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Finding the perfect project management software can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options available. Whether you're managing a small team or a large organization, choosing the right project management tool is essential for streamlining your processes and ensuring project success.
This guide breaks down what to look for in project management software, including key features such as task management, collaboration tools, and budget tracking. We also highlight the top tools for 2025, so you can find the best solution to keep your team productive, organized, and on track to meet your project goals. Let’s jump in!
What is project management software?
Project management software is a tool designed to help teams plan, organize, and manage their work efficiently. It provides features like task assignment, progress tracking, reporting, and resource management, making it easier to collaborate and deliver projects on time. Whether you’re working on small tasks or big projects, project management software provides a central place where team members and project stakeholders can talk, share updates, and stay aligned.
What are the benefits of using project management software?
Improved organization: Project management software helps keep all project-related tasks, deadlines, and details in one centralized location. This ensures that important information is easy to find and reduces the risk of losing track of key data. Teams can access what they need, whether it's files, updates, or progress reports, without digging through emails or multiple tools.
Better collaboration: With project management software, team members can communicate and share updates seamlessly within a single platform. Features like message boards, file sharing, and real-time notifications ensure everyone is on the same page. It reduces the need for emails and improves transparency across teams. This helps teams collaborate, even when working remotely or in different time zones.
Time management: Look for project management tools that include timelines, calendars, and scheduling features to help teams prioritize tasks and manage deadlines. These features provide a clear view of what needs to be done and when. They also allow managers to allocate resources more efficiently, ensuring the right people are focused on the right tasks at the right time.
Budget tracking: Project management software allows you to monitor spending and track resources in real time. This helps prevent overspending by showing how expenses align with the project’s budget. Managers can easily identify areas where costs may be increasing and take action before they become a bigger problem.
Tools like Teamwork.com excel in budget tracking, offering detailed insights into financial data and helping teams stay on track with their project budgets.
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6 Key features to look for in project management software
When choosing project management software, it's important to find a tool that fits your team’s needs and simplifies your workflow. We've outlined the process for you, making it easy to know what to look for.
Ease of use: Project management software should have an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, even for team members who are not tech-savvy. A user-friendly platform reduces the learning curve and ensures everyone can start using the tool quickly. Complex systems that require extensive training can lead to delays and frustration.
Task management features: Effective project management software should allow users to create, assign, and prioritize tasks. The ability to set deadlines and break larger projects into smaller tasks keeps the workflow organized. Tracking progress in real time helps managers and team members stay on top of what’s been completed and what still needs attention. Customizable task boards or lists can match different work styles, like Agile or Kanban, making sure the software suits your workflow.
Teamwork.com provides customizable Kanban boards and Gantt charts, catering to different work styles and project needs. The Kanban boards are perfect for teams that prefer a visual, drag-and-drop interface; Gantt charts show a timeline to help plan project schedules and keep track of tasks that depend on each other.
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Collaboration features: Collaboration features are critical for keeping team members connected and informed. Look for project management tools that include messaging, comment sections on tasks, and file-sharing capabilities. Real time updates help ensure that everyone is aligned and can respond quickly to changes or issues.
Integration options: The best tool for project management should easily integrate with other tools your team already uses, such as email, calendars, or file storage systems. Integrations eliminate the need to switch between multiple platforms, saving time and reducing errors.
Reporting and analytics: Detailed reporting and analytics are essential for understanding the performance of your projects. The project management software should allow you to generate reports on key metrics like task completion, resource usage, and budget tracking. Insights from these reports help identify potential bottlenecks or inefficiencies before they become bigger problems.
Tools like Teamwork.com go a step further with features like pre-built templates for time tracking, budget summaries, and task breakdowns. Customizable reports let you focus on the data that matters most to your team.
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Dashboards: Provide a quick, visual summary of your project’s status. A good project management software should show key details like task progress, upcoming deadlines, and team performance in one place. With easy-to-read visuals, dashboards make it simple to spot issues early and keep stakeholders informed.
Teamwork.com excels at this by displaying key details such as task progress, upcoming deadlines, and team performance all in one place. With clear and easy-to-read visuals, Teamwork.com’s dashboards make it simple to identify potential issues early and keep stakeholders updated.
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5 Types of project management software
Project management software comes in different types, each designed to suit specific ways of working, team structures, and project methods. Here's a simple breakdown of the main types and what they’re used for:
Gantt chart software is perfect for managing projects that have strict timelines or tasks that depend on each other. It visualizes a project’s schedule as a horizontal bar chart, making it easy to see how tasks overlap and connect. This type of software is especially useful for complex projects with multiple moving parts and stakeholders.
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Agile project management software is designed to help teams work flexibly and adapt to changes as they go. It’s popular for teams that use Agile methods like Scrum or Kanban, where work is done in small, easy-to-manage steps called sprints. They’re perfect for industries like software development, where priorities can shift frequently.
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Scrum software is a type of Agile software specifically built for teams using the Scrum framework. They include features like sprint planning boards and backlog management. Scrum software helps teams organize their work into sprints, which are short, focused periods for completing specific tasks. These tools are great for teams that need to review their progress regularly and adapt quickly.
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Portfolio management software is for organizations managing several projects at the same time. Instead of focusing on individual tasks, this software provides a high-level overview of all ongoing tasks. Managers can use it to track budgets, allocate resources, and assess project risks. It’s helpful for deciding which projects to focus on or change according to the company’s goals.
