PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR FREELANCERS & CONSULTANTS: Do you need a Project Management Software Application?
by S. Maurer
Do you need a Project Management Software Application? The Scope of Your Freelance Projects and The Effectiveness of Your Current Project Management Systems will be the Deciding Factor on Whether or Not You Need a Project Management Application.
Determining whether or not you need a dedicated project management application, largely depends on the scope of your project and the effectiveness of your current management systems.
Do your work plans, resources, and performance metrics, offer a solid readout of what is going on with your projects’ performance?
Do you Plan your Work then Work your Plan, or are you simply envious to other people?
Certain Skills are Required of Freelancers When Managing Contracted Projects. Therefore, it is Very Important That Consultants Have Appropriate Project Management Skills to Handle Difficult Projects.
There are certain skills to have when conducting project management. It is best to have a team of planners when doing project planning. Therefore, it's important to have skills in forming, leading and facilitating groups. The faster project management team members become friends, the sooner the project management will be on track for success.
Project Management PM have traditionally been the basic unit of work for many engineering organizations - consulting, design, and construction firms.
Other types of engineering organizations - government agencies, utilities, manufacturing - are using projects more and more as a way to tackle problems, make improvements, or bring new products and services to market more quickly and efficiently.
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LIST OF LINKS TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
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PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - 0-9
4C Project Management Software - 4c is a comprehensive portfolio, programming and project management software tool that helps you to evaluate, prioritize, forecast, plan, manage all of your projects - in a single shared system. (Many Different Software Applications Related to Project Management, Check Out Their Site if Interested in Pricing)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - A
Ace Project Management : From collaboration software to an online planning tool, AceProject lets you manage all kinds of projects within your organization. Use AceProject to plan all stages of software development, implement construction and engineering projects, revamp your web site...your ideas are as good as ours! (Free to try; $1296 to buy or from $40 per month)
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AccuPlan : Accuplan will let you carve the path to a successful project management, and let you optimize your time and resources. AccuPlan helps you manage tasks, resources, budgets, and timelines. Using visual Ques, graphs, and reports, you will get a clear picture of the health of your projects. (Free to try; $39 to buy)
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ActiTIME Project Management Software : If you need a clear and simple way to register time expenses and then bill your customers for them, actiTIME is a tool of choice. actiTIME is a web based, standalone, multi-platform time collection software that is streamlined for billing and management purposes. (Free)
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Advanced Time Reports Professional : Advanced Time Reports is an intuitive time tracking and project management solution that will help you increase your billable hours by better managing all your projects, clients and working hours. (Free to try; $29.99 to buy)
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Advanced Time Reports : Advanced Time Reports Web is an intuitive time tracking and project management solution that will help you increase your billable hours by better managing all your projects, clients, and working hours. (Free to try; $39.99 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - B
BaseCamp : Basecamp is a unique project collaboration tool. Projects don't fail from a lack of charts, graphs, or reports, they fail from a lack of communication and collaboration. Basecamp makes it simple to communicate and collaborate on projects.(Free to try; Different Monthly Prices, from Free - $99 / month)
BeeText - Beetext is the leader in project management software for translators. Specifically, bilingual and multilingual project management within a centralized work environment that leverages your organization's work procedures. (Free to try; Different Monthly Prices, from Free - $99 / month)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - C
Complete Time Tracking Software : Easily track your time and generate summary and detailed reports to screen and printer or export to file. Set hourly rates for time billing to custom categories and subcategories such as customers, projects and tasks. (Free to try; $84.95 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - D
Diary Project Manager : Diary is a simple and secure solution for communication and collaboration in projects with geographically dispersed members. A fast Project Management tool for collaboration and sharing of project notes, time and cost. You do not need instant access to Internet. You can work Off-Line and synchronize your notes when you access Internet. 512 bits Encryption secures your projects information more secure than Internet-banking. Use a USB-memory and run Diary on any Windows based computer! The key to a successful project is to actively involve the project's customer and keep stakeholders informed on a daily basis. Many project managers use Diary to share work material, plan and co-ordinate work, and automatically gather and share progress information. It provides the project team and stakeholders with a single point-of-access to share information, simplify work flow, and keep track of current progress. (Free to try; $400.00 to buy)
DOVICO Project and Time Tracking Software for Project Management and Time Management - Award winning project and time tracking software for business management, project expense tracking and activity based costing!
