What Is ProjectLibre?

ProjectLibre is an open-source project management software that supports planning, scheduling and resource tracking through structured tools like Gantt charts and task lists. Built as an alternative to legacy desktop applications, it focuses on offline use and file compatibility. Its design reflects traditional project scheduling methods, making it useful for teams managing timelines, dependencies and resource allocation without relying on cloud-based systems.

Does ProjectLibre Work On Mac?

From a technical standpoint, ProjectLibre runs on macOS because it is developed using Java, which allows it to operate across different operating systems. Installation typically requires a compatible Java runtime environment, after which the application runs locally. Performance depends on system configuration, but no virtualization or emulation is required for standard use.

ProjectManager goes far beyond ProjectLibre for Mac by providing more advanced project management tools in a cloud-based platform that delivers real-time project dashboards and reports, AI-powered insights and online collaboration features—capabilities that ProjectLibre’s desktop, offline approach simply doesn’t provide. Get started with ProjectManager for free today.

Why Use ProjectLibre on Mac?

ProjectLibre is ideal for Mac users who want a lightweight, straightforward project planning tool without ongoing costs. Its open-source model removes licensing barriers, making it accessible for individuals and small teams.

Because it runs locally, it avoids reliance on internet connectivity or cloud infrastructure. This makes it especially useful in controlled environments where data privacy, offline access or budget constraints influence software decisions.

Related: 6 Best Project Management Software for Mac: Free & Paid

Key Features of ProjectLibre for Mac

ProjectLibre for Mac focuses on structured project planning by organizing tasks, timelines and resources into a single desktop interface. It supports detailed scheduling workflows, allowing teams to map dependencies, assign work and track progress using familiar planning tools without requiring cloud connectivity.

• Gantt chart view enables users to visualize project timelines, adjust schedules and manage task sequencing directly through an interactive interface.
• Task dependency management allows linking activities with finish-to-start or start-to-start relationships to reflect real execution order.
• Resource allocation tools help assign team members, define roles and monitor workload distribution across multiple project tasks.
• Critical path analysis identifies the sequence of tasks that directly impact project completion, helping prioritize scheduling decisions effectively.
• Work breakdown structure (WBS) support organizes complex projects into hierarchical task groups for better clarity and control.
• Cost tracking features allow users to estimate budgets, assign costs to tasks and monitor spending against planned values.
• Microsoft Project file compatibility enables importing and opening MPP files, making it easier to collaborate with teams using legacy tools.

Pros of Using ProjectLibre on Mac

Mac users benefit from a structured, cost-effective planning tool that supports traditional scheduling methods while remaining accessible for teams needing desktop-based control over project timelines and resources.

• No subscription fees make it an attractive option for individuals or teams working with limited software budgets.
• Cross-platform compatibility ensures files can be shared across Windows, Linux and Mac environments without major issues.
• Familiar interface reduces learning curve for users experienced with traditional project scheduling tools and methodologies.
• Offline functionality allows uninterrupted work without dependency on internet access or cloud-based services.
• Open-source nature provides transparency and flexibility for organizations that prefer customizable or community-driven tools.

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Cons of Using ProjectLibre on Mac

Despite its accessibility, usability, integration, and performance limitations can affect teams expecting modern collaboration features or seamless workflows across multiple systems and stakeholders.

• Outdated user interface can feel less intuitive compared to modern project management software with cleaner designs.
• Lack of real-time collaboration makes it difficult for distributed teams to coordinate changes simultaneously.
• Limited integrations restrict connectivity with other tools such as CRMs, communication platforms or reporting systems.
• Performance may lag with larger or more complex project files, depending on system resources and configuration.
• No native cloud features means manual file sharing is required, increasing the risk of version control issues.

ProjectManager Is Better than ProjectLibre for Mac

ProjectManager offers an award-winning project management feature set that goes far beyond what ProjectLibre for Mac can provide, thanks to its Gantt charts, kanban boards, timesheets, workload charts and real-time project dashboards and reports. Unlike ProjectLibre, it enables teams to build dynamic project timelines, manage dependencies, allocate resources and track progress with real-time data.

With ProjectManager, teams can collaborate online from anywhere without relying on manual file sharing or version control workarounds. Updates happen in real time, which means changes to schedules, tasks or resources are instantly reflected across the entire project. This is especially valuable for distributed teams that need to stay aligned without delays or duplicated work.

Beyond core functionality, ProjectManager integrates with over 100 business tools, including Jira, Power BI and Azure DevOps, making it easier to connect project workflows with existing systems. Its open API supports custom integrations, while built-in AI-powered insights help identify risks, optimize schedules and improve decision-making across projects. Watch the video below to learn more!

Related ProjectLibre Content

• What Is ProjectLibre? Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• 6 Free & Open-Source Microsoft Project Alternatives: Ranked
• 20 Best Microsoft Project Alternatives for 2026 (Free & Paid)

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 updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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What Is AI Project Management?

AI project management is the application of artificial intelligence technologies to support, automate and improve project planning, execution and monitoring. It uses data analysis, machine learning and pattern recognition to generate plans, predict outcomes and optimize workflows, allowing project managers to make faster and more informed decisions.

In practice, this means AI tools can create schedules, assign resources, detect risks and produce reports based on real-time project data. These systems rely on historical patterns and ongoing inputs to continuously refine recommendations, helping teams respond to changes more effectively while maintaining visibility across the entire project lifecycle.

When using AI in project management, ensure you’re using the latest technologies paired with best-in-class software. ProjectManager’s AI Project Insights turns your project data into actionable insights, no manual effort required. Team can instantly generate executive summaries, uncover risks and get data-backed recommendations based on real-time progress. Get started by taking a free 30-day trial, no credit card required.

Why Should AI Be Used in Project Management?

Whether teams adopt AI project management tools is no longer the real question, because the shift is already happening. What matters now is how these tools are used and how much responsibility they take on within project workflows. Faster planning, automated reporting and predictive insights are clear advantages, especially in complex environments where manual processes slow everything down.

At the same time, relying entirely on automation creates its own risks. Project managers still need to interpret context, manage stakeholders and make judgment calls that go beyond data patterns. AI can highlight issues and suggest actions, but it does not fully understand business priorities, team dynamics or unexpected constraints. The most effective approach combines AI-driven efficiency with human oversight, where technology handles repetitive work and project managers focus on decision-making, coordination and strategic direction.

Benefits of AI Project Management

When applied correctly, AI project management tools streamline workflows, improve decision-making and reduce manual effort. Their value lies in accelerating execution while supporting project managers, not replacing their role.

• Speeds up project planning by generating structured task lists, timelines and dependencies from high-level goals, reducing time spent on repetitive setup activities.
• Improves decision-making by analyzing large volumes of project data and surfacing insights that would be difficult to identify manually under time constraints.
• Enhances visibility across projects by continuously tracking progress, highlighting delays and identifying risks before they impact timelines or budgets.
• Reduces administrative workload by automating reporting, updates and documentation, allowing project managers to focus on coordination and strategic oversight.
• Supports better resource utilization by balancing workloads, forecasting capacity needs and aligning team assignments with skills and availability.

Related: 14 Free Work Plan Templates for Excel and Word

Disadvantages of AI Project Management

Despite its advantages, AI project management introduces limitations that teams must manage carefully. Overreliance on automation can create blind spots, especially in areas where human judgment and context are critical.

• Lacks full contextual understanding of business priorities, stakeholder expectations and team dynamics, which can lead to recommendations that are technically correct but impractical.
• Depends heavily on data quality, meaning inaccurate or incomplete inputs can produce misleading outputs that affect planning, forecasting and decision-making.
• Reduces critical thinking when teams rely too heavily on automated suggestions rather than validating assumptions and analyzing project conditions independently.
• May introduce resistance from teams who are unfamiliar with AI tools or concerned about changes to established workflows and responsibilities.
• Requires ongoing oversight to ensure outputs remain aligned with project goals, as AI cannot fully interpret nuance or adapt to unexpected real-world complexities.

AI Project Management Tips & Best Practices

Getting value from AI project management tools isn’t automatic. The output depends on the quality of inputs, the setup and the level of oversight applied afterward. Teams that guide AI properly can turn it into a meaningful advantage rather than just a convenience.

1. Select Historical Data Carefully

The quality of historical data directly affects the accuracy of AI outputs. Using outdated, inconsistent or overly optimistic project data leads to unreliable schedules and forecasts. Prioritize clean, relevant data that reflects actual execution, including delays and constraints, to ensure more realistic planning, better resource allocation and improved decision-making across similar projects.

2. Validate AI Outputs Before Acting

AI-generated plans and recommendations should be treated as a starting point rather than a final decision. Reviewing dependencies, timelines and assumptions is essential to avoid errors that may not be immediately visible. A quick validation step helps identify inconsistencies early and prevents costly adjustments later during project execution.

3. Define Clear Inputs and Project Parameters

AI performs significantly better when given precise inputs. Clearly defining scope, constraints, deadlines and priorities improves the relevance of generated outputs. Ambiguous or incomplete information often results in generic recommendations, while structured inputs enable more accurate schedules, resource plans and insights aligned with project objectives.

4. Combine AI Insights With Human Judgment

While AI can process data and identify patterns efficiently, it lacks full awareness of business context, stakeholder expectations and team dynamics. Human oversight remains essential to interpret results, make trade-offs and adjust decisions. The most effective approach combines AI-driven efficiency with experienced judgment to guide project outcomes.

AI Project Management Tools

AI project management tools combine automation, data analysis and intelligent recommendations to support planning, execution and decision-making. The following tools highlight how AI is applied in real-world project workflows, from scheduling and resource management to reporting and collaboration.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager’s AI capabilities are designed to move project management from reactive tracking to proactive, insight-driven decision-making. Built into the platform, AI Project Insights is powered by GPT-5’s latest technology. It helps teams instantly surface executive summaries, identify risks and generate clear, actionable recommendations based on live project data. This enables managers to understand project health without digging through reports.

By analyzing schedules, tasks, budgets, and progress in real time, the AI highlights potential delays, workload imbalances, and emerging bottlenecks before they become issues. It also streamlines reporting and communication by turning complex project data into concise updates that are ready to share with stakeholders. The result is a smarter, more efficient workflow where teams spend less time on manual status updates and more time focusing on execution, alignment and delivery.

Key use cases and benefits include:

• Instant project summaries: Quickly generate clear, executive-ready overviews of project status without manually compiling updates.
• Early risk detection: Surface potential delays, budget concerns and bottlenecks before they escalate into major issues.
• Smarter resource visibility: Identify workload imbalances and optimize team capacity to prevent burnout and improve efficiency.
• Faster stakeholder reporting: Turn live project data into concise, easy-to-share updates for clients, leadership and team members.
• Improved decision-making: Use real-time AI-driven insights to prioritize work, adjust timelines and keep projects on track with confidence.

ClickUp (ClickUp Brain)

ClickUp uses AI to enhance project planning, execution and reporting by embedding intelligent assistance directly into tasks, documents and workflows. Its AI capabilities help teams automate routine work, generate content and quickly understand project status, making it a strong all-in-one solution for managing complex projects efficiently.

• Generates tasks, subtasks and project plans from simple prompts, reducing manual planning effort and speeding up project setup.
• Writes and refines documentation, status updates and communications, improving clarity without excessive drafting time.
• Summarizes comment threads, task histories and documents into concise insights for faster understanding of progress.
• Integrates AI across docs, tasks and dashboards, delivering a unified experience instead of isolated features.

Monday.com (Monday AI)

Monday.com incorporates AI into its Work OS to automate workflows, generate insights and improve decision-making across projects. Its AI features focus on reducing manual input, enhancing visibility and helping teams proactively manage workloads, timelines and deliverables within a flexible platform.

• Automates workflows by triggering actions based on conditions, streamlining repetitive processes across projects.
• Generates summaries and updates from project data, helping stakeholders quickly understand progress.
• Provides forecasting and workload analysis to identify bottlenecks before they impact timelines.
• Analyzes trends across boards to support data-driven decisions and improve project performance.

Asana (Asana Intelligence)

Asana Intelligence uses AI to support planning, prioritization and risk management by analyzing project data and team activity. It helps teams focus on the most important work, anticipate issues and streamline workflows for better project execution.

• Prioritizes tasks based on deadlines, dependencies and workload to keep teams focused on critical work.
• Detects risks and delays by analyzing progress patterns, enabling early corrective action.
• Recommends workflow improvements using historical data to optimize how teams operate.
• Provides insights across projects, reducing the need for manual data analysis.

Wrike (Work Intelligence)

Wrike integrates AI into its platform to improve project visibility, automate reporting and support proactive risk management. Its AI capabilities analyze project data to surface insights and help teams stay aligned on execution.

• Uses predictive analytics to identify risks and potential delays before they affect delivery.
• Automates reporting with real-time updates and summaries, reducing manual effort.
• Prioritizes tasks based on goals, deadlines and dependencies to improve focus.
• Analyzes trends across projects to enhance visibility and execution consistency.

Taskade

Taskade is an AI-driven collaboration platform that combines project management with intelligent agents capable of executing workflows. It emphasizes automation, real-time collaboration and faster transition from planning to execution.

• Deploys AI agents to execute multi-step workflows, reducing manual involvement.
• Supports real-time collaboration with AI copilots for brainstorming and task execution.
• Generates project plans, task lists and documentation instantly from prompts.
• Combines communication, task management and AI into a single unified workspace.

Motion

Motion uses AI to automate scheduling and daily planning by organizing tasks based on priorities, deadlines and availability. It focuses on removing manual scheduling while adapting to changes in real time.

• Automatically schedules tasks into calendars based on urgency, deadlines and available time.
• Replans schedules dynamically when priorities shift or tasks are delayed.
• Balances workloads across time slots to prevent overcommitment and improve productivity.
• Integrates tasks with calendars to create a unified view of work and time.

Reclaim.ai

Reclaim.ai leverages AI to optimize time management and resource allocation by intelligently scheduling tasks, habits and meetings. It helps individuals and teams protect focus time and maintain productivity.

• Automatically schedules tasks and recurring habits around meetings without manual time blocking.
• Protects focus time by adjusting schedules to minimize interruptions.
• Optimizes team scheduling by analyzing availability and priorities.
• Continuously adapts calendars as workloads and priorities change.

ProjectManager Is the Ideal AI Project Management Software

The project management industry continues to evolve and adapt with the latest technology. Ensure you and your team are equipped with the right tools to excel in this changing business landscape. Gone are the days of spending invaluable time digging through dashboards or building reports from scratch. With AI Project Insights built directly into your workflow, ProjectManager empowers teams to stay ahead of issues and deliver projects with greater confidence and efficiency.

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 updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post AI Project Management: Use Cases, Tools & Best Practices appeared first on ProjectManager.

In this guide, we’ll break down what advanced manufacturing is, the key technologies driving it, real-world examples across industries and how project management software helps teams execute advanced manufacturing initiatives successfully.

