In this article, we are giving insight into Collaboration software.
Teamwork is an essential part of the success of companies today. The truth is that, the greater the number of participants in a project, the more important it is also that communication and coordination between them be efficient, since quality results will only be achieved if the tasks have been distributed correctly and there is good communication between team members.
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For this, it is necessary that everyone receives the important changes in the project in time and has the information and the necessary means to carry it out. To improve workflow, more and more companies are turning to groupware tools, also called groupware, which ensure productivity even when participants are in different locations.
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What Is A Collaboration Software?
Collaboration softwares are programs for teamwork that include functions to manage projects and aim to improve the work process. To do this, they contain specific functions for planning, organizing and analyzing tasks. The best groupware usually includes these features:
- Concept maps: many of these tools are designed to assist teams in the creative process with the development of mind maps and other variants of brainstorming , encouraging those involved in a specific project to share their ideas and thus actively participate in their conception. In addition, the customer can be included in this process, if he wishes, and is given access to the tool.
- File sharing : One of the pillars on which a collaboration tool is based is the ability to share tables, documents and other files with the rest of the team members. Many tools allow you to store data on a central platform, as well as define individual access permissions, so that all important files are available anytime, anywhere . The directors or administrators of the project are in charge of establishing what data each member has access to.
- Real-time communication – Many collaborative tools contain functions that enable live communication. For example, in a project panel you can share the tasks or the progress of the same, and through the comments, it is possible to clarify doubts about any question immediately. Many applications still use traditional forms of communication such as video calls , instant messaging or email , or have interfaces to well-known programs such as Outlook or Skype. In addition, most providers allow you to save your documents in the cloud, so that more users can access them at the same time.
- Shared calendar : be it a meeting, an important call or a due date, emails, calls or chat messages are a useful means of informing about upcoming events, although this way they are also easily forgotten. The more appointments we have, the more difficult it is to remember them all. For this reason, the collaboration tools also contain calendar functions whereby all relevant dates can be shared and viewed at any time.
- Management functions : good groupware also allows the project manager or team leader to plan the different work processes in the best possible way without losing the overview. For this reason, it also contains components that allow you to distribute and organize resources efficiently . Many of the tools also offer solutions to document and assess project progress . Used in all departments, they can facilitate communication between departments.
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Collaboration Software: Why It Is Worth Using
Of course, it is not mandatory to use a collaborative tool to organize a project or improve the work process. What’s more, a small team working in the same office can coordinate without specific software, simply by making use of certain applications for some activities.
However, the value of this type of software to improve the quality of the workflow increases notably as the number of workers, projects and external collaborators grows, since it facilitates the general vision, especially if different teams are directed and it is necessary to have take into account a large number of delivery dates.
In large companies, it is difficult to establish direct contact with each of the workers to know the updated status of the progress in their work, but if a collaborative software is configured and a certain work rhythm is established, it is possible to save time and money to invest them in other departments of the company.
In addition, file-sharing applications make it possible for large companies to share files at any time across the entire network. In addition, joint work with other colleagues is streamlined , since using an appropriate collaboration tool makes it easier to integrate participants into the necessary processes.
Nextcloud
Working in a group sharing memory? The open source Nextcloud solution opens up to its users the possibility to configure their own file server to facilitate file sharing or cooperation on common projects. The program has been conceived so that the user can synchronize a copy of the local files found on their PC on the server, so that several team members can access the same files, which are always up-to-date without having to send them. from here to there constantly.
With Nextcloud, users get an anti-virus scanner and two-step authentication out of the box , as well as clients for common desktop systems and as a mobile app for iOS and Android. Of course, in order to use the program, it is necessary to manage your own server, because it will be installed on it. With Managed Nextcloud Hosting you receive a complete server package that is just one click to install and configure the open source application. This is useful for small and medium-sized businesses. IONOS cloud server customers also have the Nextcloud application in the IONOS Application Center for easier installation of the tool.
Google Workspace
Although Google is mainly known for its web search engine, millions of users around the world use the other offers of the company, some of which are gathered in Google Workspace . This is a suite of office applications and several collaboration tools already familiar to most users: Gmail, Google’s free email service; Google Docs, for document creation, and Google Drive, the provider’s cloud store.
Many of these applications are already available free of charge to private users, but companies have an extended version available with other services: professional email, more storage space and customer support at all times.
