TLDR (Summary)
The best project management software for architects is Plutio ($19/month).
Plutio connects project management to the complete architecture workflow, client communication through portals, file sharing with version control, consultant coordination, time tracking per design phase, and billing for additional services work together instead of requiring manual connection across separate platforms. Projects run from programming through construction administration in one view, consultants access only their relevant phases, clients see progress without status meeting overhead, and time spent on revisions flows directly to invoicing without reconstruction.
According to project management research, 60% of goes to coordination rather than actual design work. Connected project management absorbs the status updates, file hunting, and billing reconciliation that would otherwise compound with each additional project.
For additional strategies, read our freelance project management guide.
What is project management software for architects?
Project management software for architects is software that organizes design phases, consultant coordination, and deliverable tracking with complete connection to client communication, file sharing, and billing.
The distinction matters: generic project tools track tasks and deadlines but treat architecture projects like software sprints or marketing campaigns. Architecture-focused project management connects design phases to drawing sets, links consultant the work to project milestones, tracks revision rounds against fee agreements, and maintains file organization that matches project manual standards. Every project involves multiple external parties, clients reviewing design options, structural engineers providing calculations, MEP consultants coordinating systems, contractors requesting clarifications during construction, and project management that doesn't account for these external touchpoints creates coordination overhead rather than reducing it.
What architect project management actually does
Core functions include organizing work by project phase (programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents, construction administration), tracking the work and submission deadlines, coordinating consultant input and approvals, managing design revisions and change orders, maintaining drawing version control, linking time spent to billing categories, and providing client visibility into project progress. Architecture projects span months or years with hundreds of decisions, dozens of external parties, and thousands of files, project management serves as the organizational structure that prevents this complexity from becoming chaos.
Architecture project management vs generic task tracking
Generic project tools like Asana or Monday track "tasks" as standalone items. Architecture project management tracks the work within phases, where a single deliverable like "Construction Documents" contains coordinated input from multiple consultants, requires client review and approval, generates billing triggers, and produces file sets that must maintain version control. A task list shows "Floor plans - complete." Architecture project management shows floor plans at 50% review with structural comments pending, MEP coordination complete, client approval scheduled for Thursday, and 12 hours of revision time logged against the design development fee.
What makes architect project management different
Architecture projects require external collaboration at every stage, clients making design decisions, consultants providing technical input, contractors requesting construction clarifications, building departments reviewing for code compliance. Project management that treats these interactions as external communication rather than integrated workflow creates constant tool-switching. An email arrives with client comments on the kitchen layout. Client feedback needs to show up in the project timeline, generate tasks for design revisions, potentially trigger a change order if it's beyond scope, update the file version when revisions complete, and bill correctly if it's additional services. Without project management that handles these connections, coordination happens manually, reading the email, updating the task board, checking the contract scope, logging time separately, remembering to invoice later.
When project management connects to client portals, file sharing, contracts, and billing, external coordination becomes workflow rather than overhead. Clients review designs in the portal and comments attach directly to project tasks, consultants access only their relevant files and submissions show in the timeline automatically, change orders generate from scope questions without leaving the project view, and time tracked per phase feeds invoices that show exactly what work happened.
Why architects need project management software
Architects face a compounding problem: tracking the work across multiple phases while logging time for billing becomes unsustainable through spreadsheets and disconnected tools.
When multiple projects run simultaneously-each with schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration phases-manual tracking fails. Hours logged in one app don't connect to tasks in another, invoices get generated from memory, and margin analysis requires exporting data from three systems into a spreadsheet.
The invisible hours problem
According to industry research, 60% of goes to coordination tasks rather than actual project work. For architects specifically, that means time spent updating spreadsheets, copying task lists into time logs, reconciling billable hours against project budgets, and generating invoices from exported timesheets. A 15-minute task update here, 20 minutes reconciling time logs there-it accumulates to hours per week that neither advance projects nor generate revenue.
