Started in 2014, Monday.com has transformed project management with its user-friendly interface and real-time collaboration features. It's an all-in-one tool that allows teams to track progress, manage tasks and collaborate effectively. The ability to view projects in different formats (tables, calendars, Gantt charts) and customize workflows to suit different team needs has made Monday.com a preferred choice for many companies.
Its popularity also stems from its ability to integrate with other commonly used tools such as Slack, Google Drive, and many others. This makes work flow more smoothly and centralizes information, facilitating the management of complex projects.
However, despite its many advantages, Monday.com has certain limitations that can hold back companies with very specific needs.
Customization limitations
Monday.com offers you a basic toolbox for creating your workflows, but when you need something specific, things get complicated.
When Monday.com only gives you hammers, you need a screwdriver.
Workflow customization: Monday.com offers predefined templates. However, if you want to adapt these workflows to very specific business processes, the limitations quickly become apparent. You can adjust a few parameters, but not create a fully customized workflow.
Notification complexity: Suppose you want to trigger a notification only if several specific conditions are met (for example, a task must be completed, validated by a manager, and linked to a particular project). In Monday.com, setting this up becomes a headache or simply impossible.
User input validation: Monday.com doesn't easily allow you to make fields required, or to add minimum or maximum value conditions. This can lead to data entry errors and complicate information management.
Limited permission control: Monday.com offers basic permission options, but when it comes to showing a subset of a table's attributes to a specific role, or giving granular update permissions, the possibilities are very limited. This can pose security and access management problems.
Complexity and learning curve
Monday.com is renowned for its attractive interface, but this same interface can prove complex for new users.
Navigating Monday.com can sometimes be like finding your way through a maze.
User interface: Although the interface is visually pleasing, it is not always intuitive. Users can feel overwhelmed by the numerous options and buttons. What's more, the inability to modify the interface makes it difficult to add UX shortcuts and display data in an ideal format, making it harder for users to get the hang of things.
Training requirements: Companies have to invest time in training their teams, which can slow down software deployment and temporarily reduce productivity.
Integrations and compatibility
Although Monday.com offers a wide range of integrations, they don't always cover all specific business needs.
When the pieces don't fit.
Available integrations: Monday.com offers integrations with a variety of popular tools. However, when it comes to more specialized or customized integrations, companies can find themselves stuck.
Limited compatibility: For example, if you're using proprietary software or a solution that's highly specific to your industry, you may find it difficult to integrate it seamlessly with Monday.com.
Alternatives to Monday
It's not always necessary to leave Monday.com immediately when you encounter limitations. It is possible to augment or modify Monday.com initially. However, if your company's needs and requirements become too complex to implement, we recommend looking for a real alternative. Here are the suggested options, listed in order of cost, to go from strength to strength according to need and budget:
1. Install Monday integrations
Using third-party integrations to augment or modify Monday.com's native functionality can be a quick and relatively inexpensive solution. Platforms such as Zapier or Integromat allow you to connect Monday.com to other tools and automate certain processes.
2. Schedule custom integrations with Monday
If third-party integrations aren't enough, programming custom integrations can overcome the critical limitations of Monday.com. This allows you to create specific solutions that respond directly to your company's particular needs.
3. Research and invest in a specialized management system
For more advanced needs, investing in a management system, intranet or ERP specialized to your industry may be a wise option. These systems are often designed to meet the specific requirements of certain sectors, and offer deeper customization and integration.
4. Develop a 100% customized ERP
For companies with very specific needs and complex requirements, developing a 100% customized ERP may be the best solution. This approach enables you to create a system perfectly adapted to your business processes, without compromise.
Conclusion
Project management tools like Monday.com can offer effective basic solutions, but when it comes to meeting specific and complex needs, they quickly show their limits. At Witify, we understand these challenges and offer tailor-made solutions that grow with your business.
If you're facing similar limitations with your current tools, why not explore a tailor-made solution? Contact us at Witify for a free consultation and find out how we can transform your project management with solutions tailored to your specific needs.
François Lévesque is co-founder and Technical Director of Witify. Specializing in the management and development of complex software and web projects, he has spent the last 8 years developing customized ERP, Intranets and CRM systems. Throughout his career, he has developed in-depth expertise in software engineering, with a particular sensitivity to translating business objectives into precise technical requirements. With extensive expertise in data analysis and visualization, François has also successfully led numerous data projects with government institutions.