What Is Advanced Manufacturing?

Advanced manufacturing is the practice of using innovative technologies and methods to improve a company’s ability to be competitive in the manufacturing sector. Advanced manufacturing does this by optimizing all aspects of the value chain, from concept to end-of-life considerations.

This is accomplished through the use of advanced manufacturing technology, which integrates manufacturing and business activities to create a more efficient operation. Advanced manufacturing employs automation, computation, software, sensing and networking to create greater efficiencies.

One thing is constant, however, and that’s the need for workflow automation software to streamline processes and achieve greater efficiency. ProjectManager is project management software that automates workflows for removing busywork and has task approval settings for quality management. Plus you can build production schedules, manage execution and report on your projects in one tool. Get started with ProjectManager today for free!

Purpose of Advanced Manufacturing

The purpose of advanced manufacturing is to use technology to allow a company to produce goods or services of better quality, faster and at lower costs than their competitors, which will allow them to position themselves in the market.

What Is Advanced Manufacturing Technology?

The term advanced manufacturing technology refers to all the different technologies and techniques that can be used to improve an existing manufacturing process.

Related: 10 Free Manufacturing Excel Templates

Advanced manufacturing technology can take many shapes. From inventory management software that allows manufacturers to better understand what’s in their warehouse to using robots in the production line to cut down labor costs, to any other application of technologies in the manufacturing cycle. Let’s review the most common types of advanced manufacturing technologies.

Types of Advanced Manufacturing Technology

There are many types of advanced manufacturing technology. First, let’s divide advanced manufacturing into three main groups.

• Efficient production: The emphasis here is on simultaneous rather than sequential engineering and involves design, simulation, physical and computer modeling, advanced production technologies and control techniques. This is used in rapid prototyping and precision casting.
• Intelligent production: Uses ICT and related logistic systems to implement systems for the extended life and optimal use of production facilities. It does this through efficient monitoring, regular maintenance and repair.
• Effective organization: Coordinating and exploiting manufacturing resources, both physical and knowledge-based. This is used with virtual tendering, enterprise, shared facilities and resources, novel organization, incubation units, knowledge management and trading and electronic commerce.

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10 Examples of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

The following are some of the ways that advanced technology is used to develop new markets, new technologies and new methods of manufacturing products:

1. Big Data Processing

Big data processing refers to the analysis of large data sets that are obtained through various business intelligence systems. Big data processing is an advanced manufacturing technology that helps businesses better understand what their customer demand is, track product quality, monitor workflows, and much more.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have become among the most transformative forces in modern manufacturing. Where early applications were limited to predictive maintenance — using sensor data to anticipate equipment failures before they occurred — AI’s role has expanded dramatically.

Today, manufacturers use generative AI to accelerate product design, running thousands of simulated design iterations in hours rather than months. Computer vision systems powered by machine learning inspect products on the line at speeds and accuracy levels no human team can match, catching defects in real time. AI-driven demand forecasting reduces inventory waste by predicting customer needs with greater precision than traditional statistical models.

Large language models (LLMs) are also beginning to appear on the factory floor — helping technicians troubleshoot equipment by querying maintenance manuals and historical repair data conversationally. Digital twin technology, which creates a virtual replica of a physical production environment, now uses AI to simulate process changes before they’re implemented, reducing costly trial-and-error on live production lines.

The result is a manufacturing operation that learns continuously — identifying inefficiencies, adapting to changes in demand and improving output quality without proportional increases in cost or labor.

3. Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality has multiple applications in the field of manufacturing such as employee training, product design and quality control and testing. For example, augmented reality helps manufacturers visualize what a product would look like in the real world, helping them correct any issues before creating a prototype.

4. Internet of Things (IoT)

The term Internet of Things refers to the devices, sensors, software and networks that are used to transfer data throughout a smart manufacturing process. For example, aerospace manufacturers use such devices to test the durability of the components of an aircraft.

5. Additive Manufacturing

This type of advanced manufacturing includes 3-D printing, powder-bed laser printing systems, fused deposition modeling and other processes that involve complex assemblies from continuous material. Benefits include reducing failure points in the system and reducing weight, complexity and thermal dissipation problems. This is used in aerospace, medical, prototyping, automotive, consumer goods and other sectors.

6. Advanced/Composite Materials

Here you create precise blends of metals, plastics, glass, ceramics, etc., for specific applications. They vary in terms of physical and chemical properties, creating performance breakthroughs and reducing material tradeoff decisions. Some of these composite materials include high-strength alloys, recyclable plastics and more.

7. Robotics/Automation

Uses automated systems for heavy lifting, precision movement and joining pieces on the factory line. It improves the consistency of the work and is ideal for tasks that are dangerous in that it limits human risk, overhead and waste while producing faster and cheaper. Robotics can be found in the automotive, aerospace, forging and consumer goods markets, and will likely grow with the advance of technology to include further industries.

8. Laser Machining/Welding

Laser machining and welding allow for greater precision and safety when welding and machining, including rapid and accurate processing of parts using laser technology. It reduces the amount of heat on the material and reduces cracking and poor joining. These processes are used in pressure vessels, proximity sensor welding, battery welding, sensitive electronics and more.

9. Nanotechnology

Being able to pack more into less space is one driver for nanotechnology. It’s used in chemical and biological applications to enhance material properties, control light spectroscopy and chemical reactivity. Using nanotechnology allows for advanced manufacturing systems to reduce their overall footprint and maximize functionality across the production line.

10. Network/IT Integration

The internet connects people and information. By using network communications on the factory floor, manufacturers can create closed-loop feedback and precision tuning electronically instead of manually. This reduces maintenance costs and improves the overall efficiency of production. The ability to have network access throughout the process allows manufacturers to instantly pinpoint issues and potential repairs to save time and time.

Free Production Schedule Template

Even with the aid of advanced manufacturing practices, you still have to stay on top of your production schedule to stay efficient and profitable. Download this free production schedule template for Excel to track orders, inventory, production dates and more.

Benefits of Advanced Manufacturing

Let’s take a closer look at the main benefits of advanced manufacturing.

• Innovation: The use of advanced manufacturing technology allows manufacturers to stand out from the competition by creating new, innovative products.
• Better product quality: By using innovative technologies in the manufacturing cycle, companies can improve the quality of their products. This is because advanced manufacturing technologies can be applied to the process of designing, producing and testing goods.
• Lower production costs: Advanced manufacturing can help businesses reduce their production costs in several ways. For example, advanced manufacturing technologies help companies reduce their labor costs, produce cheaper materials, cut steps in the production line, and lower inventory costs.
• Faster production of goods: Advanced manufacturing technology allows manufacturers to produce goods faster, which helps them outperform their competitors and pursue more business opportunities at a time.
• Improved sustainability: Advanced manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing and AI-optimized processes significantly reduce energy consumption and material waste, helping manufacturers meet environmental targets and ESG commitments.
• Greater supply chain resilience: By using real-time data, IoT monitoring and AI-driven forecasting, advanced manufacturers can detect supply chain disruptions earlier and respond faster — reducing the impact of supplier delays, material shortages and demand spikes.

Advanced Manufacturing Trends in 2026

Advanced manufacturing continues to evolve rapidly. Here are the key trends shaping the industry right now:

• AI-driven autonomous production: Fully autonomous production lines — where AI systems monitor, adjust and optimize operations without human intervention — are moving from pilot programs to full-scale deployment in automotive and electronics manufacturing.
• Sustainable manufacturing: Environmental pressure and regulatory requirements are driving manufacturers to adopt energy-efficient processes, circular economy principles and low-carbon materials. Advanced manufacturing technologies like additive manufacturing reduce material waste by up to 90% compared to subtractive methods.
• Reshoring and supply chain resilience: Geopolitical instability and pandemic-era supply chain failures have accelerated the reshoring of manufacturing to domestic facilities. Advanced automation makes reshoring economically viable even in high-labor-cost markets.
• Collaborative robotics (cobots): Unlike traditional industrial robots that operate behind safety barriers, cobots are designed to work alongside human workers on shared tasks. Their falling cost and easier programmability is making them accessible to small and mid-size manufacturers for the first time.
• Smart factory expansion: The smart factory — a fully connected, data-driven production environment — is becoming the standard rather than the exception, with IIoT sensors, edge computing and real-time analytics integrated across the entire operation.

What Industries Use Advanced Manufacturing Technology?

Advanced manufacturing can be found in just about every industry including:

• Automotive industry
• Aerospace industry
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Electronics industry
• Medical devices industry
• Robotic industry
• High-volume goods
• Rapid prototyping

Advanced Manufacturing vs. Traditional Manufacturing

Is advanced manufacturing much different from regular manufacturing? Traditional manufacturing, of course, is thought of as taking raw materials and creating a product that adds value.

Advanced manufacturing tends to be used in more cutting-edge industries, such as medical, aerospace and pharmaceutical. It’s based on scaling, labor skills, research and development and flexible production. However, the differences between the two are getting smaller, as traditional manufacturing begins to use more high-tech equipment and systems.

Production Strategy

That said, there are still differences between the two. For example, the production strategy is different. In traditional manufacturing, the strategy is mass production, while advanced manufacturing customizes and stays customer-focused. The organizational structure is also different. Traditional manufacturing is hierarchical and advanced follows a flat, open flow of information.

Labor

In traditional manufacturing, there’s usually an abundant supply of un- or semi-skilled labor; however, advanced manufacturing requires a skilled labor force with technical knowledge. Therefore, traditional manufacturing more often provides on-the-job training or just vocational school. Advanced manufacturing needs people who have a higher level of education and a technical degree.

The labor force in traditional manufacturing often needs about three semi-skilled workers for every skilled one. In advanced manufacturing, it’s almost the reverse; about four skilled workers for each semi-skilled one. This is because traditional manufacturing has a production technology that involves casting, welding, molding, brazing and machining, among other things. Advanced technology can include 3-D printing, powder bed, material deposition, etc.

Investment

Traditional manufacturing invests in production, and advanced manufacturing takes its revenues and puts them into research and development. Therefore, traditional manufacturing requires infrastructure space and advanced manufacturing is more focused on IT and digital infrastructure.

Logistics

Logistics is another area where the two types of manufacturing diverge. Traditional manufacturing delivers its product to the market through traditional channels, such as highways and rail. Advanced manufacturing uses global supply-chain management.

How ProjectManager Helps With Advanced Manufacturing

ProjectManager is online work and project management software that delivers real-time data for more insightful decision-making in advanced manufacturing. Real-time dashboards and one-click reports allow you to capture live data. Know what’s happening as it happens so you can reallocate resources as needed to avoid bottlenecks.

Schedule With Interactive Gantt Charts

Plan maintenance, schedule workers and more with online Gantt charts. You can see the entire production schedule on one timeline, link dependencies and even filter for the critical path. Once you’ve scheduled work, set a baseline to track the variance between the planned and actual effort in real time.

Streamline Processes With Workflow Automation

Keep your workers focused on what’s important by freeing them up from busywork. Set as many triggers as you need to automatically move work through production, change assignees and much more. Then, to ensure the quality of the work being done, created task approvals so only those authorized to change the status of work can do so.

Flexible Features Serve the Entire Team

Advanced manufacturing requires flexible software that can work in the boardroom and on the factory floor. ProjectManager’s multiple project views mean you can schedule on Gantt charts or the sheet view while teams can manage their tasks on kanban boards, the list view or a robust calendar. All views can be automated and the data remains the same to establish one source of truth.

Our software lets you manage costs and resources and stay updated in real time with email notifications and in-app alerts so you know if someone comments or updates a task. Balance your team’s workload to keep them productive and use secure timesheets to streamline payroll and track your team’s work at the task level.

ProjectManager is award-winning software that helps manufacturers fabricate and deliver their products on time and within budget. Our flexible tool has a collaborative platform that allows every department to work better together and communicate in real time. Resources can be tracked and allocated as needed to keep the production cycle running smoothly. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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What Is a 5S Audit?

A 5S audit is a structured evaluation process within lean manufacturing that assesses how effectively a workplace follows the five principles of sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. It functions as a control mechanism, characterized by routine inspections, visual checks and scoring systems, often driven by the need to maintain discipline and consistency. In practice, teams use audits to verify adherence to standard operating procedures, uncover gaps and trigger corrective actions that reinforce continuous improvement.

ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software that is equipped with tools that allow manufacturers to plan, schedule and monitor their projects from start to finish. Use Gantt charts to make production roadmaps, manage workflows with kanban boards, allocate resources with workload charts, track costs with timesheets and monitor your projects with real-time dashboards and reports. Get started for free today.

Originally developed in Japan, the five elements of a 5S Audit come from workplace organization practices refined within the Toyota Production System. Each term—Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke—captures a specific discipline. Over time, these concepts became foundational to lean manufacturing, shaping how teams approach efficiency, order and continuous improvement.

Sort (Seiri)

Within a 5S Audit, Sort focuses on separating what is necessary from what is not in a workspace. It emphasizes removing excess materials, tools or information that do not directly support current operations. By eliminating clutter, teams reduce distractions, improve safety and create a more controlled environment for executing operating procedures effectively.

Set in Order (Seiton)

Set in Order centers on arranging tools, materials and equipment so they are easy to access, use and return. During a 5S Audit, this principle evaluates how well items are organized to support workflow efficiency. Clear placement, labeling and visual cues help reduce wasted motion and ensure tasks follow a consistent, logical sequence.

Shine (Seiso)

Shine represents the practice of cleaning and inspecting the workplace regularly to maintain optimal conditions. In a 5S Audit, it goes beyond appearance by identifying sources of dirt, wear or malfunction. Clean environments support preventive maintenance, allowing teams to detect issues early and maintain equipment reliability without disrupting operations.

Standardize (Seiketsu)

Standardize focuses on creating consistent methods to maintain the first three S practices across teams and shifts. A 5S Audit evaluates whether standard operating procedures, visual controls and routines are clearly defined and followed. Establishing consistency ensures improvements are repeatable and reduces variability in how workspaces are organized and maintained.

Sustain (Shitsuke)

Sustain reinforces discipline by ensuring that 5S practices become part of everyday work rather than one-time efforts. During a 5S Audit, this principle examines accountability, training and adherence to established routines. Strong sustainment supports continuous improvement by embedding habits that prevent regression and keep workplace standards consistently applied over time.

Purpose of a 5S Audit

At its core, a 5S Audit exists to verify that workplace organization practices are consistently applied across production environments. It helps teams identify deviations from standard operating procedures, enforce discipline and ensure that lean manufacturing principles translate into repeatable, measurable operational performance on the shop floor.

Benefits of a 5S Audit

Beyond maintaining order, a 5S Audit creates visibility into how work actually happens. It gives manufacturing teams a practical way to spot inefficiencies, reinforce accountability and support continuous improvement without relying on assumptions or inconsistent observations across departments or shifts.

