Jay Leonard
If you’ve been a Do.com user, or if you’re plugged in to the scene through TechCrunch, you’ve likely heard the news that Do.com is shutting its doors on January 31, 2014. This comes as a shock to many, especially yours truly. Do.com headlines in the last few years have boasted wins like being chosen over Asana as Google’s productivity app and partnerships with big guys like Dropbox.
When I heard the news, I had a weird (but not an acid) flashback to the discontinued Google Reader and wondered what all Do.com users would have to transition to in order to get their productivity jollies.
It’s still early, but for those of you who prefer to plan ahead for your transition, here are five productivity alternatives to consider.
Asana.
Great for communication and assignment across teams, Asana is also a good choice for those who operate using agile.When reviewing the product, I also really liked how they made a point to highlight the amount of email that is eliminated due to implementing the platform. Something to get everyone one step closer to inbox zero– yes please. For those of you who are visual, imagine multiple desks in your house for different areas of your life. This is what Asana accomplishes through workspaces. Then, on each of these desks you have neat piles or folders that represent the projects you are working on. From there, they have a complete set of tasks, tags, and people to ensure everything is accurately categorized. Of the reviews that I read, very few people had bad things to say about Asana; when they elected to go elsewhere, it was typically due to UI preference.
Producteev.
This productivity app used to be pay-per-user but, earlier this year, it announced that it has gone 100% free. Not often 
that we see that. Producteev also has an Android app in addition to iOS, which is something many of the other apps lack. The platform allows you to assign to-dos across your team and is solely focused on tasks, but will allow you to attach files as well. Producteev is dead simple but its lack of bells and whistles (even little ones) could leave many a team wanting. If you need a very simple program to easily assign tasks across a small team, you probably cannot beat the price point on Producteev.
Basecamp.
I’ve used Basecamp for years and have found it to be a great solution for keeping a marketing team charging forward. With different projects and permissions, it’s an ideal fit for agencies and consultants that need to grant access to different clients and contractors. The to-do lists are simple and you can upload files to comments to eliminate the back and forth in the inbox. One place that Basecamp is lacking is in the calendar area. It’s not easy to use and is not very helpful. Our team still uses Google Calendar for ease. Along the same lines as calendar, if you love Gantt charts, Basecamp will also fall short. There are numerous integrations that you can find on the 37signals site that can fill in holes and tailor the platform to work for you.
Teamly.
Rather than a focus on team collaboration, Teamly promotes goal-setting, tracking, and reviews to help companies achieve their objectives. Unlike the first 3 productivity apps, this platform is much more management-based and views tasks and projects as means to an end; in this case, the end is an achieved goal. From there, Teamly encourages managers to provide reviews and recognition for individuals who achieve their goals. Since this company is still very early stage, it will likely see many iterations in the upcoming months.
Teambox.
For a more advanced project management system, with project schedules, resource allocation, and time logging, Teambox can serve as a great option. Additionally, the UI is well-designed and easy to use despite the more robust project reporting features. Teambox flaunts an impressive list of enterprise users like Subaru, Symantec, HP, and US Airways, but it has a price point that is friendly to the small and medium-sized business with plans starting at $5/user/month.
In the coming months, we will see more productivity apps raise their hands and offer to fill the shoes that Salesforce’s Do.com is leaving empty.
Which productivity app do you think will prevail? Which do you prefer?
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Jay Leonard.
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Great list, Alexandra, but also wanted to mention Sandglaz – a lightweight and flexible task manager that adapts to your priorities. We’re welcoming Do.com users with an import tool that will be available very soon! Stay tuned to our blog for announcements: blog.sandglaz.com. It would be great if you could include Sandglaz in the above list.
aha! Thanks Alexandra :)
I would add 5pm to the list. It’s a solid project management app and it has been around for almost 6 years
http://www.5pmweb.com
I would also add MangoApps to the list, we migrated & is working really well
I have been on a mad hunt for months looking for the right- PM tool for my business. I have tried all the tools you have mentioned in your list. But later on my friend suggested me to try proofhub (www.proofhub.com) too. This tool helps me to interact with team members, vendors & clients. I love how how a web-based system like proofhub offers flexiblity and really simplifies your business.