PROJECT PLANNER: 15 Best Project Planning Tools & Software in 2023

Table of Contents Hide

Project Planner
1. What Does a Project Planner Do?
Project Planner Software
Project Planner Microsoft
1. Pros of Using Microsoft Planner
2. Cons of Using the Microsoft Planner
Online Project Planner Software
How do I become a good project planner?
What are the 5 stages of project planning?
What is the main purpose of a project plan?
1. Related Articles
2. References

One of the primary responsibilities of a project planner in an organization is the creation and management of projects. Every project needs planning in order to be sustainable. Within a company, a project planner is in charge of the project and uses project planning software to make it more efficient and effective. In this post, we define a project planner, describe their duties, and discuss project planner software you may use to improve your productivity. We also explain the most common project planner software; Microsoft.

Project Planner

A project planner is a professional who participates in the creation of strategic project plans that might aid a company in achieving its expansion objectives. They could work in a variety of fields like banking, technology, healthcare, and logistics. Project planners can advance to the positions of project managers and other organizational leaders by honing their abilities and earning experience in their field.

What Does a Project Planner Do?

The precise duties of a project planner may vary by industry, organization, and project, however, the following are some crucial functions that many project planners complete on a daily basis:

Research projects.
Calculating resource and labour requirements.
Budgeting for a project.
Creation of project blueprints.
Setting timelines for various project phases and assisting team members.
Processes or deadlines as necessary.
Creating project manager reports.

Project Planner Software

A project planner software is a tool you can use to effectively plan your project. There are available project software available at your disposal and they may include:

#1. Hive

Hive is a comprehensive, intuitive, all-in-one project management software. Its features are constantly being developed based on user feedback on the Hive Forum. It’s the only tool on the market built for users, by users.

The building blocks of Hive are action cards, which exist inside of larger projects. Inside these action cards, teams can upload files, provide feedback with proofing and approvals, tag each other, and leave provide comments with @mentions. Hive tops

#2. Trello

Trello is a great option for small teams or individuals looking to utilize simple project management software. It is primarily a Kanban board tool, which is a project management methodology started by an industrial engineer in the 1940s. Cards are the building blocks of Trello, which serve as tasks that you can organize into different phases on the board.

You can also colour-code and attach images or files to the cards, and invite team members to collaborate on a board with you for a more interactive experience.

#3. Asana

Asana is a user-friendly project management software that can easily manage small and larger projects, which is why it’s part of our list of best project management solutions. The software is designed around tasks and subtasks arranged into different sections that can be assigned to either an individual or teams.

For each task, the project manager and the rest of the team can communicate and provide feedback in the same place, keeping collaboration for each project at a central, easy-to-access location.

#4. Monday.com

Monday is a simple project management software that helps teams visually organize tasks and projects. Projects are managed via one central board, which serves as the hub for each project and reflects changes made on a task-by-task basis. Boards are also customizable — you can add new columns to see data on hours spent, status, and location.

This project management software also has views including workload view, where you can see pending tasks by individual, timeline, where you can plan to work out by due date, and charts, where you can review team efforts and outcomes.

#5. Basecamp

Basecamp is a cloud-based tool with lots of features for individuals, project managers or even marketing teams that enables collaboration on tasks. Some of the features include to-do lists for tasks, which can be assigned to different users, and tasks that the system will automatically follow up on when the due date lapses.

It also has a real-time group chat feature and a tool that enables the client to view the progress of the project. As with the majority of services on this list, Basecamp can also be integrated with other products for reporting, analysis, and time tracking, among other features. Aside from its cloud-based solution, Basecamp can be integrated with iOS, Android, Mac, and PC.

#6. Nifty

Nifty is a great project management software if you’re in the market for an intuitive, easy-to-use tool for individuals or teamwork. Within the app, you can modernize and centralize work operations to help minimize the internal tools that your team has to juggle. Nifty lets you manage full projects, campaigns and individual tasks in views like Kanban or Gantt, which can be organized by milestone.

#7. Proofhub

ProofHub lets teams collaborate, organize and deliver on projects across an organization. Users can assign specific tasks to individuals, which can have a breakdown of deadlines and recur at a determined frequency. It has several views including Gantt, Kanban and calendar view, and is also a central place to store files related to all of your projects.

This tool also has chat, a proofing capability, timesheets and reporting to better equip teams with all of the tools they need to collaborate.

#8. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a project management software that is based on a table view, which looks similar to an Excel spreadsheet. This tool is cloud-based and also allows users to switch between a few other data visualization views. Smartsheet also has work automation flows that help you reduce manual tasks and automate recurring actions, which helps take over some of the more mundane day-to-day work

#9. Wrike

Wrike is a powerful project management software that is best for creating custom team workflows. From there, you can easily set a timeline, create interactive charts like Gantt view, and easily visualize tasks and next steps. Wrike also allows you to analyze performance with its real-time report-building feature.

#10. Xebrio

Xebrio is a complete project management ecosystem in itself and is designed for small teams to large enterprises. Managing different phases of the project becomes easy with Xebrio as it has in-built features like task management, milestone tracking, requirements traceability, test management, bug tracking and release management.

