For construction projects, Primavera P6 is the better choice when the contract requires a P6 or XER schedule, the project has thousands of activities, or you may need to defend a delay claim with detailed float analysis. ProjectManager is the better choice for general contractors, subcontractors and builders who need critical path schedules their superintendents and foremen can actually update, plus a view of crews and equipment across every job, at a fraction of P6’s cost.

On most construction projects, the schedule breaks down in the same place: between the office and the jobsite. A scheduler builds a solid CPM schedule in P6, prints it or sends a PDF, and by the time the superintendent has it, the concrete pour has moved, the inspector has rescheduled and two subs are fighting over the same week. The question isn’t only which tool calculates the critical path better. It’s which tool keeps the schedule current when the work changes every day.

This guide compares ProjectManager and P6 on the situations construction teams deal with most: owner schedule requirements, delay documentation, field updates, crews and equipment across jobs, lookahead schedules and cost.

See how ProjectManager handles a real construction schedule. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6 for Construction at a Glance

Prices are list prices and change often. P6 pricing varies by region, license type and discount.

How Each Tool Fits a Construction Company

In a construction company, P6 usually lives with one person or a small scheduling team. The scheduler builds the baseline schedule for the owner, updates it monthly with progress from the field and produces the reports the contract calls for. Project managers and superintendents see the result as a printout, a PDF or a filtered layout, and most of them never open P6 themselves.

ProjectManager is built to be used by everyone on the job. The project manager builds the schedule on a Gantt chart, the superintendent updates percent complete from the jobsite, foremen see their tasks on their phones, and the office sees workload and progress across every project on one dashboard. The schedule is less detailed than a P6 schedule for a hospital or a highway interchange, but it stays current because the people doing the work are the ones updating it.

ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6 in Common Construction Situations

Owner Schedule Requirements

If the contract requires a P6 schedule or XER submittals, P6 is the safer choice. Many public agencies, large owners and construction managers specify P6 in the general conditions, and ProjectManager can’t produce XER files. Read the scheduling specification before you choose. Many private commercial, residential and tenant improvement contracts only ask for a CPM schedule in a readable format, such as PDF, which ProjectManager can produce.

Verdict: P6 when XER is required. Either tool when it isn’t.

Building the CPM Schedule

Both tools build CPM schedules with finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish dependencies and lag. P6 adds detail that matters on large jobs, such as multiple float paths, activity codes for sorting by area or trade, and multiple calendars for different crews.

In ProjectManager, a typical sequence looks like this: link footings to foundation walls as finish-to-start, add seven days of lag for cure time before backfill, link framing to rough-in, and add a two-day lag for the framing inspection before insulation. Then apply the critical path filter on the Gantt chart to see the tasks with zero float.

Verdict: P6 for very large schedules with complex coding. ProjectManager for most building projects.

Weather and Other Delays

When rain pushes a slab pour by three days, both tools move the linked work and update the critical path. The difference is how fast that change reaches the field. In ProjectManager, the superintendent can move the pour from the jobsite, the framing, rough-in and inspection tasks shift with it, and everyone sees the new dates right away. In P6, the change usually waits for the scheduler’s next update.

Verdict: ProjectManager for day-to-day changes. P6 for formal time impact analysis.

Delay Documentation and Claims

If you expect a dispute, P6 is the standard. Claims consultants and forensic schedulers work in P6, and its multiple baselines, float analysis and earned value support time impact analysis. ProjectManager supports a baseline with variance reporting, which is enough to show what slipped and by how much on most projects, but it isn’t built for formal claims work.

Verdict: P6.

Field Updates

This is where ProjectManager has the clearest advantage. Superintendents and foremen can open the schedule on a phone, update percent complete, log hours and comment on a task from the jobsite. With P6, field progress usually reaches the schedule through a weekly or monthly update meeting, so the schedule is often weeks behind what’s happening on site.

Verdict: ProjectManager.

Crews, Equipment and Subcontractors Across Jobs

Most GCs share crews and equipment between jobs, and conflicts are easy to miss. ProjectManager’s workload page shows every resource’s assigned hours by day across all your projects, with over-assigned days in red. Add a skid steer, a crane or a drywall sub as a resource with no license cost, and a double booking on two sites shows up the same way an overbooked framing lead does.

P6 handles resources in detail, including automatic leveling, but it works best when every project lives in the same P6 database and someone maintains the resource data.

Verdict: ProjectManager for a fast view across jobs. P6 for detailed resource-loaded schedules.

Lookahead Schedules

Superintendents run the job from a two- or three-week lookahead, not the master schedule. In P6, the scheduler builds lookaheads with filters and layouts, then sends them to the field. In ProjectManager, the superintendent can filter the Gantt chart to the next few weeks themselves and update it as work happens.

Verdict: ProjectManager, because the people using the lookahead can maintain it.

Cost

For a contractor with 10 people who need schedule access, P6 Professional costs about $25,000 in licenses up front plus about $5,500 a year in support, based on Oracle list pricing of about $2,500 per license and $550 a year in support. Ten users on ProjectManager’s Business plan cost about $3,360 a year, depending on whether you pay monthly or annually. Most contractors don’t buy P6 for every PM and superintendent, which is one reason the field rarely works in it.

Verdict: ProjectManager, especially when the whole project team needs access.

Which Should Your Construction Company Choose?

The right tool depends mostly on your contracts and who needs to work in the schedule.

Using Primavera P6 and ProjectManager Together

Some GCs keep P6 for the contract schedule and use ProjectManager to run the work. The scheduler maintains the P6 master schedule and submits XER updates to the owner. The project team uses ProjectManager for lookaheads, crew and equipment scheduling across jobs, field progress updates and timesheets.

This works when one schedule is clearly the source of truth. The two tools don’t sync automatically, so decide who carries field progress back into P6 and how often, such as before each monthly update. To start a project in ProjectManager from the P6 schedule, export it from P6 in Microsoft Project, Excel or CSV format and import it, since ProjectManager doesn’t read XER files.

ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6 for Construction FAQ

Can a general contractor use ProjectManager instead of P6?

Yes, on projects where the contract doesn’t require P6 or XER submittals. ProjectManager supports CPM scheduling with all four dependency types, lag, a critical path filter and baselines, and superintendents can update the schedule from the jobsite. Check your scheduling specification first, because many public and large private contracts require P6.

Do construction owners require Primavera P6?

Some do. Many public agencies, large owners and construction managers require P6 schedules or XER submittals. Many private commercial and residential contracts only require a CPM schedule in a readable format, such as PDF.

Can ProjectManager produce an XER file?

No. ProjectManager imports and exports Microsoft Project (MPP and XML), Excel and CSV files, but not XER. If XER is required, keep the contract schedule in P6.

Can superintendents update a P6 schedule from the field?

Usually not directly. Most P6 schedules are updated by a scheduler in the office using progress from the field. In ProjectManager, superintendents and foremen update percent complete from a phone or browser.

Which is better for subcontractors, P6 or ProjectManager?

ProjectManager is usually the better fit. Subcontractors need to schedule crews and equipment across several jobs, and the GC typically owns the master P6 schedule. ProjectManager’s workload page shows every crew’s hours across all projects.

Is Primavera P6 better for delay claims?

Yes. Claims consultants and forensic schedulers usually work in P6, and its float analysis and multiple baselines support time impact analysis. ProjectManager’s baselines and variance reports show what slipped, but they aren’t built for formal claims work.

Related Content

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• Primavera P6 for General Contractors: Key Features, Pros & Cons
• 15 Best Construction Scheduling Software for 2026
• Critical Path Method (CPM) in Construction
• How to Manage Resources Across Multiple Projects
• What Is Oracle Primavera P6?

The post ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6 for Construction Projects appeared first on ProjectManager.

Primavera P6 is the better choice for very large, complex programs that need advanced CPM analysis, automatic resource leveling, earned value and XER files, usually managed by trained schedulers. ProjectManager is the better choice for teams that need critical path scheduling, baselines and resource management across several projects, with access for the whole team and a much shorter learning curve, at a lower per-user price.

The two tools are built for different jobs. P6 is a specialist scheduling tool used on projects with thousands of activities in industries like construction, engineering, energy and government, where contracts often require a P6 schedule. ProjectManager is online project management software that puts the schedule in front of the whole team: project managers, team members and stakeholders can view it, update progress and see workload across every project from a browser or phone.

This comparison covers scheduling, resource management, team access, file compatibility, reporting, ease of use and pricing, with an honest look at when each tool is the right fit.

Try ProjectManager’s critical path scheduling on your own schedule. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6 at a Glance

Prices are list prices and change often. P6 pricing varies by region, license type and discount, so check with Oracle or a reseller.

What Is ProjectManager?

ProjectManager is online project management software for planning, scheduling and tracking projects, used by teams in industries such as construction, IT, manufacturing and professional services. Schedules are built on Gantt charts with all four dependency types, lag, a critical path filter and baselines. The workload page shows each team member’s assigned hours across every project, and timesheets, dashboards and reports track progress and cost. Because it runs in a browser and on mobile, the whole project team can work in the same schedule, not just the scheduler.

What Is Primavera P6?

Primavera P6 is Oracle’s enterprise project scheduling software, used mainly on large construction, engineering, energy and infrastructure projects. It comes in two main versions: P6 Professional, a Windows desktop application for detailed scheduling, and P6 EPPM, a web-based version for managing portfolios of projects across an organization. P6 is known for deep CPM analysis, resource leveling and earned value, and its XER file format is a common requirement in owner and government contracts.

ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6: Feature Comparison

Critical Path Scheduling

Both tools calculate the critical path, but P6 goes deeper. P6 calculates early and late dates and total float for every activity, supports multiple float paths and handles schedules with tens of thousands of activities. That depth matters on a power plant build or a large infrastructure program where a scheduler has to prove exactly which delay drove the finish date.

ProjectManager covers what most project schedules need. Link tasks with finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish or start-to-finish dependencies, add lag for waiting periods like approvals or vendor lead times, then apply the critical path filter on the Gantt chart to see only the tasks with zero float. When a design review slips three days, linked tasks like development and testing move with it, and the filter shows the new path.

Verdict: P6 for advanced CPM analysis on very large schedules. ProjectManager for clear, easy-to-update critical path schedules on everyday projects.

Resource Management

P6 has detailed resource loading and automatic resource leveling, which can shift activities to resolve overallocation across a large schedule. It’s powerful, but setting it up takes time and expertise.

ProjectManager focuses on seeing and fixing conflicts across projects. The workload page shows every team member’s assigned hours by day across all your projects, with over-assigned days in red, and you can reassign hours from the same page. Equipment, contractors and other resources that don’t need a login can be added with no license cost, so a double-booked piece of equipment shows up the same way a double-booked team member does. ProjectManager doesn’t level resources automatically.

Verdict: P6 for automatic leveling on large, resource-loaded schedules. ProjectManager for a fast, visual view of who’s overbooked across several projects.

Team Access and Collaboration

This is the biggest practical difference. In many organizations, only trained schedulers work in P6 itself. Everyone else sees the schedule as a PDF or report, and progress comes back by email or through separate modules such as Progress Reporter.

In ProjectManager, team members and stakeholders can open the schedule in a browser or on the mobile app, update percent complete, log time and comment on tasks. Everyone works from the same live schedule.

Verdict: ProjectManager.

File Compatibility

P6 uses XER and P6 XML, which many owners, agencies and claims consultants require. ProjectManager imports Microsoft Project (MPP and Microsoft Project XML), Excel and CSV files and exports to MPP, XML, Excel and CSV, but it doesn’t read or write XER files.

Verdict: P6, if your contracts require XER submittals.

Reporting and Earned Value

P6 has built-in earned value analysis and detailed schedule reports suited to formal project controls and delay claims. ProjectManager has real-time dashboards for health, cost, progress, workload and time, plus reports such as variance and timesheet reports that can be exported to PDF, Excel or CSV.

Verdict: P6 for formal project controls and earned value. ProjectManager for quick, shareable status reporting.

Ease of Use

P6 is built for professional schedulers. New users typically need formal training and weeks of regular use before they’re comfortable, and many project managers never reach that point. ProjectManager is designed so project managers and team members can build and update schedules without specialist training.

Verdict: ProjectManager.

Pricing

P6 Professional costs about $2,500 per user for a perpetual license, plus about $550 a year in support, according to Oracle list pricing. P6 EPPM and cloud subscriptions are priced separately and usually go through Oracle or a reseller. ProjectManager costs $15 per user per month on the Team plan and $28 per user per month on the Business plan (when paying annually), which includes resource management, with a 30-day free trial.

For example, giving 10 people access to P6 Professional would cost about $25,000 in licenses up front plus about $5,500 a year in support. Ten users on ProjectManager’s Business plan would cost about $3,360 a year.

Verdict: ProjectManager, especially when more than one or two people need access.

When to Choose Primavera P6

P6 is the better choice in these situations:

• Your contract requires P6 or an XER submittal. Many public agencies and large owners specify it. ProjectManager can’t produce XER files.
• Your schedules are very large. Programs with tens of thousands of activities, multiple float paths and complex code structures are what P6 was built for.
• You need automatic resource leveling or earned value. P6 has both built in for formal project controls.
• You have trained schedulers. If a dedicated scheduling team already knows P6, the learning curve is already paid for.
• You may need to support delay claims. Claims consultants and forensic schedulers usually work in P6.

When to Choose ProjectManager

ProjectManager is the better choice in these situations:

• You run several projects at once and share people between them. The workload page shows everyone’s hours across all projects in one view.
• The whole team needs to see and update the schedule. Team members can work in the schedule from a phone or browser.
• Your contracts don’t require XER. Most projects outside large public and capital programs don’t.
• More than one or two people need access. Per-user monthly pricing costs far less than P6 licenses for a whole team.
• You don’t have a dedicated scheduler. Project managers can build critical path schedules without weeks of training.
• You need more than a schedule. Task lists, kanban boards, timesheets and dashboards are in the same tool.

