Project Tracking: Top Tools and Best Practices

Successful projects don’t just happen. Behind the scenes, teams track deadlines, monitor tasks, and measure progress to steer the ship forward. This attention to detail turns big goals into positive outcomes. 

Without task management, projects unravel — a missed deadline here, a forgotten task there, and suddenly, the whole team is playing catch-up. Project tracking aligns everyone and protects even the smallest tasks from slipping through the cracks. It helps project teams catch issues early and celebrate milestones along the way to stay motivated. 

Let’s explore what project tracking is, the software that makes it easier, and best practices for keeping projects on time, on budget, and on target. 

What’s project tracking?

Project tracking is the process of following a project’s progress from start to finish, keeping tasks and milestones in check. It gives project managers and their teams a big-picture view of where a plan stands at any given moment — what’s finished, what’s in progress, and what might be lagging. 

Detailed project tracking aligns tasks, deadlines, and resources with the initial project plan, keeping team members focused and deliverables within scope. Without it, ventures can easily spiral and become hard to measure. 

Using a project tracking tool provides deeper visibility of each phase in the lifecycle. These customizable tools centralize information into one easily accessible space, making communication simple and effective. More advanced, AI-powered project tracking software takes it a step further, analyzing patterns and bottlenecks to improve decision-making. This proactive approach lets project managers execute more smoothly, keeping the project moving toward a successful outcome. 

4 benefits of a project tracking system

Imagine building a house without blueprints. Sounds difficult, right? That’s what working without project tracking tools feels like. A cohesive system helps you create a plan, track the next steps, and stay on course to completion.

Here are four more reasons to integrate project tracking tools into your workflow:

1. Spot bottlenecks and monitor progress

Project tracking helps managers and team members step back and see the fine print, identifying potential risks early. Keeping an eye on task progress pinpoins delays and issues before they escalate, nurturing agile teams that can pivot when necessary. 

2. Enhance project team collaboration

Everyone has a task list to attend to. With everyone focused on their own deliverables, it’s easy to forget to check. Project tracking software takes care of routine communication, automating status updates with timely information about deadlines, progress, and shifts in priorities. This reduces the need for constant check-ins, nurturing smoother coordination and collaboration. 

3. Simplified reporting

Stakeholders need to stay in the loop, but compiling detailed reports is time-consuming. Project tracking tools make this process easier by centralizing data. With real-time updates and organized information, managers and leadership can quickly build comprehensive status reports without scrambling for data or forgetting key details. 

4. Stronger accountability

Tracking tasks, resources, and project timelines in real time gives teams a greater sense of accountability. Everyone knows what to expect and when, which improves productivity and leaves little room for surprises. Plus, transparency keeps stakeholders in the loop and builds trust throughout the project lifecycle.

5 effective project tracking tools 

The best way to track projects is with a specialized project management app. 

There’s no shortage of project management software to choose from, but here are five of the most popular tools on the market. 

1. Asana

Designed for scalability, Asana is a powerful project management tracker that allows teams to track tasks and their progress, delegate responsibility, and facilitate communication in real time. Organizations can add company missions and long-term goals, building project plans that align with the bigger picture.  

Asana has several special features that help it grow alongside businesses. With over 300 integrations, it’s like a choose-your-own-adventure for your productivity toolbox. Plus, Asana’s AI-powered personal assistant can prioritize tasks and subtasks, automate routine workflows, and adjust analysis to changing goals. 

2. Trello

Trello is a simple but effective project management software. It uses Kanban boards, a visual system with dashboards and cards. Every project has a board where you organize tasks and subtasks into cards that you can move through each status of the project lifecycle. 

Trello’s intuitive interface and flexible visual approach to managing projects make it ideal for small teams and independent workers. 

3. Monday.com 

Project managers who prioritize flexibility turn to Monday.com, a work management system designed for customizable workflows. The platform uses building block templates to add boards, Gantt charts, and integrations to every task. Automations — like notifying the next person in the pipeline when a task is ready and advanced reporting on project status — keep the momentum. 

4. ClickUp

ClickUp is another highly customizable tool for managing projects and tasks. The platform allows you to build custom dashboards to track metrics and create custom task types — like client projects or inventory. Features like whiteboards, Gantt charts, and docs help you create and connect workflows that make the most sense for each project plan. 

5. Wrike

Popular among large enterprises and small teams alike, Wrike is designed to help you organize and collaborate on project plans. The platform allows you to track timelines, dependencies, assignments, and resources in one centralized space. A live co-editor and discussion thread allow team members to collaborate on deliverables in real time. 

How to track projects effectively: 5 best practices

Tracking projects effectively requires considerate preparation. With a few best practices, project managers can set up their teams for focused productivity and meaningful collaboration. 

1. Create a project plan: First things first: There’s no such thing as project tracking without a project plan. Start by outlining everything, including objectives, deadlines, and resources. Break down large goals into smaller tasks and subtasks. A clear map sets expectations and makes it easier to prioritize tasks by highlighting dependencies. 
2. Set clear milestones: When your team completes a task, it’s worth celebrating. Project managers who acknowledge their team members’ efforts nurture high morale and motivation. Within your tracking software, set notifications to advise you when you reach a milestone, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to recognize progress and encourage forward momentum.  
3. Build a communication plan: A communication plan establishes how your team shares status updates — with whom and how often — to avoid leaving team members in the dark. 
4. Meet and review regularly: Schedule regular check-ins to review progress reports. This is an opportunity to identify delays and adjust project timelines if necessary. If you’re worried about meetings taking up too much of your time, Otter’s AI-powered meeting assistant automates transcription, summaries, and action item lists. You can skip a meeting and still have access to everything you need to know, helping project managers stay productive and save time. 
5. Use technology: Old-school project management happened by hand, with Gantt Charts, task lists, and timelines on whiteboards. Today, project management software automates everything from task management to setting schedules. These tools keep everything organized — without mountains of papers or accidentally erased boards.

Stay on track and save time with Otter

The right project tracking software keeps your projects organized. But for a truly productive workflow, you need more. 

Otter is revolutionizing AI at work as the first AI meeting assistant that auto-joins, auto-shares, and auto-summarizes meetings. AI-powered meeting assistants are becoming standard in most enterprise settings, saving teams an average of 4 hours a week and increasing productivity by automatically generating action items, summaries, and follow-up emails. 

Try Otter now and see the difference smart technology can make. Schedule a demo today.