Project management software encompasses computer software dedicated to activities such as budget management and quality control. There are several approaches to project management software, the most prominent being desktop, web-based and collaborative.

Desktop project management programs run as applications on the users operating system. In some cases, it may be possible to share what you do on a desktop project management program with other people over the Internet. Data is saved in file format, and some desktop project management systems allow for the sharing of this data over a local area network (LAN).

Web-based project management software is possibly the most dynamic of all project management systems available. Web-based project management programs take the form of a web application, and may be accessed by using an intranet or possibly an extranet, allowing enthusiastic employees to work on their projects from home! Web-based project management systems have the advantages of usually being able to be accessed from any computer with access to the Internet and ability to share data with others, and the disadvantages of being slower to respond to user commands than desktop applications and not usable if internet access is not available.

A collaborative project management system may incorporate elements of both desktop and web-based systems, with the added benefit of supporting multiple users. To address the issue of internet connectivity being a requirement for web-based project management programs, software developers have created tools to allow a user to work on their project while offline, connecting to a central server whenever possible to update other project team members on what is happening.