How Do I Choose the Best Free Task Management Software?

Individuals, professionals and teams write down and correlate tasks by using free task management software. While most free task management software contains similar features, a few features are more important when searching for the right program to download. The ability to prioritize tasks, which may seem basic, is very important and may not be available in all free programs. The total number of tasks that can be recorded at once may make the decision between small and large task management software. Being able to make project reports and export information to other programs also will be a boon for professionals and teams that constantly need to complete different projects.

Prioritizing tasks is a software function most users take for granted, because all it really does is change the color of a task, write a note near the task or place the tasks in hierarchical order from most to least important. When projects or daily tasks need to be finished, being able to prioritize them will help the user plan his or her day around the tasks and will help the user know what needs to be done immediately. This is a basic feature, and most free task management software will include it, but some will only offer this feature in paid versions of the program.

The most common customer for free task management software is a busy person who has many tasks to plan out and coordinate. This means that the total number of tasks that can be saved at one time in the task management software will be of great importance, especially for teams that need to coordinate tasks for several people. The more tasks that can be saved, the better. Some programs also will be able to save lists or can organize tasks into tree diagrams, which can help the user organize tasks.

When looking at a large project, it can be difficult for a person to know close he or she is coming to finishing the project. Reporting features in free task management software will generate reports based on the number of tasks completed and how long it has taken to complete the tasks. Advanced reporting features will allow users to add more factors into the report, making it precise.

Being able to export the tasks to a different program, such as a spreadsheet or calendar program, will help users be able to perform different functions on the tasks. This also enables the user to archive tasks, if the need arises. Exporting to mobile devices will be of assistance, especially for users who rarely stay put.