List and describe the various types of collaboration and social business tools
Online collaboration tools & software empower employees to work together on projects from anywhere in the world. Show
At SnackNation, we believe that collaboration and transparency are two key components to the modern workplace experience. Our teams harness the power of the best online collaboration tools to help increase productivity and efficiency.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Click To Tweet Thankfully, there is nearly an endless list of such online tools for remote team collaboration available today. In this guide, we look at some of the tried and true selections that can help boost your team’s productivity and remote onboarding experience.
Once you finish reading through our list, you can get additional online team collaboration and employee engagement ideas from The Assist — a free weekly email for professionals full of actionable workplace culture, productivity, and leadership inspo.
Have You Heard Of The Employee Retention Credit? See If You QualifyPage Contents (Click To Jump) Online Communication Tools1. monday.comWhat would it mean for your productivity if you never had to check email, Slack, Salesforce, and Excel just to track down information about one project? Whether you’re working in the office, from home, or from across the globe, monday.com helps your entire team stay in sync. This work operating system (Work OS) keeps all of your work clearly organized on one visual platform everyone can access. Without any coding skills, you can customize monday.com so that it works best for your team. Automate data entry, workflows, and other repetitive tasks, so you can focus on more meaningful work. Then assign tasks so nothing falls through the cracks. Plus, we surveyed 1,273 executives that use collaboration tools on a regular basis. And they voted monday.com as their favorite platform. Pros
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2. NectarNectar is an award-winning employee recognition & rewards platform that bolsters online collaboration. It creates a simple, standardized way for organizations to give out recognition, spot bonuses, awards and wellness challenges all within budget. This includes peer to peer recognition as well as manager to direct reports. With Nectar, you can reinforce great work anytime, anywhere through an interactive recognition feed. Keep morale up, teams connected and promote your company’s core values in an online working environment. Pros
Explore pricing and features to find the Nectar plan that best fits your team. Cons
3. BonuslyMake visibility a priority this year with Bonusly. This online collaboration platform gives managers, executives, and employees the ability to see and celebrate great work through an easy-to-use interface. Helping to create a culture where recognition is part of your day, Bonusly encourages employees to recognize their colleagues and promotes workplace collaboration. Using this team collaboration software is a breeze, as it integrates seamlessly into the other online communication tools at your business. You can use it on a daily basis without feeling like you’re doing any extra work! Bonusly’s 360-degree recognition also makes teamwork visible to everyone and empowers employees at all levels of your company. You can show appreciation for each other and build stronger working relationships while incentivizing a culture of online collaboration. Pros
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4. FavroRemote and asynchronous teams face communication challenges that in-office teams don’t. With Favro’s stopwatch-style timer, teams can track time and see real-time updates from their desktop, web browser, or mobile device. A virtual dashboard lets them view activity scores, enable optional screenshotting, and set productive and unproductive apps and websites for each member of their team. Integrations with over 30 popular project management, help desk, and HR apps make Favro even more powerful for growing teams. Pros
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5. TeamworkTeamwork was built so you can manage ALL your client work in one platform. From invoicing, to time tracking, to unlimited client access, everything you need to run your client services is in Teamwork. Teamwork gives you the tools and reports you need to maximize resources and never miss a billable minute again. Get a bird’s eye view of every project, from milestones to capacity planning, budgeting and time tracking and more. Break work and projects into tasks and layers of subtasks – so nothing slips through the cracks and everyone knows what to do and when it’s done. Pros
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6. EmpulsEmpuls is a holistic employee engagement solution that aims to improve company culture & bring the entire digital workplace to life. It helps HR leaders, CHROs, and CXOs to effortlessly execute key activities such as award workflows, budget automation, and industry-endorsed real-time surveys. With many key features such as communication feeds, messaging, and groups, the software equips employees to engage meaningfully with their peers and aligns them with the organization’s shared values. Empuls also enables organizations to constantly measure and analyze the levels of employee satisfaction by keeping track of Employee NPS and thus helping them improve the overall employee experience and drive higher productivity. Explore pricing and features to find the Empuls plan that best fits your team. Pros
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7. NiftyTrue collaboration is where communication meets action. If you’re planning in one place and discussing in another — where is the collaboration truly occurring? Nifty is the award-winning project management tool that closes the gap between communication and action to serve as the all-in-one remote office you and your team have been looking for. Packed with easy-to-use project management tools as well as direct and group messaging experiences, Nifty is the glue between planning and execution. Pros
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8. Otter.aiOtter automatically transcribes your audio into text. Text notes full of timesaving ways to search, find, and share with your team no matter where they are. Otter has several integrations with apps like Zoom that make collaboration and remote work faster and more efficient. Price: Starts at $9.99, billed every month. Learn more on Otter.ai Plan’s pricing page. Free Plan: Yes, with limited usage and features. Get started. Here are just a few of the things we love about Otter and the one minus we could think of. Pros
