Zoho's powerful project and collaboration software consists of four base modules, available in each package as well as in the free version. The modules included in Zoho Projects are Tasks and Milestones, Documents, Project Calendars, and Meetings and Forums. All of them are part of the off-the-shelf capabilities of this application. As requirements scale up and needs intensify, the add-on modules of BugTracker, Time Tracking and Billing, Wiki, and Chat can be added without problems to the application to provide an economical solution for smaller businesses.
Tasks and Milestones: This module provides task management, project milestones, task dependency views, and reporting on any function. Gantt charts and stats of tasks—whether new, partially completed, or closed—are reported in this module. With the integrated Critical Path and Slack features (available in Enterprise), resource planning is now a cinch.
Document Management: This module allows you to create new documents, presentations, and spreadsheets using Zoho Office Suite and store within the software itself. There is no need for additional software. Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, OpenOffice, StarOffice, AutoCAD, Photoshop, ZIP files and much more are compatible. You can import them into Projects and associate them to current projects, tasks or issues.
Project Calendars and Events: This module organizes meetings, events, and appointments with a browser from your desktop. Project calendars can be shared, you can send automatic reminders, and calendars are accessible from anywhere and for any user of the project.
Project Forums: Collaboration is one of the main components of PM. With this module, interactive message boards can be leveraged so that scattered project teams can collaborate, with information accessible to anyone in the team.
Time Tracking and Billing (available in higher paid plans)): This module features useful time tracking functionalities and associates timesheets, enabling billing functions. Timesheets are exportable to Zoho Sheets and even to an Excel spreadsheet. When executing a project using Zoho Projects, the Time Sheets functionality capturing project billing requirements can be exported to the Zoho Billing application. Create invoices from the timesheets and send them to various payroll and invoicing systems.
Pages: This module offers a team intranet collaboration area for adding, sharing, and creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and videos, all of which can all be managed in one place. This forms a repository for one source of project tracking.
Bug Tracker: This module allows you to report tracking and fixing bugs as well as the configuration of workflows, and permissions for bug submission and status changes — a nice feature not usually included in PM software. The bug-tracking module is more often used internally as an incident tracker within a project.
Chat: A real-time chat room built for team and project collaboration that is executed from the browser and offers an archiving feature. This module is very useful for white boarding and brainstorming throughout a project life cycle. The chat module can capture several conversations occurring among different work teams.
Zoho Projects is a good fit for all companies, be it small, medium or large enterprises without a PMO or certified PMPs on staff. Its application provides a common sense approach to creating projects, tasks, scheduling, planning, and collaboration in order to complete a project. This application enables organizations to manage projects without hassle, thus lowering administrative costs. For smaller organizations, excess features that can clutter or confuse and extend the learning curve are not present here. The interface is intuitive, and users can customize their own interface by using WYSIWYG configuration options. Overall, Zoho Projects is a good tool for businesses of any size, offering PM capabilities without a steep learning curve. By providing the correct PM tools, Zoho Projects enables organizations to complete their projects.
Pros
Clear user design with logical and clear content and category designations. Love that they offer multiple view options for those who, say for example, would rather have a Kaban view over a more linear list breakdown.
I have yet to find anything else as clearly user friendly and LOGICAL in organization. A lot of other sites I've used try too hard to be cool and modern, and actually end up causing user confusion with all their different layers. It's exhausting. But with Zoho Projects, I can go in quickly and get what I need!
Also love how it interfaces with other Zoho products, such as Invoices, and I can export my time sheets.
I love that I can hit a timer on my tasks, too.
Overall, it has great standard operations with plenty of options for customization.
Cons
Sometimes the invoice functions seem redundant to someone using the Zoho Invoices, and that has caused me to accidentally create some duplicates within Projects (when I was really just trying to create an invoice in Invoices), and I have had to clean up my own mess. That's the one area I think they made things a little more convoluted.
I can't think of any other major cons - I've never had issues with this product. I don't use the Bug Tracker at all, so I can't speak to that.
In Documents, it's unclear up front whether, when I pull a document in from a cloud, if it's going to sync any changes with that cloud app (like Google Drive, etc), or if it's just importing as is.
