Project Management Software

In the fast-paced world of business operations, staying organized and efficient is key, and that’s where service templates come into play. These ready-to-use documents help streamline communication, standardize processes and ensure consistency across activities, from procurement and project management to customer service and internal workflows. Whether you’re managing inventory, requesting quotes or scheduling maintenance, having a clear and structured template can save time, reduce errors and improve accountability. Anyone who is a small business owner, department manager or part of a larger corporate team will find these service templates helpful Free Service Template…

Learn how to write effective user stories and download a free user story template to capture goals and guide agile development. The post A Guide on Writing User Stories in Agile Projects + Free Templates appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Projects are made up of a large number of tasks, and keeping track of those tasks is a primary role of a project manager. Sometimes, the tasks in a project all run smoothly and independently of each other, and there are no complexities. Other times, however, there will be a large chain of dependent tasks that make things more complicated. What happens if a task needs to be completed today, but the person responsible for it is waiting on another task that hasn’t been completed yet? Delay happens. If you want to avoid delays in your projects, then it’s time to familiarize yourself with float or slack in project management. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Construction-Gantt-li…

Risk is always present in construction projects. By definition, construction risk feels unpredictable and damaging, but you can identify and manage them. You may feel you can control risk in your organization and construction management team—but what happens when you’re working with independent contractors? Suddenly, the success of the construction project rests on the shoulders of those who are less accountable to you. However, you can minimize and mitigate contractor risks through a process known as contractor risk management. Just as contract administration, contractor risk is important to understand. It requires screening and protecting yourself from issues that mig…

When a project or product manager is in the planning stage, they’re scheduling tasks to meet a schedule and not exceed the budget. But if the customer needs aren’t met with the deliverables being created, the project is a failure. Equally or more important than meeting deadlines and avoiding cost overruns is acceptance criteria. Why are acceptance criteria important? We’ll explain by defining the term and detailing what should be included to help the development team produce successful deliverables. Then we’ll explain when this process occurs, who defines it and more. What Are Acceptance Criteria? Acceptance criteria in project management are the specific conditions, re…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Ensuring Accountability in Project Management As in any branch or division of a business unit, one needs to have a clear notion on the accountability and responsibility within the project management domain too. The project managers must be well aware of their responsibilities and the accountability towards the project whether it is a… The post Accountability in Project Management appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Looking for a simple way to organize your tasks, track progress, and stay on top of deadlines? An action plan template for Google Sheets can help. With this easy-to-use, customizable template, you can break down projects into clear steps, assign responsibilities and monitor progress in real time. Whether you’re managing a team project or planning personal goals, this template keeps everything in one place, saving time and keeping your workflow on track. An action plan template for Google Sheets helps bring structure to ideas by placing tasks, deadlines and responsibilities in a clear sequence. Its online format keeps information accessible, allowing contributors to stay …

Activity-based costing (ABC) is a method used to allocate overhead and indirect costs based on the activities that drive those costs. In project management, ABC allows for a more accurate understanding of project expenses by identifying and assigning costs to specific activities, rather than using broad allocation methods. This approach helps project managers make better budgeting, resource allocation and cost control decisions, ultimately improving financial transparency and ensuring projects are completed within budget. Let’s explore ABC costing and the ABC method further. What Is Activity-Based Costing? Activity-based costing is a costing method that assigns overhead…

Agile and Waterfall are two popular project management methodologies. Learn the differences between Agile and Waterfall and which one is best for you. The post Agile vs Waterfall Methodology: Differences & How to Choose appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

AI for project management is changing how teams plan and deliver projects. Instead of relying only on manual processes, project managers can now use AI project management to analyze data, predict risks and recommend next steps. This technology helps teams save time, improve accuracy and make better decisions during every stage of a project. As more organizations adopt AI project management tools, they gain an advantage in speed and efficiency. AI tools for project management make it easier to balance workloads, manage resources, and stay on top of deadlines. Whether you are running a small project or managing a complex portfolio, using AI for project management keeps eve…

Keeping your employees engaged and on task is, well, no easy task. They say one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch—and it’s true. A bad hire can cost your business valuable workplace productivity, not to mention nearly 20 percent of their salary on average. And those are just a couple of reasons why workforce management is so important. Whether you’re in IT, construction or retail, mastering the basics of workforce management can benefit you immensely. What Is a Workforce, Exactly? A workforce is the total number of people employed or available for work within a specific context, such as a company, organization, industry or geographic region. Think of it as the human c…

Most have heard of the phrase “historic data” when planning a project. It’s a way to look back at similar projects for clues as to the needs of the current one. For those who prefer a more erudite term, there’s analogous estimating. What is analogous estimating in project management? We’ll define that term, how and when it should be used and the various types that can be employed when forecasting projects. What Is Analogous Estimating? Analogous estimating is a project management technique used to estimate the cost, duration or resources required for a project or task by comparing it to similar, previously completed projects. It’s a form of top-down estimation that reli…

Manufacturing teams rely on various tools to keep production moving smoothly, and the andon board has become one of the most recognizable parts of that environment. Its purpose is to bring clarity to fast-moving operations and support immediate responses when conditions change. Understanding how an andon board fits into modern shop floors offers valuable insight into lean manufacturing practices and real-time communication. What Is an Andon Board? At its core, an andon board is a visual control tool used to communicate production conditions instantly. It signals normal operations, identifies abnormalities and prompts immediate action when attention is required. By presen…

