When it comes to staying on top of their projects, teams can use Slack as a tool. But when the project goes overtime, do they have thousands of tasks in progress? The answer is easy! Use project management tools and integrations with your Slack system such as Asana, Trello, and more like this one: Slack has swiftly grown in popularity as one of the most widely used corporate communication tools in the world. This live chat, audio, and video conferencing technology, which 750,000+ firms use across every sector, is a quick and easy method for teams to interact. As a result, the firm unwittingly became a verb. It’s unusual for coworkers to say things like “Slack me later” or “Slack me.”
On the other hand, Slack isn’t a project management tool out of the box. It may, however, be used to boost team collaboration by extending the capability of a project management application. By integrating your project management software with Slack, you can reduce the amount of time you spend switching between platforms. Slack may send you notifications regarding work assignments, deadline reminders, and other things. Within Slack, you can even mark jobs as completed. Are you prepared to take your project management to the next level? This tutorial will show you how to do it.
What to Expect When Using Slack for Project Management?
Here’s a quick rundown on how to integrate Slack with your project management software step by step:
- Slack is a messaging platform that allows you to communicate with others in real-time.
- Slack is a great way to test your project management compatibility.
- In Slack, install your project management app.
- Slack Channels can help you manage your projects and teams.
- Examine Slack’s Project Management Features.
The Good
Likely, you won’t need to change project management software to get started. Today, all of the top project management software on the market interacts with Slack. As a result, those already familiar with one tool will likely not need to retrain your staff to use another. The integration procedure is straightforward. There is no need to employ a developer or involve your IT department in this process since no coding is necessary. Non-technical people can finish the integration with only a few clicks. After the integration is complete, your team will spend less time on the project management platform. For many businesses, the Slack dashboard is available at all times. Slack messages display in the background of whatever teams are working on, allowing them to contribute to time-sensitive discussions rapidly. Having to have your project management dashboard open at all times, on the other hand, might clog your desktop and limit your productivity. This is no longer necessary, thanks to the Slack connection. Instead, all project management alerts will be sent to Slack. As a result, your staff will be able to see and react to these alerts on the platform they’re currently using. This feature is ideal for teams already comfortable with Slack but has never worked with project management software before. Apart from the PM software connection, Slack includes several additional outstanding features for project management. You may build separate channels for different groups, projects, and updates, among other things. This is a simple approach to keep everyone organized and guarantee that your communications reach the intended recipients. Slack may also be used for file sharing and communication inside a team. Negligent interfaces with file management systems such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and others, in addition to project management tools. Slack may also be used to automate processes for total customization. Project management integration into Slack will assist both project teams and project managers.
The Bad
Slack isn’t meant to take the role of independent project management software. It lacks Gantt charts, Kanban boards, resource management tools, project management reports, time-tracking tools, and everything else necessary to manage a project efficiently. Slack integration for project management does not negate the necessity for project management software. It simply enhances the capability of each product to meet your requirements better. The project management Slack alerts and messages will only be as good as the tools you utilize. Before you can get the most out of Slack, you’ll need to customize everything inside that tool. So, if your project management dashboard isn’t structured, Slack isn’t going to fix it for you. The most significant advantage of combining Slack with project management is that you won’t have to switch between two dashboards all the time, which is inefficient. However, you can’t simply shut your PM dashboard and forget about it. Slack has a free version. However, it has a limited number of connectors. To prevent any issues here, make sure you upgrade to a premium version of Slack if you haven’t already. It’s also worth mentioning that incorporating project management into Slack will increase the number of alerts your team receives. People who cannot appropriately handle their signals may have productivity issues. In addition, the additional communications may be distracting to specific team members.
On the other hand, changing your notification choices may solve the problem. There will always be a learning curve with any new effort. Because they are resistant to change, some team members may push back. To guarantee that your team supports the change, you must deal with this input correctly as a project manager.
Integrating Project Management Into Slack:
Step 1: Sign up for Slack first.
To link your project management system with this application, you’ll need a Slack account. If you haven’t previously signed up for Slack, this will be your first step. If you already have a Slack account, don’t go ahead and skip this step. To prevent any complications with the integration, you need to upgrade to a subscription plan. Slack offers a free account with regional integrations. In general, the free program isn’t a viable choice for commercial usage, so if you’re utilizing Slack to interact with project teams, this upgrade is a long time. Here’s a quick rundown of the many plans and packages available:
Below, I’ll go through each of them in further depth.
- Standard
Slack’s Standard plan will be the best choice for most organizations. Because the package supports an endless number of applications and connectors, you can easily link Slack with your project management solution. You’ll get full access to your communication history, and each user will get 10 GB of storage. Slack Connect enables you to collaborate with other teams on the Standard plan securely. All files and communications allow OAuth with Google, two-factor authentication, and specific retention rules. Custom user groups for teams and departments and the option to divide channels, messages, and applications into collapsible sections are included in the proposal. These advantages are especially beneficial when it comes to project management integration. Slack Standard also includes priority customer assistance, so upgrading from the free package is well worth it.