Some organizations use both: P6 for the master schedule and contract submittals, and ProjectManager for day-to-day planning, resource scheduling and team updates. If you go that route, decide which schedule is the source of truth, because changes won’t sync between the two automatically.

How to Switch From Primavera P6 to ProjectManager

To switch from P6 to ProjectManager, export your schedule from P6 in a format ProjectManager can import, set up the project’s working days, then import the file and check the logic against the original. ProjectManager imports Microsoft Project (MPP or Microsoft Project XML), Excel and CSV files, but not XER.

1. Export from P6. A Microsoft Project file keeps the most data, because ProjectManager imports tasks, assignees, dependencies and planned dates from MPP and Microsoft Project XML. Otherwise, export activities to a spreadsheet and save it as Excel or CSV.
2. Set working days. Create the project with the + button, choose Project and set working days to match your P6 calendar before importing.
3. Import. Choose Import File, click select file and follow the prompts. For Excel or CSV, map your columns to the Gantt columns.
4. Check the logic. Compare durations and dependencies with P6, re-link any missing predecessors and add lag where needed.
5. Filter for the critical path and set a baseline. Confirm the critical path matches P6, then set a baseline in Gantt settings.

Keep your original XER file in case an owner asks for it later.

ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6 FAQ

Is ProjectManager a replacement for Primavera P6?

For most teams, yes. ProjectManager covers critical path scheduling, dependencies, lag, baselines and resource management across projects. It isn’t a full replacement if your contracts require XER submittals, or if you need P6’s automatic resource leveling and earned value on very large programs.

Can ProjectManager open Primavera P6 files?

No. ProjectManager doesn’t read XER or P6 XML files. Export the schedule from P6 to Microsoft Project format, Excel or CSV, then import it into ProjectManager.

Is ProjectManager easier to use than Primavera P6?

Yes. P6 is built for trained schedulers and usually needs formal training. ProjectManager is designed so project managers and team members can build and update schedules without specialist training.

Does ProjectManager show the critical path like P6?

Yes. In ProjectManager, link tasks with dependencies, then apply the critical path filter on the Gantt chart to show only tasks with zero float. P6 offers deeper float analysis, including multiple float paths, which matters mainly on very large schedules.

How much does Primavera P6 cost compared with ProjectManager?

P6 Professional costs about $2,500 per user for a perpetual license plus about $550 a year in support, based on Oracle list pricing. ProjectManager costs $15 to $28 per user per month, depending on the plan, with a 30-day free trial.

Does ProjectManager work on a Mac?

Yes. ProjectManager runs in any modern browser on Windows or Mac and has iOS and Android apps. P6 Professional is a Windows desktop application, though P6 EPPM runs in a browser.

Related Content

• What Is Oracle Primavera P6? Uses, Features & Pricing
• Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Project
• What Is Oracle Primavera Cloud?
• 5 Best Primavera P6 Alternatives
• 14 Best Project Management Software: 2026 Buyer’s Guide
• 11 Best Gantt Chart Software of 2026

The post ProjectManager vs. Primavera P6: Software Comparison appeared first on ProjectManager.

Primavera P6 has been the standard for large construction schedules for decades, and for good reason. It handles schedules with tens of thousands of activities, detailed resource loading and the kind of documentation owners and claims consultants expect. But most construction teams don’t run megaprojects. A general contractor building a medical office, a subcontractor juggling six job sites or a home builder running 20 houses at once needs a schedule that’s accurate, easy to update and visible to the people in the field. For those teams, P6 is often more tool than they need, at a price and complexity they’d rather avoid.

That’s why so many construction teams look for alternatives. Some are tired of paying for licenses only one or two trained schedulers can use. Others need superintendents and foremen to see and update the schedule from the job site, not wait for a PDF from the office. And some simply want to stop rebuilding the same schedule in a spreadsheet because nobody outside the scheduling team can open the P6 file.

This guide explains what to look for in a P6 replacement and compares five alternatives on scheduling depth, P6 file compatibility, field access and price, with an honest note on where each one falls short.

ProjectManager is online project management software for construction scheduling. Build CPM schedules on Gantt charts with all four dependency types, filter for the critical path, set baselines and see every crew’s workload across all your jobs in one place, from the office or the job site. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

What Is Primavera P6?

Primavera P6 is Oracle’s enterprise project scheduling software, used mainly on large construction, engineering, energy and infrastructure projects. It uses the critical path method (CPM) to calculate schedules, and it’s built for very large, resource-loaded schedules managed by trained schedulers. P6 comes in two main versions: P6 Professional, a Windows desktop application, and P6 EPPM, a web-based version for managing portfolios of projects across an organization. Schedules are shared in Oracle’s XER or XML file formats, which many owners and government agencies require for submittals.

Why Construction Teams Look for Primavera P6 Alternatives

P6 is powerful, but most construction teams don’t need everything it does. These are the most common reasons teams switch:

• Cost. P6 is licensed per user, usually with annual support fees on top, and the web-based version adds hosting or cloud subscription costs. Oracle doesn’t publish a simple price list, so most teams get a quote through Oracle or a reseller. For a small or mid-size contractor, paying for several P6 seats is hard to justify when only one person builds the schedule.
• Steep learning curve. P6 is designed for professional schedulers. New users often need months of regular use, and usually formal training, before they can build and maintain a reliable CPM schedule. Project managers and superintendents rarely get to that point.
• Limited field access. P6 Professional runs on a Windows PC, and most field staff never open it. The schedule ends up exported to PDF and emailed out, so it’s out of date as soon as it’s sent.
• Weak collaboration. Updates usually flow through the scheduler. A foreman can’t mark a task complete or flag a delay directly in the schedule, so progress gets reported by phone, email or a markup on a printout.
• More than most projects need. Features like enterprise portfolio structures, detailed resource leveling across thousands of activities and complex code libraries matter on a $500 million project. On a $5 million building, they mostly add setup time.

If your contract requires an XER submittal, you may still need P6 or a tool that can read and write XER files. If it doesn’t, you have more options.

What to Look for in a Primavera P6 Alternative

A good P6 alternative keeps the scheduling logic construction depends on while making the schedule easier to build, update and share. Look for these features:

• Critical path scheduling. The tool should calculate the critical path from task durations and dependencies, not just draw bars on a timeline. If framing slips three days, you need to see right away whether drywall, electrical and the inspection move with it.
• All four dependency types and lag. Finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish, plus lag for waits like concrete cure time or inspection holds.
• Baselines. You need to save the original plan and compare it with actual progress, both to manage the job and to document delays if there’s a dispute.
• Resource management. Look for a way to see crew and equipment hours across all your projects, not one job at a time.
• Import from P6 and Microsoft Project. Check how the tool handles your existing schedules. Some read XER files directly, while others need you to export from P6 to Excel, CSV or another format first. Test with a real schedule before you commit.
• Field access. Superintendents and foremen should be able to view the schedule and update progress from a phone or tablet.
• Pricing you can predict. Compare per-user pricing with volume-based pricing, and count everyone who needs access, not just the scheduler.

Primavera P6 Alternatives Compared

Prices are list prices as of October 2026 and change often. Check each vendor’s site before buying.

5 Best Primavera P6 Alternatives for Construction Projects

1. Asta Powerproject

Asta Powerproject, from Elecosoft, is the alternative closest to P6 in scheduling depth. It’s built for professional construction planners and supports detailed CPM logic, multiple calendars, constraints, resource loading and earned value. It also imports Primavera XER and XML files, which makes it a practical choice for firms that still trade schedules with owners or partners who use P6.

The tradeoff is that Powerproject is still a scheduler’s tool. It’s mainly a Windows desktop application, and like P6, it works best in the hands of someone trained to use it.

Best for: Professional schedulers and larger contractors who need P6-level CPM depth and XER compatibility at a lower cost.

Key features

• Detailed CPM scheduling with multiple calendars and constraints
• Import of Primavera XER and XML files
• Resource loading and earned value analysis
• Desktop, concurrent and cloud licensing options

Pros

• Closest feature match to P6 for construction scheduling
• Reads P6 files directly, which helps with owner submittals
• Generally considered easier to learn than P6

Cons

• Still a specialist tool, with a learning curve for non-schedulers
• Primarily Windows desktop software, with less field access than browser-based tools
• Some P6 data may be changed or lost on import, per Elecosoft’s own documentation
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing: Single-user, concurrent and cloud licenses by quote. Free trial available.

2. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is online project management software that gives construction teams CPM scheduling without P6’s learning curve. Schedules are built on a Gantt chart with all four dependency types and lag, and a critical path filter shows the longest chain of linked tasks, so you can see which delays will push the finish date. Because it runs in a browser and on mobile, superintendents and foremen can view the schedule and update progress from the job site instead of waiting on the office.

Where ProjectManager stands out from P6 is in managing several jobs at once. The workload page shows every crew member’s assigned hours across all your projects on one chart, with over-assigned days in red, and timesheets track actual hours against the plan. Baselines and variance reports cover delay documentation.

Best for: General contractors and subcontractors who need critical path scheduling across several jobs, with field access and resource management, at a per-user price.

Key features

• Gantt charts with finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish and start-to-finish dependencies, plus lag
• Critical path filter and baselines with variance reporting
• Workload page showing resource hours across all projects
• Equipment and subcontractors as resources with no license cost
• Import from Microsoft Project (MPP), XML, Excel and CSV
• Timesheets, dashboards and mobile apps for field updates

Pros

• Much shorter learning curve than P6, so project managers and supers can work in the schedule
• Scheduling, resources, time tracking and reporting in one tool
• Per-user pricing with a free trial

Cons

• No direct XER import or export, so schedules move from P6 through Excel or another format
• Resource management and the workload page need the Business plan or above
• Very large programs with enterprise-level code structures and tens of thousands of activities may still need P6

Pricing: Team $15/user/month, Business $28/user/month, Enterprise by quote. 30-day free trial.

Related: What Is Oracle Primavera P6? Uses, Features & Pricing

3. Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is a familiar choice for teams that already work in Microsoft 365. It supports CPM scheduling with dependencies, baselines and resource management, and many construction schedules already exist as MPP files. Microsoft is moving its project tools into Planner, and Project Online, the older cloud version, was retired on September 30, 2026, so check which version you’re buying.

Best for: Teams already on Microsoft 365 that want a mainstream CPM scheduling tool.

Key features

• Gantt scheduling with dependencies and critical path
• Baselines and resource management in Planner and Project Plan 3
• Portfolio management in Plan 5
• Desktop client included with Plan 3 and Plan 5

Pros

• Widely known, so many schedulers and partners can already use it
• MPP is a common exchange format in construction
• Works with other Microsoft 365 apps

Cons

• No direct XER import
• Licensing has changed several times, which makes plans confusing to compare
• Field crews often need extra tools to view and update the schedule on site

Pricing: Planner Plan 1 $10/user/month, Planner and Project Plan 3 $30/user/month ($25 billed annually), Plan 5 $55/user/month ($45.83 billed annually).

4. Smartsheet

Smartsheet combines a spreadsheet-style grid with Gantt charts, dependencies and critical path highlighting. Teams that already run schedules in Excel often find it easy to pick up, and it’s flexible enough for submittal logs, punch lists and other trackers alongside the schedule.

Best for: Teams moving from spreadsheets who want light scheduling and flexible trackers in one tool.

Key features

• Grid, Gantt, card and calendar views
• Dependencies and critical path highlighting on the Gantt
• Forms, automations and dashboards

Pros

• Easy for spreadsheet users to learn
• Flexible enough for many kinds of construction trackers
• Per-member pricing with a free trial

Cons

• No direct XER import
• Scheduling is lighter than in dedicated CPM tools, with less control over complex logic
• Large schedules can become hard to manage as sheets grow

Pricing: Pro $12/member/month ($9 billed annually), Business $24/member/month ($19 billed annually), Enterprise by quote. 30-day free trial.

5. Procore

Procore is a full construction management platform covering documents, RFIs, submittals, budgets, quality and safety. For scheduling, it can import a master schedule from P6 (XER) or Microsoft Project (MPP) as a read-only file, and field teams can build day-to-day lookahead plans from it. That makes Procore a strong hub for sharing the schedule, but not a replacement for the tool that builds it. Most Procore users still maintain the master schedule in P6 or another CPM tool.

Best for: General contractors who want the schedule inside a full construction management platform and are willing to keep a separate scheduling tool.

Key features

• Read-only import of P6 XER and Microsoft Project MPP schedules
• Editable lookahead schedules for field teams
• Documents, RFIs, submittals, budgets, quality and safety tools

Pros

• Brings the schedule together with the rest of the project record
• Unlimited users on the contract
• Widely used by general contractors and owners

Cons

• Imported master schedules can’t be edited in Procore, so it doesn’t replace P6 for building CPM schedules
• Pricing is based on annual construction volume and can be high for smaller contractors
• More platform than you need if scheduling is the main problem

Pricing: By quote, based on the products you choose and your annual construction volume.

How to Move a Primavera P6 Schedule Into ProjectManager

To move a P6 schedule into ProjectManager, export it from P6 in a format ProjectManager can import, then import it into a new project and check the logic. ProjectManager imports Microsoft Project files (MPP, or XML exported from Microsoft Project), Excel and CSV. It doesn’t read Primavera XER or P6 XML files, so the export step decides how much of your schedule carries over.

