One of the most efficient and reliable way for managing enterprise projects is to use the online project management software. Search online and you will come across number of tools that assists in projects. Majority of these will be the open source project management software. This software is advertised as free of cost. However, the ‘free’ option that you see is just a myth. There is always a hidden cost associated with downloading and operating the software. Let us see what the costs of open source project management software relate to:
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Code Modification: It is not the online project management software but its original source code which is advertised free of cost. After you download the software, you may need to get the code rewritten by a software developer to suit the specific needs of your business. Depending on the modification in the code, the developer will charge his fee.
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The fee to consultant: Not only the developer but the consultant or technical expert who will manage the software will also ask for an increased compensation. So the open source project management software which seems to be free is actually a financial burden on small enterprises who have limited funds at their disposal.
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Productivity cost: The time of training the employees on certain software reduces their productivity for some time. Loss in productive hours equates to a loss in income for the company. Though a company recovers the amount later on with the successful usage of software.
In order to save the costs always download the reliable software which are easy to learn and quick to incorporate in the enterprise.
Performing complex task in minimum time is not difficult now, as there are number of productivity tools that can be utilized in business. Though productivity tools were prevalent in old times as well but they were not as efficient in project collaboration as the recent ones are. Let us see what those old and new tools are:
Old Productivity Tools:
Mobile Phones: Ever since their advent, the mobile phones have always top the list as a tool of productivity. Communication which used to take days now takes fractions of a second. Mobiles have connected the clients, suppliers and service provider from every corner of the world.
E-mail address: Information sharing has been easy with the help of e-mails. It offers additional benefits as the conversation as old as few years can also be retrieved if the mails are not deleted.
Chain mails record the communications chronologically. E-mails make the storage and tracking of information convenient for all. The capacity of information storage on mails is way more than any other medium.
Latest Productivity and Project Collaboration Tools:
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Skype: Due to its cost effectiveness and enhanced video enabling features, Skype has become a good alternate to mobile phones. This tool is immensely used to conduct overseas interviews, business conferences and video chatting. Instant messaging, sharing data and information as a text attachment all are possible through Skype.
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Social media tools: How can we forget to mention the social platforms of facebook, twitter and linkedin in relation to the project collaboration? Instant connectivity is the plus point that all these tools encompass.
