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What is project tracking software?
Project tracking tools allow managers to compare actual project metrics—such as costs, schedules and personnel—to estimates established during the planning phase. Managers then use this data to report back to stakeholders on the overall health of the project.Showing 1 - 20 of 213 products
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monday.com
monday.com
monday.com is an award-winning work and project management platform that helps teams of all sizes plan, prioritize, manage, and execute their work more effectively. The platform offers solutions for a wide range of use-cases such...Read more about monday.com
Backlog
Backlog
Backlog is a cloud-based project management and issue tracking solution that caters to development teams working with design, marketing and IT teams. The key features of the solution include project and issue management, subtaskin...Read more about Backlog
VSM Platform
VSM Platform
Flomatika is a Value Stream Management platform focused on helping mid-market and enterprise organisations pursue faster and more predictable value delivery. Our platform gives transformation, product and technology leaders end-t...Read more about VSM Platform
Float
Float
Float is a collaborative resource management software for real-time project planning and task scheduling. Features include an intuitive interface, drag-and-drop features, keyboard shortcuts, reports, and analytics, and editing too...Read more about Float
ClickUp
ClickUp
ClickUp is a cloud-based collaboration and project management tool suitable for businesses of all sizes and industries. Features include communication and collaboration tools, task assignments and statuses, alerts and a task toolb...Read more about ClickUp
MeisterTask
MeisterTask
MeisterTask is a cloud-based project and task management solution that caters to businesses of all sizes. The Kanban-style project boards are customizable and can be set up to support any agile workflow. From classic project and t...Read more about MeisterTask
Asana
Asana
Asana helps teams orchestrate their work at scale—from daily tasks to strategic initiatives. With Asana, teams are more confident, move faster, and accomplish more with less—no matter where they are located or how many different d...Read more about Asana
todo.vu
todo.vu
todo.vu is Australian-owned and -developed software that combines task and project management with time tracking and billing to provide an all-in-one productivity tool for freelancers, consultants and teams. Managing any number o...Read more about todo.vu
Rooftop
Rooftop
Rooftop is an all-in-one email management, team collaboration, and project management platform. This web-based solution is designed to streamline internal communication, task management, and customer support. Rooftop provides tool...Read more about Rooftop
ProWorkflow
ProWorkflow
FrontRunners 2022
Founded in 2002 and acquired by ProActive Software Ltd in 2003, ProWorkflow is a cloud-based project management and time tracking software that caters to companies of all sizes. ProWorkflow includes all the features of a trad...Read more about ProWorkflow
Jira
Jira
Jira Software is a business process management tool used by agile teams to plan, track and release software. Jira Software supports Scrum, Kanban, a hybrid model or another unique workflow. Jira enables users to create project r...Read more about Jira
AceProject
AceProject
AceProject is a cloud-based project management solution designed for small and midsize businesses. It offers project collaboration, time tracking, document management, budgeting, reporting and project tracking within a suite. ...Read more about AceProject
Smartsheet
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a work execution platform and collaboration tool with a familiar spreadsheet-like interface that helps teams plan, track, and manage projects in real-time. Smartsheet features include a range of project management to...Read more about Smartsheet
Pivotal Tracker
Pivotal Tracker
Pivotal Tracker from Pivotal is a cloud-based agile project management solution designed to facilitate collaboration between teams and monitor progress throughout the entire project lifecycle. The solution allows team members invo...Read more about Pivotal Tracker
Workzone
Workzone
FrontRunners 2022
Workzone is a project management solution that offers document management, project collaboration, customizable reporting, resource and task management and time tracking. The software is cloud-based and offers automated emailed rep...Read more about Workzone
Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects
Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project management solution designed for small and midsize companies. It offers project scheduling and budgeting, which allows project managers to define project tasks, assign them to their teams, es...Read more about Zoho Projects
INLOOXPM
INLOOXPM
InLoox is an on-premise and cloud-based project management and collaboration solution used by small and midsize businesses and global enterprises. Capabilities include task management, document management, time tracking and budget...Read more about INLOOXPM
Celoxis
Celoxis
Celoxis offers a comprehensive online project management solution for midsize to large businesses to help them plan and manage complex and diverse project portfolios. The collective suite includes modules for resource management, ...Read more about Celoxis
ProofHub
ProofHub
FrontRunners 2022
ProofHub is a cloud-based solution for teams in numerous industries. The solution provides applications for project management, project collaboration, resource management, task management, plus more. Key features include discussi...Read more about ProofHub
ProjectManager.com
ProjectManager.com
ProjectManager is an innovative project management software solution designed to help you navigate your project with ease. Say goodbye to roadblocks with features like: project planning, budgeting, time tracking, task and documen...Read more about ProjectManager.com
Popular Project Tracking Software Comparisons
Buyers Guide
Last Updated: November 22, 2022Once a project is underway, it’s essential for managers to monitor work and keep teams on track to meet deadlines. What’s more, managers must keep internal and external stakeholders up to date on the progress made against initial baselines set for the project’s scope, budget and timeline.
