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The advent of cloud-based productivity tools has helped more companies move their business operations online—whether their teams are still in the office or working remotely. In addition to the obvious benefits of centralization, these tools offer incredible opportunities for streamlining project and task management.

One of the lesser-known solutions that your team should be taking advantage of is recurring task management software. It’s a tool designed to increase efficiency and avoid administrative busy work so your team members can focus on the tasks that deserve more attention.

The Benefits of Recurring Task Management Software

At first, adopting a new software tool can sound like adding one more thing to your team’s plate to learn and use. But an intuitive tool that manages repeating tasks actually frees your team to accomplish more. Hence, the benefits go well beyond the immediate task management solution. 

Create and Organize To-Dos So Nothing Gets Lost

One of the biggest pain points of general task management is that information and resources can get lost and, as a result, interrupt important workflows. However, with an integrated task management tool, this kind of hiccup is a thing of the past. Here’s why.

When you create a task, you can:

• Add  tasks to corresponding projects, which can be easily accessed by project collaborators
• Take ownership of the task or assign it to another team member. You can also add as many followers as you need to and they’ll be notified of task updates.
• Attach files and link resources that will remain within the task.
• Add comments to tasks and tag in collaborators so your team can weigh in.
• Add subtasks to larger, more complex tasks.
• Create tags and set a priority for quick and easy filtering later.

These features make creating and organizing to-dos easy for everyone. Finding tasks is also simplified through filtering and sorting. You can go to a project’s home to find tasks or filter by one of the tags. The more customization your tool offers, the faster the search—for a task, a file, or a follower—will be.

Increase Team Productivity Where It Matters Most

Setting up tasks is just the beginning. If you make the most out of your task management software, team productivity can also improve. We’ve compiled a list of helpful tips below:

• Set ongoing tasks to recur on the day, week, or month that you choose. This eliminates the need to manually recreate tasks.
• Assign start and due dates in addition to setting the task’s priority level. This removes confusion over what to focus on first or how much time you should budget.
• Create subtasks when a task is large, complicated, or needs the involvement of multiple team members. This breaks up work into even more manageable pieces, lessening the burden on a single individual.
• Duplicate task templates when tasks need to be created for a new project or team member. This cuts down on mundane admin duties, like constantly creating tasks from scratch.
• Generate weekly reminders of routine and unique tasks. This reduces the weight of having to remember it all while reinforcing the habit of planning the week ahead.

When team members use these features to their advantage, everyone becomes accountable to their own individual and team tasks. This sense of accountability will positively impact productivity and overall engagement on your team.

Help Your Team Reach Their Peak

By automating as many tasks as possible, team members have more time and energy to keep the end goal in sight. They can focus on high-level priorities and spend more time creatively solving problems. Plus, it’s much easier to empower your team to use their unique strengths and skills when they’re not bogged down with busywork. This kind of efficiency allows you to apply yourself to projects that will evolve the company culture and move the business forward.

The Right Task Management Option for Your Team

Not all recurring task management software is created equal—which is actually a good thing. After all, every company, team, and team member is unique. You don’t want to be stuck with a tool that can’t offer your team the flexibility they need to do their best work.

The ideal software for your team is easy to learn and use. It integrates seamlessly with the other tools you already use and love. Oftentimes, an all-in-one platform that combines the best productivity tools is a better and cheaper way to go in the long run. Less equals more when more means juggling too many virtual tools at once. Look for an accessible setup and a smooth learning curve. That way, your team won’t miss a beat.

By automating recurring tasks and other administrative details, you’ll be able to leverage the full range of talents on your team. As a comprehensive software solution, Flow can help you do this and more—with ease. Try free today!

At any point, you could take the initiative to re-evaluate and simplify your team’s day-to-day processes to improve productivity. Regardless of size, most businesses eventually need help with managing projects and tasks more efficiently—especially if they’re anticipating growth.

If you work with a smaller team and could benefit from a centralized platform to boost productivity, a project management software that’s designed for small businesses is a great start. The best option will be a tool that can easily scale as your projects and team members multiply and your overall business grows. To help you narrow your choices, we’ve rated a few excellent workspace options here.

Productivity Features That Matter Most to Small- and Mid-Sized Teams

First, let’s look briefly at the features that a project management software should have for small and mid-sized teams:

• Robust task management. A robust task management tool will help organize information, prioritize work, and increase project visibility. These benefits are essential for streamlining individual workflow. By having the functionality to simply attach files, set due dates, and assign or subscribe to tasks, workflow management can become much easier.

• Powerful communication. Communication features that are powerful enough to organize the exchange of ideas and encourage real-time collaboration is a must-have. With the combined ability to chat within tasks, share information in group channels, and message teammates directly, important information won’t be lost or misunderstood.

• Seamless app integration. You may already use a time-tracking tool, like Harvest, or cloud-based storage, like Dropbox. If these tools are already working well for your team, there is no reason to give them up when your platform provides third-party app integration. Of course, seamless compatibility is key to keeping frustration low and engagement high.

• Short learning curve. When the learning curve is steep, project management tools don’t last very long. So, the more intuitive the system, the better, because your team can’t afford workflow interruption. If you aren’t able to dive into the platform and begin familiarizing yourself right away, it’s more likely to cause stress and to be abandoned.

• Scalable pricing. Paying a flat rate for small business project management software can constrict your growth and strain your budget. The size of projects and the number of team members can shift as rapidly as the economy. Scalable pricing helps you adjust to changes without having to find a new platform.

Three Software Options with Key Project Management Features

There are several software options on the market that include some or all of the above features, but we’re going to compare just a few. We want to focus on platforms that work well for small and mid-sized teams that can also grow with your business over time.

On a scale of one to five, with five being the highest, we’ve rated each feature for these top three options. We’ve also included a rating for design because the look and feel of a platform impact team engagement and love of the work, too.

The Right Project Management Software for Your Small Business

Project management software benefits small businesses in so many ways. Namely, it creates space to focus on the big picture. That’s because getting good work done is not just about work. Passion, connection, and meaning also matter a great deal. The truth is that productivity usually lags when people lack support and context. When they have access to the right tools, it’s easier to achieve more while recognizing the value of their efforts.

So, as you move forward in your research to find the best project management software for your team, consider more than just the ratings we’ve presented. Sign up for free trials to ensure you get a platform you truly love. The system that helps to bring more intrinsic value to your business is the right one for your team.

Flow has all the features that matter most for small teams. Since it’s an elegant, easy-to-use platform that is built to scale, it will continue to support your business even as you grow. To try it on for size, sign up for free today.