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Planning is the foundation of successful project management. By organizing and executing the right tasks, you guide your team toward achieving objectives and delivering final results. One of the most effective ways to visualize this process is with a clear roadmap that outlines priorities, milestones and deadlines. Many teams rely on Microsoft products to manage work efficiently. But does Microsoft Planner provide a roadmap view? While work can be completed without a formal roadmap, having a Microsoft Planner roadmap is a valuable tool for any large or complex project. It helps teams see the big picture, track progress and ensure tasks align with strategic goals. What Is Microsoft Planner? Before we explore a Microsoft Planner roadmap, it helps to understand the product itself. Microsoft Planner is part of Microsoft 365, the suite of productivity tools designed to help individuals and teams manage work efficiently. It focuses on organizing tasks and managing small to medium-sized projects visually and collaboratively. Microsoft Planner allows you to create tasks, assign them to team members and organize deadlines. Teams can track progress, update task statuses and collaborate on shared files. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to see who is responsible for what, and to keep work moving smoothly from start to finish. One of the key strengths of Microsoft Planner is its integration with other Microsoft 365 tools such as Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive. Tasks can be organized in a kanban-style board, visualized in a calendar or viewed in a dashboard that tracks overall progress. This flexibility makes it suitable for both agile projects and traditional workflows while keeping the team connected and on schedule. Does Microsoft Planner Have a Roadmap? The question many people ask is, does Microsoft Planner have a roadmap? A roadmap is an essential project management tool. It shows the sequence of tasks, milestones and objectives over time so teams can see how work progresses toward goals. Roadmaps help align teams with organizational priorities and provide a visual reference for both tactical and strategic planning. Most project management software worth considering includes some form of roadmap functionality. Additional views like task lists, kanban boards or calendars allow teams to collaborate more effectively and provide flexibility for different departments managing the project. The more ways to visualize work, the easier it is to keep everyone on the same page. Short Answer: Yes, Microsoft Planner Has a Roadmap Microsoft Planner does include a roadmap feature, but its features are limited and only available in the Premium pricing tiers. What a Microsoft Planner roadmap provides is essentially a timeline view in Office 365, which shows tasks and milestones over a period of time. While it mimics a roadmap, it does not offer advanced capabilities such as resource leveling, dependencies beyond the basics or robust visual tracking across multiple projects. /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Microsoft-Planner-Roadmap-scaled.png Long Answer: Microsoft Planner’s Roadmap Lacks Key Project Management Features For the majority of project management professionals, Microsoft Planner’s basic roadmap won’t cut it. For teams committed to using Microsoft Planner, the roadmap functionality can be helpful for simple project tracking. However, for larger or more complex initiatives, the timeline view may be insufficient. Many teams end up using spreadsheets or other workarounds to supplement Planner, which can be time-consuming, static and difficult to share or update across a team. If you need a more powerful solution, ProjectManager offers fully featured roadmaps with real-time updates. You can track progress across multiple projects, filter for the critical path, link tasks, visualize dependencies and monitor timelines with full flexibility. Plus, our software will import and export the files from the recently retired MS Project, which Planner can’t do. ProjectManager’s roadmaps give managers the insights they need to make informed decisions, with AI insights that adjust plans on the fly and keep teams aligned with strategic goals. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/light-mode-CTA.jpgLearn more Microsoft Planner Roadmap Key Features The Microsoft Planner roadmap offers a visual way to track tasks, milestones and deadlines across projects. It helps teams see how work aligns with goals and provides a simple method to organize priorities over time. While its features are limited compared to dedicated project management software, it provides an overview that can be useful for smaller teams or straightforward projects. Timeline View: Visualizes tasks and milestones over a set period to track progress and deadlines. Task Assignment: Assign tasks to team members and track completion status. Milestone Tracking: Highlight key deliverables and project milestones to monitor overall progress. Integration with Microsoft 365: Connects with Teams, Outlook and SharePoint for seamless collaboration. Basic Collaboration Tools: Allows file sharing, comments and notifications within the team to improve communication. Microsoft Planner Roadmap Limitations Microsoft Planner’s roadmap functionality remains limited compared to full project and portfolio management tools. While it supports basic task organization, its lack of advanced dependencies, integrations, and reporting restricts its use for complex or enterprise-level planning. Many roadmap and timeline features are exclusive to premium licenses, leaving standard users with simplified visualization and coordination options. The full Roadmap app from Project for the Web is no longer available inside Planner. The tool is better suited to lighter or mid-complexity projects; for enterprise-level portfolio, resource and cost management, it may not suffice. Key project-management capabilities such as task dependencies, timeline (Gantt) view, custom fields, milestones, and critical path analysis are locked behind Microsoft Planner’s premium licensing tiers (included in Project Plan 3 or 5). Basic users can’t link tasks, visualize schedules on a timeline, define milestones, track critical paths, add custom fields, or use workload and resource views—making it difficult to build a true multi-plan roadmap or perform advanced scheduling and resource balancing. The Portfolio view lacks advanced customization options found in traditional roadmapping tools. No integration with Azure DevOps or external project sources for multi-platform visibility. Lacks hierarchical portfolio management (e.g., epics → projects → tasks). Cannot export or share roadmaps publicly outside of the Microsoft 365 environment. Limited analytics and reporting—doesn’t include burndown charts or KPI dashboards. Mobile app support for timeline and portfolio features is minimal or unavailable. How to Make a Microsoft Planner Roadmap with ProjectManager If you use Microsoft Planner and want a full-featured roadmap, ProjectManager makes it simple. First, sign up for a free trial. You don’t need a credit card, and you have 30 days to explore the software, including roadmap and task management tools. Before we dive into the process, let’s quickly go over a side-by-side comparison of ProjectManager’s roadmap and Microsoft Planner’s roadmap. Microsoft Planner Roadmap ProjectManager Roadmap Not a fully featured Gantt with dependencies True Gantt chart view with drag-and-drop scheduling Web-based Accessible from anywhere Display task progress/status Tasks progress and status, can mark on the chart or card No task dependencies available Supports linking all types of dependent tasks (FS, SS, FF, SF) Doesn’t support built-in critical path Built-in critical path tracking and visualization No baseline tracking Compare schedule progress vs. baseline No resource or workload management Built-in resource allocation, utilization charts and workload balancing Limited import and export capabilities Can import/export as needed Not suitable for complex projects Can handle projects and portfolios of all complexities 1. Export Your Microsoft Planner Project Go to your Microsoft Planner board view. Export your plan as an Excel spreadsheet, CSV or MPP file. This captures all your task data, deadlines and assignments so it is ready to import into ProjectManager for visualization on a roadmap. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ms-planner-pm-import-updated-2025.png 2. Select the File to Import In ProjectManager, navigate to the roadmap or project view and click the import icon. A popup will prompt you to select the file you exported from Microsoft Planner. Choose your Excel, CSV or MPP file to continue. /wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tab-imports.png3. Choose Import Options Decide whether to add the imported data to an existing project or create a new one. If adding to an existing project, select which one and choose whether to keep or replace current project data. 4. Import the Data Into ProjectManager Next, specify whether you want to import all project information or only the task list. Confirm your selection and click next to begin the import process. 5. Customize Your Microsoft Planner Roadmap After the import is complete, your roadmap is ready to use. You can add tasks, link dependencies, indent and outdent items, assign colors to phases and include milestones, resources and costs. This gives you a full visual of your project’s timeline and progress. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/import-success-prompt.png Microsoft Planner Pricing One of the problems with Microsoft in general is that its pricing structure is unduly complicated. There are many different plans that provide a variety of access to features. To try and cut through the clutter, we’ve listed the various options below. Microsoft Planner Basic Pricing Plans This version is included in most Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and it’s good for lightweight task management. Pricing starts from $6 to $22 per user per month, billed annually, and the price varies depending on the Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6.00/user/month, billed annually Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50/user/month, billed annually Microsoft 365 Business Premium: $22.00/user/month, billed annually Microsoft 365 Apps for Business: $8.25/user/month, billed annually Microsoft Planner Premium Pricing Plans This is the next level up, for users or teams needing more advanced project management features. Planner Plan 1: $10/user/month, billed annually Planner and Project Plan 3: $30/user/month, billed annually Planner and Project Plan 5: $55/user/month, billed annually For more detailed information about each of these Microsoft Planner plans and the features that are available for each pricing tier, visit our Microsoft Planner blog. Can Microsoft Planner Basic Users Access the Microsoft Planner Roadmap? Microsoft Planner roadmaps are not available to Basic users. The roadmap, or timeline view, is a feature reserved for Microsoft Planner Premium tiers. Basic users can create tasks, assign them to team members and view simple task lists or kanban boards, but the visual timeline that helps track projects over time is restricted. Teams using the Basic version will need to upgrade to a Premium plan to access the roadmap feature. Without it, project planning must rely on other methods such as spreadsheets, calendars or manual tracking tools. For more complex projects, this can make it difficult to get a full view of dependencies, milestones and overall progress. If you need robust roadmap capabilities without limitations, using dedicated project management software like ProjectManager provides full visibility and real-time updates across multiple projects, eliminating the constraints of Planner Basic. Free Roadmap Template Download this free roadmap template for Excel to help plan and visualize projects effectively. This template provides a structured format that allows you to outline your project’s objectives, milestones and timelines. It serves as a valuable tool for project managers seeking to communicate their project’s strategy and progress to stakeholders. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ProjectManager-Excel-Roadmap-Template.jpg By using this template, you can organize your project’s phases and key deliverables clearly and concisely. It helps in aligning your team’s efforts with the project’s goals, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. The roadmap template is customizable, allowing you to adapt it to your specific project needs and requirements. How to Use Your Microsoft Planner Roadmap in ProjectManager Once your Microsoft Planner roadmap is imported into ProjectManager, you can take full advantage of advanced project management tools to keep your projects on track. The platform allows you to monitor progress, manage resources, and make informed decisions in real time, giving you control over complex initiatives. Set Milestones for Better Project Tracking Milestones help you break down projects into manageable stages. In ProjectManager, you can set key milestones on your roadmap to mark critical deliverables or deadlines. This makes it easier to track progress, ensure tasks are completed on time, and identify any potential delays before they impact the overall schedule. Use the diamond icon to indicate where one will be on the roadmap timeline. /wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ProjectManager-Gantt-Chart-Milestones-600x360.png Filter By Task Priority, Dependencies and Tags ProjectManager allows you to filter tasks based on priority, dependencies or custom tags. This helps line managers focus on the most critical tasks, understand which items rely on others, and quickly locate specific types of work. Filtering enhances visibility and ensures resources are allocated efficiently across the project. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Dependencies-in-a-Gantt-chart--600x295.png Identify the Critical Path of Your Projects The critical path shows the sequence of tasks that determine the project’s minimum completion time. By identifying it in ProjectManager, you can see which tasks have zero slack and must stay on schedule. This insight allows you to prevent delays and allocate resources where they are needed most. /wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ProjectManager-Gantt-Chart-Critical-Path-600x361.png Get Notified of Progress ProjectManager provides automated notifications and alerts when tasks are completed or deadlines are approaching. These updates keep your team informed, reduce the need for manual follow-up, and ensure that stakeholders stay aligned with project progress without constant check-ins. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/notification-collaboration-gantt-light-mode-construction-600x295.png ProjectManager’s Other Project Management Features While Microsoft Planner offers basic task management and a simple roadmap, ProjectManager goes far beyond with advanced project planning, tracking and reporting tools. Our software provides real-time insights, collaboration across teams and AI-driven recommendations, making it ideal for managing complex projects of any size. These features help teams stay on schedule, allocate resources efficiently, and make data-driven decisions without the limitations of Planner. Real-time Project Dashboards ProjectManager’s real-time dashboards provide an instant view of project status. Managers can see task completion, team workload, project progress and upcoming deadlines at a glance. Dashboards are customizable, so you can track the metrics that matter most. This level of visibility allows you to quickly spot potential delays, manage bottlenecks and ensure your team stays aligned with project goals. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Team-summary-better-data-light-mode-home-screen-dashboard.png Interactive Task Lists Interactive task lists let managers assign work, set due dates and track progress directly within the platform. Tasks can be filtered by priority, status or assignee, making it easy to stay organized and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Team members can update their progress in real time, which keeps everyone informed and reduces the need for constant check-ins. /wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Construction-overlay-List-Light-task.jpg AI Project Management Features ProjectManager includes AI Project Insights that analyzes project data and provides actionable insights. The software can suggest task adjustments, highlight potential delays and recommend resource reallocation to keep projects on track. These intelligent features save time, reduce errors and support proactive decision-making, giving project managers an edge that Planner cannot match. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AI-Insights-Light-Mode-Dashboard-GPT5.png Project Management Reports Robust reporting tools supported by AI Project Insights generate detailed project reports for stakeholders or team meetings. Managers can produce reports on task status, project progress, resource allocation, costs and more. Reports are easy to export and share, allowing teams to communicate results clearly and make data-driven decisions. This feature ensures transparency and accountability across all levels of a project. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Reports-Light-2554x1372-1.png Related Microsoft Content For those looking beyond Microsoft Planner or just want to read more about that software, there are many other blogs we’ve published that are worth reading. Below are articles that compare various Microsoft products against one another. May the best one win. Best Microsoft Project Alternatives Best Microsoft Planner Alternatives Microsoft Project vs. Microsoft Planner: In-Depth Comparison Microsoft Project Online: Pros, Cons and Free Alternatives Microsoft Project Viewer – How to View & Edit MPP Files Online MPP File Extension: What Is It & How to Open It Microsoft Project for Mac: How to Run MS Project Files on Your Mac ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Microsoft Planner Roadmap: How to Make a Roadmap in Microsoft Planner appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

