Scheduling is the process of planning, organizing and controlling resources to achieve specific goals. Scheduling is used in project management to determine which tasks need to be done by when.
There are various tools available for scheduling in project management. The most common ones include Microsoft Project, Primavera P6 and Open Workbench.
Microsoft Project is a widely used software program that provides tools for managing projects and resources. It was developed by Microsoft Corporation and has been around since 1987. Primavera P6 is also a widely used software program that allows users to create schedules and work plans for their projects. It was developed by Primavera Systems Inc., who still produces the product today. Open Workbench is another popular tool for scheduling tasks in project management. This tool was created by Open Workbench Software Inc., who still develops their product today as well.
All three of these programs offer similar features such as allowing users to create Gantt charts as well as track their progress throughout the entire project life cycle. However, each one has its own unique features that make it stand out from the other two products on this list such as:
-Microsoft Project has templates built into its software platform so that users don’t have to start from scratch every time they
Scheduling Tools In Project Management
Project Managers can use a range of tools and techniques to develop, monitor and control project schedules. Increasingly, many of these can be applied digitally (using programs such as Excel, Microsoft Project and so on).
GANTT Chart
This is a horizontal bar chart plotted over time (e.g. days, weeks or months). Each activity is shown as a bar (its length based on a time estimate). Depending on task dependencies and resource availability, these bars may be sequential, or run in parallel. Each bar is plotted to start at the earlier possible start date. The plan laid out when the GANTT Chart was created can be compared with actual times taken (plotted below the planned time bars in the chart).
Schedule Network Analysis
The schedule network is a graphical display (from left to right across a page) of all logical interrelationships between elements of work — in chronological order, from initial planning through to project closure. As a project progresses, regular analysis of this network diagram is a check to ensure the project is proceeding ‘on track’.
Critical Path Method
The critical path of a project is the sequential string of activities that takes the longest time to complete, recognising any dependencies between tasks in this sequence (e.g. one cannot start till another finishes). Arrowed lines represent activities with circles at each end representing milestones (start and finish).
The critical path method (CPM) determines by adding the times of all activities on the critical path, the earliest time that the project can be completed
Non-critical activities have an earliest and latest start time (ES and LS, respectively) and an earliest and latest finish time (EF and LF, respectively). The ES and EF are found by working forwards through the project network and the LS and LF by working backwards. The difference between the LF and EF of each activity have zero float; they must be done when planned or the project overall will be delayed.
PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)
PERT charts differ from CPM charts in the way times are calculated for activities. They allow better for uncertainty. For each activity, three estimates of time are obtained: the shortest time (SP), the longest time (LT) and the most likely time (MT). The estimate assigned for the activity is a weighted average of these three estimates. The formula is:
Expected time = (SP + 4(MT) + LT) /6.
Schedule Compression
A schedule can be shortened two ways:
• crashing: using more resources than planned on the task
• fast-tracking: adjusting the schedule so, mindful of task dependencies, more activities are done in parallel than was planned
Risk multipliers
This involves building in a time or resource contingency for tasks considered to be at high risk of overrun.
Resource tools and techniques
• Levelling: This involves adjusting the activities within the schedule so as to ensure there are minimal peaks and troughs in resource use. This ensures efficient use of resources. It also allows the Project Manager to direct resources, where required, to more critical activities.
• Critical chain method: Activities are planned in the light of their latest possible start and finish dates. The extra time that results between some activities can be used to better use resources.
• Resource histograms: This is a column chart that depicts the resources used on a project over time.
free project scheduling tools
- ClickUp
clickup devices
What if you had one project management tool that the whole organization could use…for free?
And what if the tool were one of the most highly rated project management software tools…for free?
Let us introduce you to ClickUp!
What you get in the free version of ClickUp:
Most companies demand premium prices for what ClickUp delivers for free.
You enjoy access to unlimited users, tasks, and multiple product features in the Free Forever plan. There are no limits to which task management options or which project management features you can use!
The result? An effective project plan, every time
Customized views: Do you prefer to see your tasks on a Scrum board or a list? Organize and view your tasks in a List, Box, Gantt chart, Board, Table, or Calendar view. Additionally, you and your team can switch between different views with just a click. Select a view that works best for you, and quickly find the task you’re working on
Workload Management: Easily allocate resources using Workload view and Pulse to gauge your team’s current workload. Recent studies show that nearly half of American employees feel burnt out. If you’re running a remote team, this can instantly boost your team productivity!
Dashboards: Access high-level views of everything in your Workspace. With Dashboards, you can use Customizable Widgets to gain important insights on people, Sprints, projects, tasks, and more. Dashboards are also great for Agile project management and product development.