1. Choose your export route. A Microsoft Project file is the better route, because ProjectManager imports tasks, assignees, dependencies and planned dates from MPP and Microsoft Project XML files. If you can get the schedule into Microsoft Project format, from P6 or through Microsoft Project, use that. Otherwise, export the activities from P6 to a spreadsheet and save it as an Excel or CSV file, with activity names, durations, start and finish dates, and predecessors.
2. Set working days first. In ProjectManager, click the + button and choose Project, then set your working days to match your P6 calendar. Working days are hard to change once the project exists. Add any global holidays now too, since they can’t be added to existing projects.
3. Import the file. Choose Import File when creating the project, or click the import icon on the Gantt ribbon of an existing project. Click select file, upload the file and click next. If you’re importing into an existing project, choose Keep and append with the imported data or Replace with the imported data. Replace removes everything already in the project.
4. Map columns or choose what to import. For an Excel or CSV file, map your columns to the Gantt columns and click import. For an MPP or XML file, choose whether to import the task list only or all data.
5. Check the logic. Compare durations and dependencies with the P6 schedule. Re-link any tasks that came through without predecessors, and add lag where the P6 schedule had it. Imported actual hours don’t go into timesheets, so add those separately if you need them.
6. Filter for the critical path and set a baseline. Turn on the critical path filter and check that it matches P6. If it doesn’t, look for missing links or constraints that didn’t carry over. Once the schedule matches, set a baseline in Gantt settings.

Keep the original XER file. If an owner later asks for an XER submittal, you’ll have the P6 version on record.

Want to see how your schedule looks in ProjectManager? Start a free 30-day trial, import a Microsoft Project file and turn on the critical path filter to compare it with P6. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Primavera P6 Alternatives FAQ

What is the closest alternative to Primavera P6?

Asta Powerproject is the closest match in scheduling depth, and it imports P6 XER and XML files. For most general contractors and subcontractors who don’t need that depth, ProjectManager offers critical path scheduling, baselines and resource management with a much shorter learning curve.

Is there a free alternative to Primavera P6?

Most P6 alternatives are paid, but several offer free trials, including ProjectManager and Smartsheet, which both offer 30 days. Free tools rarely include critical path scheduling and baselines, which construction schedules depend on.

Can I open an XER file without Primavera P6?

Yes. Asta Powerproject imports XER files, and Procore can import an XER file as a read-only master schedule. ProjectManager and Microsoft Project don’t read XER files directly, so you’d export from P6 to another format first.

Is Microsoft Project a good replacement for P6 in construction?

It can be for small and mid-size projects, especially for teams already on Microsoft 365. It supports CPM scheduling and baselines, but it doesn’t import XER files directly, and field access usually needs other tools.

Do owners require Primavera P6 schedules?

Some do. Many public agencies and large owners specify P6 or an XER submittal in their contracts. Check your contract before switching. If XER is required, choose a tool that can produce it, or keep a P6 license for submittals only.

Related Content

• What Is Oracle Primavera P6? Uses, Features & Pricing
• Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Project
• Primavera P6 for General Contractors: Key Features, Pros & Cons
• 15 Best Construction Scheduling Software for 2026
• 11 Best Procore Alternatives of 2026
• Critical Path Method (CPM) in Construction

The post 5 Best Primavera P6 Alternatives for Construction Projects (2026) appeared first on ProjectManager.

Resource management matters more with every project you add. Most teams share the same people, equipment and budget across several projects at once, and each project manager plans as if they have first call on them. When nobody sees the full picture, some people get overbooked while others sit idle, deadlines slip because one key person was needed in two places, and costs climb from overtime and rushed handoffs. Managing resources across projects keeps work moving everywhere, protects your team from burnout and makes your estimates more accurate over time.

Spreadsheets can handle this for a small team on a few projects, but a spreadsheet is a copy of the schedule, not the schedule itself. Every change has to be re-entered by hand, so conflicts only show up if someone remembers to update the file. Project management software connects resource plans to the project schedule, so availability, workload and costs update on their own as work changes.

This guide explains why resource conflicts happen, how to manage resources across projects in a spreadsheet and how to do it step by step in ProjectManager, using a general contractor running three jobs as a worked example.

ProjectManager is online project management software for planning, scheduling and tracking resources across all your projects in one place. Its workload page shows every team member’s assigned hours across every project on one color-coded chart, with over-assigned days in red, so you can rebalance work before it turns into a delay. Set availability and holidays, assign tasks with planned hours and track actual time with timesheets, all in the same tool. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

ProjectManager’s workload page shows every resource’s hours across all your projects on one chart, with over-assigned days in red. See the steps

Why Resource Conflicts Happen Across Projects

Resource conflicts happen because each project schedule only shows its own work. A crew lead can look free on every job’s schedule and still be booked for 12 hours on a Tuesday, because no single schedule adds up their hours across jobs.

Here’s a typical example. A general contractor is running three jobs at once, and their framing lead, Dana, works 8-hour days:

Each project manager booked a reasonable amount of time, but Dana is 4 hours over. Something will slip, and the job that loses out is usually the one whose manager finds out last. The same thing happens with equipment, like one skid steer booked on two sites the same day, and with subcontractors shared across jobs.

How to Manage Resources Across Multiple Projects in a Spreadsheet

For a small team on two or three projects, a spreadsheet can work. Here’s the manual method:

1. List every resource. Add one row per person, crew, piece of equipment and subcontractor.
2. Set capacity. Add one column per day and enter each resource’s available hours, minus holidays and time off.
3. Add every assignment. Under each day, enter the hours each resource is booked on each project, using one block of rows per project.
4. Total the hours. Add a formula that sums each resource’s hours across all projects for each day.
5. Flag conflicts. Use conditional formatting to turn any day red where booked hours exceed capacity.
6. Rebalance. Move hours to someone with free time, shift the task’s dates or push lower-priority work.

A useful rule of thumb is to plan people at about 80% of their working hours, which is 32 hours of a 40-hour week. The rest gets used by travel between sites, meetings, rework and the problems nobody planned for.

The weakness of the spreadsheet is that it’s a copy of the schedule, not the schedule itself. Every time a task moves on one job, someone has to update the spreadsheet by hand, and conflicts only show up if they do.

How to Manage Resources Across Multiple Projects in ProjectManager

To manage resources across multiple projects in ProjectManager, set each person’s rates, working hours and holidays, then assign tasks with planned hours on each project’s Gantt chart. The workload page in the portfolio shows everyone’s hours across all projects on one color-coded chart, marks over-assigned days in red and lets you reassign hours from the same page.

In ProjectManager, the resource schedule and the project schedule are the same thing. When a task moves on one job, the hours move with it, and the workload page updates without anyone touching a spreadsheet. Dana’s 12-hour Tuesday would show up in red as soon as the third task was assigned, not after the inspection was missed.

Resource management, the workload page and time tracking are available on ProjectManager’s Business plan and above.

1. Invite your team and add equipment and subcontractors

Click +New in the left-hand menu, then click Invite. You can also go to Users & Teams, open the Manage users tab and click invite people. Enter each person’s first name, last name, email and role, choose the projects they’ll work on, and click send invite. Invitations expire after one week.

Resources don’t have to be people. To track a skid steer, a crane or a drywall subcontractor, invite them with the role set to None. A None resource doesn’t need an email address, can’t log in and doesn’t use a license, but you can still assign it to tasks and record its hours. If you use + Invite Multiple People at Once, everyone added defaults to the None role, so invite people who need to log in one at a time.

2. Set hourly rates

Click your name in the bottom left, then go to Users & Teams > Hourly Rates. Enter a base rate for each resource, such as $65 an hour for a crew lead or a daily equipment rate converted to hourly, so ProjectManager can calculate the cost of each assignment. You can schedule a rate change for a future date, and changing a rate doesn’t affect closed projects. A project rate overrides everyone’s base rate on that project, so give dedicated rates to anyone who needs their own.

3. Set working hours and holidays

Go to Users & Teams and open the Holidays tab. Availability across every project comes from these settings, so set them before you assign work.

• Default planned hours: Set the hours per day for new users. Check apply to all existing users to update everyone already in the account.
• Global holidays: Company-wide days off, such as the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Set these before you create project plans, because they can’t be added to existing projects.
• Country holidays: Filter by country and add public holidays. Each user gets them based on the country on their profile.
• People holidays: Click the People tab, then the + icon, to add PTO or other time off for one person. You’ll need to enter a reason.

4. Assign tasks with planned hours

On each project’s Gantt chart, turn on the assigned column with manage columns. Click a task’s assigned cell, check the box next to each person and enter their hours, then click save. If default planned hours are set, they fill in automatically. You can filter the list by team or skill, which helps when you need a licensed electrician rather than a general laborer.

Planned hours are the total effort a task needs, and assigned hours are each person’s share of it. For example, a 40-hour framing task can be split between a lead at 24 hours and an apprentice at 16. The first person you assign gets all the planned hours until you split them. You can also assign hours from the list, board and calendar views.

5. Check availability before you commit

When you assign someone on the Gantt chart, the availability box shows how many hours they have free over the task’s duration. That number already subtracts their time off and the hours they’re assigned on other tasks, on every project. Click it to see what else they’re working on. If Dana only has 2 free hours on Tuesday, give the punch list to someone else before you save.

6. Open the workload page to see every project

Click portfolio in the left-hand menu, then click the workload icon. The workload page shows each resource’s assigned hours by day across all the projects you have access to, using these colors:

• Green: Assigned
• Red: Over-assigned, based on that person’s working hours
• Yellow: Holiday
• Gray: Unassigned
• White: Non-working day

Use the filters at the top to narrow the view. Month sets the date range (one month minimum), Projects chooses which jobs to include, People searches by person, team or skill, and Tags shows only tasks with certain tags. In workload settings you can show only over-assigned people, which makes a weekly conflict check quick.

7. Rebalance over-assigned resources

When someone shows red, click the arrow next to their name to see their tasks, then click the day you want to change and move those hours to another team member. To edit hours per task, click show tasks. Hours can only be edited when show total hours is checked, and to clear a cell, enter 0.

Check the Unassigned section at the bottom of the list for tasks that still need an owner, and give them to people with green or empty days.

8. Reassign tasks on the team page

For quick task-level changes, use the team page. It lists tasks by team member with task counts, priority and completed checkmarks, and you can drag and drop a task from one person to another. Turn on the assigned and logged hours columns to see each person’s load. The team page doesn’t need planned hours, so it also works for teams that don’t estimate effort.

9. Track actual hours with timesheets

Team members log hours against their tasks from the Gantt chart, task list, board or mobile app, and those hours go into their timesheet automatically. Field crews can log time from the job site on their phones. To add hours by hand, they click Time in the left-hand menu, and they can copy the previous week for recurring work. Set a timesheet approver so a manager reviews hours before they’re final.

10. Compare planned and actual hours across projects

The portfolio dashboard shows health, tasks, cost, progress, workload and time for all your projects together, so you can see which jobs are using more hours than planned. For detail, run a timesheet report, choose the columns and date range, and group it by date or person. Export it as a PDF, Excel or CSV file. If framing keeps running 20% over its planned hours, raise the estimate on the next job.

Using spreadsheets for now? The manual method above works for a small team on a few projects. Once you’re updating it every time a schedule changes, it’s time to move the resource plan into the schedule itself.

Multi-Project Resource Management FAQ

How do I see if someone is over-allocated across projects?

In ProjectManager, open the workload page from the portfolio menu. Any day where a person’s assigned hours are more than their working hours shows in red, across every project you have access to. In workload settings, you can filter to show only over-assigned people.

How many hours should I plan per person?

A common rule of thumb is about 80% of working hours, or 32 hours of a 40-hour week. Field crews who travel between job sites often need more buffer than people who work from one location.

What’s the difference between planned hours and assigned hours?

Planned hours are the total effort a task needs, and assigned hours are each person’s share of it. In ProjectManager, assigned hours can’t be more than planned hours. If you assign more, the task’s planned hours go up to match.

Can I schedule equipment and subcontractors as resources?

Yes. In ProjectManager, invite the equipment or subcontractor as a user with the role set to None. You can assign it to tasks and record hours against it, and it doesn’t need a login or use a license. A double-booked machine then shows up on the workload page like a double-booked person.

Does ProjectManager account for time off?

Yes. Holidays and personal time off reduce availability on the workload page and in the availability box when you assign tasks. Global holidays block assignments on those days. Personal and country holidays reduce availability but don’t block assignments.

Can I manage resources across projects in Excel?

Yes, for a small team on a few projects. Use one row per resource, one column per day and a formula that totals hours across projects. The spreadsheet has to be updated by hand every time a schedule changes, which is why most teams move to project management software as the number of projects grows.

Learn how to effectively schedule your team members time across multiple projects, as well as how to create effective time estimates, in this PM training video with Jennifer Bridges, PMP.

Here’s a shot of the whiteboard for your reference!

In Review: Scheduling Resources on Multiple Projects

Jennifer discussed a challenge most project managers face today: how to plan across projects, when resources are tasked across the organization?

Jennifer outlined several myths project managers have about scheduling that can cause you headaches when setting up a new project or looking to re-baseline a project due to impacts. Some classic scheduling assumptions:

1. One project per resource. Your team might have projects in play with other project managers or key leaders in the org that may or may not be reflected in the online scheduling tool. Ask them if and where they are otherwise committed, even long-range projects that might come up to impact yours.
2. 100% availability. No one person, even in their 8-hour day, is 100% available for project scheduling. Assume the 80-20 rule, where 20% should remain open to the person for administrative tasks or slack.
3. No vacations, ever, period. Communication is key. Make sure you determine whether your resources have actually input their vacations into the online planner or communicated them to you. They may be directly managed by someone else who didn’t communicate that to you.
4. 24 x 7. Make sure the dates you’re inputting align with actual calendar dates. Hopefully your online planning tool takes this into account, even for remote or international teams.
5. Holiday/Weekends. Over burdening your team will only result in burn-out. If a project is time-sensitive and you don’t have the available resources, find another angle than assigning them work beyond their reasonable limits. Advocate for more funding, more resources or more time, and be an advocate for your team.

