Choosing task-tracking software is challenging, especially for big teams involving professionals from different fields. However, if you begin at the right end…
If you want to compare popular task trackers, you will find all you need in this article. Here, we will dive a bit deeper, trying to understand the approaches behind the available apps and find a convenient and stress-free way to make your team work faster while staying productive.
Do You Really Need Task Tracking Software?
Effective task management helps teams set priorities and timely put projects across, and the dedicated software is intended to automate the process. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that task trackers are all-mighty.
Determining whether a task-tracking app will benefit your team depends on various factors and the specific needs of your projects.
For example, if your team is working on complex projects with multiple tasks, dependencies, and deadlines, a task tracker can help you stay organized and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. It will also allow everyone in the team to see each task’s progress, updates, and status, promoting transparency and facilitating effective communication.
In geographically dispersed or remote teams, task-tracking software keeps everyone aligned, provides a centralized platform for collaboration, and ensures everyone is aware of their responsibilities.
Such tools are also indispensable for mapping project scopes, estimating timelines, and setting priorities.
On the other hand, there may be situations where task-tracking software is not necessary or less beneficial.
If your projects are straightforward, consisting of only a few tasks without much complexity or interdependencies, manual tracking methods like spreadsheets or simple to-do lists may suffice.
The same applies to solo work, which doesn’t require collaboration or coordination with others.
Ultimately, the decision to use task-tracking software should be based on assessing your team’s specific needs and dynamics. Consider the complexity, collaboration requirements, team size, and remote work aspects to determine whether a task tracker would be beneficial or not.
Task Tracking Software Types
Different individuals and teams have different workflows and preferences. Some prefer a simple to-do list format, while others may require more advanced features for project management.
The complexity of tasks may also vary depending on the nature of the work. Besides that, task-tracking tools sometimes need to facilitate collaboration among team members. This may involve features like task assignment, document sharing, and real-time updates.
And last but not least, certain industries or workflows may require specialized tools that meet specific requirements. For example, Agile development teams may need task-tracking apps that align with Agile methodologies, while creative teams may require visual project management capabilities.
Advanced Time-Tracking Solutions
- Task Management
- Progress Monitoring
- Reporting
- Notifications
Time-tracking apps are designed to monitor the time spent on tasks and projects. They provide a clear picture of how time is allocated to different tasks, helping to identify which tasks take up the most time and prioritize accordingly.
Time trackers also provide valuable performance evaluation data and identify improvement areas. Managers can assess individual and team productivity, identify bottlenecks, and implement strategies to focus on high-value tasks and minimize time wasted on low-priority activities.
On the other hand, time trackers require time and effort to set up and maintain, which can distract and disrupt workflow.
Constant time-tracking can also inadvertently lead to a focus on the number of tasks completed rather than the quality, resulting in rushing through tasks or neglecting important factors in favor of time-based targets.
Still, time-tracking tools are a good choice for most teams as they offer many reasonably priced functions and give enough freedom to both managers and employees.
Editor’s choice: actiTIME
Overall, actiTIME is a powerful combination of task management, time-tracking, collaboration, and reporting features wrapped in a user-friendly interface.
It allows users to create, assign, and track tasks, set priorities, manage deadlines, and track the progress of individual tasks and projects. actiTIME offers:
- a wide range of robust time-tracking functionalities, allowing users to track the time spent on each task accurately;
- data-driven insights into resource availability and workload distribution and helps identify potential overutilization of resources;
- custom reports for analyzing task and project performance, tracking billable hours, creating invoices, evaluating team productivity, and making data-driven decisions;
- integrations with popular tools via Zapier and customization options to tailor the tool to specific business requirements.
actiTIME is a flexible tool that can be customized to adapt to different workflows and project requirements. It suits small teams and larger organizations, offering scalability as the business grows.
Why choose actiTIME?
actiTIME is easy to set up and requires minimum onboarding. It also lets users automate online time tracking via a smart Chrome Extension, which eliminates the critical disadvantages of many trackers.
