# 4 Key Workflow Management Features | Capterra > Are you seeking key workflow management features to invest in the right software? Check out the five features users rate as the most important. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/key-workflow-management-features --- Collaboration # 4 Key Workflow Management Software Features and Top Products That Offer Them Written by: Ashish Upadhyay Ashish UpadhyayAuthor Ashish Upadhyay is a writer at Capterra. He provides insights to help small businesses identify the right software for their needs by analyzing over 550,000 ... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/aupadhyay/) and edited by: Parul Sharma Parul SharmaEditor Content Editor Experience I have been an editor at Capterra for over two years, contributing to curating and enhancing content for various niches, including ... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/parul-sharma/) Published August 8, 2024 9 min read Table of Contents - [1\. Task management](#1-task-management) - [2\. Progress tracking](#2-progress-tracking) - [3\. Workflow configuration](#3-workflow-configuration) - [4\. Activity tracking](#4-activity-tracking) Team productivity is dependent on well-defined workflows and roles, even during challenging times. Managers and team leaders across businesses aim to lay down clearly defined, repeatable processes to enhance team efficiency and collaboration. However, purchasing the right [workflow management software](https://www.capterra.com/workflow-management-software/) to create such workflows requires knowing which features to prioritize.  To help you with your search, we’ve determined five key workflow management software features based on the ratings given by verified software users. We also include the highest-rated workflow management software for each feature. ## 1\. Task management The task management feature in a workflow management system helps streamline the allocation, tracking, and completion of tasks within a team. Users can create tasks from scratch or use templates for recurring tasks to save time and ensure consistency. Each task can include a detailed description outlining the requirements, objectives, and any necessary resources. Additionally, managers can use workflow automation to assign tasks based on predefined criteria such as employee skills, availability, and workload. They can also assign priority levels (e.g., high, medium, low) to help team members focus on the most critical activities. ### What business problem does task management solve? Task management among other key features, can solve several business problems and challenges, helping project teams simplify processes and enhance workflow efficiency. Here are some key business problems that task management can help solve: - **Time-consuming and error-prone task assignments:** Assigning and tracking tasks manually can be time-consuming and error-prone, leading to delays and miscommunication. Task management automates task assignments based on predefined criteria, tracks progress in real time, and provides a centralized platform for updates, significantly improving efficiency.  - **Lack of well-defined roles:** Without clear visibility into who is responsible for what, tasks can fall through the cracks, leading to missed deadlines and reduced accountability. Task management within workflow software helps clearly define roles and responsibilities, assign tasks with deadlines, and track their progress, ensuring accountability and timely completion. - **Poor collaboration and communication**: Ineffective collaboration can lead to misunderstandings, duplicated efforts, and errors, especially in remote or large teams. Integrated collaboration tools and communication features within workflow management tools facilitate real-time discussions, process management, resource sharing, and coordinated efforts, enhancing teamwork. ### How users benefit from task management feature Here are some excerpts from the reviewers of the task management feature describing how it helps them: _“I like the features it has like building tasks and organizing them in lists or tabs, and when you mark a task complete it has little figures that tell you you did a good job.”_ _“In the middle of 2023, when most of the jobs are remote, we needed a tool like this that would help manage all remote tasks in a simple way and incorporating all the people and tasks in a project so that everyone can be aware of how it gets distributed in real time.”_ _“Its ability to automate repetitive tasks, create custom workflows, and streamline operations make it an ideal tool for businesses that handle large projects. While it may take some time to master, the benefits that this product offers make it a worthwhile investment for businesses looking to improve their task management capabilities.”_ ### Top 3 products with the highest ratings for task management _Analysis performed April 2024_ #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Task management feature rating 4.96/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Task management feature rating 4.88/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Task management feature rating 4.87/5 #### Device Compatibilty ## 2\. Progress tracking A workflow system's progress tracking feature helps monitor and report the status of tasks and projects in real time. It provides visibility into work progress, identifies potential bottlenecks, and ensures that tasks are completed on time. The feature allows users to mark tasks as "not started," "in progress," "completed," or other custom statuses. This provides a clear snapshot of each task's current state.  