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Top Project Management Software: Free Your Teams To Move Faster Research indicates that seventy percent of projects crash, and forty-four percent of managers don’t use project management software. But project managers who use proper project management tools see a considerable improvement in planning and executing projects. In this article, you learn how project management software can help your teams work faster and wiser. What Is Project Management Software (PMS)? Technologyadvice.com says, “Project management software helps project managers (PMs) and teams collaborate and meet goals on time while managing resources and cost. Functions may include task distribution, time tracking, budgeting, resource planning, team collaboration, and many more.” Why Should You Consider Project Management Software? As a small business, you could have a long-term project that needs several people in different places to tackle. For this reason, you should have an app that’ll allow you to collaborate, communicate, manage workflow, tasks, and processes. A project management platform will help you do just that. Here are more reasons you need a project management tool. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Easy to coordinate individuals and assignments for the project Team members can clock the amount of time they spend on a project, ensuring you finish it on time To-do lists help your team manage time and work faster, increasing productivity Can start many projects, assign work with deliverables and deadlines Dashboards let you see tasks falling behind schedule and reassign them to other team members Different project management tools allow you to check your productivity and reward team members for hitting targets Cloud-based tools offer you real-time updates, ensuring that no team member misses any critical info Businesses can make and send quotes and invoices to clients on the same project management platform Teams can handle projects of any size ● Can have access to info easily through customizing dashboards What Are the Types of Project Management Software? Several types of project management software are available for small businesses. For example, some platforms are specifically for software developers, while others with advanced features are for large-scale projects. Here are different kinds of project management tools that small businesses need to consider. Task Management Software This type of project management application offers essential functions that assist you with automating manual processes, such as spreadsheets. Project managers can use these tools to organize staff tasks and monitor their progress through dashboards. Your employees can also use labels and color codes to prioritize their assignments. They can keep themselves in the loop by setting up due date reminders and notifications. Project Collaboration Software With this type of project management software, you can improve communication with your team members. Project members can collaborate. In addition, the app provides voice or video calls, team activity dashboards, real-time chats, and document sharing features. Agile Management Software Agile management software is for software developers to manage their projects. Non-technical teams with less than ten members can also use these tools as long as they follow the software’s framework, including marketing. Like task management platforms, they also have task collaboration and management features. Team members can see their tasks through Kanban dashboards and use charts and sprint velocity metrics for reporting. Project Portfolio Management (PMM) Software PMM tools are for growing small businesses. They provide resource management, risk management, and product life cycle features. You can use this software to assign tasks to the right individuals, rank projects, and assess potential risks. How Does Project Management Software Work? First, you need to create your projects on the platform, descriptions, tasks, etc. Your project team members can update how they’re progressing on a task on the forum. They can also ask some questions and work together as a team. Project management software offers you the necessary tools to manage a project from start to end successfully. It lets project managers handle communication between clients and staff effectively and efficiently, boosting productivity. Project Management tools Help you to zero in on your project goals ● Automatically reorganizes work when you miss your scheduled deadline ● Assists project managers and team members with managing their projects and tasks ● What Are the Project Management Software Features? Standard project management software should have these capabilities. Common Feature What It Does Project planning and task management PMS helps users describe project scope, set up due dates, design, monitor, and complete crucial tasks and deliverables. Scheduling Calendar capabilities let you schedule projects. Multi-user interface Allows multiple users with separate logins and permission settings to monitor their progress and others’ work, too. Users can also share and follow crucial info on the platform. Resource management Project managers can distribute resources, such as personnel and inventory. They can also account for the allocation of these assets. Risk management Risk management allows users to identify possible project risks and take steps to fix the issues early. Document management PMS enables team members to save docs in a central place, including sharing them with key members and following any changes. Billing and invoicing Your business can manage all its accounting processes. Budgeting, expense, & time tracking This function is best for companies dealing with colossal once-off projects, such as manufacturing, construction, and professional services. PMS lets them budget for each project, track its expenses, etc., making it easy to match budgets, bids, costs, and revenue with the relevant projects. Other critical features to consider are: Gantt Charts ● Mobile Access ● Email Integration ● Workflow integration ● Support for Agile Methodology With this method, you can execute your project in ‘sprints,’ allowing you to reassess your priorities after completing each sprint. Feedback is ongoing, and, as a result, you can fine-tune the project scope. Support for Waterfall Methodology It lets you get rid of risks by planning the whole project. Also, the approach enables you to complete one project part before you start the next task. How To Evaluate Project Management Software Before you buy a project management tool, you should consider several issues. 1. All-in-one or specific use Are you looking to meet a particular need? For example, project management software may offer you resource management and task management features. Do you also need a comprehensive solution that all your team members or departments will use? Some apps enable users to visualize projects in many different ways, making it easy to execute the tasks across the entire organization. 2. Complexity vs. ease of use Some tools are essential with little training, while others have a steep learning curve. It’s also vital to get products with top usability ratings. 3. Free trials Before you take on a full subscription, it’s critical to have exposure to the project management software. A free trial lets you test the tool to see if it aligns with your business needs. 4. Collaboration for remote teams You should have a project management solution to help your teams collaborate due to the rise of remote work. Project management software offering Kanban dashboards and team chat channels allows users to comment and share files. Large teams with many projects and even small groups handling a few projects need PMS supporting online team collaboration. 5. Cloud-based project management app vs. on-premises A cloud-based project management platform lets you subscribe to its services, but the service provider handles software hosting and maintenance. In contrast, if a solution is on-premise, you purchase the app once, install it, manage and maintain the software. Because the on-premise solution requires a few IT employees, it would be better to use cloud-based project management software. What Are the Types of Project Management Software? Here’s a list of 6 project management platforms. 