Project management is an essential part of any business today. From tracking tasks to managing team members, everything needs a proper system. But here comes an interesting question – can WordPress, the world’s most popular website platform, really manage projects effectively?
Many people still think WordPress is only for blogs or websites, but that’s no longer true. You will find many available plugins, which let you easily create, assign, and track tasks right inside your WordPress dashboard. One of the most popular tools that makes this possible is WP Project Manager.
In this comprehensive blog post, we'll put WordPress to the test to see if it's able to handle projects. Let's get into the discussion on WordPress project management right away!
How WordPress Becomes a Project Management Platform
It’s true that WordPress first came to the market as a simple blogging platform. Over time, it evolved into a powerful Content Management System (CMS) and later into a complete website-building solution. This transformation happened mainly because of WordPress plugins. They allow users to extend WordPress beyond its original purpose and turn it into almost anything.
The same flexibility now allows you to use WordPress for project management as well. Today, you'll find numerous project management plugins to transform your website into a project management platform. In the backend, you can enable tools like task lists, Kanban boards, team collaboration, file sharing, and progress tracking, similar to what you get in Trello or ClickUp.
One of the most reliable and user-friendly plugins that makes this transformation possible is WP Project Manager. It helps you manage all your projects directly inside WordPress, keeping your team, clients, and tasks perfectly organized in one place.
Benefits of Using WordPress for Project Management
As numerous powerful project management tools are out there, you might wonder why you should prefer WordPress for project management over others. We are not asking you to avoid the other tools. But you can consider WordPress due to a set of advantages. Take a look at them below.
1. Cost-Effectiveness and Accessibility
WordPress is an open-source platform, which means it’s free to use. When it comes to project management, this cost-effectiveness continues because you don’t need expensive subscriptions. You can access your projects anytime through a web browser, making it highly accessible for teams working remotely or across multiple locations.
Additionally, WordPress allows teams of any size to start managing projects without worrying about high upfront costs. Small businesses, freelancers, and startups can get all essential project management features without paying for cloud-based tools that often charge per user.
2. Customization and Integration Power
WordPress currently has around 60,000 plugins. You can use as many plugins as required to make this platform highly flexible. Not only can you manage projects, but you can also integrate payment gateways to receive money, enable a booking system to let clients book you, install WooCommerce so you can handle managing projects, and more.
Moreover, WordPress integrates easily with other tools and services you already use. This means your project management system can communicate with email services, calendars, communication apps, or CRM systems. The integration power ensures that your workflow remains seamless and efficient.
3. Collaboration and Security Features
WordPress allows teams to collaborate in a secure environment. Multiple users can work together on projects, update tasks, and share documents without worrying about losing information. Built-in user roles and permissions also help you control who can see or edit specific data.
Security is another benefit. WordPress provides regular updates and security plugins to protect your data. This ensures that sensitive project information stays private. This makes it safe to manage client projects, internal tasks, or confidential files all in one place.
Explore the best WordPress security plugins.
4. Scalability for Growing Needs
It's easy to scale your WordPress platform for project management as your business grows. You can start with a small team and gradually add more users, tasks, or projects as your company expands. The platform’s flexibility means you won’t outgrow it quickly.
As your project management needs increase, WordPress allows you to add new features, plugins, or integrations without disrupting your existing workflow. This scalability ensures your system remains reliable and efficient, no matter how large or complex your projects become.
5. Everything in One Place — Website, Team, and Clients
With WordPress, you can manage not just projects but also your website, team, and clients from the same platform. This centralization saves time because you don’t have to switch between multiple tools to check tasks, communicate with team members, or update client information.
Having everything in one place also improves transparency. Team members and managers can see project progress, deadlines, and responsibilities at a glance. It makes collaboration smoother and reduces the chances of miscommunication. Explore Agile vs Waterfall project management.
6. Affordable Compared to Cloud-Based Tools
Most cloud-based project management software charges per user or per month, which can quickly add up as your team grows. WordPress, on the other hand, is mostly free, and premium plugins are usually a one-time or annual payment, which can be more affordable for small and medium teams.