AI is radically changing the future of the workplace — from redefining jobs to fueling the rise of so-called “work slop.” Live on stage at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Box CEO Aaron Levie, LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman, and Meta’s Head of Business AI Clara Shih share their insider perspectives on AI optimism, uncertainty, and navigating this unprecedented era. This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company Bob Safian and recorded live at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. iFrame Embed: Aneesh, there’s a real debate about the impact of AI on work and some say it will be positive, some say it will be negative. You’ve said it will be spectacular. Why? Raman: I’m at LinkedIn, we are if nothing else, a platform of people. We go where the species goes. So for two years I have thought about human intelligence as my core focus… For humans, work has kind of sucked since the industrial age. We have turned ourselves into efficiency machines, whether you’re at the assembly line or sending emails, it’s more, better, faster. More, better, faster… That isn’t who humans are. AI is going to out-efficiency us, robots going to out efficiency us. That’s okay. We became the apex species, not because we were the most efficient, but because we were the most imaginative, the most innovative… AI is going to force us finally to broaden our view of human intelligence. I’m pessimistic about our state of being ready for that because it’s entire new systems of education, employment, entrepreneurship, but we’re going to have to fix that and that’s great, I think. Clara, we’ve heard this term that’s become very popular, ‘work slop’, that AI-generated work is creating more work. It’s like volume over quality… Is work slop just a phase for AI? Is it like a bug that we’re going to fix or is this a feature and something that we’re always going to have to be vigilant about when we’re in a world where so much can be created so easily? Shih: I think there’s always been work slop. I’ve been responsible for some work slop, especially earlier in my career. I think certainly AI makes it easier to create lots of work slop, and so just like any new technology. I can imagine the very first spreadsheets when they were invented, people weren’t sure how to use it. The features probably didn’t include checking the formulas, and so there were probably some really bad, incorrect spreadsheets. The same thing is happening now. Raman: Like any tool, use it. Do not misuse it. Do not overuse it. There’s already lots of research. MIT has great research with brain scans that if you overuse AI, you’ll deplete your ability to grow critical thinking skills. AI helps individuals get started, but if everyone’s using it across a team, sameness creeps in. So it’s all about how you use it. Aaron, you founded Box. You know how important and distinctive a culture can be in an organization. Each company is different. All of our cultures, each one is different. When we add AI agents to our work, do we need to orient them like we do new employees? If we all use off-the-shelf AI, are we going to end up with off-the-shelf culture? Levie: Certainly. And by the way, I’m actually fine with lots of work slop because all I see is lots of files that are going to get generated… That’s good for you. Levie: I think everybody here is familiar with context engineering. It’s sort of a simple analogy, which is if you have an employee off the street, super-intelligent person, doesn’t know kind of what job they’re in, they just appeared and you’re like, “Okay, today you’re a lawyer and the next day you’re a marketer and the next day you’re a coder.” That’s kind of what an AI model is. And so you have to give it the context necessary to be able to perform its tasks. And so maybe actually ironically, if anything, you’ll have to get more context than the person would. It’s actually very easy for an employee to pick up the general cultural sort of norms and work practices because they can just look over at one other person and say, “Oh, I see the way that you just collaborated over there.” And so we’re more of a collaborative culture versus we just make really quick decisions and then move forward. An AI agent again doesn’t know, “Did I just join SpaceX or did I join Patagonia?” I’m assuming those are two different ends of the cultural spectrum. So you’re going to have to tell the agent effectively like, “Who are you right now? And here are the norms in our organization, and here is the context about the business process that you’re involved in.” Clara, I talked to one CEO last week who said like he’s being pressured to adopt AI in areas that he’s not sure it’s actually beneficial for the business, but he feels like, “Oh, I’m getting this push from all different parts of the organization, investors, and the board.” How do leaders strike the balance between, “I got to be in this,” versus, “It’s not really showing any measurable impact now yet”? Shih: I see this all the time from various leaders that I meet with. I think it’s first being hands-on and really getting in there and understanding the capabilities because I think with that judgment, with that firsthand experience, only then can leaders really know, “Okay, I want to apply it here but not here.” Another really great success formula is splitting up the team, having people focus on immediate use cases. What can I unlock today that will show me ROI this quarter, next quarter, versus what are the bigger bets where just I see the secular trend and we have to skate to where the puck is going… Levie: One pitfall that a lot of existing organizations will fall into, like us included when I walk around and try and talk about what kind of processes we can bring automation to, I think there is this idea that we have this sort of end-state utopian view of AI can do anything and can automate anything. The reality is that if you drop AI into today’s business process, it’s going to actually do very little and you have to actually re-engineer your workflow and you have to re-engineer your process. I think a lot of times, unfortunately, you’ll see people try and drop in AI into a process where then even with the best automation, you’re going to get a 10% gain or whatnot of that workflow. It’s not world-changing. Levie: It’s not world-changing, but it’s because you didn’t think about re-engineering the workflow for AI. And we thought AI would work how we do. It turns out it might be the case that we have to work how AI does and we have to be actually in service of the agent to make it most productive as opposed to this unfortunate reality where we probably thought it would make us productive. It’s a little terrifying. Your job is to make the AI more productive? Levie: Totally. Well, so there was some offsite 15 years ago where one of our engineering managers told me about the inverted pyramid. His job is to enable all the people below him technically in a hierarchy, but to be as productive as possible. And it was sort of this inversion of like he works for them to make them as effective as possible. And the reality is that that’s kind of what we’re going to be doing with AI agents for quite some time because we’re going to be working to make them effective… And if you look at the five and 10 and 20-person startups that are AI-native fully, they don’t have a single business process, that’s basically what they’re doing. They’re working to support agents to be super effective, and that’s just a totally different way to work. Raman: Make them more productive to make you more impactful. Shih: Yeah, help you help me. Raman: I think we have to be affirmatively pro-human. It’s hard to state how radical it is. View the full article

