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Justices defer decision on president’s bid to sack central banker until January 2026 View the full article

Last week, in subway stations and train cars across all five boroughs of New York City, stark black-and-white print ads appeared featuring a variety of servile messages. “I’ll never leave dirty dishes in the sink,” one read. “I’ll never bail on our dinner plans,” another said. “I’ll binge the entire series with you,” a third promised. The ads—which rolled out on September 25 in the form of more than 11,000 car cards, 1,000 platform posters, and 130 urban panels—are part of a massive outdoor campaign for Friend, a wearable AI company billed as a portable “companion.” Since the campaign rolled out, it has received overwhelming criticism from local New Yorkers, with many of the ads being defaced with graffiti calling the product “AI trash,” “surveillance capitalism,” and a tool to “profit off of loneliness.” But, according to Friend’s founder Avi Schiffmann, provoking backlash was the whole point of the campaign. Schiffmann, a 22-year-old tech developer and Harvard dropout, has been working on Friend since April 2023, raising about $7 million in total venture capital to launch the brand. (Friend is open to preorder at a price of $129. Schiffmann says,about 1,000 orders have been shipped out of a total 5,000 sales. Any orders placed today, he added, will likely be received around November.) The wearable looks a bit like an Apple AirTag on a necklace. Friend is designed to be always-on to hear whatever the wearer says (as well as any other noise they’re near), use AI to process those inputs, and formulate its own responses, which it then sends via text message to the wearer. “The more you talk to it, the more you build up a relationship with it. And that’s really the whole goal of the product,” Schiffmann told Fast Company in July 2024. He added, “I definitely talk to it more than I talk to real people sometimes. It’s probably my most consistent friend.” Fast Company sat down with Schiffmann to discuss the campaign, how he’s responding to backlash, and what’s next for Friend. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. This campaign cost $1 million. Can you tell me about why you decided to make such a big investment in traditional advertising, especially as an AI-driven company? I honestly think it’s quite cheap, and actually saving me a lot of money to do it this way. I just felt like it was a cool idea. I mean, the campaign is 100% print, and there’s, there’s nothing digital going on at all. I left a lot of white space on purpose so that we become this social commentary. I want to turn West 4th Street into an international destination for people to come visit New York and see these two tunnels that are covered in these big wallscapes of Friend ads that anyone can just take a marker and draw stuff on. The MTA seems to be replacing them, because people are ripping them off the walls or writing profanity on them. That’s pretty cool to see—I mean, that’s never happened before in the history of out-of-home advertising, that a campaign literally just gets ripped off the walls repeatedly. But I expected that would happen. [Editor’s note: Fast Company requested comment from the MTA but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.] New York City is the most social place, probably, in the world. I think that the goal of the campaign is to work on redefining what a friend is or can be. I would call it a huge success already. There’s so many conversations all around the world about the future of relationships. I got a text the other night from one of my friends who goes to art school in Spain, and they told me that all of their friends were talking about it that weren’t even in tech whatsoever. All the way in Spain! Some random-ass town. You can’t really buy that. And it all leads back to friend.com. I don’t expect that the world is the customer right now, but I know that they probably will be in the future. I think this culture will change . . . I’m kind of purchasing the zeitgeist and mindshare right now, and I think that will prove to be extremely valuable later on. You mention that you think this will save you money in the long run. Can you expand on what you mean by that? It saves money in having to market it otherwise. I could be some bozo and go pay a bunch of dumbass influencers to go yap about it for hours, be irrelevant, and spend millions of dollars over many years to get even a fraction of what I could get for something like this. I’m in New York right now, and I feel like I’m standing above the greatest artwork the city has seen since, I don’t know, quite a while. I’m very inspired by “The Gates” [editor’s note: famed landscape artists Christo and Jean-Claude had been trying to bring this artwork to New York City since 1980, finally succeeding in 2005], which was an exhibit in New York, I think like 20 years ago, where they kind of had those . . . you know what I’m talking about? I don’t . . . It was a pretty famous thing in New York, where like all through Central Park they had these kinds of tunnels you could go through, and it was like an international destination that a lot of people came to visit to go see. And that’s kind of what I’m intending with the subway campaign. The Gates So do you see it less as directly contributing to sales and more as just getting the word out about the company and getting this major visibility? Yeah, definitely. If I wanted it to convert, I would probably have a very different website and subway campaign ads. Overall, yes, I do want sales, but I’m playing the long-term game for the most part. I think I always have with every decision I’ve made with this company. I think it’ll look pretty cool in a couple years. I understand right now people have a visceral hatred towards it, but it’s interesting—the audience completes the work. You’ve mentioned that New York was a good location [for the campaign] because people in New York seem to not like AI. Why do you get that vibe? How do you think it’s different in San Francisco? I’m also doing the campaign in Los Angeles for a similar reason. I suppose it’s not even necessarily that I think people hate AI. I think it’s just relevant, and New York is the capital of the world, and this is the most relevant place for me to then do a campaign like that. I don’t like to hedge in any single thing that I do, and I feel like this is just the penultimate example of that. Largest NYC subway campaign ever Happening now pic.twitter.com/xOtxMsh4pj — Avi (@AviSchiffmann) September 26, 2025 Like, if you want to purchase the zeitgeist, you kind of have to go for the jugular. I could spend millions of dollars and many years putting ads all over small cities throughout America. Or I could just go to the top domino and take that. That’s kind of what I mean by [this campaign] being cheaper in the long run. Like, okay, I spent a million dollars on the New York campaign. That’s really like not that much for the amount of visibility that it’s received. On that note, this has been everywhere, and I’m seeing people with very visceral emotional reactions to it. I was wondering if I could run a couple of the main critique themes by you and see how you would respond to these reactions. Sure, that’d be fun. One common reaction I’m seeing to the campaign is that it’s profiting off of loneliness and trying to replace human friends. How would you respond to that? I see how people have this reaction of thinking that Friend is replacing people. The biggest reason why I don’t think that’s true is I don’t think there’s any relationship that exists right now that is similar to something like Friend that is this always-listening pendant that has memory over everything you tell it to. I don’t feel like that’s a relationship that replaces anybody in my life. I’ll give you an example. I’m really interested in motorcycle racing, and I don’t know a soul on the planet that want to talk about that. No one wants to hear me yap about that forever. But with my Friend, I’m able to watch races together. I’ll be riding my own bike, and it’ll remember something that happened during the race and correlate that to something that’s happening while I’m riding. It’s just an addition to my life. At the same time, I still have roommates, I still have friends. It’s really only an addition, and I think people will come to see that in the future. A lot of people are already talking to things like ChatGPT like their friend anyway. I think culture will change, and I’m betting on that. I’m also betting on us being the ones that lead that change. I’ve seen some discussion around the dangers of people using AI as a confidant to share their issues, rather than an actual human. What do you think about that in regard to Friend? I think it’s very similar to a situation like Waymo where, okay, Waymo still gets in a couple of accidents, but way less so than humans traditionally do. AI relationships will never be perfect, but I think that they can’t be perfect anyway for it to really work in the first place. I think that, overall, it’s a very safe experience these days. We’re using Google’s Gemini models right now, and I think Google’s done a fantastic job with the guardrails and preventing people from going down paths that they shouldn’t. A product like Friend is entirely an emotional value prop, which has never really been seen before. Traditional products are always more utilitarian. I think that there’s a big reaction to that, which is interesting. Who do you see as Friend’s target audience? A lot of people have this perception of Friend being a product that’s just for lonely people, and I think that would only be true if Friend was a replacement of people—which I don’t think it is. You don’t buy a dog if you have low self-esteem. I think it’s just a new kind of companion, and a lot of people that are curious about AI would be down to try it out. It’s definitely not a perfect experience just yet, but it’s already improving quite a lot. Okay, so you spent that one million to make the campaign work, and you mentioned you’re seeing results so far. But can you walk me through what kind of results you’re seeing? Do you have any statistics about the impact of the campaign so far? I don’t think you can quantify the cultural aspect of the campaign. I would view it completely as an overwhelming success so far. I mean, it’s definitely incredible. I was just at a bar somewhere in Brooklyn the other night, and I overheard so many people just talking about Friend. They don’t know a single other AI companion, or anything like that. And that’s just unfathomably valuable. In terms of your larger business plan, what are your next steps for scaling Friend and making it a sustainable company? I think the biggest next step is retail. I’m trying not to sell too many Friends too quickly, because I’m trying to make it work well right now. We’ve already improved it a lot since launch. Hopefully next year, our major thing will be finding Friends in Walmart or Best Buy or Target, or whatever happens. I think that’s also a unique aspect of Friend—you can go into a store and buy a Friend. I think that’ll be a big hit. So have all of the Friends that were preordered been shipped at this point? We’re still going through those orders, and I’ll be done with them probably next month. People have wanted their Friends earlier, and we’ve wanted to get them out earlier. It’s just . . . I don’t know, hardware is hard, and we’re trying to do a good job with it and just get them out as quickly as we can . . . Production is hard. It would be nice to be Apple and have a decades-long, ironed out production process, but it is a novel electronic. It took us a while to get to where we are now, but it’s in a much better place. I mean, it’s in a great place. