Salesforce is primarily a buyer relationship administration (CRM) instrument, not challenge administration software program. That mentioned, third-party apps can be found by means of Salesforce’s AppExchange, its market for apps. Nevertheless, these are typically light-weight instruments that aren’t complete challenge administration software program and so they’re additionally costly.
Let’s look critically at Salesforce, its Salesforce AppExchange and the professionals and cons of utilizing the third-party add-ons they’ve listed there. We’ll additionally record the important thing encompasses a challenge administration instrument ought to have and record the perfect Salesforce challenge administration instruments so shoppers could make an informed resolution.
What Is Salesforce?
Salesforce is on-line software program that gives a set of CRM instruments and purposes to assist companies handle their gross sales, customer support, advertising and marketing and different key enterprise capabilities. Its key options are CRM, gross sales and advertising and marketing automation, analytics and reporting, workflow and course of automation, collaboration and its potential to combine with different instruments. It’s customizable, which provides to its flexibility and recognition as an industry-specific answer for monetary providers, healthcare suppliers, nonprofit organizations and producers.
Does Salesforce Have a Constructed-in Venture Administration Instrument?
Now that we perceive the worth of Salesforce, the following query is whether or not it has a challenge administration instrument or characteristic built-in to its software program. That’s, one thing greater than merely having centralized data and information, collaboration, automation and real-time visibility, which misses many of the vital challenge administration instruments.
Brief Reply: No, Salesforce Doesn’t Have a Constructed-in Venture Administration Instrument
Salesforce customers know that there aren’t built-in challenge administration options. For instance, Salesforce doesn’t have a Gantt chart, which is a vital instrument that visualizes challenge timelines, dependencies and important path evaluation. There’s no useful resource administration to allocate sources to particular duties. There additionally isn’t the flexibility to trace workloads, handle useful resource capability or monitor time. This implies no timesheets, budgeting or monetary monitoring. Salesforce lacks danger administration and problem monitoring instruments, collaborative activity administration and challenge portfolio administration. We might go on.
Should you’re searching for an all-in-one challenge administration answer, attempt ProjectManager. That is an award-winning software program that has built-in useful resource administration instruments, can monitor all 4 sorts of activity dependencies and provides danger administration. On prime of that, ProjectManager is very collaborative, provides challenge portfolio administration and has a robust Gantt chart. Strive ProjectManager without spending a dime as we speak.
What Is the Salesforce AppExchange?
In fact, Salesforce claims that these holes in its challenge administration instruments will be plugged with third-party apps bought on its AppExchange. We’ve already outlined this because the product’s on-line market the place customers can browse, consider and set up purposes, elements and options designed particularly for Salesforce. However is that this an answer to the lacking challenge administration options?
Execs of Utilizing Salesforce AppExchange Apps
What are some great benefits of getting challenge administration apps on the Salesforce AppExchange?
- Seamless integration with Salesforce
- Centralized information and reporting
- Streamlined communication and collaboration
- Customization and suppleness
- Time and useful resource administration
- Enhanced activity administration
- Price and funds administration
Cons of Utilizing Salesforce AppExchange Apps
A number of the execs listed above are barely useful. They don’t have the scope of actual challenge administration software program. Whereas a few of these benefits aren’t noteworthy, the record beneath are deficits.
- Complexity and steep studying curve
- Further value on prime of Salesforce value
- Integration challenges requiring extra configuration or customization
- Customization limitations
- Information safety and privateness considerations create factors of vulnerability for breaches
- Restricted assist and updates
- Over-dependence on a single vendor
- Inconsistent person expertise throughout apps
- Efficiency points, akin to slower load instances, lag, and many others.
Key Options of a Venture Administration Instrument for Salesforce
What ought to a possible buyer searching for a challenge administration instrument for his or her Salesforce app search for? Before everything, the challenge administration software program ought to combine with Salesforce. Then it ought to have these necessary challenge administration options.
- Timesheets: Used to trace the period of time spent on completely different duties. They’re particularly necessary for companies that want to trace work hours for billing purchasers, payroll functions or to research productiveness and effectivity.
- Activity & Workflow Administration: Helps make sure that every crew member is aware of what they should do and that the work is evenly distributed throughout the crew. They’re used to assign and prioritize duties, steadiness workload, replace activity standing and determine dependencies and milestones.