Freelancers across the country face a common challenge: figuring out how to structure their business to minimize taxes without triggering compliance headaches. No matter where you are working, staying on top of the local and state taxes you are responsible for is a critical part of the complex tax trade-offs that can come with forming and operating your freelance business as an entity like an S corporation (S-corp) or limited liability company (LLC). Now, under the new "Big Beautiful Bill" tax provisions, it is more important than ever to understand how you can optimize your tax strategy, taking into account all levels of tax: local, state and federal. Below is a breakdown of key considerations for doing so. However, remember that it is always wise to consult a tax professional, especially one familiar with all of the tax regulations in your immediate local area, your state, and of course, on the federal level, too. The Complete Freelance Tax Stack: Understanding Your ObligationsWhen you form a business entity, you’re not just dealing with federal income tax. You may also face: Self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare)State income taxLocal business taxes (if applicable)Payroll taxes (if you pay yourself a salary)Potential loss of the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deductionEach layer adds complexity—and opportunity. The goal is to structure your income in a way that balances tax savings with compliance and long-term financial health. S-Corp Strategy: Smart or Overrated? It May Depend on Your Local Tax NexusA common tax-saving strategy for freelancers who earn beyond a certain threshold is to transition their businesses to s-corporations to reduce their self-employment taxes. The idea is to split income between salary (subject to payroll taxes) and distributions (not subject to payroll taxes). This strategy isn’t always advantageous when you consider the potential loss of some local and/or state tax reduction benefits.. Consider a New York City (NYC) freelance business as an example. NYC imposes an Unincorporated Business Tax (UBT) of 8.875% on net income from partnerships and LLCs. That means even if you’re optimizing federally, you could be losing margin locally. And New York State doesn’t offer much relief on passthrough income, potentially making the savings minimal. In other states, like Florida or Texas, where there’s no state income tax—making the S-corp strategy far more attractive. But even then, freelancers need to pay themselves a “reasonable salary,” which is subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes and doesn’t qualify for the QBI deduction. K-1 vs. W-2: What’s the Real Benefit?Only K-1 profits (distributions from passthrough entities) are eligible for the QBI deduction. W-2 wages are not. So if you’re trying to maximize your QBI benefit, you’ll want to minimize salary and maximize distributions—within reason. But remember: salary is what allows you to contribute to retirement accounts like a Solo 401(k) or SEP IRA. It also builds your Social Security record. So the trade-off isn’t just tax—it’s long-term financial planning. Top Tips to Optimize Your Taxes—Wherever Your Business ResidesThere are a few universal strategies freelancers can use to stay ahead: Work with a local accountant who understands your state and city tax rules. What works in one jurisdiction may not have the same benefits in another.Set a reasonable salary if you’re an S-corp owner. Don’t overpay yourself, but don’t underpay either—IRS scrutiny is real.Maximize retirement contributions to reduce taxable income and build wealth.Track QBI eligibility and structure your income to take advantage of it.Consider location-based structuring if you have flexibility. Some freelancers operate entities in low-tax states while maintaining compliance with their home state’s residency rules.Beware of All Tax Obligations Your Freelance Business is Subject ToWhere your freelance business has a tax nexus truly does matter when it comes to your local and state taxes. Working with an experienced tax professional is the key to understanding how federal, state, and local taxes interact—and build a strategy that works for your goals, no matter where your business takes you! View the full article

Freelancers across the country face a common challenge: figuring out how to structure their business to minimize taxes without triggering compliance headaches. No matter where you are working, staying on top of the local and state taxes you are responsible for is a critical part of the complex tax trade-offs that can come with forming and operating your freelance business as an entity like an S corporation (S-corp) or limited liability company (LLC). Now, under the new "Big Beautiful Bill" tax provisions, it is more important than ever to understand how you can optimize your tax strategy, taking into account all levels of tax: local, state and federal. Below is a breakdown of key considerations for doing so. However, remember that it is always wise to consult a tax professional, especially one familiar with all of the tax regulations in your immediate local area, your state, and of course, on the federal level, too. The Complete Freelance Tax Stack: Understanding Your ObligationsWhen you form a business entity, you’re not just dealing with federal income tax. You may also face: Self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare)State income taxLocal business taxes (if applicable)Payroll taxes (if you pay yourself a salary)Potential loss of the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deductionEach layer adds complexity—and opportunity. The goal is to structure your income in a way that balances tax savings with compliance and long-term financial health. S-Corp Strategy: Smart or Overrated? It May Depend on Your Local Tax NexusA common tax-saving strategy for freelancers who earn beyond a certain threshold is to transition their businesses to s-corporations to reduce their self-employment taxes. The idea is to split income between salary (subject to payroll taxes) and distributions (not subject to payroll taxes). This strategy isn’t always advantageous when you consider the potential loss of some local and/or state tax reduction benefits.. Consider a New York City (NYC) freelance business as an example. NYC imposes an Unincorporated Business Tax (UBT) of 8.875% on net income from partnerships and LLCs. That means even if you’re optimizing federally, you could be losing margin locally. And New York State doesn’t offer much relief on passthrough income, potentially making the savings minimal. In other states, like Florida or Texas, where there’s no state income tax—making the S-corp strategy far more attractive. But even then, freelancers need to pay themselves a “reasonable salary,” which is subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes and doesn’t qualify for the QBI deduction. K-1 vs. W-2: What’s the Real Benefit?Only K-1 profits (distributions from passthrough entities) are eligible for the QBI deduction. W-2 wages are not. So if you’re trying to maximize your QBI benefit, you’ll want to minimize salary and maximize distributions—within reason. But remember: salary is what allows you to contribute to retirement accounts like a Solo 401(k) or SEP IRA. It also builds your Social Security record. So the trade-off isn’t just tax—it’s long-term financial planning. Top Tips to Optimize Your Taxes—Wherever Your Business ResidesThere are a few universal strategies freelancers can use to stay ahead: Work with a local accountant who understands your state and city tax rules. What works in one jurisdiction may not have the same benefits in another.Set a reasonable salary if you’re an S-corp owner. Don’t overpay yourself, but don’t underpay either—IRS scrutiny is real.Maximize retirement contributions to reduce taxable income and build wealth.Track QBI eligibility and structure your income to take advantage of it.Consider location-based structuring if you have flexibility. Some freelancers operate entities in low-tax states while maintaining compliance with their home state’s residency rules.Beware of All Tax Obligations Your Freelance Business is Subject ToWhere your freelance business has a tax nexus truly does matter when it comes to your local and state taxes. Working with an experienced tax professional is the key to understanding how federal, state, and local taxes interact—and build a strategy that works for your goals, no matter where your business takes you! View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The LG Gram line has built a reputation for being thin, light, and travel-friendly, and this 2022 14-inch model is currently on sale for just $389.99 on StackSocial. It's an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 laptop with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD. On paper, that’s a respectable setup for browsing, multitasking, or office apps, and the 14-inch WUXGA display adds extra vertical space compared to standard 1080p panels. What makes this version different is that it ships without a traditional operating system. It’s designed as a “thin client,” ready to run Cloud OS platforms like IGEL or Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, making it more appealing to business users who rely on virtual desktops than someone looking for a plug-and-play Windows laptop. The laptop weighs just 2.2 pounds and measures 0.66 inches thick, so tossing it into a backpack for commuting or travel won’t feel like a burden. Additionally, its battery life is rated for up to 12 hours, which means a full day of work can be completed before needing to recharge. As for connectivity, Thunderbolt 4 support opens the door to high-speed connections and external displays, while HDMI, USB-A, and a microSD slot cover most everyday accessories. Rounding it out are the backlit keyboard and fingerprint sensor on the power button, which add a touch of convenience. That said, there are some important trade-offs to weigh. Because it doesn’t include Windows or macOS, setting it up requires some technical expertise and a clear understanding of the environment you plan to use. The Core i3 processor is suitable for everyday tasks, but it's not intended for heavy creative work or gaming. And while the unit is brand new in original packaging, it doesn't come with a product warranty. Still, if you’re in the market for a lightweight, cloud-ready laptop built for business use, the LG Gram 14 delivers solid specs, a sharp 16:10 display, and excellent portability at a reasonable price. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $299.99 (List Price $649.99) Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, White with Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), White — $59.99 (List Price $99.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $29.99 (List Price $69.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $27.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with Ring Chime Pro — $149.99 (List Price $259.99) Introducing Amazon Fire TV 55" Omni Mini-LED Series, QLED 4K UHD smart TV, Dolby Vision IQ, 144hz gaming mode, Ambient Experience, hands-free with Alexa, 2024 release — $699.99 (List Price $819.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 2-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $51.99 (List Price $129.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Modern construction techniques are transforming the way buildings are designed, planned and delivered. From modular prefabrication to 3D printing and automation, these innovations are improving efficiency, reducing waste and enhancing structural performance. Builders and developers are adopting technology-driven approaches that save time while supporting sustainability and safety. Here’s an in-depth look at ten modern construction techniques reshaping the industry with real-life examples of how they’re being applied worldwide. 1. Modular & Prefabricated Construction Modular and prefabricated construction involves manufacturing building components in a factory setting and assembling them on-site. This method reduces construction timelines, improves quality control and minimizes environmental disruption. Modules such as walls, rooms or full units are prefabricated to exact specifications, transported to the job site and efficiently assembled with limited downtime. The process supports consistent production standards and lower labor costs. Using project management software is essential when coordinating modular and prefabricated projects. It enables seamless scheduling between off-site fabrication and on-site assembly while managing multiple stakeholders across different locations. Teams can monitor progress, control budgets and update delivery timelines as modules are transported and installed. ProjectManager is ideal for managing modular construction projects with precision. Its Gantt charts visualize fabrication and delivery phases, linking dependencies, filtering for the critical path and adding a baseline to track progress in real time. AI-powered reporting analyzes and offers insightful suggestions instantly across suppliers and contractors. Teams can adjust schedules, manage dependencies and ensure synchronization between the manufacturing floor and field operations to meet deadlines and maintain quality standards. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/construction-gantt-resources-costs-150-CTA-BUTTON-1.jpgLearn more Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These real-life examples show how modular and prefabricated methods reduce build time and enhance quality across diverse construction types. Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada: Designed by Moshe Safdie, this iconic modular housing complex used prefabricated concrete modules to create 354 interconnected units. Each module was built off-site, demonstrating early large-scale modular innovation and efficient stacking methods that influenced later prefabrication approaches. Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo, Japan: Completed in 1972, this structure featured prefabricated capsule units that could be replaced individually. The project exemplified modularity and adaptability, showing how factory-produced units could revolutionize urban residential design. Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2E, Paris, France: The terminal incorporated prefabricated steel and concrete segments to accelerate construction. By assembling sections off-site, the project reduced disruption and improved consistency across large repetitive design elements. 2. Volumetric 3D Construction Volumetric 3D construction builds entire rooms or volumetric modules in a controlled factory environment, complete with mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. These fully finished modules are transported to the site and stacked or joined to form complete structures. The technique ensures high precision and repeatability, reducing waste while enabling faster delivery of high-rise buildings and housing developments. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/construction-schedule-template.jpg Get your free Construction Schedule Template Use this free Construction Schedule Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These examples demonstrate how volumetric 3D methods streamline assembly and deliver sustainable solutions with remarkable consistency. The Clement Canopy, Singapore: This 40-story twin tower used volumetric concrete modules, making it one of the tallest completed modular projects. The technique reduced construction time by 20 percent and improved site safety. 461 Dean, Brooklyn, USA: Once the world’s tallest modular building, 461 Dean’s 930 modules were fabricated off-site and assembled rapidly. The project demonstrated scalability for modular residential construction in dense urban environments. Student Castle, UK: Prefabricated volumetric pods were produced for this student housing project, cutting construction waste and ensuring consistent interior quality across hundreds of units. 3. Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) ICF construction uses interlocking foam blocks or panels filled with reinforced concrete, creating durable and energy-efficient structures. The forms remain in place as insulation, reducing heating and cooling costs while enhancing soundproofing and strength. ICF systems are gaining traction for both residential and commercial projects seeking sustainability and resilience. Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These projects highlight how ICF improves sustainability, resilience and thermal performance across building types. Wildfire Command Center, Utah, USA: Built with ICF walls for superior fire resistance and durability, this facility ensures safety during extreme conditions and supports long-term operational efficiency. Portland Commercial Building, Oregon, USA: Developers used ICF to improve thermal efficiency and minimize air leakage. The method simplified construction while meeting stringent energy performance targets. Multi-story multifamily project using Fox Blocks ICF: This development demonstrated ICF’s scalability for vertical builds, achieving energy savings and reduced lifecycle maintenance costs. Related: 20 Best Construction Scheduling Software of 2025 (Free & Paid) 4. Hybrid Concrete or Precast + Cast-in-Place Hybrid construction combines precast concrete elements such as columns, beams and slabs with cast-in-place components to optimize speed and strength. This approach enables rapid assembly while maintaining flexibility for on-site adjustments. It is particularly effective for high-rise buildings, parking structures and bridges where both precision and adaptability are essential. 5. 3D Printing or Additive Construction 3D printing in construction uses automated machines to extrude material, typically concrete or composite mixtures, layer by layer to create walls and structural components. This technique minimizes material waste, allows complex geometries and reduces manual labor. Additive construction is increasingly used for housing, infrastructure and disaster-relief shelters. Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These examples show how additive manufacturing pushes architectural boundaries and improves construction sustainability. Tecla House, Italy: Built using locally sourced clay, this fully 3D-printed home showcases sustainable additive construction and low-carbon building materials. Project Milestone, Netherlands: A series of 3D-printed concrete houses demonstrating efficiency, reduced waste and advanced digital fabrication workflows. WinSun’s 5-story apartment building in Suzhou, China: Printed with a large-scale 3D printer using recycled materials, proving that additive manufacturing can produce multi-story, structurally sound buildings. 6. Building Information Modeling (BIM) BIM integrates digital representations of a building’s physical and functional characteristics into one shared model. It enhances collaboration, reduces design conflicts and enables lifecycle management from concept to demolition. BIM supports coordination between architects, engineers and contractors through real-time visualization and data sharing. Examples of This Modern Construction Technique BIM-driven projects show how data integration enhances collaboration and project control from design to delivery. The City of Helsinki, Finland (digital twin city model): Helsinki’s city-wide BIM integrates infrastructure, transport and building data for urban planning and maintenance. Shanghai Tower, China: BIM optimized design coordination and material use, helping manage one of the world’s most complex skyscrapers efficiently. Crossrail Project, London, UK: This mega rail project used BIM for design integration and asset management across multiple contractors and disciplines. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-construction-ebook-banner-ad.jpg 7. Robotics & Automation Robotics and automation reduce human error, enhance precision and improve jobsite safety. Robots handle repetitive or high-risk tasks like bricklaying, welding and rebar tying while automated systems control equipment and logistics. This modern construction technique shortens project timelines and addresses skilled labor shortages. Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These examples highlight how robotics improves efficiency and worker safety while accelerating productivity. Hadrian X, Australia: This bricklaying robot automates wall construction at high speed, improving accuracy and reducing waste. Construction robots used by WinSun in large 3D printing projects: These robots streamline additive processes and enable consistent production across complex geometries. Rebar-tying robots used on large bridge or viaduct projects: Automating reinforcement placement increases safety and reduces fatigue among construction crews. Related: 10 Free Construction Expense Tracker Templates 8. Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality Integration (AR/VR) AR and VR enhance design visualization, improve safety training and support real-time site coordination. AR overlays digital models on physical environments, helping teams verify installations and detect issues early. VR allows immersive walkthroughs of buildings before construction starts, improving stakeholder understanding and decision-making. Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These projects show how AR and VR streamline coordination and improve accuracy in complex builds. Skanska and Trimble used AR on the Nya Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm: AR helped align complex MEP systems during installation, reducing errors and rework. AR-assisted overlay for MEP coordination in large office towers, Hong Kong: Real-time visualization improved field accuracy and reduced clashes between trades. 9. Sensor-Enabled Construction (IoT, Monitoring Systems) Sensor-based systems collect data from equipment, materials and structures in real time. IoT-enabled construction sites track temperature, vibration and moisture levels to improve safety and quality control. These sensors also enhance predictive maintenance and help project managers make data-driven decisions on scheduling and resource allocation. Examples of This Modern Construction Technique These projects show how AR and VR streamline coordination and improve accuracy in complex builds. The Edge, Amsterdam: This smart office integrates thousands of sensors for lighting, energy management and occupancy monitoring to achieve maximum efficiency. Bosco Verticale, Milan: IoT sensors monitor irrigation and air quality, maintaining the vertical forest’s lush vegetation with minimal manual input. Salesforce Tower, San Francisco: Real-time structural monitoring ensures stability and long-term maintenance efficiency in one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers. 10. Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) DfMA focuses on simplifying designs so components can be efficiently manufactured and assembled with minimal on-site work. It reduces complexity, accelerates construction and ensures higher quality through factory-level precision. This method is widely used in industrial and infrastructure projects where time and reliability are critical performance factors. Free Construction Project Management Templates These free construction project management templates help teams streamline budgeting, estimating and invoicing. Each template provides a structured format to track costs, plan resources and maintain accurate records, making project management simpler and more efficient. Construction Budget Template Download this free construction budget template to allow teams to plan project expenses, allocate resources and monitor spending throughout the project lifecycle. It helps prevent cost overruns, ensures financial accountability and provides a clear snapshot of the budget at any stage. Construction Estimate Template Use this free template to help teams create accurate project estimates by breaking down materials, labor, equipment and subcontractor costs. It standardizes proposals, supports competitive bidding and enables stakeholders to understand projected project costs before work begins. Construction Invoice Template This free construction invoice template simplifies billing by providing a professional, organized format to track services, materials and payments. It improves cash flow, ensures timely invoicing and maintains clear records for client communication and financial audits. How to Manage Construction Projects With ProjectManager ProjectManager helps construction teams manage complex projects by offering multiple project views that cater to different needs. The Gantt chart view connects tasks to timelines and dependencies, allowing managers to see the critical path and adjust schedules when delays occur. The kanban board helps teams visualize workflow, track task progress and identify bottlenecks. The list view organizes all tasks with start and end dates, priorities and assignments, while the calendar view provides a clear picture of deadlines and milestones across the entire project. Interested in seeing how our product can support your construction projects? Watch the brief video below. Optimize Resource Management ProjectManager streamlines resource management with features like workload charts and the team page. Color-coded workload charts make it easy to see each team member’s workload, helping managers allocate work evenly and prevent overloading. The team page provides an overview of everyone’s tasks on a daily or weekly basis and can be filtered by progress or priority. Tasks can even be updated without leaving the page. This ensures efficiency, reduces idle time and helps teams meet deadlines without stretching budgets. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Enhance Project Tracking Tracking construction projects is effortless with ProjectManager’s real-time dashboards, AI-powered reporting and timesheets. Dashboards display project performance, task completion and cost tracking instantly. AI Project Insights suggests schedule adjustments, highlights risks and forecasts outcomes, enabling proactive management. Timesheets updated from the job site capture labor hours accurately, allowing precise cost tracking and better reporting for stakeholders, ensuring projects stay on track and within budget. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AI-Insights-Light-Mode-Dashboard-GPT5.png Related Construction Project Management Content Understanding modern construction techniques is essential, but there is much more to construction project management that can be learned. For those interested in broadening their knowledge, check out the links below that cover everything from methods and techniques to defining the different phases that make up a construction project. 32 Construction Documents (Templates Included) 10 Types of Construction Projects with Examples 18 Construction Methods and Techniques How to Make a Construction Plan Construction Phases: Documentation, Templates & Steps ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management tool that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or on the job site. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 10 Modern Construction Techniques With Real-Life Examples appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