Pro Tip: Involve and communicate with your team so they can provide you with realistic estimates for the schedule.

For more scheduling tips, check out Devin Deen’s video on how to get realistic schedules every time.

Related Content

• 15 Best Construction Scheduling Software for 2026
• 7 Best Construction Crew Scheduling Software
• How to Schedule Resources on Multiple Projects
• How to Track Resource Availability in Project Management
• Critical Path Method (CPM) in Construction

The post How to Schedule Resources on Multiple Projects appeared first on ProjectManager.

What is CPM construction? It stands for the critical path method in construction. What is critical path construction? That’s what we’ll learn, including how to make a CPM construction schedule and why general contractors want to use it. We’ll even throw in a free critical path template.

What Is the Critical Path Method (CPM) in Construction?

As noted above, CPM construction stands for the critical path method. It’s a project management technique used to make a construction schedule, determine the longest sequence of dependent tasks and identify the shortest possible duration for completing the project.

Using CPM in construction helps project managers prioritize tasks, allocate resources effectively and identify potential delays. This is crucial for keeping projects on schedule, optimizing resource allocation and minimizing delays or cost overruns.

Two key elements of CPM construction are the critical path diagram and the critical path algorithm. They help visualize and calculate the project schedule. Let’s look at both of these elements to better understand them.

• Critical Path Diagram: This visually represents the project’s activities, dependencies and the sequence in which tasks must be completed. It helps identify the project’s critical path.
• Critical Path Algorithm: This is used to calculate the critical path and project schedule. It is typically performed using one of two methods: forward pass and backward pass. The algorithm helps determine the project’s duration, identify critical tasks and calculate float or slack time (the amount of time a specific task or activity can be delayed without negatively impacting the project’s schedule).

We’ll show how to create a CPM construction schedule by hand, but who has time for that? When managing a construction project, general contractors and their teams need to be more efficient, which is why they use construction project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning construction project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts to create schedules and identify the critical path. Like any Gantt chart, ours can organize tasks and allocate resources and costs. But we go beyond that to link all four types of task dependencies to avoid delays and cost overruns and can set a baseline to track progress in real time. There’s also a filter to identify the critical path, without having to pick up pen and paper or engage in complex calculations. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

What Is the Critical Path of a Construction Project?

The critical path of a construction project is the series of tasks that determine the earliest possible completion date for the project. As noted above, it’s the longest sequence of dependent activities, meaning these tasks are directly connected. Any delay in one of them will result in a delay in the project’s overall completion.

In simpler terms, the critical path represents the chain of activities that have no slack time. In other words, there is no room for delay in these tasks without pushing back the final project deadline. Knowing this is critical for project planning and monitoring. It helps project managers focus on the most important tasks that could impact the project’s success. By identifying the critical path, construction crews can allocate resources more effectively and complete tasks on schedule.

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Critical Path Template

Use this free Critical Path Template to manage your projects better.

Get the Template

How to Make a CPM Construction Schedule

Creating a critical path method construction schedule involves several steps. Note, this is how one would make the CPM construction schedule with a pen and paper. The following is a detailed guide on how to do it manually.

1. Create a List of Tasks

Start by creating a comprehensive list of all tasks involved in the project. These tasks should represent the activities that need to be completed during the construction process. It’s ideal to use a work breakdown structure (WBS). This hierarchical diagram captures all the deliverables in the project and the tasks or activities needed to complete them.

2. Estimate the Duration of Tasks

For each task, estimate the duration. There are several ways to help make a more accurate forecast. For example, there’s historical data from past, similar projects. Also, seek out experts for their judgment.

3. Identify Task Dependencies

At this point, the general contractor or whoever is building the construction schedule has to determine the tasks that are dependent on other tasks. This means that one task can’t start or end until another dependent task has been started or completed.

4. Draw a Critical Path Diagram

Now, use a piece of paper to visually represent the tasks and their dependencies in a network diagram. This is typically done using nodes, a circle to represent tasks, and arrows to show dependencies.

5. Calculate the Critical Path of the Project

To calculate the critical path and determine the longest path through the network’s diagram, one must calculate the earliest start time (ES) and earliest finish time (EF) for each task, as well as the latest start time (LS) and latest finish time (LF). Any tasks with zero float (the difference between the earliest and latest times) are on the critical path.

How to Find the Critical Path in ProjectManager

To find the critical path in ProjectManager, link your tasks with dependencies, add lag for waits like inspections and cure time, then apply the critical path filter on the Gantt chart. When a task slips, ProjectManager recalculates the path automatically.

The steps below walk through the full setup for a construction schedule.

1. Create the project and set working days

Click the + button in the bottom left and choose Project. Before you save, click the gear icon next to the project name and choose your working days. For example, add Saturday if your crews work six-day weeks. ProjectManager only schedules tasks on working days, so this setting affects every date the critical path produces. Set it now, because it’s hard to change once the project has started.

2. Build or import your schedule

Open the Gantt view. Type each task into the task name column and press Enter to add the next one. List tasks roughly in the order they’ll happen, such as mobilization, excavation, footings, foundation walls and framing. If you already have a schedule, click Import on the Gantt ribbon to bring in a Microsoft Project (MPP), XML, Excel or CSV file.

3. Group tasks into phases with summary tasks

Add a row for each phase, such as Sitework, Foundation, Structure, MEP Rough-In and Finishes. Then select the tasks under it and click Indent. The phase becomes a summary task, and its dates and duration roll up from the tasks beneath it.

4. Enter task durations

Type each duration into the Duration column, or drag the end of a task bar on the timeline.

5. Add milestones for key dates

Select a task and click Milestone to turn its bar into a diamond. In construction, milestones usually mark permit approval, foundation inspection, dry-in, substantial completion and owner walkthrough. Milestones linked into the schedule can sit on the critical path, so you’ll see right away when a delay threatens a key date.

6. Link tasks with dependencies

Select a task and click Link on the ribbon, or drag from one task bar to another on the timeline. The Link Task window offers all four dependency types:

• Finish-to-start: Framing can’t start until the foundation is complete.
• Start-to-start: Electrical rough-in can start once plumbing rough-in has started.
• Finish-to-finish: Landscaping can’t finish until final grading finishes.
• Start-to-finish: Temporary power can’t end until permanent power is energized.

When a linked task’s dates or duration change, ProjectManager moves the planned dates of the tasks that depend on it automatically. ProjectManager can only put linked tasks on the critical path, so connect every task to the work it depends on.

7. Add lag for built-in waits

In the Link Task window, enter the wait time in the Lag column for that dependency. For example, add three days of lag between pouring the foundation and stripping the forms to allow for cure time. Lag also covers the gap between requesting an inspection and the inspector arriving. Adding lag keeps those waits in the schedule without creating placeholder tasks.

8. Filter for the critical path

Click Filter on the Gantt ribbon, select the critical path filter and save. The task list and the timeline both update to show only the critical path. These are the longest chain of linked tasks, and every one of them has zero float. A green filter icon with a dot appears in the top menu bar while the filter is on. Click it to go back to the full schedule.

9. Set a baseline

Once the schedule is final, open Gantt Settings and set a baseline under advanced settings. ProjectManager saves your planned dates in the Baseline Start and Baseline Finish columns. Do this before work begins, because setting a new baseline replaces the old one.

10. Track progress and watch the critical path change

As work happens, update the Percent complete column, or drag the progress bar on the timeline. When a critical task slips, the tasks linked after it move too. The critical path filter then shows the new path, which may now run through tasks that had float before. Use Lock Task on any date that can’t move, such as a crane rental or a utility shutoff. To see how far the schedule has drifted, run a variance report to compare actual dates with the baseline.

When the schedule is ready to share with owners or subcontractors, export it as an MPP, Excel or CSV file, or print it to PDF.

Not ready for project management software? Download the free critical path template below and work through the manual steps in Excel.

Critical Path Template

Finding the critical path on paper is one way to help when scheduling a CPM construction project. However, there are more efficient ways. The best is the use of construction project management software, but for those who aren’t ready to upgrade, download this free critical path template for Excel.

Use this free template during the planning phase of a CPM construction project. It helps determine a more realistic schedule that can be followed to deliver the project on time. Instead of creating a CPM construction schedule from scratch, this free template lays it all out, from ES, EF, LS, LF and slack.

Benefits of Implementing CPM in Construction Projects

Using CPM in construction projects offers several significant benefits. These advantages help improve project planning, execution and control. They help projects deliver on time and within budget. Here are a few key benefits.

Prioritizes the Allocation of Resources for Critical Tasks

One key benefit of CPM construction is that it helps project managers identify which tasks are on the critical path, meaning these tasks directly impact the project’s overall completion time. These tasks are the most important to complete on time and any delay in them will cause a delay in the entire project. The critical path does this by focusing on those critical tasks, optimizing resource use, helping with resource-leveling to balance resources across tasks, managing dependencies and minimizing delays.

Facilitates Project Task Sequencing and Workflow Management

One primary goal of CPM construction is to help project managers plan and coordinate all tasks involved in the construction process, ensuring they are completed in the right order with minimal delays. It assists in task sequencing by defining task dependencies, establishing the critical path and defining task duration.

In terms of workflow management, CPM in construction visualizes task dependencies and scheduling to see the flow of tasks and their dependencies, which makes managing the workflow easier. It minimizes downtime by making sure when one task is done, the next can start. It also optimizes resources across tasks.

Helps Accurately Track Project Progress

CPM construction is also an excellent way to accurately track project progress. It helps project managers continuously monitor the status of tasks, identify potential bottlenecks and ensure the project stays on track. Monitoring critical tasks in real time is essential for regular updates, as well as tracking milestones and identifying delays and taking corrective action. It also tracks float and slack time and can forecast project completion, which keeps stakeholders informed.

ProjectManager Is CPM Scheduling Software for Construction

All of those advantages can be achieved. Project managers might reap the benefits by creating a CPM construction schedule on paper or even the free template we offer. However, the point of using the critical path in construction scheduling is to work more efficiently. This requires investing in construction project management software. But not all software is equal. ProjectManager is award-winning construction project and portfolio management software with powerful Gantt charts that can make construction schedules that identify the critical path. This forecasts projects more accurately and provides tools to track project progress in real time.

Related CPM Construction Content

Critical path construction is important. For those who want to delve into the critical path, there’s more to learn. Below are a handful of recent articles we’ve published on CPM with Gantt charts, how to use PERT with CPM and much more.

• Critical Path Method (CPM) in Project Management
• Uso del método de ruta crítica en construcción: Guía rápida
• Displaying the Critical Path on a Gantt Chart
• Critical Path Template for Excel (Free Download)
• How to Make a CPM Schedule: CPM Scheduling Basics
• PERT and CPM: Their Differences and How to Use Them Together

ProjectManager is online construction project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or on the job site. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Critical Path Method (CPM) in Construction: A Quick Guide appeared first on ProjectManager.

That’s why the smartest project managers aren’t choosing between AI and project management software. They’re connecting the two. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use ChatGPT for project management, where it falls short, why built-in “AI agents” inside PM tools often disappoint and how pairing ChatGPT with ProjectManager gives you the best of both. We’ve also included free, copy-and-paste ChatGPT prompts for every phase of your project.

Can You Use ChatGPT for Project Management?

Yes, and it’s very good at the thinking and writing parts of the job. ChatGPT is a large language model, which means it excels at turning loose ideas into structured documents, plans and messages. On its own, though, it’s a brilliant assistant with no office: it can tell you what should happen, but it can’t track what is happening.

The left column is why project managers love ChatGPT. The right column is why copy-pasting its output into spreadsheets gets old fast. The fix isn’t a weaker AI that lives inside your PM tool. It’s connecting the best AI to a real project management platform.

But planning is only half the job. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that connects directly to ChatGPT. Ask ChatGPT to build your plan, and it creates real tasks with dates, dependencies, priorities and assignees in ProjectManager. Every change shows up in real time on your Gantt charts, kanban boards, workload views and dashboards, so your whole team works from the same live plan. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

AI Project Management Software: Built-In Agents vs. Bring Your Own AI

AI project management software uses artificial intelligence to plan, schedule, track and report on projects. Nearly every PM vendor now claims to have it, but they’re taking one of two very different approaches.

Approach 1: Build an in-house AI and lock it inside the app. This is the route most tools have taken:

• ClickUp sells Brain AI as a per-member monthly add-on, and its Super Agents run on separate AI credits that don’t roll over. When premium model usage runs out, Brain falls back to a standard model (ClickUp).
• monday.com has moved its AI agents, sidekick and AI blocks onto AI credits bought on top of seats. A single complex agent task can burn 250+ credits (monday.com).
• Asana meters AI Studio by credits, too. When included credits run out, AI rules stop running unless an admin turns on on-demand billing (Asana).
• Smartsheet, Wrike and others have added their own assistants and agents as well.

The pattern is the same everywhere. The AI is a feature the PM vendor built around its own app, not the product. It only knows what’s inside that one tool, you’re limited to the models and skills the vendor decides to give you, and a usage meter is always running. These assistants are fine for summarizing a task or drafting a comment, but they aren’t as powerful as a dedicated AI that’s built, trained and improved by one of the world’s leading AI companies.

Approach 2: Connect the world’s best AI to proper project management software. This is the ProjectManager approach. Instead of asking you to settle for a homegrown chatbot, ProjectManager plugs directly into ChatGPT, the AI assistant hundreds of millions of people already use every day. You keep the AI you already know and trust, and you get a full-featured PM platform underneath it.