This affordability makes WordPress an attractive option for businesses that want professional project management features without recurring subscription costs. Teams can allocate their budget to other important areas while still keeping projects organized and productive.
Best WordPress Project Management Plugins
There are several plugins that can turn your WordPress website into a fully functional project management platform. These tools help teams manage tasks, collaborate efficiently, and keep projects on track without leaving WordPress. Below are two of the best options available today.
WP Project Manager
WP Project Manager is a powerful plugin that allows you to manage projects directly inside WordPress. You can create projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress, all from your dashboard. It offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies even complex projects for teams of any size.
The plugin also supports team collaboration through private messaging, file sharing, and task comments. With additional features like milestones, Kanban boards, and time tracking, WP Project Manager provides a complete and top-notch project management experience.
FluentBoards
FluentBoards is another excellent project management plugin for WordPress. It uses a Kanban-style board to help teams visualize tasks and workflows. You can create boards, assign tasks, set priorities, and move tasks between columns, similar to tools like Trello.
The plugin is lightweight, fast, and easy to use, making it a good choice for teams who want a simple yet effective project management solution. It also integrates well with other WordPress tools, allowing seamless workflow management without leaving your website.
Key Features of WP Project Manager: A Deep Dive into It
WP Project Manager is a well-known project management plugin that can transform your WordPress site into a full-fledged project management platform. It offers a range of features designed to streamline project planning, execution, and collaboration. Let's explore some of its standout functionalities.
1. Task Manager
WP Project Manager's Task Manager allows you to create and assign tasks within your projects. You can set due dates, add descriptions, and track progress, so that every team member knows their responsibilities and deadlines. This feature helps in organizing tasks efficiently.
Take a look at project manager vs product manager – key differences.
2. Milestone Tracker
The Milestone Tracker enables you to set significant checkpoints within your projects. You can define milestones, assign tasks to them, and monitor their completion. This provides a clear overview of project progress. By tracking milestones, you can ensure that key objectives are met on time.
3. Kanban Boards
WP Project Manager includes Kanban Boards for visual task management. You can create boards to represent different stages of your workflow, such as To Do, In Progress, and Completed. You can move tasks between these stages as they progress. This visual approach enhances clarity.
Check the best Kanban Boards for WordPress.
4. Gantt Charts
The Gantt Chart feature offers a timeline view of your project. It allows you to plan tasks, set dependencies, and visualize the project schedule. With this, you can identify potential bottlenecks to ensure timely delivery.
With Gantt Charts, you can manage complex projects more effectively by having a clear visual representation of all tasks and their timelines. Learn how a Gantt Chart can simplify a complex project.
5. Time Tracker
Time Tracker lets you monitor the time spent on each task. You can start, pause, and stop timers. This can provide insights into how much time is dedicated to different project components. This feature is particularly useful for billing clients based on time spent or for analyzing team efficiency.
Learn how to master time management with WP Project Manager.
6. Detailed Reporting
The plugin offers detailed reporting tools that provide insights into various aspects of your projects. You can generate reports on task completion, user activity, and project progress. These reports help in assessing the effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement.
7. Role Management
Role Management allows you to assign specific roles and permissions to team members. You can control who has access to what information and actions within the project. Thus, you can ensure sensitive information is accessible only to authorized personnel.
8. Discussion Thread
The Discussion Thread facilitates communication among team members. You can create threads for different topics so all discussions are organized and easily accessible. This centralized communication helps in reducing misunderstandings and keeps everyone on the same page.
9. Easy to Share Files
The plugin allows you to upload and share files directly within the project. You can attach files to tasks, messages, and discussions. This simplifies collaboration and ensures that all team members have access to the necessary resources.
10. Integration with Many Tools
The plugin integrates with various tools and platforms, such as Slack, GitHub, Bitbucket, and BuddyPress. These integrations enhance the functionality of WP Project Manager. You can centralize your project management activities and improve overall efficiency.