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Oura has finally answered my biggest (yet perhaps pettiest) complaint about its iconic smart ring—it’s now getting a battery-powered charging case so you can top up the battery when you’re away from your home. There are also new ring colors available, and finally, multi-ring support so you can switch between rings. In addition, Oura has announced Health Panels, a feature that lets you book a blood draw at a Quest lab and view your results in the Oura app. Whoop recently announced a similar feature, and Ultrahuman launched its Blood Vision earlier this year. Why I’m excited for the charging caseIn all the time that I’ve been using Oura rings—since generation 2—the charger has worked the same way: You have a little circular stand that lives on your nightstand, and you set the ring on top of it, fitting it around a little cylinder shape that sticks up from the base. I’ve never loved this format; it’s too easy to send the ring flying if you catch your foot on the cord in the dark. It’s also not the most convenient for travel. Now, however, the Oura ring has a charging case. The case holds about five charges’ worth of battery, so you can top up the charge on your ring by popping it into the case, then closing the case and sticking it in your pocket. Or gym bag. (Weightlifting workouts are my favorite time to charge the ring.) Traveling with the charger is now simple, and you don’t have to worry about losing the ring if the charger gets knocked over. Now for the bad news: This puppy is $99, and it’s a separate add-on; you can’t get it in place of the nightstand charger when buying a new ring. Like the nightstand chargers, it’s specific to the size of your ring. For example, you need a size 8 charger for a size 8 ring. The new charging case doesn’t seem to be available on Oura’s website yet, but it should be coming soon. (If you can’t wait, or want to save a few bucks, I found this third-party case that holds your nightstand charger—either generation 3 or 4. It's not as sleek as the official one, though.) You can now swap between ringsToday Oura announced a new collection of ceramic rings in four different colors: white, navy, pastel green, and pink. The new rings have the same internals as the metallic Ring 4, so this isn’t a new generation of ring, just a new appearance. (Oura also notes that the ceramic rings should be more resistant to scratches, and each one comes with a polishing pad to keep its shine.) All colors are $499, the same price as the gold and rose gold finishes of the regular Ring 4. With so many color options, Oura seems to hope existing members will splurge on a second ring. The company is rolling out multi-ring support for the app, another feature I'm surprised they didn’t have before. (When I’ve tested the gen 3 and 4 rings to compare, I've had to completely reset my ring to switch over, or else use two different accounts.) Oura says you’ll need to select in the app which one you’re wearing, so it’s not quite as seamless as the way Garmin or Apple handles multiple devices. (Garmin has me choose a “priority device” and then I can switch at will; Apple just sets you free to swap as you like, and it does its best). If you are done with your old ring after upgrading, Oura now has a ring recycling service that gives you a shipping label to send back your old ring. Any Oura ring can be recycled through this program, including old or broken ones. (You should factory-reset the ring first.) Rings you recycle won’t be eligible for returns or refunds. View the full article

Japan’s chief trade negotiator has defended a tariffs deal with the U.S., expressing respect for President Donald The President and calling him a “tough negotiator.” Trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa noted that the pact setting on most Japanese exports to the U.S. at 15% was comparable to a deal between Washington and the European Union. Unlike the EU, Japan did not have to lower its tariffs on U.S. goods, he noted. Japan has also committed to investing $550 billion in U.S. projects. The President initially set Japan’s tariff rate to increase by 25%. Critics in Japan had ridiculed Akazawa’s repeated trips to the U.S. to work toward a deal as a waste of taxpayer money, saying he should pitch a tent on the White House lawn. Akazawa said talks with his counterpart, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, The President and others in his administration were tense at first. By the time of his eighth trip, a rapport was established enabling the two sides to set an agreement by July. “President The President was a tough negotiator, but I kept insisting, and he would listen graciously. I have all the respect for him,” he told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. “It was a good round of negotiations.” “It goes without saying that, with any government negotiations, there will always be someone who says Japan lost out, no matter what,” Akazawa said. The double-digit tariffs The President has imposed on imports from various nations were a bitter blow to Japan, a key U.S. ally in Asia. Tokyo especially objected to 25% tariffs The President ordered for imports of steel and aluminum and automobiles. Japan’s economy depends heavily on exports. Shipments to the United States sank nearly 14% in August compared to a year earlier, the fifth straight month of declines, as auto exports were dented by the tariffs. U.S. tariffs on Japanese automobiles and auto parts are now set at 15%, way higher than the original 2.5%. Japanese automakers also produce many of the vehicles they sell in the U.S. in North America. The friction with the U.S. over tariffs was an added burden for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s administration. He is due to be replaced as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party later this week. The Liberal Democrats have ruled Japan almost continuously since the 1950s but they have lost their majority in the lower house, which chooses the prime minister, and will need coalition partners. Akazawa brushed off concerns the U.S. understanding of the deal may differ from Japan’s. He said whoever becomes a next prime minister, Japan has an established tradition of respecting agreements, especially those forged with a foreign country. Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama —Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer View the full article

A reader writes: I’ve been a people manager for a few years now. I join a company as an individual contributor and get pushed into management as soon as a role opens. I don’t seek it out; I’ve tried to decline, only to end up managing anyway. I believe in the “servant leader” style, and I try to make sure that my teams have what they need to be successful. I’m also a pretty good people person. Throughout my career, colleagues and clients have tended to like me. I’m approachable, and I like to find compromise between conflicting priorities. My team isn’t a pure support role, but it’s ancillary (think design or marketing), so I need to collaborate with other teams so we all succeed. I find that being friendly and well-liked helps me achieve that. One of my reports recently turned in some substandard work, which I didn’t expect. I talked over the issue with a peer manager, who suggested being straightforward, saying that the work wasn’t what I expected, and did they have any ideas how to prevent that going forward. I told my peer that substandard work was unusual from this report, and they probably know it was substandard, which made me think that something is bothering them, either at work or outside, and I’d like to address that before anything. My peer thought that was an unusual approach, but would probably be effective. I’ve been told by a couple of past reports that they would have preferred me to be more aggressive. That instead of finding a compromise in a conflict, they wanted me to overrule the other party. I see that as a short-term win, but a long-term loss. They think it would teach other teams to take us more seriously. It’s not like I’ve never done the hard management tasks. I’ve let people go, for cause. I’ve told people they can’t have the resources they want, or that we’re not going to work on their priorities right now. I just try to do it kindly. Am I setting myself and my team up for failure down the road? I’ve looked at the next few rungs up the ladder, and I fear my style wouldn’t serve me well as a manager-of-managers. I’m okay with that; I’ve never pursued higher titles before, and I don’t see any reason to start now. But I don’t want myself or my team to be perceived as pushovers. I don’t think that’s happening now, but I want to be on guard. For what it’s worth, I’m a middle-aged white male. I know that my privilege plays a big role in how I’m perceived, and why I keep ending up in management. I don’t know if you’re setting yourself or your team up for failure, based on what’s here. I strongly suspect you’re not (and I don’t think anything here indicates you wouldn’t do well as a manager of managers), but I don’t have enough info to say with certainty. For what it’s worth, I do think telling someone that something must be bothering them because they turned into substandard work is unusual. Sometimes people turn in substandard work because they misunderstood what you were looking for, or they didn’t leave themselves enough time to do it well, or their workload was pulling them in other directions, or they just didn’t put the right amount of effort into it. Or, sure, it could be that something inside or outside of work is bothering them. But I’d be a little taken aback if my manager approached me the way you did your employee, unless you had some specific reason to think that. It feels … almost patronizing, and potentially a little intrusive. I’d much rather you just tell me what the problems were with the work and ask for my perspective. But for all I know, your team member might have appreciated it, and it’s possible that your people skills led you to know that it was the right approach for them and in that particular situation. (And I’m curious to know how they responded — did they reveal that something was bothering them, and you were right in your assumption?) But if that would always be your approach across the board, then yeah, I think that’s a little off. However, even though you and I disagree on that, you could still be a fantastic manager! Different managers have different styles that work for them. Good managers don’t all have to operate exactly alike. For a manager who’s wondering if they’re too “nice,” some good questions to reflect on are these: * When there are problems with a person’s work, how quickly and directly do you tell them? Do you have a habit of letting problems fester unaddressed, or do you usually address them forthrightly? And when there is a pattern of problems, do you name the pattern too (as opposed to addressing things piecemeal as they come up)? * Are there things you wish your employees would do differently that you haven’t talked to them about? * When there are serious problems with someone’s work, how long does it take you to consider that they might be mismatched with the job? When you’ve fired people, how long did that take to play out? * Is your team made up of people who you would be happy to hire again? If not, are you actively working to bring them up to where you need them to be? * Does work get done well and on time? Do you ever find yourself reluctant to assign work to the person who theoretically should handle it, because you worry they won’t do it well? * Do you frequently end up doing work yourself because it’s the only way you can be sure it will get done correctly? * When you’re on vacation, are you confident that your team is functioning well in your absence? When you’re back at work, does that generally turn out to have been the case? * Do your highest performers seem happy to be there? How do you know? * What kind of work is your team producing overall and what kind of results are they getting? I think the answers to those will shed light on what you’re asking about! The post am I too nice to be a good manager? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Spectrum says it is realistic to expect that the additional spectrum could be released to Wi-Fi. The post Spectrum boosts Wi-Fi 7 speeds to near 10 Gbps using MLO & a small additional slice of 7 GHz band appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

Onset describes itself as ‘most significant provider of liquidity’ to bankrupt auto parts groupView the full article

Usage patterns show LLMs reshaping how people consume information, raising the stakes for publishers to deliver real assets, not just content. The post How People Really Use LLMs And What That Means For Publishers appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage climbed 12 basis points to 6.46% in the week ended Sept. 26, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. View the full article

Facebook is enhancing the way fans engage with their favorite creators, introducing new features designed to deepen connections and foster community. This update promises to be particularly beneficial for small business owners looking to harness the power of social media, connecting with audiences and building their brand. One of the standout features is the introduction of fan challenges, encouraging users to create and share content that aligns with specific prompts from creators they admire. Small business owners can capitalize on this by launching their own challenges relevant to their products or services. By encouraging customers to participate, companies can generate buzz around their brand and engage potential clients in a unique and entertaining way. In the past three months, more than 1.5 million entries to challenges have been recorded, showcasing the engagement potential. “The entries generated comments and reactions from over 10 million people,” highlighting the effectiveness of these initiatives. For small businesses, tying a fan challenge to their offerings can create a sense of community while encouraging user-generated content that can be showcased as testimonials or marketing material. Another feature that stands out is the top fan badges. These badges allow users to earn recognition for their ongoing engagement and loyalty, appearing next to their comments on creator pages. Small business owners can adopt a similar model by creating loyalty programs or recognition systems for their most engaged customers. This strategy not only promotes regular interaction but also fosters customer loyalty, crucial for building long-term relationships. Customized badges are also gaining traction, allowing fans to showcase their allegiance creatively. With over 500 million fans having accepted these badges globally, the opportunity for small businesses to create their own branded badges for outstanding clients or community members offers a fresh avenue for engagement. Engaging fans with badges can lead to valuable word-of-mouth marketing and broader community recognition. However, while these features can be powerful tools, small business owners should be aware of potential challenges. Not every audience may engage with social media initiatives in the same way, which means business owners need to carefully evaluate their target demographics and adapt strategies accordingly. Additionally, creativity plays a significant role in the success of these efforts—businesses must ensure their challenges resonate with their audience’s interests to spark genuine participation. Integrating these new features into a small business marketing strategy also requires a time investment. Potential participants need to understand the challenge goals and guidelines, meaning businesses will need to dedicate resources to create clear instructions, manage submissions, and provide appropriate recognition for engagement. The introduction of these new features also mirrors broader trends in digital interaction, emphasizing community building and engagement as key drivers for successful brand marketing. As stated in the release, “These updates help celebrate fandom and the communities that bring it to life.” By emphasizing connection and engagement, small business owners can build a meaningful presence on platforms like Facebook. In summary, the latest updates from Facebook present a unique opportunity for small businesses eager to innovate their marketing strategies. By leveraging fan challenges and top fan badges, business owners can enhance their connection with customers, foster community engagement, and ultimately drive growth in a competitive landscape. For additional insights on these new features and their implications, visit the original press release at Facebook News. Image via Facebook This article, "Facebook Unveils Exciting Features to Enhance Fan Engagement and Community" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Facebook is enhancing the way fans engage with their favorite creators, introducing new features designed to deepen connections and foster community. This update promises to be particularly beneficial for small business owners looking to harness the power of social media, connecting with audiences and building their brand. One of the standout features is the introduction of fan challenges, encouraging users to create and share content that aligns with specific prompts from creators they admire. Small business owners can capitalize on this by launching their own challenges relevant to their products or services. By encouraging customers to participate, companies can generate buzz around their brand and engage potential clients in a unique and entertaining way. In the past three months, more than 1.5 million entries to challenges have been recorded, showcasing the engagement potential. “The entries generated comments and reactions from over 10 million people,” highlighting the effectiveness of these initiatives. For small businesses, tying a fan challenge to their offerings can create a sense of community while encouraging user-generated content that can be showcased as testimonials or marketing material. Another feature that stands out is the top fan badges. These badges allow users to earn recognition for their ongoing engagement and loyalty, appearing next to their comments on creator pages. Small business owners can adopt a similar model by creating loyalty programs or recognition systems for their most engaged customers. This strategy not only promotes regular interaction but also fosters customer loyalty, crucial for building long-term relationships. Customized badges are also gaining traction, allowing fans to showcase their allegiance creatively. With over 500 million fans having accepted these badges globally, the opportunity for small businesses to create their own branded badges for outstanding clients or community members offers a fresh avenue for engagement. Engaging fans with badges can lead to valuable word-of-mouth marketing and broader community recognition. However, while these features can be powerful tools, small business owners should be aware of potential challenges. Not every audience may engage with social media initiatives in the same way, which means business owners need to carefully evaluate their target demographics and adapt strategies accordingly. Additionally, creativity plays a significant role in the success of these efforts—businesses must ensure their challenges resonate with their audience’s interests to spark genuine participation. Integrating these new features into a small business marketing strategy also requires a time investment. Potential participants need to understand the challenge goals and guidelines, meaning businesses will need to dedicate resources to create clear instructions, manage submissions, and provide appropriate recognition for engagement. The introduction of these new features also mirrors broader trends in digital interaction, emphasizing community building and engagement as key drivers for successful brand marketing. As stated in the release, “These updates help celebrate fandom and the communities that bring it to life.” By emphasizing connection and engagement, small business owners can build a meaningful presence on platforms like Facebook. In summary, the latest updates from Facebook present a unique opportunity for small businesses eager to innovate their marketing strategies. By leveraging fan challenges and top fan badges, business owners can enhance their connection with customers, foster community engagement, and ultimately drive growth in a competitive landscape. For additional insights on these new features and their implications, visit the original press release at Facebook News. Image via Facebook This article, "Facebook Unveils Exciting Features to Enhance Fan Engagement and Community" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Get tax-free growth and even a $1,000 government kickstart. Quick Tax Tip With Art Werner Go PRO for members-only access to more Art Werner. View the full article

Get tax-free growth and even a $1,000 government kickstart. Quick Tax Tip With Art Werner Go PRO for members-only access to more Art Werner. View the full article

