What is Project Management Software?
“Project management is the use of specific knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to deliver something of value to people,” according to the Project Management Institute.
Top project management software should have these six basic features:
- Dashboard. Each team member’s dashboard spells out any assigned tasks and when those projects are due.
- Scheduling and deadline management. At a glance, a project manager can assess the work assigned to a team member and properly incorporate new tasks into their daily schedule without overloading them or distracting them from other tasks.
- Ability to assign roles. You can add a team member to each task so that everyone knows who is responsible for each portion of the project.
- Collaboration. Project management software has tools to enable collaboration and communication among team members.
- File uploading. Most platforms include file sharing, so team members can easily share key documents, information, and assets.
- Project templates. Many project management software programs come with templates you can customize to fit your business’s needs.
So, what additional features besides these are the ultimate decision drivers? Here are the top 9 essential features of project management tools.
9 Essential Features for Project Management Tools
1. Project Templates
Project templates are how you make sure each project has what it needs. You have your master template and apply it to new projects.
This helps save time, so you’re not constantly repeating the same processes.
It also helps you compare your templates to see which processes are more successful.
2. Project Team Dashboard
A project team dashboard helps you see everyone who’s involved easily.
It also helps you see who’s missing and easily creates the option to add someone.
This dashboard should provide team names and faces as well as:
- Contact information
- Job title
- Task assignments
- Task statuses
This helps give a detailed overview so you can see who’s behind and who’s not.
3. Project Resource Management
How do you know what project managers are at capacity? Who can take on more projects?
A project management software with resource management allows you to see whose time is over or under-allocated.
Be more accurate when forecasting timelines and project completion dates by understanding the task level and who is available each day.
4. Group Tasks
Group tasks are tasks that require not just one assignee but multiple. Instead of reaching out to these individuals to complete the task, put them in it.
Give them the transparency and direction they need to succeed.
And then track when every person has completed their part.
5. Event Tasks
This is great for meetings or any other onboarding-related event. Event tasks are different from regular tasks because they can integrate with your company calendar. When the event gets updated in GUIDEcx, it transfers to your calendar so you can keep up with your team.
6. Task Checklists
Within tasks, there might be mini-tasks. Checklists within tasks are a great way to summarize these simpler tasks and break down the steps to complete the larger task at hand.
7. Dependency Logics
What are dependency logics?
Say one task can’t be started until another is marked “Done.” How do you communicate that?
Some project management tools allow for dependency logic. This task that can’t be started cannot be marked “In Progress” until its predecessor is marked “Done.” This helps priorities stay in order and ensures that dependent tasks throughout the project have the right resources gathered from previous tasks.
This feature can also send an email to the assignees of the dependent task, telling them the previous task has been marked “Done” and it’s their time to shine!
8. Document Storage
There are so many documents that can go into a project. From proposals to training documents, everything should be accessible and centralized.
This helps avoid any confusion about the placement of documents. If you have an onboarding template and each onboarding has the same set of documents, you can put those resources in the template. This saves time when starting a new project, so you don’t have to keep uploading the same items manually each time.
9. Protected Attachments
Not only should documents and attachments be accessible, but they should also be secure.
Find a project management tool that requires authentication for access or has temporary-working secure links for the right people to access.
This will help your team members and customers feel more at ease and increase trust.
Many project management tools won’t have all these features (unless they’re GUIDEcx), but they are additional bonuses that can really make a difference in completing projects quickly and efficiently. Some features can be fluff, but the list above is compiled from customer insights of features that have made lasting impressions.
Talk With a Guide Today
Discover how GUIDEcx can help you improve efficiency by reducing your customer onboarding timeline and increasing the capacity of your project managers. Our unparalleled professional resources and unwavering commitment to excellence support our industry-leading customer onboarding solution.