• Improves workplace organization by removing unnecessary items and optimizing layouts for smoother workflows.
• Enhances safety conditions by identifying hazards, reducing clutter and enforcing clear operating procedures.
• Supports preventive maintenance by promoting regular cleaning and early detection of equipment issues.
• Strengthens standard operating procedures through consistent audit reporting and enforcement across teams.
• Reduces waste in motion, time and materials by aligning tasks with lean manufacturing principles.
• Drives accountability by assigning ownership of corrective actions and tracking follow-through over time.
• Creates a foundation for continuous improvement by providing structured data for ongoing process refinement.

What Is a 5S Checklist?

A 5S checklist is a document used to organize and capture all the criteria reviewed during a 5S audit. It outlines specific inspection points, helping teams standardize evaluations, guide audit reporting and ensure consistency across different areas, shifts or auditors within a lean framework.

What Should Be Included in a 5S Checklist?

Now it’s time to move from concepts into execution. A 5S checklist breaks down exactly what needs to be reviewed during a 5S audit, giving teams a practical manufacturing checklist to assess conditions, identify gaps and document findings through structured audit reporting.

Scoring System

To make audits actionable, teams need a clear scoring system that translates observations into measurable results. Most 5S audits use a scale, typically zero to five, to rate each item based on compliance. These scores highlight gaps, prioritize corrective actions and support consistent audit reporting across departments.

Sort (Seiri)

• Unnecessary tools, materials or documents are identified and removed from work areas.
• Obsolete inventory is clearly separated and tagged for disposal or corrective actions.
• Only items required for current production tasks are kept within immediate reach.
• Redundant equipment is evaluated and either reassigned, stored or eliminated properly.
• Workstations are free of excess items that do not support operating procedures.
• Storage areas are reviewed to ensure no accumulation of unused or outdated materials.
• Temporary items are clearly labeled with defined timelines for removal or reassessment.
• Personal items are limited and do not interfere with production workflows or safety.
• Clear criteria exist to distinguish necessary items from unnecessary workplace clutter.
• Audit reporting captures identified waste and assigns corrective actions for removal.

Set in Order (Seiton)

• Tools and equipment are stored in designated locations with clear labeling systems.
• Visual controls indicate proper placement and make missing items immediately noticeable.
• Frequently used items are positioned to minimize motion and improve workflow efficiency.
• Storage layouts align with process flow and reduce unnecessary movement across workstations.
• Shadow boards or markings clearly define where each tool should be returned.
• Pathways, aisles and access points remain unobstructed and clearly marked for safety.
• Inventory locations are organized to support quick retrieval and accurate stock management.
• Color coding or signage is used consistently across departments and operating procedures.
• Workstations are arranged to support ergonomic use and reduce operator fatigue risks.
• Manufacturing checklist verifies that placement standards are consistently followed across shifts.

Related: 23 Free Manufacturing Excel Templates

Shine (Seiso)

• Work areas are cleaned regularly according to defined preventive maintenance schedules.
• Equipment surfaces are free of dirt, oil or debris that could affect performance.
• Cleaning responsibilities are assigned and clearly documented within operating procedures.
• Inspection routines identify leaks, wear or abnormalities during routine cleaning activities.
• Cleaning tools are readily available, properly stored and maintained in good condition.
• Waste disposal processes are followed consistently to maintain a clean environment.
• Lighting conditions are adequate to support visibility during cleaning and inspection tasks.
• Floors, walls and work surfaces are maintained to prevent safety hazards or contamination.
• Audit reporting captures recurring cleanliness issues and assigns corrective actions accordingly.
• Continuous improvement efforts address root causes of dirt, buildup or equipment contamination.

5S Audit Template

This 5S audit template provides a structured format to evaluate workplace organization using a clear scoring system, defined inspection criteria and space for audit reporting. It helps manufacturing teams assess compliance, document findings and assign corrective actions across all five 5S categories.

5S Audit Checklist Example

The best way to understand how a 5S audit should be conducted is to look at it in a real-world setting. Consider a manufacturing company that produces industrial components and is running a routine 5S audit on one of its assembly lines to evaluate workplace organization, reinforce lean manufacturing standards and identify areas requiring corrective actions and continuous improvement.

Overall, the audit revealed a generally well-managed workspace with strong adherence to standard operating procedures and visible lean framework practices. However, inconsistencies in labeling, minor cleanliness issues and gaps in documentation highlighted opportunities for corrective actions, reinforcing the need for more consistent audit reporting and continuous improvement across the assembly line.

5S Audit Information

5S Scoring System

1. Sort (Seiri)

2. Set in Order (Seiton)

3. Shine (Seiso)

4. Standardize (Seiketsu)

5. Sustain (Shitsuke)

Free Lean Manufacturing Templates

We’ve created dozens of free manufacturing templates for Excel, Word and Google Sheets. Here are some of them.

Gemba Walk Template

This template structures shop floor observations across safety, work process, quality, flow, 5S and teamwork, helping teams capture issues, assign corrective actions and support continuous improvement through consistent follow-up.

Standard Operating Procedure Template

This template organizes standard operating procedures with sections for process overview, step-by-step tasks, resources, frequency and approvals, ensuring consistent execution, clear responsibilities and accurate documentation across operational workflows.

SIPOC Template

This template maps suppliers, inputs, process steps, outputs and customers, providing a high-level view of workflows while helping teams define scope, identify dependencies and improve process clarity within a lean framework.

How ProjectManager Helps Manufacturing Businesses

Manufacturing project management becomes far more manageable when teams can plan, monitor and adjust work within a single platform. ProjectManager combines production scheduling, resource planning and performance tracking so teams stay aligned and make quicker decisions on the shop floor.

Using interactive Gantt charts, manufacturing teams can create detailed schedules, link task dependencies, define milestones and update timelines as conditions evolve. Resource management tools help allocate labor, equipment and materials effectively, while tracking resource availability to prevent bottlenecks. Real-time timesheets, dashboards and reports offer immediate insight into progress, costs and workload, enabling teams to catch issues early and maintain control over operations.

With these tools and features, ProjectManager helps manufacturing businesses boost efficiency, minimize delays and deliver more consistent outcomes. Watch the video below to learn more!

ProjectManager is award-winning software for managing any project. Our collaborative platform connects your teams and gives you access to the manufacturing floor no matter where you are or what time it is. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 5S Audit: Checklist, Example & Free Template appeared first on ProjectManager.

What Is a Project Canvas?

A project canvas is a visual project initiation framework that organizes key project elements into a single-page layout, split in sections such as objectives, scope, stakeholders and risks. A project canvas is often created through collaborative brainstorming, which results in a clear, shared understanding of a project’s direction.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that gives teams across industries the tools they need to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget and within scope. It allows project managers to create detailed project schedules, estimate costs, allocate resources, set budgets, track progress and compare estimated versus actual project outcomes using real-time dashboards and reports to identify delays or cost overruns quickly. Get started with ProjectManager for free today.

What Is the Purpose of a Project Canvas?

The main purpose of a project canvas is to provide a structured format to capture the most important details of a project. Organizing information visually helps individuals, project managers and PMOs to get an idea of the project’s potential and feasibility, which sets a strong foundation for future project planning.

When to Use a Project Canvas

Before schedules, budgets or resource plans are developed, teams must first define what the project is about. The project canvas is most effective during the project initiation stage, when ideas are still being shaped and validated. It should be used by individuals, project managers and PMOs at the beginning of project ideation to explore feasibility and alignment. Once direction is clear, more detailed tools can take over during the project planning phase.

Benefits of the Project Canvas Model

Using a project canvas offers several advantages during the early stages of a project. It helps teams quickly organize ideas, align stakeholders and evaluate feasibility without overcomplicating the process. This clarity allows for faster decision-making and creates a strong foundation that supports more detailed planning and execution later on.

• Early feasibility insight: Quickly determine whether a project idea is viable before committing time, budget or resources
• Clear project direction: Transform rough ideas into defined objectives, scope and expected outcomes
• Stronger stakeholder alignment: Ensure everyone involved understands priorities, roles and expectations from the start
• Faster decision-making: Give leaders a concise overview to evaluate, approve or reject project ideas efficiently
• Smoother transition to planning: Establish a solid foundation that makes detailed scheduling, budgeting and execution easier

Disadvantages of the Project Canvas Model

Despite its usefulness, a project canvas also has limitations that teams should consider. Because it focuses on high-level information, it may overlook critical details needed for execution. Relying too heavily on it can lead to gaps in planning, especially when complex projects require deeper analysis and more structured documentation.

• Lacks detailed depth: Provides only a high-level view, which can leave important technical, financial or operational details undefined
• Risk of oversimplification: Complex projects may be reduced too much, leading to misunderstandings or overlooked dependencies
• Not suitable for execution: Cannot replace detailed project plans, schedules or resource management tools needed later
• Depends on input quality: Unclear or incomplete information during brainstorming can result in a weak or misleading foundation
• May create false alignment: Stakeholders might agree at a high level, but still interpret details differently when planning begins

What Should Be Included In a Project Canvas?

Every project canvas is built around a set of core elements that capture the most important aspects of a project at a glance. These components help structure early thinking, making it easier to define direction, align stakeholders and prepare for more detailed project planning activities.

1. Project Purpose

The purpose of a project is the underlying reason why a project exists, defining the problem it aims to solve or the opportunity it seeks to capture. It should explain the intended outcome at a high level, often driven by business needs, market demands or operational gaps, and result in a clear justification for initiating the project.

Without a defined purpose, early discussions can drift and lead to misaligned expectations. Including this section in a project canvas ensures everyone understands why the project matters, helping teams stay focused on meaningful outcomes and avoid pursuing initiatives that lack clear value or strategic relevance.

2. Project Objectives

Project objectives are specific, measurable targets that define what the project must achieve to be considered successful. They translate the broader purpose into actionable goals, characterized by clear metrics and timelines, often shaped by stakeholder expectations and resulting in a structured path to guide project execution and performance evaluation.

Capturing objectives within a project canvas helps transform abstract ideas into concrete goals. This section provides direction for decision-making and prioritization, ensuring that all efforts contribute to defined outcomes while making it easier to assess whether the project is progressing as intended from the very beginning.

3. Project Scope

The scope of a project is the defined boundary of what is included and excluded in a project, outlining the work required to achieve its objectives. It specifies tasks, features or outputs, characterized by clear limits, often shaped by resource constraints and stakeholder agreements, and resulting in controlled execution and reduced ambiguity.

Adding scope to a project canvas prevents confusion about what the project will and won’t cover. This clarity helps teams avoid scope creep early on, supports realistic expectations and ensures that initial ideas remain manageable before transitioning into more detailed planning and scheduling activities.

4. Project Deliverables

Project deliverables are the tangible or intangible outputs that a project produces upon completion of its activities. These can include products, services or documents, characterized by defined quality standards, often driven by project objectives, and resulting in measurable outcomes that demonstrate the project’s success and completion.

Listing deliverables in a project canvas helps teams visualize what the project will actually produce. This section connects objectives to real outputs, making it easier to communicate expectations, track progress and ensure that all stakeholders agree on what constitutes a completed and successful project.

5. Project Stakeholders

Project stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest in or are affected by a project’s outcomes. They include internal teams, clients or external partners, characterized by varying levels of influence and expectations, often identified through stakeholder analysis and resulting in defined communication and engagement strategies throughout the project lifecycle.

Identifying stakeholders in a project canvas ensures that key voices are recognized from the start. This section helps anticipate expectations, manage influence and reduce conflicts, allowing teams to align communication early and avoid surprises that could disrupt progress once the project moves into planning and execution phases.

Related: 18 Free Stakeholder Management Templates for Excel & Word

6. Project Team

Defining the team within a project canvas provides early clarity on who will do the work. This helps assess whether the right skills and resources are available, supports realistic planning and ensures accountability is considered before detailed schedules and resource allocation plans are developed.

7. Project Timeline

In a project canvas, the timeline is intentionally simple. Instead of detailed schedules or exact dates, it usually takes the form of a basic set of milestones that show how the project will progress from start to finish. These milestones represent key phases or checkpoints, giving teams a clear sense of flow without getting into scheduling details too early.

This approach fits the purpose of a project canvas, which is to keep things high-level and easy to understand. By focusing only on major milestones, teams can align on the overall direction and sequence of work while leaving detailed timelines, dependencies and dates for the project planning phase.

8. Project Resources

Project resources are the assets required to execute project activities, including people, equipment, materials and budget. They are characterized by availability and constraints, often determined by project scope and objectives, and result in the allocation decisions that enable tasks to be completed efficiently and within planned limits.

Outlining resources in a project canvas helps teams assess feasibility early. This section highlights whether sufficient capacity exists to support the project, allowing stakeholders to identify gaps, adjust expectations or reallocate resources before committing to detailed planning and execution.

9. Project Risks

Project risks are uncertain events or conditions that may impact project objectives if they occur. They are characterized by probability and potential impact, often identified through early analysis, and result in the need for mitigation or contingency strategies to reduce negative effects on scope, timeline or cost.

Capturing risks in a project canvas encourages proactive thinking from the start. This section helps teams anticipate challenges, prepare responses and avoid reactive decision-making later, improving the project’s chances of success before detailed risk management plans are developed.

10. Project Benefits

Project benefits are the positive outcomes or value a project is expected to deliver upon completion. They are characterized by measurable improvements such as revenue growth, cost savings or efficiency gains, often aligned with strategic goals, and result in justification for the project’s initiation and continued investment.

Including benefits in a project canvas ensures the project’s value remains visible. This section connects effort to outcomes, helping stakeholders understand why the project matters and supporting decision-making by reinforcing alignment with business objectives from the very beginning.

Project Canvas Template

This project canvas template for Excel provides a structured, single-page layout to define purpose, objectives, scope, deliverables, stakeholders, team, milestones, resources, risks and benefits. It serves both as a working example and a reusable template to help teams quickly organize ideas and evaluate project feasibility.

Project Canvas Example

Imagine a real estate development firm evaluating a new opportunity in a growing suburban area where housing demand has started to outpace supply. The team gathers to outline a mid-sized residential apartment project that must balance profitability, construction timelines and regulatory requirements. Instead of jumping straight into detailed planning, they use a project canvas to quickly structure the idea and align stakeholders.

At a glance, the canvas lays out the project’s intent, objectives and scope, giving decision-makers a clear picture of what the project aims to achieve and what work is involved. The inclusion of deliverables alongside scope helps connect activities to tangible outcomes, while the stakeholders and team sections clarify who is involved both from a governance and execution perspective.

Lower sections of the canvas shift focus toward feasibility and execution readiness. A simple milestone-based timeline shows how the project progresses through key construction phases without getting into scheduling details. Resources and risks provide a realistic view of constraints and uncertainties, while expected benefits reinforce the business case, helping stakeholders quickly assess whether the project is worth pursuing.

What Other Project Management Templates Can Help with Project Planning?

We’ve created over 100 free project management templates for Excel, Word and Google Sheets. Here are other free templates that can be used in conjunction with a project canvas during the project initiation phase.

