10 Best Agency Resource Management Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 20 tools reviewed.
With so many different agency resource management solutions available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want to organize and manage agency resources like staff and budgets effectively, but you need to figure out which tool is best. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, sharing my personal experiences using dozens of different resourcing tools with various agencies, with my picks of the best agency resource management software.
What is Agency Resource Management Software?
Agency resource management software is a tool that helps agencies efficiently manage their internal resources. This includes organizing staff assignments, tracking time and budgets, overseeing project progress, and facilitating better team collaboration. Essentially, it's a comprehensive solution for agencies to optimize their operations, from resource allocation to project delivery, ensuring that every aspect of the agency's work is effectively managed and coordinated.
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monday.com
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.7 -
Jira Software
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2 -
Wrike
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2
Overviews of the 10 Best Agency Resource Management Software
Here’s a brief description of each agency resource management software that showcases each tool’s best use case and their noteworthy features. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too.
Best for marketing agencies that deal with frequent changes of scope
Productive is an agency resource management software that provides real-time capacity insights.
Why I picked Productive: Marketing agencies are accustomed to changes of scope. Sadly, trial by committee dilutes and diverts creative strategy, and changes often need to be made quickly, at the eleventh hour. Productive makes it easy to view available resources and create an environment of team collaboration to complete the project.
Filters enable you to zoom in on specific views by team member, teams, and budgets. Heat maps and capacity indicators help you see when anyone is overbooked. And Productive’s “insights library” gives you a micro and macro overview of current and future utilization for capacity planning.
Productive Standout Features & Integrations
Features include billable utilization by person, capacity insights, booking insights, scheduling, placeholders, vacation requests, and operations analytics.
Integrations include Quickbooks, Jira, Xero, Exact, Slack, Harvest Import, Fortnox, and Personio. More integrations are available by connecting a paid Zapier account.
Best for marketing agencies with simple capacity planning needs
Monday.com is an agency resource management software with a creative management tool built specifically for marketers.
Why I picked Monday.com: Monday.com is a flexible platform that makes it easy for marketing agencies to see projected timelines, outstanding projects, and available resources. The simple, well-designed interface is easy to learn, meaning that teams can get started planning and tracking right away. The handy workload view allows you to see team capacity and make any necessary adjustments to ownership or timeline.
Monday Marketer provides marketing-specific features built to suit industry needs. You can collect and manage creative requests, monitor projects, review briefs, and even upload digital assets. The tool also speeds up the approval process by allowing you to annotate images and videos.
Monday.com Standout Features & Integrations
Features include Gantt charts, dashboards, real-time collaboration, file management, resource management, and real-time scheduling.
Integrations include Slack, Jira, GitHub, Excel, Dropbox, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Typeform. Further integrations are available by connecting a paid Zapier account.
Kantata
Best agency resource management software for comprehensive all-in-one coverage
Kantata is an agency resource management software that blends project accounting, analysis, planning, and execution together in a single platform.
Why I picked Kantata: If you’re looking for a tool that can do it all, look no further than Kantata. The platform has modules for project management, business intelligence, team collaboration, accounting, and resource management, bringing them all together into a system of dashboards. Users can view real-time utilization at both the task and project levels, and can track time and expenses as well.
Kantata offers clients access to their BI consultants, who can provide further data by building custom reports and providing onboarding training to your team. The platform features resource forecasting, scenario planning, role-based planning, skills management, and capacity management.
Kantata Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource forecasting and capacity management, custom reporting and trends analysis, built-in reports, real-time utilization, project costing, invoicing, and budget management.
Integrations include Expensify, G Suite, Netsuite, Jira, HubSpot, Xero, Salesforce, Slack, Concur, Qualtrics, Dynamics 365, and Quickbooks. Custom integrations can be created via M-Bridge.
Best for international agencies with complex scheduling needs
Resource Guru is an agency resource management software with a simple UI and powerful, customizable features.
Why I picked Resource Guru: It provides you with a lot of control over how you interact with the scheduling features. With resource availability, you can set default and normal availability patterns, and exceptions for special circumstances. When booking clashes arise, you can place a booking on a waitlist. Additionally, custom fields let you categorize users in any way you prefer.
In settings, you can choose custom filters to focus on the resources you’d like to see. Resource Guru also includes a leave management system, making it easy for managers to approve requests with an understanding of upcoming workloads.
Resource Guru Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource scheduling, resource management, leave management, project scheduling, equipment management, meeting room booking, capacity planning, and project forecasting reports.
Integrations are available by connecting a paid Zapier account.
ProjectManager is an agency resource management software that helps users make detailed resource plans.
Why I picked ProjectManager: ProjectManager places IT agencies in better control of their schedules, resources and costs. Real-time resource management allows you to balance team workload, cost-tracking features help you stay within budget, and dynamic plans enable you to incorporate resource management into your larger project plan.
