Project Management Tools

Software, Features and How to Choose

Managing a project with a spreadsheet, a few emails and a growing collection of Teams messages might work for a while.

Then the project gets bigger.

More people get involved. Tasks start moving. Deadlines change. Someone asks for an update. Nobody is quite sure where the latest version of the plan is.

This is where project management tools can make a real difference.

Project management software gives teams a central place to plan, organise and track their work. Modern tools can include task management, project schedules, collaboration, reporting, dashboards, dependencies, resource management and more.

But having lots of features does not automatically make a tool useful.

The right tool should make project management easier, give your team better visibility and help people understand what needs to happen next.

In this guide, we'll explain what project management tools are, what project management software does, the different types of tools available and what to look for when choosing one.

What Are Project Management Tools?

Project management tools are tools that help people plan, organise, manage and track projects.

They can be as simple as a task list or spreadsheet, or as advanced as dedicated project management software with scheduling, dashboards, resource planning and reporting.

The purpose is the same: to help a team understand the work that needs to be done and keep the project moving.

Depending on the tool, you might use it to:

• Create project tasks
• Assign work to team members
• Set deadlines
• Build project schedules
• Track project progress
• Manage dependencies
• Set project milestones
• Manage resources
• Track budgets
• Share project updates
• Monitor risks and issues
• Create reports and dashboards

Some tools focus on one area, while project management software can bring several of these functions together in one system.

What Is Project Management Software?

Project management software is a digital system designed to help teams manage projects and the work connected to them.

Instead of keeping project information across separate spreadsheets, emails and documents, software can provide a shared workspace where teams can organise tasks, deadlines, responsibilities and progress.

Many modern platforms provide different ways to view the same work, including lists, boards, calendars, timelines and Gantt charts.

This can be particularly useful when a project involves several people, departments or connected tasks.

Why Do Teams Use Project Management Tools?

The main reason teams use project management tools is visibility.

When project information is spread across different places, it can take time to work out what is happening.

A central project management system can make it easier to see:

• What has been completed
• What is currently being worked on
• What needs to happen next
• Who owns each task
• Which deadlines are approaching
• Which tasks are overdue
• What is blocking progress
• How the project is performing

This visibility can help teams identify problems earlier and make decisions using current project information.

Project management software can also support collaboration by keeping project work and updates in a shared environment.

Types of Project Management Tools

There is no single type of project management tool. Different tools solve different problems.

Task Management Tools

Task management tools focus on individual pieces of work.

They allow teams to create tasks, assign owners, add deadlines and track whether work is complete.

They can work particularly well for smaller projects or teams that need a simple way to organise daily work.

Project Planning Tools

Project planning tools help teams build the project before and during delivery.

They can be used to organise tasks, milestones, deadlines, resources and dependencies.

A good project plan provides a roadmap for the team and can be updated as the project changes.

Read our guide to project planning for a more detailed look at the planning process.

Project Tracking Tools

Project tracking software helps teams understand how a project is progressing.

It might show completed tasks, overdue work, upcoming deadlines, milestones or other progress information.

Tracking is important because creating a project plan is only the beginning. You also need to know whether the project is following that plan.

For practical advice, read how to keep a project on track.

Gantt Chart Tools

A Gantt chart displays project tasks across a timeline.

It can show when tasks start and finish and, where supported, how tasks depend on each other. Microsoft describes its Gantt view as a way to show tasks, their duration and their relationships across a timeline.

Gantt charts can be particularly useful for projects with lots of deadlines and dependencies.

Collaboration Tools

Project collaboration tools help teams communicate and work together.

Depending on the platform, these might include comments, file sharing, notifications, project updates and integrations with communication tools.

The goal is to make it easier for people to work from the same project information rather than relying on separate conversations.

Project Dashboard Tools

Project dashboards provide a high-level view of project information.

A dashboard might show:

• Overall project progress
• Completed and outstanding tasks
• Upcoming deadlines
• Project milestones
• Risks and issues
• Budget information
• Team workload

Dashboards can be particularly useful when stakeholders need a quick view of what is happening without going through every individual task.

What Features Should Project Management Software Have?

Not every team needs the same features. However, there are several capabilities worth considering when comparing project management software.

1. Task Management

Tasks are at the heart of most projects.

Your software should make it easy to create tasks, assign ownership, add deadlines and see their current status.

Some tools also support subtasks, priorities, labels and task history.

2. Project Scheduling

A project schedule helps your team understand when work needs to happen.

Look for tools that allow you to set start dates, deadlines and milestones.

More advanced platforms may also allow you to connect tasks through dependencies so changes to one task can affect related work.

3. Multiple Project Views

Different people understand information in different ways.

Some people prefer a simple task list. Others prefer a Kanban board, calendar or Gantt chart.

Having multiple views can make it easier for teams to work with the same project data in a way that makes sense to them.

4. Task Dependencies

Task dependencies show relationships between pieces of work.

For example, a development task might depend on design approval.

When dependencies are visible, it becomes easier to understand which tasks could cause delays elsewhere in the project.

5. Project Milestones

Milestones help teams track important points in a project.

Examples might include:

• Project approved
• Requirements completed
• Design signed off
• Testing completed
• Launch completed

Project management software can make these milestones visible alongside the tasks needed to reach them.

6. Reporting and Dashboards

Reporting features can help project managers and stakeholders understand what is happening without manually pulling information together.

Look for reporting that answers useful questions rather than simply producing lots of data.

For example:

• Are we on schedule?
• What is overdue?
• What is coming next?
• Where are the biggest blockers?
• Are we within budget?
• What risks need attention?

7. Resource Management

Projects depend on people and other resources.

Resource management features can help teams understand who is working on what and whether people have enough capacity.

More advanced project management platforms can track resource allocation and team availability.

8. Collaboration

Project management software should make it easy for people to work together.

Depending on the platform, this might include comments, file sharing, notifications, updates and integrations with communication systems.

The aim is to keep important project conversations connected to the work they relate to.

9. Integrations

Your project management system probably will not be the only piece of software your team uses.

Consider whether it can connect with the tools you already rely on, such as communication, calendars, document storage, CRM or