Zoho Projects Software Review: Is It Right for Your Project Team?

Methodology

What is Zoho Projects?

Zoho Projects is a comprehensive and affordable top project management software solution that is part of the larger Zoho ecosystem of apps but can be used independently. It is designed to help project managers and teams organize, track, and prioritize work. It is making a name for itself among other big names in the market for its user-friendly interface and long list of features that make managing projects a better experience for all teams who use it as a staple in their work day.

Zoho Projects Setup and Installation

I used the 10-day free trial of Zoho Projects, available on their website, to complete this review. No credit card was required for the trial, which supports up to three users and offers unlimited projects, 120 GB of cloud storage, and premium support. The setup process was quick, requiring just a business email, password, location, and agreement to terms of service.

I was prompted to enter an optional company name to receive a unique URL, a business email address, password, location, and agree to their terms of service and privacy policy. This process was quick and intuitive.

After setting up my account, I selected the “Education” industry for a team of 2–10 members. I opted to include all available features: task management, reports, phases/sub-projects, issue tracking, time tracking, document management, and forums. I added a contact number and language preference (default English).

Creating a new project using a template initially failed, so I opted to create one from scratch, successfully adding up to three required tasks. I then verified my email, navigated through multi-factor authentication, and updated my profile information. After some navigation issues and refreshing the browser, I restarted the project setup and successfully accessed templates.

In the “Users” area, I added four team members using their email addresses and roles. Despite a user limit warning, I continued as an admin. I added tasks, assigned them to users, and configured details like start/end dates, status, priority, and tags. I later found the option to add task dependencies.

The project dashboard offered multiple views: list, Gantt, and Kanban, with filtering options for tasks, reports, and users. These filters can be saved for future use, enhancing project management flexibility.

Importing a project plan

I next attempted to import a project plan from a spreadsheet into Zoho Projects. Initially, the process was unclear, so I referred to Zoho Projects tutorials and help page for guidance.

First, I created a new project, then imported tasks from within the project by selecting the XLS import option. This can be done from the “…” menu in the upper-right corner of the project screen or via the gear icon on the dashboard’s upper-right navigation band by going to Data Administration > Imports.

During the import process, you can map fields, such as task names and users, but since I hadn’t added user names during setup, I left these fields unassigned. The import took some time, and I had to refresh the system to view the imported tasks. Unfortunately, the import didn’t go as smoothly as expected—my original list of 10 tasks expanded to 16, with each user getting a task and an unexpected task labeled “.csv version of this sheet is available for download here.”

I tried the process again creating a new project and using a CSV file to import a list of project tasks and successfully mapped the fields. However, mapping the users to these tasks required a different CSV file, and I discovered that importing users is not available in the free trial. This functionality is only accessible in paid plans such as Premium or Enterprise. Ideally, I would have imported the users list first, followed by the project task list.

Overall, the import feature could benefit from improved clarity and functionality.

Setting up automations

I attempted to set up an automation to notify the project manager when a task status changes. Although I could see a list of four workflow rules and an option to add a new one, clicking on any of them triggered a message that said “Your current plan does not support this feature. Enable Trial or Upgrade your subscription to access this.” Unfortunately, this functionality is not available in the free trial.

Zoho Projects Key Features

Features that are specific to Zoho Projects that make it different in the marketplace for project management include the following:

• Robust dashboard: In addition to standard information auto-presented on the project dashboard, such as task status, overdue items, and today’s work items, the project dashboard includes a Task Progress Chart to see percent complete, a Weekly Digest, and a place to see the Top 5 Go-Getters on your team.
• Built-in chat: Zoho Projects includes a built-in chat feature allowing all users to communicate directly within the platform without needing third-party integrations like Teams or Slack.
• Task customization: There are many functions within a task that you can customize, such as phase owners, to streamline project management.
• Enhanced task reminders: The task reminder system includes options such as daily or specific-day reminders down to a set time, and you can choose anyone associated with the task.
• Custom views: Users can create custom views in the Timesheets module based on specific criteria, making it easier to manage and analyze data.

Zoho Projects Pros & Cons

Employing Zoho Projects has its advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons of using Zoho Projects for project management.

Integrations with Other Zoho and Third-Party Apps

While there aren’t that many Zoho Projects integrations, the following have been highlighted for how they streamline workflows, foster collaboration, and improve productivity across various aspects of project management.