11. Integrates Stripe
WP Project Manager Pro integrates with Stripe. This enables you to invoice clients and receive payments securely for your work. This integration simplifies the billing process and ensures timely payments, contributing to smoother project execution.
How to Use WP Project Manager in WordPress: A Brief Step-by-Step Guide
Getting started with WP Project Manager is very simple and easy, like any other plugin. It also has a free and premium version. However, it is worth mentioning that most advanced features are reserved only for the premium version of the plugin. Get them by clicking the button attached below.
Hope you know how to install plugins in WordPress. If not, no worries! Below, we have covered the process.
Step 01: Installing WP Project Manager on WordPress
Log in to your WordPress dashboard. Then, navigate to Plugins > Add Plugin. Type WP Project Manager in the search box on the top-right corner. Once the plugin appears, install and activate it.
# Install WP Project Manager Pro
After the free version is installed, go to Plugins > Add Plugin > Upload Plugin > Choose File. Select the ZIP file of the plugin from your local drive where you downloaded it after purchasing. Once selected, hit the Install Now button and activate it.
# Add License Key to WP Project Manager
Finally, it's time to activate the license. Go to WP Project Manager > License. Place your Email Address and License Key in the respective fields. Hit the Save & Activate button.
Step 02: Create Your Project(s)
You can create as many projects as you want and manage them simultaneously. To do this, go to the Project Manager. Next, click the + New Project button.
A popup will open up. Write your project's name and a short description so you can easily identify it later. Hit the Add New Project button at the bottom of the popup once you are done.
Step 03: Create a Task List
A project is definitely a combination of numerous tasks and sub-tasks. To create the task list, go to the Task Lists tab. Click the + Add Task List button.
A small popup will open up. Here again, write a name and description for the task list. Then, press the Add List button.
Place your cursor on the top field. Write your task's name and hit the Enter button on your keyboard. The task will be added to the list.
For example, you can see the Design homepage task has been added to the list.
In the same way, you can add as many tasks as you want to the list. You can even add sub-tasks under any respective task. To do this, place your cursor on the field box under the respective task. Write your sub-task name and hit the Enter button on your keyboard.
The sub-tasks will be added under the main task. You can see it in the screenshot attached below.
Step 04: Set Deadlines for the Tasks
You can set deadlines for all tasks individually. To do this, click the three-dot icon next to the respective sub-task and select the Edit option.
Click the Calendar icon. A calendar will open up. Select a date. Finally, hit the Update button.
Thus, you can add deadlines to each of your sub-tasks.
Step 05: Configure Milestones
Milestones are a way to split your project into small and manageable tasks to track the progress of your tasks gradually. Go to the Milestones tab.
Write a title for the milestone, select a deadline, and click the Add Milestone button.
You can see that we have added lots of milestones in the same way in the image added below.
Step 06: Set Up the Kanban Board
Hope you already know what the Kanban Board is. You can arrange your tasks on the Kanban Board as well. Come to the Kanban Board. Hope you can do the rest.
Step 07: Configure the Gantt Chart
Just come to the Gantt Chart tab. You will see that your Gantt Chart is almost ready. You just have to adjust times based on the tasks there. Hope you can do it yourself.
Step 08: Track Your Project Performance Reports
Without regular evaluation, it's impossible to assess the progress of any project. With WP Project Manager, you can track your project performance reports by various terms.
Just come to the Reports option on the admin menu bar. You'll get options to see your various project performance reports.
Thus, you can convert WordPress into a comprehensive project management platform and track not only WordPress-related but also various other types of projects.
Final Takeaways!
Managing projects doesn’t always need complex software or expensive subscriptions. If you have a small to medium-sized team or you are an individual worker who is looking for a simple project management tool, WordPress, powered by WP Project Manager, could be a considerable solution.
Not only for small and medium teams, but it also has the ability to support project management for large-scale projects. A great advantage is that, unlike cloud or SaaS tools, you don't have to incur additional costs while scaling. If you have enough space in your web hosting, you'll be able to manage your projects and add as many users as you want to the board.
If you have any questions, mention them in the comment box below. Our team will come back to you very soon with the necessary answers.