The fragmentation problem
You stack 3-5 disconnected tools: task boards like Asana or Monday for project tracking, time tracking software like Toggl or Harvest for billable hours, invoicing platforms like FreshBooks or QuickBooks for client billing, and file storage like Dropbox or Google Drive for drawings and specifications. Each tool handles one function, but none share data automatically. Time logged in Harvest doesn't appear in Asana tasks, completed milestones in Monday don't trigger invoice generation, and margin analysis requires manually cross-referencing three platforms.
The billing lag problem
Architecture contracts often bill by phase or percentage of construction cost, but tracking progress toward those milestones happens manually. Construction documents might be 80% complete on the task board while only 60% of budgeted hours are logged-but nobody knows until someone exports time logs and compares them to the project budget. Billing lag between work done and billing awareness leads to over-servicing: the firm completes the work while exceeding the hour budget, then either eats the cost or has an uncomfortable conversation with the client.
The scaling problem
Architecture practices using manual systems face increasing overhead with each new project. Tasks slip through, billable hours go unlogged, and invoices get sent late because someone forgot to export the timesheet from the other platform. The manual approach breaks down because each project adds coordination overhead that compounds rather than stays isolated.
Connected project management software absorbs the admin work that would otherwise scale linearly with each new project. Tasks generate time logs automatically, completed milestones trigger invoice drafts, and margin stays visible throughout the project lifecycle.
Project management features architects need
The essential project management features for architects connect task tracking with time logging and client billing while handling the phase-based workflows that architecture projects require.
Core project management features
- Phase-based project structure: Organize projects by schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration rather than generic to-do lists. Tasks group by deliverable phase, not arbitrary categories.
- Task assignment and dependencies: Assign tasks to specific team members or consultants and set dependencies so structural drawings don't start before architectural plans finalize. Visual timeline shows what blocks what.
- Integrated time tracking: Start timers directly from tasks so hours logged automatically attach to the specific deliverable. No separate time tracking app, no manual reconciliation between task completion and billable hours.
- Billable vs non-billable designation: Mark time as billable or internal so client invoices only include chargeable hours. Coordination meetings with consultants might be billable while internal design reviews are not.
- File attachment to tasks: Attach drawings, specifications, and consultant deliverables directly to tasks so everything related to a specific milestone lives in one place. Revision history tracked per file.
Architecture-specific features
- Project templates by building type: Create templates for residential, commercial, and institutional projects with pre-loaded phase structures and typical task lists. New projects start with the standard workflow already configured.
- Consultant coordination: Invite structural engineers, MEP consultants, and landscape architects to specific projects with permissions controlling what they see. Architecture projects require collaboration with outside specialists, and 65% of work with external consultants on most projects.
- Milestone-based billing: Connect invoicing to deliverable completion so the invoice drafts automatically when construction documents reach 100%. Billing syncs with actual progress, not estimated percentages.
Platform features that multiply value
- White-label branding: Custom domain, logo, colors. All client-facing communications show your brand. Client portal appears as yourfirm.com, not thirdpartyplatform.com/yourfirm.
- Unified inbox: All client messages arrive in one place. Client questions about project status, invoice inquiries, and file requests appear in the same inbox without checking email.
- Permissions: Control who sees what. Junior staff see their assigned tasks, senior architects see all project phases, and clients see only the deliverables marked for their review.
- Automations: Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Common automations include: invoice generation when a milestone completes, reminder emails 3 days before a deliverable deadline, and task assignments when a previous phase finishes.
The deciding factor for architects is integration depth. Project management software that connects with time tracking, invoicing, and client communication eliminates duplicate data entry. Task completion, time logging, and billing happen in one workflow instead of three separate tools that need manual synchronization.
Project management software pricing for architects
Project management software for architects typically costs $50-150 per month when stacking separate tools for tasks, time, and billing, with integrated platforms providing complete functionality at the lower end of that range.