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9. ChantyChanty is a simple team chat solution, with easy-to-use collaboration features, unlimited message history, and workplace apps to enable teams to foster healthy relationships through transparent and accessible communication. It is a messaging tool that enables your team members to complete projects, activities, or tasks easier and faster. It also helps you consolidate all the information you need in one easy-to-use application. Pros
Explore pricing and features to find the Chanty plan that best fits your team. Cons
10. WherebyWhereby is the best way to meet over video. You don’t need to download an app or any software. Just choose your own personalized URL and meet using your browser – on mobile or desktop – in one click. Whereby has a range of features to help you collaborate and communicate. Like Breakout Groups, virtual whiteboards with Miro, screen sharing and recording, and integrations with Google Docs, Trello and YouTube. Pros
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11. NextivaNextiva brings all the features of traditional business phone systems to companies that work remotely or across multiple locations and time zones. Using just one robust online platform (and one service provider), you can deliver and manage reliable phone service to employees in multiple locations. Remote and flexible companies traditionally struggle with reliable communications. In fact, LucidChart points to a Zogby Analytics study that isolated information gaps and delays as a top obstacle facing remote workers. Nextiva helps companies overcome the remote communication barrier. Manage call traffic over the internet, establish a cloud-based call center, and so much more. Pros
Get a full view of all Nextiva’s products and features. Cons
12. SlackSlack is a smart collaboration tool that is available in both desktop and mobile versions. It allows teams to send direct messages to each other as individuals as well as groups. You can also organize conversations into various channels for specific initiatives or projects, and integrates with the best Slack apps like Google Docs, Box and Dropbox for a more unified experience. Pros
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13. GoToMeetingGoToMeeting is a robust online meeting and video conferencing tool designed to enable businesses to collaborate with their teams, clients, customers, and other businesses in real time via the Internet. It is particularly great for international teams and can greatly reduce the learning curve as it also supports screen sharing. The other handy features of the platform include messaging, group chat, recording, integration with other tools, and a one-click meeting feature that instantly schedules meetings in Google Calendar or Outlook. Pros
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14. FreeConferenceCall.comLike Skype, FreeConferenceCall.com is a popular online collaboration tool that allows teams to share files, share screens, video call and discuss tasks. The platform has stable and secure features including team rooms and is easy to use. Pros
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15. FlockIf you are looking for more comprehensive communication features, then Flock is a great alternative for Slack (above). It is a team communication tool that allows teams to have different channels, as well as individual and group conversations. Unlike Slack, Flock is much faster with short load times and allows users to search through all messages, URL and files with ease. The tool is optimized to find virtually any search query regardless of its source in the channels. Further, it supports screen sharing, audio and video calls. Flock users can conduct polls, set reminders, share notes, and assign tasks for maximum productivity. Pros
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Bonus: Facebook WorkplaceThe world’s biggest social media network, Facebook, has a team collaboration service – Facebook Workplace – that can serve as a corporate intranet portal. The platform has a very user-friendly interface where teams can collaborate through their own portals, as well as through the Facebook Pages, Notes and Docs. On Facebook Workplace, team members can collaborate on tasks via voice/video call and instant messaging. The platform also has machine learning bots built-in to automate certain tasks. Pros
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16. Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams is a unified communications platform that merges workplace chat with video meetings, file storage, attachments and app integration. Your teams can host web conferences on this platform, and communicate through audio, video and chat – with both people from within and outside the organization. Pros
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17. Skype for BusinessMost of us are familiar with Skype. Simply put, it’s an online collaboration tool that allows users to communicate with any other Skype user for free via instant messaging, voice, video and screen sharing. More importantly, Skype supports conference calls for up to 25 people, which means it can be a very convenient way to bring all your team together for a quick update of project status. For more premium features, opt instead for Skype for Business. Pros
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Bonus: InVideoInVideo gives you the scope to easily design videos and share them online while you’re in a webinar or video conference. The easy accessibility and editing features on InVideo help you get creative with your data and its portrayal using corporate templates for your video presentation. InVideo is an online collaboration tool that can be accessed from all the commonly used browsers. Its user-friendly interface helps you figure out what’s best for a corporate video and how to share it online on your organization’s social media handles and other websites. Pros
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Bonus: KarbonKaron is a work management platform for accounting firms and professional service businesses. It provides a truly collaborative platform to manage workflows, communicate with teams and deliver exceptional client work. Karbon combines email, internal discussions, tasks and powerful workflows, which gives teams a single place to communicate and collaborate. It is proven to increase visibility and efficiency. In fact, according to a recent survey, the average Karbon user saves more than 10 hours each week. Pros
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Bonus: Go BriefBrief is a team collaboration software tool that boosts productivity by enabling team members to prioritize and focus on important tasks while minimizing distractions. In 2018 and 2019, Brief was featured by Apple among the Apps We Love. It has an elegant dashboard that combines chat, video, team hubs, to-do lists and file sharing. Pros
