Basecamp vs. Dropbox Paper

Small to mid-size would be a great fit [for Basecamp]. It's simple to use and does not require a ton of ramp-up. Unlike other platforms that require you to learn their terminology in order to use the platform this works well for the non technical user whom just needs to put in simple task updates[.]

Incentivized

Dropbox Paper is suited for creating very simple documents, where you are collaborating with other users. It is particularly useful in a work environment that primarily uses Dropbox as a storage and file management solution. If you need to create documents where you need more enhanced formatting features, you would need to use Google Docs, or Microsoft Word.

Incentivized

• Task management - It is very easy to add, organize and discuss tasks within Basecamp's interface.
• The "Campfire" function is great for communicating when you just have a quick question for someone on the team.
• Notifications - Basecamp lets you decide how often and about what you'd like to be notified. The ability to respond to messages in Basecamp directly via email saves a lot of time.

Incentivized

• Develop multiple individual projects, setting milestone dates within them.
• Easy to invite others to collaborate on projects.
• Create to-do lists and assign due dates.
• Create documents with multiple types of integrated media, going beyond simple text with images, audio, and video.
• Make edits to documents in real time for all team members to see.

Incentivized

• High Learning Curve. It's true that it can be easy to use, but to use well and effectively takes some time to learn. It's recommended to have an agreed-upon system in your team of what tools to use and when.
• Notification Overload. If people aren't careful they could send a notification to everyone when only a couple people were meant to be prompted. And since emails are sent by default, you could have your mailbox overloaded with unnecessary updates. This is where it takes a bit of training in your team to have an agreed-upon system.
• Lack of organization with Archived Projects. I will often need to reference an archived project to make a new one, but there is only a list of archived projects in alphabetical order, with no way to organize by archive date, or even search.

Incentivized

• Its presentation capabilities can definitely be improved, including how page-by-page presentation is to be done & how aspect ratios are maintained for different resolutions.
• More flexibility in text editing would be a great addition to the text editing functionality, for example, additional fonts would be a nice thing to have.
• Introducing additional to-do list software capabilities or task management functionality would enhance the software greatly as well.

Incentivized

When I bring new people onto a project, it's immediately obvious how to use Basecamp. I don't have to worry about teaching them the features or walking them through it, it's just incredibly user-friendly. For this reason, I'll continue to renew my subscription even as new people are brought onto production jobs or the client changes.

I would give it a ten but we have some very minor issues. Those have all been easy to work around and I still really like Basecamp. We also have trouble with some clients who can only handle email—but those are rare cases when technology is just not their thing.

I've never experienced downtime while using Basecamp, or been unable to access it when I needed it. That's not to say they've never had downtime, but I've been lucky enough not to encounter any, and I work odd hours, including late nights when maintenance is often undertaken.

Incentivized

For the many reasons I've given, Basecamp is a very strong program. There are a few features I can imagine that might make it even better, but I don't have a basis for comparison to be able to say that there is definitely a better one out there. I've noticed that Basecamp has evolved a bit from the time I started using it until now, so that makes me think that the producer of this program values it and believes in continuous improvement. If you could use the features offered by Basecamp, I would think you could use it with confidence.

Incentivized

Decide the process before implementation - i.e. when it's due 8/9 does that mean 8am, noon, 5pm, 11:59pm? Check your to-do list frequently Set-up templates - just not with the dates (they can be funky)

Basecamp is the best application we've found for our team to interface with external clients. It makes project management simple, and allows our clients visibility into their projects, which in turn builds trust, fosters open communication, and improves customer satisfaction. It's easy to learn and use, and has just enough customizability to work for many different types of projects.

Incentivized

Paper is a good option for those people looking for a lightweight content creation & collaboration tool & especially if you are already using dropbox. However, all the capabilities that Paper has are not so powerful in-depth of flexibility & range of functionality, for example, for to-do lists or task management there are many other better options out there.

Incentivized

• It has helped keep every project organized, with all assets in one accessible place for everyone involved.
• It has helped with scheduling and assigning tasks so that everyone knows what is expected of them.
• It has helped keep all client correspondence in one place and within the project so that everything can be found immediately.
• The search function is very helpful.

Incentivized

• Dropbox Paper has allowed all of our employees to be much more productive and on track even when we can't be in the office, which from a management standpoint is a huge positive impact. They know that productivity isn't slowing or lacking when everyone isn't actually sitting in the office under their watchful eye.
• It has had a huge impact on our turn around time and speed of getting more work and projects completed. The more work you can effectively get done in a time period means more money for the bottom line.
• It has made the majority of our team members more accountable and reliable when they know everyone is working together on something and each person has their own checklist of items to complete. It is especially helpful that everyone can see the same checklist, so everyone knows what each other is accomplishing.

Incentivized