LiquidPlanner 4

How often can do people accurately project the length of time they need to complete a task? Project management tool LiquidPlanner says you don't have to because more important than the estimated completion date is a range estimate of how long the task might take and its relative priority. Among project management software, LiquidPlanner 4 ($29 per user per month, or $288 per user per year; with discounts for non-profits and educators) focuses the most on scheduling, but it does so in a way that's completely different than the approach of most other suites. Rather than have team members enter soft dates of completion for tasks, this app has project managers set up schedules based on priority. It's a radically different way of thinking and working if you're accustomed to traditional project management software. It could be just the shake-up your team needs if you're not happy with your current solution, but the cost is a bit high.

The online-based LiquidPlanner allows participants to contribute from just about anywhere, especially since the company added an Android app to its formerly iOS-only offering. A rich feature set, impressive online file storage, advanced reporting, and unlimited projects enable team members to keep close tabs on every facet of their workflow. With the exception of a Facebook feed-inspired home screen, the Web-based LiquidPlanner is stocked like desktop software, right down to having drag-and-drop functionality and shortcut keys.

Costly Considering Some Competition
While guests of a project can join for free (via the "portal" feature in LiquidPlanner), an office of 15 can expect to spend about $450 per month or about $4,300 if they commit to a year. Competitor Wrike may be shorter on features but it supports up to 15 users and unlimited projects for just $99 per month. Basecamp (free to $99 per month, 4 stars), our Editors' Choice among free PM suites, offers a comparable 30GB of storage, 100 projects, and unlimited users for the same $99 per month. Certainly, LiquidPlanner bests both when it comes to features, and the company does offer volume pricing for larger teams; however, for offices larger than a handful of people but too small for a volume license, scaling LiquidPlanner may be uneconomical.

What's New in LiquidPlanner 4?
Version 4 of LiquidPlanner comes with a number of tweaks in the design that have reduced repetitive and unnecessary mousing, the kind of refinements typical in later versions of mature and stable software, and welcome ones here. A new dedicated inbox, dynamic status reports for people and projects, and a new look for the individual and project portfolio views.

There's a lot to take in when you first open LiquidPlanner?project progress bars, a feed of recent comments, upcoming tasks, and a sidebar highlighting new features. You might need some time to wrap your head around LiquidPlanner's new way of thinking and working, which emphasizes priority and best or worst case scenarios rather than projected completion dates. Compared with similar services, namely Basecamp and Huddle (free to $15 per user per month, 3.5 stars), getting started with LiquidPlanner can feel a bit daunting. Video tutorials, available from the landing page, show LiquidPlanner loaded with content and in action, which helps orient new users. Free trial accounts are pre-loaded with a small amount of sample data as well.

For the most part, however, LiquidPlanner is sensibly organized. Along the top of the screen are tabs for My Work, Projects, People, Analytics, Help, and Settings. A main dashboard view below it shows time tracked for the current week (think billable hours), a list of items under My Status (Inbox, active tasks, at risk tasks, etc.) and a list of items under My Upcoming Tasks. Along the left side are a few other tools, including a content stream where you can read notifications, and today's date in bold font. Other users can leave comments on your workspace, which appear below the main dash.

Projects
Most project managers will spend the bulk of their time in the Projects section of LiquidPlanner. Here's where LiquidPlanner starts to resemble desktop software, even though it's completely run in a browser. You can add or create a new project in this area, or manage existing projects. The app also has the capability to import an existing project as a CSV or Microsoft Project file.

Projects can also be grouped into different "packages," such as In Progress or Near Completion, or as the same data shows, ASAP and Events. In other words, you can cluster together projects that share some other similarities, such as their urgency or the type of project.

While the projects section is loaded with buttons, options, and functionality, most of the included features will be familiar to seasoned project managers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/B2FcSBFiJV8/0,2817,2390482,00.asp

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