How the ChatGPT + ProjectManager Integration Works

The ProjectManager app for ChatGPT connects your ProjectManager account directly to ChatGPT. Once it’s connected, ChatGPT stops being a smart notepad and starts doing real project work. According to ProjectManager’s AI integrations guide, you can:

• Find work: List projects, find tasks by project or date, see what’s assigned to you and pull up project or task details.
• Understand your team: See workspace members, who’s assigned to a project and who owns each task.
• Create work: Create projects, tasks and subtasks; assign team members; set planned dates, durations and costs; and manage task links and lag.
• Update work: Change task status and priority, update progress and reorganize tasks into subtasks.
• Use project files as context: Have ChatGPT review files attached to a project or task.

That means a plan you brainstorm in ChatGPT can become a real schedule in ProjectManager, complete with task hierarchy, dates, priorities and assignees. From there, it shows up on your Gantt chart, kanban board, workload view and dashboards for the whole team.

How to Connect ChatGPT to ProjectManager

1. Open the ProjectManager app in ChatGPT and click Install.
2. Sign in with your ProjectManager account. Each user connects their own account, so ChatGPT only sees the projects and tasks you can see.
3. Start your first prompt with @ProjectManager so ChatGPT knows to use the app.
4. Approve changes as you go. By default, ChatGPT asks permission before it changes project data. ProjectManager recommends always allowing read-only actions and requiring approval for writes and deletes.

For admins: Access is controlled by the “Access work from ChatGPT and Claude” role security setting. It’s on by default for every role except guests. (Prefer Claude? The same integration works there too.)

Don’t have ProjectManager yet? Start a free trial and connect ChatGPT in minutes.

Free ChatGPT Prompts for Project Management

Copy these prompts, swap in the details in [brackets] and paste them into ChatGPT. Prompts marked @ProjectManager use the integration to read or write real project data; the rest work in any ChatGPT chat.

Project Initiation Prompts

1. Project charter

Act as a senior project manager. Write a one-page project charter for [project name]. The goal is [goal], the budget is [budget], and the deadline is [date]. Include: purpose, objectives (SMART), scope, key stakeholders, high-level milestones, assumptions, constraints and success criteria.

2. Stakeholder analysis

Here are the stakeholders for [project]: [list names and roles]. Build a stakeholder analysis table with each person’s interest, influence, what they care about most and how often I should communicate with them.

3. Scope check

Review this project scope: [paste scope]. List anything vague, missing or likely to cause scope creep, and rewrite it with clear in-scope and out-of-scope items.

Project Planning Prompts

4. Work breakdown structure

Create a work breakdown structure for [project]. Break it into phases, deliverables and tasks, with estimated duration for each task and any dependencies between them.

5. Turn the plan into a real schedule (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Create a new project called [project name] from the plan we just built. Organize the work into tasks and subtasks, set start and end dates starting [date], link dependent tasks, and set priorities.

6. Plan from a document (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager I’ve attached [an RFP / a statement of work / a client brief]. Pull out every deliverable and deadline, then create the project in ProjectManager with tasks, dates and priorities.

7. Risk register

Identify the top 10 risks for [project] in [industry]. For each, give the likelihood (low/medium/high), impact (low/medium/high), an owner role and a mitigation plan. Format it as a table.

8. Resource and budget estimate

Estimate the roles, hours and labor cost needed for [project] using these rates: [roles and hourly rates]. Show the totals by phase and flag where I’m likely to be underestimating.

Project Execution Prompts

9. Assign the work (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Who is on the [project name] team? Assign the unassigned tasks in that project to the right people based on their roles, and show me the list before you make changes.

10. Meeting notes to action items (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Here are my notes from today’s [meeting]: [paste notes]. Pull out every action item, owner and due date, then create them as tasks in the [project name] project.

11. Daily priorities (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Show me all tasks assigned to me across my projects that are due this week, sorted by priority. Which three should I tackle first, and why?

12. Difficult conversation

I need to tell [stakeholder] that [deliverable] will be [X days] late because [reason]. Draft a short, honest message that explains the impact and offers two recovery options.

Monitoring and Controlling Prompts

13. Weekly status report (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Review the [project name] project and write a weekly status report for executives: overall status (green/yellow/red), completed this week, coming up next week, overdue tasks, risks and decisions needed. Keep it under 200 words.

14. Spot trouble early (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Which tasks in [project name] are overdue or at risk of slipping in the next two weeks? Who owns them, and what’s the knock-on effect on later tasks?

15. Update progress in bulk (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Based on this progress update: [paste update], change the status and progress of the matching tasks in [project name] and create follow-up tasks for anything blocked.

16. Review attached files (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Review the files attached to the [task name] task and list any open issues, missing approvals or deadlines I need to act on.

Project Closing Prompts

17. Lessons learned

Run a lessons-learned retrospective for [project]. Here’s what happened: [summary]. Organize the findings into what went well, what didn’t and what we’ll do differently, with one concrete recommendation per item.

18. Closeout report (@ProjectManager)

@ProjectManager Summarize the [project name] project for a closeout report: planned dates, task status and progress, completed deliverables, any open tasks and the team members involved.

19. Handoff checklist

Create a project closeout and handoff checklist for [project type], covering deliverable sign-off, documentation, contracts, budget reconciliation, team release and celebration.

Tips for Getting Better Results From ChatGPT

• Give it a role. Starting with “Act as a senior project manager in [industry]” gets you sharper, more relevant output.
• Feed it context. The more you share about scope, budget, team and deadlines, the less generic the answer. With the ProjectManager integration, ChatGPT pulls that context from your live project instead of your memory.
• Ask for a format. Tables, checklists and word limits make output easier to use and share.
• Iterate. Treat the first answer as a draft. Follow up with “make it shorter,” “add dependencies” or “what am I missing?”
• Review before you approve. ChatGPT asks permission before changing data in ProjectManager. Read what it plans to do, especially for bulk updates and deletes.
• Keep sensitive data in check. Follow your company’s AI policy and don’t paste confidential client data into chats your organization hasn’t approved.
• Stay the project manager. ChatGPT is fast, but it can be confidently wrong. Check estimates, dates and risk calls against your own judgment and your team’s input.

ChatGPT Project Management FAQ

Can ChatGPT replace project management software?

No. ChatGPT is excellent at planning, writing and analysis, but it doesn’t hold a live schedule, track resources or keep your team in sync. Connecting it to ProjectManager gives you both.

Can ChatGPT create a Gantt chart?

On its own, ChatGPT can only describe a schedule or generate a static chart. With the ProjectManager integration, it creates real tasks with dates, dependencies and lag that appear instantly on ProjectManager’s interactive Gantt chart.

Is ChatGPT a good AI project management tool?

It’s the strongest AI assistant most PMs have access to. Paired with ProjectManager, it becomes a true AI project management tool that can read, create and update your project data.

Is my project data safe?

Each user signs in with their own ProjectManager account, so ChatGPT only sees what that user can see. ChatGPT asks before changing data by default, and admins can turn access on or off by role.

Does the integration work with Claude too?

Yes. The same ProjectManager integration works with both ChatGPT and Claude.

Get the World’s Best AI Agent and Proper Project Management Software

You don’t have to settle for a PM vendor’s homegrown AI or a chatbot that forgets your project the moment you close the tab. ChatGPT brings the intelligence. ProjectManager brings the award-winning project management software that turns ChatGPT’s plans into real, trackable work. More than 35,000 teams already use it to deliver projects on time and on budget.

Here’s what’s waiting on the other side of every ChatGPT prompt.

Plan on Powerful Gantt Charts

When ChatGPT builds your project, it lands on ProjectManager’s interactive Gantt chart, not in a static list. Link dependencies, set milestones, find the critical path and drag and drop dates as plans change. Already have a plan in Microsoft Project or Excel? Import it and keep working.

Give Every Team the View It Wants

The same live project data appears on Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists, sheets and calendars. Your executives see the timeline, your team sees its board, and everyone works from one source of truth, whether they update tasks in ChatGPT or in ProjectManager.

Balance Workload and Track Time

ChatGPT can assign the work, and ProjectManager makes sure nobody’s buried. Resource management tools show who’s available and who’s overallocated, so you can reassign tasks in a click. Timesheets fill in automatically from tracked time, and cost tracking keeps your budget honest.

Monitor Progress With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports

Ask ChatGPT for a status update, then share ProjectManager’s real-time dashboards and one-click reports with stakeholders. Need more AI help inside the app? AI Project Insights analyzes your project with one click and returns an executive summary, risk analysis and recommendations, included at no extra cost on Business and Enterprise plans.

Keep Work Secure and Connected

ProjectManager is SOC 2 compliant, with custom roles, user permissions and free guest licenses for stakeholders. It also connects to 1,000+ apps, including Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google, Jira and Zapier, so ChatGPT is just one of the tools your projects plug into.

Start Managing Projects With ChatGPT Today

The world’s best AI agent plus proper project management software. That’s the combo built-in AI agents can’t match. Try ProjectManager free for 30 days, connect ChatGPT in minutes and run your next project from a single prompt.

Related Content

• How to Write a Project Charter
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Guide
• How to Write a Scope of Work
• 6 Project Report Examples
• What Is a Risk Register?

The post ChatGPT Project Management: How to Use It (Free Prompts) appeared first on ProjectManager.

That’s where Microsoft Teams comes in. It’s one of the most widely used collaboration tools in the world, but many people only scratch the surface of what it can do. Below, we’ll explain what Microsoft Teams is, walk through its key features, show you how to use Microsoft Teams step by step and share tips for getting more out of it. We’ll also cover where Teams falls short for project management and how to fill those gaps.

What Is Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams is a workplace communication and collaboration platform. It brings chat, video meetings, calls, file sharing and app integrations into one workspace. Teams is part of the Microsoft 365 suite, so it connects with tools like Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive and SharePoint.

Organizations of every size use Teams, from small businesses to global enterprises. It’s available on desktop, web and mobile, so team members can stay connected wherever they work. There’s a free version for personal use and small groups, as well as paid business plans that add longer meetings, more storage and admin controls.

For project managers, Teams acts as a central hub for project communication. Instead of scattered email threads, conversations, files and meetings for a project can live in one place.

But communication is only half the job. To plan, schedule and track the work itself, you need project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that integrates with Microsoft Teams, so you can create, search, share and update tasks without leaving your Teams chats and channels. Every change syncs in real time with your Gantt charts, kanban boards and dashboards in ProjectManager. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Microsoft Teams Features

Before learning how to use Microsoft Teams, it helps to know what’s inside. These are the core features most teams rely on every day.

Chat

Teams offers one-on-one and group chat for quick conversations. You can format messages, share files, add emojis and GIFs, and @mention people to get their attention.

Teams and Channels

A team is a group of people working together, such as a department or project team. Each team is divided into channels, which are dedicated spaces for specific topics, workstreams or clients. Channels can be standard (open to all team members), private or shared with people outside the team.

Meetings and Calls

You can schedule video meetings, start instant meetings or make audio calls. Meetings include screen sharing, recording, live captions, breakout rooms, whiteboards and meeting chat.

File Sharing and Collaboration

Files shared in Teams are stored in SharePoint and OneDrive. Team members can open and co-edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files without leaving Teams.

Apps and Integrations

Teams connects with Microsoft apps like Planner, Loop and Forms, plus hundreds of third-party apps. You can add apps as tabs in a channel, use them in chat or set up bots and workflows.

Calendar

The Teams calendar syncs with Outlook, so you can see your schedule, join meetings and send invites in one place.

How to Use Microsoft Teams: Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to get started? Follow these steps to set up Microsoft Teams and start collaborating with your project team.

1. Sign In or Download Microsoft Teams

Go to the Microsoft Teams website and sign in with your Microsoft account or work account. You can use Teams in a web browser, but the desktop and mobile apps offer the best experience. If your organization uses Microsoft 365, Teams is likely already included in your license.

2. Get to Know the Interface

The left-side menu is your main navigation. It includes Activity (notifications), Chat, Teams, Calendar, Calls and Files. The search bar at the top lets you find messages, people and files. Take a few minutes to click through each area so you know where things live.

3. Create a Team

Click Teams, then select the option to create or join a team. You can build a team from scratch, from an existing Microsoft 365 group or from a template. Give it a clear name and description, then choose whether it’s private (members join by invitation) or public (anyone in your organization can join). For project work, it’s common to create one team per project.

4. Add Channels

Inside your team, add channels to organize conversations by topic. A project team might have channels for planning, design, development, client updates and announcements. Every team starts with a General channel, so use it for team-wide news and keep focused work in topic channels.

5. Invite Team Members

Open the team’s settings and select Add member. Enter names or email addresses for people in your organization. You can also invite guests, such as clients or contractors, using their email address. Assign owners who can manage settings and members.

6. Start Chatting and Posting

Use private chat for quick one-on-one or small group questions. Use channel posts for project conversations that the whole team should see. Start a new post for each topic and reply within its thread to keep discussions organized. @mention a person, channel or the whole team when you need attention.

7. Schedule and Join Meetings

Schedule a meeting from the Calendar, or click Meet in a channel to start one right away. Add attendees, set the date and time, and pick a channel if you want the meeting visible to the team. During meetings, share your screen, record the session and use meeting chat for links and notes. Recordings and transcripts are saved for team members who missed it.

8. Share and Co-Edit Files

Upload files to a channel’s Files tab or attach them to a chat. Team members can open documents and edit them together in real time. Because files are stored in SharePoint, everyone works from the same version instead of emailing attachments back and forth.

9. Add Apps and Tabs

Click the + icon at the top of a channel to add a tab. Pin a project plan, a whiteboard, a Planner board or a third-party app your team uses. Visit the Apps section to browse integrations, including project management software like ProjectManager.

10. Manage Notifications

Teams can get noisy fast. Go to Settings and adjust notifications so you see what matters. Turn notifications on for key channels, mute low-priority ones and set your status to Do Not Disturb when you need focus time.

