Need some help managing your startup? Check out these 10 smart cloud tools

Managing a new company is daunting. Even more so in a time where the advancement of technology has led to the proliferation of utilitarian tools in the project management realm. Many technological experts have put in their efforts and brains to devise various tools that have simplified project management methodology and improved the productivity of businesses involved in managing projects.

These tools, being based in the cloud, can be easily accessed from different locations. This suits those businesses whose team members operate from distant geographical locations around the globe. Their members are able to perform tasks smoothly and rapidly. Thus businesses are able to cut costs, save time, and improve productivity and profitability by using these technologically superior applications. This has made them the preferred choice for businesses.

Below are listed 10 enterprising project management tools featuring in their respective categories. These useful applications are highly rated, having proven their superiority over their competitors.

Basic project management and collaboration tools

Basecamp

Basecamp, a hugely popular project management application enables smooth and organized management in projects. Tasks, schedules, files and other things associated with a project are kept in a single centralized location. So every team member is at same page on a project. Members can effectively communicate with each other. They can view various activities performed in a project at a given time span.

ProofHub

Projects get better organized and smoothly managed with this project management tool. Remotely based team members can communicate, collaborate rapidly and smoothly. Tasks can be systematically executed through to-do lists. Time spent on tasks can be documented in timesheets. Events, tasks and milestones get properly tracked through the calendar. Reports enable businesses to precisely track progress in their tasks, milestones and know the true status of their projects through pie and burn up charts, roadmap, timesheet reports and others.

Lighthouse

Issues arising in projects can be properly and simply tracked with this project management solution. Web development teams are able to collaborate smoothly. Tasks get organized automatically. Tickets can be directly created from the inbox and replied to. Milestones help to plan features and establish dates of their release. This aid offers integration with Exceptional, Beanstalk and other useful services.

activeCollab

Projects get better managed with activeCollab project management software. It improves remote team collaboration and communication which boosts members’ productivity. Tracking of time, funds and expenses helps to control costs. Invoices can be conveniently generated for effortless billing. Payment reports and summaries ensure proper resource utilization. Monthly schedule gets organized with calendar. Accurate billing can be performed through flexible setting of language, currency, time zone and local tax rates.

Bug tracking

JIRA

Teams involved in planning and building products can track their projects in an organized manner. It is a preferred application for teams working in software development, code development and deployment. It enables them to capture and organize issues, set priorities, as well as perform work assignment. It significantly improves team communication and collaboration. It organizes customer requests and ensures these get acted upon fast. It also has got the mobile feature to enable teams do their work on the go.

16bugs

Bugs can be better viewed, tracked and managed with this bug tracking tool. It offers two-way email integration. It is used by both developers and web designers, helping make it known ehich specific activities were performed on a bug. Bugs can be listed and sorted. An email notification is received on submission of a bug. Categories and versions of bugs get effectively managed. A bug can be changed to show its progress, and attachments and comments can be added to bugs.

Invoicing

FreshBooks

Accounting can be conveniently performed with this cloud accounting application. Businesses can rapidly create, send invoices and track their time and expenses. A business is able to receive fast online payments. Businesses working internationally can flexibly bill in any given currency. Automatic reminders are sent to clients for timely payment. Expenses get accurately tracked from any location and from various devices. Receipts can be saved by taking a snap of them. Reports provide clarity on a business’s important financial information.

LessAccounting

This web based accounting system enables business owners to perform bookkeeping in a simple, less painful and fast manner. Businesses get to know who owes them money and bill them accordingly. Reminders are sent for expenses that are due. Online invoices can be sent to contacts for receiving payment. Simple workflows enable accounting tasks’ completion in least time. Reports impart clarity on a business’s financial information.

Time tracking

Toggl

This time tracking software enables businesses to precisely track, monitor time spent in their projects, tasks and clients. Accurate billing can be achieved by considering total number of hours spent in various tasks. Plans can be devised by businesses for productive usage of their time in a day. Time-related data is secured and conveniently accessed from anywhere from the internet.

Harvest

Businesses can simply and accurately track and document their time with this time tracking tool. They can flexibly track time from any location in the world through a web browser, desktop or mobile. Time incurred on tasks performed by various team members can be entered into timesheets. Reports provide insight on which specific tasks and projects a business spent its time on. Invoices can be automatically generated on the basis of exact number of hours spent in various projects along with the costs. This leads to fast and accurate billing.

These project management tools based in the cloud enable smooth and organized management in projects, so these can be managed within time and budget. The use of these solutions remarkably improves productivity of businesses and enables them to achieve their objectives and goals.

Image by Ken Teegardin via Flickr.