4 Simple Ways To Make Your PM Tool More Functional

Are you getting the most out of your project management tool?

You already know that having a PM tool in place will give much more control over your workflow and allow you to track progress of all the tasks you are most definitely juggling. Hopefully at this point in your business journey you’ve chosen the software that best fits you and your goals.

But it’s one thing to use a PM tool in your business - and another to use platform features and integrations to ensure that you’re using it at its highest efficiency.

I want you to take a step back and really take a look at all the features your software has to offer and see if you are actually using all of these benefits to your advantage. 

You might be surprised to find that there’s actually a few things you could be tweaking to get the most bang for your buck- literally! 

With these simple system shifts, you can make your PM tool more functional so that projects move down the pipeline with ease! And ease is what we are striving for, am I right?!

Assign Deadlines

Deadlines make clear what we are expected to deliver and when. 

Assign realistic deadlines wherever possible, even on simple tasks that don’t have one.  It may seem trivial, but you and your team members are much more likely to complete tasks with tangible due dates.

This means that you can take control of your work while setting expectations and be free of any confusion.

Implement Automations

Automation technology has cut costs for businesses, helped scale company operations, and greatly boosted efficiency. 

Having this in place drastically reduces the need for you to oversee every single step in the process.

Implementing automations in your PM tool cuts down on the manual work associated with moving projects down the pipeline and drastically reduces the need for you to oversee every single step in the process.

Integrate the key programs you use in your business to further streamline your processes and  in turn create more time for yourself to focus on other things.

Apply Labels & Filters

With tasks to focus on in so many different areas of your business, applying labels throughout your task lists and using filters to narrow down your view when needed will eliminate overwhelm and simplify your workflow.

When we get overwhelmed and can’t easily see what needs to be done, important things tend to be missed or forgotten. Definitely not helpful when the goal is to be as productive as possible. 

Use It Like Email

Last but not least.  Check in with your PM tool like you do your email.  You should start your day by orienting yourself in your tasks.  Figure out what needs to be done today, tomorrow, and this week, and organize your tasks accordingly.  Check back with your PM tool multiple times a day- when tasks get done, when you need others to get involved, need review or approval, or need to be updated.

Trust me, this process will help you feel and BE more organized in your day-to-day tasks. Organized equals sanity in my opinion.