Ever get tired of never-ending paperwork? I'm sure you know what it feels like to have a stack of tasks on sticky notes and your To Do list, not to mention the other documentation that comes with managing multiple projects.
I've been there too: I was managing projects on index cards, and handling hundreds of files from different projects. It was a headache. Not only was my so-called 'system' costly, but it took time to reshuffle whenever I needed to focus on a particular aspect or move priorities around.
Not long after that experience, I started using project management software. It changed everything. As a business, our approach to project execution changed and we were able to finish our projects on time and record what was happening on them accurately and without any hassle.
Software helped my team accomplish more than we could have previously achieved. Let me share with you the 5 benefits for using project management software for your team. These are the reasons why you should make the switch too.
1. Everyone Can Access Anything From Everywhere
This is one of the most profound advantages of using project management software – you get a highly connected team. When you create documents and store them on a network server or print them out, it's easy to lose track of the latest relevant information and sometimes employees who work remotely can't access project files at all.
Project management software breaks that limitation. Cloud-based project management software can easily connect everybody to the core information about the project. It also has the advantage of keeping detailed records. You will always be able to find the latest information and those small pieces of information – the ones I used to keep on sticky notes – don't get lost.
Finally on this point, you can send messages and important news through the software and be confident that they will be received immediately.
2. It's Hyper-Secured
Recent high-profile data breaches have meant that many vendors have upped their security game. Project management software is no different, and while you should check the exact specifications of your supplier, it's highly likely that they have bank-level security.
Some have token operated passkeys offering multi-factor authentication for added security. This is a fantastic benefit if you are working with third-party clients because you can be sure that commercially-sensitive information about their latest product launch project is stored safely. Access permissions define who can see that information, and they are normally more granular than what you could achieve with a server-based file system that would rely on password-protecting individual files. Who wants the worry of having to remember all those passwords?
On top of that, cloud-based software gives you an extra guarantee: it's all backed up for you, so whether you spill coffee on your laptop, accidentally download a virus or have your laptop stolen, your project data is still recoverable and safe.
3. It's Easy to Learn
Gone are the days when a new team member has to be sent on a training course to understand the project management software. Today, tools are designed to be intuitive, collaborative and with virtually no requirement for training.
It's fast to onboard a new member of the team because they don't have to spend long learning a tool. New starters can quickly start to contribute because they understand where you are and what role they have to play in a successful project completion.
In addition, it gives you a great repository for organizational knowledge. They won't have to spend a long time trying to sort through manuals to find out how projects should be run: everything is already there for them. They can view other projects to see how they were set up, or click through the historical records for their new project and get up to speed very quickly.
4. It's Easily Integrated
You already have tools that do things for your business, and you don't want to duplicate effort by having to dual-key information or copy and paste it.
The best project management software tools integrate seamlessly with other systems already in use. From the analytics aspect of your business to the accounting systems of your company -- all these can be easily integrated and assessed from the dashboard of your tool.
Many project management tools are available on multiple platforms, so whether your team uses Windows, Linus, Mac, or something else, they can work effectively and in harmony with the other products that you use day-to-day.
5. It Reduces Your Operational Costs
It might seem counter-intuitive to suggest that buying a new piece of software reduces your operating costs, but we've seen that it can.
Project management systems backed with cloud storage can reduce the cost of purchasing more physical space for online and offline file and database storage as your company grows. There's a reduction in maintenance costs as you don't have to power or maintain the servers.
And, project management software is surprisingly affordable! There are plenty of options to suit every budget and that don't need huge infrastructure or licence fees to run.
The benefits of project management software are far reaching but are underpinned by one thing: productivity. Great software will help your teams do more work better. Tools let you quickly assign work to different groups and track progress more effectively, which should help you meet your deadlines and deliver great results for your customers and the company.
Convinced? Find a project management software product today and start seeing the benefits in your business. You won't regret it!
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