Project Management Software

Making an action plan is essential for turning goals into results. Whether you’re launching a new initiative or improving existing processes, you need well-structured documents that outline tasks, deadlines and accountability. Using action plan templates ensures every step is clearly defined and supported with the information required to execute successfully. Below are our top free action plan templates for Excel and Word. Use them individually or combine them to build a complete execution toolkit your team can follow with confidence and clarity. 1. Action Plan Template for Excel When a project moves from ideas into execution, an action plan becomes the roadmap that gui…

Financial planning rarely works well when income and expenses are scattered across notes, apps or disconnected files. A well-structured budget spreadsheet helps bring those numbers together so spending, savings and financial decisions can be managed with clarity. The free templates featured in this blog provide individuals, teams and businesses with practical tools to organize financial data, monitor expenses and maintain better control over their budgeting activities. Budget spreadsheets for Excel or Google Sheets are useful, but whenever you’re ready to make a budget for personal, professional or business projects, try ProjectManager instead. ProjectManager is an award…

Any successful business requires thoughtful planning and well-structured documentation to stay focused and achieve growth. With the right business planning templates, organizations can capture goals, strategies and financial plans clearly, ensuring every stakeholder has consistent, accurate information to guide decision-making. Below, you’ll find our top 12 business planning templates for Microsoft Excel and Word. These resources help streamline strategic planning, improve analysis and support better communication across teams. Use them individually or as a complete toolkit to build a comprehensive business plan that investors, leaders and employees can trust. 1. Busine…

Managing inventory is critical whether in manufacturing, retail, construction or any industry that lives and dies by having the right resources when needed. An inventory template is a structured tool that helps record, manage and track inventory items. Using an inventory list template helps managers avoid inaccurate records, poor demand forecasting, overstocking and stockouts. Download any of the free inventory sheet templates below to analyze inventory metrics and adjust quickly to market changes. 1. Inventory Template for Excel Built for flexibility, this inventory template works across industries and operational setups. Whether you’re managing raw materials for manuf…

A project progress tracker is an essential tool for monitoring project performance, keeping tasks on schedule and ensuring deliverables are met. Using a project progress tracker helps teams visualize progress, identify bottlenecks and manage deadlines effectively. Whether through software or spreadsheets, tracking progress allows managers to maintain accountability, allocate resources wisely and adjust workflows proactively. By implementing a project progress tracker early, organizations can reduce risk, improve communication and ensure successful project outcomes. Using Excel as a Project Progress Tracker Excel spreadsheets have long been a popular method for maintainin…

A proposal template is a versatile tool that streamlines the process of presenting, planning and initiating projects in any industry. Whether working in construction, IT, event planning, marketing, professional services or practically any business venture, a well-designed proposal template ensures that all critical components of a proposal are clearly outlined and professionally delivered. Why Use a Proposal Template? Across industries, a proposal template is a starting point for customizing proposals to suit specific needs. For example, in construction, the focus may be on deliverables, site plans and contractor timelines. In IT, the emphasis might be on system architec…

Creating professional reports can be time-consuming, but the right template can make the process much easier. Whether you need to present data, analyze performance or share project updates, using a well-designed template saves you time and ensures a polished look. In this roundup, we’ve gathered these free report templates that are easy to customize and perfect for any purpose. From business reports to project summaries, these templates will help you create clear, organized and visually appealing documents in no time. But templates aren’t a perfect solution. Project management software offers a more efficient reporting method for those ready to upgrade. Not ready to make…

If there’s one thing you can be certain of when managing a project, it’s change. If only you knew ahead of time what those issues would be, you could better address them. Although it’s impossible to predict the future, with these free risk management templates, you can better prepare for the unexpected and be more apt to keep your project on track. There are many project management templates that are designed to help you identify, respond to and track those risks. This helps you avoid an issue that becomes a problem that negatively impacts the project’s time, cost and scope. Download these free risk management templates and gain more control over your project. 1. Risk M…

