http://dcl.sourceforge.net/features.php
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

Double Choco Latte is a tool that does a lot more than just basic project management. It includes features that enable you to act as a help and support centre and also a tool to create work orders.

Double Choco Latte also goes into more depth than most alternate project management tools, these features include bug tracking, but also tracking the severity of the bug, listing personnel but also being able to assign them to specific departments in the project team. Double Choco Latte is web based as are many project management tools, it can be easily installed on an intranet or even the internet allowing you to access it from anywhere, great if you have to visits clients elsewhere.

Double Choco Latte includes the standard project management features such as a time card system, as well as a client based tracking system, Double Choco Latte uses these features well, and it is one of the best ones on the market.

Double Choco Latte does, like all software, have its faults. For instance, it's quite hard to generate statistics and graphs using this software, and it has limited options when it comes to exporting your information. It is web based using PHP and MySQL and is quite easy to install, however there is quite a steep learning curve with this project management tool, and the layout and style of the program can be confusing at times.

Once however the team has been introduced to this tool and shown how to use it effectively it really is an excellent tool and will increase productivity on your project team. Overall I would suggest using this as an advanced tool, and use this after introducing your team to simpler tools which are not as powerful or feature packed as this one.

http://dcl.sourceforge.net/features.php

http://cscw.msu.edu/scope/teamscope.html
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

TeamSCOPE is a free project management tool, developed by a team at the Michigan State University. It is designed to run on Linux machines using the Debian variant, although there are versions for other operating systems of UNIX. It was designed and developed with communication in mind and as such it focuses on giving every member of the team excellent access to all the files, deadlines and information, easily and quickly. The system runs on web servers and is accessible from anywhere in the world, it creates a personal space for each user, as well as a community space, this is where people can store, transfer and copy files they need.

If a document is changed, an email is sent to all other users informing them of these changes so they are always up to date. It also includes a calendar where events can be booked and publicized to the rest of the time, and this also incorporates resource management. Unlike many other free project management tools TeamSCOPE includes a notification system to tell you when other team members are online, and then offers a java chat service so you can talk to them in real time.

TeamSCOPE is not with out its flaws however, it was originally developed in 1998, and is becoming outmoded, and its users are moving to other tools. This is still a great tool despite its lack of graphics and charts, it includes enough functions and power to keep the most demanding team happy, whilst still being simple enough to be used by the newest computer shy user. Overall I think that this tool would be an excellent introduction into the world of computer based project management systems, however once the users and administrators are proficient in its use, they may prefer a modern equivalent that are also easily available, if harder to get used to.

http://cscw.msu.edu/scope/teamscope.html

http://www.taskjuggler.org/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

Taskjuggler calls itself a "Project Managers Delight" and to be fair, they're not far from the truth. It has a GNU general public license meaning its free and meaning other coders are free to edit and improve it as they see fit. Taskjuggler works on UNIX systems and was specifically developed for LINUX, although there should be some cross platform compatibility, this may be a blow for many people who use Windows based systems. On the technical side it has a Python or KDE front end, if you don't know what these mean it might be best to use either a simpler tool, or get an IT expert to install it. It also exports to both HTML and XML files making it very useful.

Links of interest
Free Project Management Education
Death Of Gantt Charts?
Future Of Project Management Software

Taskjuggler comes with all the standard features of most project management tools, including time lines, charts, resource management and contact lists. But it also has more than just that, it has some very useful features such as their "Resource Conflict Solver" which stops double bookings taking place, and you can also assign running costs to a resource, the only free project management tool that I know of that allows you to do this. It also has project tracking support, enabling clients to find out how far along you are, as well as allowing multiple time zone planning, great for those companies that outsource their work to consultants overseas.

Taskjuggler is a text based system, you input a simple TXT file, that you can make in notepad and Taskjuggler will return you a report full of the statistics and data you'll need. It does have some issues however, the largest being that it is a static state system, and as such it is hard to update any changes halfway through. Overall however there are far worse tools than this, and you can't argue with the price.

http://www.taskjuggler.org/

http://f2w.sourceforge.net/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

f2w Helpdesk doesn't actually sell itself as a project management tool, it was actually developed to be a ticket based help desk solution. However there is much more to this tool than meets the eye. It can also be easily used to manage personnel or groups of people, and assign tasks to them. The features that this system offers are surprisingly different to that of a dedicated project management tool, but are just as useful. A good example is the note system, it is unusual to find a project management tool that allows you to attach notes not just to tasks but also people, and yet f2w Helpdesk does.

