Team collaboration tools are collaboration tools for teams, typically offered as web applications. They provide communication and sharing capabilities to teams by combining messaging, document management, contact management, task management, wikis etc.
Team collaboration tools aim to solve today’ s workplace challenges through efficient workflows and effective team management. They allow the entire team to be productive regardless of location or timeZone, and increase productivity by supporting a more connected workforce. Team Collaboration Tools include project management software, enterprise social network software, web conferencing solutions, instant messaging platforms, collaboration platforms, online file sharing web sites/instant messaging services. In addition to standard applications such as MS Office and email collaboration solutions, email managers are used by many teams for increased productivity and streamlined communications. Finally, professional contact management is an emerging practice that is quickly being adopted
Google Docs
This is likely nothing new to you. It is perhaps the most famous documentation tool out there. Google Docs allows multiple people to edit the same file at same time, leave comments, and see changes made by every participant (revision history).
All you have to do is invite team members to work on a file in Google docs. With that, all participants have a central place to store and share information, take notes, and just seamlessly collaborate and have access to the information they need to get work done.
Pros
- Cloud based, no installations required
- All changes made on documents are automatically saved to Google Drive so you won’t lose them
- Multiple collaborators on a document can see changes in real time
Cons
- Limited features compared to Microsoft Word
GitHub
Consider GitHub if you are into programming. This development platform owned by Microsoft Corporation allows programmers to seamlessly collaborate and work on the same projects simultaneously.
On the platform, each collaborator gets a working copy of the code displayed on their computer through the GitHub web-based graphical interface. Any changes made on a project can be reviewed and easily rolled back if need be.
Pros
- Unlimited private repositories on the tool’s free tier
- Easy to use and track changes with the Gists feature
Cons
- Can easily be affected by a security breach
- Some great features are locked away behind a SaaS paywall
Creatopy
Creatopy is the efficient and intuitive visual production platform delivering a well-crafted experience for communicators. The brand-new platform allows individuals and teams to easily create engaging advertising visuals for multi-channel creative mediums.
Featuring advanced automation capabilities, along with an ever-growing library of templates and visual elements, Creatopy gives communicators the needed tools to spark their creative journey and keep visual content organized and always on-brand.
Plus, with Creatopy, you get an online workspace in which you can create and store unlimited designs and animations. You can also share notes and projects, give feedback, and pass around links, not files.
Pros
- Cloud-based collaboration for all stakeholders
- Accessible, intuitive interface with a drag and drop editor
- Design presets, templates, and original illustrations, available at no resale
- No coding or design skills required
- Designs can be exported as HTML5, GIF, AMP HTML files
Cons
- Requires a stable internet connection
- They don’t have a mobile app yet
Trello
Here’s one of the most famous project management tools out there. Trello is optimized for keeping tasks organized and lets users create boards or lists that can be assigned to and shared with others.
Trello is replete with deadline reminders and email notifications, plus; it can integrate with other tools including Evernote, Google Drive, GitHub, and Slack for a unified team experience.
Pros
- It’s free
- Quick real time updates
- Simple and easy to add new member, create and assign tasks
Cons
- Difficult to handle large projects
- Not the best way to collaborate; You can choose tools such as Slack or Brief for your real-time communication
Slack
Not fairly old, but this one hardly needs an introduction. If your team doesn’t use Slack, then I’m certain you’ve at least heard about it. Slack provides a centralized hub for teams of all sizes to communicate in real-time.
Communication on Slack is fortified with powerful features like:
- Ability to drag-and-drop documents, images, videos, PDFs, spreadsheets, and other file types directly into the application
- Conduct team and individual chats, to compartmentalize topics and discussions for quick and private communication
- Carry out voice and video calls with as many as 15 people at a time.
- Share video screen for an effective and more transparent manner of communication
- Quickly search any document, message, and conversation for future reference
- Manage notification settings according to your needs. Choose and mute notifications from rarely active group conversations
- Use Slack App Directory to connect to more than 900 corresponding tools and apps to limit on-screen clutter of unnecessary tabs
Pricing
- Free Plan – small teams. 5 GB file storage. Single Person Voice call.
- Standard Plan – $6.67 per user/month. Unlimited message search. 10 GB file storage per member. Voice & video call up to 15 members.
Cisco WebEx
According to Cisco, 37% of employee time is spent in meetings.
While most meetings are a drag and a waste of time, we can’t deny what perpetual necessity meetings are for team collaboration. It is for this reason, Cisco WebEx, one of the most powerful meetings management software is included in this list.
Use Cisco WebEx to streamline an over-bearing bundle of meetings with the following perks:
- Share screens, host webinars and video conferences with WebEx Floating panels
- Schedule meetings using Quick or Advanced Scheduler. Users can send meeting invites via SMS, email or IM.
- In case of a dead battery or technical constraints, WebEx facilitates the immediate device switch option in connection with the meeting remains intact.
- Record meetings to revisit old discussions from the past
- Monitor meeting safety by setting a password to each meeting
- Use Brainstorm tool to gather real-time votes from team attendees
Pricing
- Premium – $24/month. 8 members. Video conferencing and screen sharing.
Hangouts
Google has been making progress in the field of collaboration. Hangouts is a collaboration tool for business communication that offers voice and video calling to users. With Hangout chat you can create chat rooms to quickly chat and share files with team members. The team can communicate by direct messaging and be connected always.
What’s unique about Hangout?
- Register your call or conference on YouTube
- Manage your Circles to launch calls quickly
- Collaborative working via Hangouts and Google Doc
Join.me
Stay connected anywhere with Join.me by hosting a free meeting or joining a meeting. Join.me has a modern interface that’s very easy to use and plenty of features to enhance your online meetings.You will completely get value for the money you are investing in this collaboration tool.
What’s unique about join.me?
- Share your screen with participants on audio and video at the same time.
- Customize your meeting link to whatever you want.
- Meeting scheduler with Outlook plugin and Google Calendar Plugin
InVision
InVision is a comprehensive prototyping software and very useful collaboration software for designing user interfaces for mobile applications and digital interactive products. The tool allows users to collaborate, upload wireframes, designs, gather feedback seamlessly and test much more effectively and efficiently. With InVision, you can manage your projects from a single dashboard and seamlessly navigate the entire design process in one place. The clients can provide instant feedback in the form of comments.
What is unique about InVision:
- Create rich interactive prototypes
- Seamlessly communication, gather feedback, and move projects forward
- Intuitive vector-based drawing and flexible layers
- Navigate the entire design process in one place keeping everyone notified of changes
Bit.ai
Bit is a smart all-in-one document collaboration platform for teams to create interactive documents, manage digital content and track document insights. In this documentation software, team members can invite colleagues accordingly depending on who they need to collaborate with to get work done.
What is unique about Bit.ai:
- Create team notes, meetings, meeting agendas, proposals and much more
- Select from a variety of templates and themes
- Add any web link into a blank line in Bit and hit enter
- Add links to any PDF, PPT or spreadsheet on the cloud from Google Drive, Box and OneDrive
- Receive real-time alerts when someone opens your smart document
Office online
Office online is Microsoft’s free version where you get the core of Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Onenote. However, all the features are not available for free but it is quite in the budget. The basic documentation and editing tools are available on the free version and will suit your needs just fine. Save documents, presentations, communicate, collaborate and get great work done.
What is unique about Office Online:
- Get the latest office apps both desktop apps – both the desktop and online versions
- Makes the work you do available to you from anywhere
- Available on desktop, tablet, and phone
Conclusion
Team Collaboration Tools is software that allows people from different parts of a business to work on tasks together. It streamlines project management and simplifies communication so you can save time and get more work done