It seems that people have been spelling team with an “i” for a long time. We live in a culture that promotes the roughed individual, the self-made person, the entrepreneur and often overlooks teamwork examples. They did it all themselves, or so they say. But even the most charismatic and self-reliant people are not working in a vacuum. Team management is always instrumental in any major project. The truth is that teamwork is the shoulder on which all major successes rest. Whether that be the building of the pyramids in Egypt or the dominance of Apple in the marketplace. But don’t take our word for it. There are many teamwork examples throughout history. We cherry-picked…

Running a manufacturing operation without clear documentation quickly leads to delays, miscommunication and costly mistakes. Manufacturing documents bring structure to production workflows, helping teams stay aligned, track progress accurately and ensure every stage of the process is executed with consistency and control. What Are Manufacturing Documents? Manufacturing documents are structured records used to plan, execute, monitor and control production activities. They include materials, processes, schedules, instructions and quality requirements. These documents ensure consistency across operations, support traceability and provide a reliable framework for managing ma…

Knowing what signs to look for to prevent failed projects is the responsibility of the project manager. Let’s take a deeper look at project failure, and identify some actionable steps you can take to avoid it. The post 12 Reasons Why Projects Fail & Solutions for Them appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Stakeholders are anyone who has a vested interest in the project. They can be internal, such as project managers, teams, owners or investors, or external, such as clients, customers or suppliers. There can be a lot of stakeholders in any project and managing them requires stakeholder management templates. ProjectManager is project management software that helps you manage projects and stakeholders. If you’re not ready for a free trial of the software, we also offer dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Word that can help with every phase of your project. Here are some free stakeholder management templates. 1. Stakeholder Analysis Template There may b…

Lazy coworkers — there’s at least one in every office. They’re the ones who come in late, take a long lunch and leave early. They always have an excuse to explain their behavior and can even be apologetic. But what good is saying sorry if the actions remain the same? These actions can be annoying, but if the lazy coworker doesn’t impact your work, then simply avoid them. Don’t hold onto resentments. On the other hand, if their laziness starts to affect your work life, then you need to address it. But first, do a little soul-searching. Are you just being judgmental? Does the lazy coworker trigger you? Before you start tattling and spreading toxic emotions, try speaking t…

If you’re looking for ways to increase productivity in your project (and who isn’t?), then you’ll need to know how to effectively measure your progress. Tracking these key performance indicators (KPI) will help keep the team productive and the project on track. Having your eye on KPI metrics is one of the best ways to track the progress of your team. But first, let’s define some key terms and then get to the essential KPI metrics for teams. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Light-mode-portfolio-dashboard-CTA.pngTrack KPIs in real time with dashboards. Learn more What Is a KPI? KPI is an acronym that stands for key performance indicator. It is a measurement that demonstrates h…

Managing invoices, tracking payments and keeping cash flow predictable all depend on having the right systems in place. Billing templates and payment templates give teams a structured way to standardize invoicing, plan payments and reduce errors, helping businesses stay organized, improve collections and maintain consistent financial control across projects. ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software equipped with advanced cost management features that allow organizations to create detailed project schedules, estimate costs, create a budget, allocate resources and monitor costs in real time as work is executed. Get started for free today. /wp-content…

Throughout the life of a project, you must report on a wide variety of information. This information will be compiled into different reports and passed along to managers, investors, clients and other stakeholders. From there, reports can be used to make project decisions and adjustments. Using project report templates, like a weekly status report template, ensure these reports are created quickly and effectively. Why Use a Project Report Template? No matter how thoroughly a project is planned, the unexpected is bound to happen. Project reports document these changes, whether good or bad, and inform future strategies. Without regularly completing project reports, valuabl…

Turning ideas into organized execution rarely happens without a clear structure. That’s where work plan templates come in. Instead of starting from scratch, teams can rely on structured documents that help organize tasks, define milestones and coordinate responsibilities. The work plan templates in this list were selected so individuals, teams and organizations can create practical work plans that account for project timelines, workload distribution, estimated costs, deliverables and the overall direction of the project. Whenever you’re ready to start managing projects, give ProjectManager a try. ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software designed to …