Related: Microsoft Teams Integration: How to Use It

Microsoft Teams Tips and Best Practices

Knowing how to use Microsoft Teams is one thing. Using it well is another. These tips help keep your workspace organized and your team productive.

• Set naming conventions: Use consistent names for teams and channels, such as “Project – Client Name,” so they’re easy to find.
• Keep conversations threaded: Reply to existing posts instead of starting new ones on the same topic.
• Use @mentions wisely: Tag specific people rather than the whole team to avoid notification fatigue.
• Pin important channels and chats: Keep your most active projects at the top of your list.
• Use the search bar and commands: Find messages, files and people quickly instead of scrolling.
• Record key meetings: Save recordings and transcripts for stakeholders who can’t attend live.
• Archive finished projects: Archive teams when a project closes to reduce clutter while keeping a record.
• Set team etiquette: Agree on response times, when to use chat versus channels and when to schedule a meeting.

Pros and Cons of Microsoft Teams for Project Management

Many project managers use Teams as their main communication tool. It’s great for keeping people connected, but it wasn’t built to plan and track projects on its own.

Pros

• Centralizes project communication, meetings and files in one place
• Integrates tightly with Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Word and Excel
• Works on desktop, web and mobile for remote and hybrid teams
• Offers guest access for clients, vendors and contractors
• Includes enterprise-grade security and admin controls

Cons

• No native Gantt charts, task dependencies or critical path
• Limited resource management and workload tracking
• No built-in timesheets or project cost tracking
• Basic reporting with no project dashboards
• Important decisions can get buried in busy chat threads

That’s why many teams pair Microsoft Teams with dedicated project management software. Teams handles the conversation, while the project management tool handles the plan, schedule, resources and reporting.

ProjectManager Integrates With Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams keeps your team talking, but you still need a way to plan, schedule and track the work. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that integrates with Microsoft Teams, so you can manage tasks without switching between apps. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Manage Tasks Directly in Teams

With the ProjectManager Microsoft Teams integration, you can create tasks by typing “task-create” in a direct message or channel. Search for any task with “task-search,” share tasks in chat to keep clients and team members informed and update them as soon as you get a progress report or approval. Changes sync in real time between Teams and ProjectManager, on desktop and mobile.

Plan Projects on Gantt Charts

Teams doesn’t have a project schedule, but ProjectManager does. Our Gantt charts let you map every task on a timeline, link dependencies, filter for the critical path and set baselines to track planned versus actual progress. Team members can also work on kanban boards, list views and calendars, all updated in real time.

Track Resources, Time and Costs

Keep your team’s workload balanced with color-coded workload charts and reallocate assignments right from the chart. Secure timesheets make it easy to track hours and labor costs, while real-time dashboards and one-click reports show project health, progress, costs and more. When your team chats in Teams and plans in ProjectManager, nothing falls through the cracks.

Microsoft Teams FAQ

Is Microsoft Teams free?

Yes, Microsoft Teams has a free version with core chat, meeting and file-sharing features. Paid plans, including Teams Essentials and Microsoft 365 business plans, add longer meetings, more storage and admin controls.

What’s the difference between a team and a channel?

A team is a group of people working together. Channels are topic-based spaces inside a team where conversations, files and apps are organized.

Can I use Microsoft Teams for project management?

Teams is great for project communication, but it lacks Gantt charts, resource management and project reporting. Pairing it with project management software like ProjectManager covers those gaps.

Can people outside my organization join Teams?

Yes. You can add guests to a team or invite external attendees to meetings using their email address.

Related Content

• ProjectManager Adds Microsoft Teams Integration
• Microsoft Teams for Project Management: Pros & Cons
• Best Team Collaboration Software
• Remote Team Management Guide

The post How to Use Microsoft Teams: Features, Steps & Tips appeared first on ProjectManager.

Beyond keeping teams on track, project time tracking also supports accurate billing and better forecasting. It helps managers spot bottlenecks early and shift workloads to avoid burnout or wasted time. The best project management time tracking tools combine ease of use with real-time data, so decisions can be made quickly and confidently.

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What Is Project Time Tracking?

Project time tracking is the process of monitoring how much time team members spend on specific tasks and deliverables. It helps managers see where hours are allocated across the project timeline and ensures deadlines stay realistic. Accurate time tracking also improves accountability by showing which tasks are taking longer than expected and which are ahead of schedule, giving project managers the data they need to adjust resources before issues escalate.

Time tracking for project management also supports accurate cost control and better client reporting. When hours are logged consistently, managers can create more precise estimates for future projects and avoid budget overruns. For teams that bill clients based on hours worked, project time tracking software ensures invoices are transparent and defensible, strengthening client relationships and reducing disputes over project costs.

Project management time tracking software brings all project data into one platform, making it easy to connect hours worked with tasks, budgets and deadlines. Instead of using separate spreadsheets or manual logs, teams can enter time directly where work is managed. This eliminates double entry, reduces errors and provides real-time insights into project health, which is crucial for fast-moving teams.

ProjectManager is built to make project time tracking simple and powerful. Its Gantt charts link tasks to timelines, so managers can see progress against the schedule in real time. Secure online timesheets make it easy for team members to log hours from anywhere, while workload charts help balance assignments and prevent burnout. It also integrates with ERP platforms like Acumatica, connecting time tracking with financial data for a complete picture of project performance. Together, these features give construction, manufacturing, IT and professional services teams everything they need to stay on schedule and on budget. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Why Is Project Time Tracking Important?

Project time tracking is essential for keeping work on schedule and budgets under control. It gives managers visibility into how time is spent so they can spot delays early and reassign tasks before deadlines are missed. Without project management time tracking, projects often run over schedule and over budget because there’s no accurate way to measure progress against the plan.

Tracking time also leads to better decision-making and forecasting. When you know how long tasks actually take, you can create more realistic schedules for future work and improve cost estimates. For client-facing teams, project time tracking software ensures billing is accurate and transparent, which builds trust and helps maintain strong relationships.

Key Features of Project Time Tracking Software

The best project time tracking software gives managers visibility into every hour of work and ties that data directly to project performance. These tools do more than just log time—they help teams plan, monitor and optimize how work gets done. When evaluating project management time tracking options, focus on features that connect hours with tasks, budgets and deadlines so you can act on real data.

Gantt Charts

Gantt charts connect tasks to deadlines, making it easy to see where work stands at any moment. When paired with project time tracking, they show how logged hours align with scheduled work so managers can spot delays early and adjust timelines or resources.

Timesheets

Online timesheets let team members record hours quickly from anywhere, which reduces manual entry and keeps time logs consistent. Integrated timesheets feed the project time tracking system so managers get real-time visibility into labor costs and progress.

Task Time Tracking

Task-level time tracking reveals exactly how much time is spent on individual tasks and deliverables. This detail helps teams measure productivity, refine estimates and reallocate resources to the highest priority work.

Time Clock & Attendance

A built-in time clock simplifies attendance by letting users clock in and out from the platform. This is especially useful for teams that need precise records for payroll, compliance and shift management.

Related: 20 Excel Spreadsheet Templates for Tracking Tasks, Costs and Time

Workload Management Charts

Workload charts visualize how hours are distributed across people and projects. They help managers balance assignments, avoid overloading team members and keep capacity aligned with project demands.

Billable vs. Non-Billable Hours

Separating billable from non-billable hours is crucial for client-facing teams. This feature ensures invoices reflect actual work performed and gives a clear view of how much time generates revenue versus supporting tasks.

Planned vs. Actual Hours Comparison

Comparing planned hours to actual hours highlights where tasks take longer than expected. Project time tracking that offers these comparisons improves future estimates and pinpoints process inefficiencies.

Integration with ERP & Payroll Management Systems

Integrations with ERP and payroll systems connect time tracking data to financials, reducing duplicate entry and improving payroll accuracy. Linking project time tracking to enterprise systems gives a complete view of project costs and profitability.

6 Best Project Time Tracking Software Tools

With the understanding of what project time tracking is and the features that are essential to a viable project time tracking software, let’s review the top products on the market. We’ll explore the good, bad and ugly of each, providing pricing and customer reviews to give readers a well-rounded assessment of each so they can make an educated decision of which is best for them.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is online project management software that can be used anywhere and by anyone. This flexibility is especially useful for project time tracking, where teams may be distributed or working on multiple projects at once. Managers can monitor hours spent on tasks in real time, keeping projects on schedule and budgets under control.

Beyond time tracking, ProjectManager offers a suite of tools to manage every aspect of project workflow, from scheduling tasks and tracking hours to balancing workloads and analyzing billable versus non-billable time. The platform also integrates with ERP and payroll systems, connecting tracked hours directly to financials and improving accuracy. Plus, ProjectManager offers a free 30-day trial so teams can test its features before committing.

Visual Scheduling and Task Management

ProjectManager includes online Gantt charts that provide a clear timeline of tasks, start and end dates and logged hours. Managers can assign tasks, link dependencies, track critical path tasks and adjust schedules with drag-and-drop ease. Task-level time tracking shows exactly how much time is spent on each deliverable, helping managers spot inefficiencies and optimize workflows. The platform also lets teams collaborate at the task level by leaving comments, attaching files and tracking updates in real time.

Time Tracking, Attendance and Workload Management

Timesheets allow team members to log hours from anywhere, supporting accurate project time tracking and payroll. A built-in time clock tracks attendance automatically, while workload charts visualize how hours are distributed across the team. Managers can balance assignments, prevent overwork and ensure deadlines are realistic. The system also separates billable from non-billable hours and compares planned versus actual hours, giving clear insight into performance and profitability.

Integrations and Streamlined Financials

ProjectManager integrates with ERP and payroll platforms like Acumatica, connecting tracked hours to financials for accurate reporting and billing. This reduces duplicate entries, simplifies payroll processing and provides a complete picture of project costs. All files, timesheets and reports are stored securely online, allowing managers to access critical data anytime from a desktop or mobile.

Given its comprehensive project time tracking and management features, ProjectManager is an ideal tool for teams looking to optimize schedules, track hours accurately and streamline workflows. Click here to start a 30-day free trial.

Verdict: Best Project Time Tracking Software for Teams

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

• Online Gantt charts for visual task and time management
• Timesheets and task-level time tracking for real-time insights
• Workload management charts to balance assignments
• Attendance tracking with built-in time clock
• Billable vs. non-billable hours and planned vs. actual hours comparison
• Integration with ERP and payroll systems
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free 30-day trial available

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

• Limited customization options
• No built-in invoicing or payment tools
• Lacks advanced bidding functionality
• No free plan beyond trial

ProjectManager Pricing

• Team: $14.00/user/month
• Business: $26.00/user/month
• Enterprise: Contact sales for a custom quote

ProjectManager Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.1/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “ProjectManager works very well with both large and small-scale projects. Being able to use this with anything from a project involving only two members of staff, to hundreds, has been invaluable.” Peter W – from Capterra
• “We used to manage our projects, resources, and reporting in different systems. Enter ProjectManager. We have consolidated systems and work more efficiently.” Jeffrey M – from Capterra
• “Having the full scope of activities and who is responsible to do it, plus the time tracking is excellent.” Flavio M – from G2
• “It has an excellent accounting system capable of calculating the time that a person has used to develop a task that was assigned to him. I like being able to collaborate with all my colleagues in the Finance sector through ProjectManager.” Jesus C – from G2
• “The UI of the application is user-friendly, and it helps to identify what we are looking for with minimal effort.” Pavan H – from G2

2. Clockify

Clockify is a project time tracking software that, as its name suggests, is cloud-based. It’s easy to use for teams of any size. Its intuitive interface allows employees to log hours quickly and accurately, whether they are working on individual tasks or multiple projects at once. Clockify supports project management time tracking with features like timers, manual time entry, task-level tracking and reporting.

Teams can monitor billable versus non-billable hours, compare planned versus actual hours and generate reports to improve productivity and resource allocation. Its mobile app makes time tracking simple for remote or on-site work, and integrations with platforms like Asana, Trello and Jira ensure seamless workflow management across tools.

On the downside, Clockify is primarily focused on time tracking rather than full project management. While it offers basic task management features, it lacks advanced scheduling tools, Gantt charts and workload management charts that are included in more robust platforms. It also does not integrate with ERP or payroll systems out of the box, which can limit its usefulness for teams that want a single platform to manage hours, resources and finances together. Reporting and dashboards are functional but less customizable than higher-end project management software, and some advanced features require a paid plan.

Verdict: Best Free Project Time Tracking Tool

Clockify Pros & Key Features

• Timer and manual time entry for accurate project time tracking
• Task-level time tracking and reporting
• Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking
• Planned vs. actual hours comparison
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Integrations with Asana, Trello, Jira and other project tools
• Free plan available for unlimited users and projects

Clockify Cons & Limitations

• Limited project management features beyond time tracking
• No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts
• Lacks ERP and payroll system integrations
• Advanced reporting and dashboards require a paid plan

Clockify Pricing

• Free

Clockify Reviews

• G2 review: 4.5/5
• Capterra review: 4.8/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Clockify is great for keeping track of projects, and total time on all projects for each client. There are simple dashboard features that keep time tracking easy and at your fingertips.” Charles H. – from G2
• “They were great with the setup. We provided some functional requests and those seemed to evaporate in the void. I’m probably going to look for another solution unless our “quality of life” requests are implemented.” Michael P. – from Capterra

Related: 9 Free Timesheet Templates for Excel, Google Sheets & Word

3. Beebole

Beebole is project time tracking software that combines resource planning, timesheets, and reporting in one platform. It was founded in 2008 and is used by over 1,000 companies in 60+ countries. Managers plan work in Gantt, Kanban, or Staffing views. That plan carries through to each person’s timesheet, where team members confirm or adjust it. With Auto Timesheet from planning turned on, people who did what was planned don’t have to fill in their timesheets at all. Team members can also log time with a timer, a weekly grid or a calendar view. They can accept suggested time entries drafted from their recurring patterns, Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook integrations, the opt-in desktop app, or the browser extension.

