Many companies use project management software for various stages of project development. Both project managers and teams can greatly benefit from this type of software to control the most diverse processes that they need to carry out in their daily work. it helps everyone get involved in the project and collaborate without common obstacles, such as miscommunication.
Today, there is a wide variety of software available on the market, but did you know that there are also g suite project management applications that can help you and your team?
In this article, you’ll learn more about how to identify the best project management apps that work within g suite and how to use them most effectively.
what is g suite project management software?
Daily, companies need to control their quality management, tasks, budget and all the data that is exchanged together with the projects they develop. therefore, they need a particular type of software that can fulfill all these needs and lead to a successful outcome. without this software, processes can be complicated, failures are common, and things start to get out of hand.
project management applications are essential for project managers (pms) and teams to achieve goals on time while managing all available resources, next actions and future costs. This software allows companies to have a complete view of their entire workflow, integrating the steps that need to be taken together. also known as task management or project portfolio management (ppm) software.
when we talk precisely about g suite project management software, some of the g suite applications can be used for this purpose, which is extremely useful for companies that are already paying for google suite. Additionally, there are third-party tools that work within G Suite, specifically for project management. we’ll talk more about each of them later in the article.
project management software features
Project management software should have a few distinct features to fully satisfy all project-related needs in the business. the main ones are planning, monitoring, management and collaboration. Let’s take a closer look at it:
1. planning
One of the first things to do before starting a new project is to plan. it involves deciding on the resources and people that will fit the purpose of that project. Furthermore, after compiling the list of resources and determining which teammates will be on the project, it is time to schedule the specific tasks, set a due date for the final version, and allocate the resources with the help of project management software. projects.
programming
The programming of tasks and their respective dates for each one of the parts of a project is fundamental for its correct development. Create a project timeline and help the manager get an overview of how to delegate tasks. There is a wide variety of ways that project management software allows users to schedule their tasks, such as checklists, calendars, boards, etc. Within a task, you can create due dates to keep project phases running on time.
An aspect that many tools offer is the timeline display. An example of this feature is the kanban view, which allows you to view your tasks in columns and cards, which represent the stages through which the task will continue, such as to do, in process, and list. this is what a kanban task management looks like:
resource allocation
Resource allocation tools provide an overview of how the company spends its resources, such as people, time and money. it helps to plan the project and also to pivot when something unexpected happens. With a tool for this purpose, project managers can avoid many resource allocation errors down the road. or at least to be prepared for the challenges they may face at any given time.
forecast end date
When you take into consideration all the tasks required for the project, available resources, and previous similar projects, you can estimate a final due date. In this phase, it is ideal to calculate the ROI and take into account the income objectives that you want to achieve with it. There are project management tools that can help you set this end date, as well as forecast potential constraints or even risks.
2. monitoring and management
a project needs a constant follow-up of the phases and tasks so that they can be efficient and the final date can be achieved. For great project development, features like time tracking, task management, and analytics are essential.
time tracking
Tracking the amount of time each member of a team spends is useful for measuring their productivity. it can also help forecast final dates for future projects. this feature can be especially useful for remote computers as they need to be managed online.
task management
Task management refers to assigning responsibilities to team members on a project, as well as keeping up with them. knowing who is doing what at a given time can be crucial for the whole project.
This type of software often offers tags to help filter and find things easily within a project management tool. plus, they provide an option to add notes to keep the team on track with what’s happening on each task, such as future changes.
analysis and reports
Analytics and reporting features are essential for a project manager to view and manage large amounts of data in the best possible way. This type of tool helps to measure productivity, showing the metrics in a more visual and simple way.
3. Collaboration
Collaboration tools connect different people and departments during a project. they are essential for the performance of ongoing projects to be as fluid and integrated as possible.
an example of collaboration tools for project management are instant messaging applications, such as skype, slack, google chat or even private chats on devices that offer other project management features. these tools help improve communication between team members, avoiding possible mistakes and keeping everything aligned.
g suite apps you can use as project management software
g suite is a cloud platform that offers a set of tools and features designed to improve a company’s productivity, collaboration, among other important business aspects. and these tools can easily be used as project management software when used together.
google sheets
google sheets is the generator of google spreadsheets. you can use it as a project management application to create your project plans in a very dynamic way. is a great app to help you visualize and manage your projects, their respective assignments and deadlines. Since it’s online and has a collaboration feature, many people can edit and view it in real time, which is great for keeping up with the team’s progress.
google groups
Google Groups is a service focused on communication and collaboration, where you can create forums and emails. It’s generally used when you need to share information with your project team and create an email list. After you add your team to the group, you can send updates and resources to everyone at once using one email address.
google calendar
google calendar is a cross-platform calendar application. You can create shared calendars with your team so everyone can stay aligned on dates and events. For example, you can share calendars to keep track of your project milestones, set due dates, reminders, meetings, onboarding, demos, and other important events. there is also a way to see teammates availability because you can overlay different calendars on one.
google drive
google drive is a platform where you can upload, create and synchronize your files between different devices and the internet, and offers storage space within google. you can store all your project documents, images and other data in a shared drive or folder and then share it with the rest of the team.
gmail
gmail is the free web-based email service provided by google. many homework projects can start as emails. that’s why gmail can certainly be a g suite project management software. When working on multiple projects with different teams, you can set up multiple inboxes to separate emails from each team. Plus, you can use the star feature to flag essential emails and set filters and labels for specific projects, to make it easier to find and reply to an email.
If you want a better project management experience within gmail, you can turn it into a shared inbox with third-party tools.
google docs
Google Docs is the free word processor developed by Google. It is an excellent G Suite app to use on your project management because you can create valuable and necessary documents. Some examples of documents that may be necessary for projects are:
- meeting notes
- project proposals
- executive reports
- newsletters
- consulting agreements
- legal documents
plus, you can edit documents with everyone in real time, add comments along with the text, and even chat within the document.
g suite third-party project management applications
If you prefer to go beyond g suite applications, you can count on third-party tools developed specifically for project management.
dragging application
Drag is a shared inbox inside Gmail, that can also be used as a Project Management tool. Its kanban view helps in both the scheduling phase and the tracking and management phase.
dragging helps you eliminate the back and forth between tools, centralizing your processes within gmail. imagine managing your projects within your email? your life would be so much easier as emails can quickly turn into tasks.
here are some other features you can have with drag:
- ticket delegation;
- progress bar;
- due dates with google calendar integration;
- checklists;
- analytics and reports
- internal notes;
- real-time group chat;
- automations;
- recording activity;
- labels and colors;
wrike for g suite
wrike is an online project management software that puts you in control of your tasks. offers a time tracking feature and a timeline view for projects. it is a software similar to asana and jira. wrike can be integrated with other business tools like microsoft excel, dropbox and many more. wrike also has an email integration that allows users to create, assign or even edit documents from their email account.
zoho projects
Zoho Projects is a project management software with a straightforward interface. It covers the planning phase of project management, as also the Reporting Tools, Collaboration, and Document Management. Zoho integrates with other tools such as Google Apps and DropBox.
conclusion
Whether you choose to use g suite applications for project management or a third-party tool, we hope this article has provided you with useful information. When selecting the right software for your business, you should keep in mind that the more features they offer, the better. after all, it’s better to have a single application that helps you manage all the projects you have, without the need to switch between tools unnecessarily.