Payroll
Apps We Love: To-Do Lists
We like lists. It goes with the territory of keeping track of numbers and transactions and all the moving pieces of our and our clients’ businesses. As we approach the end of the year, resolutions to be more efficient and organized are often on our minds.
Dec. 19, 2016
We like lists. It goes with the territory of keeping track of numbers and transactions and all the moving pieces of our and our clients’ businesses. As we approach the end of the year, resolutions to be more efficient and organized are often on our minds. To help with that process, we have scoured the ‘net to find apps that can help you keep your life in order. And so our wish for the New Year is for your tasks to be manageable, your deadlines achievable, and your lists short.
Wunderlist was purchased by Microsoft last year and, according to The Guardian, is one of the easiest to-do list apps for beginners. Its collaborative features allow you to share lists with others, and you can set priorities and get reminders for upcoming deadlines. Most features are available in the free version, however if you are looking for location-based reminders, there are less expensive options available. Shared lists are limited to 25 tasks. The Verge calls Wunderlist, “The best to-list app,”
If you need more than a program just for yourself, consider Asana, a free app that can be used for teams of up to 15 people. The app is designed for managing team workflows and tasks. Ranked 4.5 out of 5 stars by PC Magazine, Asana is best used for tracking daily tasks, and the program includes the ability to give status updates. The app includes the ability to assign due dates and responsible people, and you can add comments and upload files. There are basic dashboards, and you can connect to other tools including Slack and Dropbox, all for free. There is a premium version available which allows for an unlimited number of users, customization, and several other advance controls.
Stored lists for repeated use can find a home in Google Keep, a free app designed to save your reading lists, music, anniversary and birthday and other important dates – basically the daily stuff that used to find a place on a Post-It note, can now be easily set up in Keep, which PC Mag’s editors gave a 2.5 star rating. It also has voice recording and can remind users of tasks or shopping lists when they are near a store or task location. A feature also lets users share their thought lists with their family and friends.
Evernote is, perhaps, the most famous of the list/note apps on the market. With a 4.5 star rating from CNET, the app lets users create and sync notes, lists web pages and audio from their mobile devices and desktop or laptops, providing numerous formatting, organization and upgrade options. The app even recognizes handwritten scanned in notes.
For Basecamp users, the Workstak add-on offers client and task management for professionals, as well as tools for project tracking, invoice generation, calendaring, time tracking and digital document management. The system also pushes notifications to the user about pending approvals and tasks. A free version is available for a single user, but the app can support virtually any number of users and clients.
Designed for marketers are and business decision makers, the Workfront app gives enterprise users a collection of tools to manage work wherever they are. The customizable app offers task management tools, work and project approvals and routing, time tracking, collaboration features and reporting options. The app has a 4.5 rating on both iTunes and Google Play.
Clarizen is a collaboration app for enterprise environments, offering project management utilities, task management and staff utilization. It also incorporates digital document management, time tracking, receipt-photo expense management, and has a social platform with news feeds and chat functions. CNET editors give it 4 stars out of 5.
For power users of Microsoft Office, OneNote lets them easily take notes, plans and lists, along with images or audio, and then can sync them across multiple devices, or share them with coworkers or friends. PCMag readers gave the app 4 stars.
For users who just want a simple note or list making app, without all of the multi-user functions and management features, Simplenote fits the bill. The easy to use app offers search, as well as tags and pins. It includes reminders and users can send lists to email. iTunes users give it 4 stars.