What architects typically pay for project management tools
- Asana: $10.99-24.99 per user per month (forced 5-seat minimum on some tiers)
- Monday.com: $9-19 per user per month (3-seat minimum)
- ClickUp: $7-12 per user per month plus $9 per user for AI features
- Trello: $5-10 per user per month
These platforms organize tasks and track project status but don't include time tracking or invoicing. Architects using Asana for project management typically add Harvest or Toggl for time tracking ($10-12 per user per month) and FreshBooks or QuickBooks for invoicing ($15-50 per month). Total cost: $80-150 per month for one person, more with team members since most tools charge per user.
Plutio pricing (January 2026)
- Core: $19/month: Unlimited project management plus integrated time tracking, invoicing, proposals, contracts, scheduling, and client portals. Up to 9 active clients, no team seats.
- Pro: $49/month: Unlimited clients, 30 contributors, advanced permissions. Add junior staff, consultants, or contractors to specific projects without separate per-user fees.
- Max: $199/month: Unlimited team, white-label with custom domain, single sign-on. For established firms wanting client-facing portals that appear fully branded.
The ROI calculation for architects
- Eliminate 3-4 tool subscriptions: Replace task boards, time tracking, invoicing, and contract software with one platform. Typical savings: $40-80 per month in subscription costs plus hours saved on data entry between systems.
- Capture unbilled hours: Integrated time tracking connected to tasks means less time leakage. Even recovering 2-3 hours per week of previously unlogged billable time at $150 per hour pays for the software many times over.
- Reduce billing lag: Invoices generate automatically from logged time instead of waiting for someone to compile timesheets and create invoices manually. Faster invoicing improves cash flow, and research shows businesses that invoice within 24 hours of work completion collect payment 30% faster.
Project management software ROI comes through reduced tool sprawl and captured billable time. Plutio pays for itself with 2-3 hours of previously unlogged billable work per month, and most architecture practices exceed that within the first billing cycle.
Why Plutio is the best project management for architects
Plutio handles project management as part of a complete platform where time tracking, invoicing, proposals, contracts, and client portals work together rather than as separate tools that need manual connection.
Tasks and time in one workflow
Start a timer directly from any task without switching to a separate time tracking app. Hours logged automatically attach to the task, project, and client. Schematic design time separates from construction documentation time because the tasks belong to different phases. Billable vs non-billable designation happens when starting the timer, and time logs feed into invoices automatically. No exporting timesheets, no cross-referencing task completion against hours logged-Plutio connects them by default.
Phase-based project structure
Organize projects by architecture-specific phases instead of generic boards. Templates create standard structures: schematic design tasks, design development milestones, construction document checklists, and construction administration coordination. New residential projects load the residential template, commercial projects load the commercial template. Customize from there, but the baseline structure reflects how architects actually work instead of forcing architecture workflows into generic task management patterns.
Milestone-connected invoicing
Invoices generate from project milestones and time logs without manual data entry. Set an invoice to draft automatically when construction documents reach 100% completion or when logged hours reach a specific threshold. Time entries marked as billable automatically appear in the invoice draft. Review, adjust if needed, and send. Payment links included, and clients pay directly through the invoice without redirecting to a separate payment processor page.
Consultant permissions
Invite structural engineers, MEP consultants, and other collaborators to specific projects with granular permissions. Structural engineer sees only the tasks and files relevant to their scope, not your full client list or financials. Consultants upload the work directly to the project, comment on tasks, and track their own time if needed. No separate client extranet, no emailing zip files back and forth.
Client portals for project visibility
Clients log into branded portals showing their project status without accessing your internal task board. You control what they see: approved deliverables, upcoming milestones, outstanding invoices, scheduled meetings. Clients upload reference images or feedback directly to the portal, and those files attach to the relevant project automatically. Portal communication stays connected to the project instead of scattering across email threads.
Proposal to project to invoice flow
Send a proposal with scope, fee structure, and payment terms. Client accepts digitally with a signature. Plutio automatically creates the project with phases and milestones based on the proposal, generates a contract, and schedules invoices according to the payment terms. What used to require setting up the same information in 3-4 different tools happens in one action. Proposal acceptance triggers project creation, and the billing schedule populates from the proposal terms.