Zoho Apps:

• Zoho CRM: Manage customer relationships.
• Zoho People: Know your teams availability and assign them work.
• Zoho Desk: Raise tickets and log bugs directly from Projects.
• Zoho Invoice: Prepare budgets, track expenses, and generate invoices.
• Zoho Analytics: Review project data and create detailed reports.
• Zoho Assist: Use remote screen sharing to resolve issues fast.
• Zoho Books: Create and send invoices.
• Zoho Mail: Convert email into bugs or tasks.
• Zoho Meeting: Host online meetings for quick discussions on work.
• Zoho Cliq: Get instant notifications in your Cliq channel and add tasks or issues.
• Zoho Sprints: Work with both waterfall and agile teams.
• Zoho Expense: Track expenses and create expense reports.
• Zoho Forms: Add tasks when form submissions are made.
• Zoho Flow: Integrate with Zoho apps and third-party options.
• Zoho Bigin: Manage customer pipelines and track client project progress.

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Third Party:

• Google apps: Integrate with Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Google Spreadsheets, and Google Drive.
• Microsoft apps: Import data from Microsoft applications, including Microsoft SharePoint.
• GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab: Manage repositories, view source commits, and make code changes.
• Zendesk: File issues from Zendesk directly in Zoho Projects.
• Slack: Simplify communication with Slack integration.
• Toggl: Track time and analyze productivity with Toggl integration.
• Dropbox: Manage documents and files securely.
• Insightly: Create tasks, view project details, and manage contacts.
• OneDrive: Link documents from OneDrive to projects for easy access and collaboration.
• Zapier: Automate workflows by connecting Zoho Projects with hundreds of other apps.

You can find the full list on the Zoho Projects integrations page.

Zoho Projects Mobile Application Capabilities

There are dedicated mobile apps for both Android and iPhone so you can track projects and manage work on the go. Key mobile features include:

• Push notifications to stay updated with real-time information about tasks, comments, and other project updates.
• Social media-like feeds to quickly view ongoing discussions, work status, and comment threads on active tasks.
• The ability to manage tasks, create new ones, track milestones, and post work statuses.
• Timesheet module activity to log work hours and view daily, weekly, and monthly timesheets by any user as admin.
• View and upload related documents and reference files.
• Multiple project schedule views including Gantt and Kanban.

Zoho Projects Scalability and Customization Options

This versatile tool is scalable and customizable to be set up according to your unique needs:

Scalability

• Cloud-based infrastructure is designed to support growth of your business, making it easy to add more users, projects, and data as your team evolves.
• A network of global data centers is highly available and experiences minimal downtime.
• The Zoho Acceleration Network provides faster response times compared to third-party cloud services so you get the best performance experience.

Customization options

• Create custom fields and layouts for any project, task, and milestone to capture the data you need and organize it according to your unique standards.
• Templates give you predefined tasks that can be reused to get an initial project set up in no time.
• Embed URLs from third-party applications directly within Zoho Projects, creating web tabs for easy navigation.
• Define custom roles and profiles, giving you full control and access to set permissions within the platform.
• Automation tools streamline workflows and eliminate manual processes.
• Customize the UI setting language preferences and add company logos for a seamless experience.

Zoho Projects Security and Compliance

Specific security and compliance measures are put in place, making Zoho Projects a reliable and safe place to work, even for companies with strict standard regulations.

The following is taken from their website:

Security protocols

• ISO/IEC 27001 Certification: Zoho Projects is certified with ISO/IEC 27001:2013, which sets international standards for information security management systems.
• ISO/IEC 27017 Certification: This certification provides guidelines for information security controls specific to cloud services.
• ISO/IEC 27018 Certification: This ensures that Zoho Projects follows best practices for protecting personally identifiable information (PII) in the cloud.
• Encryption: Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest to protect against unauthorized access.
• Regular audits: Zoho undergoes regular security audits and assessments to maintain high security standards.

Compliance standards

• GDPR Compliance: Zoho Projects complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ensuring the protection of personal data for users in the European Union.
• HIPAA Compliance: Zoho Projects also complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), making it suitable for healthcare-related projects.
• SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II: These certifications demonstrate that Zoho Projects meets the standards for financial reporting and security controls.
• ISO 9001: This certification ensures that Zoho Projects maintains a quality management system that meets customer and regulatory requirements.

Zoho Projects User Experience & Interface

The overall user experience is that it provides everything you need to manage any kind of work. The capability is greatly enhanced by automation, integration with other tools, and regular platform updates.

The interface is user-friendly and comprehensive, featuring a clean, intuitive design with drag-and-drop functionality. The mobile app is easy to use, making on-the-go project management simple. Customizations enhance the experience, allowing users to match existing workflows and tailor views, reports, and dashboards to specific needs.

Some users, however, report certain challenges including a learning curve when setting up advanced features, a limited free plan with only 10 consecutive days of access, and limited support options.