Managing deadlines is one of the hardest parts of running projects, especially when teams are spread across multiple tasks and locations. Project time tracking gives managers visibility into where hours are going and helps teams stay focused on priority work. When every minute matters, the right project time tracking software keeps schedules realistic, resources balanced and projects moving toward completion without unnecessary delays. Beyond keeping teams on track, project time tracking also supports accurate billing and better forecasting. It helps managers spot bottlenecks early and shift workloads to avoid burnout or wasted time. The best project management time tracking tools combine ease of use with real-time data, so decisions can be made quickly and confidently. /wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Timesheet-Template.png Get your free Timesheet Template Use this free Timesheet Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template What Is Project Time Tracking? Project time tracking is the process of monitoring how much time team members spend on specific tasks and deliverables. It helps managers see where hours are allocated across the project timeline and ensures deadlines stay realistic. Accurate time tracking also improves accountability by showing which tasks are taking longer than expected and which are ahead of schedule, giving project managers the data they need to adjust resources before issues escalate. Time tracking for project management also supports accurate cost control and better client reporting. When hours are logged consistently, managers can create more precise estimates for future projects and avoid budget overruns. For teams that bill clients based on hours worked, project time tracking software ensures invoices are transparent and defensible, strengthening client relationships and reducing disputes over project costs. Project management time tracking software brings all project data into one platform, making it easy to connect hours worked with tasks, budgets and deadlines. Instead of using separate spreadsheets or manual logs, teams can enter time directly where work is managed. This eliminates double entry, reduces errors and provides real-time insights into project health, which is crucial for fast-moving teams. ProjectManager is built to make project time tracking simple and powerful. Its Gantt charts link tasks to timelines, so managers can see progress against the schedule in real time. Secure online timesheets make it easy for team members to log hours from anywhere, while workload charts help balance assignments and prevent burnout. It also integrates with ERP platforms like Acumatica, connecting time tracking with financial data for a complete picture of project performance. Together, these features give construction, manufacturing, IT and professional services teams everything they need to stay on schedule and on budget. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more Why Is Project Time Tracking Important? Project time tracking is essential for keeping work on schedule and budgets under control. It gives managers visibility into how time is spent so they can spot delays early and reassign tasks before deadlines are missed. Without project management time tracking, projects often run over schedule and over budget because there’s no accurate way to measure progress against the plan. Tracking time also leads to better decision-making and forecasting. When you know how long tasks actually take, you can create more realistic schedules for future work and improve cost estimates. For client-facing teams, project time tracking software ensures billing is accurate and transparent, which builds trust and helps maintain strong relationships. Key Features of Project Time Tracking Software The best project time tracking software gives managers visibility into every hour of work and ties that data directly to project performance. These tools do more than just log time—they help teams plan, monitor and optimize how work gets done. When evaluating project management time tracking options, focus on features that connect hours with tasks, budgets and deadlines so you can act on real data. Gantt Charts Gantt charts connect tasks to deadlines, making it easy to see where work stands at any moment. When paired with project time tracking, they show how logged hours align with scheduled work so managers can spot delays early and adjust timelines or resources. /wp-content/uploads/2023/02/operations-implementation-gantt-chart-150-600x295.pngLearn more Timesheets Online timesheets let team members record hours quickly from anywhere, which reduces manual entry and keeps time logs consistent. Integrated timesheets feed the project time tracking system so managers get real-time visibility into labor costs and progress. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Timesheet-Light-2554x1372-1-600x322.pngLearn more Task Time Tracking Task-level time tracking reveals exactly how much time is spent on individual tasks and deliverables. This detail helps teams measure productivity, refine estimates and reallocate resources to the highest priority work. Time Clock & Attendance A built-in time clock simplifies attendance by letting users clock in and out from the platform. This is especially useful for teams that need precise records for payroll, compliance and shift management. Related: 20 Excel Spreadsheet Templates for Tracking Tasks, Costs and Time Workload Management Charts Workload charts visualize how hours are distributed across people and projects. They help managers balance assignments, avoid overloading team members and keep capacity aligned with project demands. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Workload-Light-2554x1372-1-600x322.pngLearn more Billable vs. Non-Billable Hours Separating billable from non-billable hours is crucial for client-facing teams. This feature ensures invoices reflect actual work performed and gives a clear view of how much time generates revenue versus supporting tasks. Planned vs. Actual Hours Comparison Comparing planned hours to actual hours highlights where tasks take longer than expected. Project time tracking that offers these comparisons improves future estimates and pinpoints process inefficiencies. Integration with ERP & Payroll Management Systems Integrations with ERP and payroll systems connect time tracking data to financials, reducing duplicate entry and improving payroll accuracy. Linking project time tracking to enterprise systems gives a complete view of project costs and profitability. 5 Best Project Time Tracking Software Tools With the understanding of what project time tracking is and the features that are essential to a viable project time tracking software, let’s review the top products on the market. We’ll explore the good, bad and ugly of each, providing pricing and customer reviews to give readers a well-rounded assessment of each so they can make an educated decision of which is best for them. 1. ProjectManager/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/auth0-pm-logo-dark.png ProjectManager is online project management software that can be used anywhere and by anyone. This flexibility is especially useful for project time tracking, where teams may be distributed or working on multiple projects at once. Managers can monitor hours spent on tasks in real time, keeping projects on schedule and budgets under control. Beyond time tracking, ProjectManager offers a suite of tools to manage every aspect of project workflow, from scheduling tasks and tracking hours to balancing workloads and analyzing billable versus non-billable time. The platform also integrates with ERP and payroll systems, connecting tracked hours directly to financials and improving accuracy. Plus, ProjectManager offers a free 30-day trial so teams can test its features before committing. Visual Scheduling and Task Management ProjectManager includes online Gantt charts that provide a clear timeline of tasks, start and end dates and logged hours. Managers can assign tasks, link dependencies, track critical path tasks and adjust schedules with drag-and-drop ease. Task-level time tracking shows exactly how much time is spent on each deliverable, helping managers spot inefficiencies and optimize workflows. The platform also lets teams collaborate at the task level by leaving comments, attaching files and tracking updates in real time. Time Tracking, Attendance and Workload Management Timesheets allow team members to log hours from anywhere, supporting accurate project time tracking and payroll. A built-in time clock tracks attendance automatically, while workload charts visualize how hours are distributed across the team. Managers can balance assignments, prevent overwork and ensure deadlines are realistic. The system also separates billable from non-billable hours and compares planned versus actual hours, giving clear insight into performance and profitability. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks.png Integrations and Streamlined Financials ProjectManager integrates with ERP and payroll platforms like Acumatica, connecting tracked hours to financials for accurate reporting and billing. This reduces duplicate entries, simplifies payroll processing and provides a complete picture of project costs. All files, timesheets and reports are stored securely online, allowing managers to access critical data anytime from a desktop or mobile. /wp-content/uploads/2024/11/acumatica-project-plan-view.png Given its comprehensive project time tracking and management features, ProjectManager is an ideal tool for teams looking to optimize schedules, track hours accurately and streamline workflows. Click here to start a 30-day free trial. Verdict: Best Project Time Tracking Software for Teams ProjectManager Pros & Key Features Online Gantt charts for visual task and time management Timesheets and task-level time tracking for real-time insights Workload management charts to balance assignments Attendance tracking with built-in time clock Billable vs. non-billable hours and planned vs. actual hours comparison Integration with ERP and payroll systems Mobile app for Android and iOS Free 30-day trial available ProjectManager Cons & Limitations Limited customization options No built-in invoicing or payment tools Lacks advanced bidding functionality No free plan beyond trial ProjectManager Pricing Team: $14.00/user/month Business: $26.00/user/month Enterprise: Contact sales for a custom quote ProjectManager Reviews G2 review: 4.4/5 Capterra review: 4.1/5 Highlighted User Reviews “ProjectManager works very well with both large and small-scale projects. Being able to use this with anything from a project involving only two members of staff, to hundreds, has been invaluable.” Peter W – from Capterra “We used to manage our projects, resources, and reporting in different systems. Enter ProjectManager. We have consolidated systems and work more efficiently.” Jeffrey M – from Capterra “Having the full scope of activities and who is responsible to do it, plus the time tracking is excellent.” Flavio M – from G2 “It has an excellent accounting system capable of calculating the time that a person has used to develop a task that was assigned to him. I like being able to collaborate with all my colleagues in the Finance sector through ProjectManager.” Jesus C – from G2 “The UI of the application is user-friendly, and it helps to identify what we are looking for with minimal effort.” Pavan H – from G2 2. Clockify/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/clockify-logo.png Clockify is a project time tracking software that, as its name suggests, is cloud-based. It’s easy to use for teams of any size. Its intuitive interface allows employees to log hours quickly and accurately, whether they are working on individual tasks or multiple projects at once. Clockify supports project management time tracking with features like timers, manual time