How do you project manage/ follow up on tasks with your team?

[Daniel Hanson]

Hi all,

One of the things that takes a lot of time as an investor is communication and follow-up with your team.  I keep my own to-do list by property, and communicate with PM's, contractors, partners etc. by phone, email, or text.  Lots of times because they are overwhelmed, phone calls and text messages don't get followed up on, once you open them, you can't go back and un-open them, requiring a reminder or a follow-up call.  At a basic but not ideal level they can always mark an email as un-read, using their email inbox as a to-do list. 

I'd like to have a shared action plan so that they or I can both add to it, get an immediate notification of a new task, but also a reminder that something still hasn't been completed.  The shared action plan should also be mobile (available on phone), since most of us don't have a chance to sit down at a computer and type up a detailed project plan.  It should also be private to a select group, so that for example PM on Property A doesn't get cluttered up by seeing tasks for the contractor on Property B.

I know I could set up a basic version of this with Google Sheets or with shared files in Dropbox.  Those are A) free, and B) available across most mobile phones.   But you don't get good notifications, and you run the risk of writing over each other's notes if you save over or delete each others' files.

I'm aware of cloud project management software like Asana or Trello, but have not really used them- maybe that is an option.  Is there any project management solution out there that successful investors recommend?  Also what are the monthly fees if any, for your recommended solution?

[Katherine S.]

I have seen videos of how OneNote can be used to do exactly what you have described.  It works with all of the Windows Office suite, on cell phones and tablets, and it's free. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiI_AERTCYo