Tools That Help Freelancers Manage Projects

Successfully running your own freelance business means that from being just a worker you’ll turn into a versatile firm with many different aspects. It’s likely that sometime within the regular working day, you’re supposed to change roles from CEO to the ones of marketer, finance specialist, or even salesperson all at once. Without proper backend digital infrastructure behind all your efforts, your chances for maximization of earnings will become close to zero.

Unlike the old school way of freelance working, the new era of freelancing values speed and result-oriented workflow. Properly chosen project management systems will allow you to organize all your project data and automate routine activities like client logistics, project protection, billing your time, or protecting your focus sessions. You don’t need 20 different tools in your arsenal as an independent practitioner, what you need is a few good ones.

1. Visual Task Management and Client Boards

Inexperienced freelancers often prefer to distribute project-related data between emails, text messages, text files, etc. This looks efficient on the surface yet it introduces “hidden” inefficiency due to the additional “data retrieval lag”. If you handle simple projects and you want to show your clients transparency of your work process without overwhelming them with data tables, there are classic board-oriented tools available for you.

Trello: Indisputable ruler in simple yet highly-efficient task organization with the Kanban technique. Dragging your project cards between predefined stages of execution (To do, In progress, Done, etc.) will make you comfortable with Trello. No extra manual required as the Kanban board concept is intuitive. Perfect solution for showing your clients a clear overview of your project progress.

Asana: An awesome platform for freelancer who has to manage complicated multi-layered task boards and checklists. Unlike traditional Kanban cards, Asana allows you to organize your project space as a list or as a visual board. The “My Tasks” feature gives you a complete picture of all the future deliverables of yours in one space.

2. All-in-One Operations Dashboards (Business Platforms)

If you are looking to unify various aspects of your work and eliminate the need to use many applications for managing tasks, drafting invoices, and signing legal documents, there are specialized platforms that unite project management with business operation processes from creating proposals up to collecting invoices.

Bonsai: A perfect set of tools especially for the freelancers who need a project management tool with contract management, invoicing, and payment functions. By making the most of powerful project management capabilities, you can create custom contracts for your projects, sign them, invoice your customers, and track your expenses. As soon as your client signs a contract of yours, a new project board is created.

Plutio: An incredible platform for independent freelancers and contractors. With Plutio you’ll be able to organize complicated task hierarchies, track the project timeline, manage a lightweight CRM, and create custom branded portals. Your clients will login to their personalized portals, view their ongoing deliverables, download files, and pay their invoices without bothering you with frequent updates.

Fast Overview of Features Comparison of PM Systems

FAQ

1. Should I opt for Bonsai-type solutions or stick to project management tools like Asana?

This depends on what problem you’re trying to solve now – business logistics or project tracking. Opt for an all-in-one business solution like Bonsai or Plutio if you need to sort out the issues with your operations like proposals, contracts, and sending invoices. Otherwise, choose classic project management platform if the issue lies in multi-layered tasks.

2. Is it possible to give access to clients to my project management platform?

Absolutely. Almost any decent project management system will offer guest access or client portals. Still, you’ll have to prepare your workspace beforehand and adjust permissions properly so that certain clients can see certain tasks but nothing else. Just assign them “guest” access so they could view project statuses, upload assets, leave comments but could not see internal notes, financial details, etc.

3. What to do if a client prefers to use his own channels like Slack?

The best thing to do is to treat your project management tool as your information storage system. Whenever a client asks something via emails or Slack, just create a task card and process your request in your personal PM system then provide results via any convenient channel your customer wants.

4. Are premium subscription plans really worth paying?

There is no need to pay for premium plans in case you start your freelance business. Free versions of project management systems such as Notion, Trello, Asana, etc. will be enough for effective client management. Only when the data amount increases drastically and the need to use extra features arises, think about paying for your project management solution.