- Useful resource Allocation and Monitoring: Ensures that the best sources are assigned to the best duties and tasks. Permits challenge managers to steadiness obtainable sources to maximise productiveness and keep away from overallocation or underutilization by scheduling and monitoring sources and prices.
- A number of Venture Monitoring: Permits challenge managers and groups to observe the progress and standing of a number of tasks directly. This helps present an outline of all tasks inside a corporation, making certain that sources and priorities are managed throughout a number of initiatives. These are challenge portfolio administration instruments.
- Crew Collaboration: Facilitates communication and cooperation amongst crew members, stakeholders and purchasers. These options make sure that everybody concerned within the challenge is aligned, knowledgeable and engaged within the challenge’s progress. Actual-time information is vital, as is doc sharing and storage. Model management, commenting and having a worldwide search perform are additionally necessary.
Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Instruments Rankings
Now that what’s necessary in challenge administration is obvious, as are the professionals and cons of in search of a challenge administration add-on within the Salesforce AppExchange, let’s take a look at actual challenge administration options that combine with Salesforce. Beneath are the perfect of the perfect, in descending order.
1. ProjectManager
ProjectManager is award-winning challenge and portfolio administration software program that helps plan, handle and monitor work in actual time. It integrates with Salesforce through Zapier or with its software programming interface (API), which permits customers full customization over its integration expertise, reasonably than an “out of the field” cookie-cutter one provided by so most of the third-party apps within the Salesforce ecosystem. The API is offered on all plans provided by ProjectManager and never gated behind some costly editions as with some rivals.
Handle Duties, Tasks and Workflows
ProjectManager has a number of challenge views, together with Gantt charts, kanban boards, sheet, activity and calendar views. This enables challenge managers to plan duties on Gantt charts that hyperlink all 4 sorts of activity dependencies, filter for the vital path and set a baseline to trace variance in actual time. Duties are assigned, prioritized and shared throughout all challenge views and standing updates in actual time. Groups can visualize workflow on kanban boards, managing their backlog as managers determine and take away bottlenecks that would intrude with workflows. The software program has automated workflows with activity approval for high quality assurance.
Simply Allocate Human and Non-Human Sources
Gantt charts additionally schedule human and non-human sources, planning when and the place sources are wanted within the challenge timeline. Useful resource availability is about in the beginning of the challenge, the place managers can outline PTO, trip and international holidays in addition to talent units, which streamlines assignments. There’s additionally useful resource utilization monitoring with the crew web page or the color-coded workload chart, which makes it simpler to see who’s overallocated or underutilized after which steadiness the crew’s workload to maintain them working at capability with out threatening burnout. Safe timesheets make it straightforward to log hours and provides managers transparency into how far every crew member is in ending their work and assist monitor labor prices.
Monitor Tasks With Actual-Time Dashboards and Experiences
There are additionally instruments to trace tasks, packages and portfolios to observe a challenge or a number of tasks and hold them on schedule and staying inside their budgets. As soon as the baseline is about on the Gantt chart, plans are saved and in contrast mechanically to precise progress. For a high-level overview of key efficiency indicators (KPIs), there are challenge and portfolio dashboards that flip stay information into easy-to-read graphs and charts displaying time, value, workload and extra. Customizable stories permit managers to get extra particulars with standing and portfolio stories in addition to stories on variance, timesheets, workload and extra. These stories may also be filtered to deal with progress and shared with stakeholders to maintain them up to date.
This and the truth that ProjectManager has danger administration options to determine the influence and probability of a danger interfering with the challenge and documentation administration, which incorporates limitless recordsdata storage, international search and model management make it the perfect Salesforce challenge administration instrument. Get began With ProjectManager as we speak without spending a dime.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program from Begin to End
ProjectManager Execs & Key Options
- Actual-time value and time monitoring
- A number of challenge views: Gantt charts, kanban boards, sheet, record and calendar views
- Useful resource administration instrument
- Cell app obtainable for Android and iOS
- Free 30-day trial
ProjectManager Cons & Limitations
- Restricted customization
- Few native integrations
- No free plan
ProjectManager Pricing
- Crew: $13.00 person/month
- Enterprise: $24.00 person/month
- Enterprise: Contact gross sales
ProjectManager Opinions
2. Mission Management
Mission Management is a challenge administration instrument for Salesforce that helps with challenge monitoring and collaboration. It has Gantt charts, kanban boards, time monitoring and useful resource allocation. It integrates properly with Salesforce as it’s not a standalone software program, however an app constructed for that specific goal. Customers do recognize that the app is very customizable.
