Office collaboration software makes it easier than ever for you to connect and share projects with your team. It’s simple and secure, and the full featured web-based app gets you started in minutes. Daily project progress and activity updates keep your team on the same page throughout the day. And with easy file sharing and access to Microsoft Office files, everyone is working together – quickly – from anywhere.
Office collaboration software are the technology. It is meant by the word office. The Office Collaboration Software mainly used for the purpose of communication with coworkers, remote operation, and fast access to files and documentation across multiple devices/platforms.
Different types of collaboration software
Despite this multi-decade history, the term “collaboration software” remains problematic. The main reason for this is that collaboration software is an umbrella term for a wide variety of software products, most of which are independent and bear little resemblance to each other. In fact, there are three main types of collaboration software:
Communication
Early groupware such as Lotus notes focused on communications. Other examples include IM/chat.
Conferencing
Collaboration tools such as WebEx focus on conferencing, which consists of real-time collaboration where all of the collaborators involved share the same view. For the most part, a single presenter controls that view; the other collaborators provide input by talking.
Co-ordination
Coordination was the last type of collaboration software to arrive on the scene, but as a result, it is the type which is experiencing the greatest amount of growth today. Coordination software helps manage complex interdependent work towards a shared goal.
Choosing collaboration software for your team
When your business or team decides that it needs to “get collaborative,” you have to decide which type or types of collaboration are required to meet your specific business needs. In many cases, you may need all three types to get the job done. A marketing team might need communication tools to discuss upcoming initiatives, hold brainstorming sessions using conferencing tools, then rely on coordination tools to shepherd action items and deliverables to completion.
PBworks offers integrated collaboration software that combines all three types of collaboration into a seamless whole. Teams that use PBworks can communicate via built-in web-based IM/chat, and can share documents, files, and content via email. Meanwhile, the chat feature allows a team member to summon other team members to the appropriate document or file, and the built-in teleconferencing gets everyone on an instant conference call. One great way to leverage this conferencing is to take detailed notes during meetings so that all involved can see an agree on the notes prior to the end of the meeting. Finally, PBworks offers a host of tools for coordination, ranging from project- and task-management to high-level management reporting of status and progress.
Collaborative management (coordination) tools
Collaborative management tools facilitate and manage group activities. Examples include:
- Electronic calendars (also called time management software) — schedule events and automatically notify and remind group members
- Project management systems — schedule, track, and chart the steps in a project as it is being completed
- Online proofing — share, review, approve, and reject web proofs, artwork, photos, or videos between designers, customers, and clients
- Workflow systems — collaborative management of tasks and documents within a knowledge-based business process
- Knowledge management systems — collect, organize, manage, and share various forms of information
- Enterprise bookmarking — collaborative bookmarking engine to tag, organize, share, and search enterprise data
- Prediction markets — let a group of people predict together the outcome of future events
- Extranet systems (sometimes also known as ‘project extranets’) — collect, organize, manage and share information associated with the delivery of a project (e.g.: the construction of a building)
- Intranet systems — quickly share company information to members within a company via Internet (e.g.: marketing and product info)
- Social software systems — organize social relations of groups
- Online spreadsheets — collaborate and share structured data and information
- Client portals — interact and share with your clients in a private online environment
The Best Team Management Software Options to Consider
Notion—Best for Most
Notion
Best for Most
Customizable to fit all your collaborative needs, Notion improves teamwork through great tools like a knowledge base, Kanban board, and calendar integration.>> Try it for free
Notion takes personal and professional organization and makes it a no-brainer. You have everything at your fingertips, from word processing and data collection to a knowledge base and calendar for employees to reference project deadlines. A Kanban board setup helps you organize tasks and separate the big stuff from the day-to-day.
Notion has all the blocks you need to build successful team collaboration. Notion serves everyone from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. With a dedicated manager and custom contract, the software becomes more efficient, and you don’t pay for anything you don’t need. Take a risk-free trial.
Slack—Best for Fast Team Communication
Slack
Best for Fast Communication
Effective communication is essential for teams. Slack is the premier chat platform for collaboration and syncs easily with the other project management tools you’re already using.>> Try it for free
You’ve probably used this one before. Slack makes communication convenient. It lets you create channels so your team can talk to each other in a chat-based space. You also get notifications, so you never miss a message.