Asana is popular project management software, but does it have all the features project managers and their teams need? Let’s narrow the focus and spotlight one feature, the Asana dashboard. Does the tool have this feature and, if it does, how robust is it? A dashboard is essential for monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), such as time tracking, work management and more. Is an Asana dashboard up to the task? Let’s find out! We’ll review Asana, see if it has a dashboard and explore alternatives that might better serve project teams. What Is Asana? Asana is project management software designed to help teams and individuals organize work, collaborate and stay on top…

Is an Asana Gantt Chart the right project management tool organizations need to schedule, manage and track their projects? It certainly bills itself as such, but we’ll get past the marketing and test drive the product to determine where it succeeds and where it fails. We’ll review this popular software and the foundational scheduling tool to see if the Asana Gantt chart has all the features project managers and their teams expect. Any potential customers need to read this to learn how to make a Gantt chart in Asana and whether that effort is worth it. What Is Asana? Asana is a well-known work management tool and collaborative platform that is designed to help teams orga…

If you’re researching which project management software to use, you’ve probably already compared Asana vs. ClickUp. They are two of the most popular apps on the market, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best. Certainly, Asana is simple to use and pleasing to the eyes, while ClickUp is similar to Asana, but with software development tools. However, as project management tools, they both fall short. Asana’s timeline is no substitute for a Gantt chart and ClickUp is more focused on productivity than project management. If you’re looking for project management software, then you’ll want a robust Gantt chart among other project views to give you the flexibility to manage any …

Asana is a popular work management software that helps teams collaborate on tasks and projects. Microsoft Project is a popular project management software that has the tools that project managers need to manage teams and projects. If you’re looking at Asana vs. Microsoft Project and trying to decide which is the right tool for you, we have the stats to help you make that decision. There are problems in the battle of Microsoft Project vs. Asana. For one, MS Project is notoriously difficult to use and expensive. Then there’s Asana, which is a great work management tool that calls itself a project management software solution, but in reality doesn’t live up to delivering th…

Asana vs. Monday is a matchup made for project management professionals. Which one to choose? That’s why Monday vs. Asana is such an important battle. You can’t have both, so you want what’s best. We’ll help you pick between Asana vs. Monday. It’s difficult. Asana vs. Monday are both similar project management tools. They have features, such as project tracking, workflow automation and other standard project management software features. Let’s look at those features, pricing and other comparisons between Monday vs. Asana. Of course, you can have the best of both worlds, with more powerful features and at a price point that fits your budget. ProjectManager is award-winni…

When working in an agile or scrum environment, teams plan their work by creating a product backlog, a document that lists all the activities and deliverables that must be done to complete a project. Then, once a product backlog has been created, teams execute work in sprints, a short period of time from one to four weeks. Because of their short length, agile teams need to constantly prioritize the tasks defined in the product backlog through a process known as backlog refinement, or backlog grooming. What Is Backlog Refinement? Backlog refinement is the process of identifying and prioritizing the most critical product backlog items for an upcoming sprint, which is done …

Discover free freelance management templates, plus expert tips and FAQs to help you choose the right one for organizing projects and managing freelancers. The post Best Freelance Management Templates to Track Work and Payments in 2025 appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Many project management software alternatives can be used to plan, schedule and track the execution of projects. However, not all project management software is created equal. Some have a full suite of planning, scheduling and tracking features, while others can only help with some project management activities. What Is the Best Project Management Software? That’s not an easy question to answer because what’s best for a project depends on the industry, project management methodology, the work style of the team and many other factors. However, we’ve sampled the best project management software products and rated each according to what they do well and where they’re lacki…

Project portfolio management software differs from project management software in that the former has to oversee many projects while the latter only involves one project. That’s going to require specific project portfolio management tools that can manage all those projects at once. To understand which is the best project portfolio management software for your organization, let’s first list the must-have project portfolio management tools and why they’re so important. Then we’ll rank the top 15 project portfolio management software products, detailing each. What Features Make the Best Project Portfolio Management Software? Project portfolio management (PPM) isn’t drastic…

Bid management is a vital part of the construction industry, helping contractors and project owners manage competitive bidding and secure profitable projects. An effective bid management process ensures that proposals are accurate, competitive and compliant with client requirements. From tracking bid documents to submitting estimates, a structured system allows construction firms to reduce risk and improve win rates. Whether you’re managing subcontractor quotes or responding to RFPs, strong bid management practices can save time and enhance profitability. Understanding how to streamline the bid process and adopt modern bid management tools can give your company an edge i…

All projects are embedded with the potential for problems or opportunities. This is called risk, and project management has created risk management tools to address these uncertainties. One technique is bowtie analysis. We’ll break down the bowtie model and explain when to do a bowtie risk assessment, including a bowtie diagram in an example to make the concept fully understandable. We’ll also include a free template to download so you can try it on your own. What Is a Bowtie Analysis? The bowtie method is a risk management technique used to visualize and analyze the potential risks and their controls within a system or process. It’s called “bowtie” because the resultin…

Financial clarity is one of the hardest things to achieve when managing a project. Before schedules are finalized or budgets are approved, leaders need to understand how costs, pricing and sales interact. Break even analysis provides that perspective by showing when a project stops consuming value and starts sustaining itself. What Is a Break Even Analysis? A break even analysis is a financial technique used to identify the breakeven point at which total revenue equals total costs. It compares fixed costs and variable costs against sales, price per unit and cost per unit to determine the number of units sold required to avoid a profit loss. By using contribution margin, …