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Online Documentation Tools
18. Google DocsThis is likely nothing new to you. It is perhaps the most famous documentation tool out there. Google Docs allows multiple people to edit the same file at same time, leave comments, and see changes made by every participant (revision history). All you have to do is invite team members to work on a file in Google docs. With that, all participants have a central place to store and share information, take notes, and just seamlessly collaborate and have access to the information they need to get work done. Pros
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19. Bit.aiThis is a smart document collaboration platform that allows teams to create and collaborate on robust internal and client facing documents with built in tracking capabilities. Bit has over 50 integrations, and lets you collaborate on interactive documents, track the engagement levels on your documents, and manage your digital content with ease. Pros
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20. Office OnlineTo edit the same document paragraph by paragraph with the rest of your team remotely or from different devices, Office online is the go-to tool. Provided that you have internet connectivity, this web version of Microsoft Office allows you to co-author a document in real time, edit and converting PDF documents to Word documents and vice versa, resume reading your word documents where you left off, and send in-line replies to your team by email. And it allows you to do all these from any device, securely and reliably. Pros
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Bonus: FilestageFilestage allows you to easily review content with your team and clients on a clean and user-friendly interface. Manage digital projects while bringing your stakeholders (internal and external) together to collaborate in real time. As an intuitive tool, Filestage allows your clients to feel great about the project review and approval process.Pros
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Online Software Tools
21. GitHubConsider GitHub if you are into programming. This development platform owned by Microsoft Corporation allows programmers to seamlessly collaborate and work on the same projects simultaneously. On the platform, each collaborator gets a working copy of the code displayed on their computer through the GitHub web-based graphical interface. Any changes made on a project can be reviewed and easily rolled back if need be. Pros
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22. TimeCampTimeCamp is widely known as an automatic time tracker, but also helps teams and freelancers manage tasks efficiently. Its unique project structure allows the user to add as many tasks and subtasks to the projects, so it’s easy to assign hours spent on working for each customer.The tool offers a wide range of reports, so that managers know exactly how their teams are performing.TimeCamp minimizes time spent on filling timesheets manually. Desktop app works in the background and tracks time for each activity performed during working hours, then it assigns them to the appropriate project. Saves a lot of time for being more creative! Pros
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23. Adobe XDFor designers, AdobeXD makes quite a bit of sense. The software allows for real-time collaboration between team members on design projects. The solution has a creative cloud that allows others to edit and make any needed adjustments on design in real time. With this solution, teams can design and prototype websites, mobile apps and more in real time. Pros
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24. CreatopyCreatopy is the efficient and intuitive visual production platform delivering a well-crafted experience for communicators. The brand-new platform allows individuals and teams to easily create engaging advertising visuals for multi-channel creative mediums. Featuring advanced automation capabilities, along with an ever-growing library of templates and visual elements, Creatopy gives communicators the needed tools to spark their creative journey and keep visual content organized and always on-brand. Plus, with Creatopy, you get an online workspace in which you can create and store unlimited designs and animations. You can also share notes and projects, give feedback, and pass around links, not files. Pros
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Bonus: ClipchampClipchamp aims to make video project collaboration easier and more convenient for team members, no matter where they are in the world. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can access this free web-based app through a browser. Teams can upload videos in Clipchamp Sharepages and send the link to colleagues for easy access and real-time online collaboration. They can also take advantage of the Brand Kit feature, which contains a company’s brand colors, font styles, typeface, and logos. This helps businesses customize video projects for consistency and brand awareness. Pros
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Online Project Management Tools25. Toggl PlanToggl Plan makes it easy for managers, stakeholders, and team members collaboratively plan and deliver projects. It makes collaboration easy with color-coded visual overviews, making communication transparent, keeping all work related information in one place. Managers can plan work based on team availability and workloads. Team members get clear visual cues and notifications about what’s coming next. Plus, team members can work together on tasks. As well as, share ideas with task comments and file attachments. Stakeholders can stay up-to-date without bothering about day-to-day activities with shared timelines. Pros
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26. ProofHubProofHub is a remarkable project management and team collaboration software. It enables managers to work jointly with their team members to plan and deliver projects spotlessly. You can organize and assign tasks to the team members smartly. The in-built chat app helps you eliminate remote communication barriers. ProofHub provides you an online workspace where you can organize files, share notes and monitor everyday progress. There’s an online proofing tool that helps you review and approve files. Comprehensive Gantt charts help you plan your project effortlessly by placing it into easy-to-understand visual timelines. Pros