Additionally, team members can set milestones for significant stages or deliverables within a project. Achieving these milestones helps track progress and maintain project momentum. Milestones can also be tracked separately to ensure critical deadlines are met during project management. ### What business problem does progress tracking solve? Businesses can face several challenges related to project and progress tracking which managers can solve with the progress tracking feature. Here are some key business problems that progress tracking can help solve: - **Lack of visibility into tasks**: Without clear visibility, managers and team members can struggle to understand the current status of tasks and projects, leading to miscommunication and misalignment. Progress tracking provides real-time updates on task status, showing exactly where each task and project stands. This transparency helps everyone stay informed and aligned. - **Poor accountability and responsibility management**: When tasks and responsibilities are not clearly tracked, there can be ambiguity about who is responsible for what, resulting in delays and incomplete work. Progress tracking ensures accountability by tracking the progress of individual tasks and assigning responsibility.  - **Missed deadlines and delays**: Without effective progress tracking, deadlines can be missed, causing project delays and impacting overall business timelines. Progress tracking highlights upcoming deadlines and potential delays, allowing for proactive management and timely interventions to keep projects on schedule. ### How users benefit from the progress tracking feature Here are some excerpts from the reviewers of the progress tracking feature describing how it helps them: _“By centralizing all of a team's work in a single location, this tool makes it simple for everyone on the team to monitor the status of a given task or project, provide feedback on drafts as needed, and see how their work fits into the bigger picture.”_ _“It allows you to define objectives and you can have a precise follow-up of the different projects in progress, being able to assign tasks, schedules and functions.”_ _“The platform offers a comprehensive view of the entire team's performance, tasks, and assignments, which greatly helps in tracking progress.”_ ### Top 3 products with the highest ratings for progress tracking _Analysis performed April 2024_ #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Progress tracking feature rating 4.75/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Progress tracking feature rating 4.66/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial ## 3\. Workflow configuration The workflow configuration feature in workflow management software helps set up and customize workflows to match a business's specific processes and needs. A drag-and-drop interface allows users to design multiple workflows. Users can map out the sequence of tasks, decision points, and parallel processes in a custom workflow template and also enable workflow automation. Managers can also assign roles to different tasks within the custom automated workflow to ensure the right people are responsible for each task. ### What business problem does workflow configuration solve? Businesses can face several challenges related to workflow configuration. Here are some key business problems that workflow configuration in a workflow system can help solve: - **Lack of process standardization:** Inconsistent execution of tasks and processes can lead to different outcomes, reducing quality and reliability. Configuring workflows ensures that tasks are performed consistently according to predefined rules and procedures, leading to standardized processes and consistent outcomes. - **Difficult approval and compliance management**: Workflow configuration also automates approval processes, ensuring timely reviews and decisions. It also incorporates compliance checks and maintains audit trails, helping organizations adhere to regulatory standards and internal policies. - **Absence of data-driven insights**: Without proper tracking and analytics, it's difficult to gain insights into process performance and identify areas for improvement. Workflow configuration includes reporting and analytics features that provide detailed insights into process performance, helping organizations identify inefficiencies, measure productivity, and make data-driven improvements.  ### How users benefit from workflow configuration feature Here are some excerpts from the reviewers of the workflow configuration feature describing how it helps them: _“Users can configure their workflows by defining triggers, actions, and conditional logic, tailoring the automation to their specific needs.”_ _“This tool has a great UI that allowed us to customize workflows to fit our specific business needs. After we implemented their system, we not only saved time, we were able to reduce our workload significantly.”_ _“The automated workflows and sequences have been especially helpful for us because it used to take forever to send our opening sales emails to hundreds of prospects, whereas now, we don't ave to spend a single second to send these emails, and they're standardized and have automated reports on their performance.”_ ### Top 3 products with the highest ratings for workflow configuration _Analysis performed April 2024_ #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Workflow configuration feature rating 4.88/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Workflow configuration feature rating 4.77/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Workflow configuration feature rating 4.75/5 #### Device Compatibilty ## 4\. Activity tracking Activity tracking in a workflow management tool helps monitor and record all actions and changes within a workflow. It provides detailed insights into users' activities, offering transparency, accountability, and data for analysis. The feature tracks and displays activities as they happen, providing real-time visibility into workflow progress. Every activity is timestamped, providing an accurate record of when each action occurred. Managers can notify users about significant activities, such