Offering project management and collaboration tools to Google users

Oct 19, 2009 13:12 GMT  ·  By
Zoho Projects now offers project management and collaboration tools to Google users
   Zoho Projects now offers project management and collaboration tools to Google users

Online office and collaboration suite Zoho has announced it has expanded its integration with Google Apps and Zoho Projects, the company's project collaboration offering. Zoho had already enabled some integration with Google, by allowing users to log in with their Google accounts, but this takes it a step forward with full integration with Apps products like Docs and Gmail.

“Google Apps customers can now take advantage of Zoho Projects and its collaboration and project management benefits. Zoho Projects for Google Apps creates a rich, integrated experience for Google Apps users that includes single sign-on, integration with Google Docs and Google Calendar plus the ability to embed Zoho Projects information directly inside iGoogle, Gmail and Google Sites,” Zoho says. “While customers enjoy the e-mail and calendaring functionality that Google Apps provides, they also recognize the need for a robust collaboration and project management solution.”

Google doesn't currently provide a tool similar to Zoho Projects though its Apps suite has ample collaboration features. It's not too much of a stretch to imagine that Google will introduce a similar product at some point but in the meantime Zoho will fill in the gap and a definite need for a fully featured project manager.

Zoho Projects enables companies to create and manage the day-to-day operations but also large projects involving outside companies. With the new integration the tool basically becomes another app in the Apps suite. Users need to log in with their Google Apps credentials after which they will be able to share Docs documents or spreadsheets in Projects and activities or tasks are synced with Calendar. Any data from a project can also be added to iGoogle and Gmail as gadgets.

While the added functionality can't be argued with, it may seem strange that a company that has in Google Apps one of its biggest competitors would enable a tool that makes its competitor's products better. But, while Zoho does offer its own web-based email, word processor, spreadsheet editor, basically an alternative to any component of Google Apps and then adds a bunch more tools, the fact is that it just can't compete head-on with Google and expect to win. These tool's are Zoho's bread and butter and if it can tap into the large Google Apps userbase, roughly 10 times its size, it will not only gain in the short term from the additional revenue but it may also be a great way of luring Google's customers.