Are you a budding entrepreneur looking to manage your startup operations efficiently? Choose project management software to ensure the smoother running of a business in the early stages. All the prime tasks like planning, delivering value to clients, budget management, project execution, and many others are handled easily using appropriate project management software.
Accounting is an important operational activity for startups and none will serve your cause better than functional accounting software. Manage finances in a better way with an all-around accounting software having the latest features.
Entrepreneurs need to be project managers who can guide the team to manage complex projects. But, you cannot do it all at once and all on your own! A project management software will help the startups prioritize the tasks and then break down the steps for the team to show the correct roadmap. You can benefit a lot from the project management software whether your team is composed of you or a small team.
The beauty of working in a startup is that everyone needs to do a little bit of everything. This also can be the downfall for a team if it doesn’t know what is expected of them & when. You need to have a crystal clear understanding when managing a cross-functioning team. Thus, selecting the right project management software will help in real-time collaboration & completion of each project timely. Have the accounting software that will assist you in the efficient management of finances.
At times it can be hard to crack for startups in finding the right method for project management. Entrepreneurs need to be careful in picking the things that will work well for the business and what-not. It is the need of the hour to move beyond the conventional approach & adopt radical project management tools.
Let’s now dig deep in understanding the best steps & software for project management……………
Steps to Use Project Management for Entrepreneurs & Startups
For turning your startup into a successful business, you need to follow steps that will assist in the completion of projects promptly. Taking care of the business needs & selecting the right methodology is vital in your project journey. Make sure you pick the right steps to help startup companies turn them into successful businesses.
Step 1: Prepare a Long-Term Plan
The first thing in project management is to develop a long-term vision for your startup. Have the right objectives in place to avoid project failure. Lay down the set goals to your team with the timeline to provide a clearer picture to the team.
Step 2: Break Down the Processes or Targets
Break down the project goals into smaller milestones for the team members! It is vital to remain flexible and cater to unexpected changes. Cut down the project phases to make a scheduled plan and assign timely deadlines. It promotes accountability among the project team in the right direction.
Step 3: Manage the Structured Execution Process
Once the planning is done, it is time to execute the project in the right way. Entrepreneurs need to spend time researching the market and invest rightly in the project management software for a structured execution process.
Step 4: Regular Monitoring of the Progress
Projects can be delayed for multiple reasons and thus the project managers need to monitor the progress of work regularly. Track all the key performance indicators to identify the underperformers and check whether the milestones are being achieved in the right way.
Step 5: Closing of Projects by Creation of Future Resources
The project managers need to know when to wrap up & close the projects. Archive all the project documents and reflect on the mistakes for future avoidance of the same. Embrace the project management methodologies and create future resources for the closing of projects.
Best Project Management Software for Startups
Jira
It is the Agile project management tool that is supported by any Agile methodology, be it Scrum or Kanban. Plan, track, and manage all the Agile software development projects with a single tool. Startups can use any supported project management software and help teams release high-quality software.
Smartsheet
It is one type of Project Management software designed to unleash work agility & collaboration. It has a powerful platform for businesses to plan, manage, execute, and report on assigned projects. Your team will be well-placed to use the Smartsheet’s spreadsheet-based platform if you can use Google Sheets or Excel.
Teamwork
Teamwork is the platform that is helping business teams collaborate on a real-time basis and analyze the progress reports. It is the central file management system where the users can access all the files & attachments in an easy manner. The platform has an email integration feature that is allowing communication to occur on a simultaneous basis via email, in addition to allowing users to set the tasks with emails.
Asana
The platform is a great fit for startups having their workflow down and are looking for slick programs to manage it from. It is one kind of advanced task management tool that has an intuitive design fit for teams of all sizes. It is a flexible project management software where new tasks are created automatically.
Paymo
It is the platform taking care of two important requirements of the project management system, namely invoicing & time tracking. Paymo is the effective software that is the best fit for businesses with a small team. Track your finances now in a better way and manage the project timelines effectively.
Trello
Trello is the visual tool used by teams to collaborate on different projects. Drag & drop tasks using kanban boards and create a custom workflow that leads to your end goal. Developmental organizations can use the boards most safely to track the software developmental activities & website-related tasks.
It is the type of tool having an intuitive nature of dragging & dropping the task between various phases. Also, the companies can use the programs like slack & Google Docs to task every project in a single place. The platform is free for organizations with 10 board members. The application can also be upgraded to unlimited boards & functionalities at a simple price.
G Suite
It is one of the most productive project management tools across various industries! G Suite works smoothly for the running of company affairs and handles project-related matters efficiently. The features of the suite help the management of the project work within the allotted time. It has a simple signup process and the admin console looks sparse & minimal. The organization can standardize on the Google calendar and use the information in the management of conference room resources.
Zoho Reports
It is a simple project management tool to develop a custom dashboard and it is easy to track the project updates with data visualization. Organizations can use the interface with BI visualization tools for the best effects. Zoho Reports ensure the creation of accurate reports and it can be done easily by importing data from various sources. It is easily adaptable due to its simple integration features with Google Apps & Slack.
Wrike
Wrike is the perfect project management tool to customize the workflows and revise the platform in the best most interest of organizations. It has the feature to color code and themes the calendar. You also get the mobile version of the tool to update the information. The user can also add comments to the videos or documents as per the requirement. The email integration feature and the in-built calendar is for the best use of companies.
How do Project Management Methods Help Startups?
If you are an entrepreneur and aspiring to have a successful business of your own, then you need the help of project management tools that will ease the job for you! The development of new products or securing investment is all part of the project management activities. Many elements of project management are applied to startups & large corporations.
The project management skills are aspired by all startups and you need to be a manager for the initial kick-start to your business. It is vital to devise a plan to achieve the definite goals and thus outline the actions needed for success. One of the vital tasks of the project management tool is to prioritize the tasks & track action through to completion.
Effective project management methods assist in the implementation of processes to identify the goals & manage the actions accordingly. An effective project management strategy will assist businesses to maintain the flow of business and also monitor the movement of competitors.
The top benefits of project management for startups are as follows
Enhance the productivity of businesses.
The task of project managers is to ensure the completion of tasks in a timely manner. The work of such professionals gets simpler with the help of tools to organize the time & understand the structure of the organization.
Helps in a better client relationship.
Organizations need to maintain a clear understanding with the clients or customers to maintain the trust level. The timescales adjustment becomes easier with proper management and the accurate delivery leads to customer satisfaction. It becomes easier to manage the records and set future reminders using technology. The automation becomes simpler with project management.
Keep a keen eye on the competitor’s movements.
The monitoring of the project becomes easier and effective with proper management. The success of the startup and the pressure points can be recorded & evaluated with project management methods.
The use of project management software is providing businesses with fruitful results. A good project manager will be ready with the contingency plan whenever needed, and thus handle the challenges in a clearer manner.
Final Thoughts!
The startups are successful when met with the right compliance and methodology to complete the projects. It is good advice to adopt a project management tool that will help in the simplification of tasks.
You need to wear multiple hats as a budding entrepreneur. With the help of functional project management software, you will be able to manage the tasks smartly. Also, managing the accounting tasks in a better way using the software.
No need to wait now for the management of projects due to lack of resources. Use the tool in an efficient manner to plan & prioritize the to-do list.
Check the free trial of project management software today to maximize project management efficiency. Adopt the modern-day tools for making your startup business successful.