Their Learning Center is also woefully organized. I can't search any topics, though the visualization videos you first land on are helpful for starters. But the info I REALLY can search is in the general Zoho Getting Started section...those knowledge centers should be merged and not be so confusing. Even the Forums in Projects help, I can't even search a topic on them on the landing page...so odd!
And, lastly, it would be so great if Tasks had more Duration options. If it had an option where I could set a Task in HOURS, rather than only Days, then I could actually track something regularly hourly per week as well as track my weekly progress on it. Right now, I can't do that, I have to do that manually :(
And, you can't seem to delete a Duration period once you've put it in (without also setting an end date). what if I just accidentally put in a duration?!
Zoho Projects is a rare project management software that does all of the things our marketing agency needs it to do at a great price, which is why we've kept it for as long we have. We just wish it was considerably more user-friendly.
Pros
The number of features from Zoho Projects is impressive. Practically every feature we needed for our project management could be done, at a price no other platform could match. You can set billable and non-billable hours, you can clock into a timer for all tasks, and the task creation setup is pretty robust.
The interface has improved a ton in the 3 years I've been using the platform, and you can tell the developers are constantly trying to improve stability and features for users.
Cons
As great as the features are, the functionality of the software can be quite frustrating. The interface is bland and can be very difficult to navigate. We can usually find what we need but finding it can be quite the challenge.
Along with that, some features have head-scratching quirks that we've never been able to figure out. For instance, every time we create a new project it will only add *some* of the managers to the project, instead of all of them, even though there's no difference in their permissions. It's a technically *stable* software, but we often grow envious of other, more functional project management software that's out of our price range.
My experience in ZOHO is amazing.We are a company operating in 7 countries (Spain, Morocco, USA, China, Vietnam, Korea, France). We are about 120 active people in product and process development.
ZOHO has allowed a correct platform to do the communication between different countries.
Also, we have improved the project procedure implementation.
We are 150 people in ZOHO projects. We are working in several countries (Spain, Morocco, France, Korea, China, Vietnam, USA). Now all projects for new products, problems solutions, etc, are managed in ZOHO with a acceptable level implementation of the procedure.
Pros
Correct functionality for project management.
Available basics tools.
Easy and intuitive use.
Very Cheaper
High control of the activities by the managers
Cons
Not possible to install in our server. This is a problem for us (not big problems, but we prefer run in our server).
The GANTT view should be improved. It is not very clear, and complicated the export for communication with other people without access the system
Document for training is poor.
Not exist report system.
somo people has not clear the daily task.
The milestones are only informative (or I don't know the real idea of the ZOHO designers with this concept).
A little complicated for the project manager (this is my case).
Ease of use. Value for money. Useful features
Pros
This solution allowed us to become operational with our customers very quickly, and to provide a way to collaborate with them. The fact that it is online allows us to have common access with our clients and to provide transparency.
Previous to using this, all team members had their own versions of PM tools that were not compatible and made for a very frustrating experience when trying to collaborate.
Our clients like the fact that they have access to be able to contribute to the success of our projects.
Zoho as a company have made changes as part of our feature requests that continue to make the experience of using this solution more pleasurable.
Having a single price point for unlimited users and projects also made a huge difference when choosing a solution.
This is a highly recommended app for any size organization
Cons
There really isn't a downside considering the value for money. If the cost was inline with more expensive alternatives that have more features I could see that being an issue.
We had been looking for years on how to properly transition from a printed spreadsheet, to an online collaborative system where all members of our (small) team could easily access production and client information from a central online platform. We tried various project management tools, but the curve with Zoho Projects was perfect. We all learned how to use the software in less than a day so we can now focus on getting work done. It's been a time and money saver from day one and we look forward to the continued incremental improvements to further help our business.
Pros
Easy to learn interface. Adaptable to our business needs. Very good for a cooperative or individually-based environments.
Cons
We do a lot of searching for tasks. However, when you are inside one of the few dozen projects we have, we can only search for tasks within the project. It would be great to have a search where all tasks are displayed, no matter where you are inside Projects. This would be great for how we have adapted the software for our needs.
