SmartPLS: Comprehensive SEM Software for Modern Research

SmartPLS 4 represents a major upgrade from previous versions, with the biggest change being the addition of covariance-based SEM analysis that works just like AMOS. This means you can now run both PLS-SEM and CB-SEM in the same program, which eliminates the need to switch between different software packages depending on your research needs. The interface has been completely rebuilt from scratch using current technology, making it much more modern and responsive than the old version. Speed improvements are noticeable throughout the program - bootstrap analyses that used to take several minutes now finish in seconds, and the FIMIX algorithm runs considerably faster on large datasets. You can now import Excel and SPSS files directly instead of having to convert everything to CSV first, which saves time during data preparation. The software also lets you create new datasets from your analysis results, which proves helpful when working with higher-order constructs where you want to use factor scores in follow-up analyses.

Report management has improved substantially with the ability to save your analysis reports and reopen them later, addressing one of the most common user complaints about earlier versions. The new side-by-side comparison feature makes it much easier to compare different models or approaches within the same study by opening multiple reports simultaneously. Chart customization is now extensive - you can change colors, sizes, fonts, and other visual elements, then save these preferences as your default settings. New analysis methods include endogeneity testing through Gaussian copulas, necessary condition analysis with significance testing, regular regression models, PROCESS-style mediation analysis with bootstrapped confidence intervals, and complex moderation including three-way interactions. The program now includes dozens of example projects built right into the software, so you can practice with different techniques even if you don't have your own data ready. Support for 32-bit Windows systems has returned after being dropped in version 3, and there's an extensive library of video tutorials specifically created to help users learn the new features and navigate the interface changes.

You can migrate your existing projects from SmartPLS 3 to the new version, but keep in mind that once you modify files in SmartPLS 4, they won't work with the older version anymore. The new software creates a fresh workspace and imports your old projects as copies, so your original files stay untouched.

Here's how to do it: First, download SmartPLS 4 from the official website and install it on your computer. When you launch the program for the first time, pick your license type and create a new workspace folder. To bring in your old projects, go to File > Import Projects from the main menu, then navigate to your SmartPLS 3 workspace folder (usually found at /users/username/smartpls_workspace). Select which projects you want to import. If you see any data files showing up in red after import, just open them and click "Update" to fix the connection. The whole process takes about 2 minutes according to their demonstration video. James Gaskin has also created a helpful tutorial that walks through the initial setup steps for users who want additional guidance during the transition.

You might get different numbers when you run the same analysis in SmartPLS 4 compared to what you got in version 3. This isn't necessarily a problem - it usually happens because the new version handles data and calculations in better ways. Here's what's probably causing the differences and how to fix them.

Check Your Data Setup First
If your data file shows up in red when you open your old project, that means something's wrong with the file setup. Click on it and check that the delimiter and other settings match what your data actually looks like. Missing values work differently now too. The old version used things like -99 to mark missing data, but version 4 has a proper setup dialog where you tell it what those markers are. Make sure you're handling missing data the same way in both versions, or you'll get different results. Version 4 also knows about different types of variables - the old software treated everything like numbers, even things like gender that were coded as 0 and 1. Now you can tell it what type each variable really is, which changes how the math works.

Standardization and Binary Variables Changed
The biggest difference is how results get standardized. Version 3 always standardized everything automatically, but version 4 gives you choices - "Standardized," "Unstandardized," or "Mean centered." Pick "Standardized" if you want results that match the old version. Binary variables (like yes/no or male/female) work completely differently now. The old software would standardize these too, which made the numbers hard to understand and meant you had to convert them back to something meaningful. Version 4 keeps binary variables in their original 0/1 form, so when you see a coefficient, it actually tells you what happens when someone changes from category 0 to category 1. This is much more useful for interpretation. If you really want the old behavior back, you can manually set your binary variables as "metric" in the data setup, but the new way is better for understanding what your results actually mean.