For online and computer-based businesses, the best possible combination of tools is Teamwork PM + Google Drive.

Best Project Management Software

Keep track of your people and projects easily with Teamwork PM.

I’ve tried a BUNCH of different Project Management software tools like MyProjectPlans and Basecamp.  Don’t get me started on Basecamp.  Basecamp SUCKS.

Teamwork PM is fast, flexible, and comprehensive.

Copy and Paste Tasks

Regularly building websites for clients?  In my marketing company we had a 106-day system for creating websites.  For each web project we took on, we just copied and pasted the entire 106-day series of tasks for each new client.

Regularly doing mini-projects like uploading podcast episodes, editing YouTube videos, or blog posts?  Your VA will follow (approximately) the same 5 – 20 steps every time.  Again, just copy and paste inside of Teamwork.

Built-in Billing

Thanks to Teamwork’s built-in billing feature, my VAs invoice me in under 7 minutes each month.

Less hassle for them.

And I’m not paying them any longer than I need to while they invoice me to pay them!

Rapid Assignment and Re-Assignment

Teamwork makes it super easy to change dates of tasks, assign to VAs and re-assign if roles change or the team changes in size.

I had a VA suddenly quit.  I simply re-assigned her tasks to another VA.  Took 10 minutes with no disruption in work-flow.

Obviously Teamwork PM isn’t enough to have this level of systemization.  You also need to write out procedures.  Download my free Crash Course and Cheat Sheet to see what I mean.

 

Writing Procedures

Do it all in Google Drive.  (Get a head start by downloading my System Template into your own Google Drive.)

Just do it.

Easy Sharing

Google Drive makes it suuuper easy to share procedures with teammates when they need them.

Security and Permissions

Share documents only with those who need to see them.

Don’t want one VA seeing how much another is paid?  No problem.

The “Permissions” level is also crucial.  When you give “Read” access to a new VA, they won’t (accidentally) trash your beautiful procedures.

When you’ve got a trained, competent VA on your team, you can give them “Write” access to literally write your procedures *for* you.

Suuuper Fast to Search and Find Procedures

Google is the world’s #1 search engine, right?

They’ve applied a lot of that technology to Google Drive.  Need to find a procedure?  VERY FAST to us the Google Drive Search bar.

(Although you shouldn’t have to search too hard too often if you’re using my method of naming and labeling documents, found inside my Systemization Crash Course and Cheat Sheet.)

Pre-Formatted Styles

Instead of wasting time bolding, increasing font sizes, etc, just use Google’s built-in Styles to give your procedures an easy-to-read layout.

I use Heading 1 for section headers.

Now you and your staff will build great-looking, easy-to-use procedures without getting frustrated – was that Helvetica, 12 point? Or Arial 13 point?

Collaboration

Ok, so this is seriously black Voodoo – you and your Assistant can literally open the same document at the same time and watch each other type on the screen.

Fire up a Skype call to speak live, and type away on the screen together and WOW you can teach, build, edit together on the fly.

Simply Amazing.

Google Is Massive, Has Redundancy

There’s a Pro and Con to Google being massive.

Try to get tech support on Google Drive and it’s nearly impossible (CON)

Google is massive and has multiple-redundancies, tons of security, and near-100% uptime. (PRO)

 

The right tools make all the difference.

Google Drive + Teamwork PM is the winning combination you want.  Leave me a comment, what tools are you currently using to keep track of your projects?

Tim :)

P.S. Save yourself tons of time by downloading my Systems Template into your own Google Drive do you can start creating systems in order to free yourself up with time to focus on working ON your business, instead of working IN your business.