FCA overhauls regulations in break with EU rules and more in line with the US View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. It's so-called spooky season, and there's nothing more frightening than realizing how out of touch you've become, so allow me to throw you a lifeline with an explainer on the week's trending topics with the youths. This week, everyone is talking about their membership in a completely arbitrary online group, planning Halloween costumes that few people over 30 will understand, and trying on "historically accurate" clothing from 2005. What is "Group 7" on TikTok? Everyone on TikTok this week is posting about "Group 7." Here's what's up: On October 17, 26-year-old singer Sophia James did a little social experiment to promote her new single, "So Unfair." She posted seven videos featuring the song to see which would gain the most traction and reach. The seventh went viral, to the tune of over 75 million plays. And then it took on a life of its own, with over 600,000 videos ultimately being posted under the Group 7 tag. In the original G7 video, James says, "I don't know what that says about you. But, you're in Group 7." People started defining what membership in Group 7 means to them—even though it’s random—and listing the qualities that Group 7 members supposedly possess. According to this video, members of Group 7 are loving, "we laugh, we share, we watch videos all the way through." While many TikTokers are taking their membership in Group 7 as a joke, a growing (and sort of sad) part of Group 7 seems convinced that it's important. That they've been chosen. The longing for a sense of belonging is palpable. There's also the idea that if all the members of the group follow each other, it would mean "never having to get a normal job." But it won't. "Follow-chains" are not new on the internet, and they don't work. What's really going to happen is that the algorithm will eventually decide people are sick of their feeds being full of Group 7 videos and curb their spread. In a few weeks, everyone will say, "Remember that weird 'Group 7' thing?" This is the inevitable life-cycle of internet memes. HBO Max adds "six seven" categorySpeaking of arbitrary number-based memes, brain-rot slang word of the year "6-7" continues to grow and spread in unexpected ways, including on streaming platform HBO Max, which has added a "Six Seveeeeen" movie category on its service. The phrase doesn't mean anything, making a "6-7" film difficult to define, so Max decided to take the easy route by including movies with "six" or "seven" in their titles. Films in the collection include expected entries like The Sixth Sense, Seven, and the sixth and seventh Harry Potter movies (Six Days Seven Nights unfortunately isn't available on HBO Max, and also, you probably forgot it existed anyway). Low-hanging fruit aside, there are also some inspired choices, like Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai and Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. Like all "how do you do, fellow kids" attempts at co-opting youth slang, HBO's stunt is annoying and tone-deaf, and maybe a signal that the whole six-seven thing is ending at last, but I do love the idea that some brain-rotted kid out there is going to watch The Seventh Seal and really relate to the soldier's chess match against Death. Meme-based costumes to watch for on HalloweenEven before the internet, Halloween was a meme holiday, with costumes of pop culture figures topping the sales charts at Spencer's Gifts every year. But it's gotten ridiculous in 2025. Look for every other kid ringing your doorbell this year to be wearing an outfit inspired by a popular online trend and for ghosts and Draculas to be as rare as Loch Ness monster sightings. Here are some of costumes-based-on-memes that are likely to be popular this Halloween: Labubu Dressing up as one of these trendy toys is a no-brainer, although the effort involved in doing it right is considerable. Luckily, there are tons of tutorials online like the one linked above. Lorax girl If you're wondering why so many young women are dressing up as the main character from 2012 movie The Lorax, it's a whole thing. The costume has grown so popular over the last few years that there's a legit backlash against it. KPop Demon Hunters The flashy outfits from Netflix's amazingly successful animated movie are a perfect fit for Halloween, but are likely to result in the most "what are you supposed to be" responses from older people. Chicken Jockey Like the game that inspired it, The Minecraft Movie remains very popular with young people, so look for representations of the iconic "Chicken Jockey!" scene in costume form on Oct. 31. If you want to do it right, you have to make it yourself, but you can buy a Minecraft Chicken Jockey outfit from Walmart if you want to save time. Inflatable protest frog Portland's Ice protests have given rise to an underground, viral hero: protest frog, so look for imitators rocking the iconic costume on Halloween. It's a good choice for the lazy in that it makes a statement without any effort. You can just buy an inflatable frog costume on Amazon. Viral video of the week: "trying on low rise jeans" Warning: this week's viral video will probably make you feel ancient. In it, young TikTok user @vintageprincessxoxo tries on "historically accurate low-rise jeans." She's clearly surprised by how low low-rise jeans actually are, but as many older folks have pointed out in the comments, the "historically accurate" pair she's trying on aren't even all that low. "Darling those are high rise with the double buttons," a user points out. The comment section is filled with similar cross-generational educational outreach, with millennial mentors cluing the youngster in about whale-tails and the importance of wearing a belt. ("Historically accurate," though? Ouch.) View the full article