Gantt Chart Template

This Gantt chart template organizes project tasks along a visual timeline, showing how activities are sequenced and how long they take. It helps teams plan schedules, understand task dependencies and monitor progress, making it easier to spot delays and keep the project on track.

RASCI Matrix Template

This RASCI matrix template defines who is responsible, accountable, supporting, consulted and informed for each task. By clearly assigning roles, it helps teams avoid confusion, improve collaboration and ensure that every activity has clear ownership throughout the project.

ProjectManager Is Award-Winning Project Management Software

ProjectManager provides a complete set of planning, scheduling and tracking tools, including Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists and project and portfolio roadmaps. Teams can build detailed schedules, assign resources and monitor progress, costs, workload and timelines through real-time dashboards, timesheets, workload charts and performance reports.

Built as a cloud-based platform, ProjectManager allows teams to update schedules, manage tasks and generate reports in real time from any location. It also delivers AI-powered project insights to support better decision-making and connects with over 100 tools like Jira, Power BI and Azure DevOps. With its open API and wide range of integrations, organizations can seamlessly link ProjectManager to their existing systems. Watch the video below to learn more!

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 updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Project Canvas: 101 Guide (Example & Free Template Included) appeared first on ProjectManager.

What Is a RASCI Matrix?

A RASCI matrix is a responsibility assignment framework that maps project tasks against defined roles, characterized by separating execution, ownership, support, input and communication responsibilities, often driven by cross-functional work environments, and resulting in clearer coordination, faster decisions and more predictable delivery outcomes.

It works by linking each task to specific roles so that involvement is predefined rather than assumed. This approach becomes essential when multiple teams contribute to the same deliverables, as it removes ambiguity and ensures that responsibilities are distributed in a structured and visible way.

What Does RASCI Stand for?

Instead of treating team involvement as vague or informal, the RASCI matrix assigns five clearly defined roles to every task. Responsible executes the work, Accountable owns the outcome, Supportive provides assistance, Consulted contributes input and Informed receives updates. Each role defines how someone participates, not just whether they are involved.

When you’re ready to take control of your projects, try ProjectManager. This award-winning project management software helps teams plan, schedule and track work from start to finish. Create detailed schedules, manage resources, monitor costs and compare planned versus actual performance with a full suite of powerful tools. Get started for free today.

RASCI Matrix Roles

Here’s a detailed description of each of the roles that make up the RASCI model.

Responsible

Work gets executed by those assigned as Responsible, meaning they carry out tasks, produce deliverables and ensure progress is made. This role is focused on action and output, and it can be shared among multiple people when a task requires coordination or multiple skill sets to complete.

Accountable

Final ownership sits with the Accountable role, which ensures that the work meets expectations and aligns with project goals. This person approves results, resolves conflicts and makes decisions when needed. Having a single accountable role prevents delays caused by unclear authority or competing directions.

Supportive

Execution often requires additional help, which is where Supportive roles come in. These contributors assist with resources, expertise or effort to enable the work to move forward. Their involvement is especially important in tasks that depend on collaboration or specialized input beyond the core team.

Consulted

Before decisions are finalized, input is gathered from those in the Consulted role. These individuals provide feedback, share expertise and help shape outcomes without directly executing the work. Their involvement ensures that decisions are informed and aligned with broader project requirements.

Informed

Some stakeholders need awareness without direct involvement in the work. The Informed role ensures they receive updates on progress, milestones or outcomes. Keeping them informed maintains alignment across the organization while allowing execution to continue without unnecessary interruptions.

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RASCI Matrix Template

Use this free RASCI Matrix Template for Excel to manage your projects better.

Download Excel File

What Is the Purpose of a RASCI Matrix?

The goal of a RASCI matrix is to structure how work flows through a team by defining roles at the task level, ensuring that execution, decision-making and communication are aligned before work begins. This allows teams to operate with fewer interruptions, clearer expectations and more consistent delivery across the project lifecycle.

• Clarifies task ownership at a granular level so each activity has a clearly assigned executor and decision-maker.
• Ensures decisions are made efficiently by defining a single accountable role with authority over outcomes.
• Reveals where additional effort or expertise is required by formally assigning supportive contributors to tasks.
• Integrates stakeholder input into workflows by identifying who must be consulted before key decisions are finalized.
• Maintains structured communication by defining which stakeholders need updates without involving them in execution.

RASCI Matrix vs. RACI Matrix

While both models assign responsibility, the RASCI matrix expands on the RACI model by introducing a dedicated Supportive role that reflects how work actually gets done. In practice, many tasks depend on contributors who assist without owning outcomes, and ignoring that layer leads to hidden dependencies and overloaded team members. By explicitly defining support, the RASCI matrix enables better workload distribution, improves coordination across teams and creates a more realistic view of how tasks are executed.

When to Use a RASCI Matrix

A RASCI matrix is typically created during the project planning phase, once the scope, deliverables and key stakeholders are defined. At this point, teams have enough clarity to assign responsibilities, align expectations and prevent confusion before execution begins, reducing the risk of delays caused by unclear ownership.

Throughout the project, the RASCI matrix acts as a reference point for decision-making and coordination. It should be updated whenever scope changes, new stakeholders are introduced or responsibilities shift, ensuring that accountability remains accurate and aligned with how work is actually being executed across the project lifecycle.

How to Create a RASCI Matrix

Building a RASCI matrix requires structuring tasks and roles in a way that reflects how work is truly performed. By organizing project activities and assigning clear responsibility levels, teams can eliminate ambiguity and ensure that execution, decision-making and communication are aligned from the start.

1. Identify Project Phases and Key Activities

Begin by breaking the project into major phases and listing the key activities required to complete each one. Focus on meaningful tasks such as approvals, deliverables or coordination points, ensuring that the matrix captures work that requires ownership and collaboration rather than minor or routine actions.

2. Determine What Project Roles Will Collaborate

Next, identify all roles involved in delivering the project, including internal team members and external stakeholders. Each role should represent a function or responsibility rather than an individual, ensuring the matrix remains scalable and accurately reflects how decisions and work flow across teams.

3. Assign RASCI Categories for Each Task

With tasks and roles defined, assign Responsible, Accountable, Supportive, Consulted or Informed to each intersection. Ensure only one accountable role per task, distribute responsibilities realistically and confirm that communication and support roles reflect actual dependencies across the project workflow.

RASCI Matrix Template

Organize project roles and responsibilities with this RASCI matrix template for Excel. Assign who is responsible, accountable, supporting, consulted and informed for each task, ensuring clear ownership, better coordination and faster decision-making across every phase of your project without confusion or overlapping responsibilities.

RASCI Matrix Example

To better understand how a RASCI matrix works in practice, let’s walk through a real-life example. The RASCI matrix below outlines key phases of a construction project, including initiation, design, pre-construction, construction and closeout. Within each phase, specific activities require coordination across multiple roles. For every task, each role is assigned a RASCI category to clearly define their level of involvement.

More Free Project Management Templates

Explore our library of over 100 free project management templates available for Excel, Word and Google Sheets. The templates below complement this RASCI matrix template by helping you plan, analyze and track different aspects of your projects more effectively.

Stakeholder Analysis Template

Map stakeholders, evaluate their influence and define communication strategies. This template helps teams manage expectations, prioritize engagement and maintain alignment with key participants throughout the project lifecycle.

Decision Matrix Template

Compare alternatives using weighted criteria such as cost, value and risk. This template supports objective evaluation, enabling teams to select the best option based on measurable factors rather than assumptions.

Project Deliverables Template

Organize deliverables, assign ownership and monitor timelines in a single view. This template ensures outputs are tracked, completed and aligned with project objectives, reducing the risk of missed deadlines or incomplete work.

ProjectManager Is an Award-Winning Project Management Software

ProjectManager offers robust project management features such as Gantt charts, task lists, workload management charts, timesheets and real-time dashboards and reports. In addition to that, it’s also equipped with AI project insights, online team collaboration features and unlimited file storage that further help project managers ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Watch the video to learn more!

If you need a tool to help you manage projects, then signup for our software now at ProjectManager. Our online software helps teams across industries plan, track and oversee projects as they unfold. Sign up for a free 30-day trial today!

The post RASCI Matrix: How-to Guide with Example & Free Template appeared first on ProjectManager.

What Is an Escalation Matrix?

An escalation matrix is a decision-making framework that defines how issues move through an organization when they cannot be resolved at the current level. It should define issue ownership, issue priority levels, response paths and contacts. It is used when delays, risks, conflicts or service failures threaten outcomes and timely issue management responses are needed to restore control.

Related: Top 7 Decision-Making Templates: Free Excel & Word Downloads

Whenever you’re ready to start managing projects, give ProjectManager a try. ProjectManager is an award-winning project management software designed to plan, schedule and track projects from start to finish. Build detailed project schedules, allocate resources, monitor costs and compare estimates against actual performance using a complete set of powerful project management tools. Get started for free today.

What Is the Purpose of an Escalation Matrix?

The purpose of an escalation matrix is to give teams a clear path for raising issues before they damage project schedules, budgets, service levels or relationships. By defining who gets involved, when action is required and how decisions move upward, it helps organizations respond faster, reduce confusion, maintain accountability and resolve problems at the right level before they escalate further.

• Establish a consistent route for handling unresolved issues so teams do not rely on assumptions, urgency or informal workarounds.
• Clarify who owns each stage of escalation, which speeds up decisions and reduces delays caused by unclear responsibility.
• Set practical thresholds for when problems involving cost, schedule, safety or performance require broader management attention.
• Improve communication during high-pressure situations by making sure the right people are notified with the right context.
• Protect project delivery and operational stability by preventing small issues from growing into larger business disruptions.

Get your free

Escalation Matrix Template

Use this free Escalation Matrix Template for Excel to manage your projects better.

Download Excel File

What Should Be Included In an Escalation Matrix?

A practical escalation matrix should show more than just names on a contact list. It needs the controls, rules and decision points that tell teams what issues qualifiy for escalation, how urgency is measured, who takes over at each level and what steps must happen from identification through resolution and closure.

Document Control

Every escalation matrix needs a clear way to stay accurate as it changes over time. Document control defines who owns the file, who approves updates and how revisions are tracked. It ensures the latest version is always used and provides a reliable record of changes for accountability and audit purposes.

Purpose & Scope

Before using an escalation matrix, teams need to understand exactly when it applies and why it exists. The purpose and scope of an escalation matrix define the types of issues that require escalation, including operational, technical, safety, financial and contractual concerns, while making clear what falls outside its use to prevent confusion or misuse.

Roles & Responsibilities

When issues escalate, confusion over ownership can delay decisions and slow resolution. Roles and responsibilities clarify who is accountable, who takes action and who provides support at each stage. This ensures every issue has a clear owner, decisions are made quickly and escalation moves forward without duplication or gaps.

Escalation Principles

Without clear guidelines, escalation quickly becomes inconsistent and driven by urgency or hierarchy rather than actual need. Escalation principles set the rules for how issues should be handled, prioritizing resolution at the lowest level, focusing on impact instead of titles and ensuring timely action without blame or unnecessary escalation.

Priority Levels

Not all issues require the same level of attention or resource allocation, so teams need a consistent way to prioritize them. A severity classification system defines how issues are ranked based on impact and urgency, helping determine response times and escalation levels. This ensures critical problems are addressed immediately while lower-priority issues are handled appropriately.

Escalation Triggers

Teams need clear criteria to know when an issue can no longer stay at its current level. Escalation triggers define specific conditions, such as time delays, cost overruns or safety incidents, that require action. This removes guesswork, ensures consistency and prevents issues from lingering until they become more serious or disruptive.

Escalation Levels & Hierarchy

When escalation is required, everyone needs to know who becomes responsible at each step. Escalation levels define the chain of involvement, from initial response to executive intervention, ensuring issues are handled by the right people. Clear roles prevent confusion, speed up decisions and ensure accountability as problems move through the organization.

Escalation Contact Matrix

Once escalation occurs, teams need immediate access to the right contacts without delays or confusion. The escalation contact matrix provides a centralized list of key individuals by role and level, including primary and backup contacts. This ensures availability at all times and allows issues to move forward quickly when timely response is critical.

Escalation Workflow

An escalation matrix only works if there is a clear process behind it. The escalation workflow defines each step from identifying an issue to resolving and closing it. It ensures problems are logged, assessed, escalated when needed and documented properly, creating a consistent approach that teams can follow under pressure.

Escalation Matrix Template

This free escalation matrix template for Excel is designed to help teams manage issues based on priority, ownership and defined escalation levels. It organizes issue categories, assigns responsible contacts and outlines response times and workflows. By standardizing how problems are escalated and resolved, it enables faster decision-making, improves accountability and keeps projects moving without unnecessary delays.

Escalation Matrix Example

The best way to understand how to use an escalation matrix is to think of a real-life scenario. Imagine a construction company managing a large infrastructure project where delays, safety incidents and cost overruns begin affecting progress. As issues emerge across teams, the escalation matrix guides who steps in, how priorities are assigned and when decisions move to higher management levels.

Document Control

Purpose & Scope

The purpose of this escalation matrix is to provide a structured process to escalate issues that impact project performance, safety or delivery timelines.

Roles & Responsibilities

Escalation Principles

Priority Levels

Escalation Triggers

Escalation Levels & Hierarchy

Escalation Contact Matrix

Escalation Workflow

ProjectManager Is an Award-Winning Project Management Software

ProjectManager offers robust project management features such as Gantt charts, task lists, workload management charts, timesheets and real-time dashboards and reports. In addition to that, it’s also equipped with AI project insights, online team collaboration features and unlimited file storage that further help project managers ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Watch the video to learn more!

If you need a tool to help you manage projects, then signup for our software now at ProjectManager. Our online software helps teams across industries plan, track and oversee projects as they unfold. Sign up for a free 30-day trial today!

The post Escalation Matrix: How-to Guide with Example & Free Template appeared first on ProjectManager.

Why seek an alternative project management solution? Let’s find out by first understanding where Airtable excels and where it falls short.

Reasons to Seek an Airtable Alternative

While Airtable sounds powerful, we wouldn’t be talking about the tool if there weren’t ample reasons for seeking an Airtable alternative. Let’s review some of the main disadvantages of the software.