Additionally, you can assign tasks and view the hours worked by team members to better understand capacity levels. Drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to reassign tasks and make sure everyone remains productive. You can also make accurate estimates of planned costs, set hourly rates, and track time on timesheets.
ProjectManager Standout Features & Integrations
Features include Gantt charts, project portfolios, Kanban boards, dashboards, reports, task lists, workflow automation, and team collaboration.
Integrations include Slack, Trello, Jira, Excel, MS Project, and Office 365.
ActiveCollab is an agency resource management software that uses a simple interface to help you allocate resources.
Why I picked ActiveCollab: ActiveCollab has in-depth planning features, helpful financial estimate features, and detailed resource planning dashboards. You can manage teams across projects, track time on tasks, and issue invoices according to billable hours.
The interface is simple and straightforward while still providing ample functionality. New users will find it easy to learn the platform and establish a system that works for their team. You can quickly begin to maximize utilization without the risk of burnout, remaining on time and on budget too.
ActiveCollab Standout Features & Integrations
Features include work management, team collaboration, time management, resource management, business profitability, and multiple task views.
Integrations include DropBox, Trello, Basecamp, Asana, Wrike, Slack, Hubstaff, TimeCamp, Quickbooks, Xero, Braintree, Stripe, and PayPal.
Ganttic is an agency resource management software that allows users to allocate resources from multiple locations and time zones.
Why I picked Ganttic: For agencies with teams spread out across the globe, Ganttic makes it easy to create schedules that include collaboration across time zones. You can filter availability results based on locations and departments, client and project requirements, team member certifications and skill sets, time zones, budgets and salaries.
Scheduling changes in Ganttic are sent out as an automatic alert, and push notifications make sure the team is aware. Reports can be automated so that as soon as a project wraps, you’ll be ready to analyze and use the data to plan more accurately for the future.
Ganttic Standout Features & Integrations
Features include drag-and-drop scheduling, automated reporting, CSV import, customizable views, capacity planning, and equipment management.
Integrations can be accessed through the custom API, or by connecting a paid Zapier account.
Mosaic
Best agency resource management software for visualizing the team’s workload
Mosaic is an agency resource management software built for advertising agencies.
Why I picked Mosaic: Mosaic is a highly visual platform that uses well-organized Gantt charts and heatmaps to display metrics like utilization, role demand, profit, and team workload. You can forecast demand by role and then compare each role’s capacity. This way, you’ll know exactly who you need to hire, and when to start recruiting.
Mosaic seeks to mitigate scope creep by recapturing additional services and adjusting budgets. Real-time budget visibility helps to ensure that every project remains profitable. You can even integrate Mosaic with your existing financial software to access new insights.
Mosaic Standout Features & Integrations
Features include budget and time tracking, dashboards and reporting, workforce management, AI, automation, forecasting, and real-time visibility.
Integrations include BST Global, Deltek, Oracle, Unanet, ADP, Asana, Clockify, HubSpot, Quickbooks, and Salesforce.
Synergist is an agency management software designed to assist agencies in their growth by providing a suite of features that includes CRM, project planning, and resource scheduling.
Why I picked Synergist: Synergist agency resource management software provides a comprehensive solution for agencies to effectively manage their teams' time, maximize schedule efficiency, and ensure projects are delivered within budget. The software offers features such as resource scheduling, timesheets, project planning, and capacity management, allowing users to easily track and manage their agency's resources and workload.
With real-time insights and integrated project management tools, Synergist helps agencies streamline their operations, improve business intelligence, and drive project profitability. It also offers support for remote working and integrates with other systems, making it a valuable tool for marketing, creative, PR, digital, and consulting agencies. Overall, Synergist provides a complete solution for agency resource management, helping agencies plan capacity accurately and maximize resource efficiency.
Synergist Standout Features & Integrations
Features include estimating tools that enable detailed breakdowns of project costs and help form realistic project budgets. Other features include task management capabilities, invoicing, and advanced analytics that deliver insights into aspects such as project profitability, resource utilization, and client performance.
Integrations include Xero, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Epicor, Sage, MYOB, Microsoft Dynamics-GP, Google Calendar, Pegasus Opera, HubSpot CRM, and Salesforce CRM.
TeamGantt is a flexible agency resource management software that allows users to quickly set up and track projects.
Why I picked TeamGantt: TeamGantt specializes in task planning tools and resource management charts. Within the platform you can also track team availability and workloads, as well as chat and tag team members and create customizable alerts.
It’s important to have every team member on the same page when you’re scheduling, and TeamGantt addresses this challenge by providing users with a “read-only” URL that’s shareable. From inside their cloud-based resource management solution, you can manage physical assets in addition to people, while viewing resource availability across all active projects at once.
TeamGantt Standout Features & Integrations
Features include drag-and-drop scheduling, unified project views, workload management, team collaboration, portfolio reviews, and automated reports.