- Plus
Slack Plus is designed for bigger businesses or any company that requires additional administrative tools. This package may be helpful to you if you manage a project portfolio. The plan includes twice as much storage per user as the Standard plan and SAML-based SSO (single sign-on). User provisioning, real-time active directory sync, and the ability to set posting permissions for any channel are all included in Slack Plus. You’ll also get a service level agreement (SLA) of 99.99 percent uptime.
- Grid for Business
The Enterprise Grid bundle is intended for major companies or organizations that adhere to stringent industry norms. For example, if you’re in charge of a project in the medical field, Enterprise Grid is required for HIPAA-compliant cooperation. EMM (enterprise mobility management) connectors, an audit log API, and the ability to manage compliance, security, and invoicing from a single dashboard are all advantages. In addition, for the best customer care experience, Enterprise Grid clients have access to a dedicated account success team. If you’re interested in this package, you’ll need to get a quotation from the Slack sales team.
Step 2: Confirm Slack compatibility with your project management software.
After you’ve joined up, double-check that your project management software is compatible with Slack. If your program isn’t on the list, there are a couple of solutions. First, you may link Slack to your project management software using a third-party application like Zapier. However, most of you shouldn’t have to be concerned about this. If your project management software doesn’t integrate with Slack, you should look into other options. Our top picks may be found on our list of the finest project management software on the market today. Here’s how to look in Slack for your PM software:
- Visit get started, go to the Integrations page.
Find Integrations beneath the Product menu at the top of the screen on the Slack home page.
More information on linking your existing tools to Slack may be found on this page. If you’re unsure how the integration works or have any other queries, it’s a good idea to go through this material again. Scroll down until you find the Slack App Directory option when you’re ready.
Slack works with over 2,400 applications. This figure seems to be increasing daily. You may also link additional third-party business tools to Slack from this page, in addition to project management software.
- Look for project management software on the internet.
There are a few different methods to search the app directory for your favorite project management software. The simplest option for those already using a tool is to use the search bar at the top of the page.
You can also explore the project management connectors by category if you’re not utilizing a project management application and want to see what Slack offers. On the left side of the screen, navigate to the Categories menu. Then choose Project Management from the drop-down menu.
You may now choose from various tools such as Trello, Asana, Jira, Teamwork, Zoho Project, etc.
Step 3: In Slack, install your project management app.
Regardless of how you found your project management software in the Slack App Directory, click on it when you discover it. Then, click Add to Slack for the program you’ve chosen on the left side of the page.
I’m going to use Zoho Projects for this example. It’s one of our top picks in the project management software category, and it’s flexible enough to handle any project. This step will be the same regardless of the tool you’re using. It’s just a question of looking for that tool and pressing the Add to Slack button.
- Please log in to your project management software account.
Slack will urge you to log in to your PM account to finish the installation. For Zoho Projects, here is how the page looks:
Depending on the program you’re running, the screen will seem somewhat different, but the principle remains the same. After you’ve logged in, all you have to do now is allow Slack to link with your project management platform. The first installation procedure will be completed at this point.
Step 4: Use Slack Channels to Manage Your Projects and Teams.
It would be best to create separate channels for each team and project to utilize Slack efficiently for project management. You may make tracks public or private, depending on the nature of your project. However, your project team’s primary communication medium will eventually be Slack channels. As a result, it’s critical to divide and conquer. This will also make setting up alerts in Slack from your project management software a lot simpler. An example of project management alerts in a Slack channel would look like this:
Maintaining order in your Slack account is critical to project management success. Otherwise, too much clutter and noise could detract from what you’re trying to achieve.
Step 5: Investigate Slack’s Project Management Capabilities.
Slack for project management is already up and running for you. However, to get the most out of this expanded potential, you must first understand your alternatives.
Here are a few options to think about in terms of project management functionality:
- Create a new task in Slack by automating the procedure.
- Slack can help you plan action items in your project management software.
- Set up status updates and deadline reminders to improve your project management monitoring.
- Allow team members to work together on projects, files, or other shared documents.
You may utilize Slack’s workflow builder to automate tedious procedures for enhanced functionality. This no-code workflow generator makes it simple to automate activities between Slack and your project management software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Slack integration with project management?
A: Yes, Slack integration is available and can be found in the settings menu.
What is the best way to use Slack in project management?
A: While Slack is not the best way to manage a project, it is essential for team communication. For small, time-sensitive projects requiring quick responses, responding via text message or email can be efficient, as you will have more control of your work.
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