16 Nov The Best Collaboration Tools For Your Virtual Team

Posted at 00:00h in Productivity by Sales Beacon

A guide to the best programs and apps for managing projects and collaborating online

As businesses shift into virtual spaces, companies are no longer tethered to geographic locations and face-to-face meetings. Even those who still run things at a central location are depending more and more on freelance resources and virtual teams.

Collaboration tools and apps have emerged to help global businesses manage their virtual teams, saving time and money. Some apps keep it simple, like enterprise-level messaging services to replace messy email threads. On the other hand, some programs offer all-in-one virtual hubs that do a bit of everything.

Determine the needs of your business before deciding on which programs to invest in.

Meeting and Messaging Platforms: Collaborate and Communicate

In a virtual workspace, conversations most often take the form of email. One project, or task within a project, can require labyrinthine email threads spanning multiple people and departments. To avoid a cluttered inbox, and reduce confusion, consider replacing your email chains with the following instant messaging programs. Integrate your messages with video conferencing to optimize team communication around meetings.

These apps focus on simplifying business communication — providing ways to share files, comment on team members’ posts, hold more efficient, collaborative meetings, and organize content and conversations.

Program/App	Key Features
Slack	Organize chat threads and topics into public or private ‘channels’ Search your entire archive Get direct notifications Upload and share documents Integrate with social media and productivity apps
Yammer	Organize chat threads into appropriate groups like clients, partners, and vendors Collaborate on MS Office documents Stay updated on projects in your organization with ‘Discovery’ feeds Integrate with Microsoft Office Suites, Office 365 Integrate with Skype to supplement video calls and meetings
Webex Teams	Optimize team meetings with suite of messaging and calling services Collaborate in a team work stream before, during, and after a meeting Share messages and files with individuals or groups Use Cisco’s secure, simple network and cloud technology Make and receive calls from regular landline or mobile phones or via Cisco Spark app
Cisco WebEx	Meet online with video, audio, and chat messaging Share documents, notes, agendas, and recordings Integrate scheduling with Microsoft Outlook Integrate with mobile or desktop platforms

Cloud Storage: Share and Collaborate

Even teams who don’t work virtually have embraced the cloud. File storage and sharing platforms allow for quick and secure sharing of large files and provide a safe place to access all your data from multiple devices and users.These collaboration tools allow users to upload, edit, and replace versions of shared documents, securely save important files, and regulate access among appropriate team members, clients, and partners.

Program/App	Key Features
Box	Enjoy secure uploads and file protection Designate access of files to anyone Search, view, and edit documents in real-time with your team Integrate with 1000’s of apps including Slack, MS Office, and Google
Dropbox	Integrate with over 300,000 apps Receive automatic file backup, recovery, and version history Designate access, including temporary access Remotely wipe files from lost devices Receive unlimited storage (business subscription)
Google Drive	Integrate with Google and third party apps, including MS Office Create, upload, edit, and comment on different file formats in real-time Invite others to collaborate via email or web link Share files up to 5TB Enjoy top-rate security and reliability

Collaborative Document Programs: Co-Create Documents as a Team

The purpose of these programs is to bring together multiple authors on a single document to quickly and effectively move towards the final draft. Team members can be granted access to create, edit, use, or approve any document.These collaboration tools are often the backbone of virtual team collaboration, so they integrate with practically all of the other programs in these lists.

Program/App	Key Features
Google Docs	Use editing and styling tools Choose from a wide variety of pre-made templates and file formats Access, edit, and collaborate on documents in real-time Share access to docs via email, links, or Google Drive Utilize powerful Google-based search capabilities Integrate with Google and third-party apps
Red Pen	Enjoy a UI that is optimized for visual-based projects Point and click to add feedback comments anywhere in real-time Add an unlimited number of collaborators Track version history
Evernote	Add notes to designs, presentations, and documents Search for keywords including hand-written words Collect data from graphics, documents, multimedia files, and more

Project Management Programs: Keep Everything On Task

Project management requires a lot of organization and collaboration on timelines, tasks, updates, and
deliverables. Any of the aforementioned collaboration tools can help streamline organizations by keeping large, complex, evolving teams aware of progress and requirements, no matter where they are. However, the following programs act as central hubs. They replace or integrate with everything mentioned before; plus they specialize in keeping virtual teams on-track, organized, and aware.

Program/App	Key Features
Asana	Break projects into tasks and assign them to team members See team progress at a glance with ‘dashboards’ Set due dates and timelines Communicate easily with instant messaging and a ‘smart’ inbox Integrate with third-party apps for file-sharing, collaborative documents, etc.
Basecamp	Compartmentalize groups into ‘HQ,’ Teams, and Projects Communicate with a native IM program and message boards Assign ‘to-do’ tasks with deadlines Schedule timelines and important dates on a native calendar Upload files for your team to find easily ‘Check-in’ with team members at the end of each day, as they share what they accomplished
Microsoft Office Planner	Organize projects by building ‘plans,’ and organize team tasks with ‘buckets’ See visual representations of project status and timeline Set tasks and deadlines to individuals so they, and their teams, know who’s working on what Share files, collaborate, and chat: all without switching apps Enjoy Microsoft Office integration
Trello	See visual organization for topics and projects with Trello boards Add comments, upload files, create checklists, and add due dates: all synced in real-time Enjoy easy integration of other productivity apps with ‘power ups’ feature Stay in the loop with a custom notification system

Now Choose What’s Best For Your Organization

Different teams and projects require different forms of collaboration to succeed. Determine your virtual team needs and choose the collaboration tools that best suit them. For more on working in a virtual team, read our blogs on working virtually.

Sales Beacon has had the privilege of managing team initiatives for some of the world’s largest virtual and remote sales forces. Contact Sales Beacon to find out more about how to improve sales productivity.

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account manager, complex sale, enterprise sales, productivity, project manager, ROI, sales activity, sales logistics, sales productivity, sales team, sales teams, sales tools, virtual project management, virtual workspace, working virtually