These integrated features reduce the dependency on third-party integrations or plugins and the entire project lifecycle data stays under one roof. With Xebrio, teams can collaborate easily, regardless of location. Users can add contributors, reviewers, and other stakeholders to their projects to ensure nothing falls through the cracks when working together as a team.

#11. JiraJira Project Management Software

Jira is a bug-tracking and agile project management software that started as a platform primarily used by engineering and remote dedicated development teams. It’s currently used by a variety of teams all over the world, but it’s an especially useful tool for a software development company, as it has roots remain in issue/bug tracking, agile and test case management spaces.

Some of the features of Jira include customizable scrum boards, roadmaps to sketch out plans and individual team actions, as well as flexible Kanban boards that help visually manage issues.

#12. Plaky

Plaky is cloud-based project management software ideal for task, product, and workflow management. Its customizable features allow the flexibility needed in a B2 B-oriented platform, making Plaky a great option for project management for any industry. Some of its major features include Kanban and Table View, ready-made templates, a time-tracking integration with Clockify, @mentions, an activity log, and guest access.

Users can easily filter and sort their tasks, assign due dates, and attach relevant documents. Plaky also allows unlimited users, workspaces, and projects. It offers first-rate 24/7 customer support, and it is ISO-certified and GDPR-compliant.

#13. Zoho

While it’s not a traditional project management software, Zoho is a web-based CRM suite that is best used to manage leads, purchases and pipelines. Among the tools in this CRM platform are automated tasks like account management, lead tracking, prospect tracking and other sales tasks. Zoho also has a native chatroom that can either be private or public and the ability to track the time spent on projects.

The tool also has features outside of the project management and marketing scope, including HR and finance management. In addition, you can utilize a Zoho CRM Integration to connect the platform with other common work tools that you already use.

#14. LiquidPlanner

LiquidPlanner project management software is a fusion of traditional PM and time-tracking. One of its most unique features is that it updates and shifts due dates and projects when resources per project change. This helps you manage expectations around when a project can be completed or when milestones can be hit based on workload.

LiquidPlanner also has a great resourcing feature that clearly shows how many available hours an employee has per week, as well as a helpful budgeting feature for controlling costs and keeping expenses on track.

#15. ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management software with customizable views, including list view, board view (similar to Kanban view), box view (which breaks out individual workload), and calendar view (sorts actions by due date). With ClickUp, users can work towards goals, which are the users “mission control center.” Other features include a 2-way calendar sync and time-tracking integrations with Toggl.

Project Planner Microsoft

Microsoft Project is the third Microsoft Windows-based program from the corporation. Most Office 365 for business subscriptions include Planner, a compact, mobile, and web-based tool. You can use the Microsoft project planner to make plans, assign tasks, discuss tasks, and view charts of your team’s progress. Project planner is also accessible from Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.

Microsoft creates and markets Microsoft Project, a tool for project management. It is intended to help a project manager create a timetable, allocate resources to tasks, monitor progress, control costs, and assess workloads.

The core components of the Microsoft Office enterprise project management (EPM) software are Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server.

Pros of Using Microsoft Planner

#1. Integration with Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 is a common productivity tool used in many homes, schools, corporations, and industries. Accessing MS Project and beginning project management is simple for anyone with a Microsoft 365 account.

Modern teams can simply organize project-related files and chats and integrate these together with project plans and schedules established in MS Project since they collaborate everywhere using the tools they prefer.

#2. Project Management

Microsoft Project has had a powerful scheduling engine that has been regularly enhanced. Users can manage every project plan, priority, and dependence that is essential for project management and delivery because of its dynamic scheduling features. In order to confirm that tasks, resources, and schedules are finished, users can easily transition between functions and views.

#3. Flexibility

MS Project has been successfully used to manage conventional projects utilizing the Waterfall technique. It can display all of the project deliverables expected in a single timeline with a predictable workflow.

Users can simply add new members, work with cross-functional teams, monitor tasks in sprints, and more with board view, co-authoring tools, and seamless connection with Microsoft Teams.

#4. Scalability

Microsoft Project allows users to manage projects of any size, although it is particularly useful for larger and more complex tasks. There are various ways to handle small and straightforward projects, but MS Project excels even when users must oversee larger teams, more involved projects, and intricate timetables. For various project management requirements, the project management software offers a uniform user interface and experience.

Cons of Using the Microsoft Planner

The following are cons of using Microsoft planner.

#1. Cost restrictions

The cost of the MS Project seems higher in comparison to the competition because there is a constant influx of new and inventive products with inexpensive price tags. Some rivals also provide generous free plans and reasonably priced plans with extra features.

The usage of resource management and portfolio optimization tools, which are only offered at the highest pricing tier, makes the advantages of utilizing MS Project more obvious.

#2. Only a Few Integrations

MS Project is more difficult to integrate with other apps when used outside of the Microsoft product range. To connect data from and into other platforms, users must use import/export tools. The data flow could be slowed down, disrupted, or even contaminated by this extra phase. In order to have options and backup plans, customers could demand more flexibility with their IT solutions.