• Lack of resource management features: Airtable doesn’t have resource management features to manage your team’s workload, track resource utilization and identify resource over or underallocation.
• Limited workflow management tools: Airtable’s task and workflow management are very limited in their capacity to help team leaders and project managers to manage the task sequences that help their teams complete a process and produce deliverables.
• Overly basic task management tools: Some of Airtable’s task management tools such as its product roadmap, kanban board and calendar views lack advanced features such as critical path analysis, resource tracking or cost monitoring tools.
• Project management features: Airtable is designed for helping teams manage their workflows and stay on top of their tasks, but lacks project management tools for planning, scheduling and tracking projects.
• Steep learning curve: One big oversight, especially for an app that prides itself on collaboration, is the steep learning curve. Even if you’re an expert at Excel, you’ll find the tool hard to use and navigate.
• Non-intuitive user interface: The tool seems to think of itself as a super-sized Excel, yet Airtable is even more complicated. For example, there’s a formula function on Excel that makes managing projects easier. Airtable doesn’t offer any sort of formula function. That absence alone is sure to have many seeking an Airtable alternative.
• Limited team collaboration features: Even the communication tool, the foundation of collaboration software, is lacking. There’s no way to have a general dialogue with the project team. Yes, you can comment on individual data rows, but if you have to take time to search for those comments, then you’re wasting time and not collaborating
• Expensive task management solution: And thanks to Airtable’s pricing, you’re also paying a premium to get a limited scope compared to some Airtable alternatives. For example, Airtable’s workspaces are separate and one cannot link to another unless you’re willing to pay twice as much for one person to have access to two workspaces. Data from different workspaces are hard to connect and this becomes an obstacle to integrated analytics.

Now let’s review the pros and cons of the best airtable alternatives to help you find the right solution for your projects.

2026 Best Airtable Alternatives Software Rankings

If you’re looking for Airtable alternatives, you’ve found the right list. The tool is suitable for larger organizations that can afford it, but most project managers looking for a solution that serves all of their purposes will be looking elsewhere. This is why we explored the 14 best Airtable alternatives and listed them below in order of their Capterra review score.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager tops our list of Airtable alternatives for many reasons. One, it’s an award-winning project management software that’s easy to use; you can onboard your team in minutes and get started right away without any complicated setup or intensive training. Two, it’s a one-stop shop for all of your project needs. From task and resource management as well as time-tracking and timesheets to planning, monitoring and reporting, the software does it all—and in real time because it’s an online tool. Add workflow automation to streamline processes and task approval to ensure quality to make your decision that much easier. Plus there’s a free 30-day trial so you can try it out for yourself.

Work on Multiple Project Views

But that’s not all! Just as Airtable has multiple project views, so does ProjectManager. There’s a robust Gantt chart that filters for the critical path and sets a baseline to track project variance in real time. In addition, there’s a sheet, list, calendar and kanban view that all update simultaneously so there’s one source of truth keeping everyone working better together. That’s real-time collaboration across departments that appeals to teams whether they work in traditional, agile or hybrid methodologies. There’s even a global search feature to quickly find what you’re looking for across all of your tasks and projects.

Monitor Progress and Performance in Real Time

While Airtable has features that mimic dashboards, you have to install and set them up from third-party apps. ProjectManager beats that inconvenience with real-time dashboards that are ready to use when you are. There’s no setup required. The dashboards work automatically, collecting and calculating data to display across six project metrics, including time, tasks, workload and more. Now you can see your project’s performance and progress at a glance. For a deeper look at project data, use one-click reports, which can be filtered and easily shared to update stakeholders.

We’ve only covered the tip of the iceberg as to why so many users love ProjectManager. On top of all the features you get with this software, we were also impressed by its collaborative platform that connects teams no matter where or when they’re working. Users can comment and share files, plus email notifications and in-app alerts keep everyone updated on changes, which is more efficient than what we’ve seen with other Airtable alternatives. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for project management
• Powerful task management tools and workflow automation features
• Resource tracking tools like dashboards and workload management charts
• Cloud-based software with unlimited file storage
• Free trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

• Limited tool customization features
• No AI-powered task management features
• Doesn’t offer as many third-party integrations as Airtable
• No free plan

ProjectManager Pricing

• Team: $15.00 user/month
• Business: $28.00 user/month
• Enterprise: contact sales for a custom quote

ProjectManager Reviews

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

Highlighted User Reviews

• “I like that it has different ways of visualizing projects. The different views help me in different moments of the project, wether I like to see the Gantt or just the list of tasks.” Paola V – 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. Notion

Notion is project management software where teams can plan, implement and track their projects. There are various tools, such as kanban boards, lists and calendars, which can have customized workflows. A wiki collects everything from goals to office policies and contact information. There’s also document management, whether videos, code, bookmarks or images, all of which can be tracked. A significant 2025 update introduced Data Sources, a unified way to manage and reuse databases across your entire workspace rather than maintaining scattered, disconnected databases. Notion’s AI suite has also expanded considerably, with the ability to search GitHub, trigger webhooks to thousands of external tools and run custom code through Notion Workers — making it a genuinely powerful Airtable alternative for teams that want flexibility and automation in one place.

What weakens its placement on our list of Airtable alternatives is that the software takes a significant amount of time to set up. It’s not plug-and-play such as others on our list. If you want to take advantage of its collaboration features, you’re going to have to do some major configurations. Another area that could use improvement is its search and navigation, which requires more than a keyword to be effective. Depending on what type of project you’re working on, these can be minor inconveniences or major disruptions.

Notion Pros

• Best Airtable alternative for managing simple workflows and task lists
• Helps teams manage their workload and track their task completion progress
• Simple project and task management tools
• Free trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

Notion Cons

• Limited variety of project planning tools, only offers task lists, kanban boards and product roadmap makers
• Limited project management feature set, it’s better suited for basic task management
• Focuses heavily on product development teams, which limits its usefulness for teams in other industries

Notion Pricing

• Plus: $10/user/month, billed annually
• Business: $15/user/month, billed annually

Notion Reviews

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

Highlighted User Review

• “Notion AI Writing Assistant is really a game changer.” Mariano C – from G2
• “I always recommend it to friends and acquaintances because of its ease of use and the freedom to have information in a simple and clear way.” Victoria S – from G2

3. Monday.com

Monday is a work management software that can work as an alternative to Airtable because there’s some overlap in their feature sets. For example, both of them include Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists and calendars so they can replace each other as a task or team management tool. Another area Airtable and Monday have in common is they both work for managing product planning, marketing and sales teams workflows. Further still, Monday offers some of the advanced customization that Airtable touts. Recent updates have pushed Monday’s AI capabilities significantly forward with monday magic, which builds automation workflows from plain-language prompts, and monday agents, AI-powered assistants that handle tasks like scheduling, emails and calls. The new monday vibe feature also lets teams build custom, no-code apps directly on the platform.

In general terms, Monday.com is an Airtable alternative that’s ideal for busy teams that need a simple-to-use tool for managing their tasks and schedules. But while it’s a good task management tool, its main disadvantage is its lack of project management tools. It lacks features in critical areas such as risk monitoring, cost estimating, resource tracking or project budgeting tools.

Monday.com Pros

• Best Airtable alternative for basic task management tools
• Good for users that don’t need a very wide variety of project management tools but rather appreciates a more simple software
• Friendly user interface and basic task management features
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Monday.com Cons

• Timeline view looks similar to a Gantt chart but lacks features like dependency tracking or critical path analysis
• Some of its features are hard to set up and use
• Limited team collaboration features
• Pricing requires a minimum of 3 seats on all paid plans

Monday.com Pricing

• Basic: $9/user/month, billed annually
• Standard: $12/user/month, billed annually
• Pro: $19/user/month, billed annually
• 3-seat minimum

Monday.com Reviews

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

Highlighted User Review

• “I truly recommend using Monday to small to medium scale enterprises because of its ease of use.” Vikas G – from G2
• “Monday CRM has been an amazing addition to our work processes.” Aimee O – from G2

4. ClickUp

ClickUp is a cloud-based project management tool that streamlines projects and workflows, organizes tasks, tracks changes and helps to manage teams. You can use it to create schedules, organize calendars, manage capacity and track time spent on tasks. There are also collaboration tools that connect teams and reporting features that can customize reports and securely share that information. In December 2025, ClickUp launched version 4.0 — the most significant redesign in the platform’s history — featuring a completely rebuilt navigation system, a redesigned workload view, upgraded Chat that rivals Slack for team communication and approximately 40% faster load times. ClickUp also introduced Super Agents, AI-powered teammates that work directly inside your workspace alongside your team.

All those features are great, but not when they’re designed in such a way that the overall software becomes too complex — a major complaint from users even after the 4.0 redesign. Even the automation features, which should streamline processes, are reportedly difficult to use. The fact that you can configure everything is like having an unlimited choice that can be paralyzing, especially when you’re setting up the tool for the first time. A lot of users who have tried this Airtable alternative have complained about the steep learning curve, so you might want to try different software altogether.

ClickUp Pros

• Best Airtable alternative for team collaboration tools
• More flexible feature set than Airtable makes it a good fit for most types of teams
• Helps team members collaborate in real time with features such as whiteboards or document processing
• Mobile project planning for Android and iOS
• Free plan

ClickUp Cons

• Most users are overwhelmed by its wide feature set, especially when first learning to use the software
• Many of its features don’t overlap with Airtable’s feature set
• Software user interface can get cluttered as users work on their projects
• ClickUp Brain AI add-on costs an additional $9/user/month

ClickUp Pricing

• Unlimited: $7/user/month, billed annually
• Business: $12/user/month, billed annually
• Business Plus: $19/user/month, billed annually

ClickUp Reviews

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

Highlighted User Review

• “The extra features like multiple views (Kanban, calendar, Gantt chart) are super useful—it makes organizing and tracking work much easier.” Ady P – from G2
• “ClickUp is designed to help you visualize your information in several different ways.” Rehab M – from G2

5. Nifty

Nifty is project management software for large-scale projects that employ multiple teams. It helps you organize the tasks in your project, track their time and manage your teams all within one tool. The time tracking feature includes monitoring how long teams are taking to complete their tasks, which is a helpful addition. This software is also included on our Airtable alternatives list due to collaborative tools and unlimited guest and client use. Recent updates have expanded Nifty’s AI capabilities considerably: Nifty Orbit AI and the new AI-powered planning tools let teams use natural language prompts to create tasks, identify blockers and adjust timelines based on workload, while custom dashboards can now be built with live and historical data for KPI visualization.

Nifty is still a relatively young product in comparison to some others on this list, and with that comes the occasional glitch, especially when integrating with third-party apps. Other issues include recurring tasks, project templates and task management. Some users have complained about the calendar being cluttered and the mobile app loading slowly. There are no online tutorials or any sort of user manual to help train new users, which can be an obstacle for some when choosing an Airtable alternative.

Nifty Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for creating roadmaps
• Team collaboration and communication tool for sharing messages and files
• Multiple task management tools including Gantt charts, kanban boards and task lists
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Nifty Cons & Limitations

• Offers more project management tools than Airtable but still doesn’t have enough features for helping with all the phases of the project life cycle
• Limited project tracking and reporting tools
• Lacks features for tracking resource capacity, utilization and availability

Nifty Pricing

• Starter: $7/user/month, billed annually
• Pro: $10/user/month, billed annually
• Business: $16/user/month, billed annually

Nifty Reviews

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

Highlighted User Review

• “It’s intuitive, so no need to get a whole training to be able to use it.” Yelmaly R – from G2
• “One of the best things about Nifty is that it combines all of the essential project management features into one software.” Osheen J – from G2

6. Coda

Coda is one of the closest comparisons to Airtable you’ll find on this list. Like Airtable, Coda blends documents and databases into one flexible workspace, letting your team build everything from project trackers and content calendars to product roadmaps — all without switching tools. What sets it apart is how deeply it connects those elements. Tables can trigger automations, buttons can push data to other apps and everything lives in a single shared doc your whole team can work in together in real time. With 450+ pre-built Packs, Coda integrates directly with Salesforce, Jira, Google Calendar, Slack and more, making it a strong fit for operations, marketing and product teams who want Airtable’s flexibility with better document capabilities.

That said, Coda isn’t a traditional project management tool. If your team needs robust resource management, timesheet tracking or a fully featured Gantt chart with critical path analysis, you’ll quickly run into its limits. The pricing model, which charges per “Doc Maker” rather than per user, can also feel confusing at first — viewers and commenters are free, but editors carry a cost that adds up for larger, more collaborative teams. Still, for teams that love Airtable’s flexibility but want something more document-friendly, Coda is worth a serious look.

Coda Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for flexible docs and database-style project tracking
• Combines spreadsheets, documents and automations in one collaborative workspace
• 450+ integrations via Packs, including Salesforce, Jira and Slack
• Multiple views including kanban boards, calendars and tables
• Free plan available
• Mobile app for Android and iOS

Coda Cons & Limitations

• Not designed for traditional project management — lacks resource management and timesheet tools
• Steep learning curve to get the most out of its flexibility
• Pricing is based on Doc Makers (editors), which can get expensive for teams with many active contributors
• Less intuitive for non-technical users than some other Airtable alternatives

Coda Pricing

• Free plan available
• Pro: $12/Doc Maker/month
• Team: $36/Doc Maker/month
• Enterprise: contact sales for a custom quote

Coda Reviews

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

Highlighted User Review

• “Coda lets us build exactly what we need — from project trackers to wikis — all in one place without needing a developer.” – from G2
• “The flexibility is unmatched. We replaced five different tools with one Coda doc and haven’t looked back.” – from G2

7. Trello

Trello is another Airtable alternative that has particularly strong kanban boards among the other project management features you might want. The visual workflow of a kanban board is easy to understand and use. It’s also great for agile project management. With Trello, there’s some automation and you can use third-party customization to get more usability out of the app. In May 2025, Atlassian launched a significantly redesigned Trello featuring a new Inbox to capture to-dos from Slack and Microsoft Teams, a Planner that syncs with your Google or Microsoft calendar so you can block focus time, Mirror cards to sync tasks across multiple boards and an AI-powered Quick Capture that turns forwarded emails and messages into cards automatically.

Even with these updates, putting all of your eggs in one basket can be problematic. Kanban boards are great for what they do, but if you’re working on bigger, more complex projects with lots of tasks you’re going to get frustrated. There’s also no Gantt chart or way to link task dependencies and filter for the critical path, all essential for project scheduling. The bottom line is it’s not a fully-featured project management tool with tracking and reporting. Even if you’re working in an agile environment you’ll be disappointed in its lack of roadmaps and inability to review iterations.

Trello Pros

• Best Airtable alternative for users who like to manage work with kanban boards
• The software features can be expanded through paid third-party add ons
• Can be used by agile and scrum teams
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free plan
• Free trial

Trello Cons

• Limited variety of project management tools to visualize project tasks, only kanban boards and calendars available
• You’ll likely need to acquire power-ups, integrations that add features to the software at an extra cost.
• Doesn’t have Gantt charts, which are present in most Airtable alternatives in this list

Trello Pricing

• Standard: $5 user/month
• Premium: $10 user/month
• Enterprise: $17.50 user/month

Trello Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Review

• “I loved the fact that it is so easy to use, so easy that my non-tech-savvy employees were able to use it and I didn’t have to go behind them fixing mistakes.” Michelle N – from G2
• “Trello’s visual simplicity and flexibility are what I like best.” Cagri M – from G2

8. Asana

Asana is a popular project management software, which might be due to aggressive marketing or ease of use. Either way, there are practical reasons why so many people seem to like it. It’s easy to use, which is always a plus, and there are many integrations to expand the scope of the tool. People love the collaborative features that allow you to invite others to the digital workspace, comment and more. The collaboration and task management feature earned Asana a place on our list of Airtable alternatives. The Fall 2025 release added AI Teammates — AI-powered collaborators that work alongside your team in beta — along with comprehensive timesheets and budgeting tools and a new strategy map that visualizes how every project connects to company-wide goals.