White-label everything
Use your own domain. Upload your logo, set your brand colors and typography. Every client-facing touchpoint shows your brand: proposals, contracts, invoices, client portals, booking pages. Client portal appears as portal.yourfirm.com, not thirdpartyplatform.com/yourfirm. Invoices show your branding, not Plutio's.
Unified inbox for all client communication
When a client comments on a deliverable, asks about an invoice, or confirms a meeting, the message appears in one inbox. Reply directly without opening email. Conversation history stays attached to the client and project. No searching through email folders to find that one message about the window detail from three weeks ago.
Granular permissions
Control exactly who sees what at the level that makes sense for your practice. Junior staff see only their assigned tasks, project managers see all tasks for their projects, principals see everything. Clients see only the items marked for client review. Consultants see only the projects they're invited to. Configure permissions by role, project, or individual.
No-code automations
Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Common architect automations include: generate invoice when construction documents phase reaches 100% completion, send reminder email 3 days before deliverable deadline, assign construction administration tasks to project manager when construction documents are approved, create weekly summary email of all project updates and consultant comments. Set the rule once, and it runs automatically.
Native integrations for architecture workflows
Connect Stripe and PayPal for invoice payments. Sync Google Calendar or Outlook so client meetings appear in your normal calendar. Use Zapier to connect 3,000+ other apps, including Dropbox for file storage, Slack for team communication, and QuickBooks for accounting. Time entries and invoices flow to QuickBooks automatically without exporting CSV files.
Everything runs from one app with your branding, your terminology, and your workflow logic. Project tasks, time logs, invoices, client communication, and consultant coordination happen in one connected system instead of copying data between five separate subscriptions.
How to set up project management in Plutio
Setting up project management in Plutio takes 2-4 hours for initial configuration, then 5-15 minutes per project after your templates and integrations are in place.
Step 1: Configure default settings (30 mins)
Set your business name, timezone, and currency. Configure your default hourly rate for time tracking and establish whether you track time in 15-minute increments, 6-minute increments, or continuous. Upload your logo and set brand colors so all client-facing materials show your identity. Connect your calendar (Google or Outlook) so scheduling stays synchronized.
Step 2: Create project templates (1-2 hours)
Build 3-5 templates covering your common project types. For architects, recommended templates include:
- Residential new construction: Standard phases from schematic design through construction administration with typical tasks like site analysis, zoning review, design development drawings, permit sets, and site observation visits.
- Residential renovation: Similar phase structure but adjusted for existing conditions documentation, demolition planning, and phased construction schedules.
- Commercial tenant improvement: Abbreviated timeline with emphasis on code compliance, ADA coordination, and fast-track scheduling. Tasks include existing conditions survey, test fit studies, construction documents, and contractor coordination.
- Institutional projects: Extended timeline with additional phases for programming, stakeholder coordination, and design review boards. Tasks include user group meetings, design charrettes, multiple design review submittals, and value engineering sessions.
Each template includes task lists by phase, typical durations, and placeholder milestones. New projects load the template, and you customize from there rather than building the structure from scratch every time.
Step 3: Connect integrations (20 mins)
Link Stripe and/or PayPal for invoice payments. Connect your calendar if you didn't in step 1. If you use QuickBooks or Xero for accounting, connect those through Zapier so invoices and time entries sync automatically. Test each integration with a dummy transaction before using with real clients.
Step 4: Import existing projects (30 mins)
Export project lists, task lists, and time logs from your current tools via CSV. Upload to Plutio to establish your project history. Client records import first, then projects attach to those clients. Don't try to import every historical detail-focus on active projects and their current tasks. Archive completed work can stay in the old system.
Step 5: Test with one real project
Take a current project and set it up completely in Plutio: create the project from a template, assign tasks to team members, log time against specific tasks, generate an invoice from those time logs, and send it to the client. Run through the complete workflow with an actual project rather than a test account. Identify any adjustments needed to your templates or settings before migrating other projects.
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Over-customizing too early: Start with minimal templates and refine based on actual use. Don't spend 6 hours building the perfect template before running a single project through it. Build the basics, test with real work, adjust where needed.