Teams rely on clear documentation to detect defects, investigate problems and maintain consistent standards throughout a project lifecycle. Quality control documents help capture inspection findings, track issues and organize corrective actions so problems don’t repeat. In this guide, we’ll review essential quality control documents used across industries and provide free templates to help teams manage quality more effectively. Whenever you’re ready to start managing projects, give ProjectManager a try. ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software designed to plan, schedule and track projects from start to finish. Build detailed project schedules, alloc…

Whether you’re managing a project in construction or manufacturing, keeping costs down is paramount. The lower your costs, the higher your profits. It’s as simple as that. This is why cost control techniques are so important in project management and business administration. To understand cost control methods, let’s first define what cost control is and then we’ll explore the steps you can take to implement cost control. There are also a number of cost control techniques that can help, which we’ll also outline. Learn how strategic cost management techniques can help you better manage construction or manufacturing projects. What Is Cost Control? Cost control is a practic…

Planning a project only gets you so far. You also have to monitor your progress and performance to track if you’re on schedule and within budget. Then there are your stakeholders whose expectations must be managed. That’s where Excel report templates come in. Project reports are tools that project managers use to extract valuable project data. Excel report templates are a great tool to determine how you’re doing and keep your stakeholders updated. Using Excel Report Templates for Project Management The great thing about Excel report templates is that they’re free to download. Below are 10 essential Excel report templates that you can use now to get valuable data on your…

You have a desired outcome, but what steps will you take to get there? Goal setting and tracking are important for both personal and professional success. Goals provide direction, purpose and motivation, while tracking helps with accountability and identifying roadblocks. Using goal-setting templates and goal-tracking templates will help deliver projects successfully and likely keep you much more organized along the way. There are over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word available to download right now on our site. They cover every phase of managing a project and can be used across industries. We’ve cherry-picked the best free goal-setting templates …

Project portfolio management (PPM) is the centralized management of all projects within an organization to ensure that they align with the overall strategic goals, deliver value, and are executed efficiently. The main objective of PPM is to optimize the selection, prioritization, and execution of projects to maximize organizational benefits, minimize risk and improve resource utilization. Below are free project portfolio templates to help with PPM. ProjectManager’s award-winning project and portfolio management software is more dynamic than static project portfolio management templates. Our software has tools to plan, manage and track programs, portfolios, resources and …

Turning ideas into results requires more than motivation. The right goal-setting strategies help individuals and teams define clear objectives, track progress and stay focused on meaningful outcomes across projects, initiatives and long-term strategic plans. What Are Goal-Setting Strategies? When teams move from vague ambitions to clearly defined outcomes, they rely on goal-setting strategies to guide planning and execution. A goal-setting strategy provides a structured way to define objectives, measure progress and coordinate work across people and timelines. Instead of relying on intuition, teams use a goal-setting strategy to translate priorities into measurable targe…

Is leadership something you’re born with or can it be taught? It’s an interesting question, but one that you shouldn’t spend too much time stressing over. Even if you are full of charisma and people naturally line up to follow you anywhere, you could always hone your leadership skills with leadership training. Or, if you’re like the rest of us, who aren’t natural-born leaders, but find themselves in a position of leadership, you’ll want to study the techniques that rally teams to success. Leadership isn’t rocket science, but like rocket science, it can be taught. There’s a wealth of leadership courses available, online and in the real world. Some are free and others are…

Smartsheet is a popular project management tool that describes itself as a “work execution platform.” This web-based application is best known for its unique use of project management spreadsheets. However, spreadsheets might not be the best project management tool to handle time tracking, resource management or task management, which makes project managers look for Smartsheet alternatives. Why People Seek a Smartsheet Alternative There are many project management software tools on the market that offer similar feature sets. If you’re looking for a Smartsheet alternative, look no further. We’ve taken a look at some of the best Smartsheet alternatives for you—but first, l…