Free plan- 5 users and 2 projects
Standard plan- $20/month paid annually or $25/month paid monthly for 15 users and 10 projects
Express plan- $40/month paid annually or $50/month paid monthly for 25 users and unlimited projects ($3 /additional user)
Premium plan- $85/month paid annually or $100/month paid monthly for 25 users and unlimited projects ($4 /additional user )
Enterprise plan- $125/month paid annually or $150/month paid monthly for 25 users and unlimited projects ($5 /additional user)
Zoho Projects, one of the best web based project management and collaboration tools, includes an issue tracking software that allows teams to collaborate and get projects done faster.
With Zoho Projects users can post their work status and project members can chat with each other. The Project Feed helps all team members get immediate updates about the current status of their project. Users easily can keep all content organized and accessible by centrally posting files and easily creating a project web page or documentation.
Create project files directly on a browser, without any need to install additional software. Upload Microsoft Office, Open Office, Star Office, AutoCad, Photoshop, ZIP files and any other kind of document, that can also be associated to a specific task, bug or project.
Zoho Projects' Bug Tracking module is a powerful issue submission software with which users can define a structure and organize how bugs are to be handled.
Users can customize their own interface by using Zoho Projects' WYSIWYG configuration options.
Keep track of your projects on the go with Zoho Projects' mobile apps available for iOS and Android.
Speed is everything in the project management world, as businesses look for ways to streamline operations and decrease the time it takes to complete important client tasks. Zoho Projects is a project management, collaboration, and bug tracking solution that provides users with a 360-degree view of projects as they’re happening in real-time.
Zoho Projects utilizes a Feed system for team collaboration. Group news feeds reduce the need for email and enable group members to track the progress of individual tasks. Zoho Projects also provides users with a number of advanced project management and collaboration features, including forums, Gantt charts, and group chat rooms.
Built to scale, Zoho Projects is utilized by small businesses, mid-size firms, and large enterprises in virtually every industry, from e-commerce retailers with fewer than five employees, all the way to large IT firms with hundreds of employees.
An integrated project management solution, Zoho Projects provides teams with planning and reporting capabilities, along with bug tracking and collaboration tools. The solution allows business users to post their current project statuses, track the time they spend working on specific client tasks, and effectively plan for upcoming events.
Zoho Projects benefits teams by cutting down on the back-and-forth emails that tend to clutter people’s inboxes. The solution also provides a centralized place for storing, managing, and sharing documents, including spreadsheets, reports, video clips, and graphics. Groups that utilize Gantt charts and time tracking tools will appreciate having these features integrated into their project management systems, as well.
When teams implement proper task management protocols and schedules, they increase the chances of being able to work continuously, without delay or interruption. One of the key project management features that Zoho Projects provides involves task lists, which users can create within any project.
Tasks are activities that should be accomplished within a specific period of time. (For example, finishing a presentation or coming up with a marketing strategy.) To add a task from the dashboard, click the “Add Task” button and enter the name of the task. You can make any task into a task list, and include associated files or attachments for your colleagues to view.
Zoho Projects provides users with tools for managing and sharing multiple types of documents, including .doc, .xls, .xlsx, .docx .pdf, .pps, .ppt, and other types of files. Files can be stored and managed in one place, and they can be associated with specific tasks. Hierarchical folders can also be used to store documents in a way that mirrors the structure of existing workflows.
To upload documents and track file versions, click the “Documents” tab and select the file you wish to upload. Add a brief description, along with any relevant tags, and select which folder the file should go into. Zoho Projects will send an automatic notification to selected users when your file has finished uploading, if you choose that option. These notices will go out regardless of whether those users have enabled notifications.
Project managers understand that tasks are not silos, and team members cannot always complete their assigned tasks until colleagues have finished working on their own. Setting task dependencies is one way to link related tasks. This feature automatically adjusts associated tasks when a “top task” is rescheduled or delayed. Users can set dependencies in the Gantt View, as well.
Sequence numbers help you decipher your task dependencies list, with numbers being allocated to tasks based on the start date. To change task values, click on any cell within a task, change the value, and click “Enter” to save your changes. If you alter the end date of a “parent task,” then the start date of all subsequent tasks will be altered, as well.
Gantt charts give team members a visual representation of the progress of tasks, task lists, and individual milestones within a project. The Gantt view now has two charts. The chronology chart shows you the tasks sequentially. The milestone chart lets the users view their milestones, the task lists those milestones contain, and all the related tasks.