Integrations include Slack, Trello, and Dropbox, and further integrations can be accessed through their API or by connecting a paid Zapier account.
The 10 Best Agency Resource Management Software Summary
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Productive | From $11/user/month | Website |
| monday.com | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Website |
| Kantata | From $19/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Resource Guru | From $3/user/month | Website |
| ProjectManager.com | From $13/user/month (min 5 seats) (billed annually) | Website |
| ActiveCollab | Starts from $11/month for up to 3 users | Website |
| Ganttic | From $25 month/20 resources/ unlimited users | Website |
| Mosaic | From $9.99/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Synergist | From $17/month | Website |
| TeamGantt | From $24/manager/month | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareOther Options
Here are a few more worthwhile options that didn’t make the best agency resource management software list:
- Wrike
Best for agencies that also need robust project management features
- Float
Best for production teams that need tiered permissions
- Celoxis
Best for managing resources across inter-connected projects
- Function Point
Point - Best for design studios seeking to track and improve profitability
- Hub Planner
Best for agencies that want to manage resources, projects, and budgets in one place
- Runn
Best agency resource management software for drag-and-drop resource allocation
- eResource Scheduler
Best for managing resources across teams and departments
- Zoho Projects
Best agency resource management software for balanced workload allocation
- Teamwork.com
Best agency resource management software for long-term forecasting
- Forecast
Best agency resource management software for AI functionality
How I Selected the Best Agency Resource Management Software
Curious how I chose my list of the best agency resource management software? I began by comparing a wide range of tools with positive user ratings. I asked myself how they stacked up against one another, and what stood out about each individual platform.
After choosing my long list, I narrowed it down using the selection criteria below. The agency resource management software platforms that met each of the criteria made it to my shortlist.
Selection Criteria
Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best resource management software for this article:
- User Interface: I selected software that had simple, intuitive interfaces. These tools shouldn’t require specialized knowledge to get set up, or be overly fussy or complicated in any way. The onboarding process needs to be straightforward and relatively quick so you can begin planning as soon as possible.
- Depth of Data: When I compiled this list I tried to include tools that covered the spectrum, from more straightforward options to in-depth platforms. Some go a step beyond to also offer industry-specific functionality, extra reporting capabilities, or additional project management features.
- Integrations: I chose agency resource management software platforms that integrate with a variety of other tools. These include those that assist with accounting, communication, project management, and client relations. Many of the tools offer integrations that are native within the platform, while some offer integrations through a third party account like Zapier, or a custom API.
- Pricing: I picked tools that achieve a balance between cost effectiveness and value. Many of them also offer freemium plans, and free demos and trial periods.
Agency Resource Management Software FAQs
When choosing the best agency resource management software for your team, it’s helpful to understand the primary benefits and use cases. Let’s take a look at a few of the most frequently asked questions about resource management software.
Why do agencies need resource management software?
Having an understanding of how resources like people, money, and technology are currently and prospectively being utilized within your organization allows you to accurately forecast future opportunities. When you land a new account or project, resource management software can help you understand your resource capacity and work within project budgets and the project schedule to deliver the work in a manner that maximizes profitability.
What are the key features of resource management software for agencies?
The most common features of resource management software include:
- Time tracking and timesheets
- Workflow creation
- Custom dashboards
- Drag-and-drop scheduling
- Integrations with other communication, accounting, and project management tools
- Automated approvals
- Custom kanban boards, Gantt charts, and other visual elements
- Milestone tracking
- Notifications at key points in the project life cycle
What are the benefits of using resource management in agencies?
Within an agency, effective resource planning can contribute to so many positive outcomes:
- Mitigates the risk of team burnout (and keeps employees happy!)
- Keeps an eye on expenses to ensure you stay on budget
- Helps manage scope creep and maintain profitability in the face of change
- Equips your team to take on new opportunities for growth without sacrificing work/life balance
How do you humanize project resourcing to boost an agency’s culture?
Resource allocation isn’t just about the numbers. When we interviewed Morgan Meganetty for The Digital Project Manager Podcast, she told us:
“For me, the most interesting part of it is keeping people from burning out. Pairing skills to tasks. Understanding what people… need to do to… keep themselves interested in their career.”
To hear more about how to humanize the resource scheduling process, listen to the full episode by clicking here.
How do I select resource management software?
You can select resource management software by asking yourself certain questions, like:
- Do I need a dedicated software?
- Do I want it to be a cloud-based or on-premise solution?
- Does it have the integrations I need to make the most out of the software I currently use?
- Is the price worth the features that I will get for it?
We have all the answers to those questions in our resource management buyer’s guide.
Learn More About Agency Resource Management
To learn more about agency resource management, you can start by learning the elements that go into a resource management plan. Then, go through the list of 6 techniques to master resource management tasks.
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