f2w Helpdesk is based on a SQL backend with a Zope front end, if you don't know what this means then it may be best to let an IT expert install this on your system. Effectively this program has an excellent list of features that enable people to use it as a project management tool, combined with its open source and GNU general public license. However there are some key areas missing and it is this reason why many people look at alternate tools for their project management needs.

f2w Helpdesk lacks several options, not least are the graphs and tables that are normally produced by such tools. There are no gantt charts or time lines available, and it's even hard to allot time for a specific request. It has no time clock feature as well as any way of keeping track of expenses, contracts and budgets. It would be easy to make a long list of bad points about f2w Helpdesk, but that is considering it as a project management tool, as a help desk and ticket system it is excellent. Many companies may consider using this in conjunction with another project management tool.

http://f2w.sourceforge.net/

http://consultcomm.sourceforge.net/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

Consultant Communicator is focused upon the time keeping aspect of project management. Unlike the majority of other free project management tools, it does not use a graphical task time line, it instead uses a hierarchal system, similar to the folder trees used in windows explorer. This is both a good and a bad thing, its good as most users will intuitively know how to use it and what everything does, it also saves space on the screen. On the other hand it makes it harder to see an overall time for the project, and even harder to see what exactly is happening at any specific point in time.

Consultant Communicator is open source as well as being based on the java bean set up, this means that there are downloadable plug ins. These enable you to add features as you need them, and even develop new ones easily and quickly, allowing you to do your job quicker than normal, making your team more productive. Consultant Communicator is also cross platform capable and will work on almost any operating system, this is great if your team consists of people who work outside of your company or even overseas.

Consultant Communicator however is full of flaws, even though it is free, there are many better project management tools, both web based and desktop based. Consultant Communicator lacks a decent time keeping system, as well as a system for allocating and recognizing resources. I personally find a list of employees a must have on any project management tool a must have, this tool not only lacks this but also many other features. It does however have one small advantage other any other free project management tool I have seen yet, and that is its ability to have skins and to change the style quickly and easily, but in the long run, what's more important? Its looks or its use.

http://consultcomm.sourceforge.net/

http://www.phprojekt.com/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

PHProjekt is based on a module system where you add the modules that you need for your specific project or task. This simple system allows you to make the perfect tool for your team, and you can be certain it won't be other complicated or include redundant features that simply waste memory and time. PHProjekt is, as the name suggests, based on a PHP and MySQL system, and as such is a web based program, and is normally found installed on the intranet of companies.

PHProjekt has a project structure tree that can be subdivided into sub-projects, and unlimited tasks can be added to these, not necessarily to your teams delight. PHProjekt contains one of the most advanced calendar modules I have seen of free project management tools, with options to send reminders by email and SMS if available, as well as being able to add comments to event and privatize or publicize events and meetings. It also features a resource reserving system, this should make your team more efficient and productive, and allow you to know who's using what, when.

As with most other free project management tools, PHProjekt includes the normal contact/team manager modules, request and support trackers as well as a note system. Unusually though it also includes time card systems, a feature many administrators are keen to get, and also an optional inbuilt mail server management system, giving you complete control. It also has a voting module, allowing your team to vote on issues about the project, allowing the administrator to find good times for meetings, deadlines even budgets. PHProjekt is not perfect however, its modular set up means that it can be quite complicated to set up, and some modules that you would expect might not exist or are incompatible with your system.

http://www.phprojekt.com/

http://www.php-collab.org/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

phpCollab is a project management tool that has gone back to basics and is focusing on what really makes a project work. It was originally based upon Macromedia Sitespring, and has distinguished itself from other free project management tools due to its dual Client and Consultant areas. This system allows the client to lay out the project, and allows the consultants to add tasks, give deadlines and progress reports, allowing the client to see exactly what is going on and when. phpCollab is a web based system, and will run on a company's intranet, and has a surprisingly easy install procedure. The only issue in this area is that the client must then be given access to the consultants' servers, possibly posing a security risk.