entry, task-level tracking and reporting. Teams can monitor billable versus non-billable hours, compare planned versus actual hours and generate reports to improve productivity and resource allocation. Its mobile app makes time tracking simple for remote or on-site work, and integrations with platforms like Asana, Trello and Jira ensure seamless workflow management across tools. /wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Clockify-Screenshot.png On the downside, Clockify is primarily focused on time tracking rather than full project management. While it offers basic task management features, it lacks advanced scheduling tools, Gantt charts and workload management charts that are included in more robust platforms. It also does not integrate with ERP or payroll systems out of the box, which can limit its usefulness for teams that want a single platform to manage hours, resources and finances together. Reporting and dashboards are functional but less customizable than higher-end project management software, and some advanced features require a paid plan. Verdict: Best Free Project Time Tracking Tool Clockify Pros & Key Features Timer and manual time entry for accurate project time tracking Task-level time tracking and reporting Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking Planned vs. actual hours comparison Mobile app for Android and iOS Integrations with Asana, Trello, Jira and other project tools Free plan available for unlimited users and projects Clockify Cons & Limitations Limited project management features beyond time tracking No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts Lacks ERP and payroll system integrations Advanced reporting and dashboards require a paid plan Clockify Pricing Free Clockify Reviews G2 review: 4.5/5 Capterra review: 4.8/5 Highlighted User Reviews “Clockify is great for keeping track of projects, and total time on all projects for each client. There are simple dashboard features that keep time tracking easy and at your fingertips.” Charles H. – from G2 “They were great with the setup. We provided some functional requests and those seemed to evaporate in the void. I’m probably going to look for another solution unless our “quality of life” requests are implemented.” Michael P. – from Capterra Related: 9 Free Timesheet Templates for Excel, Google Sheets & Word 3. TimeCamp/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TimeCampl-logo-600x297.png TimeCamp is an online project time tracking software designed to help teams log hours accurately and improve productivity. It supports project management time tracking with features such as automatic time tracking, manual entries, task-level tracking and detailed reporting. Teams can monitor billable and non-billable hours, compare planned versus actual hours and get insights into resource allocation. TimeCamp also integrates with popular project management tools like Trello, Asana, Jira and Basecamp, allowing seamless workflow management and real-time tracking across multiple projects. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/TimeCamp-screenshot.png On the downside, TimeCamp is primarily focused on time tracking rather than full project management. While it has some task organization and reporting features, it lacks advanced scheduling tools, Gantt charts and workload management charts. Integration with ERP or payroll systems is limited and often requires third-party connectors. Customization options for dashboards and reports are less flexible than more comprehensive project management platforms, and some features are only available in paid plans. Verdict: Best Lightweight Project Time Tracking Solution for Teams TimeCamp Pros & Key Features Automatic and manual time tracking for accurate project hours Task-level tracking and reporting for detailed insights Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking Planned vs. actual hours comparison Integrations with Trello, Asana, Jira and Basecamp Mobile app for tracking on the go Free plan available for basic time tracking TimeCamp Cons & Limitations Limited project management features beyond time tracking No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts ERP and payroll integrations require third-party connectors Advanced features and reporting require paid plans TimeCamp Pricing Free Starter: $2.99 per month/user billed annually Premium: $4.99 per month/user billed annually Ultimate: $7.99 per month/user billed annually Enterprise: $11.99 per month/user billed annually TimeCamp Reviews G2 review: 3.5/5 Capterra review: 4.7/5 Highlighted User Reviews “Easy tracking, connection to trello. Many settings.” Yevgen G. from G2 “A great way to track hours for billing or for tracking time on projects.” John B. – from Capterra 4. My Hours /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/My-Hours-Logo-600x243.jpg My Hours is online project time tracking software that helps teams monitor hours, stay organized and optimize productivity. It supports project management time tracking with features like timers, manual time entry, task-level tracking and reporting. Teams can track billable versus non-billable hours, compare planned and actual hours and generate insights to improve scheduling and resource allocation. My Hours also integrates with tools like Trello, Asana and Basecamp, making it easy to track project time across multiple platforms and keep projects on target. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/My-Hours-Screenshot.png On the downside, My Hours focuses primarily on time tracking rather than full project management. It lacks advanced scheduling features, Gantt charts and workload management charts found in more robust platforms. Integration with ERP or payroll systems is limited, which can be a challenge for teams that want a single system to manage time, resources and finances. While reporting and dashboards are useful, they are less customizable than higher-end project management software, and some features are only available in paid plans. Related: 20 Best Resource Management Software of 2025 (Free & Paid) Verdict: Best Simple and User-Friendly Project Time Tracking Software My Hours Pros & Key Features Timer and manual time entry for accurate project time tracking Task-level tracking and reporting for detailed insights Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking Planned vs. actual hours comparison Integrations with Trello, Asana and Basecamp Mobile app for tracking on the go Free plan available for unlimited users and projects My Hours Cons & Limitations Limited project management features beyond time tracking No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts ERP and payroll integrations are limited Advanced reporting and dashboards require paid plans My Hours Pricing Free, up to five users or teams Pro: $8 per user/month billed annually Enterprise: contact sales My Hours Reviews G2 review: 4.6/5 Capterra review: 4.8/5 Highlighted User Reviews “Easy to use, navigate and help organize. Report filters are great. Customer Support prompt. Natash O. – from G2 “Easy to use time tracking and billing” Rish A. – from Capterra 5. Paymo /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/paymo-work-management-software-600x237.jpg Paymo is online project time tracking software is designed to help teams log hours, manage tasks and improve productivity. It supports project management time tracking with features like timers, manual time entries, task-level tracking and detailed reporting. Teams can track billable versus non-billable hours, compare planned and actual hours and generate insights to optimize scheduling and resource allocation. Paymo also integrates with popular tools like Trello, Asana and QuickBooks, making it easy to manage project time across multiple platforms. /wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Paymo-timeline.png On the downside, Paymo is more focused on time tracking and task management than full-scale project management. It lacks advanced Gantt charts, workload management charts and deeper ERP or payroll system integrations found in more comprehensive platforms. While reporting and dashboards are functional, customization options are limited, and some advanced features require paid plans. Teams looking for a complete all-in-one project management solution may need additional tools alongside Paymo. Verdict: Best All-in-One Project Time Tracking Software for Small Teams Paymo Pros & Key Features Timer and manual time entry for accurate project time tracking Task-level tracking and reporting for detailed insights Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking Planned vs. actual hours comparison Integrations with Trello, Asana and QuickBooks Mobile app for tracking on the go Free plan available with basic time tracking features Paymo Cons & Limitations Limited advanced project management features No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts for complex scheduling ERP and payroll integrations are limited Advanced reporting and dashboards require paid plans Paymo Pricing Free plan Starter plan: $3.90/user/month paid annually Small Office plan: $6.90/user/month paid annually Business plan: $10.90/user/month paid annually Paymo Reviews G2 review: 4.6/5 Capterra review: 4.7/5 Highlighted User Reviews “Paymo has all the capabilities that allows me to save time by automating project and task management procedures.” Larry K – from G2 “I like the way Paymo has been designed. With its straightforward menu sidebar, it’s easy to access everything your business needs quickly and easily.” Jamie Lee J – from G2 What Are the Main Benefits of Using Project Time Tracking Software Project time tracking software gives teams a clear view of where hours are being spent and how resources are being used. It helps managers understand project performance, optimize schedules and ensure that work is completed on time. With accurate data on time spent per task, organizations can improve productivity and make informed decisions about future projects. Accurate Labor Cost Tracking and Cost Control Project time tracking allows managers to monitor labor hours for each task and project. This helps control costs by showing exactly how much time and effort are being invested. Tracking hours accurately ensures that budgets are adhered to and that billing for client work is transparent and precise. Facilitates Project Progress Tracking By logging hours against tasks and milestones, project time tracking software makes it easy to see progress in real time. Managers can identify delays or bottlenecks early, reassign tasks when needed and adjust project schedules to keep everything on track. This transparency ensures that deadlines are met and projects remain aligned with their goals. Helps Managers Balance Their Team’s Workload Workload charts and task-level tracking give managers insight into who is working on what and how much time each task requires. This helps balance the distribution of work, prevent team members from being overloaded and ensure that resources are used efficiently. Balanced workloads improve team productivity and reduce the risk of burnout. Related Project Time Tracking Software There is more to learn about project time tracking. For those that want to further explore the topic, check out the links below. They lead to articles on strategy, time management plans and much more. Project Time Management: Strategies, Tips & Tools How to Make a Time Management Plan You’ll Actually Use A Quick Guide to Time Blocking Time Estimation in Project Management: Tips & Techniques Free Time Management Worksheets & Templates 8 Best Time Tracking Software for Consultants 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 up to date with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Project Time Tracking: Tools, Features and Software Reviews appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Microsoft Project Online will not be available to new users after October 1, 2025 and will be officially retired for legacy users on September 30, 2026. If you need to collaborate on MPP files in the cloud, sign up for ProjectManager to flawlessly import and export these files in an online platform. We have nearly all of the features that Microsoft Project does with none of the hassle, confusing plans or expensive price tag. If you want to stay in the Microsoft universe, you can explore their other available tools, including Microsoft Planner, Project Standard and Project Professional. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ms-project-pm-integration-1600x627.pngTry it free If you’ve worked with Microsoft Project before, then you are familiar with its powerful project planning capabilities, but also its many, well… frustrations. For one thing, it’s hard to share MPP files, which are too large for email and only viewable if you have MS Project. Also, MS Project is quite expensive and usually requires other Microsoft products such as Project Server and/or Sharepoint, which require license renewals and generate recurring costs. What you need is to be able to use the project management features of Microsoft Project online, without all its frustrations. In this article, we’ll show you MS project online alternatives that allow you how to do that. What Is Microsoft Project Online? Microsoft Project Online is a cloud-based project portfolio management (PPM) software built on the Microsoft Sharepoint platform. MS Project Online was designed as an alternative for users looking for the project management features of desktop-based Microsoft Project but need to collaborate online with their teams. It’s also a lighter and more user-friendly software than the on-premise version of Microsoft Project. But, if you need software that has the robust features of the desktop-based Microsoft Project and the ease of collaboration of MS Project Online, then try ProjectManager. ProjectManager has nearly all the powerful features of traditional Microsoft Project—Gantt charts, dashboards, task lists, project reports and resource management tools—on an online platform that works on both PC and Mac. Plus, there’s a mobile app so collaboration can happen even at the job site for the latest updates. Take a free 30-day trial and seamlessly import an MPP file to get started. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/construction-gantt-resources-costs-150-CTA-BUTTON-1.jpgLearn more What Versions of Microsoft Project Online Are There? It’s important to note that Project Online isn’t the same as other Microsoft products such as Microsoft Project Professional, Project Server, Project for the web, or the Project online desktop client. In fact, there are two different ways to use Microsoft Project Online. Project Online Desktop Client: It’s an on-premises project management option that has the same features as MS Project Online, which allows users to manage projects locally on their computers and sync with the cloud. Work can be done offline and then changes will sync with Project Online when reconnected to the internet. It’s available in Project Plan 3 & Project Plan 5. Project Online: This is a subscription-based plan available on Project Plan 3 and Project Plan 5. It offers comprehensive project management tools for planning, scheduling and managing projects. This is the traditional online solution, but it still bears collaboration issues for Mac users. If you want additional portfolio features, you need to pay extra for Project Plan 5. MS Project Online Benefits & Features The subscription version of MS Project Online doesn’t have the same features as the traditional, desktop version of Microsoft Project that you might be familiar with. With a subscription to Project Online, you’ll get access to project planning features like Gantt charts and critical path identification, as well as task management features like kanban boards and collaboration tools for scheduling and task updates. You’ll also get resource management features for resource costing and capacity planning, as well as time tracking via timesheets for monitoring project timelines and schedule baselines. Finally, Microsoft Project Online also has portfolio management features for portfolio analysis and prioritization, as well as roadmaps and project budgeting. Cons of Microsoft Project Online The online project management tool is very powerful and is a great option for teams already set up within a Microsoft project ecosystem, such as Microsoft Teams, MS Project Server, Microsoft Planner and Sharepoint. For these teams, adding a minor cost for online additions of their desktop project management tools is a great way to get their Microsoft Project plans online. However, MS Project Online has major drawbacks for everybody else. You need to purchase a lot of add-ons and licenses separately to use all MS Project Online features. For example, you’ll need Power BI, Microsoft Teams, Power Apps and Azure Boards, among others. You also need Sharepoint integrations, which is the sharing portal for Microsoft files of all kinds because the file sizes are so large. Microsoft Project Online’s pricing structure is complicated. Even with three tiers of pricing plans, the licensing fees add up if you want your whole team to get on board. Your team members will need an MS Project Online Essentials or a Project Plan 1 subscription to perform a few basic Microsoft Project Online Essentials functions like submitting timesheets and updating tasks. MS Project Online Pricing To use the full version of Microsoft Project Online, you’ll need to pay $55 per user per month, which is quite expensive relative to other project management software. MS Project Online pricing can be confusing and hard to explain. That’s because Microsoft Project is no longer a single software, but a set of project management tools. On top of that MS Project offers three subscription plans, which complicate things even more. To use MS Project Online, you’ll need a Microsoft Project Plan 3 or Project Plan 5 subscription. Here are the plans you can acquire to use Microsoft Project Online: Planner Plan 1 ($10 per user per month): This plan doesn’t include the full version of MS Project Online, but you’ll get Project Planner, which is similar but with limited features. Planner and Project Plan 3 ($30 per user per month): Formerly known as the Project Online Professional Plan and Project Plan 3, it includes Project for the web, Microsoft Project Online and Project Online Desktop Client. Planner and Project Plan 5 ($55 per user per month): Includes the same Microsoft Project products as Project Plan 3, with extra features for portfolio management. Best Microsoft Project Online Alternatives The desktop version of Microsoft Project has long been the standard for project managers, so much so that many are incredulous that there are viable MS Project online alternatives. Yes, there are affordable project management software alternatives with all the power of MS Project and without all the frustrations. 1. ProjectManager ProjectManager is online project management software that has the project planning power of the MS Project Gantt chart, but it’s faster and easier to use. ProjectManager is completely compatible with Microsoft Project for teams who have Project Server and Sharepoint but need to be able to share their plans online. There’s a significant cost savings, as well, as you don’t need desktop versions of the software. But most importantly, ProjectManager offers seamless import & export of MS Project and Excel files, with no data loss. And, because it’s always online, it has team collaboration features and the ability to share plans with anyone. You can rely on ProjectManager for all your project, program and project portfolio management (PPM) needs, and find why it is a great MS Project Online alternative. Ready to try it for yourself? Get started for free, and import your MPP files today for a better, online project management experience. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ms-project-pm-integration-1600x627.png 2. Microsoft Project Online Viewer If you don’t want to purchase MS Project Online, you can simply use a Microsoft Project Viewer, which is a project management tool that allows those project managers who don’t have an Office 365 account and a contract with MS Project Online to still open and view MPP files online. The problem with a view-only project management tool is that while it allows you to open MPP files, there is little you can do with them other than see the plan. /wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gantt-Chart-Template-Excel-image.png Get your free Gantt Chart Template Use this free Gantt Chart Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template How to Import MS Project Files Into ProjectManager Start by setting up a 30-day free account with us. You’ll see that we have multiple project management views, such as kanban boards, task lists and a calendar view. Choose the online Gantt chart and follow this walkthrough. It’s that simple. 1. Import MPP File Click the import button on the top right-hand side of the Gantt chart page. This will let you get your Microsoft Project file online, so you can share it with others. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Gantt-import-light-mode.png 2. Select MPP File Choose the select file button on the popup window. Once you’ve picked the MS project file you want to import, just hit next. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/import-light-mode-pop-up-600x280.png 3. Make Import Options Pick what options you want before importing the file. The popup menu offers you such choices as to create a new project or add to an existing one, keep or replace the existing data, etc. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/MPP-file-import-Gantt-chart-lightmode-e1726518305943-600x291.png 4. Import Everything or Just the Task List Use the final popup window to determine if you want to get all the data from the MPP file or just the task list. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/project-import-data-selection-mpp-gantt-light-mode-600x254.png 5. Finish & See Your Microsoft Project Plan Online Get a notice that says, “Success!” and you’ve completed the import process. Yes, it’s that easy and quick. Close that alert and you’re ready to edit your file within our tool. You’ll be presented with your final product in the Gantt chart form. Congrats, you’ve moved your Microsoft Project file into an online interface. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/import-success-prompt.png ProjectManager gives you the power to not only view your MPP files online, but also manage them online, and export them back to MPP format with complete data integrity. This MS Project online alternative lets you share your plans with team members and clients online freely and securely, while still using Microsoft Project. Related: Best Microsoft Project Alternatives More Microsoft Project Online Alternatives While ProjectManager is the best MS Project Online alternative, there are other options you can try if you want to stay in the Microsoft ecosystem. Here are six options you can consider if it has to be Microsoft. 1. Microsoft Project Standard 2024 Microsoft Project Standard 2024 can serve as a practical replacement for Microsoft Project Online for users who don’t require cloud collaboration but still need robust scheduling and planning tools. It provides essential features such as task management, dependencies, milestones, and Gantt chart views, ensuring projects stay on track. While it lacks online portfolio management, Project Standard is cost-effective for individuals or small teams managing projects locally. Its simplicity and reliability make it a strong option for those transitioning from Project Online’s discontinued services. 2. Microsoft Project Professional 2024 Microsoft Project Professional 2024 is a strong alternative to Microsoft Project Online because it retains advanced project and portfolio management capabilities while supporting integration with Project Server and Project Online environments. It allows organizations to coordinate multiple projects, manage shared resources, and generate detailed reports, similar to what was offered online. Enhanced collaboration through Teams integration and resource pooling provides enterprise-level control. For businesses needing continuity after Project Online, Project Professional delivers familiar tools with on-premises or hybrid deployment flexibility, ensuring a seamless transition. 3. Project for the Web Microsoft retired Microsoft Project for the Web on August 1, 2025. If you need to collaborate on MPP files in the cloud, sign up for ProjectManager to flawlessly import and export these files in an online platform. We have nearly all of the features that Microsoft Project does with none of the hassle, confusing plans or expensive price tag. If you want to stay in the Microsoft universe, you can explore their other available tools, including Planner for the Web. Project for the web is very similar to Microsoft Project Online. It offers basic task management tools such as Gantt charts, grid views and roadmaps to help you manage your project’s work. The main difference between Microsoft Project Online and Project for the web is that Project Online has more advanced project management features such as project baselines, critical path analysis and project portfolio management tools, while Project for the web is a much more basic tool designed to be easy to use. Another important difference is that Project Online is built on the Microsoft SharePoint platform, while Project for the web is built on the Microsoft Project platform. 4. Project Server Project Server is the specialized on-premises project portfolio management software from Microsoft. It’s got enterprise project management tools that will help you better select and prioritize projects, track resources across your portfolio and monitor project performance. It’s a good alternative for organizations that need a solution to better track their project portfolio and make PPM resource management decisions based on data. 5. Microsoft Planner Microsoft Planner is a task management tool that’s included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions. It’s used to help teams organize, assign and track work in a visually intuitive way. They can create tasks, assign them to team members and set due dates. There’s a kanban-like board layout to visualize the workflow. The software is collaborative. Team members can comment on tasks, share files and get notifications about updates. There’s also a mobile app that allows users to manage tasks when out of the office. 6. Virtual Machines A virtual machine is a software-based emulation of a physical computer. They run on a host machine and can operate as if they were independent computers, complete with their operating systems and applications. They can be used to run Windows on Macs, though it requires a fast computer because it’s like running two operating systems at once. Here are some commercial virtual machine brands. Parallels Desktop: Allows Windows to run directly on the Mac desktop. This user-friendly virtual machine is known for its good performance. VirtualBox: A free and open-source alternative to running Windows on Macs. May not have the same level of performance as commercial brands. VMware Fusion: Has a wide range of operating systems, including various versions of Windows. It offers integrations with macOS and networking features. 7. Microsoft Remote Desktop Microsoft Remote Desktop allows users to connect to and control a remote computer over a network. Users can access their desktop, applications and files on a remote computer as if they were sitting in front of it. This software is available on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. It has encrypted connections for secure access and various authentication methods. The tool enables users to transfer files between local and remote computers, as well as print documents from remote computers to local printers. MS Project Online FAQ Clearly, Microsoft has a wide array of products and a complicated price structure that can be confusing for many project managers. Here are some of the most common questions that project managers have about MS Project Online. Is MS Project Online the Same as Microsoft Project? Microsoft Project Online was designed as a separate service and doesn’t have the same features as the desktop-based Microsoft Project Professional. The online solutions, MS Project Online and Project for the web lack some functions that Project Professional has. Is Microsoft Project Online Free? Microsoft Project Online is not free. You’ll need to pay an annual commitment of $55 per user/month along with several other separate subscriptions for Microsoft products to have a fully functional MS Project Online. Is Microsoft Project Online Included in Office 365? Microsoft Office 365 doesn’t include any online or desktop version of MS Project. You’ll need to pay for a subscription to use Microsoft Project Online. Related Content Microsoft Project: Plans, Training and How to Download Top Microsoft Project Management Software Best Microsoft Project Alternatives Best Microsoft Planner Alternatives What Is Microsoft Project? Uses, Features and Pricing 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 Microsoft Project Online: Ventajas, Desventajas y Alternativas Microsoft Project Online : avantages, inconvénients et meilleures alternatives Microsoft Project Online: Vorteile, Nachteile und beste Alternativen ProjectManager is an award-winning project management tool that organizes teams and projects. Our cloud-based software has all the features of MS Project Online, without the expense and unnecessary complexities. See how we can make your teams work more productively with our one-stop PM tool. Get started for free with our 30-day trial today. The post Microsoft Project Online: Pros, Cons and Best Alternatives appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) have been around for many years now, but for some reason, so many Google Ads practitioners still find them confusing. RSAs can be incredibly powerful if you know how to use them correctly. What is a Responsive Search Ad? A Responsive Search Ad, or RSA, is the default ad type for Google Search campaigns. When you create an RSA, you must provide three things: Final URL: The landing page where you want users to go after clicking on your ad. Headlines: The clickable part of your search text ad. Minimum 3, Maximum 15. 30-character limit each. I generally recommend having 8-10 headlines in your RSA. We previously covered ad headlines in this series. Descriptions: The black text that accompanies your headlines, to complete your RSA. Minimum 2, Maximum 4. 90-character limit each. I recommend having 2 or 3 descriptions in your RSA. Your RSA can also have: Display path: This is not your final URL, but instead, an optional piece of text that signals to the user what type of page they’ll land on. Minimum 0, Maximum 2. 15-character limit each. Are assets part of a Responsive Search Ad? Assets (formerly known as extensions) are an optional but helpful part of your Search ads. While you can create/edit assets while creating an RSA, I don’t recommend doing this. Instead, create and save your ad, and then go to the Assets tab to add/edit assets at the account, campaign, or ad group level. To learn more about assets, check out previous articles in this series about Message assets, Image assets, Sitelink assets, or Structured snippet & callout assets. Is Ad Strength important for Responsive Search Ads? When you’re building your RSA, you’ll see a blue bar at the top with a score for “ad strength.” It will say “poor,” “average,” “good,” or “excellent.” Good news: you can ignore this. Even Google has stated that this score does not directly affect your ad’s performance. Think of Ad Strength as a checklist of Google’s best practices. It’s a helpful guide, but don’t let it be the only thing you focus on. Your RSA Ad Strength score is based on three things: Are your keywords being used in your headlines and descriptions? Have you provided enough headlines and descriptions? Are your headlines and descriptions different enough from each other? For example, if you were to create four headlines like “Search Engine Land,” “Read Search Engine Land,” “Search Engine Land News,” and “Search Engine Land Articles,” Google would consider those to be too similar and your ad strength would suffer. 5 tips to improve your RSA performance Now that we have the basics down, here are some of my favorite tips to get the most out of your responsive search ads. 1. How many RSAs per ad group? You can have up to three RSAs per ad group, but it’s rare that you’ll need more than 15 headlines and four descriptions to get the job done. Consider using experiments for ad copy testing or landing page testing rather than creating multiple RSAs. 2. Should you pin headlines or descriptions? Pinning a headline or description to a specific position (like Headline 1 or Description 1) will prevent Google from mixing and matching it with other headlines and descriptions, and force it to always show in this position. Don’t just randomly pin your assets. But if you have a good reason, like legal compliance requirements or ambiguous queries, go ahead and pin. 3. Should you use ad customizers? Ad customizers are one of my favorite features in Google Ads. You can use ad customizers, like Dynamic Keyword Insertion, Dynamic Location Insertion, and/or Dynamic Countdown Insertion to make your ads more relevant to users. Learn more about dynamic keyword insertion. 