Beebole’s reports turn time data into project cost and margin figures. In the reporting tab, there are a number of pre-built reports to choose from. The Planned vs. Real report compares planned effort with actual hours, billing, cost or margin. Budget Status, Billable Utilization, and Revenue at Risk reports show which projects are drifting before month-end. Multi-stage approval workflows send timesheets through each stage in the order you set, such as manager, then project lead, then finance. Native integrations with Asana, Jira, Linear, monday.com, QuickBooks Online, Xero, and BambooHR keep project structures in sync.

Beebole has no built-in invoicing or payment collection. Teams that bill clients send their time data to their accounting software instead. The native QuickBooks Online integration exports time records with billing rates and billable status, and the Xero integration exports time records as invoices. The mobile experience is a web app installed from the browser rather than a native app. Also note that the cost, expense and budget tracking need the Advanced plan, or an add-on on the Essential plan.

Verdict: Best Project Time Tracking Tool With Planning and Reports in One Place

Beebole Pros & Key Features

• Timer, weekly grid and calendar view for logging project time
• Resource planning that carries planned work into each person’s timesheet
• Gantt, Kanban, and Staffing views with a workload heatmap
• Planned vs. real, budget status, billable utilization, and revenue at risk built-in reports
• Multidimensional reports that can be filtered by person, project, task, tag, or date range
• Billing rates, costs, and margins tracked per project
• Multi-stage approval workflows with a full audit trail
• Offers native integrations with Asana, Jira, Linear, monday.com, QuickBooks Online, Xero and BambooHR, plus a free API for custom integrations
• Free plan for up to 5 users

Beebole Cons & Limitations

• No built-in invoicing; billing goes through native integrations with QuickBooks Online or Xero
• Mobile app is a web app installed from the browser, not a native app

Beebole Pricing

• Free: up to 5 users
• Essential: $9 per user, per month (billed annually), or $10 per user per month
• Advanced: $18 per user, per month (billed annually), or $20 per user per month

Beebole Reviews

• G2 reviews: 4.5/5
• Capterra reviews: 4.6/5

Highlighted user reviews

• “Easy to use, very durable, and I can’t stress enough the flexibility of the reporting functions. As someone who does daily reporting on time sheets per project, this function is the perfect set of tools that just cuts my report deliver time in half.” Maria H.– from Capterra
• I really appreciate the granularity Beebole allows in recording time—being able to allocate hours to specific cost centers, projects within those centers, and even down to the task level. This detailed tracking integrates well with our other project-tracking tools, giving us a complete picture of how our team’s time is spent and enabling deep analysis for budgeting and process improvements. Christian F.– from G2

4. TimeCamp

TimeCamp is an online project time tracking software designed to help teams log hours accurately and improve productivity. It supports project management time tracking with features such as automatic time tracking, manual entries, task-level tracking and detailed reporting.

Teams can monitor billable and non-billable hours, compare planned versus actual hours and get insights into resource allocation. TimeCamp also integrates with popular project management tools like Trello, Asana, Jira and Basecamp, allowing seamless workflow management and real-time tracking across multiple projects.

On the downside, TimeCamp is primarily focused on time tracking rather than full project management. While it has some task organization and reporting features, it lacks advanced scheduling tools, Gantt charts and workload management charts. Integration with ERP or payroll systems is limited and often requires third-party connectors. Customization options for dashboards and reports are less flexible than more comprehensive project management platforms, and some features are only available in paid plans.

Verdict: Best Lightweight Project Time Tracking Solution for Teams

TimeCamp Pros & Key Features

• Automatic and manual time tracking for accurate project hours
• Task-level tracking and reporting for detailed insights
• Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking
• Planned vs. actual hours comparison
• Integrations with Trello, Asana, Jira and Basecamp
• Mobile app for tracking on the go
• Free plan available for basic time tracking

TimeCamp Cons & Limitations

• Limited project management features beyond time tracking
• No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts
• ERP and payroll integrations require third-party connectors
• Advanced features and reporting require paid plans

TimeCamp Pricing

• Free
• Starter: $2.99 per month/user billed annually
• Premium: $4.99 per month/user billed annually
• Ultimate: $7.99 per month/user billed annually
• Enterprise: $11.99 per month/user billed annually

TimeCamp Reviews

• G2 review: 3.5/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Easy tracking, connection to trello. Many settings.” Yevgen G. from G2
• “A great way to track hours for billing or for tracking time on projects.” John B. – from Capterra

5. My Hours

My Hours is online project time tracking software that helps teams monitor hours, stay organized and optimize productivity. It supports project management time tracking with features like timers, manual time entry, task-level tracking and reporting.

Teams can track billable versus non-billable hours, compare planned and actual hours and generate insights to improve scheduling and resource allocation. My Hours also integrates with tools like Trello, Asana and Basecamp, making it easy to track project time across multiple platforms and keep projects on target.

On the downside, My Hours focuses primarily on time tracking rather than full project management. It lacks advanced scheduling features, Gantt charts and workload management charts found in more robust platforms. Integration with ERP or payroll systems is limited, which can be a challenge for teams that want a single system to manage time, resources and finances. While reporting and dashboards are useful, they are less customizable than higher-end project management software, and some features are only available in paid plans.

Related: 20 Best Resource Management Software of 2025 (Free & Paid)

Verdict: Best Simple and User-Friendly Project Time Tracking Software

My Hours Pros & Key Features

• Timer and manual time entry for accurate project time tracking
• Task-level tracking and reporting for detailed insights
• Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking
• Planned vs. actual hours comparison
• Integrations with Trello, Asana and Basecamp
• Mobile app for tracking on the go
• Free plan available for unlimited users and projects

My Hours Cons & Limitations

• Limited project management features beyond time tracking
• No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts
• ERP and payroll integrations are limited
• Advanced reporting and dashboards require paid plans

My Hours Pricing

• Free, up to five users or teams
• Pro: $8 per user/month billed annually
• Enterprise: contact sales

My Hours Reviews

• G2 review: 4.6/5
• Capterra review: 4.8/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Easy to use, navigate and help organize. Report filters are great. Customer Support prompt. Natash O. – from G2
• “Easy to use time tracking and billing” Rish A. – from Capterra

6. Paymo

Paymo is online project time tracking software is designed to help teams log hours, manage tasks and improve productivity. It supports project management time tracking with features like timers, manual time entries, task-level tracking and detailed reporting.

Teams can track billable versus non-billable hours, compare planned and actual hours and generate insights to optimize scheduling and resource allocation. Paymo also integrates with popular tools like Trello, Asana and QuickBooks, making it easy to manage project time across multiple platforms.

On the downside, Paymo is more focused on time tracking and task management than full-scale project management. It lacks advanced Gantt charts, workload management charts and deeper ERP or payroll system integrations found in more comprehensive platforms. While reporting and dashboards are functional, customization options are limited, and some advanced features require paid plans. Teams looking for a complete all-in-one project management solution may need additional tools alongside Paymo.

Verdict: Best All-in-One Project Time Tracking Software for Small Teams

Paymo Pros & Key Features

• Timer and manual time entry for accurate project time tracking
• Task-level tracking and reporting for detailed insights
• Billable vs. non-billable hours tracking
• Planned vs. actual hours comparison
• Integrations with Trello, Asana and QuickBooks
• Mobile app for tracking on the go
• Free plan available with basic time tracking features

Paymo Cons & Limitations

• Limited advanced project management features
• No built-in Gantt charts or workload management charts for complex scheduling
• ERP and payroll integrations are limited
• Advanced reporting and dashboards require paid plans

Paymo Pricing

• Free plan
• Starter plan: $3.90/user/month paid annually
• Small Office plan: $6.90/user/month paid annually
• Business plan: $10.90/user/month paid annually

Paymo Reviews

• G2 review: 4.6/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Paymo has all the capabilities that allows me to save time by automating project and task management procedures.” Larry K – from G2
• “I like the way Paymo has been designed. With its straightforward menu sidebar, it’s easy to access everything your business needs quickly and easily.” Jamie Lee J – from G2

How to Choose the Right Project Time Tracking Software

The right tool depends on how your team works and what you need the time data for. If you only need to log hours for invoicing, a standalone time tracker may be enough. If you need to connect those hours to schedules, budgets and resource plans, look for project management software with time tracking built in. ProjectManager, for example, links timesheets to Gantt charts, workload charts and planned vs. actual reporting, so logged hours update project progress automatically.

Ease of use matters just as much as features. Time tracking only works when team members log their hours consistently, so choose software with simple timesheets, a mobile app and timers that make entries quick. Before you commit, check that the tool integrates with your payroll, accounting or ERP systems. Then use a free trial to test it with a real project and make sure it fits your team’s workflow.

What Are the Main Benefits of Using Project Time Tracking Software

Project time tracking software gives teams a clear view of where hours are being spent and how resources are being used. It helps managers understand project performance, optimize schedules and ensure that work is completed on time. With accurate data on time spent per task, organizations can improve productivity and make informed decisions about future projects.

Accurate Labor Cost Tracking and Cost Control

Project time tracking allows managers to monitor labor hours for each task and project. This helps control costs by showing exactly how much time and effort are being invested. Tracking hours accurately ensures that budgets are adhered to and that billing for client work is transparent and precise.

Facilitates Project Progress Tracking

By logging hours against tasks and milestones, project time tracking software makes it easy to see progress in real time. Managers can identify delays or bottlenecks early, reassign tasks when needed and adjust project schedules to keep everything on track. This transparency ensures that deadlines are met and projects remain aligned with their goals.

Helps Managers Balance Their Team’s Workload

Workload charts and task-level tracking give managers insight into who is working on what and how much time each task requires. This helps balance the distribution of work, prevent team members from being overloaded and ensure that resources are used efficiently. Balanced workloads improve team productivity and reduce the risk of burnout.

Related Project Time Tracking Software

There is more to learn about project time tracking. For those that want to further explore the topic, check out the links below. They lead to articles on strategy, time management plans and much more.

• Project Time Management: Strategies, Tips & Tools
• How to Make a Time Management Plan You’ll Actually Use
• A Quick Guide to Time Blocking
• Time Estimation in Project Management: Tips & Techniques
• Free Time Management Worksheets & Templates
• 8 Best Time Tracking Software for Consultants

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Project Time Tracking: Tools, Features and Software Reviews appeared first on ProjectManager.

Both are important. But when they’re disconnected, project teams may be spending significant time moving information between systems instead of managing the work itself.

ProjectManager surveyed 142 project management professionals to understand how organizations currently manage project financials and which data connections would be most valuable. The results reveal a clear gap between the information businesses have and the visibility they need.

ERPs Manage Financials, Project Teams Manage the Work

Modern ERP systems can provide a broad range of financial and operational capabilities, including accounting, budgeting, purchasing, time and expense tracking, project accounting and financial reporting. However, project execution requires another set of capabilities.

Project managers need to build schedules, assign resources, manage dependencies, track progress and understand how changes to the work affect deadlines and costs. They also need a practical way to connect planned work with actual project performance.

This creates a distinction between financial management and project execution. An ERP can tell a business what a project has cost. A project management platform can show what work is being performed, who is performing it, when it is expected to be completed and how the project is progressing. The challenge comes when those two views aren’t connected.

Disconnected Systems Create a Reconciliation Problem

The ProjectManager survey found that 89% of respondents spend at least some time each month manually duplicating or reconciling project and financial data.

For 27% of respondents, that work takes over 10 hours per month.

That’s more than an inconvenience. It’s a recurring operational cost created by having information distributed across different systems.

The survey also found that 54% of respondents still rely primarily on Excel or spreadsheets as their financial management system.

The consequences extend beyond data entry. When respondents were asked about the biggest problem with their current financial management process:

• 35 respondents identified delayed reporting and lack of visibility as their biggest problem.
• 29 respondents cited financial errors and reconciliation issues.
• 29 respondents cited high operational costs from manual effort.
• 14 respondents identified audit and compliance risk.
• 12 respondents said they avoid syncing systems because the process is too complex.

The numbers point to the same underlying issue: organizations may have financial data and project data, but they don’t always have those data sets connected in a way that provides timely visibility.

What Do Project Teams Actually Want From Integration?

The survey also asked respondents which data connections would be most valuable in a project management integration.

The results are revealing because respondents weren’t simply asking for accounting features to be copied into their project management software. They wanted connections that would help them understand project performance in financial terms.

The most valuable connection was project-job data, alongside budget-versus-actual visibility.

That makes sense. Project managers don’t just need to know that an expense exists. They need to know how that expense relates to the project plan. Is the project still on budget? How much has actually been spent? Which projects are generating the strongest margins? Where are cost overruns occurring? What happens to profitability if a project falls behind schedule? Those questions require project and financial data to work together.

Customers Are Another Important Connection

Customer and client information was also among the most valuable integrations, receiving 74 responses. Connecting customer data to project information can give organizations a more complete picture of the relationship between the work they perform and the revenue it generates.

For example, teams can connect projects to customers, understand what work is underway for a particular client and evaluate customer profitability across projects. Again, the goal isn’t simply moving records between applications. It’s creating the context necessary to make better decisions.

Financial Visibility Goes Beyond Invoicing

The survey also found that respondents placed a higher value on payments and invoice status (74 responses) and expenses (63 responses) than on invoices themselves, which received 50 responses. That’s an important distinction.

Creating an invoice is an accounting function. Knowing whether a customer has paid, how much revenue remains outstanding and whether project expenses are threatening profitability is a business visibility function.

The data suggests project professionals increasingly need to see financial information in the context of the project, not simply complete individual financial transactions.