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Resource and time management software helps teams stay productive and avoid burnout. Resource management features show who’s available and how much work they have taken on. Time management tools often include time-tracking features, so teams can monitor how long tasks take and track billable hours for clients. These tools are great for balancing workloads, managing deadlines, and keeping projects running smoothly. They’re especially valuable for agencies and businesses that charge clients based on time spent.
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5 Best practices for using project management software
Set clear objectives: Before you start using any project management software, make sure everyone understands the project's goals, and that you have clearly defined the objectives and outcomes you want to achieve. This helps ensure that all tasks and deadlines align with the overall mission of the project. When goals are clear from the start, it’s easier to prioritize work and track progress.
Choose the right software for your needs: Not all project management tools are the same, so pick one that fits your team’s needs and workflow. Whether you’re managing small tasks or large projects, select software that offers the features and flexibility your team requires. For example, if your team follows Agile, look for tools that support sprints and backlogs. If you need to track resources, choose software with resource management features.
Keep projects organized: Use the project management software to create organized project structures. Break larger projects into smaller tasks, assign deadlines, and make sure everyone knows their responsibilities. Organizing tasks and projects clearly will help prevent confusion and missed deadlines. Use folders, labels, or categories to group related tasks together for easy access.
Collaborate and communicate: Make the most of your project management software’s collaboration features, like chat, file sharing, and comment sections. Encourage team members to communicate openly within the platform to keep everything in one place. This helps avoid email clutter and ensures everyone has access to the latest updates.
Regularly review and adjust: Project management software is a tool that needs regular updates, not something you just set up once and forget about. Regularly review your project’s progress, adjust timelines or priorities when necessary, and keep the team updated. Use reporting tools within the software to track milestones, identify potential roadblocks, and make adjustments as needed. Staying on top of these project reviews will ensure everything stays on track and is aligned with the original goals.
Top 5 project management tools
1. Teamwork.com
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Teamwork.com is a powerful project management tool designed to make collaboration easier. With a range of features, it’s perfect for managing projects of any size, especially for teams working with clients.
With powerful task management features, Teamwork.com helps teams create, assign, and prioritize tasks while keeping everything organized in one place. The platform’s time tracking and resource management capabilities ensure you can stay on schedule and within budget, no matter how complex the project.
Teamwork.com makes it easy to keep clients in the loop with features like client access and regular project updates. This means your clients can stay informed about progress without constant email updates. Also, its detailed reporting and budgeting features allow you to monitor expenses in real-time, helping keep every project financially on track.
Another key advantage of Teamwork.com is its seamless integrations with popular tools like Slack, HubSpot, and Google Drive. This ensures your team can continue using the apps they rely on while keeping all project data centralized. Customizable workflows, including Kanban boards and Gantt charts, allow teams to tailor the platform to their unique processes.
Whether your team is managing a single project or juggling multiple client accounts, Teamwork.com is designed to help you deliver high-quality results while maintaining efficiency and transparency.
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2. Asana
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Asana is a flexible tool designed to simplify task and project management. It allows teams to organize tasks in various views, such as lists, boards, or timelines, catering to different preferences. The platform’s easy-to-use interface and automation options save time and reduce manual effort, allowing teams to focus on their priorities. Asana makes collaboration easier with features like task comments, file sharing, and connections to tools like Zoom and Google Drive.
3. Trello
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Trello is a straightforward project management tool that uses a card-based system to visualize tasks and workflows. Users can drag and drop cards across customizable boards, making it easy to track progress at a glance. Trello integrates with popular tools like Slack, Dropbox, and Google Workspace, allowing teams to centralize their work. It doesn’t have as many features as some other tools, but it's simple design and ease of use make it popular with many teams.
4. Monday.com
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Monday.com is a visually appealing project management platform that organizes task tracking and team collaboration. Its vibrant dashboards and variety of templates make it easy to start managing projects right away. The tool lets you automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing mistakes. Monday.com also works with apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom to make team communication easier. Teams of all sizes can customize the platform to fit the way they work, making it useful for many different industries.
5. Jira
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Jira is designed for software development and technical teams. It excels in managing Agile and Scrum workflows, offering features like sprint planning, bug tracking, and customizable workflows. Jira’s powerful reporting tools provide detailed insights into project performance, helping teams identify and resolve bottlenecks. Although it’s made for development projects, it’s flexible enough for non-technical teams to use too.
Start managing projects with Teamwork.com
Teamwork.com simplifies project management with a user-friendly interface and powerful features. It helps teams stay organized, collaborate efficiently, and track progress in real time. Whether you're managing a single project or multiple projects at once, Teamwork.com provides the tools you need to ensure your projects run smoothly and meet deadlines. With customizable workflows, task management features, and seamless client integration, it’s the perfect solution for every team.
What I appreciate most about Teamwork.com is how it has changed my business. Being able to repeat your process over and over is what makes a business successful. It’s what can make or break you as you’re scaling. You can’t scale if you can’t repeat.
Susan Fennema
Chaos Eradicating Officer (CEO)
FAQs about project management software
Is Excel a project management tool?
Excel can be used for simple project management tasks like tracking tasks and deadlines, but it doesn’t have all the features of specialized project management tools. It requires manual updates and doesn't support real-time collaboration. For bigger or more complex projects, Excel might not be the best choice.
Is Gantt chart a project management tool?
A Gantt chart is not a full project management tool on its own—it's a visual tool used in project management. It helps you plan and track project schedules and tasks. Many project management tools, like Teamwork.com, include Gantt charts to help manage timelines.
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