Comparison with Zoho Projects Competitors & Alternatives

While the platform is a proven choice as a project management tool, there are also several Zoho Projects alternatives that offer similar features and might be a better fit for your organization. Here’s a comparison of Zoho Projects with a few top competitors:

Feature/Tool	Zoho Projects	Microsoft Project	Wrike	monday.com	Teamwork	Smartsheet
Ease of Use	User-friendly interface	Steeper learning curve	Intuitive	Highly intuitive	User-friendly	Intuitive
Integration	Integrates with Zoho apps	Limited integrations	Extensive integrations	Many integrations	Good integrations	Extensive integrations
Customization	High customization	Moderate customization	High customization	High customization	High customization	High customization
Collaboration	Strong collaboration tools	Strong collaboration tools	Excellent collaboration tools	Strong collaboration tools	Strong collaboration tools	Strong collaboration tools
Reporting	Comprehensive reporting	Detailed reporting	Detailed reporting	Visual reporting	Detailed reporting	Detailed reporting
Pricing	Free trial, affordable paid plan	Expensive	Affordable	Affordable	Affordable	Affordable
Support	Good support	Good support	Good support	Excellent suppor	Good support	Good support

Use Cases

When researching for industry-specific examples of Zoho Projects being used successfully on project teams, it was clear that companies use Zoho Projects to streamline their work in manufacturing for the timely delivery of products, in digital marketing to create and manage content creation and campaigns, in construction to allocate resources and monitor progress across sites, in software development to track bugs and coordinate sprints, and in event planning to manage budgets and coordinate with vendors.

On the Zoho website, there is a long scrolling list of customer success stories using Zoho Projects for their work and teams. Here’s one of those use cases:

Sparex

Sparex is the UK’s leading distributor of agricultural spare parts, including tractor engines, power tools, beacons, and more. Headquartered in Devon, it operates 18 international subsidiaries across the globe, meeting the demands of the agricultural industry.

The challenge

Before Zoho Analytics, Sparex faced data inaccuracies due to each subsidiary using different systems. This fragmentation led to conflicting data across departments, hindering decision-making. Meetings often stalled as stakeholders questioned the accuracy of the data. To address this, Kristian James was appointed data quality analyst to cross-check data continuously.

The solution

Kristian integrated data from all markets into Zoho Analytics via DataBridge, synchronizing around 15 million rows of live data daily. Using Zoho’s drag-and-drop dashboard builder, he created BI visualizations for key stakeholders, distributed through scheduled emails and Microsoft Teams alerts. The platform’s security controls ensure personalized dashboards for each user. The self-service function empowered colleagues to generate their own reports, reducing custom report requests significantly.

Results

With improved efficiencies and confidence in data accuracy, Kristian’s role as data quality analyst became redundant, allowing him to focus on advanced BI tasks. One significant insight from Zoho Analytics led to a $1.4 million increase in sales by repricing slow-moving stock.

Aside from Sparex, there are three different customer case studies for Zoho Projects that you can download a PDF file of on their Customers page to read in more detail. 

What Users Think of Zoho Projects 

The Zoho Projects official website features a user reviews section. External reviews highlight ease of use, great value, high level of customization, as well as time-tracking and built-in chat features. Drawbacks include a lack of phone support, limited third-party integrations, and a restricted free plan. Overall, Zoho Projects is seen as a valuable tool for managing projects and teams, helping them boost productivity and streamline workflows.

Recent Zoho Projects Updates

The latest major update, Zoho Projects 8.0, was released on January 9, 2024. This version bridged the gap between functionality and user experience with several enhancements aimed at improving user experience, including a new UI, editable worksheet view, industry-specific templates, improved navigation, and an upgraded mobile app. More updates were launched later in the year, including task enhancements, Bigin integration, and field-level permissions.

Zoho Projects Customer Support & Resources

Zoho Projects offers a variety of customer support options if you have questions or need help with something specific. There is a library of help videos depending on where you are in the program, a quick start reference guide, page tours, a knowledge base with articles and videos, a community with thousands of topics to read and follow, and live and recorded webinars plus guest talks posts and blogs. If all else fails and you are stuck on a particular challenge, you can create a support ticket directly from the program interface to address a specific need.

FAQs

Bottom Line

Zoho Projects stands out as a dynamic project management tool, balancing cost-effectiveness with a suite of advanced capabilities. It integrates smoothly with the Zoho suite, providing top project management features such as time logging, detailed task oversight, and adaptable timeline visuals. While the interface is user-friendly and customizable, beginners might experience a learning curve, and the free tier comes with certain restrictions. Nevertheless, for small- to medium-sized organizations aiming to streamline project workflows economically, Zoho Projects is a worthwhile investment to consider.