There are lots of workflow management tools on the market for 2021, with several good options to choose from. What works best for you depends on your team, your goals, and the amount of functionality you need.

Here are the top project management tools to look for:

• Task management: A top workflow management tool should have flexible task types so managers can assign a wide variety of jobs, and customizable templates for common work flows. Make sure your system is easily set up to assign work to clients and contractors.
• Time tracking: Time tracking lets you get a handle on how long projects actually take and allow easy project billing if you are billing by the hour. A good workflow management system will have a built-in timer with start/stop or manual time entry, drag and drop direct entry time sheets, and mobile capabilities, so you can log time no matter where you are.
• Mobile options: Not everyone works from a desktop or a laptop, so make sure your workflow management tool works easily on mobile platforms. As well as core features like time tracking and task management, you should be able to download and share files, message team members, view and edit contacts, and easily create and edit projects and tasks.
• File management: Your workflow management solution should have easy ways to edit, share, and store files, including huge storage, drag and drop support, easy organization using folders, and integration with third-party storage solutions.
• Messaging and collaboration. Project management is all about communication, so your workflow management tool should have easy messaging and notification systems, including direct reply to clients, easy file attachment, clear thread discussions segregation, email and onscreen notifications, and privacy and notification controls.
• Data security: Your project management tool needs the most secure data protocols available, including full authentication, permissions, sharing, and audit logs.
• Notifications alerts: To stay up to date on projects and tasks, your workflow management tools should feature customizable email alerts, in-app notifications, snooze features, and more.
• Quotes plugin: You want the ability to create quotes easily, plus the options to create quotes with rates, build a library, send them directly from the software, and create multiple templates. You also want the ability to produce reports for tracking success rates.
• Invoices plugin: Your workflow management tool should feature easy invoice creation, the ability to build a library, and the ability to send quotes directly from the program. It should also integrate with third-party accounting programs.
• Branding and configuration tools: Of course, your workflow management tool should look like it belongs to you, and that’s why you want the ability to add custom logos and color schemes, links to external resources, and formats specific to your location, including currency and data formats.
• Report creation: Make sure your project management tool can create a host of reports, including resource reports, workload breakdown reports, time summary reports, individual and general project reports, task reports, and custom reports, and that the reports are easily exportable to multiple formats.
• Template options: Your workflow management tool should have a full range of template options to streamline task, project, quote, and invoice creation. Templates should have pre-determined line items, the ability to add headings and footers, customizable hierarchy, and simple quote templates.
• Resource management: Keeping an eye on workload distribution is central to successful project management. Make sure your workflow solutions lets you view scheduling and assignments at a glance, allocate tasks and adjust timings quickly, generate reports and staff workload and performance, and highlight overdue items so they aren’t missed.
• Contacts management: You want easy management of all your contacts so staff, clients, and contactors can collaborate on projects and tasks as needed. Key features include a central contact repository, date-stamped contact notes, bulk email features, and the ability to group contacts with tags.
• A great dashboard: Finally, all of this intelligence needs to live somewhere that’s easy to access and understand. Your workflow management dashboard should include a summary of active projects and tasks, a summary of time tracked, a summary of quotes and invoices created, accepted, and paid, a list of upcoming projects and tasks, and a list of your most recent actions and staff logins.

No, it’s not easy find a workflow management tool that does all of this — many solutions have some features but not others. One which does have all these and more is ProWorkflow. To learn more about ProWorkflow’s project management software, contact them today.