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - E
Easy Projects : Easy Projects .NET is a Web based Project Management System. It makes project management hassle-free and straightforward. Key features of this system include managing hierarchical projects and tasks, employee timecards, e-mail notifications and alerts, defects and requests tracking, message boards, reports and statistics. (Free to try; $89.00 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - H
Harfang : Harfang is a powerful all-in-one software, easy-to-use, that gives you and your small business the ability to manage and be in control of all major aspects (time, expenses, customers, contacts, project, contracts, time sheets, expense reports, invoices, and payments) of your projects and contracts with your clients. (Free to try; $39.95 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - I
InerTrak : InerTrak is an easy-to-use time-tracking tool for designers, contract workers, lawyers, or anyone else who works on multiple projects on an hourly basis. It automatically keeps track of the time you spend on different projects throughout the day; all you do is click to start and stop the timer. (Free to try; $40.00 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - M
Modular Project Management System - 3f Project 2006 is a web based project management system designed to mange projects for small and medium sized companies. The system comes with all the tools needed for effective project management and planning including Gantt diagram, task list, issue management system and time sheets Being web based you can collaborate with your team from anywhere over the Internet. Aside from the base module 3f Project 2006 offers two optional modules, Approval Management and Test Management. (Free to try; Project Ranges)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - N
NewWayService : The new version 2 of NewWayService allows you to manage work orders, actions and worked time, customers and contacts, banks of hours, technicians and groups, products, serial numbers, spare parts, appointments and schedule, schedules of work, a knowledge base and more. (Free to try; $200.00 to buy)
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NetProjects : Web based project management and collaboration system. Provides a common work space for internal and external teams to communicate, collaborate, resolve issues, mitigate risks, share documents and activities. from anywhere in the world. (Free to try; $39 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - O
OroTimeSheet : OroTimesheet 4 allows you to keep track of the time spent on each project by yourself (or your employees). It also allows you to manage your projects cost, your expenses, your customers billing, everything in a secure environment.Very flexible, OroTimesheet adapts to your needs whether you work for a big company or are a self-employed freelance worker. (Free to try; $100.00 to buy)
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Our Scheduler : Our Scheduler is a wide range-scheduling program designed for offices/businesses with complex scheduling issues. Schedule people, rooms, tee offs, or equipment, you determine what you want to schedule. Schedule 24/7, color code your appointment types, add clients, find availability, schedule over multiple days, on any day(s) of any week/month for any period of time. Includes daily, weekly, monthly, 3 month, gantt and reoccurring scheduling. Format dates and currency according to your countries settings. Version 2.1.7 adds new reports and bug fixes. (Free to try; $149.00 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - P
Personal TaskMaster : Today, time becomes the key factor for determining work efficiency as well as business and personal performance. What we actually require for our private time management needs is a solution capable of all the functionality of corporate systems that is still easy to use as a handy personal organizer. Use this unique time management solution to take advantage of tremendous power and flexibility when dealing with personal schedule. (Free to try; $24.95 to buy)
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Project Engine Personal : Project Engine is a powerful but lightweight project planning and task management system. It is a reliable, scalable and secure solution that drives the workflow of any project ranging from a single user to a large corporation. The system manages tasks, schedules events, encourages work breakdown and delegation and improves the accuracy of time estimation. Changes are tracked through history and the current status of the project is revealed through a vast number of reports. Templates can be used for repeating common workflows. (Free!!)
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Project KickStart : The fastest, easiest way to plan and schedule projects. The program's interface acts as a planning wizard, leading you through eight quick steps for developing a thought-out project plan. Project KickStart's Gantt chart provides a visual time line of your tasks. Use the program by itself or hotlink your data to Microsoft Outlook, ACT, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, and other programs. Save project plans as HTML files and post them on an Internet site. Generate project reports, process templates, business plans, and check lists. (Free to try; $130.00 to buy)
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Project-xl : An Excel template designed for those who need to plan and monitor small projects (up to 100 tasks), but who don't want to spend a fortune on software. The Project-xl workbook provides you all you'll need to manage your project from start to finish. This includes: task lists, re-sourcing, Gantt charts, budgets, earned value analysis, and performance reporting. A MS Project export facility is also provided. Version 1.0a fixes a problem that some users were experiencing with the drop down calendar used to select dates. The calendar control used in previous version has now been replaced with an internally coded calendar. (Free to try; $34.00 to buy)
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Project Reporter : Easily creates three type of reports for planning, progress and final report for your projects. By using project reporter you can create reports for planning and scheduling phase and progress phase and final phase of your project. (Free to try; $9.99 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - R
Risky Project : RiskyProject is a project planning, quantitative risk analysis, performance measurement software that project managers can use to plan and implement project with multiple risks and uncertainties. RiskyProject analyzes the project schedule and risk lists together, calculates the chance that project will be completed within a given period of time and budget, and presents the user with results in formats that are easy to read and understand. (Free to try; $699.00 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - S
SharedPlan Personal Edition : Plan successful projects with SharedPlan Personal Edition. It supports e-mail collaboration, PERT/Gantt charts with critical path identified, reporting, analysis, custom calendar, and resource pool. (Free to try; $69.95 to buy)
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Smooth Projects : 123 Smooth Projects is a simple and effective web-based enterprise Project Management Software hosting solution that will put you in control. (Free to try; Subscription to Buy )
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Studiometry : Studiometry is a tool for freelance designers, consultants, tech support personnel, as well as small design firms. Studiometry keeps everything in one convenient location: Client data, Project data, Project files, To Do's, Debts, Invoices, Notes. Among its features: Store information about every aspect of your projects and clients including billing data, expenses, time worked, fees, to-do's, invoices, media, passwords, specs. Find Projects and clients quickly with organized lists sorted by their statuses and categories. Support for recurring, one time, and hourly fees, as well as the ability for user-created Debt/Credit types. (Free to try; $79.99 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - T
Task Enterprise Project Management : @task version 3.5 is an extended project management solution for the enterprise. @task improves all aspects of your business: planning, working and tracking. Its easy-to-implement, web-managed approach increases organizational efficiencies, maximizes management resources, facilitates team collaboration, fosters individual responsibility and productivity.