- Ignoring mobile: Download the mobile apps during setup and test key workflows like starting timers, uploading photos from site visits, and checking project status. Many architects use mobile heavily during construction administration.
- Skipping automation setup: Configure automatic invoice reminders and task deadline notifications during initial setup, not later. These automations run quietly in the background and prevent tasks from slipping through.
Build templates for the 80% cases that cover most of projects. Residential and commercial templates handle the majority of architecture work. Highly specialized projects you can customize individually.
Project management organization for architects
Organizing project management creates clarity and enables efficient tracking of deliverables across multiple projects and design phases.
Project structure for architects
- By project phase: Organize boards by standard AIA phases-schematic design, design development, construction documents, construction administration. Tasks group by deliverable phase, and time tracking separates hours by phase for budget analysis.
- By building type: Separate residential, commercial, and institutional projects so team members can filter their view to relevant work. Small residential projects don't clutter the view when someone is focused on a large commercial project.
- By project status: Active, on hold, and completed projects separate so task lists stay focused on current work. On-hold projects retain their task structure but don't appear in daily views until reactivated.
Task organization stages
- Backlog: Tasks identified but not yet scheduled. Site visits needed eventually but not this week, coordination items waiting for consultant input, and future phase work that doesn't need immediate attention.
- Planned: Tasks scheduled for specific dates or milestones. Design development drawings due by end of month, municipal review meeting scheduled for Thursday, permit submission deadline in 10 days.
- In progress: Tasks currently being worked on with active time tracking. Construction documents being drafted, specifications being written, consultant drawings being reviewed.
- Review: Tasks completed by one person awaiting review by another. Junior staff completes floor plans, project manager reviews before sending to client. Consultant submits structural drawings, architect reviews before incorporating into construction documents.
- Complete: Tasks finished and approved. Archived but visible in project history for reference.
Information to track per project
- Client contact information and decision-makers
- Project address and APN (assessor's parcel number)
- Contract type and fee structure (fixed fee, hourly, percentage of construction cost)
- Hour budget by phase with running total of actual hours logged
- Key dates: contract start, deliverable deadlines, municipal review dates, construction start
- Consultants involved with contact info and scope
- Relevant codes and zoning requirements
Proven methods for architects
- Log time immediately when working on a task instead of reconstructing it at the end of the week. Start a timer when beginning work, stop it when switching tasks.
- Update task status when you stop working on it, not at the end of the day. If you finish floor plans and move to site plans, mark the floor plan task complete immediately so project status stays current.
- Attach files directly to tasks rather than storing everything in a generic project folder. Structural calculations attach to the task for structural coordination, window details attach to the task for window specifications. Anyone looking at the task sees the relevant files without searching.
- Use task dependencies for coordination-sensitive work. Structural drawings don't start until architectural plans are complete, MEP coordination doesn't begin until structural framing is established. Dependencies make the critical path visible.
Organized project management enables margin analysis per project and per phase. Structure serves financial visibility-compare budgeted hours to actual hours per deliverable and adjust future estimates based on real data.
Client portals for architects: project management connection
Client portals connect project management data to client-facing access, creating smooth communication and reducing the email back-and-forth that fragments project discussions.
Portal as project dashboard
Clients access their complete project through branded portals. Current phase status, upcoming milestones, approved drawings, outstanding invoices, and scheduled meetings in one place. Project management data powers what clients see-you mark a deliverable as complete internally, and it appears in the client portal as ready for review. No separate system for client updates, no manually copying project status into email reports.
Consistent experience
Portal presentation reflects the organized project structure in your management system. Professional, consistent client experience across all projects and all communication. Clients see the same branded interface whether viewing drawings, paying invoices, or scheduling meetings. Portal uses your domain, your logo, your terminology.
Self-service access
Clients find their own the work and project history without requesting files via email. Previous design iterations available for reference, approved drawing sets downloadable as PDFs, proposal and contract accessible anytime. Project management organization enables client self-service-proper file attachment and phase structure means clients can navigate their project independently without administrative burden on your staff.