What might detract from the experience is the lack of native time-tracking features as it’s a major fault in Asana’s task management tools — though the Fall 2025 update made progress here with new timesheets. Newcomers to project management will still have to get some experience under their belts before they can really take advantage of the software. Task management is another essential part of any project management software, but Asana’s task management capabilities are not where they should be. Perhaps our main gripe with Asana is that you can only assign one user to a task at any given time. These are only a few reasons why the tool falls to this spot on our Airtable alternatives.

Asana Pros

• Best Airtable alternative for managing simple workflows
• Task management tools are a good fit for managing simple business operations and projects
• Dynamic task management reporting features
• Free trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

Asana Cons

• Gantt charts are limited, they lack the functionality that’s needed to track resource and costs at the task level
• Limited project management feature set, it’s better suited for basic task management
• The user interface of certain tools is confusing, such as workload management graphs which aren’t ideal for displaying workload utilization data.

Asana Pricing

• Starter plan: $10.99/user/month, billed annually
• Advanced plan: $24.99/user/month, billed annually

Asana Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Review

• “I can create tasks, set their dates, routines, collaborate with my teammates, see their tasks, private my tasks, and so much more.” Shivam K – from G2
• “The dashboard view is the main benefit; it helped me organize the work into stages and gave me a clear picture of how far along the team was.” Carrie C – from G2

9. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is an Airtable alternative that also takes its lead from Excel. The tool looks like a spreadsheet but with more flexibility. It aims to boost your team’s productivity and lives up to that promise with an easy-to-use UI, whether making plans or streamlining workflows. There are other tools that the software offers including a card, calendar and Gantt view, which promise a more complete project management experience. Smartsheet’s 2025 Intelligent Work Management suite added Smart Assist (an AI companion that creates workspaces and projects from simple text outlines), Smart Flows (AI-built multi-step automations from plain language) and a Smart Agent for Project Management that monitors progress, flags risks proactively and can connect to tools like Claude for real-time data queries.

However, that experience is tarnished when you try to use those features. This is especially true for the Gantt chart as it isn’t fully functional. Those who need an Airtable alternative that delivers real project management tools will be disappointed. There’s a lack of time tracking, a hole that can be filled with third-party apps, but why would you want to add costs to an already pricy tool just to get features that are available on other Airtable alternatives we review on this list?

Smartsheet Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for project templates and spreadsheets
• Ideal for teams that are migrating from spreadsheets to project management software
• Workflow management features
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Smartsheet Cons & Limitations

• Some of its tools can be hard to setup and use, for example the spreadsheets require formulas
• Project dashboards have an outdated look and feel compared to most Airtable alternatives
• Generic spreadsheet-based tools are hard to adapt to the specific needs of your project

Smartsheet Pricing

• Pro: $9 per user/month, billed annually
• Business: $32 per user/month (minimum of 3 users), billed annually

Smartsheet Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.5 / 5

Highlighted User Review

• “What I like best about Smartsheet is its user-friendly interface and extensive range of features.” Nitish K – from G2
• “It is simple to use, it has various methods of automations that serve the purposes of our process.” Jazmin C – from G2

10. Teamwork

Teamwork is a project management platform built for teams that manage client-facing work. Where most tools on this list focus on internal workflows, Teamwork goes a step further with built-in client portals, time tracking and billing features that make it especially popular with agencies, consultancies and professional services firms. You get Gantt charts, task lists, kanban boards and resource management all in one place, and the client portal lets external stakeholders review progress without needing a full user license. It’s a strong Airtable alternative for any team that needs a professional way to present work to clients without paying for a separate tool.

The trade-off is complexity. Teams that just need a straightforward task manager will find Teamwork’s feature set more than they bargained for, and the learning curve reflects that. The Scale plan — which unlocks the most powerful resource and portfolio management tools — is significantly more expensive than comparable plans from other Airtable alternatives. For small teams with simple internal projects, that investment may be hard to justify. But for agencies juggling multiple client engagements, Teamwork is one of the more capable tools on this list.

Teamwork Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for agencies and client project management
• Built-in time tracking, invoicing and client portal features
• Gantt charts, task lists, kanban boards and resource management in one platform
• Clients and external stakeholders can access projects without a full user license
• Free plan available
• Mobile app for Android and iOS

Teamwork Cons & Limitations

• More feature-heavy than most teams need, which creates a steeper learning curve
• Scale plan required for advanced resource management and portfolio tools, at a significantly higher price
• Interface can feel dated compared to newer Airtable alternatives
• Performance can lag on larger projects with many tasks and dependencies

Teamwork Pricing

• Free plan available
• Deliver: $10.99/user/month, billed annually
• Grow: $19.99/user/month, billed annually
• Scale: $54.99/user/month, billed annually

Teamwork Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Review

• “Teamwork has a wide range of features including workflow management, time tracking, and project management in one central repository.” – from G2
• “Customer support is consistently strong, responsive and thoughtful, with the product team listening to users and reflecting feedback in ongoing improvements.” – from G2

11. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is another strong contender in our Airtable alternatives list. It’s project management software that lets you plan projects, including subtasks, and has great communication features such as forums, activity streams and chat. The tool has timesheets and resource utilization charts to help with productivity. Another nice feature is that teammates can share files and other information that’s accessible by the whole team whenever they need it. Recent updates renamed Milestones to Phases and added more powerful controls, including bulk ownership changes and scheduled exports. Zoho Projects also now supports tracking both cost budgets and budgeted hours simultaneously across all project modules — a useful improvement for teams managing project finances closely.

But there’s a reason it lands near the bottom of our Airtable alternatives. One glaring problem is search as there are no global search features. Although you can search for tasks in a project, if you’re working on more than one project and want to find a task across several projects, that’s not going to work on this app. Another big problem is the dashboard. Clients are going to want access to this high-level view, but you can’t add dashboards alphabetically, which makes it harder to find one specific one if there’s a list of many. All of this is problematic enough, but the main issue is that the tool isn’t easy to use. For those considering Zoho Projects, this might be a dealbreaker.

Zoho Projects Pros & Key Features

• The best low cost and free Airtable alternative
• Affordable solution that allows you to get Airtable’s key features such as Gantt charts, task lists and more
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial
• Free plan

Zoho Projects Cons & Limitations

• Its Gantt charts, kanban boards and other project management tools are limited compared to other Airtable alternatives in this list
• Lack of cost planning and resource tracking features
• Software can be hard to use and setup

Zoho Projects Pricing

• Premium: $4/user/month, billed annually
• Enterprise: $9/user/month, billed annually

Zoho Projects Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Review

• “We particularly appreciate the user-friendly interface, visually appealing layout, and comprehensive reporting capabilities.” Stephen C – from G2
• “An intuitive project management tool for small teams.” Roberto Alfonso C – from G2

12. Jira

Jira is a well-known project management software that specializes in creating tools for product planning, software development or agile project management. It has project management features that can be compared with Airtable such as kanban boards, task lists and project calendars. These tools are especially good for planning agile sprints and reporting on their performance. Atlassian has been rolling out significant changes in 2025 and 2026, including a full UI overhaul across Jira Cloud and the introduction of Rovo — a unified AI solution that connects data across Jira, Confluence and third-party apps using natural language search that Atlassian says is 78% more accurate than legacy search. Note that as of September 2025, “Projects” in Jira Cloud were renamed to “Spaces.”

Jira has focused its efforts into becoming the go-to tool for managing agile software development projects, which is a double-edged sword because that also means its set of tools is not the right fit for teams in other industries. However, at an additional cost, the software offers a wide variety of integrations that help you overcome some of its project management limitations.

Jira Pros

• Best free Airtable alternative for software development teams
• Good for users that work in agile sprints
• Solid kanban board functionality
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial
• Free plan

Jira Cons

• There are no Gantt charts, only a timeline view which is a lightweight version of a Gantt chart software tool
• Lack of versatility, only works for teams working with agile, scrum or kanban project management methodologies
• Limited project management feature set

Jira Pricing

• Standard: $9.05/user/month, billed annually
• Premium: $18.30/user/month, billed annually

Jira Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

Highlighted User Review

• “We use the Jira tool to manage our sprint board as we work on Agile.” Alekhya K – from G2
• “Strong integrations further facilitate collaboration and automation of tasks.” Juan M – from G2

13. Wrike

Wrike is a project management Airtable alternative with strong task management and team collaboration features. It offers Gantt charts for scheduling and users have responded positively to the many integrations that work with the software. There are also dashboards and reports, which are essential features when monitoring and tracking your project’s performance and progress. Workflow automation is another plus that makes this tool attractive to many. Wrike has made notable strides recently with a redesigned Gantt chart that delivers faster performance, a new Whiteboard feature powered by Klaxoon for real-time brainstorming and an Agent Builder that lets teams create custom AI automations. The platform also restructured its pricing in January 2026, retiring the old Professional and Enterprise plans and introducing a new Team plan at $10/user/month and a new Apex tier for large organizations.

What users might not find as attractive is how complicated Wrike can be to use. The learning curve is steep for both professionals and newbies. It’ll take a while for most to get comfortable with the tool, which takes time away from the project. That includes the onboarding process to the tool as users must be added manually. If you’re working with a large team, that’s going to cost you a significant amount of time. If you’re looking to analyze data, you’ll be disappointed in the lack of filtering options. There’s no proper task prioritization, either. While Wrike is one of the more robust of the Airtable alternatives we reviewed, these shortcomings are unattractive to many potential users.

Wrike Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for work management
• Simple task management tools
• Dashboard and project reporting features
• Free trial
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS

Wrike Cons & Limitations

• Gantt chart lacks features project managers need to plan, schedule and track their projects
• Limited resource management feature set
• Some aspects of the interface can be improved to improve the user experience

Wrike Pricing

• Team plan: $10/user/month, billed annually
• Business plan: $25/user/month, billed annually

Wrike Reviews

• G2 review: 4.2 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.4 / 5

Highlighted User Review

• “Wrike has become essential in my day and keeps me organized and on top of my tasks.” Paige T – from G2
• “Productivity has been enhanced by removing essential but repetitive chores.” Denise S – from G2

14. Basecamp

Basecamp is another online Airtable alternative that focuses on collaboration, tracking tasks, deadlines, files and discussions. It’s more of a collaboration app than a project management app, though it could be used to manage some projects. Think of it as a virtual hub for your team, which is especially helpful for those organizations that are working with distributed teams. It’s easy to use and flexible with enough integrations to help close the gaps in the software. A 2025 update introduced Hilltop View, which lets you see every Hill Chart across your entire account on one screen — a handy addition for teams managing multiple projects simultaneously.

Those gaps are substantial if you’re more in the market for a project management Airtable alternative. The biggest gap in managing a project on Basecamp is the lack of Gantt charts. For some, it’s impossible to even consider managing a project without one. It also has no features that help you monitor and track the details of a project to make sure everything is coming together according to the schedule. In reality, this is a good communication tool. However, if you’re looking to manage a project, you’ll have to use it as a piece of a larger collection of other apps.

Basecamp Pros & Key Features

• Best Airtable alternative for managing everyday tasks
• It’s designed to help teams manage their workflows and stay on top of their task due dates
• Easy-to-use task management tools that work well together such as task lists and kanban boards
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Basecamp Cons & Limitations

• Limited project management feature set compared to other Airtable alternatives
• Doesn’t have Gantt charts, which are important feature to look for when choosing an alternative to Airtable
• Lack of resource planning and project cost tracking features

Basecamp Pricing

• Basecamp: $15/user/month
• Pro Unlimited: $299/month (billed annually), unlimited users

Basecamp Reviews

• G2 review: 4.1/5
• Capterra review: 4.3/5

Highlighted User Review

• “As a company, it allows us to flawlessly track all of our conversations, planning, tasks, and project progress.” Özgür K – from G2
• “The interface transforms complex functionalities into an intuitive experience for all users.” Tom G – from G2

Related Content

If you’re looking for an Airtable alternative, then we’ve given you a bunch of choices. Choose the right one for you. But there are many project management tools on the market, maybe you’re looking for a different alternative. We’ve done a lot of these alternative roundups and below are three to check out if you’re still looking for the best software tool to help you work more effectively.

• Best Project Management Software
• Best Microsoft Project Alternatives
• Best Smartsheet Alternatives
• Best Asana Alternatives

It’s clear that ProjectManager is the best Airtable alternative for 2026. Chock full of all the project management features you need, with more coming soon, you can plan, monitor and report on your work all in real time. Get the collaboration tools you need to connect, task management features to streamline work and resource management tools to keep everyone working at capacity. Join the teams at NASA, Siemens and Nestle who use our tool to deliver success. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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Depending on the project management tools that you use, you could end up with files of various types-and this can cause compatibility issues. One example of this is an MPP file.

Unfortunately, since MPP files were not designed to be shared outside of Microsoft Project, the project management software that they are created in, trying to open an MPP file extension can cause confusion and delay. Read on to see how MPP files are created, and how to open this file extension to access important project data.

What Is an MPP File?

A MPP file is a file format that is exclusive to Microsoft Project. Each MPP file contains comprehensive information about a project, including the project plan, schedule, timeline, budget, deliverables and more. In essence, it is a blueprint of the entire project, and exporting it lets you pass along information about the project to your stakeholders.

The difference between sharing an MPP file extension versus sharing a different type of file format is that MPP files can only be opened by someone who also has a Microsoft Project license. This bars many individuals from opening the file shared with them.

A common example of this issue is when MPP files are shared with Mac users. Because Microsoft Project cannot be used on a Mac, there is no way to open an MPP file extension and view information or make changes. This issue directly impacts workflow and slows projects down. Even if the entire team is using Microsoft Project, odds are someone they are sharing the project data with will not be. There are countless project management tools, but MPP files lock you into using only Microsoft Project.

Fortunately, ProjectManager is a Microsoft Project alternative with a powerful import feature that lets you access existing data in your MPP files. Plus, it’s compatible with every operating system!

Types of MPP Files

Each release introduced new capabilities, which affected how data is stored in the MPP format:

• Project 98 MPP File: earliest format, not compatible with later releases.
• Project 2000-2003 MPP File: improved structure, but still limited cross-version compatibility.
• Project 2007 MPP File: added new fields and scheduling enhancements.
• Project 2010 MPP File: introduced manual vs. automatic scheduling options.
• Project 2013 MPP File: expanded reporting and data visualization capabilities.
• Project 2016 MPP File: included Agile fields and resource engagement.
• Project 2019/2021 MPP File: established the modern format still in use today, can be opened with the Microsoft Project Standard 2024 & Microsoft Project Professional 2024 editions.