The U.S. Department of Energy has struck a $1 billion deal with Advanced Micro Systems (AMD) to build two supercomputers that have unprecedented power to supercharge scientific advances ranging from nuclear power to developing cancer treatments. The partnership, first reported by Reuters on Monday, will ensure the U.S. government has the necessary computing power to accommodate enormous amounts of data—and could deliver about three times the AI capacity of current supercomputers. The artificial intelligence-powered supercomputers could be deployed for advancing nuclear power and replicate fusion—the process that fuels the sun and creates massive amounts of energy. “We’re going to get just massively faster progress using the computation from these AI systems that I believe will have practical pathways to harness fusion energy in the next two or three years,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Reuters. Shares of AMD rose nearly 1% in mid-day trading on Monday. The semiconductor maker’s stock has more-than doubled in value this year, and the company recently forged a partnership to supply its chips to OpenAI to build out AI infrastructure. Neither the Department of Energy nor AMD responded immediately to a request for comment from Fast Company. SUPERCOMPUTER TIMELINES The forthcoming supercomputers could be used to further advancements in technologies for defense and national security, including helping the U.S. government to manage its arsenal of nuclear weapons, along with accelerating drug discovery for the treatment of cancers, Wright told Reuters. “My hope is in the next five or eight years, we will turn most cancers, many of which today are ultimate death sentences, into manageable conditions.” The first of two supercomputers, Lux, could be up and running within the next six months, and will be based on AMD’s MI355X artificial intelligence chips and the company’s central processors (CPUs) and networking chips. The supercomputer system is co-developed by AMD, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The timeline for Lux will mark the fastest deployment of this size of supercomputer that AMD’s CEO, Lisa Su, has ever seen, she told Reuters. “This is the speed and agility that we wanted to (do) this for the U.S. AI efforts.” A second, even more advanced supercomputer—Discovery—will have a longer timeline for completion, and is expected to be ready for operations sometime in 2029. View the full article

There was once a time where first-party apps and experiences on Apple devices were exempt from advertisements. Other app marketplaces might happily show you ads, but not the App Store. Most news sites place ads in between every other paragraph, but Apple News was an ad-free experience. Say what you wanted about Apple and its products, but you certainly dealt with far fewer ads than on other platforms. Unfortunately, that's no longer the case. Apple has slowly made ads a part of its business model in order to boost revenue. You might have noticed them already while scrolling through stories in News, or when looking for a new game on the App Store. Even the Wallet app has blasted users with notifications when Apple TV has a new movie out. It's an odd dichotomy: At a time when Apple's MacBooks have never been an better overall value, the company's software is beginning to feel less user-first than ever. Those ads are only expanding, too. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple might be bringing more ads to its platforms "as early as next year." If so, it seems the company will start with Apple Maps. Gurman says Apple will let restaurants and businesses pay a premium to float their results to the top of search. If you've searched for an app in Apple's App Store lately, you should be familiar with this experience: When I open the search tab, for example, I see Instagram at the top of the page, with an "Ad" label beneath it, on top of two other non-advertised apps. Then, when I search for an app like Reddit, it appears second, beneath an ad placement for DuckDuckGo. Gurman says Apple's plan here is to make the experience better than other navigation apps that offer similar ads (I immediately think of Waze, which will show ads for restaurants and businesses whenever you stop the car) and will use AI to deliver more relevant ads to the user—though Apple's AI tech leaves something to be desired. I'm not sure this move will do much to push Apple Maps users towards other options. If the ads experience in Apple Maps really is on a similar level to the App Store, I imagine most users won't pay much attention to it. They'll either ignore any results that appear with that "Ad" label, or they'll tap on the results that seem more relevant to their search. Plus, the most obvious alternatives have ads as well, so it's not like someone sick of seeing ads in Apple Maps would necessarily find Google Maps or Waze more appealing. Still, the principle of Apple adding more ads onto an inherently expensive experience leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I personally prefer other navigation apps to Apple Maps, but Apple's app has seemed like a solid choice in recent years, especially in terms of privacy. Adding ads to the mix changes that, and not only cheapens the experience, but makes me question what Apple plans on doing with my navigation and location data here. I would hope the company that makes one of the only somewhat private streaming boxes on the market would find a way to keep Maps private while serving ads, but only time will tell. View the full article

Firebrand economist must build alliances to push through structural change in Argentina, analysts sayView the full article

Rare earth stocks find themselves underground on Monday as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects that China and the U.S. will work out a trade deal in the near future. Meanwhile, stock markets largely soared on news of the trade optimism, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up roughly 0.5%, the S&P 500 up 1%, and the Nasdaq up 1.6% as of midday Monday. Bessent, appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday news program, said that he anticipates that China will resume soybean purchases from the U.S., and that there could be an announcement on Thursday when President The President and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in South Korea. “I’m not going to get ahead of the two leaders who will be meeting in Korea on Thursday, but I can tell you we had a very good two days,” he said. “So I would expect that the threat of the 100% [tariff] has gone away, as has the threat of the immediate imposition of the Chinese initiating a worldwide export control regime.” Part of those export controls concerns rare earth minerals, which are used in the manufacturing of a wide variety of products, such as vehicles and consumer electronics. And Bessent’s comments led to some earthquakes in the market on Monday, as rare-earth stocks fell significantly. Shares of MP Materials, for instance, were down more than 9% since the market opened, as of midday Monday. USA Rare Earth Inc., likewise, was down roughly 10%. Notably, MP Materials’ share price is up more than 312% year-to-date and USA Rare Earth shares are up roughly 85%. So investors are still making out well, despite today’s downturn. The issue at the molten core of the rare earth trade is the fact that China controls the vast majority of rare earth mineral production and refining. By some measures, the Chinese control as much as 70% of rare-earth mining, 80% of refining and processing capacity, and more than 90% of the world’s supply. That means those minerals are scarce, which drives up prices—and share prices of companies operating in the space outside of Chinese control. While we don’t know yet what kind of trade deal or agreement will surface later this week—or if one will at all—Bessent’s signaling that things are heading in a positive direction is what’s having an effect on rare-earth stocks today. View the full article

Trader claims bank wrongly cast him as ‘evil mastermind’ behind Libor rate rigging View the full article

Bigger than expected reduction in OBR forecast deals blow to chancellor ahead of BudgetView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Walmart joins Best Buy in announcing its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale early. This year, Walmart seems to take a page out of Best Buy's strategy and split the sale into smaller ones. Here's everything we know so far about Walmart's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale for 2025. What is Walmart doing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday?Walmart will hold three sales, all called "Walmart Deals Events," from November to December, according to their press release. The sales will be a combination of online and in-store for members and non-members. When are Walmart Deals Events in 2025?The events will take place on three different dates: Walmart Black Friday Deals Event 1: November 14–16 Available online and in stores for the entire event Walmart+ members get five hours early access online beginning Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. ET Walmart Black Friday Deals Event 2: November 25–30 Online only: November 25–27 Online and in stores: November 28–30 Walmart+ members get five hours early access online beginning Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. ET Cyber Monday: December 1 Online only Walmart+ members get five hours early access online beginning Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. ET What deals can I expect for Walmart Deals Events?Walmart says that you can expect up to 60% off top brands and thousands of deals under $20. The sale will include toys, electronics, home products, fashion, and beauty from brands like Delonghi, Apple, LEGO, Dyson, La Roche Posay, Levi’s, and Barbie. Here is a list Walmart dropped on their press release: 98” TCL QLED 4K Google TV – Was $1,798.00, Event Price $998.00 Barbie Malibu Travel Playset – Was $21.88, Event Price $12.00 Calvin Klein Obsession 3 Perfume – Was $97.00, Event Price $31.50 Cate & Chloe Lauren 18k White Gold Plated 22mm Hoop Earrings with Swarovski Crystals – Was $130.00, Event Price $15.99 Cozy Haven Faux Fur Throw Blanket – Special Buy, Event Price $13.00 Cricut Explore 3 Bundle – Was $410.00, Event Price $197.99 Dreo 1500W Portable Space Heater – Was $99.99, Event Price $38.99 Dyson V12 Detect Slim Cordless Vacuum Cleaner – Was $729.00, Event Price $399.99 Ford 24V Ride-on – Was $599.99, Event Price $299.99 Goodyear Reliant All-Season Tire (entire line) – Event offer $30 off per tire Govee 65” LED Lights – Was $99.00, Event Price $69.99 Keurig Iced Essentials – Was $79.00, Event Price $44.97 KONG Classic Stuffable Dog Chew Toy, Medium – Was $13.99, Event Price $11.96 L’ange Hair Styler – Was $119.00, Event Price $48.30 LEGO Speed Champions 2-pack – Was $44.98, Event Price $25.00 Melissa & Doug Chunky Puzzles – Was $13.99, Event Price $7.00 Men’s & Women’s Levi’s Signature Denim – Was $24.98, Event Price $15.00 My Texas House Glitter Trees (set of 3) – Was $159.66, Event Price $78.00 Philips Norelco 7200 Electric Razor – Was $99.96, Event Price $79.96 Reebok Women’s Sport 2-piece set – Was $40.00; Event Price $25.00 Scoop Women’s Knee-High Kitten Heel Boots – Was $52.00, Event Price $30.00 Sportspower Bounce Pro 14' Round Trampoline with Safety Enclosure – Was $229.00, Event Price $149.00 What other retailers are doing Black Friday sales?At the moment, only Best Buy has officially announced its Black Friday sale, but you can expect Target and Amazon to have competing sales as well. View the full article