as task assignment, completion or status change. They can also set up custom notifications for specific activities or milestones. Managers can also generate reports summarizing activities over a specified period, providing insights into routine tasks and workflow performance. ### What business problem does activity tracking solve? Businesses can face several challenges related to activity tracking. Here are some key business problems that the activity tracking feature can help solve: - **Lack of process visibility**: Without visibility, managers and team members cannot track the progress of tasks and projects, leading to confusion and inefficiencies. Activity tracking provides real-time updates for a specific task or project and a clear view of who is doing what and when, ensuring everyone is informed about the status of tasks and projects. - **Poor accountability**: When actions are not tracked, it is difficult to hold team members accountable for their responsibilities, leading to incomplete tasks and missed deadlines. By linking activities to specific users and providing detailed logs of actions, activity tracking ensures accountability and encourages the timely completion of tasks. - **Inconsistent process execution**: Variability in task performance can lead to inconsistent outcomes and reduced quality. Activity tracking standardizes process execution by documenting each step, ensuring tasks are completed according to predefined procedures.  ### How users benefit from activity tracking feature Here are some excerpts from the reviewers of the activity tracking feature describing how it helps them: _“I love the automation feature for activity tracking and also the integration into other software for increasing productivity and collaboration.”_ _“This tool has been a great app for productivity and project management, task and activity tracking, as well as integration to improve communication and control with work teams.”_ _“It has a great breakdown of parent and child level activities to help break up larger projects into more digestible tasks which become more achievable as a result”_ ### Top 3 products with the highest ratings for activity tracking _Analysis performed April 2024_ #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Activity tracking feature rating 4.71/5 #### Device Compatibilty #### Trial/Free Version - Free Trial - Free Version #### Activity tracking feature rating 4.55/5 #### Device Compatibilty * * * Looking for Workflow Management software?Check out Capterra's list of the [best Workflow Management software](https://www.capterra.com/workflow-management-software/) solutions. ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Authors [### Ashish Upadhyay](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/aupadhyay/) Ashish Upadhyay is a writer at Capterra. He provides insights to help small businesses identify the right software for their needs by analyzing over 550,000 Capterra user reviews and nearly 48,000 interactions between Capterra software advisors and buyers. Ashish has written about insurance, fintech, and real estate sectors and his work has been featured in MAST The Magazine and Medium. [### Parul Sharma](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/parul-sharma/) Parul is an editor at Capterra with over half a decade of experience curating news, IT, software, finance, lifestyle, and health content. She excels at simplifying complex terms into engaging content for SMBs. Parul has worked as a feature writer for DNA India, India’s premier media portal. She was also the highest scorer in her English literature graduation and post-graduation class. ### RELATED READING - [Why Use Accounting Software? 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Real Buyer Budget Data](https://www.capterra.com/resources/accounting-software-cost/) - [What’s Really Slowing Your Team? 5 Project Management Challenges to Fix](https://www.capterra.com/resources/project-management-challenges-faced-by-project-teams/) - [Accounting Software by Industry: What to Look for Based on Your Business Type](https://www.capterra.com/resources/accounting-software-by-industry/) - [How Help Desk Automation Drives Stronger Support Performance](https://www.capterra.com/resources/helpdesk-automation/) **Key features**: To identify the key features of this article, we asked users to rate, on a scale of “low importance” to “critical,” how important different features are for workflow management software. The features showcased are those that the highest percentage of reviewers rated as “highly important” or “critical” over the past two years (as of July 07, 2024). **Feature Eligibility**: To be included in the set of features considered, a given feature had to have at least 200 user ratings within the past two years (as of July 07, 2024), of which at least 20% must indicate the feature is “critical.” Eligible features were determined from two sources:  1. Our research team’s review of public information about workflow management software usage, definitions, and associated features. 2. Reviewers’ indication of the features they use for workflow management. **Product selection**: To identify the top-rated products per feature, we evaluated user ratings for products that offer each feature. For a given product, reviewers rate each feature on a scale of one to five stars. A given product had to have at least 20 user ratings (between April 2022-24) for the feature in question to be considered. **Review excerpts selection**: Review excerpts are passages extracted from longer reviews written by verified reviewers. We obtain these excerpts by applying an algorithm that considers factors including, but not limited to, length, sentiment, topic coverage, and thematic relevance. Excerpts represent user opinion and do not represent the views of, nor constitute, an endorsement by Capterra or its affiliates. Excerpts are not edited for clarity or grammar.