Newer versions of Microsoft Project can open and convert older MPPs, but older versions generally cannot open newer ones. Unfortunately, the latest versions of Microsoft Project, Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 are very expensive, they’re sold as a one-time purchase at $679.99 and $1,129.99 respectively. If you’re looking for a cost-effective solution to view, edit and export MPP files in CSV, Excel and PDF, try ProjectManager instead.

How to Open an MPP File with ProjectManager

To get started on opening your MPP file with ProjectManager, you first need to start a 30-day free trial. Not only can you access any file with the MPP extension, it also converts that data and allows you to start managing your project immediately. Additionally, when you export your project again from ProjectManager, the resulting file is universally compatible and can be opened by anyone.

This means that even if a project originated in Microsoft Project, it can now be worked on by team members without a Microsoft license, stakeholders working from a Mac computer and anyone else. And, the best part is, it’s free for 30 days. Follow these six steps to import your MPP file extension!

1. Begin Import of Your MPP File

Select the ProjectManager Gantt view, and click the import option on the menu bar. This will import your file into our online Gantt chart view.

2. Choose an MPP File to Upload

A popup window will appear. Follow the instructions to choose which MPP file you would like to import. Begin the import by selecting `Next”.

3. Set your Import Preferences

You will now see your import listed as `selected file’. Below this, check whether you would like to import as a new project or as part of an existing project. If you select `existing project’, you will then be asked to choose to either update or replace existing data.

4. Choose to Import the Entire Project or Just the Task List

Next, check whether you would like to import all MPP data or just the task list. If you choose all data, your import will allow you to view and edit your file just like you would in Microsoft Project.

5. Close Out of the Pop-Up Window

The popup window should now read `Success!’. From here, close the popup window and begin working on your project.

6. Start Using Your MPP File in ProjectManager

Now that you have completed the import process, you can edit your project online, see the data in multiple views, share the data with stakeholders and more.

Congratulations! You’ve imported your MPP file with only a few clicks and without relying on conversion tools. Now, enjoy working on your project from one central location, and export files so that project data can be shared with anyone.

More About Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is one of the oldest project management software options around and is a part of the Microsoft 365 suite. It allows users to manage every aspect of their project, with an array of views and features, including Gantt charts, timelines, resource management tools and more.

All that in mind, Microsoft Project is a highly technical project management solution, making it notoriously difficult for new users to get the hang of. It is especially challenging for users who are not familiar with other Microsoft apps or the Microsoft interface. This learning curve can stall projects.

Additionally, unlike many other Microsoft tools — Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc. — the Microsoft Project desktop application can only be run from a Windows operating system. This means Mac OS users have no way to directly use the tool. It also means anyone working on a Mac or any other non-Windows OS cannot open MPP file extensions.

More Ways to Open an MPP file

If you’re opening an MPP file from the same version of Microsoft Project, the process is fairly simple. But, opening an MPP file from an outside application is far more complicated and may require several extra steps.

How to Open an MPP File with Different Versions of Microsoft Project

If you still want to use Microsoft Project to open your MPP file, it’s important to know that while some versions of Microsoft Project are compatible, there are just as many incompatible combinations. This means stakeholders working on different versions of Microsoft Project may have just as much difficulty opening MPP file extensions as they would on different PM software.

Below is a list of different versions of Microsoft Project, from Microsoft Project 98 onward. The issue lies in that not all of these versions can open files from the others. So, for example, there is no way to open a MPP file extension from Microsoft Project 98 using MS 2013 and vice versa. Here are the limitations of each version:

• MS Project 98 can open Project 4.x and Project 98 files.
• MS Project 2000 can open Project 98 and Project 2000 files.
• MS Project 2002 can open Project 98, Project 2000, and Project 2002 files.
• MS Project 2003 can open Project 98, 2000, 2002, and 2003 files.
• MS Project 2007 can open Project 98, 2000-2003, and 2007 files.
• MS Project 2010 can open Project 98, 2000-2003, 2007, and 2010 files.
• MS Project 2013 can open Project 2000-2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013 files.
• MS Project 2016 can open Project 2000-2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016 files.
• MS Project 2019 can open Project 2000-2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019 files.

As you can imagine, this becomes a major issue when stakeholders own different versions of Microsoft Project. Clients and investors, for example, may have difficulty accessing data sent over from a project team without workarounds or alternatives.

Why You Can’t Use Excel to Open an MPP File

When people run into issues opening MPP files, many hope they will be able to use Excel to troubleshoot as it is sometimes a better option to share project data via spreadsheet. Unfortunately, this is not a viable option for MPP files.

Excel cannot open MPP files without a conversion tool that will change the file extension from MPP to XLS. These conversion tools are out there, but they have their fair share of drawbacks. For one, they add an extra step in the process of access project data. Something that should be simple is now a multi-step process.

Conversion programs can also put your data at risk. Anytime file extensions are being converted from one type to another, there is the chance of the data being altered, lost or more nefariously, stolen!

Can Microsoft Planner Open MPP Files?

With Microsoft positioning Planner as the future of its project management platform, many people wonder whether Planner can pick up where Project left off with MPP files. Unfortunately, it cannot — at least not natively.

Microsoft’s transition to Planner was designed for users of Project for the web, whose plans were automatically carried over. But MPP files — the format generated by the Project desktop app — are a different story. Planner has no built-in option to open, import or export MPP files from its main interface.

There is a workaround. Organizations with the right Microsoft 365 licensing can access a version of Planner through the Power Apps environment that includes an Import option, which can bring tasks, dependencies and dates from an MPP file into a Planner Premium plan. It is not a simple upload — it requires navigating to your organization’s Power Apps portal and can take several minutes for larger files. Third-party tools like may offer a simpler browser-based route to move MPP data into Planner without going through Power Apps.

Even with these workarounds, there are real limitations. You can bring data into Planner from an MPP file, but you cannot export back to MPP format from Planner. So if your clients or stakeholders need to receive an MPP file, Planner cannot produce one. For teams that regularly work with MPP files, a dedicated Microsoft Project alternative like ProjectManager is still the most straightforward solution — it imports MPP files directly and works on any operating system.

What About a Microsoft Project Viewer for opening MPP Files?

In order to open an MPP file from a non MS application or a Mac computer, many people choose to use a Microsoft Project Viewer. These `viewers’ give you the ability to open the MPP file extension by downloading the file in a different format, often a pdf.

But even when the MPP file has been opened, you will not be able to make changes to the data, leave comments, collaborate, etc. As the name implies, you will strictly be able to view the project. The good news is, ProjectManager is the solution that will unlock any MPP file without Microsoft Project and allow you to work on projects with ease.

ProjectManager Can Do What Microsoft Project Can’t

ProjectManager gives users access to a suite of features and tools that make sharing, editing and collaborating on projects simple, not more complicated. Plan and schedule the details of your projects with your team on our Gantt charts, where you can lay out your project from start to finish. The best part is, no matter what operating system your team is working on, everyone has access-all you need is an internet connection.

Once your project begins, we give you access to a real-time dashboard that tracks all the important project metrics in a single display. The charts and graphs are automatically updated as your team updates the status of the project’s tasks.

We also have powerful built-in reporting features that can negate the need to pass around potentially incompatible file types. Just select the different options that you want to generate your report, and send off your reports with the peace of mind that they’ll reach their intended audience with no hassle.

ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management solution compatible with MPP files from all versions of Microsoft Project. Work with team members and other stakeholders from anywhere whether they’re Mac or Windows users. Flexible import options mean that file format won’t get in the way. Import, edit and share all of your projects with only a few clicks, no matter the original file extension. Start your free trial of ProjectManager today, and see why we’re trusted by NASA, Volvo and thousands of other organizations to manage their projects.

Microsoft Project Online Is Retiring: What It Means for Your MPP Files

If your organization uses Microsoft Project Online to store and collaborate on project files in the cloud, there is an important deadline you need to plan around. Microsoft has officially announced that Project Online will be retired on September 30, 2026.

This follows Microsoft’s retirement of Project for the web in August 2025, which was folded into Microsoft Planner. Together, these changes mean Microsoft’s cloud-based project management is consolidating entirely under Planner — and the infrastructure that allowed teams to sync, share and collaborate on MPP files in the cloud is going away.

Here are the key dates to know:

• October 1, 2025: Microsoft stopped selling new Project Online licenses to new customers.
• April 1, 2026: No new Project Online tenants can be created.
• September 30, 2026: Project Online is fully retired. After this date, project data stored in Project Online will be inaccessible.

If your team stores MPP files through Project Online, you need to export and back up that data before the retirement deadline. Microsoft recommends migrating to Planner Premium (available with Planner and Project Plan 3 or Plan 5) — though as you will see in the next section, that migration does not preserve the MPP format itself.

The one piece of good news here is that the Microsoft Project desktop application — Project Standard and Project Professional — is not affected by any of these retirements. The desktop app continues to work, and MPP files created in it remain fully functional. The retirement only affects the cloud and online subscription services.

MPP File Format FAQ

Internet users have many questions about Microsoft Project Files (MPP Files), here are some of them.

What Microsoft products can open MPP files?

MPP files are the native format of Microsoft Project and can be opened in the Microsoft Project Standard and Project Professional desktop editions. Project Server also works with MPPs when projects are checked in or out. Other Microsoft apps — including Planner and Excel — cannot open MPP files directly. Note that Microsoft Project Online, which previously allowed cloud-based access to MPP-based projects, is being retired on September 30, 2026.

Can I open MPP files without Microsoft Project?

Yes, but you’ll still need to purchase a Microsoft Project alternative like ProjectManager, which lets you open and edit MPP files and export them in a variety of formats such as CSV, Excel and PDF.

Can I open MPP files with Microsoft Planner?

Not directly. Microsoft Planner does not have a native MPP import feature in its main interface. There is an indirect route through the Power Apps environment that can transfer MPP data into a Planner Premium plan, and third-party tools like ProjectData.io’s EZ Import offer a browser-based workaround. However, neither option supports exporting back to MPP format — Planner is a one-way destination. If you need to create, edit and share MPP files on an ongoing basis, you will need the Project desktop app or a compatible alternative like ProjectManager.

What’s the difference between MPP and MPT files in Microsoft Project?

An MPP file is a working project file containing tasks, resources, schedules, and assignments. An MPT file is a template format that stores predefined project structures, calendars, and settings but no live project data. You use an MPT file to create consistent new projects, while MPP files track actual, ongoing work.

Can I convert an MPP file to Excel, PDF, or another format?

Yes. In Microsoft Project or ProjectManager, you can export project data to Excel for further analysis or save as PDF for easy sharing. ProjectManager also allows MPP conversion into formats like Excel, CSV or PDF. While exports maintain core data, complex scheduling or formatting details may not fully transfer.

Related Content

• Microsoft Project: Plans, Training and How to Download
• Top Microsoft Project Management Software
• Best Microsoft Project Alternatives
• Best Microsoft Planner Alternatives
• What Is Microsoft Project? Uses, Features and Pricing
• Microsoft Project Online: Pros, Cons and Free Alternatives
• Microsoft Project Viewer – How to View & Edit MPP Files Online
• MPP File Extension: What Is It & How to Open It
• Microsoft Project for Mac: How to Run MS Project Files on Your Mac
• Archivo MPP: Qu Es y C mo Editar Un Archivo en Formato MPP?
• Extension de fichier MPP : qu’est-ce que c’est et comment l’ouvrir
• MPP-Datei: Was ist das und wie ffnet man sie
• Extensao de arquivo MPP: o que e como abrir

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It’s true that ClickUp offers many features including a Gantt chart in addition to a dashboard, list and calendar view. Its customizable features make it a good fit for agile project management, and it’s well-suited for distributed teams who are not working side-by-side in an office. Despite its upsides, there are holes in ClickUp’s offerings that leave many users seeking a ClickUp alternative.

Why People Seek a ClickUp Alternative

Does ClickUp really live up to its tagline of being “the one app to replace them all?” In reality, it doesn’t, especially when it comes to its project management software functionality. While there are many features, they’re not as robust as most users prefer.

• Underwhelming project planning features: ClickUp project planning features are basic and focus mostly on task management and collaboration. However, project planning involves more than just assigning tasks to your team members and collaborating with them. We’ll explore ClickUp alternatives that offer more robust resource, cost, and budget management features.
• Steep learning curve: One of the main drawbacks of ClickUp is its cluttered interface and complicated set up process which makes the software hard to use, unlike some of the ClickUp alternatives in this list which offer a better user experience.
• No free trial: Without a free trial, users aren’t able to see what ClickUp is like without committing. Although there is a free version, it has limited features. Most ClickUp alternatives we picked let users try a fully featured version of their software.
• Non project management related features: Some ClickUp tools aren’t really designed for project management, but rather for team productivity such as text editing tools, form makers, or whiteboards. While they might be helpful, there are other ClickUp alternatives that are better suited for project management.

2026 Best ClickUp Alternatives Software Rankings

In this blog, we’ll focus on the best Clickup alternatives for project management to help you find the best option for you and your team.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is work and project management software known for its ease of use, multiple project views and collaborative features. Like ClickUp, it’s a feature-rich tool with a clean design with no learning curve. It provides the collaboration features of Clickup, with in-depth project and task management features for keeping your projects and programs on track. There’s dedicated customer service and an online knowledge base if there are any questions, and unlike Clickup, it offers a free 30-day trial.

Plan and Execute Projects Across Multiple Views

ProjectManager is a ClickUp alternative that allows teams to create plans on traditional Gantt charts or the sheet view (like a Gantt but without the visual timeline) in addition to the list or calendar view. Cross-functional teams and managers get transparency into processes through the visual workflow of the kanban board. Managers can allocate resources to avoid bottlenecks and manage backlogs with real-time collaborative tools such as task lists where they can comment and share files.

Keep Track of Projects in Real Time with Dashboards and Reports

Another reason to use this ClickUp alternative is real-time data access that connects teams and helps managers make insightful decisions. Unlike other ClickUp alternatives that require manual data compilation, ProjectManager has a live dashboard that automatically calculates and displays live data in six project metrics. It’s clear that ProjectManager prioritizes data and ease of use for its customers.

Another area where ProjectManager stands out is its time-tracking features. For example, secure timesheets provide a real-time view of team progress. Teams can generate reports with one click and access detailed information on status, projects and portfolios, time, costs and more. In a few clicks, users can filter and share these reports with stakeholders. If you want to try this ClickUp alternative for yourself, get started today for free.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Project Management

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

• Offers a wide variety of project management tools
• Robust resource management features
• Cloud-based software with unlimited file storage
• Free trial 30-day trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

• Limited customization
• Few native integrations
• Lacks invoicing functionality, unlike some of the ClickUp alternatives in this list
• No free plan

ProjectManager Pricing

• Team: $15.00/user/month
• Business: $28.00/user/month
• Enterprise: contact sales for a custom quote

ProjectManager Reviews

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

2. Smartsheet

Smartsheet calls itself a workplace to manage projects and automate workflows. This combined with its ease of use makes it attractive to project managers. As its name suggests, the software uses spreadsheets as its springboard, though it also has calendar views and a timeline, the closest this tool gets to a Gantt chart. In 2024, Smartsheet was taken private in an $8.4 billion acquisition by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners and has since invested heavily in AI features including Smart Assist, Smart Flows and Smart Columns.

