationEdge vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 2% of the time

WorkFusion vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 2% of the time

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ServiceNow vs BMC FootPrints Service Core

Compared 18% of the time

BMC Helix ITSM vs BMC FootPrints Service Core

Compared 16% of the time

Rezolve.ai vs BMC FootPrints Service Core

Compared 14% of the time

Zendesk vs BMC FootPrints Service Core

Compared 4% of the time

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs BMC FootPrints Service Core

Compared 4% of the time

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ServiceNow vs SCSM

Compared 13% of the time

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus vs SCSM

Compared 12% of the time

Infraon Desk vs SCSM

Compared 10% of the time

IT Care Center vs SCSM

Compared 9% of the time

BMC Helix ITSM vs SCSM

Compared 5% of the time

More SCSM Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Automation Anywhere

August 2026

Download Automation Anywhere product report

Buyer's Guide

IT Service Management (ITSM)

July 2026

Download BMC FootPrints Service Core product report

Buyer's Guide

SCSM

July 2026

Download SCSM product report

Also Known As

Automation Anywhere, Testing Anywhere, Automation Anywhere Enterprise, Agentic Process Automation System (Now Certified for WorkSpaces)

FootPrints Service Core

System Center Service Manager

Interactive Demo

Automation Anywhere

Demo not available

BMC Helix

Demo not available

Microsoft

Overview

Automation Anywhere offers ease of use, robust system connectivity, and GenAI-driven document automation through a cloud-native platform, significantly enhancing productivity across multiple industries with advanced AI features.

Delivering a comprehensive suite of tools designed for easy integration and rapid deployment, Automation Anywhere drives efficiency by reducing costs and automating repetitive tasks. Its cloud-native platform supports broad industry adoption, including advanced AI features like process automation and Co-Pilot, streamlining complex workflows with minimal technical skills required. Users benefit from robust integration capabilities, which facilitate seamless interaction with multiple systems. However, there is room for improvement in areas such as user-friendliness for beginners, stability, flexible licensing, and enhanced OCR functionality. Organizations in sectors such as banking, finance, manufacturing, and healthcare gain from the improved operational efficiency and ROI Automation Anywhere offers.

What are the important features of Automation Anywhere?

Ease of Use: Simplifies automation tasks with a user-centric interface.
Robust Connectivity: Provides seamless integration with multiple systems.
GenAI-Driven Document Automation: Leverages AI to automate document management.
Process Automation & Co-Pilot: Enhances workflow automation with advanced AI.
Cloud-Native Platform: Enables rapid deployment and integration.

What benefits should be evaluated in reviews?

Time Savings: Automation drastically reduces manual processing time.
Cost Efficiency: Decreases overall operational costs by automating tasks.
Productivity Enhancement: Streamlines workflows with AI-driven tools.
Improved Integration: Enhances ability to work with multiple systems.
Scalability: Supports growth with a flexible cloud-native architecture.

In the insurance industry, Automation Anywhere is utilized for automating processes such as enrollment management and compliance checks. Its applications extend to supply chain management, financial transactions, and business performance monitoring across sectors like banking, finance, manufacturing, and healthcare, helping organizations to automate routine tasks, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

Automation Anywhere

BMC FootPrints Service Core is a comprehensive tool that aids in incident, problem, and change management while offering customizable views and integration options.

Valued for its customizable home views and flexible database relations, BMC FootPrints Service Core excels in stability and responsive technical support. With capabilities for email automation, survey integration, and report creation, it enhances IT service management and business process efficiency. The solution supports ticket status updates with minimal downtime and accommodates multiple administrators across workspaces. Pink Elephant certification and smart IT features broaden its appeal for IT departments.

What are the key features of BMC FootPrints Service Core?

Incident Management: Tracks and resolves service desk tickets efficiently.
Problem Management: Identifies and mitigates underlying issues to prevent recurrence.
Change Management: Helps assess and handle changes seamlessly in the environment.
Customizable Views: Offers tailored dashboards for user-specific information.
Email Automation: Facilitates swift communication and response handling.

What benefits or ROI should users look for in reviews?

Stable Performance: Ensures reliable operation for consistent IT services.
Responsive Support: Provides timely technical assistance to resolve issues.
Administrative Flexibility: Allows versatile control across different workspaces.

In industries like IT services and HR, BMC FootPrints Service Core supports managing service desk tickets, tracking assets, and resolving issues in network, infrastructure, and software areas. Its functionalities also extend to HR issue tracking, service requests, and contract management, facilitating both on-premises deployments and ITIL process implementations such as Service Request and Service Catalog Management.

BMC Helix

SCSM integrates with Microsoft tools, offering robust ticketing, incident management, and a scalable architecture. It automates orchestration tasks, provides comprehensive reporting, and enhances IT environments through SCCM integration, supporting various service management needs.

SCSM is known for integrating well with Microsoft suites and is valued for its ease of use and scalable design. Organizations utilize its capabilities for managing customer service, system deployments, and ticket handling. Its essential components include activity management, remote access, and comprehensive security updates. However, improvements are needed in areas such as integration with Azure and open-source tools, simplicity of the self-service portal, mobile support, and reporting complexity. Despite these challenges, many rely on SCSM for IT operations management, HR onboarding, and cloud functionality integration.

What are the most valuable features?

Seamless Microsoft Integration - Easily connects with Microsoft suites
Robust Ticketing - Efficient management of tickets and incidents
Scalable Architecture - Adapts to increasing demands and growth
Automated Orchestration - Streamlines various IT scenarios
Comprehensive Reporting - In-depth insights and analysis
Activity Management - Coordination of tasks and operations
Security Updates - Ensures systems remain protected
Easy Learning Materials - Accessible and straightforward resources

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Enhanced Efficiency - Improved ticketing and incident management
Cost Management - Optimal use of IT resources and budgeting
Flexibility - Supports both cloud and on-premise deployments
Risk Reduction - Security updates and management features
Strategic Insights - Customized reporting for informed decisions

SCSM finds application in industries ranging from IT service management to HR onboarding and system administration. Enterprises use it for remote assistance, device management, and patch management, while some leverage its cloud capabilities. This broadens the scope of how IT operations are supported and managed effectively in different settings.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Google, Linkedin, Cisco, Juniper Networks, DellEMC, Comcast, Mastercard, Quest Diagnostics

Cast & Crew

Fibabanka, UMC Health System

Buyer's Guide

BMC FootPrints Service Core vs. SCSM

August 2026

Free Report: BMC FootPrints Service Core vs. SCSM

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