Change a task’s start or end date, or move an entire task, by dragging a bar to the appropriate space. You can also set task dependencies and filter Gantt charts based on your own criteria. As you manually update a task’s completion level, the Gantt chart will update automatically, as well.
When back-and-forth emails get to be too much, Zoho Project users can move their discussions into private chat rooms. Built-in chat rooms provide large groups with a place to discuss important topics.
Set up a chat room to focus on a particular topic—for example, coming up with a marketing strategy—and invite colleagues to join in. There is no limit to the number of people who can join a Zoho Projects chat room. Because a project can have multiple types of people, including marketers, designers, and engineers, separate chat rooms can be created to discuss specific topics. Organizations always have the option to archive chat transcripts, as a way to save important discussions for future reference.
Project forums serve as a way for organizations with physically separated teams to bring employees together through the web. Within Zoho Project’s interactive forums, team members can post topics, discuss important ideas, and capture knowledge. Unlike chat rooms, forums do not necessarily function in real-time and users do not have to be online at the same time to use this feature.
Post a new topic in your company’s forum. When you start a new topic, Zoho Projects will notify any team members who may be interested. If words alone aren’t enough to get your message across, upload images or links to relevant websites, as well. Forums are organized into categories, and users can keep an eye on the specific topics that interest them most by using Zoho Projects’ “watch a topic” feature.
Zoho Projects integrates with a number of popular business applications, including Google Apps, Dropbox, GitHub, Zoho Reports, and Zoho Invoice. The Google Apps integration, in particular, enables users to sync tasks from their Gmail accounts and import files into Zoho Projects directly from Google Drive.
One of the most popular ways for users to integrate Zoho Projects into their existing workflows is by combining the solution with Zoho CRM. Zoho Projects can be integrated with a CRM account by associating the IDs of the portal owner. Contacts can also be imported from CRM into Projects once the two services have been integrated.
Zoho Projects is always free for small teams. Paid plans for larger groups start at $20 per month for the Express plan. Medium-size businesses that sign up for the Premium plan can expect to pay $35 per month, while large teams that sign up for the Enterprise plan can expect to pay $80 per month. Zoho Projects offers discounts of up to 35%-off with yearly plans.
Get a complete view of events as they occur in real-time.
Track the progress of individual tasks.
Give teams the freedom to collaborate on their own terms.
Manage documents in the cloud.
Plan for events and receive alerts when deadlines are missed.
Below are some frequently asked questions for Zoho Projects.
Zoho Projects offers the following pricing plans:
Starting from: US$20,00/month
Pricing model: Free, Subscription
Free Trial: Available
Free plan- 5 users and 2 projects
Standard plan- $20/month paid annually or $25/month paid monthly for 15 users and 10 projects
Express plan- $40/month paid annually or $50/month paid monthly for 25 users and unlimited projects ($3 /additional user)
Premium plan- $85/month paid annually or $100/month paid monthly for 25 users and unlimited projects ($4 /additional user )
Enterprise plan- $125/month paid annually or $150/month paid monthly for 25 users and unlimited projects ($5 /additional user)
Zoho Projects offers the following features:
Zoho Projects has the following typical customers:
Freelancers, Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Non Profit, Small Business
Zoho Projects supports the following languages:
Chinese (Simplified), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Zoho Projects has the following pricing plans:
Free, Subscription
Zoho Projects supports the following devices:
Android, iPhone, iPad
Zoho Projects integrates with the following applications:
Hubstaff, ManageEngine AlarmsOne, Workato, Zoho Analytics, Zoho Books, Zoho CRM, Zoho Connect, Zoho Docs, Zoho Invoice, Zoho Show
Zoho Projects offers the following support options:
FAQs, Forum, Knowledge Base, Online Support, Phone Support, Video Tutorials
Love this product and I recommend it for anyone managing something on their own, or with teams.
There's just minor improvements, like the Tasks and Time tracking thing I mention above, that need refining.
And while customer service is also great (I can always reach a human),the knowledge base and Help sections needs user experience streamlining.
With the value pricing and the robustness of this product, I will always recommend this product to anyone - and do!