Autotask is a well-known software platform that offers professional services automation (PSA) capabilities for managed service providers (MSPs) and various technology-focused businesses. While it is renowned for its efficient ticket management module, Autotask also boasts robust project management features. In this article, we will explore how Autotask can help you overcome project management challenges and enhance your overall experience.
So, what are some of Autotask’s key project management features?
Project tracking
Project tracking is a crucial aspect of a project manager’s role and responsibilities. Although Autotask may primarily be known as an MSP PSA, it also offers efficient project tracking capabilities. Project managers can access a snapshot of the project summary, displaying vital information such as the end date, remaining hours, and the percentage of completed hours and tasks.
By delving deeper into the project, managers can examine additional details such as the project schedule, task-level information like estimated hours, start and end dates, and charge-related data such as costs, quantity, billing status, and more. Utilizing the Autotask MSP project management tool, project managers can gain valuable insights and take the necessary actions to ensure project success.
Built-in templates
Autotask makes creating new projects a breeze with its built-in templates, allowing you to either use a pre-existing template or start a project from scratch. These templates not only showcase your past project completions but also enable you to create proposals for your current projects. By importing items from the template, selecting schedule items, and marking predecessors, you can streamline the project creation process.
The built-in templates in Autotask allow you to copy various items, such as project charges, settings, team members, and calendar items. This approach helps eliminate any confusion regarding your budget, estimated completion timeline, resource utilization, and other pertinent factors. With Autotask’s built-in templates, you can efficiently set up new projects and ensure a smooth project management experience.
Intuitive dashboards
Autotask’s user-friendly dashboard provides a high-level overview of your projects, their health, and other essential information. The dashboard is tailored to different roles, such as project managers and team members, ensuring everyone has access to the data they need.
The intuitive dashboard allows you to easily track all your ongoing projects, giving you a comprehensive overview of each project’s status, timeline, budget, and task allocation at a glance. It’s crucial to understand the goals you and your project team need to achieve, and Autotask enables you to set both overall and personalized dashboards.
For instance, as a project manager, you can quickly access essential information on project status, end-dates, last activity date, and the variance between estimated and remaining hours. You can also view the status of your projects, active project progress, projects ending by a specific date, active projects by department or lead, and the percentage of completed work on active projects. Furthermore, there is a separate dashboard for project managers to view their tasks and individual actions, ensuring you stay on top of your projects at all times.
And as a team member. you can easily view and manage your tasks based on end-dates and planned items through service calls, which sync directly to their Outlook. By setting up the appropriate dashboards and widgets with personalized filters (such as assigned resources), team members can effortlessly stay on top of their projects. Say goodbye to navigating complex project management software, as Autotask’s PSA tools for MSPs keep you organized and in control at all times.
Tasks and Billing
Autotask’s automatic task assignment feature ensures that resources are promptly notified of their assigned tasks. They can access their tasks from the project schedule or the My Tasks & Tickets page, log their time directly on the task, and update the task status as they progress. This makes it easy for project managers to monitor who is working on what and effectively manage risks.
Regarding billing, labor and charge entries are automatically made available for invoicing. Users can input detailed project charges by updating charge types, status, billable to company checkbox, quantity, unit cost, and billable amount to determine an estimated cost. Adjusting the schedule or reassigning tasks as the project evolves is a straightforward process. The schedule, project tabs on the dashboard, and reports offer valuable information about revenue, deadlines, overdue tasks, and resource availability.
Project financials can be found in the ‘Charges and Expenses’ section, where users can examine project costs and resource allocation in detail. Additionally, notes can be added to a project or project phase, along with attachments. These notes are searchable within the system using keywords.
Extensive reporting
Data is the lifeblood of successful project management, and Autotask recognizes its significance by offering extensive reporting capabilities. With Autotask, you can access vital information about your projects, such as budgets, timelines, resources, and estimated revenues, all at your fingertips.
The Project Financials report provides a comprehensive analysis of a project’s financial aspects, including expenses, revenue, profits, and projected earnings. It also delves into crucial data points like estimated hours, actual hours worked, hours posted, posted amounts, and internal costs.
Autotask organizes these reports in a user-friendly and easily accessible manner, ensuring that you can quickly find the information you need. The platform’s reporting feature also allows you to manage access to each report, enabling administrators to restrict general user access to financial reports while still allowing them to view other project details. This way, you can maintain a clear understanding of resource utilization and your project portfolio, emphasizing the importance of data accessibility in successful project management.
Flexible Integrations
Autotask offers seamless integration with Remote Monitoring and Management, HR management, and Customer Relationship Management, enhancing your workflow. Its robust integration capabilities enable smooth information flow between applications, automating numerous time-consuming manual tasks. As a result, you can concentrate on expanding your business rather than spending time on administrative tasks.
Wrapping up
In conclusion, when searching for a PSA tool for MSPs, you may encounter various options such as Autotask, Connectwise, Jira, and Topdesk. However, Autotask’s project management capabilities enable you to effortlessly assign tasks, track budgets and expenses, and monitor your project’s progress. Want to make your Planning and Projectmanagement even better? Check out Proxuma!