Task Management Software with Project Management Capabilities
Stackfield is an easy-to-use software for general task management in teams. With Stackfield you can structure, assign, and track tasks. Stackfield offers basic functionality for project management, but in terms of feature scope it is not a true project management tool.
Pros and Cons
General Functionality
Deployment
Stackfield can be operated on your own server (On Premises) or used as Software as a Service (SaaS) in the cloud offered by the vendor. The vendor guarantees compliance with European data protection standards. Data is stored exclusively within the EU.
Projects and Project Types
In Stackfield you manage tasks in groups that belong to a space. Any number of spaces and groups can be created. Spaces have no type, which means no central settings can be applied to all spaces of a given type.
In Stackfield you can create templates for projects or spaces.
Issues and Issue Types
In task management and project management, almost everything revolves around “issues.” In Stackfield the issue types are fixed and cannot be added to or changed.
Custom issue types can also be created.
Issue types can have their own workflows and different attributes. For example, an action item optionally has a due date, whereas a task requires both a start date and an end date.
Issue Hierarchies
Stackfield offers exactly one hierarchy level. These “sub-tasks” are in some respects handled and displayed differently from “regular” issues. A hierarchical structuring of work packages cannot be achieved with this.
The type of subordinate issues cannot be restricted based on the type of the parent issue. This means it is not possible to prevent, for example, an issue of type “Car” from being subordinated to an issue of type “Engine.”
Notifications
Stackfield has a simple, configurable notification system.
Access Permissions
Custom roles with corresponding permissions can be defined.
Attributes
In Stackfield you can configure custom attributes via the web interface without any programming.
A few simple attribute types are available for this purpose, such as label and date fields. The behavior of the standard attributes is predefined and not configurable.
For example, you can create a dropdown field that offers all users belonging to a specific group.
Different default settings for attributes can be configured for different projects.
Input Forms
In Stackfield it is not possible to define custom input forms.
Dependencies
In project management as well as task management, issues are often related to one another. For example, a task cannot be started until another one is completed. Or an issue cannot be closed until a dependent issue has been resolved.
Stackfield provides basic support for defining dependencies or links between issues.
Cockpits
The system provides users with an overview page (cockpit, dashboard).
Reporting
Stackfield has no report templates.
Reports can be generated in Stackfield in Excel and PDF formats.
User Management
To manage users, Stackfield can be connected to an LDAP system. Users and groups can be synchronized with an LDAP server either manually or automatically.
Multiple directory servers can also be connected.
Stackfield offers no integration with common single sign-on systems.
The system supports two-factor authentication.
User Interface and Usability
The software offers a clean, well-organized, and modern-looking user interface. Regular users can get up to speed fairly quickly even without training. Context-sensitive help supports you when something is not immediately obvious.
For configuration, you need to become familiar with the basic concepts of Stackfield. Material is available in the form of tutorials, videos, slide decks, and user manuals. Training courses are also offered.
The user interface can be adapted to the needs of users. The available menu items can be individually configured for each user or user group.
Interfaces and Extensibility
Stackfield cannot be extended by the user — there are no suitable interfaces for doing so.
Task Management
Delegating
The software supports the delegation of issues including follow-up reminders. The delegating person retains the relationship to the issue, and the follow-up date is their personal one. The delegating person has an overview of the issues they have delegated.
Deputy Function
In Stackfield it is not possible to assign deputies to users.
Recurring Tasks
Some tasks and appointments recur cyclically — for example, every first Monday of the month. Handling such recurring issue series can be very helpful and time-saving in task management.
Stackfield allows the creation of cyclic issues in the same way you would expect from good calendar applications.
Time Tracking
Stackfield allows you to track the effort (time and cost) for each issue and assign it to accounts. Accounts can be grouped into cost centers and released for projects.
There is the option to use timers within the application to automatically log time spent. Reports provide an overview of who was engaged in which activities over any past time period.
Support for the Getting Things Done Method
The Getting Things Done method is a proven approach to personal work organization. It allows for personal categorization of issues — such as personal follow-up dates or personally marking issues as favorites.
Unfortunately Stackfield does not support the GTD method, meaning personal flags or follow-up dates are not possible.
Support for the RACI Matrix
For task management and project management, the RACI method defines four issue-specific roles through which project participants can be associated with a task. Normally, roles are assigned at the project level rather than the issue level — for example, there is a project manager or a Scrum Master for the whole project. RACI, by contrast, allows roles to be assigned on a per-issue basis (see /de/blog/projektmanagement/methoden/raci-matrix/).
Unfortunately Stackfield offers no way to model a RACI matrix.
Workflows
Workflows in task management systems are typically represented in two forms. The first method relates to the workflow of an individual issue as it passes through various stages. The second method involves defining sets of tasks and then working through them.
Stackfield supports the first variant with a table editor that is somewhat difficult to use. There is no easy way to copy task sets and then adapt them.
Project Management
Programs and Portfolios
In many organizations, projects run within programs, portfolios, or product areas. Here, groups of projects need to be bundled together to maintain an overview.
A basic requirement for program or portfolio management is the ability to group and arrange projects hierarchically.
Stackfield allows spaces to be arranged hierarchically to any depth, thus supporting a simple, pragmatic approach to program and portfolio management.
Sub-Projects
Larger project endeavors with many issues cannot be adequately structured through issue hierarchization alone — they must be broken down into sub-projects. The sub-projects may require different processes, for example for hardware and software development.
Multi-Project Reports
All queries and reports can span multiple projects and sub-projects, which can be freely defined using appropriate filters.
Work Breakdown Structure
Before a project plan can be created, the activities to be performed or the deliverables to be produced must be structured. To represent such a product structure or work breakdown structure (WBS), issues must be able to be arranged hierarchically to any depth.
Stackfield supports only one hierarchy level with sub-tasks. This means WBS or project plans cannot be created.
Interactive Gantt Chart
Gantt charts allow the scheduling of project activities as well as predecessor-successor relationships to be defined and displayed. Stackfield offers a simple, interactive Gantt component. It is not possible to display the critical path. There are also no project progress bars and you cannot compare the current plan against a baseline.
Resource Planning
Resources of various types can be managed and assigned to issues. There is a view that shows resource utilization over time, making overloads or underloads immediately visible. Resources can be organized by project or department.
Employee Availability
There is no way to record employee availability in the system or take it into account during resource planning.
Project Progress
In Stackfield there is the option to measure project progress by the ratio of completed tasks to the total number of tasks. For tasks that are still open, it is additionally possible to enter the estimated remaining effort until completion.
This gives Stackfield a rudimentary, low-effort form of progress monitoring — however, it is not sufficient for somewhat more demanding project management.
Agile Project Management
For software developers, integrations with source code management systems such as Git and Subversion, as well as with CI/CD servers such as Gitlab and Jenkins, are missing.
Further Information
If you are interested in reading more about Trello, you can do so here. In this article you can find an overview of ticket systems.
CEO Alltena GmbH
Christoph Friedrich is a computer scientist and certified Project Management Professional. He has extensive experience in the introduction and integration of project management tools as well as the analysis and definition of processes in project and service management.
