Online collaboration software is easy to use and makes it simple for teams to collaborate on a variety of general and specialized tasks. Moreover, collaboration is becoming the norm in the workplace. Employees are no longer expected to work independently. This emphasis on collaboration should lead to increased efficiency and productivity. However, this can only be achieved with the right tools.
These tools can offer everything, from cloud file storage to managing daily tasks to video conferences for online meetings. They all work equally well on mobile devices and desktops as well as laptops and computers.
Everything should be easy to understand, simple to use, and clear. Each employee should have the ability to communicate with the right person at the right time, no matter where they may be located in the company. Then, solve the problem in a satisfactory workflow.
It can be difficult to navigate through the extensive list of collaboration tools available on the market. How can you choose the right collaboration software for your team? How do you make sure it is effective before you implement it?
Collaboration is a new way of working. Here are our top picks for the best online collaboration tools.
Related post – How Office 365 solution can add value to business?
Best Team Collaboration Tools
1. Microsoft 365
Microsoft Office might not be your first choice for collaboration, but it is now at the core of the Microsoft 365 cloud-based workplace suite.
This is because Microsoft Office is still the most important and widely used office suite. Even though many competitors like OpenOffice or Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), they don’t have the same functionality and ease of use.
Microsoft Office will be the core of many businesses’ operations, so the migration to Microsoft 365 has many benefits, not to mention the possibility for teams to work together on the same set of documents. It could be anything, from client reports in Word to presentations in PowerPoint to work shifts in Excel.
Added to that, Microsoft Teams is now available bundled with a variety of Microsoft 365 packages. This allows for Unified Communications integration with traditional office software.
Microsoft 365 is more appealing because it can be used with Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
Microsoft 365 is not only a great office suite; it’s also a solidly designed platform for sharing and collaboration with other teams.
2. Slack
Slack has millions of users all over the world and is a powerful collaboration tool. It is a smart platform that you can access on both mobile and desktop devices. You can send files and direct messages (DMs), and you can organize conversations into different channels (perhaps to support specific projects or general chat).
Video calling is also possible with the app. The feature allows you to communicate with your colleagues directly about projects and work, without the need to use a DM. Although this feature is not a replacement for cloud storage, it allows you to drag and drop files, as well as share them with your colleagues within Slack. It is compatible with Dropbox, Google Drive and Box.
Slack also offers a free version. However, it does have limitations.
3. Asana
Asana is a well-known collaboration tool that has been around since 2008. Companies such as Intel and Uber use it to communicate.
It was created to make it easy for companies to keep track of their employees’ work and get the best results. The platform allows you to create to-do lists, remind yourself of deadlines, and send out requests to colleagues. The app allows team members to add comments to existing posts.
All your projects can be organized in a board or list format. There’s also a search function that allows you to quickly find past work. Asana can be used to organize your work and facilitate communication about the progress of your projects.
4. JIRA
JIRA’s strength lies in its ability to track and fixing bugs in products. This makes JIRA useful for client-facing teams, particularly SaaS businesses.
Features
- Templates for project tracking that can be customized
- Gantt charts and scrum boards, Kanban
- Reporting
- Integrations
5. Trello
Trello is a project management tool that allows you to easily organize projects. It is available on the web as well as with mobile apps. This allows you to organize and collaborate on projects.
You can use the platform to create boards or lists. These lists can be organized by teams or assigned different tasks. These boards allow you to create task lists and share delegated tasks with colleagues. You can also assign comments to cards, which is a quick way for others to provide feedback.
Trello also integrates with many apps like Evernote, GitHub and Google Drive. The app is free to download, but premium options allow you to access more features.
Premium pricing unlocks many administrative features that will help you organize your business better. The Enterprise edition is priced based on the number of users and offers additional organizational management tools.
6. Flock
Flock, another similar application to Slack, is easier to use and provides more communication tools.
Flock supports both 1:1 and group conversations as well as channels for different teams. Flock can be used to search messages, files, and links. It doesn’t matter who or where it was sent.
You can make audio and video calls, screen sharing, and use productivity tools like polls, note sharing, reminders, and you can also assign tasks to members of the group.
Integrations are possible with third-party applications such as Google Drive or Twitter. Notifications appear directly in channels.
Flock offers a free tier but search, storage, and integrations are subject to limitations. These can be opened up by the Pro plan, which also includes admin controls. The Enterprise plan offers additional storage and support, as well as more admin controls.
The final word:
Many other collaboration tools are worth your attention. This is primarily because they use features differently or add additional features. We’ll be looking at additional online collaboration tools that might be worth your attention.
Visme was created specifically for online collaboration in reports, presentations and infographics. Analytics are available to help you determine which reports and presentations have the highest engagement and make adjustments. Visme is recommended for internal communications, sales, marketing, recruitment, education, and HR. Visme is priced to suit individual, business or educational needs.
Basecamp is an all-in-one collaboration and communication platform. It combines features from multiple software products into one place, making it easier to find information and keeping it all in one place. Chat, message boards and to-do lists, along with automated check-in and scheduling, are just some of the features. There is also a single location to store all files and documents. Basecamp is a collaborative software program that does not charge per user. Instead, it charges $99.99 for unlimited users. This could be a major advantage for larger companies.
Wrike acts more as a project management tool and scheduling tool. It makes it easy for everyone to see where they are in the process of completing projects. Although it is a standalone application, its strengths lie in the extensive list of integrations that include Google, Dropbox and Microsoft. This allows Wrike to be used as a central platform that can be linked to many other software apps. It gives you more options and features than standalone software.
Monday.com allows you to visually plan, track and collaborate on projects. This platform is easy to use and has drag-and-drop functionality. It’s also great for managing projects and general workflow management between teams. You can also use it as a central point of communication for your teams by integrating with Slack and Trello, Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and other platforms. These integrations allow monday.com to be used for a wider range of purposes than its standalone platform.