The problem with this challenge administration software program for Salesforce is that it may be advanced, significantly for brand spanking new customers or groups that aren’t accustomed to Salesforce. Whereas it may be personalized, the extent of customization will be overwhelming for customers who want particular challenge administration workflows. There have additionally been points with its integration with Salesforce, in that it’s cumbersome and never seamless. Efficiency points have additionally been famous.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Customization
Mission Management Execs & Key Options
- Venture monitoring and reporting instruments
- Gantt charts and kanban boards
- Customizable and integrates with Salesforce
Mission Management Cons & Limitations
- Steep studying curve
- Overwhelming for brand spanking new customers and easy tasks
- Increased value for intensive options
Mission Management Pricing
- $39 per person/month, five-seat minimal
Mission Management Opinions
3. Encourage Planner
Encourage Planner is one other Salesforce challenge administration instrument and one which customers discover intuitive and simple to make use of. It streamlines challenge planning and activity administration. This easy instrument has drag-and-drop performance and lets customers create and handle challenge timelines, assign duties and collaborate. This is a perfect instrument for companies in search of a simple answer for managing tasks.
This can be a barebones instrument for easy challenge administration. For one, there are restricted customization capabilities and superior challenge administration options. This makes it a poor alternative for bigger or extra advanced tasks. For instance, options akin to vital path evaluation are both lacking or underdeveloped. The instrument can not deal with multi-project monitoring, useful resource optimization and superior reporting.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Small Tasks
Encourage Planner Execs & Key Options
- Intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface
- Seamless collaboration and task-sharing
- Environment friendly drag-and-drop activity administration
Encourage Planner Cons & Limitations
- Restricted superior challenge options
- Fewer customization choices than others on this record
- Won’t be highly effective sufficient for bigger, advanced tasks
Encourage Planner Pricing
- Customary: $40 person/month, paid yearly
Encourage Planner Opinions
4. Venture Administration Instrument (PMT)
Venture Administration Instrument (PMT) is a challenge administration answer discovered within the AppExchange. It’s a Salesforce challenge administration instrument that’s designed to assist primary challenge planning and task-tracking wants. This can be a easy instrument with a user-friendly interface. It will possibly assign duties, monitor progress and generate stories. It’s a useful gizmo for small-to-mid-sized groups.
With such a generic identify, one expects a generic instrument, which is what one will get. Its easy interface is ideal for a easy challenge administration instrument. It has primary options and lacks the extra superior instruments challenge managers and their groups require for managing tasks. There’s additionally restricted customization. All this makes it a instrument that isn’t going to assist those that should handle bigger tasks, particularly since there are not any Gantt charts or kanban boards.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Free
Venture Administration Instrument (PMT) Execs & Key Options
- Easy interface, straightforward to arrange
- Price-effective for small-to-medium tasks
- Fundamental but purposeful activity administration
Venture Administration Instrument (PMT) Cons & Limitations
- Restricted superior options and customizability
- Not appropriate for large-scale tasks
- Lacks visible instruments, akin to Gantt charts and kanban boards
Venture Administration Instrument (PMT) Pricing
Venture Administration Instrument (PMT) Evaluation
- Salesforce AppExchange: 3.7/5
5. Cloud Coach Fundamentals
Cloud Coach Fundamentals is a Salesforce-native challenge administration instrument tailor-made to small and mid-sized groups. It has challenge monitoring and activity administration capabilities. There are challenge templates, activity lists and funds monitoring, that are designed to streamline salesforce challenge administration and hold groups on prime of their deadlines and deliverables.
