As an office manager, it’s incredibly important that you’re able to lead your team efficiently. Without the right tools, however, things can quickly go from order to chaos as everyone struggles to keep track of everything needed to finish a project.
Thankfully, there are tools out there that can help you keep track of everything in a nice, clean way that won’t spell disaster for you or your company.
Task management software can be a lifesaver for office managers who would rather have a visual representation of their project be beautiful workflows, fancy color schemes and real-time granular data rather than sweat, tears and pulled out hair.
Here’s a quick look at 7 of the best task management systems we recommend for office managers to help manage your day-to-day tasks more efficiently.
1. Eden
Eden’s task management software enables office and facilities managers to more easily keep track of all workplace requests, from burnt out light bulbs to IT issues. All team members can easily submit requests to the workplace team through a website, email, or Eden’s Slack integration.
Pros of Using Eden
- Task management tool made specifically for workplace needs — facilities, IT, snacks, etc
- Takes tickets from your team however they want to submit it: via email, web portal, or eden slackbot
- Only task management platform that directly links to a local services marketplace. You can get bids from janitorial companies, IT support companies, handymen, etc, and attach those bids directly to the ticket that came in.
Cons of Using Eden
- Eden’s tool is hyper-focused on workplace needs. Not as generalized as Trello and others, so may not be the best solution if you sharing the tool with your engineering teams or customer success teams
- The local services marketplace is a cool perk for those who are in a live Eden metro. Today 65% of the US has access to receiving vendor bids for tickets, but if you are in the other 35% where Eden has not gone live with a local facilities and amenities marketplace, you’ll just get the task management software and no vendor bid functionality
2. Asana
Consistently ranked one of the best task management software systems online today, Asana is a platform that arranges all aspects of your project into one convenient place.
It allows you to see emails, chats, spreadsheets, and any other files relating to what you need to be done all compiled into one location. This is great for office managers who crave efficiency and keeping everything important to them in check.
With this tool, there’s no need to constantly hop from one place to the next to keep your project moving as it’s all combined into one singular interface. Simply put, Asana is a vital tool for many office managers who desire a productivity overhaul.
Pros of Using Asana
- Allows both managers and employees to easily check their progress and monitor the rate at which they are completing their required tasks.
- The software is constantly updating and advancing giving its users the best possible experience.
Cons of Using Asana
- New users may initially have trouble understanding the ins and outs of the program requiring a bit of a learning curve.
- An email is sent for every single notification that appears which could lead to an overflow of emails that may be difficult to keep up with.
3. Trello
Trello is one of the largest task management software companies in the industry today. It is also considered to be one of the best free task management software systems out there – and for good reason. Trello can handle a variety of different operational projects including sales, marketing, and even human resources.
A unique characteristic of Trello is that the platform is very customizable and can be transformed in many ways to suit the custom needs of a manager and their team. This creates an effective streamlining of operations to increase productivity.
When it comes to keeping on top of things efficiently in the office, Trello is one of the best tools you can utilize.
Pros of Using Trello
- Allows for integration of several different outside platforms like Slack, Jira, Google Drive, etc. that further increase its overall abilities.
- Different cards and customizable boards can be created to enhance the cooperation and efficiency of you and your team members.
Cons of Using Trello
- Like Asana, new users can have difficulty navigating the different boards and data at first requiring a learning curve.
- Some formatting and design elements of the program are difficult to control which can make editing the cards and boards a bit tricky.
4. Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a sheet-based collaboration tool very similar to Google Sheets or Microsoft Office 360. It’s been voted as a favorite in terms of work execution programs by multiple sources over the years and assists managers in ensuring a productive environment with its simple, easy to use interface.
The platform is very user-friendly, even for managers who are brand new to the software, allowing work to be done efficiently. When it comes to collaboration, Smartsheet allows its users to easily manage things like marketing initiatives, monthly budgets, event planning, and even employee PTO.
Personally, I have utilized Smartsheet myself with my team and I like its intuitive design, ease-of-use, and collaborative features.
Pros of Using Smartsheet
- Cloud-based providing access across multiple different devices.
- Extremely intuitive design that is simple to pick up even for a complete novice.