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27. TrelloHere’s one of the most famous project management tools out there. Trello is optimized for keeping tasks organized and lets users create boards or lists that can be assigned to and shared with others. Trello is replete with deadline reminders and email notifications, plus; it can integrate with other tools including Evernote, Google Drive, GitHub, and Slack for a unified team experience. Pros
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28. AsanaFor project management, few other tools can beat Asana. The tool is designed to let teams organize, track, and manage their work. It is complete with video calls, project tracking, and handy integrations such as to-do lists, reminders and direct requests as its core features. By updating in real time, it helps project managers run a team of remote employees with ease. Pros
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29. HeyOrcaFinally, a collaborative social media management tool designed for agencies. HeyOrca’s social media calendar allows you to effortlessly schedule and collaborate on social media posts, manage content approvals, and report on your results… all in one place. It’s a visual platform built for social media managers that need to collaborate and communicate digitally on content – whether it’s with a client or internal team. Here’s how Alicia from Conversion Interactive Agency describes her experience:
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Online Data Visualization Tools
30. MindMeisterYou want somewhere to brainstorm effectively? Jump aboard the MindMeister bandwagon and start doing just that. The tool lets you manage meetings, plan projects and sketch out business plans with your team. It is the go-to platform for teams to be more innovative as it provides them with the required environment for brainstorming and planning. Users can share their mind maps directly with others in real time or make the mind maps public for everyone to see instead. The platform has numerous templates for organizing work that users can choose from. Pros
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Online Note Taking Apps
31. EvernoteEvernote is known as a note taking app. It syncs across all devices to make your notes available on the go, everywhere you go, and has additional features for organizing, archiving and listing tasks. With Evernote, your team can easily capture ideas on research and interviews, draft blog posts and eBooks on the go as the ideas emerge, save articles to read later, annotate PDFs, record audio, and save texts, links, and images with ease. Pros
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32. Google KeepGoogle also has a note taking tool – Google Keep – that rivals Evernote. The tool allows you to quickly take and save notes, photos, voice memos, and checklists; and share them with the rest of your team. It seamlessly integrates into the mainstream Google, and lets users set reminders. Pros
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Online File Sharing Apps
33. DropboxDropbox is one of the most popular file storage solutions with file syncing and sharing. For many business owners, we work from our homes, the local cafe, in our cars between meeting. The difficulty with this business lifestyle is having access to everything you want on all of your devices. There are multiple ways to store and share files. One of those ways is by using Dropbox. Pros
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34) Hightail
This is a cloud service for sharing large files and obtaining feedback, over a secure channel. The tool allows for digital signing of files and synchronizing them. It is loaded with creative collaborative features to make everything easy and seamless, eliminating the need to share files through emails which allow for miscommunications to occur. Pros
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Bonus: Google DriveIf you have a Gmail account then you are definitely familiar with Google Drive, your online storage for saving all your files and sharing them safely with your team(s). Once you grant them access, your team can easily reach the files stored on your Google Drive directory and use them to complete various projects as needed. You can invite them to view, edit or leave comments on files stored on the drive, including videos, photos, and documents. Pros
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Online CRM Tools
35) SalesmateWe also found a tool for your sales reps It has an intuitive and easy to use interface that allows sales reps to be more productive, increases their sales and allow them to engage deeply with customers. The solution provides sales reps with the right insights, integrations and data to help them sell faster and deliver more personalized experiences to each customer. Pros
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People Also Ask These Questions About Online Collaboration ToolsQ: What are online collaboration tools?
Q: What can online collaboration tools help with?
Q: Why should I use online collaboration tools in 2022?
Conclusion So, there are online collaboration tools for virtually any task in the business environment. And, your team doesn’t have to be spread over a wide geographical area to use these tools. In-house teams too can execute projects better, optimize resources, and achieve a higher level of transparency and unparalleled collaboration from the use of these tools. If you want to become more efficient and effective in your business therefore, it’s time to consider and start using these tools. What are the different tools and technologies for collaboration and social business?File Sharing Tools
Microsoft OneDrive is among the most popular collaboration platforms for document-sharing. It offers the particular benefit of built-in familiarity for employees accustomed to Microsoft Word, and it can easily integrate with Sharepoint.
What are the 4 types of collaboration?As follows is a brief description of the four main types of collaboration known to us today (Alliances, Portfolios, Innovation Networks, and Ecosystems), and the importance of each.
What are collaboration tools in business?Definition: Collaboration tools
Online collaboration tools are apps, software programs, or platforms that help businesses and their people streamline the creative process, and work together more effectively, and efficiently.
What is collaboration and social business?Collaboration and social business require tools connecting the leaders, employees, suppliers, and buyers. Email, instant messaging, video conferencing, live chats, shared calendars and online notetaking whiteboards are the tools used to ensure collaboration and interaction.
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