Assign Comments: Do comments slip through the cracks? Assign Comments as a task, and set up specific dates and times to follow up. This feature makes remote project management super easy
Priorities: Is your team unsure of which tasks are most important? Set up custom priority levels and collaborate on various tasks based on their urgencies and importance
Reminders: Don’t let important tasks, start dates, and due dates slip from your memory with ClickUp’s Reminders. Need to save time? Create Recurring Reminders instead
Goals: Set Goals for your whole team. Track Targets like numbers or a simple yes/no. You can also use this to set weekly sprint goals for your Agile and Scrum software projects.
Mind Maps: Visualize your thoughts and ideas with Mind Maps
Whiteboards: Visually collaborate with your team in real time! Project management whiteboards are the fastest way to bridge the gap between brainstorming and getting work done. Link to tasks, files, Docs, and more.
Custom Fields: Set up project management the way you want it. Add columns for contact info, notes, budgets, etc.
Custom Task Statuses: Create Custom Task Statuses to track project progress
Gantt Chart view: Create effective project plans and manage dependencies with ease. Using Gantt Charts, you can also quickly schedule multiple small and complex projects
Drag and Drop: This is a key feature, especially if you have multiple teams in ClickUp. Drag, drop, move, and re-assign tasks to people, clients, or Teams in just a few steps, no annoying menus required.
ClickUp is conscious of how work actually gets done, which sparked our motivation to obsessively create features to enhance productivity.
And because ClickUp interacts with so many essential team collaboration tools, your team will hum along as it’s always done… just faster and more efficiently on multiple projects.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an individual user or project manager, ClickUp has you covered. 😊
There’s a free plan available to your team, along with an upgrade to unlimited storage for just a few dollars more a month. Feel free to try out the free version with all the features, and upgrade to unlimited storage at any time.
What people think about managing projects with ClickUp:
“Clickup has so many great tools to grow our team and I’m always finding better and faster ways to do things. We have seen tremendous productivity growth in our team since using Clickup.” – G2Crowd
“ClickUp has completely changed how I work. I cannot imagine not using it. It has almost gotten to the point where if it isn’t on ClickUp, I won’t be doing it. It takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it it becomes exponentially useful.” — G2Crowd
“While we had already been using ClickUp, we started implementing an agile approach and using sprints for our team. ClickUp has been invaluable in this regard! We are more productive, have better oversight regarding what everyone is busy with, more transparency and are better able to communicate with the rest of the company regarding expected completion dates. The online resources are brilliant to learn how to make the most out of ClickUp. I cannot recommend this tool enough!” — G2Crowd
Ready to try ClickUp? Get it for free here.
- MeisterTask
meistertask project kanban board
Any Kanban board fanatics in the house? MeisterTask is the way to go for you guys. This project management software tool tries to make Kanban boards more practical.
Your tasks, comments, notes, due dates, etc, are all set up like Kanban boards in one place. It’s a flexible project board and cloud-based project management tool.
But is it flexible enough to fit your workflow?
Well, in MesiterTask’s free version, you can’t create any timeline or agendas.
project management has left the chat
What you get in the free version of MeisterTask:
Unlimited projects and unlimited users
Two integrations (Slack or Zendesk)
Checklists, comments, tags, task and time tracking features
User-friendly interface
File sharing and attachments (up to 20MB)
What people think about managing projects with MeisterTask:
“The one thing I’m not really happy with is the inability to batch move tasks from one section to another. I don’t know why we can do that! You can only move one task at a time. Also, the scroll bar is pretty small and hard to click on because it’s pretty skinny. The free version doesn’t support recurring tasks, so that’s something to be aware of if you are not going to pay for it.” – Capterra Verified Review
“I wish the free version had more projects – something like 4 to 6 would be great. My budget may allow me to purchase the full (I think Pro) version. I am using this for just myself right now, but can see how a business could make use of it. Like most To-do apps, a decent snooze feature is lacking. Sometimes I am in the middle of working on a task and need a few more minutes to finish up – snoozing an upcoming item is always helpful.” – Capterra Verified Review
- Nifty
Nifty Free Project Management software
Nifty is a free project management tool that aims to keep you focused on managing your work, not tool. Collaborate with your team and clients in one app with a variety of features like chat, tasks, docs, and calendar. Create a plan of action for your projects and automate your progress tracking.
Set goals and timelines, collaborate on tasks, establish a knowledge hub, create docs and wikis and balance workloads.