This Salesforce challenge administration instrument is primary and never suited to managing tasks which might be bigger or extra advanced. It lacks useful resource administration, funds monitoring and superior reporting instruments. Even those that need to use it for small groups have complained that there are issues organising the software program. Even when arrange, the person interface will not be intuitive or user-friendly, which is one other ding towards this instrument.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Small Groups
Cloud Coach Fundamentals Execs & Key Options
- Free model is offered for small groups
- Efficient challenge monitoring with templates
- Integrates seamlessly with Salesforce
Cloud Coach Fundamentals Cons & Limitations
- Restricted scalability for bigger tasks
- Lacks superior options and reporting instruments
- Experiences of setup challenges
Cloud Coach Fundamentals Pricing
Cloud Coach Fundamentals Opinions
6. Klient PSA
Klient PSA is knowledgeable providers automation (PSA) and challenge administration instrument that integrates with Salesforce. It focuses on serving to service-based organizations handle tasks, sources and billing. It’s designed to assist companies monitor billable hours, useful resource utilization and challenge profitability by combining challenge administration with monetary monitoring capacities.
This Salesforce challenge administration instrument is proscribed in managing tasks because it hasn’t developed superior activity dependencies, useful resource leveling and important path evaluation instruments. Even with out these superior options, the instrument is difficult to study, so count on to place in time for coaching. No matter superior options it does have shall be for an added value, which may get costly.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Service-Based mostly Organizations
Klient PSA Execs & Key Options
- Robust deal with time monitoring and billing
- Good for service-based organizations
- Complete monetary administration
Klient PSA Cons & Limitations
- Excessive studying curve for brand spanking new customers
- Superior options include added prices
- Overly advanced for primary challenge monitoring
Klient PSA Pricing
- Starter: $15 person/month, billed yearly
- Skilled: $29 person/month, billed yearly
- Enterprise: $39 person/month, billed yearly
- Final: contact gross sales
Klient PSA Opinions
7. TaskRay
TaskRay is a Salesforce challenge administration instrument distinguished by its visible challenge monitoring capabilities. This contains kanban boards and Gantt charts. The instrument permits groups to plan, execute and monitor duties, which makes it widespread for challenge and process-based workflows. It’s additionally a collaborative platform with buyer success monitoring, which makes it helpful for cross-functional groups.
There are, nonetheless, restricted superior challenge administration instruments. The software program will not be as strong in areas akin to useful resource administration, vital path evaluation and challenge monetary monitoring. The premium options which might be provided will enhance the price of the instrument, which might make it prohibitively costly. Whereas there’s some customization, the extra advanced the challenge, the much less choices for personalization there are.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Course of Administration
TaskRay Execs & Key Options
- Extremely visible and user-friendly interface
- Efficient for activity and course of administration
- Versatile challenge views and templates
TaskRay Cons & Limitations
- Premium options may enhance prices
- Not superb for intensive useful resource monitoring
- Customization choices could also be restricted for advanced tasks
TaskRay Pricing
- Customary: $40 person/month
- Premium: $60 person/month
TaskRay Opinions
8. Peeklogic Connector for Salesforce and Jira
Peeklogic Connector for Salesforce and Jira is an integration instrument that permits information synchronization between Salesforce and Jira. It helps collaboration between gross sales and growth groups, designed to span each CRM and software program growth wants by linking Salesforce data with Jira points. This enables for real-time information sharing and updates.
This isn’t a standalone Salesforce challenge administration instrument. Its focus means there are restricted challenge administration options, akin to missing superior capabilities like activity dependencies, useful resource allocation, vital path evaluation and funds monitoring straight inside Salesforce. To make use of the performance it has requires an skilled in Jira, which not each crew may need.
Verdict: Greatest Salesforce Venture Administration Software program for Jira
Peeklogic Connector Execs & Key Options
- Permits seamless Salesforce-Jira integration
- Enhances collaboration between groups
- Helps real-time information synchronization
Peeklogic Connector Cons & Limitations
- Restricted to integration capabilities solely
- Not a standalone challenge administration instrument
- Requires Jira experience for optionally available use
Peeklogic Connector Pricing
- $3,000 for the primary 10 customers yearly
Peeklogic Connector Opinions
Associated Venture Administration Software program Content material
Nonetheless searching for the best challenge administration software program answer? Beneath are some latest posts on challenge administration, work administration, activity and useful resource administration software program merchandise.
ProjectManager is on-line challenge and portfolio administration software program that connects groups whether or not they’re within the workplace or out within the area. They’ll share recordsdata, remark on the activity stage and keep up to date with e mail and in-app notifications. Be part of groups at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software program to ship profitable tasks. Get began with ProjectManager as we speak without spending a dime.
