What are the benefits of task trackers?
Task trackers give project managers the ability to create an overview of project progress in one single location. Their usefulness is all in the name, allowing both project managers and team members to track task progress and:
Create accountability for all task deliverables
Introduce more efficient team workflows
Improve collaboration among team members
Set priorities and ensure deadlines are met
Project managers use task trackers to manage how team members complete their tasks. Team members can also refer to the task tracker and:
Set their weekly agendas based around high priorities
Improve their use of budget and resources to complete tasks
Seek opportunities to collaborate with teammates on complex tasks
Task trackers ultimately help teams align around high-priority tasks and maintain momentum on a scheduled project timeline. Used effectively, task trackers hold all stakeholders accountable and ensure priorities are completed in a timely, efficient manner.
When to use the task tracker template?
The task tracker template helps teams set priorities and maintain accountability by:
Organizing tasks into stages of completion
Setting priorities around larger project tasks
Assigning resources to complete tasks efficiently
Managing team workflows and project deadlines
The task tracker template can be used to manage virtually any project. All projects include a series of tasks that must each be completed to achieve the desired project outcome. The task tracker template helps manage all tasks through the task completion sequence.
You can use the task tracker template to build a detailed task management plan. Once you have your tasks laid out, you can consult your team members to set realistic timelines and make efficient use of working resources. By building out your task tracker template, you can monitor the status of all your team’s tasks and share transparent reports with other stakeholders regarding the project’s progress.
How to use the task tracker template
The task tracker template is one of the best resources you can use as a project manager. By segmenting your tasks and assigning statuses to each project deliverable, you ensure all team members are aligned on priorities and accountable to their respective roles in the project.
Step 1: Organize your project board into task statuses
Open your template and create vertical sections for each stage of the task completion cycle. We recommend a template of five sections that follow this general outline: backlog, to-do, in progress, review, and completed.
You can name each section using whatever label best suits your unique project needs. However, keep in mind that the purpose of the template is to track the status of each task in your project. The project board should reflect that so it’s easy for all stakeholders to view the status of each of the assigned tasks.
Step 2: List your tasks in your sections
Now you’re ready to list out your project tasks. You can create a new Task by clicking the + in any section of your project board. Be sure to add a detailed description of the expectations and assign a tag so that the assignee understands the task scope.
If you’re just beginning to use the template, most of your tasks should be listed under your to-do section. As work gets underway, you can move tasks into the in-progress section or the backlog section if they’ve been deemed a lower priority. Once work is ready for review, the task can be reassigned to the review section and marked off as completed once the review is verified.
Step 3: Assign the proper resources for each task
Now you’re ready to organize your tasks based on priorities and project dependencies. The template supports relative work estimation techniques so that you can tag each task as a small, medium, or large deliverable. Use the relative work estimation to visualize tasks that are of higher priority and will require more of your working resources. This will help you manage how time, budgets, and resources are used throughout the project.
Step 4: Create your task management timeline
Now, you’re ready to use one of the biggest features of the task tracker template: the built-in project timeline. Click the “Show project timeline” option at the top of your project board to activate the Gantt chart feature.
You can drag each of your tasks from your project board onto the project timeline. Once you drop a task onto the project timeline, click and drag the task horizontally to assign the appropriate start and end dates. This will create a visual overview of all tasks and project dependencies. You can manage your team’s workflows using the visual timeline tracker as a guide for how your tasks are completed throughout the project.
Step 5: Monitor status updates and keep task workflows moving
The task tracker template is designed to help you monitor task statuses so that the project moves towards the desired outcome. Use the Reports feature of your template to track the status of all tasks on your project board. You can share those status updates with other stakeholders and report on the project’s progress. Your stakeholders can help you determine if tasks and resources must be reassigned, should there be any gaps in the deliverables and the project timeline.