Visualize your project in Nifty as Milestones (similar to Gantt view), or choose from its other three views including Timeline, its board-like Swimlane view, or from a birds-eye with Master overview.
What you get in the free version of Nifty:
Unlimited team members, guests, and clients
100 MB storage space
2 projects
Tasks, Milestones, Discussions and Docs
Workflow Automations and Custom Roles and Permissions
What people think about managing projects with Nifty:
“Nifty is a product that excels in many client environments. Its ease of use makes it a powerful tool for managing our client portfolio.” — Stefan Schmidt, Executive Partner, Hemmersbach
“Nifty is still in its early days, you might find some bugs here and there, but the team is always very fast to respond when you report something or if you send a feature request. Regarding its interface, there’s nothing to dislike. I think Nifty is headed in the right direction, it just needs a bit of time to mature, but in the meantime, it’s perfectly functional and does what it says, making project management easy.” — G2Crowd
- Trello
trello project kanban board
Trello has become a popular free project management app in the last few years by introducing the Kanban board approach to the masses. And you can use it even if you don’t use Agile or Scrum project management methodologies.
However, Trello isn’t perfect.
Not a fan of Kanban boards?
Sorry, but you have nowhere to flee since Trello doesn’t have any other kind of views.
Check out our Trello and ClickUp comparison and list of Trello Alternatives.
What you get in the free version of Trello:
Unlimited boards, task lists, cards, users, checklists, and attachments
One integration per board
Up to 10MB for files
What people think about managing projects with Trello:
“So far Trello is doing a great job. What is advertised is done as expected. The only thing I will like to mention is the modern user interface. I would really like to have a new and fresh look for this software which will make the user experience more effective.” — G2Crowd
“Trello is a great tool, but it’s restricted in terms of the projects it can manage. Trello is ideal for little tasks, but not for large ones.” – Capterra Verified Review
- Wrike
wrike home dashboard
Wrike is a simple project management tool that works well for small teams.
They also have an activity stream dashboard that helps you see who’s working on what. Their issue tracking can help a range of development teams too.
But can its free version solve all your project management issues?
Unfortunately, no. Wrike’s free version is quite limited. You’ll lose out on their best features and a ton more until you upgrade to their premium plan.
What you get in the free version of Wrike:
Tasks, folders, projects
File sharing
Table view
Inbox
iOS and Android apps
Unlimited users
No time restrictions
Board view and Spreadsheet view
Task & Subtask Management
File sharing
What people think about managing projects with Wrike:
“Sometimes changing some options will affect all the folders; other times you want an option to be applied to the sub-folders, but it will only be applied to your main folder. Setting up the tool can be quite a long process without adequate training” — Technology Advice
“Honestly, there is not much I would change or dislike about Wrike. The only that would be helpful is if there was an easier way to have conversations in wrike transfer over into our google emails. I sometimes forget to check my Wrike messages, and therefore wish I would get the messages synchronously in my email.” — G2Crowd
Not sure about Wrike anymore? Take a look at our Wrike and ClickUp comparison!
And for good measure, here are the top 9 Wrike alternatives.
- Bitrix24
bitrix24 project view
Be a master of none or a niche player? That’s an age-old question.
Bitrix24 is an intuitive free project planning software and project management solution that tries to solve multiple business needs at once. Great for some businesses, especially small businesses, but it kind of depends on both your personality and your team’s habits.
The annoying bit is, you’re probably using several of these tools already. In that case, integrating may be better than going all out for a one-stop-shop solution that’s confusing!
But as a free project planner, it offers you tasks, Gantt charts, and task dependencies. The only cap is with the number of users and storage.
Need more insight? Check out our detailed Bitrix24 review.
What you get in the free version of Bitrix24:
Task management
Kanban boards
Resource management
5GB of storage
12 users
What people think about managing projects with Bitrix24:
“Bitrix is riddled with whimsical graphics that smooth over the transitions from page to page. They ultimately slow down the experience and draw the eye away from the more critical business elements of the page. On top of that, helpful reminders reminiscent of ‘Clippy’ show to block key functions of the page, making them hard to ignore and, at the end of the day, frustrating.” — G2Crowd
“I liked all the features and functionality it offers but since the interface was too cluttered with things my team didn’t need it had a negative impact on productivity since it took too long to find things.” – Capterra Verified Review
- Teamwork Projects
teamwork projects dashboard
Teamwork Projects is a very well-known project management system or software geared more for audiences needing enterprise management with single sign-on, HIPAA compliance, and premium support.
Their paid plans have many feature options for teams and offer a suite of tools such as billing and invoicing.
However, their free tier is quite limited.