1. Asana https://asana.com/ Asana’s headquarters are in San Francisco, CA. It says that it has over 100 000 paying clients, including free organizations around the globe. Companies like Under Armour, Amazon, and Japan depend on Asana for project management to handle multiple projects simultaneously. As a mobile and web app, Asana offers users conversations and dashboards, tasks, and projects. With these abilities, team members stay updated about what each person is doing at a particular time. Companies and agencies can use cloud-based project management software to categorize and manage tasks. Asana also helps team members collaborate and communicate as they work on the projects. Asana key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Task management Dashboards Reporting Automatic notifications Document management Communication and collaboration tools A customer portal Task assignment, including inbox functions that record updates that the software automatically generates Potential users: small businesses, mid-size businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $10,99 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial 2. Monday.com https://monday.com/ Monday.com is another project management software company that says more than 100,000 businesses globally use its platform. As an application, it lets anyone access its functions and capabilities since it's an open platform. With Monday.com, users can create the necessary tools to start and manage their work. Whether team members are in the office, at home, or anywhere, they can also plan and complete projects on time. Offering code-free features, Monday.com enables teams to manage projects and workflows with efficiency. As a result, it frees team members from manual work. Monday.com key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Workflow templates that users can customize Time tracking Automation Dashboards Integrates with standard tools and apps Document Management Collaboration Tools Third-Party Integrations File Sharing Potential users: small businesses, mid-sized businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $10,00 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial 3. PayMo https://www.paymoapp.com/ PayMo says that over 50,000 freelancers use the project management platform. The app allows users to manage projects from planning to execution by dividing the tasks into manageable activities. PayMo also enables project managers to assign tasks to their staff or co-workers. Using mobile apps, users can keep abreast of work on the go or in the office. As a result, every team member doesn’t miss any critical updates during the project. Social media consultants, marketing, IT and software services, web design and development firms, and creative agencies can find PayMo useful. Also, they can design customizable static live reports to monitor performance. PayMo key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Customizable workplace File storage Time tracking Multi-user assigning Task management Kanban boards Resource Management Time & Expense Tracking Collaboration Tools Potential users: small businesses, mid-sized businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $9,56 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial (No need for a credit card) 4. Wrike https://www.wrike.com/ Wrike claims that over 20 000 customers, including 2M users, use the cloud-based collaboration and project management platform. The app lets teams in different geographical locations align their project goals and tasks, leading to unified work. In addition, Wrike assists teams with carrying out their tasks easily by improving communication, accountability, and openness. Project management teams can work smarter and faster by prioritizing tasks. Wrike gives users the freedom to manage multiple projects and teams on the same platform. Real-time reporting and analytics enable users to guide their work and gauge their performance. Wrike key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Email integration Communication, accountability, and transparency capabilities Collaboration and customization tools Scheduling and balancing team members' workload Resource Management Projections Reporting/Analytics Task Management Prioritization Potential users: small businesses, mid-sized businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android,and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $9,80 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial (No need for a credit card) 5. Trello https://trello.com/en Trello is another project management platform that allows users to perform tasks collaboratively. The app from Atlassian claims that over 1,000,000 teams use its tools to “collaborate, manage projects, and reach productive peaks.” As a project management tool, Trello offers Kanban boards to let users visualize their work. As a result, it’s an ideal app for task management in a to-do list format. Trello’s cards, boards, and lists make it easy to prioritize and organize projects, improving productivity. The project management software lets teams and individuals set up and customize boards to meet their styles and needs. Users can also integrate Trello with Jira, Slack, Google Drive, etc., sharing files becomes as easy as 123. Trello key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Attach Files Create boards Upload videos and photos Agile methodologies Activity dashboard Alerts and notifications Add checklists and to-do lists on cards Calendar management Customization of templates Potential users: small businesses, mid-sized businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $12,50 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial 6. ClickUp https://clickup.com/ ClickUp is a project management app that says over 200,000 teams use it to plan, collaborate, and organize projects. It claims that businesses with more than 10,000 employees can work together on the same platform without tech hitches. Businesses and industries of any size can use ClickUp as cloud-based project management software. The platform has several valuable tools for its users, such as a task toolbar, alerts, collaboration and communication, task assignments, and statuses. ClickUp lets users direct comments and assignments to special teams and mark tasks and comments, showing their progress. With its Agile dashboards, users can visualize their tasks. ClickUp key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Access controls and permissions Application management Activity dashboards Alerts and escalation, including desktop notifications Drag and drop recording Agile broad view Smart Gantt chart Due date tracking Data visualization Potential users: small businesses, mid-sized businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $5,00 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial 7. Teamwork https://www.teamwork.com/ Supporting Spanish, French, English, and German languages, Teamwork is a work and project management tool. It lets users manage projects from start to completion. As an online project management software, professionals can use its collaboration and communication tools. Teamwork gives users 100% control of their projects, leading to task independence and flexibility. Team members can also improve their productivity by using its dashboard, showing deadlines, projects, reminders, etc. Teamwork key features ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Document editor Project scheduling Gantt & Timeline view Kanban boards Live chat, task discussions, team calendars, messaging Customizable templates and dashboards Collaboration tools Task management Campaign management Potential users: small businesses, mid-sized businesses, large companies, and freelancers Available: Web, Android, and iPhone/iPad Price: Starts from $10,00 Pricing model: Free, subscription, free trial Other handy project management software includes: HoneyBook ● Basecamp ● Zoho Projects ● Final Thoughts Project management software helps you collaborate with your team and manage projects efficiently, leading to skyrocketing productivity. Team members, administrators, employees, including project managers, can use project management platforms to work faster and wiser. Project managers can also coordinate several tasks easily, distribute resources, organize assignments, prepare invoices and reports. Different types of project management tools are available to meet various business needs.