Project management: Yikes.

I know that keeping track of how your team is working and accomplishing tasks can be challenging, especially if part of your team works remotely.

Here are 7 management tools you should consider using. It will make your life a little bit easier, I promise.

Trello

home-heroIf you’re looking to create and manage your to-do lists in one spot, Trello is for you. Trello displays tasks as a card across a board, allowing you to collaborate with other members of your team. On each card you can set deadlines, assign tasks, add in checklists or comments, and provide detailed instruction. If you have more than one project running at a time, don’t worry! Simply create a new board, name it, and get to work! And the best part? Trello is free!

SmartSheet

If you love a nicely organized spreadsheet, SmartSheet is probably for you. And even if spreadsheets aren’t your thing, SmartSheet could still be for you. With different display options like calendar and card views, SmartSheet lets you organize your tasks in whatever way makes the most sense to you. The first 30 days is free, with monthly packages starting at just $10.

Google Drive

static-synced-devicesGoogle Drive makes file storage and sharing easy and convenient. The Drive allows you to control which team member has access to which file, allows you to live edit, comment, and collaborate. Everything you need is stored in one spot, so it eliminates the need for that endlessly long stream of emails you are used to – everyone who has been given access to the file can see the most recent version. Google Drive is free to anyone who has a Gmail account and a file can be shared with anyone, even if they don’t have a gmail account.

JIRA

If you manage a software team, JIRA makes tracking progress very simple every step of the way. From the initial planning stages of creating software to the release, bug tracking and addressing issues are handled all in one spot. JIRA even has the capability to integrate with Confluence and is free for up to 5 team members.

Asana

906e13Asana takes a straightforward approach: you see the task as ‘Completed’ or ‘Remaining’. Create tasks, assign to team members, set a due date, and discuss projects all in the same place. Asana only notifies you about projects that you are working on…so no more notifications about how your colleagues’ projects are going (unless you just really want to know). Simply check off a task when it’s complete and you’re good to go! Asana is free for teams of 15 people or less and you can add more team members for a small, monthly fee.

Slack

Slack makes team communication super simple: it eliminates the need for ridiculous email threads. This chat program allows you to create group chats by department or project, communicate directly with another team member, or even call using the programs telephone function. Slack has the ability to integrate with other management tools, such as Google Drive and Trello, which, let’s be honest, makes your life a lot easier. Base packages are free (woo!), with additional features are available for a monthly fee.

FreshBooks

downloadAhh, bookkeeping: It’s the worst.

But if you’re running a small business or are a freelancer, FreshBooks is made for you. Track your time (there’s even a timer!), keep up with receipts, create invoices, and manage your expenses all in one spot. You can integrate with PayPal or MailChimp to make client communication easier than ever. And no more of that pesky “oh, I never received your invoice, can you wave the late fee?” conversation with clients: FreshBooks notifies you when a client receives and views an invoice. Packages start at just $12.95 a month.