The work of a project manager is to ensure they utilize available resources to timely complete a project. The only way to do this is by having the right team who are skilled and competent at their jobs. However, it will be up to the project manager to ensure they have the right tools to reduce risk. Some measures of reducing risk are manual and simply involve creating a feasible environment for team members, where they can collaborate on projects and communicate their ideas. Others are technical and that’s where software for project management comes in. 

What is Project Management Software?

Software for project management are a raft of software designed to help project managers to properly plan, budget and execute their projects successfully. There are software that are tied to the exact tasks at hand, and these are named or labeled according to the task they execute. So, scheduling software is designed to schedule tasks and therefore its functions will be time-based, such as setting up reminders and updating project calendars. Others may be designed for project tracking and they will include aspects of project scheduling while also having aspects of collaboration. 

From this, you can see that both paid and free software for project management have a collection of tools that enables the software to work properly, whereas others are simply tools that are digital and therefore only perform one function. A programmer can create a software designed specifically for calculating budgets whereas another can design a tool for managing the budget. These are tools designed as software. 

Features of the Best Software for Project Management

Good project management software have certain inbuilt functions that make their overall capabilities great. Some of the most sought after features in project management are:

File Upload

The capacity to upload files is crucial since team members will need to upload and download files for use. These files can range from reports to figures which help team members to better understand the aspects of the project by collecting the necessary data and information crucial to their jobs. Companies no longer need extensive libraries and board rooms when a simple software can function as a repository for files and enable collaboration on the files. 

Dashboard

The dashboard functions as a personal login page for each team member and it functions as a landing page where all the aspects of the project are relayed and a team member can assess the progress of their specific tasks and that of the overall team. In some instances team members can view the progress of the other team members and evaluate their own progress in line with the overall goals. 

Role Management

Good software for project management, whether online or desktop based should be able to assign roles for each member either automatically or as set by the project manager. This function is crucial since it will be tied to the project scheduling tools within the software. 

Overall, these features are simply a few of the critical functions that project management software should have. A diligent project manager should be able to identify which features are important and source only for the software that performs those functions.