Quick guide to Project Management software

Project managers use project management software to help plan, track, and execute projects. This software is a great way to keep track of your projects and ensure they are completed on time. Many different types of project management software are available, each with its unique features and benefits. When choosing a project management software, it is vital to consider the specific needs of your project and select a tool that will best support those needs. This guide overviews some of the most popular project management software tools and highlights their key features.

As project managers, we have had our hands on many different ones, each saying they have added new features that the competitors were missing. So if your company doesn't currently have project management software, we will show you what to look for and explain how it could help you. Saving time, saving money, and just saving people's sanity is what they offer, so why not see if there is a good one for you? P.S. we will even provide some advice to get some for free with no strings attached :)

Project management software can help you complete projects on time and within budget. By keeping track of tasks, deadlines, and resources, project management software can help you avoid costly mistakes. With the right choice of software, you can also improve communication between team members. Everyone can stay up-to-date on the project's status by sharing files and tracking progress. In addition, project management software can help you create detailed reports. This information can improve your processes and make future projects even more successful.

Pretty much you will save time, money, and confusion amongst the team. If you ask anyone who has ever worked at a company and been a part of a team those sound like the common things that cause issues. So if you add a bit of structure and impliment a software like we have been talking about you will be a lot better off than without it. 

Project management software is an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. It helps companies plan, track, and execute projects efficiently and effectively.There are many reasons why companies should buy and use project management software:

1. It can help companies save time and money. By using project management software, businesses can avoid hiring multiple employees to manage different aspects of a project.
2. Project management software can help improve communication and collaboration between team members. Using a shared platform allows team members to easily communicate and stay updated on the latest project developments.
3. Project management software can help businesses improve their overall organizational efficiency.

By using a centralized system to manage projects, businesses can ensure that all company resources are being used in the most efficient way possible. Honestly, there are so many more reasons why businesses should try to use them then there are reasons not to. With money being a common reason not to try it out, you don't have to worry because we give some free options below.

There are a bunch of options when it comes to this type of software on the market, and each with unique features and benefits. Some also come with drawbacks as well, so it is really worth it to try to find the best fit from the get go, because many times you will have to invest a decent amount of time figuring out the settings and features to work within your team.

Some popular project management software applications include Microsoft Project, Basecamp, Wrike, Trello, and Ontime. It is really hard to say which one is bette or worse because it is just like clothing. T Shirts are in theory all the same right? But what makes some feel better than others? It is just the small things that make the differences between the products which result in some fitting just right while others feel off no matter how similar they are. 

Microsoft Project is a well-known project management application that offers a variety of features and tools for managing projects. It has a robust feature set that can be customized to fit the needs of any organization. This is one of the go to's for many people starting out on the hunt for the right software. When we used it we found that it had a pretty steep learning curve and that it just didn't work for us.

Basecamp is another popular project management application that offers an easy-to-use interface and a variety of features for managing projects.

The final one that we have tried, and worked with the most is OnTime which is now known as Axosoft. To be honest we just used it because it was the one that the company chose to adopt years ago, and it felt like that. The UI was old and out of date, and while it did get the work done that it was asked to do it just wasn't as easy as many of the options today.  There were so many typing prompts, boxes etc. etc. that it just felt like if you clicked in one place the wrong way the whole thing would fall apart.

There are a few key features when choosing project management software:

1. The software should be able to create and manage tasks efficiently.
2. It should have a good team collaboration feature so everyone can stay on the same page.
3. It should have good reporting features so that you can track the progress of your project.

Depending on your company demands you might have more specific needs, but you should figure out what they are before you go looking. It is easier to figure out what might fit when you know exactly what you need, versus comparing products that could help if you maybe need those features. Features are only useful if you need them, so honestly it isn't about who has the most features, but rather if those features will help your team. 

After we ditched OnTime we moved on to Asana , which has been a dream. It is a lot more of the drag and drop type of app feel and still had the features we needed. The biggest change that we found was how much easier it was to attach and find files within the projects. In the past it was like finding a needle in a haystack, but with Asana it felt like the files you needed were always around.

If you couple this with the fact that it just looks nicer you get a win/win. As project managers we stare at the UI for hours on end, and I don't think anyone will ever try to dispute that Asana just has a nicer polish and finish to the interface.

The final thing we loved about Asana, is that not only is there a free version but you can try it out before you buy it. Why does this matter you might ask? The truth is that within a company these project management software licenses can cost over $100,000 USD per YEAR. So just trying out another one that you sometimes must buy up front isn't an easy pill to swallow when it comes to approved spending. With Asana we were able to try out the free version and see if it fit for our team. If it didn't we could actually keep using it for free but with less features. And in all honesty, that is what I did for my direct team. For the company we were with Ontime because it just had so much in it that we couldn't move the projects out, but for my team of 10 people Asana was just perfect. 

There isn't one specific answer to this question. The best project management software for your team and company depends on a variety of factors, including the size of your team, the nature of your work, and your budget. However, there are a few general tips that can help you choose the right software for your needs.

First, consider the size of your team. If you have a large team, you'll need a project management tool that can accommodate a lot of users. On the other hand, if you have a small team, you might be able to get away with a simpler tool.

Second, think about the nature of your work. If you're working on complex projects with lots of moving parts, you'll need a more robust tool than if you're working on smaller projects.

Finally, consider your budget.

As we said before, make sure you have these points down before you go looking for a progam that could fit in your workplace, because in all honesty the product shouldn't fit in at your workplace but it should excel. You are spending a lot of money, and even more importantly time, so it should save you time and sanity in the long run.