Team planning is a key element of successful project management. Excel, although widely used, quickly shows its limitations when it comes to managing complex, collaborative work schedules. Fortunately, there are more suitable and effective planning software packages available.
In this article, we’ll explore the best alternatives to Excel to help you plan your team’s tasks optimally.
Why look for an alternative to Excel planning?
Excel is often used to manage free work schedules and teams, but it has several drawbacks. Managing large teams becomes difficult with cluttered spreadsheets. Collaborative features are sorely lacking, making information centralization and real-time updates complicated. Human errors are frequent, and the complexity of updating and sharing files reduces the efficiency of teamwork.Selection criteria and functionalities of a team planning tool
There are several criteria to consider when choosing scheduling software:- Ease of use: An intuitive tool saves time.
- Real-time collaboration: Essential for centralizing schedules and updates.
- Flexibility and customization: Tailor functionalities to your specific needs.
- Integration with other project management tools: For consistent management.
- Data security: Protect sensitive team information.
Our top 5 best planning software in Excel
Teambook, software for efficient work schedules
Teambook is a scheduling software designed to optimize team planning. With its advanced features for resource management, schedule visualization and integration with other tools, it offers a complete solution for project managers and teams alike. Users particularly appreciate the ability to centralize working hours and manage allocations efficiently and intuitively. Key scheduling features more interesting than Excel- Resource and capacity management: Plan your team’s resources according to their availability and skills.
- Real-time schedule visualization: Access an overview of all schedules for optimum coordination.
- Track working hours and absences: Manage working hours, vacations and absences centrally.
- Flexible scheduling: Quickly adjust schedules to accommodate last-minute changes.
- User-friendly, easy-to-use interface.
- Real-time collaboration for the whole team.
- Offers a 30-day free trial of all features.
- Starter offer at $3 per month for planning up to 10 projects for small, growing structures.
- Plans start at $45 per month for a batch of 40 projects, with sliding scale rates for larger teams.
Trello, planning software with Kanban boards
Trello uses Kanban boards to organize and schedule tasks. Real-time collaboration features enable teams to track projects visually and interactively. However, for highly detailed schedules, more specialized tools may be required. Key scheduling features more interesting than Excel-
- Kanban boards for task management: Organize tasks by column for clear visualization of task status.
- Real-time collaboration: Invite team members to work on the same boards and cards.
- Calendars and deadlines: Add deadlines and reminders to keep projects on track.
- Checklists and labels: Detail tasks with subtasks and labels for finer organization.
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- Intuitive visual interface.
- Great flexibility for simple project management.
- Free version
- Premier Plan Standard from $5 per month per user.
Asana, a general-purpose project management tool
Asana is a planning tool that lets you manage tasks, projects and calendars seamlessly. Its features include date and deadline management, making it easy to plan and track projects. It’s an excellent choice for teams looking to improve their organization. Key scheduling features more interesting than Excel-
- Task, project and calendar management: Plan and track tasks and projects with integrated calendars.
- Timeline for project visualization: Use Gantt charts to visualize project progress and work times.
- Assign tasks and responsibilities: Assign specific tasks to team members with due dates.
- Dependency tracking: Identify dependent tasks to better coordinate team efforts.
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- Structured task planning and management.
- Real-time collaboration and simplified communication.
- Limited free version
- First plan from $10.99 per month per user.
Monday.com, another project management software for larger companies
Monday.com offers customizable dashboards and task automations that simplify schedule management. Visualization and analysis features help teams stay on track. This software is appreciated for its flexibility and adaptability to large structures willing to take on the complexity. Key scheduling features more interesting than Excel-
- Customizable dash boards: Create personalized views to track tasks, schedules and project dates.
- Task and workflow automation: Automate recurring processes to save time.
- Data visualization with graphs and charts: Analyze performance with integrated visualization tools.
- Project planning with Gantt charts: Track project progress with visual representations.
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- Highly flexible and customizable workflows.
- Analysis tools for performance monitoring.
- Free trial
- Paid version from € 9.00 /month.
ClickUp, project management tool with online planning
ClickUp combines project management, collaboration and documentation in a single tool. Planning and scheduling features are robust, providing a clear overview of projects in progress. It’s a versatile solution for teams of all sizes. Key planning management features more interesting than Excel-
- Project, task and document management: centralize all project information in one place.
- Real-time collaboration with integrated chat: Communicate directly within the application for better coordination.
- Reports and dashboards for project overview: Track key performance indicators and task progress.
- Calendars and multiple views: Use calendars, lists, Kanban boards and Gantt charts to plan and track projects.
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- All-in-one solution for project management.
- Highly customizable views and functionalities.
- One free version
- First unlimited package from $7 per month
Comparison of Excel alternatives
To help you make the right choice, here is a table comparing the key features of each tool in 2024 :| Fonctionnalité | Teambook | Trello | Asana | Monday.com | ClickUp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gestion des ressources | |||||
| Collaboration en temps réel | |||||
| Intégration avec autres outils | |||||
| Personnalisation | |||||
| Sécurité des données |
Les coûts et les avis des utilisateurs varient, mais chaque outil offre des avantages spécifiques en fonction des besoins des équipes. Teambook, par exemple, est recommandé pour sa gestion des ressources et sa centralisation des informations.
Choisir l’alternative à Excel ou Google Sheet : ce qu’il faut retenir
Choisir le bon logiciel de gestion de planning est essentiel pour optimiser la planification et la productivité de votre équipe. Les alternatives à Excel que nous avons présentées offrent des fonctionnalités avancées pour faire un planning et une meilleure collaboration.