Related: Best Smartsheet Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

While the Gantt chart is a fundamental tool for managing projects, the Smartsheet version isn’t nearly as robust as the Gantt charts featured in other ClickUp alternatives. It can’t filter for the critical path, for example. Less powerful features combined with the lack of time tracking is going to sour the software to most potential users. Any time tracking and budgeting you want to do will have to be pieced together with additional software.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Project Spreadsheets and Templates

Smartsheet Pros & Key Features

• Ideal for transitioning from Excel or Google Sheets to project management software
• Workflow automation tools
• AI features including Smart Assist, Smart Flows and Smart Columns
• Free trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

Smartsheet Cons & Limitations

• Its project management tools are basic and lack the functionality needed for advanced users
• Users need to manually enter spreadsheet formulas to use its project views
• Limited resource planning tools
• Project dashboards and reports have an outdated user interface
• Free plan discontinued in 2025 — trial only

Smartsheet Pricing

• Pro plan: $9/user/month
• Business plan: $19/user/month

Smartsheet Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

3. Microsoft Project

You can’t complete a ranking of ClickUp alternatives without including Microsoft Project — now rebranded as Microsoft Planner. It’s a project and portfolio management platform that’s been around since 1984, allowing teams to manage one or multiple projects through either a cloud-based or on-premise solution. Microsoft Planner includes scheduling features with Gantt charts and board views for teams to visualize their workflow. Timesheets help to capture project and non-project time and they’re linked to payroll or invoicing. It also offers resource management features that predict bottlenecks and manage utilization. Note: Microsoft Project Online is being retired in September 2026, with Microsoft directing users to migrate to Planner Premium.

Related: Best Microsoft Project Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

Of course, Microsoft Project offers seamless integration with its Office suite and other tools, but there are many downsides that have MS Project users looking for alternatives. For example, if you or anyone on your team uses Apple products, you’ll need to find an alternative as it doesn’t work on Mac devices. Even if you’re all on PC, Microsoft Project is a clunky and uncollaborative platform. One problem with this ClickUp alternative is the expense. Microsoft Project is costly, and even more so as you add user licenses. If you’re working in a methodology other than waterfall, you’ll also find the tool frustrating and cumbersome, leading you to seek a different ClickUp alternative on this list.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Project Spreadsheets and Templates

Microsoft Project Pros & Key Features

• Best ClickUp alternative for managing complex projects
• Robust project management feature set
• Compatibility with Microsoft products
• Has both a desktop-based and online versions
• Copilot AI for natural language project creation and task management

Microsoft Project Cons & Limitations

• User interface is difficult to navigate for new users which is not ideal for team onboarding
• It’s a complex software that’s hard to use compared to most ClickUp alternatives
• Expensive monthly license
• Microsoft Project files can’t be viewed, shared or edited by users without a license
• No free plan
• No free trial

Microsoft Project Pricing

• Planner Plan 1: $10/user/month
• Planner and Project Plan 3: $30/user/month
• Planner and Project Plan 5: $55/user/month

Microsoft Project Reviews

• G2 review: 4.0/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

4. Wrike

Another ClickUp alternative is Wrike, a project management software with many frequently used features. It has planning tools, activity tracking and an activity dashboard for a high-level view of the project. There are special account types for marketing and creative teams as well as professional services teams. Wrike is a collaborative platform that has intelligent features that can provide insights as to when your project is in danger of failing.

Related: Best Wrike Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

That said, this is one of the more expensive ClickUp alternatives we’ve highlighted. It’s not easy to onboard new users, either. There are complaints about the software being slow, particularly when uploading or downloading files. The UI is confusing and navigating from task to task is clunky. Even something as important as task management is lacking in task prioritization features, which can make directing teams less efficient.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Third-party Integrations

Wrike Pros & Key Features

• Excels at everyday task and workflow management
• Ideal for team management across industries
• AI Agents for risk reporting, task triaging and intake (launched 2026)
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial
• Free plan

Wrike Project Cons & Limitations

• Gantt chart user interface is outdated compared to ClickUp
• There are no project management reports such as status or variance reports
• Few resource, cost and budget tracking features

Wrike Pricing

• Team plan: $10/user/month
• Business plan: $24.80/user/month
• Pinnacle: ~$50-65/user/month
• Apex: contact sales

Wrike Reviews

• G2 review: 4.2 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.4 / 5

5. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is a cloud-based project management software that works for both small and large projects. It provides task scheduling and budget creation in addition to helping users assign work to their team. This is one of the few ClickUp alternatives that offer automation for its document processes including revision tracking. Teams can share files and there are dashboard and reporting features with stakeholder presentations.

However, while Zoho Projects can be a popular choice, it’s not the best project management software. For one thing, the search functionality is clunky. When you’re in a project, you can only search for tasks within that project. Some of the features could be better, too. Take the dashboard, which doesn’t let users add clients’ contact information or list client names alphabetically. These downsides combined with the high learning curve mean you’re going to have to spend a good deal of time and effort just to know how to use the tool before managing a project.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Teams on a Budget

Zoho Projects Pros & Key Features

• Good fit for beginner project management software users
• Zia AI assistant with predictive delay detection and natural language search
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial
• Free plan

Zoho Projects Cons & Limitations

• Users interface and usability are lacking compared to most ClickUp alternatives
• Gantt charts don’t have cost tracking features
• Limited resource management tools for monitoring utilization and availability
• Hard to integrate with

Zoho Projects Pricing

• Premium: $4/user/month, billed annually
• Enterprise: $10/user/month, billed annually

Zoho Projects Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

6. Monday.com

A popular ClickUp alternative is Monday.com This project management software automates workflows and manages different projects. It’s also good at getting teams to collaborate and gives managers features to plan and track work. It mostly uses kanban boards, checklists for task management and integrations with other apps to pick up the slack, including Slack. There are multiple project views, including a timeline, which is not quite a Gantt, but it’s something.

Related: ClickUp vs. Monday: In-Depth Software Comparison

In fact, there are a lot of limitations to Monday.com. It might look pleasing, but its features fall short. For example, it tracks project goals, but not easily. You can’t assign comments to team members, which is going to get in the way of any collaboration effort. It lacks powerful task dependencies, and that can mean bottlenecks and delays that will cost you time and money.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Managing Small Teams

Monday.com Pros & Key Features

• Effective team collaboration tools, ideal for team leaders getting started with project management platforms
• Simple-to-use task management features
• AI agents for automating workflows and CRM tasks
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Monday.com Cons & Limitations

• Not robust enough for project, program or project portfolio management
• Project reports and dashboards are not detailed enough for advanced project management users
• Most of its project management views require a manual-intensive setup due to its customization features
• Limited project budgeting and resource management tools

Monday.com Pricing

• Basic: $9/seat/month, billed annually
• Standard: $12/seat/month, billed annually
• Pro: $19/seat/month, billed annually
• 3-seat minimum
• Note: monday.com now offers separate products (Work Management, CRM, Dev, Service) each with their own pricing

Monday.com Reviews

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

7. Trello

Some of the ClickUp alternatives in this ranking use a spreadsheet as their main feature. Before people upgrade to project management software, they’re likely managing projects on a spreadsheet. But Trello is different because its DNA comes from the kanban board. Kanban boards are customizable and are great for managing work and workflows for teams and others outside of the project. Like most kanban boards, it’s also easy to use, which is a plus.

But what makes it stand apart is also what makes it a poor ClickUp alternative. For one thing, kanban boards are great for workflow, but managers need more tools to manage projects. If they want those added features, it’s going to cost them. Time tracking, billing and more are only available as add-ons. You can’t really make a Gantt out of a kanban board, which is going to alienate many. But even its kanban boards are not all they can be. For example, there are no swimlanes. But, if you like kanban boards, this tool is for you.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Kanban Project Management

Trello Pros & Key Features

• Good fit for agile and scrum teams
• Can be customized for different work styles using integrations
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free plan
• Free trial

Trello Cons & Limitations

• Poor offer of project management tools, limited to kanban boards and project calendars
• Relies on add-ons and third-party integrations to make up for its missing features, unlike other more well-rounded ClickUp alternatives
• Not ideal for managing larger projects
• There are no Gantt charts, a critical project management tool

Trello Pricing

• Standard: $5/user/month, billed annually
• Premium: $10/user/month, billed annually
• Enterprise: $17.50/user/month, billed annually

Trello Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

8. nTask

If you’re looking for a task management ClickUp alternative, then you could do worse than nTask, an online tool that manages tasks, projects, meetings and more on an agile platform. The software offers timesheets, issue tracking and other features at a price point that’s not going to derail your budget. It’s an especially attractive option for businesses with small teams, startups or entrepreneurs trying to get off the ground.

However, there are some omissions that might have you looking elsewhere. If you need to attach a lot of files, you’ll be frustrated by the length of time it takes to upload them. We noted that the tool excels for small teams, but if you’re working with larger teams, you’ll find that nTask doesn’t scale well. There aren’t advanced reporting features to help you better track progress and update stakeholders which can sometimes make you feel like you’re managing blindly.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Task Scheduling and Tracking

nTask Pros & Key Features

• Multilingual project management platform
• Meeting management features
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

nTask Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts lack advanced project management features such as cost tracking or resource planning
• Doesn’t offer project management dashboards or reports like other ClickUp alternatives
• Not ideal for program or project portfolio management
• No AI features available or on the announced roadmap

nTask Pricing

• Premium: $3/user/month, billed annually
• Business: $8/user/month, billed annually

nTask Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.2/5

9. Teamwork

Teamwork is project management software that’s user-friendly. It offers reporting features, time tracking, Gantt charts, task management and more to help users manage work and enhance productivity. It’s helpful when organizing projects, teams and resources, offering collaborative tools that facilitate communications between teams. It’s an excellent ClickUp alternative for smaller or growing teams.

Even though the user experience is positive, customizing can be complicated. There’s a bit of a learning curve and users will have to do research to implement the customization. There have also been complaints about the mobile app, which doesn’t work well. There are some limitations in the feature set such as task management: there is no function that allows users to move multiple tasks at once.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Service Providers

Teamwork Pros & Key Features

• Great for everyday task management
• Timesheet and invoicing features
• Scout AI assistant for meeting summaries and action items
• Flo AI for generating client-ready project reports
• Free trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

Teamwork Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts features might be enough for basic task management for not ideal for project tracking
• Limited project management reporting features
• Focuses mostly on creative teams, unlike other ClickUp alternatives that are suitable for teams across industries
• There are no project calendars
• Paid versions have a 3-user minimum

Teamwork Pricing

• Deliver: $10.99/user/month, billed annually
• Grow: $19.99/user/month, billed annually
• Scale: $54.99/user/month, billed annually

Teamwork Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

10. ActiveCollab

Finally, we have ActiveCollab, project management software that features task management, email integration, team collaboration and scheduling features. It helps users organize their work with workload tools that boost productivity. Time tracking keeps projects on schedule and third-party integrations fill in the gaps in the software.

There’s room for improvement, though. For example, ActiveCollab needs a main project dashboard with visuals that represent project data. The collaboration tools could also use updates such as commenting, which cannot be linked. Having many features is great unless you don’t need all of them; this ClickUp alternative should have an off-button to remove unwanted tools from your view.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Invoicing and Client Management

ActiveCollab & Key Features

• Workload allocation features
• Project estimating tools
• AI-generated task and subtask suggestions
• Free trial
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS

ActiveCollab Cons & Limitations

• Only one type of task dependency
• Limited Gantt chart functionality compared to ClickUp and other ClickUp alternatives
• Lacks project management reports

ActiveCollab Pricing

• Plus: $12.50/month flat (includes 3 seats)
• Pro: $10/user/month
• Pro + Get Paid: $15/user/month (adds invoicing and online payments)

ActiveCollab Reviews

• G2 review: 4.2 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.5 / 5

11. Hive

Hive is a ClickUp alternative that offers project management tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards, task lists and calendars. Like ClickUp, it’s a platform that mainly focuses on workflow management and team collaboration thanks to features like instant messaging, forms, video calls and meeting notes. In addition, it offers productivity features such as AI-writing assistant which helps with email marketing and text translation.

The main disadvantage of this ClickUp alternative is that while it does have project management tools, most of their features only scratch the surface of what’s needed by project managers. For example, its Gantt chart lacks resource planning or cost tracking features, which make them only useful for assigning tasks to team members and setting due dates. Its kanban cards only allow users to add a task name and nothing else, lacking features like task prioritization and file attachments. There’s no way to add details, priority levels or notes at the task level. These drawbacks and the lack of project reports make this a very limited tool in terms of project management functionality.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Team Collaboration

Hive Pros & Key Features

• Video calling features
• Multiple project management views
• Buzz AI agent for task planning, meeting summaries and bottleneck prediction
• Good fit for marketing teams
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free trial
• Free plan

Hive Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts functionality is very limited compared to most ClickUp alternatives in this list
• There are no project management reports such as status or variance reports
• Project portfolio management views and dashboards lack budget tracking features

Hive Pricing

• Starter: $5/user/month
• Teams: $12/user/month
• Enterprise: contact the sales team

Hive Reviews

• G2 review: 4.6/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

12. Airtable

Airtable is a work management platform that’s geared towards managing product planning, software development, sales and marketing workflows and projects. It offers features like product roadmaps, objectives and key results (OKR) tracking, customer relationship management tools and process automation. It allows you to track deliverables, budgets and tasks on tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards and calendars while collaborating with your team using features such as instant messaging and file sharing.

However, if you plan on using Airtable for project, program or portfolio management you’ll need integrations with other tools like Asana, Basecamp, Jira and Trello. So if you’re looking for a project management tool, you’ll find other ClickUp alternatives to be a better fit for your needs.

Verdict: Best ClickUp Alternative for Product Planning

Airtable Pros & Key Features

• AI workflow management features
• Superagent multi-agent AI platform for automating complex workflows
• Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
• Offers a wide variety of integrations
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free plan
• Free trial

Airtable Cons & Limitations

• Focuses heavily on product planning, not designed for managing projects
• Its Gantt chart features are limited compared to other ClickUp alternatives in this list
• There are no project management reports
• Pricing has nearly doubled since 2023 — Team plan increased 66%, Business plan increased 87%

Airtable Pricing

• Team: $20 user/month
• Business: $45 user/month

Airtable Reviews

• G2 review: 4.5/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

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It’s clear to see that, while there are many ClickUp alternatives, only one gives you everything ClickUp does and more. ProjectManager is award-winning, collaborative-to-the-core software that’s easy to use and boosts productivity. ProjectManager has a single source of truth, so no matter where or when you work, it’s with the most current data. Join teams at NASA, Siemens and Nestle who use our tool to deliver success. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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