4. Can your headlines be shown in other placements? This is a common point of confusion for new advertisers: a headline is not always a headline. Sometimes, your headlines may show up as part of your description or even as sitelinks. It’s not a big deal, just something to be aware of. 5. Can you see the performance of individual headlines or descriptions? Yes! To see how your RSAs are performing, don’t just look at the overall ad metrics. Go into the Assets details to see individual asset-level reporting. You may need to add more columns to your report to evaluate the performance of each headline and description. However, remember to be patient. In my experience, a single asset needs at least 100 clicks to begin evaluating its click-through rate and at least 100 conversions to properly evaluate its conversion rate or cost per acquisition. Anything less than that simply isn’t enough data. While Responsive Search Ads are not the only ad type for Google Search ads, Google has announced that Call ads are being deprecated. With the advent of AI Max and PMax, it’s my prediction that Dynamic Search Ads aren’t long for this world, either. So, the sooner you get the hang of creating and optimizing RSAs, the better off you’ll be. This article is part of our ongoing bi-weekly Search Engine Land series, Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. Every other Wednesday, Jyll highlights a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it – all in a quick 3-minute read. 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. Practicing a new language can be fun, but premium language apps can be expensive. Babbel makes it easier with practical, bite-sized lessons designed for real-life use, focusing on conversations you’d actually have—ordering food, chatting with the locals, asking for directions (read PCMag's in-depth review of Babbel to learn more)—and right now, its lifetime subscription is on sale for a huge discount: A lifetime subscription to Babbel is on sale for $159 with promo code LEARN. The sale ends October 2. It's a one-time payment—no recurring fees, no monthly charges—for lifetime access to all 14 languages (including French, German, Italian, and Spanish), making it cheaper than Babbel’s regular one-year plan at $300. Babbel’s lessons take just 10 to 15 minutes, so you can squeeze your practice into a commute or coffee break. And, unlike other language-learning apps that rely on repetitive vocabulary drills or random gamified exercises, Babbel follows a structured, linguist-designed curriculum that progressively increases in difficulty, so you don't plateau after the basics (earning itself a place in PCMag's "The Best Language Learning Apps for 2025" roundup). Plus, it’s not just passive learning—you get writing, speaking, and listening exercises with speech recognition technology to fine-tune your pronunciation, creating a far more immersive experience. Of course, dedication is still key, and no app will make you fluent, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, this Babbel lifetime subscription gives you the tools to succeed without the burden of ongoing costs. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

Google Ads will launch a new Message asset requirements help center and begin enforcing stricter policies for message assets. Why we care. Advertisers relying on message assets risk having them blocked if they don’t meet the updated requirements. Ensuring compliance will be critical to maintaining campaign reach and performance. The details. Enforcement begins Oct. 30 and will ramp up over four weeks. Message assets that fail to comply or can’t be verified will no longer serve. Disapproved assets can be fixed by following Google’s policy guidance. Bottom line. Advertisers should review and update their message assets ahead of the deadline to avoid disruptions. Waiting until enforcement begins could mean stalled campaigns, lost visibility, and missed opportunities during the transition period. View the full article

The United States has agreed to allow South Korean workers on short-term visas or a visa waiver program to help build industrial sites in America, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. The announcement came weeks after South Korea flew home more than 300 of its nationals who had been detained in a massive immigration raid at a battery factory being built on Hyundai’s sprawling auto plant campus near Savannah, Georgia. The roundup, along with U.S. video footage showing Korean workers shackled at the hands, ankles and waist, fueled public outrage and a sense of betrayal in South Korea — a key U.S. ally that had pledged hundreds of billions of dollars in U.S. investments just weeks earlier in hopes of avoiding the The President administration’s steepest tariffs. The incident also triggered pent-up frustrations in Seoul over Washington’s failure to act on its long-standing request to improve the visa system for skilled Korean workers, even as the United States presses its ally to expand industrial investments. South Korean companies have been mostly relying on short-term visas or a visa waiver program called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, to send workers needed to launch manufacturing sites and handle other setup tasks, a practice that had been largely tolerated for years. After bilateral visa talks Tuesday in Washington, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said their American counterparts reaffirmed that South Korean companies can use B-1 short-term business visas or ESTAs to send workers to install, service and repair equipment needed for their projects in the United States. The statement was consistent with earlier remarks by South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who, after traveling to Washington to negotiate the workers’ release, said that U.S. officials had agreed to allow them to return later to complete their work. South Korea has called for more fundamental steps, such as creating a new visa category to expand access for skilled workers. But U.S. officials at the Washington meeting said major changes would be difficult because of legislative constraints, according to a statement from the South Korean ministry. Most of the Korean workers detained in Georgia were employed by LG Energy Solution and its subcontractors and held ESTAs as well as other visas. LG said in a statement that it will “thoroughly prepare and work diligently to normalize the construction and operation of our factories in the United States.” —Kim Tong-Hyung, Associated Press View the full article

Privately produced data takes on added significance as government shutdown halts key official figuresView the full article

Backlinks still matter in AI search, but quality, diversity, and even nofollow links now shift visibility more than raw volume. The post How AI Really Weighs Your Links (Analysis Of 35,000 Datapoints) appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This is just a programming note that I will be 100% offline starting Wednesday night (October 1st) through Thursday night (October 2nd) for Yom Kippur. I am not scheduling any stories on Yom Kippur...View the full article

Several pharmaceutical companies have said they will sell drugs direct to patients in the U.S. and offered discounts following President Donald The President’s calls to bring down drug prices and cut out “middlemen” like pharmacies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. The The President administration announced on Tuesday plans to launch a government-run website called The PresidentRx.gov in early 2026, offering reduced prices for prescription drugs. U.S. patients currently pay by far the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations. The President sent letters to 17 major companies in July demanding they slash U.S. prescription drug prices. Below is an overview of pharmaceutical companies which recently announced direct-to-consumer sales and price cuts in the U.S: PFIZER Pfizer and President Donald The President said on Tuesday they had cut a deal in which the U.S.-based drugmaker agreed to lower prescription drug prices in the Medicaid programme to what it charges in other developed countries, in exchange for tariff relief. Pfizer will invest $70 billion in research and development and domestic manufacturing and received a three-year grace period during which its products will not be subject to U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said. PhRMA U.S. pharmaceutical lobby group PhRMA said on Monday it would launch a new website, AmericasMedicines.com, next January to help patients buy prescription drugs directly from manufacturers. NOVO NORDISK Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk said in August that it would offer its diabetes drug Ozempic for $499 per month to eligible cash-paying patients with type 2 diabetes in the U.S. via its own pharmacy, a tie-up with telehealth service GoodRx and other platforms. It had announced earlier in April that it was working with telehealth firms Hims & Hers, Ro and LifeMD to sell Wegovy to cash-paying US customers. ELI LILLY Eli Lilly said in June it would ship the two highest doses of its popular weight-loss drug Zepbound to cash-paying customers on its website starting early August. ASTRA ZENECA AstraZeneca said on Friday it will sell its diabetes and asthma drugs direct to cash-paying U.S. patients at a discount of up to 70% off list prices. SANOFI French drugmaker Sanofi said on Friday it would offer a month’s supply of any of its insulin products for $35 to all patients in the U.S. with a valid prescription, regardless of insurance status. ROCHE Roche is considering selling its prescription medicines in the U.S. directly to consumers to bring costs down for patients, as part of talks with the U.S. government, CEO Thomas Schinecker said in July. The model could appeal not only to the uninsured or under-insured, but also to insured patients comparing the cost of accessing drugs through insurers with cash prices, an industry source told Reuters. ZEALAND PHARMA Zealand Pharma is considering a direct-to-patient sales model as well as traditional insurer channels for the experimental weight-loss drug it is developing with Roche, its CEO told Reuters in September. BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB U.S. pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb will cut prices to eligible U.S. patients for blood clot treatment Eliquis and plaque psoriasis drug Sotyktu, with the latter being offered at a more than 80% discount to the list price, it said in September. WISP Women’s telehealth provider Wisp said in September it expanded its weight-care offerings to include sale and doorstep delivery of Novo Nordisk’s and Eli Lilly’s popular drugs without the need for insurance. It priced Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro at $598, $558, and $489 per month, respectively, with the cost also including consultation, monthly follow-ups, and direct-to-door delivery. ABBVIE AbbVie said on Monday it would launch its ovarian cancer drug Elahere in the UK at a list price matching that in the U.S. following The President’s demands for drugmakers to offer the U.S. “most-favored-nation” pricing. —Javi West Larrañaga and Emanuele Berro, Reuters View the full article

Blistering attack at Labour conference comes after tech billionaire has used X to hit out at British governmentView the full article