June 2, 2021

Monday Overview - A Clear Solution for Project Management

Monday Overview - A Clear Solution for Project Management

Monday is a cloud-based project management tool that focuses on simplifying how teams manage workflow and communication.

The key feature of Monday is their color-coded boards that allow team members to quickly check which projects are in progress, which tasks are complete and where colleagues' may need some help. The platform encourages collaboration and highlights relationships between different projects.

Monday allows project managers to quickly see which team members are over/underworked and balance out workloads while also providing the whole team with a base for communication, aiming to eliminate confusion.

The platform comes with over 200 board templates that can be customized through the platform's intuitive drag and drop interface, allowing team members to customize boards to their specific needs.

Since its launch, the platform has become very popular, boasting over 100,000 customers; notable businesses that use the software include Adobe, Uber, Universal, and Zippo.

Table of Contents

  1. Getting started with Monday
  2. Platform availability and user interface
  3. Features
    1. Streamlined Management
    2. Base for communication
    3. Visual organization
    4. Inviting clients as guests
    5. Alternative views
    6. Timeline
  4. Customer Service & Support
  5. Pricing
  6. Pros and Cons
    1. Pros
    2. Cons
  7. Is Monday Suitable for My Business?

Getting started with Monday

Monday is a cloud-based project management software. Getting started and trialing the software is relatively easy. An account can be created using an email on Monday.com, and users can start using the software with a 14-day free trial.

There's no need to enter any credit or debit card information until the end of the trial period, either.

Platform availability and user interface

The platform can be accessed from a browser as well as through their desktop or mobile apps. The user interface on all platforms is sleek and modern, successfully incorporating a wide range of features while still maintaining usability.

Let's take a look at some of the main features of the platform.

Features

Streamlined management

Monday provides an all-in-one solution to project management. Everything is managed through the use of boards. Boards are color-coded and highly visual, making it easy to see who's working on a task and where they are in the process. Team members can also update their progress by assigning a status to each task.

Base for communication

The platform provides a base for communication, making it easy to communicate with other team members. Rows can be added to each board, allowing team members to add comments and file attachments to each task.

Users can also send messages to other team members or the whole group.

Visual organization

An intuitive use of color not only makes it easy to see who is working on each task, but it is also beneficial for managing workflows and can help managers see which team members may require more work, or which may have too much on their plate.

Inviting clients as guests

This option is often overlooked. Monday gives users the option to invite guests to a board. This feature allows clients to see the progress of their project at any time without having to rely on the team providing updates.

Alternative views

Alternative views allow changing the layout of the board, including being able to view as a Gantt chart, timeline, files, map, workload, various chart types, and more.

Timeline

Timeline, one of the most notable alternative views, is ideal for tracking tasks or projects spanning multiple days or for teams working on multiple projects. If there's a delay with a project, users can drag and drop timeline bars to update the expected completion date. Users can also view multiple timelines at the same time on a single timeline board.

Customer Service & Support

Monday.com offers support through both phone and email.

The website also has an extensive range of articles and guides that can help users make the most out of the platform. However, it lacks a live chat function, something often demanded from Saas products.

Monday.com also runs daily webinars, which can help users get used to the platform. These webinars include:

  • A showcase of the software every weekday.
  • Live Q&As with platform representatives.
  • Other scheduled webinars on more specific topics such as Project Management Methodologies.

Pricing

Monday offers five pricing options. The business operates on a pay-per-seat model, which we think is a considerable downside to the platform.

The following table outlines the most notable features of each package:

__wf_reserved_inherit

Pricing is based on an annual payment; paying for the platform monthly further increases the cost.

For a more extensive view of each package, you may head over to www.monday.com/pricing

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Built for multiple users - The platform is designed for multiple users. It does a great job of streamlining the collaboration process and provides a base for communication, making it an invaluable tool for companies with remote teams.
  • Great tracking features - Monday.com is excellent for checking the progress of tasks. The visual boards and intuitive user interface provide information at a glance. The color-coding also makes it easy for team members to see which areas may require their immediate attention.
  • Alternative views - The platform has a wide range of alternative views, such as a Gantt chart and timeline view that many users find more appropriate for their requirements. Other views include a kanban board and a calendar view.
  • Powerful Communication Tool - Teams can invite guests to view boards and timelines. This feature helps centralize communication and allows clients to track the progress of their projects.

Cons

  • Per-user pricing - Monday operates on using a per-user pricing model. The free plan allows for up to 2 users. However, adding additional users will require you to upgrade your plan and pay for each user you wish to add.
  • Basic Version Lacks Important Features - The basic package lacks some essential features such as advanced search functions and integrations. You may find yourself having to subscribe to a more expensive package to fulfill all of your requirements.
  • Difficult to track time and expenses. It's not that easy to track time against each task. The platform would benefit by incorporating more advanced features that help with time management and tracking expenses.
  • Requires a learning curve - If you have a lot of work, the interface can be cluttered and sometimes confusing. Also, it may take a while to understand some of the alternative views.
  • Needs more integration options - Monday integrates with Dropbox, Excel, Zapier, Google Drive, Slack, Trello, and a few others. However, it would be great to see the platform expand and support integration with a wider range of platforms.

Is Monday Suitable for Your Business?

Overall, Monday.com is an extremely useful tool for project management. The platform is highly visual, making it easy to see the progress of a project with a quick glance.

The use of the boards of the platform encourages collaboration and gives team members a base for communication.

The platform is especially useful for project managers, allowing them to distribute workflow more evenly across the team.

The platform does, however, have some drawbacks. The price per user model being the main issue, as it can be quite expensive for larger teams. The platform could also benefit from a live chat function and a more comprehensive range of integration options.

To learn more about whether Monday.com is the right tool for your business, please complete the contact form below and our team will be happy to assist you!

Schedule Your Free 30 Minute Tech Strategy Session!

Already have a great idea? Have some business pain points? Speak to a solution architect to explore the best tech solutions for your business. We're here to help you achieve new heights with the right technology.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.