#3. In-app Collaboration Is Missing

Microsoft Teams makes collaboration possible with MS Projects. One of the drawbacks that customers frequently mention is the absence of a built-in tool within the Project that teams may utilize to collaborate. Teams that make use of Slack, Jabber, or another chat/collaboration application will frequently switch between settings, which isn’t ideal for doing prolonged serious work.

Online Project Planner Software

You can use an online project planner software to manage your project. Project planning can be challenging, however with the right tools you can scale through. It is easy to shorten the procedure and keep track of progress with the aid of a free online project planning tool. The majority of tools provide free trial periods so you may test them out before buying.

They also make it simple for you to manage deadlines, resources, and projects. Some of the top project management software is even free to use! These technologies can be used for a range of tasks, including task organization, deadline tracking, and spending management. Online project planner software including:

Trello
ClickUp
Monday.com
Active Collab
Airtable
Bitrix24
Hive
Todoist
TeamGantt
Wrike
Asana
Jira
GoodDay
Nifty

What Are the Features of Project Planning Software?

Utilizing project management software frequently will be challenging if it is difficult to use. In order to create tasks, verify due dates, and track progress, make sure the interface is simple to comprehend and use. These are the following features to look out for in a project planner software:

#1. Collaboration Features

Every project planner software should be able to provide collaboration features to enable you to work on a project with a team or with others. No one will get lost in the shuffle because everyone can work on the same project at the same time in this manner.

#2. High Storage Capacity

You should check to see if your project management software has plenty of storage space so you can save your data safely and quickly retrieve them when you need them. This will assist you in avoiding the need to maintain difficult-to-manage filing systems or the need to retain copies of documents elsewhere.

What Are the 7 Steps of Project Planning?

#1. Set Specific Objectives for the Project.

Determine your goals for this project by taking a broad perspective and looking at the larger picture. External sources will undoubtedly aid in determining your goals if the project involves a client or other external stakeholder.

#2. Be Clear About Your Expectations From the Start.

To ensure that the project is successful, everyone must be in agreement. Setting up any project correctly involves communicating your expectations as the project lead and urging others to do the same. The particular ways your team can meet the objectives you’ve already set forth should be included in these expectations. You should also incorporate the following:

#3. Describe Possible Risks and How You’ll Handle Them if Dangers Materialize.

Let’s face it, unexpected events can still happen even if you’ve prepared every last detail. So what should a competent project manager do? Naturally, you should prepare for the unexpected. Even while it is obvious that you cannot forecast the precise hazard that could affect your project—everything from inclement weather to political upheaval to technological hiccups can happen—it is nevertheless possible to limit their potential effects through risk management.

#4. Reduce the Number of Meetings.

Meetings are obviously an essential component of project planning but ask yourself if they are the best use of your time or if something else, like project planning software, enables you to share files, assign tasks, and exchange ideas without having to meet, can accomplish the same thing. Less time is spent on real deliverables while more time is spent in meetings. Before inviting someone to a meeting yet again, think about that.

#5. Construct the Ideal Kickoff Meeting.

The start meeting, which brings up meetings, establishes the tone for the entire project. Please follow these guidelines as you prepare for this meeting:

Make sure the right individuals are invited, and that the important players can attend.
Make a thorough agenda outlining the topics the meeting will address. This will make it easier for everyone to comprehend the meeting’s purpose and stay on topic.

#6. Make Constant Reports on the Project.

The only way to determine whether your project is on schedule is to pull reliable reports. Most of the time, your project management software can help you with this. Reports enable you to assess the effectiveness of your resource use and confirm that you are on schedule to meet your budgetary objectives and due dates.

#7. Obtain the Appropriate Tools.

Although there are many project management tools available, not all of them are the same. Compare the products that attract you after determining what you actually need. Choose a tool that at the very least enables you to do the following:

What Is the Difference Between a Project Manager and a Project Planner?

Both project managers and project planners play crucial roles in project management, although they have different responsibilities within the cycle. Project planners often concentrate on the planning and monitoring phases of a project, but a project manager manages and oversees the complete cycle of a project, from inception to results.

The project plan can be effective and adaptable because project planners are frequently more detail-oriented than project managers. A project planner may have to give reports to the project manager depending on how many projects they are working on at once.

Does Office 365 Have a Project Planner?

Most Office 365 for business subscriptions include Planner, a compact, mobile, and web-based tool. You and your team may make plans, assign tasks, discuss tasks, and view charts of your team’s progress using Planner.

What Is the Difference Between Office 365 Planner and Project?

Office 365 planner serves as a primary point for team collaboration and is designed for ad hoc teams. While Office 365 project is a more potent tool with its relational database and time-phased scheduling. Large projects and precise estimating are its main priorities.

Does Microsoft Planner Replace Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Planner has many features, such as planning, resource management, team communication, and issue tracking, but Microsoft Project is a more complete collaboration suite. While Microsoft Planner has a number of fundamental functions, it doesn’t have as many, making it less appealing to all teams.

In Conclusion,

Planning a project requires time, commitment and of course software to avoid making errors. Anybody in charge of a project can utilize these project planner software to make work effective.