That’s where project tracking software comes in. Managers use project tracking tools to maintain a bird’s-eye view of project progress, track key performance metrics and report back to stakeholders.
We’ve created this Buyer’s Guide to help you understand project tracking systems and how they fit into the larger project management software market. In it, we’ll cover:
What Is Project Tracking Software?
Common Functionality of Project Tracking Software
Key Purchase Considerations
What Is Project Tracking Software?
Project tracking tools allow managers to compare actual project metrics—such as costs, schedules and personnel—to estimates established during the planning phase. Managers then use this data to report back to stakeholders on the overall health of the project.
Tracking systems are designed to improve efficiency by automating the data-capture process. This saves time managers would otherwise spend tracking down status updates and collating that information into progress reports.
These tools are more high-level than dedicated time- or task-tracking applications, which only track one of two things: the hours accrued by employees, or the progression of tasks. Project tracking systems, on the other hand, help managers monitor overall progress—from total work completed to hours logged to budget expenditures.
The “project tracking software” category encompasses a variety of tools: from basic dashboards to advanced reporting and analytics (see next section).
Basic project tracking capabilities include:
- Data capture
- Dashboards/project status overview
- Deadline, timeline and milestone tracking
Dashboard view in Asana
More advanced tracking systems will offer all of the above, in addition to such capabilities as:
- Report generation
- Summary of resource utilization (billable versus non-billable hours)
- Comparisons of actual versus estimated ROI/profit margins
Dashboard screen in Clarizen
Common Functionality of Project Tracking Software
Project tracking software typically includes some or all of the following capabilities:
| Dashboards | Provide an overview of current projects and their status, often highlighting impending milestones and tasks nearing their due date. Some dashboards also include an activity stream or notification center. |
| Gantt charts | Also integral to project planning, Gantt charts provide visualizations of the project schedule and show task progress/completion rates. Tasks are displayed as horizontal bars across a calendar or timeline, and are shaded to represent the percentage complete. |
| Reporting | Gives a snapshot of the current status of key metrics, such as ROI/profit margins, resource and budget utilization and overall project health (including identified risks and corresponding risk management plans). |
| Analytics | Some systems include analytics and business intelligence capabilities, often coupled with reporting tools, that help users identify trends across teams and projects. These insights help businesses make more informed decisions in the future. |
Key Purchase Considerations
Here are a few considerations buyers should keep in mind when selecting a project tracking system:
System complexity and pricing. There are many systems with project tracking capabilities, but the pricing and depth of functionality varies considerably. For example, it’s common for vendors to include dashboard functionality in their starter packages, but offer reporting only in their mid- or top-tier packages.
Reporting features may often come at a higher price—but we know from a 2015 analysis of project management software buyers who contact Software Advice that this is actually their preferred tracking method, over dashboards and Gantt charts.
Top-Requested Project Tracking Functionality
Given this, buyers should carefully evaluate their needs and choose a system with functionality that supports their workflows. Many vendors offer free trials or product demos, which allow businesses to test out a product before purchase to ensure it aligns with their processes.
Cloud-based systems. Cloud-based project management solutions are becoming increasingly popular. They offer users a number of benefits, including:
- Remote access (often including native mobile apps for iOS and Android)
- Lower upfront costs (since updates and system maintenance are handled by the vendor)
- Manageable recurring costs (since monthly or annual subscription pricing is standard, which includes updates and maintenance costs)
Additionally, cloud solutions are typically offered in several different functional tiers. This allows businesses to purchase a system with only the capabilities necessary at the time, then scale the system as their needs change.
For project tracking, this is especially useful: Managers can start out with basic dashboard tracking, then increase their investment over time to a tier that offers Gantt charts and/or reporting and analytics.