If it seems like Black Friday deals, and holiday shopping in general, is starting earlier and earlier, you’re right. Just in time for, um, Halloween, both Walmart and Best Buy have announced plans for their 2025 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Black Friday, always the day after Thanksgiving, falls on Friday, November 28 this year. Deals generally continue through that weekend into Cyber Monday, which falls on December 1. However, in recent years, many retailers have jump-started the sales some two, or even three weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. And this year is no different. Here’s what to know. When do Walmart’s Black Friday deals start? The world’s largest big box retailer often sets the schedule for Black Friday deals, according to Axios—so take note. This year, Walmart said it will hold two different Black Friday sales events, rolling them out at different times online and in stores nationwide. Walmart+ members (those who pay for the retailer’s subscription tier) get first access to the deals starting on Thursday, November 13 at 7 p.m. ET, with sales opening for everyone else online and in-stores on Friday, November 14 and ending on November 16. The second event starts on the Monday before Thanksgiving, on Monday, November 24 at 7 p.m. ET for Walmart+ members; then online-only on Tuesday, November 25 through Thursday, November 27; and finally, both in-store and online on Black Friday itself, Friday, November 28 to Sunday, November 30. Walmart Cyber Monday 2025 sale The same drill goes for Cyber Monday, when Walmart+ members get early access beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 30 for the online-only sale. The sale starts on Monday, December 1 for all shoppers. Best Buy 2025 Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales Best Buy is starting even earlier—on Halloween (yes, you read that right). This Friday, October 31, Best Buy is rolling out its early Black Friday tech deals called “DoorBOOsters”—available on the Best Buy App, BestBuy.com and in-store. Members of Best Buy’s two programs, My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total members, also get up to $25 in bonus rewards on select products. More Black Friday sales kick off Thursday, November 20, with savings on computing, gaming, home theater, wearables, and more. Cyber Monday comes a day early, on Sunday, November 30, with up to 50% off select tech. “No one does the holiday shopping season like Best Buy, so we decided to expand the definition of ‘holiday’ and start the fun on Halloween this year,” Jason Bonfig, chief customer, product, and fulfillment officer at Best Buy, said in a statement. “Whether you want to shop in your costume, or wait until Black Friday, we’ll be here all season long with the best gifts, unbelievable deals and endless ways to discover the coolest products.” Holiday shopping is forecast to increase at a lower rate than last year, as Americans feel the effects of The President’s tariffs; inflation and the skyrocketing cost of living, including higher grocery costs; and a government shutdown which has many federal workers going without paychecks amid mass firings. Holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 2.9% and 3.4% in 2025, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast, versus 4.2% in the same period in 2024. View the full article

A reader writes: I’ve just had the strangest interview experience. After the hiring manager and I introduced ourselves, she opened by asking, “Have you read our action plan?” I had not. I pivoted and replied that I’d read a couple other documents which are prominently linked on the company’s website, especially the one titled “’24-’27 Plan.” She indicated that was an outdated document, and that she was glad to know I hadn’t read it, as it would inform our interview moving forward. Okay. She mentioned the action plan later in the interview, and I indicated I was looking forward to reading it and was sorry to have missed it. Towards the end, she asked if I had any questions for her. I did. I asked. She said, “Well, that would have been answered in the action plan.” Me: “I can’t wait to read this plan — I’m going to find it as soon as we’re done with our conversation here!” Her: “It was linked in the job description on our careers page that you applied on.” Me: “Oh gosh — I for sure would have clicked on a live link in a job description. I can’t imagine how I missed that. I’ll go there as soon as we’re done and review it so I can be up to date with your organization.” Her: “I strongly suggest you familiarize yourself with it.” We end the interview. I search the website. There is no document. Not where she said it would be, and not anywhere else on their website. I sent the page to some friends so I could have fresh eyes, and we googled. References to the doc exist, but the doc itself? Nothing. I emailed her asking for a PDF or a link and have heard nothing. I assume I’m not getting the job, but what just happened to me? You encountered an incompetent. A rude incompetent. If they wanted you to read their action plan before they interviewed you, they should have told you that and sent it to you. That’s true even if it was linked in the job description, which it wasn’t. When you’re interviewing people and you want them to have read something specific beforehand, you tell them that in advance so that your time together can be spent as usefully as possible. Moreover, what’s up with this organization prominently linking a “’24-’27 Plan” if it’s outdated? That’s what reflects badly on someone in this equation, and that someone is not you. Assume you got useful data about the hiring manager and the org and so, in that respect, the interview actually did serve your purposes well! The post interviewer was irate that I hadn’t read their (unavailable) action plan appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Bill Pulte's X post has the industry excited that loan level price adjustments could change, but the impact would not be as beneficial as some think, KBW said. View the full article

The conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) has been dominated by “replacement theory” headlines. From front-line service roles to white-collar knowledge work, there’s a growing narrative that human capital is under threat. Economic anxiety has fueled research and debate, but many of the arguments remain narrow in scope. Stanford’s Digital Economy Lab found that since generative AI became widespread, early-career workers in the most exposed jobs have seen a 13% decline in employment. This fear has spread into higher-paid sectors as well, with hedge fund managers and CEOs predicting large-scale restructuring of white-collar roles over the next decade. However, much of this narrative is steeped in speculation rather than the fundamental, evolving dynamics of skilled work. Yes, we’ve seen layoffs, hiring slowdowns, and stories of AI automating tasks. But this is happening against the backdrop of high interest rates, shifts in global trade, and post-pandemic over-hiring. As the global talent thought-leader Josh Bersin argues, claims of mass job destruction are “vastly over-hyped.” Many roles will transform, not vanish. What this means for SEO For the SEO discipline, the familiar refrain “SEO is dead” is just as overstated. Yes, the nature of the SEO specialist is changing. We’ve seen fewer leadership roles, a contraction in content and technical positions, and cautious hiring. But the function itself is far from disappearing. In fact, SEO job listings remain resilient in 2025 and mid-level roles still comprise nearly 60% of open positions. Rather than declining, the field is being reshaped by new skill demands. Don’t ask, “Will AI replace me?” Ask instead, “How can I use AI to multiply my impact?” Think of AI not as the jackhammer replacing the hammer but as the jackhammer amplifying its effect. SEOs who can harness AI through agents, automation, and intelligent systems will deliver faster, more impactful results than ever before. “AI is a tool. We can make it or teach it to do whatever we want…Life will go on, economies will continue to be driven by emotion, and our businesses will continue to be fueled by human ideas, emotion, grit, and hard work,” Bersin said. Rewriting the SEO narrative As an industry, it’s time to change the language we use to describe SEO’s evolution. Too much of our conversation still revolves around loss. We focus on lost clicks, lost visibility, lost control, and loss of num=100. That narrative doesn’t serve us anymore. We should be speaking the language of amplification and revenue generation. SEO has evolved from “optimizing for rankings” to driving measurable business growth through organic discovery, whether that happens through traditional search, AI Overviews, or the emerging layer of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). AI isn’t the villain of SEO; it’s the force multiplier. When harnessed effectively, AI scales insight, accelerates experimentation, and ties our work more directly to outcomes that matter: Pipeline. Conversions. Revenue. We don’t need to fight the dystopian idea that AI will replace us. We need to prove that AI-empowered SEOs can help businesses grow faster than ever before. The new language of SEO isn’t about survival, it’s about impact. The team landscape has already shifted For years, marketing and SEO teams grew headcount to scale output. Today, the opposite is true. Hiring freezes, leaner budgets, and uncertainty around the role of SEO in an AI-driven world have forced leaders to rethink team design. A recent Search Engine Land report noted that remote SEO roles dropped to 34% of listings in early 2025, while content-focused SEO positions declined by 28%. A separate LinkedIn survey found a 37% drop in SEO job postings in Q1 compared to the previous year. This signals two key shifts: Specialized roles are disappearing. “SEO writers” and “link builders” are being replaced by versatile strategists who blend technical, analytical, and creative skill sets. Leadership is demanding higher ROI per role. Headcount is no longer the metric of success – capability is. What it means for SEO leadership If your org chart still looks like a pyramid, you’re behind. The new landscape demands flexibility, speed, and cross-functional integration with analytics, UX, paid media, and content. It’s time to design teams around capabilities, not titles. Rethinking SEO Talent The best SEO leaders aren’t hiring specialists, they’re hiring aptitude. Modern SEO organizations value people who can think across disciplines, not just operate within one. The strongest hires we’re seeing aren’t traditional technical SEOs focused on crawl analysis or schema. They’re problem solvers – marketers who understand how search connects to the broader growth engine and who have experience scaling impact across content, data, and product. Progressive leaders are also rethinking resourcing. The old model of a technical SEO paired with engineering support is giving way to tech SEOs working alongside AI product managers and, in many cases, vibe coding solutions. This model moves faster, tests bolder, and builds systems that drive real results. For SEO leaders, rethinking team architecture is critical. The right question isn’t “Who should I hire next?” It’s “What critical capability must we master to stay competitive?” Once that’s clear, structure your people and your agents around that need. The companies that get this right during the AI transition will be the ones writing the playbook for the next generation of search leadership. The new human-led, agent-empowered team The future of SEO teams will be defined by collaboration between humans and agents. These agents are AI-enabled systems like automated content refreshers, site-health bots, or citation-validation agents that work alongside human experts. The human role? To define, train, monitor, and QA their output. Why this matters Agents handle high-volume, repeatable tasks (e.g., content generation, basic auditing, link-score filtering) so humans can focus on strategy, insight, and business impact. The cost of building AI agents can range from $20,000 to $150,000, depending on the complexity of the system, integrations, and the specialized work required across data science, engineering, and human QA teams, according to RTS Labs. A single human manager might oversee 10-20 agents, shifting the traditional pyramid and echoing the “short pyramid” or “rocket ship” structure explored by Tomasz Tunguz. The future: teams built around agents and empowered humans. Real-world archetypes SaaS companies: Develop a bespoke “onboarding agent” that reads product data, builds landing pages, and runs first-pass SEO audits, human strategist refines output. Marketplace brands (e.g., upcoming seasonal trend): Use an “Audience Discovery Agent” that taps customer and marketplace data, but the human team writes the narrative and guides the vertical direction. Enterprise content hubs: deploy “Content Refresh Agents” that identify high-value pages, suggest optimizations, and push drafts that editors review and finalise. Integration is key These new teams succeed when they don’t live in silos. The SEO/GEO squad must partner with paid search, analytics, revenue ops, and UX – not just serve them. Agents create capacity; humans create alignment and amplification. A call to SEO practitioners Building the SEO community of the future will require change. The pace of transformation has never been faster and it’s created a dangerous dependence on third-party “AI tools” as the answer to what is unknown. But the true AI story doesn’t begin with a subscription. It begins inside your team. If the only AI in your workflow is someone else’s product, you’re giving up your competitive edge. The future belongs to teams that build, not just buy. Here’s how to start: Build your own agent frameworks, designed with human-in-the-loop oversight to ensure accuracy, adaptability, and brand alignment. Partner with experts who co-create, not just deliver. The most successful collaborations help your team learn how to manage and scale agents themselves. Evolve your team structure, move beyond the pyramid mentality, and embrace a “rocket ship” model where humans and agents work in tandem to multiply output, insights, and results. The future of SEO starts with building smarter teams. It’s humans working with agents. It’s capability uplift. And if you lead that charge, you’ll not only adapt to the next generation of search, you’ll be the ones designing it. View the full article