Links of interest
Free Project Management Education
Death Of Gantt Charts?
Future Of Project Management Software

Technically phpCollab has some issues, its ability to export only as a CVS file means it is not always going to be platform compatible as well as limiting the amount of data that can be used in reports and updates. It does have some advanced features including "Scope Creep" which automatically displays the difference between estimates set by the consultant team and the actual amount, this is very useful, especially for the client to check up, as well as for the consultant teams to see where they are losing money.

phpCollab includes a bulletin board for both the clients and consultants so they can converse and talk about projects and ideas. Clients can also post new tasks as well as being able to edit ones already set. phpCollab also includes a small support system, loosely based on a traditional ticket system, clients can add tickets and the consultants can answer them. phpCollab also claim that the next release, version 2.5, will include invoicing and email features as well as the ability to export to PDF formats and issuing RSS feeds.

http://www.php-collab.org/

http://www.dotproject.net/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

dotProject is a web based project management tool, based on PHP and using MySQL databases. It is one of the best free tools we have found, with an excellent layout and design and fast page loads as well as clean and concise lines, so its easy to see what to do. It stands out from the crowd by offering a view that almost all other project management tools ignore, instead of just managing projects, you can manage several companies at once. This level of control is excellent for busy professionals who have several companies all involved in several projects. dotProject makes it easy for these administrators to do their jobs quickly and efficiently.

Links of interest
Project Management With dotProject
Future Of Project Management Software
Free Project Management Education

dotProject has yet more excellent features too, including the ability to attack files to tasks and projects, and not just notes like other tools. It also allows you access to budgets as well as a decent employee database system. The program is Open Source and that means free, all you need to pay for is the hosting, and you're up and ready to go. dotProject provides more than just project management solutions, it also sets up a help desk, with trouble tickets. This allows your clients to contact you with their issues and complaint or suggestions, and organizes them by date or priority. This allows you quick and efficient client support and record logging.

The only thing missing from this excellent project management tool is a time logging module, allowing team members to show when they were actively working, although this is a common feature on most other tools, it is not a great loss here as this tool was intended for smaller companies, to increase efficiency and therefore productivity, and not just to bill clients. dotProject has excellent support with an entire community ready to help you as well as a bug tracking service.

http://www.dotproject.net/

http://www.iteamwork.com/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

iTeamWork is, as its name suggests, based on providing team members the files and information they need to get their job done quickly and efficiently. The main functions of the system are controlled by e-mail, and the only thing that team members need to do to keep the system working is report when they have completed a task or finished the project. The system is fairly simple to use if you're the administrator of the project, but if you were a freelance coder or designer working on the project you may have some difficulties.

Links of interest
Death Of Gantt Charts?
Future Of Project Management Software
Free Project Management Education
Burn-Down Chart Instead of Gantt

Once a new project is started the administrator adds tasks, and assigns personnel to do them, the program then sends out an email to these personnel informing them of the task, and telling them to register. I myself dislike this method of contact with other team members, it would be disastrous to mistype an email address and then not have a coder notified of the work. However this does not mean that this is a bad tool, it does have several features that many users appreciate a lot.

iTeamWork includes the option to attach notes to specific tasks, unlike many other project management tools, this allows you to add additional files, links, images and information to update the task or allow the person to complete the task efficiently. It also features an option to convert a task into a project, allowing you to micro manage if necessary, or even to assign each task to a team of individuals with a manager.

iTeamWork is only free when you are using the web based version that you must register for, since a large portion of the tools relies on e-mail it's wise not to use this unless you and your team is happy and comfortable using computers. However there are other choices, for a relatively small fee you can either buy the product and use it on standalone computers, or have your own specific site hosted by iTeamWork.

http://www.iteamwork.com/

http://ganttproject.sourceforge.net/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

Gantt Project is an excellent project management tool, with a surprisingly good depth of features and accessories for a free product. It is distributed under a GNU General Public License, which means you can download it for free.

Links of interest
Death Of Gantt Charts?
Future Of Project Management Software

However, their site has other option including a java based version of the program, this means you don't even have to download the program to use it. As its name suggest, Gantt Project is excellent for making Gantt charts, and they are excellent for making logical and easy to understand development plans.

Some features I particularly likes was the ability to put in a percentage complete bar, inside that timeline of that particular stage, this makes it easy to see how far along everything is without a lot of hassle. The program, if you use the downloadable version is very simple and easy to use; I was so impressed I now use it for my work. You can add as many tasks as you need, as well as then being able to assign personnel and resources to each task.

In particular the features for the personnel section are the best, you can add team members for a project and assign them to tasks when you set them up, you can also input e-mail addresses as well as phone numbers for each person, and assign them a role in the group. Gantt Project also includes a Milestone feature which is very useful, giving an end goal to aim for with a fixed time, many other project management tools do not support these.

On the technical side, Gantt Project saves files as .xml files, which means they are viewable over the internet as well as transferable to other programs such as Microsoft Project. The installation is very quick and the program is actually very small, being under 10mb. There are very few problems with this tool, my only criticism is that you can't associate files with particular tasks, allowing other team members to get the files they need.

http://ganttproject.sourceforge.net/