xPlan

xPlan allows you to manage everything related to your projects, including tasks, resources, contacts, hours, etc.

It has an easy-to-use interface, in which tabs allow you to browse through the different parts of a project. Since it still may be somewhat complicated, it is good that there is excellent online help documentation to answer any possible questions.

The application allows managing various projects but each of them is stored in a separate document. To start a new project, you need to provide various data, like dates, currency, budget, working hours, etc. Two views are supported: by resources and by tasks. Luckily, this second view shows tasks as a Gantt chart, which displays the dependency relationships between the activities and the status of the current schedule.

The application conveniently helps you keep track of the progress of your projects. In this regard, it is excellent that tasks may include subtasks and that it is allowed to create smart dependencies between them. Likewise, you can define milestones that mark how much the project has advanced.

It is also possible to filter project data by the kind of item, including tasks, resources, events, and documents. Regrettably, logical navigation is affected at times. For instance, if you are planning a task and you need to enter a resource that has not been included, you will have to abandon the current tab and open the Resources tab. Finally, there are also tabs that let you create global reports as well as by resources or by processes.

Fortunately, there are multiple ways to share your projects with others. The good news is the application supports the same XML format used by Microsoft Project. Similarly, projects can also be exported as a PDF document, which is practically accessible to anyone. What is more, synchronization and socialization of a project are possible thanks to the opportunity to upload it to Apple iCloud Service.

All in all, xPlan can help you increase your productivity by streamlining your project workflow. The product is available for trying, so you had better take the opportunity to see if it works for you.