While Slack’s messaging feature stands out, it has others to help you improve team productivity. You can use productivity shortcuts to get work done faster without lowering quality or keeping anyone out of the loop.
The free version of Slack mainly gives you the chat feature. But you can add more to your team management software with its three paid versions:
- Standard—$8 per person per month
- Plus—$15 per person per month
- Enterprise Grid—Custom pricing
The Standard package’s unlimited message archive and apps combined with group video calls and screen sharing mean you won’t have to worry about missing details. Slack Connect, which comes with this version, lets you work with outside organizations and businesses for a completely collaborative experience.
The Plus plan gives you 99.99% uptime guaranteed, along with user provisioning and de-provisioning and a SAML-based SSO. You also get data exports for messages that allow you to keep the messages you need in a convenient location.
With Enterprise Grid, you can customize your package and pricing. At this level, you have access to features like unlimited workspaces, support data loss prevention, and HIPAA-compliant message and file locations to protect your and your clients’ privacy. Designated customer support gives you quick access to help when you need it.
While a free trial of the Standard and Plus tiers is not openly advertised on its site, Slack allows workspace owners and admins to request a free trial through this contact form. You must use the email address connected with your Slack account
Podio by Citrix—Best for Workflow Customization
Podio
Best for Workflow Customization
Gain customized visibility into your team’s productivity with Podio, by Citrix. Great for remote teams, this platform also allows you to add limited-role access for clients and automation tools.>> Sign up today
Podio is designed to structure your workflow and increase productivity every step of the way. With this software’s customizability, you increase your team’s focus and reduce project complications.
It keeps everything in one space, so you have access to anything without having to search for it. You can comment, attach files, and keep everyone on the same page—literally.
Card boards keep track of tasks, so you have a quick view of your project. You can also integrate plenty of apps based on project needs. With its “open plan online office,” sharing and communication become that much easier.
The free version for five employees is pretty limited, including only task management, apps, and workspaces. But once you upgrade, you can choose from three packages:
- Basic—$7.20 per employee per month
- Plus—$11.20 per employee per month
- Premium—$19.20 per employee per month
The Basic tier gives you all the free features, plus unlimited items, management, and external users for when you collaborate with people outside your business.
The Plus package upgrades you with a light user role, automated workflows, and read-only access, making sharing information and repetitive tasks more efficient.
At the Premium level, you can take advantage of visual reports of your team’s productivity, interactive sales dashboards, and advanced workflow automation.
Podio can also create custom packages and pricing for large enterprises. You’d need to contact them directly to discuss that.
Basecamp—Best for Large Companies and Teams
Basecamp
Best for Large Companies & Teams
Collaborate, communicate, and knock out projects with the easy, company-wide team management of Basecamp. Trusted by thousands, Basecamp gives you a platform to accommodate as many team members, clients, and tasks as you’ll ever need.>> Try it for free
Basecamp is the only team management software on our list that doesn’t have separate packages. It does have a free version, but if you want everything it has to offer, you’ll need the paid one.
At a $99 per month flat rate, it seems expensive at first. But when you consider that you usually need to pay per person for more limited features, you can see its value.
You get comprehensive features, and without a user limit, you don’t have to worry about upgrading as your team grows. Basecamp has many of the same combined features as Slack, Asana, and other team management software. That includes unlimited projects, 500GB storage, unlimited clients, and advanced client access, so everyone involved in the project stays connected.
Project templates help you get started fast. With a company HQ and team projects, team members will only see work relevant to them.
In the free forever plan, Basecamp Personal gives you three projects, 20 users, and one GB of storage. The company says this free version is great for personal projects, students, and freelancers.
Basecamp offers an impressive 30-day free trial. If that’s not long enough for you to decide whether to invest, you can ask the company to extend it.
Conclusion
Office collaboration software allow for better communication and productivity between team members, and in some cases can be used in place of or in conjunction with contact management software. It is suited for workplaces where large projects and many contributors exist.
Office Collaboration Software includes software that can be used to communicate with other users. This communication system may enable people to interact more easily, but it can also improve communication. Consider an organization of employees who are trying to figure out how to share documents. A collaboration software system can streamline this process by allowing team members to write, read, edit, delete and search for files on the network.