BaseCamp

We recommend basecamp as the best project management software for small teams.  It has the best interface for discussing projects, sharing files, scheduling appointments or due dates and the best tools for project managers to oversee work.

Basecamp has a reputation for being user-friendly and is an ideal project management software for handling simple projects.

SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH OTHERS:

Basecamp has a designated discussion area where you can go to ask questions or give your opinion on a project. If you have something to say about a particular task or file, there is always the option to comment directly on the item itself. This helps to keep all information together and streamline communication within Basecamp. For those times when you need to work directly with other people, Basecamp's text docs allow everyone to write and edit in the document simultaneously with all changes being automatically saved.

WORK FROM YOUR EMAIL:

Every day, Basecamp sends you a Daily Recap email, letting you know about the status and updates made to your projects and tasks. If you think of another task that needs to be added, you can create it simply by writing it up in an email and sending it to Basecamp. It will then appear in the system for everyone to see. Similarly, you can provide progress updates on a task that you are working on. Basecamp also lets you contribute to discussions through your email and notify others of the discussion topic so that they can respond quickly, even if not logged in.

INCREDIBLY EASY TO FIND FILES:

You will never have to worry about losing files in Basecamp because it has a powerful search tool that will search all projects and tasks for the terms that you enter. Also, you can view a list of all files uploaded to a specific project arranged by date. If you remember who uploaded a file, but not where, you can choose to look at just the documents uploaded by that particular user.

MANAGE USER PERMISSIONS:

As an admin in Basecamp, you can choose who is able to see what projects, and also decide what users can and can't do. This is done by the granting of "superpowers," which allow users to either create projects of their own, handle company billing, or become admins themselves. These permissions can be adjusted as a group or by going to the user's page within Basecamp.

RESTORE DELETED ITEMS:

If you or another team member accidentally deletes an important file, you can still get it back by going into Basecamp's trash can and restoring it. You may not use this feature often, but it could be extremely valuable to have on your side if you happen to lose important documents.

THE BAD

TASK MANAGEMENT COULD USE IMPROVEMENT:

There is no way to make one task dependent upon another in Basecamp, something which could pose a problem when trying to schedule upcoming work. When creating a task, you are also unable to list an estimated duration or assign the task to multiple users. Because of these missing options, Basecamp may not be the best project management software if you have very strict deadlines to meet.

DIFFICULT TO TRACK TIME:

Basecamp has no time management tools, which, although unfortunate, pales in comparison to their missing Gantt timeline charts. These charts are extremely useful for scheduling purposes, and their omission is likely going to be a problem for some people. If you have a lot of projects and a rather tight schedule, Basecamp probably isn't the solution for you.

NO WAY TO ANALYZE DATA:

Basecamp does not provide any reporting tools, which could make analyzing your data and making informed decisions about projects a bit difficult. However, if you are just looking for a software to help you keep your tasks organized and and on track, Basecamp would make a good choice.

MISSING MILESTONES:

Basecamp does not support milestones, and so there is no way to track these major events from within the system. Milestones can be very useful for keeping your projects on track, so if you're looking for a software with this capability, it would probably be wise to consider other options.

CAN'T CUSTOMIZE LAYOUT:

You can't customize your dashboard or your project workspaces in Basecamp, and that could be an issue if you like having your projects laid out in a certain way. Basecamp's design is very easy to use and understand, though, so most people will probably be happy with things the way that they are.