Integration Can Close the Gap

The answer isn’t necessarily to make the ERP do everything or to replace it with project management software. For many organizations, the better option is to connect the two.

An integrated setup lets project teams manage schedules, tasks, resources and time in the project management platform they already use, while finance teams continue managing accounting, billing and financial reporting in the ERP. The important information can then move between the systems instead of being re-entered manually.

That means a project manager can see how actual costs are affecting a project without having to dig through accounting records, while the finance team can receive accurate project and time data without asking project managers to recreate it in the ERP.

The difference may seem simple, but it addresses one of the biggest problems identified in the survey: the amount of time teams spend manually reconciling information that already exists in their systems.

Integration isn’t about creating another place to manage data. It’s about making the systems a business already relies on to work together.

Acumatica + ProjectManager: Connecting the Two Sides of the Project

ProjectManager’s Acumatica integration provides a real-world example of this approach. Acumatica can manage the financial side of the business, while ProjectManager provides the project planning and execution environment. Rather than requiring project managers and finance teams to maintain duplicate information, the integration connects the operational and financial sides of the project.

Project teams can manage schedules, tasks, resources and project work in ProjectManager. Approved timesheets can then flow to Acumatica, connecting time worked to the organization’s financial processes.

The integration can also bring actual and committed project costs from Acumatica into ProjectManager, giving project managers more visibility into how actual costs compare with the work they’re managing.

That addresses several of the priorities identified in the survey: connecting project data to financial outcomes, improving budget-versus-actual visibility and reducing the manual reconciliation that 89% of respondents currently experience.

From Data Reconciliation to Project Visibility

The survey makes one thing clear: project professionals don’t simply need more financial data. They need connected financial data.

Nearly nine in 10 respondents are already spending time reconciling project and financial information. More than a quarter spend over 10 hours a month doing it. And when asked what would be most valuable from integration, respondents prioritized connections that would help them understand project costs, budgets, customers, payments and profitability. The opportunity is to move beyond systems that simply store information separately.

With an integrated ERP and project management environment, financial teams can continue managing the financial system while project teams manage the work. The data connecting those functions can move between systems without requiring people to manually recreate it.

Acumatica and ProjectManager demonstrate what that can look like in practice: one connected view of the project, from the work being planned to the money being spent.

That’s the real value of integration; not just fewer spreadsheets or fewer hours spent reconciling data, but better visibility into how project execution affects financial performance.

Are you interested in trying the integration yourself? Whether you’re an existing ProjectManager customer, or you’re looking for a platform that bridges the gap between your project and financial data, this integration is the right fit. Explore our homepage or read more about our Acumatica integration.

The post ERP and Project Management: Bridging Finance and Execution appeared first on ProjectManager.

With so many add-ons available, which MYOB Acumatica integrations are worth it? We’re here to help. Below are the 10 best MYOB Acumatica integrations, including what they do, their key features, limitations and pricing, so you can build the right tech stack for your ANZ business.

If you’re looking for the best way to manage projects alongside MYOB Acumatica, ProjectManager’s MYOB Acumatica integration connects our award-winning project management software directly to your ERP. The two-way sync bridges project and accounting data, so project managers can schedule resources and track progress while finance teams get GST-ready information, invoice billable hours and see clear expense insights. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

What Is MYOB Acumatica?

MYOB Acumatica, formerly known as MYOB Advanced, is a cloud ERP system for businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Built on Acumatica’s technology and localized by MYOB, it manages accounting, finance, inventory, projects, customer relationships and payroll from one system. It’s popular with construction, manufacturing, distribution, professional services and multi-entity businesses.

What Are MYOB Acumatica Integrations?

MYOB Acumatica integrations are connectors that link your ERP to other business software, such as project management, AP automation, reporting, inventory planning and ecommerce tools. Many are built by independent software vendors in Australia and New Zealand and are designed around local requirements such as GST. Most use MYOB Acumatica’s open APIs to sync data in real time or on a set schedule.

Integrating these tools eliminates double data entry, speeds up month-end close and gives every department access to the same up-to-date information.

What Features Make the Best MYOB Acumatica Integrations?

When evaluating MYOB Acumatica integrations, look for:

• Two-way sync: Data should flow in both directions so both systems stay current
• ANZ compliance: Support for GST and local banking, payment and reporting requirements
• MYOB certification: Certified or partner-recommended apps are tested against current releases
• Field mapping: The ability to map data to the branches, subaccounts, projects and tasks your team already uses
• Ease of setup: Prebuilt connectors that don’t require heavy custom development
• Local support: Responsive support in ANZ time zones from the vendor or your MYOB partner

10 Best MYOB Acumatica Integrations

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is the best MYOB Acumatica integration for project management. It’s award-winning project and portfolio management software with Gantt charts, kanban boards, resource management, timesheets and real-time dashboards. Its MYOB-certified MYOB Acumatica integration creates a two-way connection that syncs project, operational and financial data between the two systems.

Project tasks, timesheets and resources sync with MYOB Acumatica, along with expenses, billable hours, and revenue and cost recognition. Finance teams get GST-ready information to generate financial reports and invoice billable hours, while project managers automate resource scheduling, cost tracking and reporting. Plus, there’s a free 30-day trial.

Verdict: Best for project management

Pros & Key Features

• Two-way sync of tasks, timesheets, resources and financial data
• GST-ready information for Australian and New Zealand finance teams
• Gantt charts with task dependencies, milestones, critical path and baselines
• Resource management with workload charts and team availability
• Timesheets linked to tasks, with approvals and billable hours
• Real-time dashboards and one-click portfolio reports

Cons & Limitations

• Requires both a ProjectManager and MYOB Acumatica subscription
• Teams new to Gantt charts may need a short ramp-up period

Pricing

• Team: Per user/month, billed monthly or annually
• Business: Per user/month, billed monthly or annually
• Enterprise: Custom quote
• Free 30-day trial, no credit card required

2. TRAILD

TRAILD is an Australian-built accounts payable automation and payment protection tool embedded directly in MYOB Acumatica. It extracts invoice data, codes costs with machine learning and matches invoices to purchase orders and receipts, while AI risk flags help protect against fraud and errors.

Verdict: Best for AP automation and fraud protection

Pros & Key Features

• Embedded directly within MYOB Acumatica
• Enterprise-grade invoice data extraction
• Machine learning cost allocation and coding
• Two- and three-way line-level matching to purchase orders and receipts
• Auto-approval within purchase price variance thresholds
• AI risk and error flags, plus unlimited vendor authenticity checks

Cons & Limitations

• Focused on AP, so you’ll need other tools for expenses and receivables
• Approval workflows and matching rules take time to configure
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote based on invoice volume

3. ProSpend

ProSpend is an ANZ spend management platform that captures expenses, invoices, purchase orders and card transactions before they reach MYOB Acumatica. It applies consistent coding across branches, subaccounts, projects and project tasks, then exports clean data to the general ledger and payables modules.

Verdict: Best for expense and spend management

Pros & Key Features

• Expense, invoice, purchase order and card transaction capture
• AI-powered OCR invoice scanning and duplicate detection
• Purchase order matching
• Multi-level approval workflows with delegation of authority rules
• Syncs suppliers, projects and project tasks from MYOB Acumatica
• Credit card reconciliation and reimbursements exported automatically

Cons & Limitations

• Overlaps with dedicated AP automation tools if you already use one
• Setup of coding and approval rules takes upfront work
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote through ProSpend’s pricing calculator

Related: MYOB Acumatica: Key Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

4. ezyCollect

ezyCollect automates accounts receivable and payment collection for MYOB Acumatica users. It sends customizable payment reminders, accepts card, direct debit and bank transfer payments, and allocates payments back to MYOB Acumatica automatically.

Verdict: Best for accounts receivable and collections

Pros & Key Features

• Automated payment reminders by email, SMS and post
• Direct debit, credit card and bank transfer payments
• Automatic payment allocation to MYOB Acumatica
• Aging invoice tracking and credit limit management
• 24/7 customer payment portal
• Credit risk monitoring on premium plans

Cons & Limitations

• Payment plans and credit risk tools are premium features
• ERP setup costs vary by installation complexity
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote
• 14-day free trial, no credit card required

5. Velixo

Velixo is an Excel-based reporting and planning tool that pulls live MYOB Acumatica data into spreadsheets. Finance teams can build financial statements, consolidations, budgets and project forecasts in Excel, then push data back into MYOB Acumatica.

Verdict: Best for Excel-based financial reporting

Pros & Key Features

• Live, self-service reporting in Excel
• Drill down into transactions and navigate straight into MYOB Acumatica
• Budgeting, forecasting and scenario planning with writeback
• Push data from Excel into MYOB Acumatica with generated input forms
• Security synced from MYOB Acumatica
• Prebuilt templates for reporting, consolidation, close and project forecasting

Cons & Limitations

• Requires Excel skills to get the most out of it
• Focused on finance rather than operational dashboards
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote based on users and edition

6. Phocas

Phocas is a business intelligence and financial planning platform that integrates with MYOB’s ERP systems, including MYOB Acumatica. It consolidates data from multiple sources and lets users build reports, dashboards, budgets and forecasts without relying on IT.

Verdict: Best for business intelligence

Pros & Key Features

• Self-serve reporting and dashboards with drill-down to transactions
• Automated profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow statements
• Multi-location consolidation
• Budgeting and three-way cash flow forecasting
• Phocas AI to speed up data discovery

Cons & Limitations

• Best suited to manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses
• Can be more than small businesses need
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote

7. Netstock

Netstock is an inventory optimization and supply chain planning tool that connects to MYOB Acumatica. It uses AI-powered demand forecasting to recommend what to buy and when, helping businesses balance service levels against working capital.

Verdict: Best for inventory planning

Pros & Key Features

• Real-time data sync with MYOB Acumatica
• AI-powered demand forecasting
• Automated replenishment recommendations
• Scenario modeling for supply disruptions
• Supplier performance analysis and dashboards

Cons & Limitations

• Only valuable for inventory-heavy businesses
• Implementation typically takes four to six weeks
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote

8. InSyncer

InSyncer connects MYOB Acumatica to Shopify for both B2B wholesale and B2C retail. It syncs inventory across multiple warehouses, brings customer-specific pricing from MYOB Acumatica into Shopify and reconciles orders back to the general ledger.

Verdict: Best for Shopify ecommerce

Pros & Key Features

• Real-time stock sync across multiple MYOB Acumatica warehouses
• Customer-specific pricing, quantity breaks and volume discounts
• B2B catalogs and on-account ordering
• Two-way sync of orders and customers, with credit limit tracking
• Managed setup with Shopify Plus expertise

Cons & Limitations

• Only works with Shopify
• Pricing isn’t published
• Requires a Shopify plan in addition to the connector

Pricing

• Custom quote after a scoping call, plus your Shopify plan

9. Straightsell

Straightsell is an Australian ecommerce platform with a prebuilt connector for MYOB Acumatica. It sends inventory, stock levels and customer pricing from MYOB Acumatica to your webstore, and exports sales orders and customers back to your ERP.

Verdict: Best for B2B ecommerce in Australia

Pros & Key Features

• B2B and B2C webstore templates
• Syncs inventory, stock levels, customers and special pricing
• Supports up to 20 warehouses and multiple units of measure
• Configurable field mapping
• Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) compliance

Cons & Limitations

• Requires at least one MYOB Acumatica Sales & CRM (API) user license
• Less flexible than larger ecommerce platforms for design
• Pricing isn’t published

Pricing

• Custom quote, in AUD excluding GST

10. PencilPay

PencilPay digitizes credit applications and payments for wholesalers and distributors using MYOB Acumatica. Customers complete branded online credit applications that sync with MYOB Acumatica, and invoices can be paid automatically with auto-billing and payment scheduling.

Verdict: Best for credit applications and B2B payments

Pros & Key Features

• Branded digital credit applications
• Applications synced automatically with MYOB Acumatica
• Auto-billing and payment scheduling
• Real-time sync of customer accounts and credit terms
• Encrypted storage of credit agreements and payment data

Cons & Limitations

• Built for B2B wholesale, so less relevant for other business types
• Overlaps with AR tools such as ezyCollect
• Pricing depends on plan and payment volume

Pricing

• See PencilPay’s pricing page for current plans

Why ProjectManager Is the Best MYOB Acumatica Integration for Project Management

MYOB Acumatica tracks project budgets, costs and billing, but it isn’t built for planning and scheduling work. ProjectManager fills that gap and keeps both systems in sync, so project managers and finance teams never have to reconcile two sets of numbers.

Plan and Schedule on Gantt Charts

Map every task on a timeline, link all four types of task dependencies, set milestones and filter for the critical path. Set a baseline to compare your planned schedule against actual progress in real time.

Balance Resources and Workloads

The workload chart shows how many tasks each team member has, so you can reallocate work in a few clicks. Set team availability, public holidays and leave to plan with the people you actually have.

Track Time and Billable Hours

Team members log hours on timesheets linked to their tasks. Approved time and expenses sync with MYOB Acumatica, so finance can invoice billable hours with GST-ready information.

Monitor Progress With Dashboards and Reports

Real-time dashboards show time, costs, workload and progress at a glance. Generate one-click reports on project status, portfolio status and timesheets, then share them with stakeholders in seconds.

ProjectManager is online project management software that connects teams in the office, in the field and anywhere in between. With our MYOB Acumatica integration, you get powerful project planning and a single source of truth for project financials. Get started with ProjectManager today for free, no credit card required.

Related MYOB Acumatica Content

• What Is MYOB? Uses, Features and Pricing
• ProjectManager + MYOB Acumatica Integration
• 10 Best Acumatica Integrations
• Acumatica for Project Management: Key Features and Integrations

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