Cons of Using Smartsheet
- Maintenance procedures tend to be carried out often preventing certain features from being active.
- Technically, Smartsheet is simply spreadsheet software rather than a complete database that can be used for all aspects of task management making it slightly less attractive compared to other software.
5. Monday
The goal of Monday is to provide a single place for all communication and collaboration between team members on a task to be performed. Being one of the best task management software tools in the world, it’s safe to say that this goal has been reached by the creators.
A unique characteristic of Monday.com is that managers can customize the interface to fit both them and their team’s goals by choosing from several different stylish templates they offer.
Its spreadsheet-type platform also has drag and drop capabilities allowing for easy customization.
Overall, Monday is a great platform for visual people who want to stay on top of things in a fun, creative way.
Pros of Using Monday
- Incredibly easy to use compared to other task management software that require a significant learning curve.
- Pricing is very affordable and even its basic package gives you way more value than what you pay for.
Cons of Using Monday
- Inability to connect “Pulses” (tasks) to each other which can make things a bit confusing from a workflow perspective.
- The availability of so many different template design options can be overwhelming and time-consuming to select for you and your team.
6. Flow
Flow is a task management solution software that combines board views and Gantt-like charts providing a beautiful organizational interface.
The tasks and goals that are listed by both managers and team members can be easily organized and arranged with ease thanks to its simple drag and drop capability. Projects posted on the boards are arranged by a color-coded system allowing its users to quickly locate whatever they are looking for.
Overall, it’s a fantastic tool to use for managers who want both speed and visual appeal.
Pros of Using Flow
- Ability to input tasks very quickly allowing for a fast-paced, productive work environment.
- The software is visually-pleasing which can help motivate teams to utilize it efficiently.
Cons of Using Flow
- There are fewer features and processes available in the mobile app version which may be a problem for managers looking to carry out their work on the go.
- Compared to other task management software, Flow is less capable of integrating efficiently with certain CRM platforms like Salesforce, Zoho, etc.
7. TaskWorld
A multi-functional task management software with a great name, TaskWorld has a variety of different uses that benefit both managers and their teams.
One example is the ability it provides to both arrange collaborative efforts into one convenient location and have direct chat capabilities that function similar to Slack or Flock. Team members can easily message each other allowing for simple collaboration. This typically leads to an enhanced sense of connectivity among team members within the platform.
Overall, it’s a great fit for small-to-medium-sized tech companies who need to collaborate on several different projects.
Pros of Using TaskWorld
- Easy-to-learn interface allowing users to create and manage their own workflow.
- Fantastic collaboration features allowing for quick communication between team members.
Cons of Using TaskWorld
- The mobile app can be a bit buggy and doesn’t often work effectively.
- The software can sometimes be a bit slow, particularly when it comes to the chat feature.
8. Bitrix24
Easily one of the best free task management software systems out there, Bitrix24 is a powerful tool that includes everything office managers need to effectively operate their tasks and keep their employees happy and productive.
The platform provides everything from document managing, event scheduling, calendar management, customer resource management, and overall project operations.
One of the best aspects of Bitrix24 is that it’s free – unless you want to pay for the premium version, obviously. Still, even the free version has a lot of great features that rival the likes of Asana and Monday.com.
It also can integrate with dozens of popular tools including Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Office, etc. Overall, Bitrix24 is a great tool to use for office managers on a budget who still want a great product.
Pros of Using Bitrix24
- The platform can be accessed from multiple devices without a decrease in quality when shifting from one to another.
- Able to integrate efficiently with several different software tools.
Cons of Using Bitrix24
- Can be difficult to navigate for beginners who may need a significant learning curve.
- Due to the large amount of services offered within the platform, the software can sometimes load slower than most would prefer.
The Importance of Managing Your Tasks Effectively
If you want to have the most efficient and productive work environment for yourself and your employees, it is vital that you invest in some sort of task management tool.
When searching for the best task management software for your company, make sure you weigh the pros and cons while also keeping in mind your allotted budget.
Keep in mind that as your team grows in size, your requirements of a task management software can change. Be willing to test a few different task management software until you find what works best for your team, knowing that investing in your team’s success will ultimately pay off for your company as a whole.