Two-way visibility
Portal interactions feed back into project management. Client comments on a deliverable attach to the relevant task, client file uploads go directly into the project folder, and meeting confirmations appear on the project timeline. Complete picture from both perspectives-your task board shows internal work and client interactions, client portal shows only the items you've marked for their visibility.
Project continuity
Portals maintain project history across construction phases. Clients adding on or renovating later find their previous project documentation still accessible. Returning clients see their past projects and can reference earlier design decisions. Connection maintained between initial design, construction, and potential future phases without manually archiving and retrieving old files.
Portals make project management client-facing. Internal task organization translates to external experience-clear deliverable structure, proper file attachment, and organized communication appear professional because the underlying system is organized.
How to migrate project management to Plutio
Migration from another project management system typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a weekend, with the best time to switch being between project phases rather than mid-deliverable.
Step 1: Export from your current tool
Most project management software provides CSV export for projects, tasks, and time logs. Here's what to export from common tools:
- Asana: Export projects as CSV from project menu. Download includes tasks, assignees, due dates, and completion status. Time tracking data exports separately if using Harvest or Everhour integration.
- Monday.com: Export boards from board menu as Excel or CSV. Includes tasks, status, owners, and dates. Extract separately from any connected time tracking tool.
- Trello: Export board as JSON, then convert to CSV using online converter or script. Includes cards, lists, due dates, and attachments. Manual extraction needed for time data from separate tool.
Don't export everything-focus on active projects and open tasks. Completed work from 6 months ago can stay archived in the old system.
Step 2: Build templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Use your exported task lists as reference to create new templates representing your standard workflow. If most residential projects follow similar patterns, build one residential template. Commercial projects follow different phases, so build a commercial template. Focus on forward-looking workflows rather than perfectly replicating historical project structures. The feature is an opportunity to improve your process, not just copy the old one.
Step 3: Set up integrations (30 mins)
Connect payment processing (Stripe, PayPal, Square), calendar sync (Google, Outlook), and accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero via Zapier). Test each integration with dummy data before relying on it with client work. Send yourself a test invoice and complete a payment, create a test calendar event and verify it syncs, log test time entries and confirm they appear in your accounting system.
Step 4: Import project data (30 mins)
Upload your CSV files to Plutio. Import clients first, then projects linked to those clients, then tasks linked to projects. Map fields appropriately-due dates from old system to due dates in Plutio, assignees to team members, task status to corresponding Plutio status. Time log import is separate if coming from a different tool. Review imported data for accuracy before proceeding.
Step 5: Run parallel for new work
Use Plutio for all new projects and newly started design phases while keeping the old system active for work already in progress. New schematic design phases start in Plutio, ongoing construction documentation finishes in the old system. Running parallel avoids mid-project disruption while keeping future work benefits from the new workflow immediately.
Step 6: Phase out the old tool
Once all active work on your old system reaches logical completion points-construction documents submitted, construction administration phase ends, final invoices sent-cancel that subscription. Typically 30-60 days after starting parallel operation. Export one final archive of completed project data for your records, then close the account.
Common migration pitfalls to avoid
- Trying to migrate everything: Don't import 5 years of completed project history. Focus on active projects and essential reference data. Archive stays archived; migration focuses on work in flight and future projects.
- Switching mid-deliverable: Don't migrate a project halfway through construction documents. Finish the current phase deliverable in the old system, then start the next phase in Plutio. Clean phase breaks prevent confusion about where the current version lives.
- Not testing integrations: Verify payment processing works before sending real invoices to clients. Sending an invoice that clients can't pay damages credibility and delays cash flow.
- Forgetting about team training: Brief team members on the new system before they need to use it in production. 30-minute walkthrough of how to create tasks, log time, and upload files prevents workflow disruption when the first real project lands in Plutio.
The investment in migration pays back in time saved on every future project. Integrated project management eliminates 5-10 hours per month of duplicate data entry, timesheet compilation, and manual invoice generation. Most architecture practices recover the migration time within the first billing cycle.