Many clients and teams will pony up for those advanced features, but it’s a risk if you don’t want to be locked into a long-term pricing plan. For instance, in the Pro plan, you get lots of integrations such as Dropbox and Slack, way more storage, and up to 50 users.
What you get in the free version of teamwork projects:
Two active projects
Limited task boards
Subtasks
Color themes
What people think of Teamwork Projects:
“The software seems to be popular just in Europe, so there are a few third-party apps which have developed something connected to Teamwork, but it has access to the API and webhooks to compensate.” — G2Crowd
“Teamwork excels at tasking and basic project management, but don’t count on it for any company or portfolio insights and/or big picture views. This is a good tool for small teams that worry about pipeline and traffic control but not for large interconnected teams that require account management, efficiency evaluation or budget oversight.” – Capterra Verified Review
- nTask
nTask is a simple but powerful project management solution that makes it easy to manage complex workflows.
Made to bring project teams on one place, and collaborate to achieve business goals. The platform’s simple structure, and ability to create unlimited workspaces is loved by users. It gives a bird’s eye view for the project progress to help managers making effective decisions.
However, the basic free plan has no reporting and Gantt charts feature.
It is a useful tool to manage project budget, project planning, task management, time tracking, and managing risks.
The tool helps you to create custom fields and statuses for the project. We wish to see a better team communication feature in projects, rather than just task comments.
Here’s what you get in the free version of nTask:
Unlimited workspaces
Five team members
Timesheets
Issue tracking
Unlimited tasks
Meeting Management
What people think about managing projects with nTask:
“The good thing about this type of tools is that it centralizes everything in one place, the work is done in an organized way, with due planning and with the least number of errors, from the Gantt diagram view you can visualize the progress and determine the strategic line of your projects, and it is pleasant to look at.” – Capterra Verified Review
“nTask in generally is an awesome product but there are some stumbling blocks. It offers limited integrations and steep learning curve. One can face some problems when using it for the first time. The calendar view functionality should be more elaborated.” — G2Crowd
- Asana
asana project list view
Asana is a very well-known project management software tool that’s used by a lot of teams.
Users generally like Asana because it’s a visually appealing tool that utilizes projects and sections to keep work organized and gives the team clarity about who’s in charge of what in your project planning.
This project management software is simple to use compared to most other project management software solutions. You can quickly move your task and assign work with their drag-and-drop feature.
What bothers us is Asana’s reliability with its rapid growth. And all we want for Christmas is less downtime!
Unsure whether you should commit to Asana for the long-term? Check these Asana alternatives.
Here’s what you get in the free version of Asana:
Unlimited tasks, projects, and conversations
Basic dashboards
Basic search
What people think about managing projects with Asana:
“Asana’s feature set and complexity require a relatively steep learning curve for the uninitiated. That hampered roll-out efforts in my organization, along with the fact there is no desktop app for Asana. After nearly a year, I’m still figuring out all the features and best uses, so it would be nice to have a variety of case studies/examples from which to glean best practices.” – Capterra Verified Review
“Overall, we love Asana as a robust project management tool for our team, but it takes a good deal of adapting and getting used to before you hit your stride with it.” – Capterra Verified Review
Take a look at our Asana and ClickUp comparison!
- Todoist
todoist project list
In Todoist, it’s easy to quickly capture thoughts and ideas on your phone and then get reminded about them later.
You can plug in deadlines, like pay bills in three days, and the project management app will automatically remind you.
However, you don’t get any real-time collaboration features in the basic free version.
Also, did you know Todoist was built as a personal task management app and not as a project management app for businesses and team collaborations? So to easily manage your teams and their tasks, you’ll have to opt for the paid plan or a different tier version.
Read our take on Todoist vs. ClickUp and learn about other top alternatives to Todoist.
Here’s what you get in the free version of the Todoist app:
Access on 10+ platforms
Recurring due dates
SSL secured connection
Sub-tasks & sub-projects
Task priorities (four levels)
80 Active projects
Five people per project
What people think about managing projects with Todoist:
“I haven’t found a way to get integration with Google Calendar in a way that works for me. It syncs tasks, but the manner in which it does so isn’t fluid with the way that I work, so that is probably due to user error or my personal preference and less likely a reflection of the program.” — G2Crowd
“I use ToDoist to keep track of tasks sent to me by clients. I don’t use it for project management, extensive notes, or workflow so much as a simple to-do list of projects that need to be completed. Sometimes you don’t need to write a lot of details – you just need to be sure you do the task and todoist is the best software I have found for that.” – Capterra Verified Review
Conclusion
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