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Timeless Time and Expense : A simple but powerful explorer interface makes it easy to track time and expenses for billing, project management, and status reporting. Organize your tasks in a hierarchy that makes sense. Set user permissions by client, project, task or any of up to 20 custom levels. Integrated with the windows system tray, Timeless Time and Expense makes it easy to start timers without interrupting your work. Keep abreast of upcoming work with to do entries. When it's time to find out what's been done, a report wizard guides you through creating reusable detail, summary or invoice reports. Select exactly what to report. Use specific dates or relative time frames to create reusable reports. Create shared reports for standardized reporting across users and tasks. Preview, print or export reports to HTML, CSV and PDF formats. Import your MS projects plans and update them with the work of your whole team. (Free to try; $59.99 to buy)
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TimeSheetsExpress Free : A free timesheet and expense program, designed for SME's. Tasks can be assigned to a client or project and are quickly selected and input from your individual task list, you can add reminder notes to each entered task. Notes and time summaries can be printed on a per client/project basis. Extensive reporting allows you to run detailed reports on any or all your time sheets enabling you to track and bill all your time spent with one or more project or client. Projects can be allocated different billing rates, allowing you to charge or bill time at various rates. Ideal for individual users. Export time sheets to common formats, CSV, HTML, PDF, and XLS. (Free!!)
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TimeBox : The TimeBox application is a multi-platform time management tool for contractors and consulting professionals. Features include a punch-clock metaphor, at-a-glance time summaries, a customizable report generator, and advanced search and editing capabilities. But what really set TimeBox apart are its network capabilities. Users can access their TimeBox applications over the wired or wireless Internet via any standard Web browser; the application is also integrated into the TimeSuite time management system, allowing individual users to submit their time to TimeStor, a central server application which summarizes and reports on collective times. Version 5.6.2 improves support for special characters and ease of editing already-tracked time. (Free to try; $9.00 to buy)
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Time Panic : TimePanic is a personal time tracking solution that consists of a Windows and a Pocket PC application. Both applications can be synchronized via ActiveSync. This solution helps you to observe and improve your style of working and is well suited to personal project management. At the simplest level, it automatically records your daily working times. At the most advanced level, it assists you in categorizing your jobs, keeps records of leave days, calculates overtime, and creates project reports. (Free to try; $76.00 to buy)
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Time CEO : TimeCEO is a handy time tracking software for those who want to take control over time spend on PC. TimeCEO represents the most comprehensive information about selected applications usage in numerical and graphical formats. It helps to detect your working time consumption, time leaks and working time usage efficiency as well. This software is really useful for freelancers, by hour employers and those who care about self time management. (Free to try; $33.00 to buy)
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Time Core : TimeCore is a time tracking tool specializing in the capture and management of time-based data. Whether you are looking for a simple Notepad replacement or a tool that can adapt to existing time and billing procedures, TimeCore Pro provides a consistent data source for the delivery of time sheets, invoices, and other time-related reports. (Free to try; $38.50 to buy)
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TimeWise Light : TimeWise Light is a billing and cost control for small organizations who value their time. Use TimeWise to help your organization gain extensive integrated control of your two most valuable assets: your clients and the work you do for them. Tracking activity as it happens across ten departments, you'll have every detail at your fingertips, without losing sight of the big picture. (Free to try; $99.95 to buy)
PROJECT / TIME MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE - V
VIP Team To Do List : VIP Team To Do List is a professional time and task management software for small and midsize business. It enables team leaders to create, manage and send to do lists to team members by e-mail. It is a best tool for planning and tracking progress of team tasks.
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About the Author:
S. Maurer is a 53-years old college graduated IT professional, with 30 years of experience in the computer & technology business. Now is the Correspondence Courses Director of the Abet Open University: http://mba-open-university.net and http://distance-learning-mba-online-mba-program-executive-jobs.net.
S. Maurer may be contacted at http://mba-open-university.net
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