Vishal Shah takes on key role after Meta AI video service Vibes overshadowed by OpenAI’s SoraView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Five years after its debut, Apple’s first M1 MacBook Air still holds up as one of the most important laptops the company ever made. Back in 2020, this was the machine that introduced Apple Silicon to the world, replacing Intel chips with a homegrown design that ran cooler, faster, and quieter. Currently, a refurbished 13.3-inch model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage is available for sale on StackSocial for $384.99. It carries a Grade-A rating, which means the condition should be close to mint, although there may be minor signs of handling, such as small scuffs on the case. At this price, the bigger trade-off is that it’s sold as a final sale with no warranty. Performance-wise, the 8-core CPU of the M1 MacBook Air outperforms older Intel-based MacBooks, making it snappy enough for tasks such as word processing, streaming, and light photo or video editing. The 8-core GPU won’t compete with newer M3 or M4 models for demanding graphics tasks, but it’s fine for casual gaming and creative apps. Battery life was a major selling point in 2020, and it remains impressive today, with up to 15 hours of wireless web or 18 hours of video playback. For students or remote workers, this means all-day use without needing to hover near an outlet. Your mileage may vary depending on use. That said, there are some limits worth considering. The 256GB SSD fills up quickly if you frequently use large files, so cloud storage or external drives may be necessary. The 720p webcam shows its age in an era where most laptops have transitioned to 1080p or higher resolution. And while the two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports are versatile, they may feel restrictive if you’re used to plugging in multiple accessories without a hub. On the bright side, the Retina display remains crisp at 2560x1600 resolution, the backlit Magic Keyboard is comfortable, and Touch ID enables quick logins. For under $400, this MacBook Air makes sense if you need a reliable everyday laptop and can live without the latest Apple hardware. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $299.99 (List Price $649.99) Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, White with Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), White — $59.99 (List Price $99.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $29.99 (List Price $69.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $27.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with Ring Chime Pro — $149.99 (List Price $259.99) Introducing Amazon Fire TV 55" Omni Mini-LED Series, QLED 4K UHD smart TV, Dolby Vision IQ, 144hz gaming mode, Ambient Experience, hands-free with Alexa, 2024 release — $699.99 (List Price $819.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 2-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $51.99 (List Price $129.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Britain’s trade minister says a ‘club’ would be a natural response to a global glut of the metalView the full article

A previous report on Waterstone Mortgage's Q3 earnings contained inaccurate information. We are correcting the record. View the full article

It’s official: Twitter.com is about to bite the dust forever. According to a series of tweets from X’s @Safety account, posted between October 24 and October 25, the social media platform plans to finally retire the Twitter domain on November 10. Currently, searching for Twitter.com still leads directly to X, but soon, that will no longer be an option. The domain’s phase-out comes more than two years after Twitter owner Elon Musk renamed the platform X in July 2023, much to the dismay of many loyal users. At the time, critics argued that the rebrand was destined to fail, with some going so far as to call it “brand suicide.” And while many former users have indeed jumped ship to competing platforms like Threads and Bluesky in the years since Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022, it looks like the new name is here to stay. The announcement that Twitter will soon disappear into the annals of internet history came subtly buried in a message from X’s @Safety account that, due to the domain’s retirement, users who rely on certain two-factor authentication (2FA) methods will need to update their log-ins before November 10. Here’s what you need to know about the notice: How to make sure your X account doesn’t get locked According to an initial post from @Safety, all X accounts that use a security key as their 2FA method will need to re-enroll their key in order to keep accessing X after November 10. Per a second post, a “security key” does not refer to users who rely on an authenticator app to log into X. Instead, this notice only pertains to anyone using a physical security key (like a Yubikey), or a passkey, which is an encrypted, passwordless log-in option that typically requires users to enter a face scan or fingerprint scan. These methods are typically used to keep accounts safer, since they make it more difficult for hackers to access passwords and log into accounts remotely. If you use a security key or passkey to log into X, here’s what you can do before November 10 to avoid locking your account: Open your account and navigate to Settings. Select “Security and account access,” then click “Security” and open the “Two-factor authentication” section. Click the “Add another key” option and follow the steps to create a new security key or passkey that’s linked to the “x.com” domain rather than the former “Twitter.com” domain. Per the @Safety post, “After November 10, if you haven’t re-enrolled a security key, your account will be locked until you: re-enroll; choose a different 2FA method; or elect not to use 2FA (but we always recommend you use 2FA to protect your account!)” X did not immediately respond to Fast Company’s request for comment on what other steps it’s taking to ensure that the Twitter retirement process proceeds smoothly. View the full article