Project Management Systems
- Task management
- File sharing
- Progress monitoring
- Communication
Project management software provides a centralized platform for managing and organizing tasks. This allows for better visibility, collaboration, and coordination among team members.
These systems offer the same task assignment and progress tracking features as advanced time-trackers laced with file sharing and communication options.
However, introducing a project management system requires serious team training and adjustment. The abundance of features and customization options may be overwhelming and unnecessary, leading to a steeper learning curve.
Apart from that, relying heavily on a project management system may lead to a dependence on technology. System downtime or technical issues can disrupt task management and impact productivity.
Project management software can also come with a high cost, especially for premium or enterprise-level solutions.
Editor’s choice: Basecamp
Basecamp has gained a reputation as a robust task tracker for big teams and projects.
It provides a centralized platform for organizing project tasks, promoting a structured approach to management.
Users can create separate projects for different initiatives, ensuring clarity and focus within each project. They can also leave comments, share files, and initiate discussions within task threads, promoting effective collaboration and reducing the need for separate communication channels.
Among other features, Basecamp includes file and document management capabilities, allowing users to upload and share files directly within tasks, ensuring easy access to relevant documentation.
Why choose actiTIME?
actiTIME offers almost the same functionality at a significantly lower price.
To-Do Lists
- Progress tracking
To-do lists are simple and easy to understand, requiring minimal training or learning curve. They provide a straightforward way to jot down tasks and track what needs to be done and
allow for clear organization of tasks. Users can categorize tasks, set priorities, and arrange them logically, visually representing the workload.
But still, may not provide a clear hierarchy or weighting system for tasks. They may not capture all the necessary information, such as due dates, dependencies, or additional notes, which can lead to confusion or oversight.
That’s why to-do lists are only valuable for personal task management and simple projects and may not facilitate seamless collaboration among team members.
Editor’s choice: Habitica
Habitica is a unique task-tracking app that gamifies the task management experience, making it enjoyable and motivating.
Users create avatars and earn in-game rewards and achievements for timely completing tasks and developing positive habits. This gamified approach adds a fun and motivating element to task tracking.
Additionally, Habitica offers a social aspect where users can join guilds, participate in challenges, and connect with like-minded individuals. This fosters a sense of accountability and support, as users can share their progress, seek advice, and engage in friendly competition.
Despite being seemingly childish, Habitica provides robust data tracking and analytics features, allowing users to monitor their progress, track streaks, and gain insights into their productivity and habits.
Habitica is a web-based platform that offers mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. This ensures users can easily access and manage their tasks and habits on the go, improving convenience and flexibility.
Why choose actiTIME?
actiTIME’s project planning functionality allows for creating different to-dos for yourself and other users.
Kanban Boards
- Task management
- Progress tracking
Kanban boards visually represent tasks and their progress using columns or swimlanes. Tasks are typically represented as cards that can be moved across different stages, such as “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.”
Kanban boards provide a visual representation of tasks, allowing users to see the status of each task at a glance. They allow for quick adjustments, task reordering, and easily handling changing priorities.
Kanban boards are relatively easy to set up and get started with. They are also highly flexible and adaptable, making them suitable for Agile methodologies and dynamic work environments.
On the other hand, Kanban boards do not inherently offer any time-tracking, reporting? or communication features. They may become overwhelming for managing complex projects with numerous tasks, dependencies, and cross-team collaboration.
Editor’s choice: Monday
Monday’s customizable workflows, visual interface, task organization, collaboration features, and automation capabilities make it an exceptional case.
Monday allows users to create custom workflows tailored to their projects or team needs. Users can design and configure boards, columns, and automation according to their preferred task management process, enabling efficient workflow management.
It supports integration with numerous third-party tools and services, enabling seamless data exchange and enhancing overall productivity.
Monday includes built-in communication features, such as comments and updates within tasks, enabling seamless collaboration among team members.
Why choose actiTIME?
Apart from a built-in Kanban board view, actiTIME has features for tracking time and project costs Monday lacks.
Calendar-Based Task Trackers
- Task management/li>
- Visualization
- Notifications
Calendar-based task trackers integrate task management with a calendar view. They allow you to schedule tasks, set deadlines, and visualize your workload alongside other appointments and events.
