Whether you’re working on your own projects or collaborating with a team, you have to manage your productivity. With online task-management tools, you can organize tasks, collaborate in real-time, access your lists across multiple computers or mobile devices, and much more.
Here is a list of online task management tools. They range from basic to-do lists to workflow solutions that analyze your schedule and alert you to deadlines. Many of these tools are free. Several are designed from the system outlined in Getting Things Done by productivity guru David Allen. Others are focused on the collaborative needs of teamwork. Find one to fit your needs, and then get things done.
14 Online Task-Management Tools
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Flow. A task management site with real-time collaboration tools. Flow can create tasks, assign due dates, and organize your tasks into projects. Flow’s real-time comment system eliminates back-and-forth emails, creating your own collaborative social network. Mobile app is available for iPhone. Price: $9.99 per month.
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Google Tasks. Allows users to access tasks in their Gmail accounts, Google Calendar, iGoogle, and through their mobile browsers. You can group tasks into lists, make notes, and set due-dates. Whenever you get a new email, click “Add to Tasks” and it will show up immediately as a to-do item. View your lists on the same page as your emails. Price: Free for Gmail users.
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HiTask. This site will satisfy followers of the Getting Things Done methodology, as well as anyone who needs a tool to manage everyday tasks. Intuitive user interface with tasks area in the middle, and a calendar and your team information on the sides. Delegate tasks or recurring events, track projects with your team, get notified when done, and more. Use drag-and-drop functionality to attach files and documents to tasks and projects. Mobile apps available for iPhone and iPad. Price: Free. Premium account is $8 per month. Business groupware plans start at $29 per month for five users.
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Nirvana. Still in Beta, Nirvana is a website that helps organize tasks by projects and contexts, assign tasks to contacts and follow-up emails, and set up email ticklers to remind you what you need to do. A simple and intuitive design for the individual, though it lacks collaborative tools necessary for a team. This is a good system if you are focused solely on your own productivity. No mobile app available. Price: Beta version is free.
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Nozbe. This site is designed to organize projects in contexts such as home or office, and to prompt your next action so that you get things done. Share and delegate tasks with your team, review the team message board for updates, and track team activity. Notifications remind you of delegated actions and due dates. Open uploaded files using Nozbe.com. Price: $9.95 per month for individuals; $49.95 per month for up to 20 users. iPhone app is $4.99, iPad app is $14.99.
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Producteev. This website is a task management tool with advanced collaboration elements. Share collaborative workspaces to manage tasks efficiently. Features include tasks calendar, file attachment, delegation, deadlines, notes, and more. Hot Tasks automatically prioritizes tasks and makes suggestions about what to do first. Access each collaborator’s workload by clicking a name. Producteev Academy turns task management into a social game to see who can get the most done, win badges and level up. Integrates with Gmail and Google Gadgets, Outlook. Mobile apps available for Android, iPhone. Price: Free up to two users. Upgrades range from $5 to $30 per month.
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Remember The Milk. Despite the cutesy name, this site has advanced features. Organize tasks by priorities, due dates, tags, and more. Search tasks, and save as Smart Lists. Keep track of your tasks with your RSS feed reader. Email tasks into your Remember The Milk account. Receive task reminders via email, instant messenger, and SMS. Remember The Milk integrates with Gmail, iCal, Outlook, and Twitter. Use RTM offline with Gears. Mobile apps are available for Android, BlackBerry, iPad and iPhone, Windows. A variety of third party apps are available. Price: Free. Pro version is $25 per year.
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Smartytask. This is another web app based on the Getting Things Done methodology. Manage and group tasks by actions, contexts, priorities, dates, and time. Edit everything in place. Email items directly to your inbox. Clean and elegant user interface. Great for the individual focused on productivity, but no collaborative tools for a team. No mobile app available. Price: $9.99 per month.
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Ta-da List. This is a basic to-do list website. Create your own lists, add tasks, and check off the tasks when they’re done. No email reminders, no due dates. No mobile app available. Price: Free.
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Todoist. This site is similar to Ta-da List, but with more features. Tasks can have deadlines, contexts, subtasks, and priorities. Repeating tasks can be set. Integrates with Google Gadget, Gmail, Outlook. No mobile app available. Price: Free.
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Todo.ly. This easy-to-use website is designed to help you simplify your life and get things done. Easy drag-and-drop user interface is simple and functional to get up and running quickly. Create projects and sub-projects, assign tasks and sub-tasks. Smart filter design around the Getting Things Done method. Not team-oriented, but good for the streamlined individual. Mobile app is coming soon. Price: Free.
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Toodledo. This website is a powerful, feature-rich task manager. Track tasks by priority, dates, time, and more. Assign tasks to folders or goals. Apply filters to hide unimportant tasks. Audible pop-up alarms and proximity alerts when you are near a location where you have things to do. Email reminders, SMS (text) reminders, and RSS lists. Auto-scheduler can analyze a task and assign a time for you to complete it. Work with collaboration tools and set exactly who can read, add, and edit your tasks, alerting you to edits. Use Toodledo as a standalone app, or synchronize your lists with Toodledo.com. Integrates with Outlook, iCal, Google Gadget, Twitter, and more. Mobile apps are available for iPad and iPhone. Price: Free. Pro version is $14.95 per year. Mobile app is $2.99.
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Vitalist. This site features Getting Things Done task management functions. Group tasks by actions, projects, and contexts. Print your lists, export them to your RSS reader, and view them in your iCal calendar. SMS or instant-message tasks to your account with Twitter. Unlike most Getting Things Done systems, Vitalist features collaborative tools to work in teams and share projects. Mobile app available for iPhone. Price: Free for five projects. Upgrades are $5 to $10 per month.
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Voo2do. This site can manage tasks by priorities, due dates, and time estimates. Group your tasks into projects and contexts, assign and publish tasks, make notes, meet deadlines, and see what got done. Add tasks by email, and publish task lists. No mobile app available. Price: Free. Plus version is $6.95 per month.