A safety checklist is a practical tool that helps teams maintain consistent safety practices on site. Used before shifts, inspections and audits, a good checklist improves compliance, reduces incidents and creates a clear record of safety actions. By standardizing inspections across crews and sites, a safety checklist makes it easier to spot hazards early and take corrective action quickly. The right safety checklist template saves time by providing ready-made fields for hazards, controls and signatures while remaining easy to customize for specific trades or tasks. Whether printed for toolbox talks or used on a mobile device for real-time reporting, a safety checklist template supports clear communication, faster corrective action and better documentation for managers and auditors. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Safety-Checklist-Screenshot.png Get your free Safety Checklist Template Use this free Safety Checklist Template for Word to manage your projects better. Download Word File What Is a Safety Checklist? A safety checklist is a structured document that outlines the specific steps, equipment and conditions that must be verified to ensure a safe working environment. It provides a systematic approach to inspecting job sites, machinery and procedures so teams can identify hazards before they cause harm. A safety checklist promotes accountability by assigning responsibility for each inspection item, helping to confirm that safety measures are not only in place but consistently followed. Construction teams, facility managers and safety officers use safety checklists to comply with regulations and reduce the risk of accidents. These lists can cover everything from personal protective equipment and fall protection to site housekeeping and equipment maintenance. By using a consistent checklist, teams can ensure that no safety step is overlooked and that compliance standards such as OSHA requirements are met during every phase of a project. Project management software improves the safety checklist process by turning static documents into live, trackable workflows. Teams can create recurring safety tasks, assign responsibilities and track completion in real time. Automated notifications remind crews when inspections are due, while digital recordkeeping eliminates paper logs and simplifies compliance reporting. This helps managers maintain visibility across multiple job sites and ensures accountability through centralized documentation. ProjectManager is ideal for managing the safety checklist process because it combines planning, tracking and reporting tools in one connected platform. Its interactive Gantt chart lets safety managers schedule inspections alongside construction activities so potential conflicts or high-risk phases can be addressed in advance, including linking dependencies. Teams can attach digital checklists, photos and comments directly to tasks, ensuring every safety item is logged and verified. Real-time dashboards and AI-informed reports give instant insight into site compliance. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more When to Use a Safety Checklist A safety checklist should be used whenever workers face physical, environmental or operational risks that could cause injury or damage. These checklists help standardize inspections, verify compliance with safety regulations and prevent hazards before they occur. They’re especially useful in industries where multiple teams, machines and moving parts operate simultaneously, making oversight essential for maintaining a safe workplace. Construction Projects On construction sites, a safety checklist ensures every phase of work—from excavation and framing to finishing—is completed safely. It covers PPE requirements, scaffolding inspections, equipment checks and fall protection systems. Using a checklist during daily site walkthroughs helps supervisors identify unsafe conditions early and confirm that corrective actions are taken before work continues. Related: Corrective Action Plan Template Manufacturing Operations In manufacturing, safety checklists are used to monitor equipment conditions, machine guarding, chemical handling and emergency procedures. They help operators maintain compliance with OSHA and other regulatory standards while reducing downtime caused by accidents. Routine use of checklists keeps production lines efficient and ensures that all safety controls are functioning correctly. Warehouses & Logistics Operations Warehouses and logistics centers rely on safety checklists to control hazards related to forklifts, material storage and pedestrian traffic. Regular inspections ensure clear aisles, proper stacking and functioning safety barriers. By integrating checklists into daily routines, managers can prevent injuries, minimize product damage and maintain smooth warehouse operations even during high-demand periods. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-construction-ebook-banner-ad.jpg What Should Be In a Safety Checklist? A safety checklist should cover every aspect of a worksite or facility that affects employee safety and compliance. It ensures hazards are identified, control measures are in place and safety procedures are consistently followed. Each section of the checklist focuses on a specific category of workplace safety, helping teams conduct thorough and repeatable inspections. General Information This section records the date, location, inspector name and project or department details. It establishes accountability and ensures all inspections are properly documented. Accurate general information allows managers to track safety performance trends, verify inspection frequency and coordinate follow-up actions across multiple sites or departments. Personal Protective Equipment The PPE section ensures all workers have and use the required protective gear, such as helmets, gloves, safety glasses and high-visibility vests. It also verifies that PPE is clean, functional and properly fitted. Regular checks help prevent injuries caused by worn or missing equipment and promote consistent compliance with safety standards. Tools & Machinery Inspection This section confirms that all tools and equipment are in safe working condition. Inspectors check for damage, leaks and malfunctioning parts. Preventive inspection reduces breakdowns, prevents accidents and extends the life of costly machinery, ensuring safe and efficient performance throughout daily operations. Workplace Environment Inspection Inspecting the work environment includes checking lighting, ventilation, housekeeping and hazard controls. This section ensures pathways are clear, noise and dust levels are controlled and signage is visible. Maintaining a safe environment reduces the likelihood of slips, falls and exposure-related illnesses among workers. Related: Best Construction Estimating Software of 2025 Emergency Preparedness Emergency preparedness covers access to fire extinguishers, first-aid kits and clearly marked exits. It also verifies that emergency procedures and evacuation routes are up to date. Regular checks ensure employees know how to respond quickly in case of fire, medical emergencies or severe weather events. Training & Signage This section ensures all workers receive the required safety training and that warning signs and instructions are posted where needed. It also verifies that certifications are current. Keeping training and signage updated helps maintain awareness of potential hazards and reinforces safe work habits across all personnel. Documentation & Compliance The final section confirms that all safety reports, inspection logs and permits are properly filed. It helps verify compliance with OSHA and other regulatory standards. Complete documentation supports audits, legal protection and continuous improvement in workplace safety management. Safety Checklist Template Download this free safety checklist template for Word to provide a comprehensive framework for daily safety inspections. It organizes essential information, from general site details to personal protective equipment, tools, machinery, workplace conditions, emergency preparedness, training, signage and compliance documentation. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Safety-Checklist-Screenshot-600x686.png Using this template helps safety managers systematically track hazards, enforce policies and maintain regulatory compliance. It streamlines reporting, ensures accountability and makes safety oversight easier across all shifts and locations. Safety Checklist Example A safety checklist helps organizations systematically inspect work areas, equipment and personnel compliance to maintain a safe environment. Using a detailed checklist ensures that potential hazards are identified and corrected quickly, protecting employees and meeting regulatory standards. This example illustrates how a daily safety walkthrough can be organized across multiple categories, including general information, personal protective equipment, tools and machinery, workplace conditions, emergency preparedness, training, signage and documentation. General Information This section records key details about the inspection, such as location, date, supervisor and overall safety status. It ensures accountability and provides context for each safety review, helping organizations track conditions over time and maintain consistency across shifts or departments. Field Example Entry Date 10/08/2025 Location Main Manufacturing Plant – Assembly Line B Department Production & Maintenance Supervisor / Inspector Carla Thompson Shift Morning (6 a.m.–2 p.m.) Inspection Type Daily Safety Walkthrough Weather Conditions (if applicable) Clear, 27 °C Overall Safety Status Satisfactory Personal Protective Equipment This section ensures that all required PPE is available, in good condition and used properly. Regular tracking helps reduce risk, maintain compliance and identify shortages early so the safety team can take corrective action quickly. PPE Item Available In Use Condition Action Required Responsible Person Hard hats Yes Yes Good — Site Foreman Safety gloves Partial (short supply on Size L) Yes Fair Order additional pairs Purchasing Protective eyewear Yes Yes Good — Safety Officer Reflective vests Yes Yes Excellent — Crew Lead Steel-toe boots Yes 80% compliance Good Reinforce PPE policy HR & Safety Tools & Machinery Inspection This section helps verify that all tools and machinery are safe to operate, maintained properly and free of hazards. It records the condition, maintenance schedules and corrective actions to prevent breakdowns and incidents. Equipment / Tool Condition Maintenance Due Date Issue Detected Corrective Action Status Forklift #2 Good 20/10/2025 None — Cleared Hydraulic press Fair 15/10/2025 Minor oil leak Schedule maintenance this week In progress Electric drills Excellent 30/11/2025 None — Cleared Conveyor belt motor Poor Overdue Unusual noise Replace bearing Pending Welding equipment Good 25/10/2025 None — Cleared Workplace Environment Inspection This section ensures the physical workspace meets safety standards, identifies hazards and tracks corrective actions. Observations include lighting, floor conditions, noise, ventilation and aisle clearance to minimize risks for all personnel. Area / Element Standard Met Observation Risk Level Required Action Completion Date Lighting levels Yes Adequate illumination throughout Low — — Floor cleanliness Partial Oil spill near Press Machine 2 Medium Clean area and post warning sign 10/08/2025 Noise levels Yes Within acceptable range Low — — Ventilation system Yes Air filters replaced last week Low — — Aisle clearance No Pallets blocking exit path High Relocate pallets immediately 10/08/2025 Emergency Preparedness This section confirms that all emergency equipment is accessible, functional and regularly inspected. It includes fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, exits, alarms, evacuation maps and emergency contacts, helping staff respond quickly during incidents. Item Condition Accessible Last Checked Action Required Responsible Person Fire extinguishers Good Yes 01/09/2025 Update inspection tags monthly Maintenance First-aid kits Partially stocked Yes 05/10/2025 Restock medical tape and bandages Safety Officer Emergency exits Clear Yes 10/08/2025 — Floor Supervisor Evacuation map Updated Visible 10/08/2025 — Safety Coordinator Alarm systems Functional Yes 07/08/2025 Perform quarterly sound test Electrical Team Emergency contact list Outdated Yes 03/07/2025 Replace with new version HR Department Training & Signage This section tracks employee training, equipment-specific instruction, hazard signage, chemical labels and incident reporting procedures. It ensures personnel are informed and compliant with safety protocols. Item Compliant Observation Action Needed Responsible Person Deadline Safety induction training Yes All new employees trained — HR & Safety — Equipment-specific training Partial Two operators need refresher course Schedule retraining Operations Lead 15/10/2025 Hazard signage Yes Clear and readable — Facilities — Chemical hazard labels No Faded labels on paint storage Replace labels immediately Safety Officer 11/08/2025 Incident reporting procedure Yes Posters visible in break area — HR — Documentation & Compliance This section monitors records, audits and compliance documentation. Proper recordkeeping supports regulatory requirements, internal audits and continuous improvement of safety programs. Document Type Updated Storage Location Compliance Standard Review Date Responsible Person OSHA Form 300 (Injury Log) Yes Digital Safety Folder OSHA 29 CFR 1904 01/01/2026 Compliance Officer Equipment maintenance logs Yes Maintenance Office ISO 45001 Monthly Maintenance Manager Safety meeting minutes No Safety Shared Drive Internal Policy 05/09/2025 Safety Coordinator Audit reports Yes Secure server (Safety\Audits) Local Labor Authority Quarterly QA Manager Corrective action reports Partial Pending upload Company SOP 12/08/2025 Safety Officer Free Related Templates These free templates are designed to streamline construction safety management. Each template addresses a critical aspect of workplace safety and risk oversight, making it easier to plan, document and report safety procedures across your projects. Construction Safety Plan Template This template helps outline safety procedures, assign responsibilities and document preventive measures for construction sites. It ensures all hazards are identified, controls are implemented and compliance with safety regulations is maintained throughout the project. Incident Report Template Use this template to record workplace incidents, track their causes and document corrective actions. It standardizes reporting and ensures timely communication of safety events, helping prevent future accidents and maintain accountability. Risk Assessment Template This template guides users through identifying hazards, evaluating risks and implementing mitigation strategies. It supports proactive safety management by helping teams systematically assess potential threats and maintain a safer work environment. ProjectManager Is Ideal for Manufacturing and Construction Projects ProjectManager is built to handle the complexity of both manufacturing and construction projects, offering tools that keep multiple tasks, teams and deadlines in sync. With multiple project views, managers can switch between Gantt charts, kanban boards and task lists to visualize production schedules, construction timelines and workflow dependencies. This flexibility allows for real-time adjustments, better sequencing of operations, and more accurate forecasting of project milestones. Optimize Resource Management Resource management in ProjectManager allows you to allocate labor, equipment and materials across multiple projects with precision. In manufacturing, this means tracking machine availability, production line capacity and material inventory levels. In construction, it enables assignment of crews, scheduling of heavy machinery and monitoring of on-site materials. Built-in workload views, resource allocation charts, team page and automatic alerts prevent overbooking, reduce downtime and ensure that every resource is used efficiently throughout the project lifecycle. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Streamline Tracking Tracking progress is critical in both manufacturing and construction, and ProjectManager simplifies this with comprehensive dashboards, real-time reports and integrated timesheets. Timesheets allow field operators and shop floor staff to log hours directly from mobile devices, capturing labor costs accurately. Dashboards give managers a visual overview of production output, construction milestones and pending tasks. Customizable reports provide insights into budget adherence, resource utilization and project risks, enabling proactive decision-making and ensuring projects stay on schedule and within budget. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AI-Project-Insights-Dashboard-Edited-Lightmode.png Related Content Whether you’re working in construction or manufacturing, a safety checklist helps deliver projects without incidents impacting deliverables. For those who want to expand the lens and learn more, check out the links below on risk management, site management and more. Construction Risk Management: An Introduction Construction Site Management: A Guide to Site Inspection Shop Floor Management: Planning, Scheduling and Control Logistics Management 101: Types, Degrees and How It Works with Supply Chain Management ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Safety Checklist: Quick Guide With Example & Template appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article