You can prioritize tasks, set deadlines, and allocate specific time slots for each task, ensuring you stay organized and focused.
Though such trackers excel at managing time-specific tasks, they may not be as effective for tasks that don’t have a specific time slot. If you have a list of non-time-specific tasks, it may be challenging to incorporate them into a calendar-based system.
Besides, calendar-based trackers focus primarily on short-term planning, typically within a month or a few weeks. Long-term planning, spanning several months or years, maybe less visible or easy to manage within a calendar-based system.
Editor’s choice: Google Calendar
Google Calendar can become an effective task-tracking tool due to its cross-platform accessibility and integration capabilities.
It seamlessly integrates with other Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Meet and is available on multiple platforms, including web browsers, Android devices, and iOS devices.
Additionally, Google Calendar utilizes smart suggestions and natural language processing to simplify task input. It can automatically recognize event details from your descriptions, suggest potential meeting times, and even create events based on keywords or phrases you enter.
Such rich accessibility ensures users can access and manage their tasks from anywhere, regardless of their device.
Google Calendar also allows users to share their calendars with others, enabling collaborative task management. You can invite team members, assign tasks, and track progress together.
Agile Task-Trackers
- Task management
- Progress tracking
- Communication
- Accountability
Agile task trackers are specifically designed for managing tasks in Agile project management methodologies. They focus on iterative and incremental task management, allowing teams to break down work into smaller, manageable chunks.
However, they may not be suitable or fully adaptable for projects that follow a more traditional or waterfall approach.
Editor’s choice: Azure Boards
Azure Boards is a popular task tracker offered by Microsoft Azure DevOps. It supports various agile methodologies, including Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid approaches, enabling teams to adapt the tool to their preferred workflow.
The visual boards, backlogs, and dashboards provide a clear overview of tasks, progress, and priorities.
Microsoft actively updates and enhances Azure Boards based on user feedback and industry trends.
Azure Boards integrates with other Azure DevOps services, such as Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, and Azure Test Plans, and third-party tools and services like GitHub, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.
actiTIME can be easily adapted for Agile and Scrum methodologies. Learn more from our quick guide.
Goal-Trackers
- Task management
- Reporting
- Prioritization
- Visualization
Goal trackers help individuals set and track progress toward their long-term goals. They emphasize tasks’ larger objectives and outcomes rather than just the individual tasks themselves.
Goal trackers visually represent progress toward goals, giving a clear overview of what has been accomplished, what is pending, and what needs to be done next. This keeps team members focused on the bigger picture.
However, goal trackers may not provide enough granularity for detailed task management. They focus more on high-level objectives and may not capture specific details or dependencies of individual tasks.
Moreover, goals can sometimes be subjective or difficult to measure. Tracking progress toward such goals may not clearly indicate the completion or quality of tasks.
Goal trackers often do not allow for agile iterations or frequent adjustments. They are usually designed for long-term planning and may not accommodate changes or shifting priorities in a dynamic work environment.
Editor’s choice: GoalsOnTrack
GoalsOnTrack focuses on aligning tasks with bigger goals, ensuring that tasks are purposeful and contribute to achieving desired outcomes.
GoalsOnTrack enables users to create SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), set milestones, reflect on their progress, record insights, track personal growth, and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to their goals.
In addition to goal tracking, the tool provides robust task management features. It
visually represents goals and tasks through charts, graphs, and progress reports, helping users quickly identify areas of improvement and stay motivated throughout the goal attainment process.
Why choose actiTIME?
actiTIME powerful reporting functionalities let you set and track various kinds of goals and project milestones.
Conclusion
Different task trackers offer different features and functionalities, so it’s important to consider the factors determining which type of task tracker is better for your situation, such as workflow specifics, applied methodology, and team expansion perspectives.
Ultimately, the “better” task tracker is the one that best meets your specific needs, integrates well with your workflow, and is adopted and embraced by your team members.
We recommend trying out different task trackers through free trials or demos to determine which one fits your requirements most effectively.
Sign up for the actiTIME free trial today to start checking!
