The Best Resource Planning Software
Here’s my list of the best resource planning software. However, if you want to start reading, you can jump to the overviews too.
- monday.com
Best for efficiently managing team workloads
- Wrike
Best for flexibility & customizability
- Parallax
Best resource forecasting features
- Jira Software
Best for software developers
- Runn
Best for IT and software teams
- Resource Guru
Best for beginners looking for a low-cost option
- Hub Planner
Best for midsized to large companies who want extended features
- Mosaic
Best for productivity reports & optimization analytics
- Projectworks
Best resource planning software for professional services providers
- Deltek ERP
Best for manufacturing companies
As a project manager, you must make efficient use of your resources—even the most high-value projects can end up unprofitable if you don’t. To do this effectively, you need the right tools. The best resource planning software provides a 360-degree view of what people in your organization are working on, so you can plan better and quickly react to change.
According to a 2020 study conducted by Panorama Consulting Group, 96% of emerging businesses that are industry leaders in their field use some type of enterprise resource planning system. That's a statistic you can't afford to ignore. I know researching new software options is labor-intensive and time-consuming—so I've done it for you.
In this article, I will review some of the best resource planning software on the market right now and outline what each does best, suggest best use cases, and source product pricing information.
If you have more general questions about resource planning strategy, you can skip to our FAQ at the bottom of the page. Or, you can jump to the section where I lay out how I picked the software on this list before reading.
What is Resource Planning Software?
Resource planning software is that which helps you manage your company’s workforce. It typically provides insight into your overall resource capacity and lets you assign tasks based on this data. You can then track the progress of both overall projects and individual tasks.
Most tools focus on your workforce. But they also help you plan equipment, meeting rooms, inventory, and other available resources.
Related Read: What Is Resource Planning In Project Management, And Why Is It Necessary?
The 10 Best Resource Planning Software
This is a list of the 10 best resource planning software. I have highlighted what I think is the best use case for each one.
monday.com
Best for efficiently managing team workloads
monday.com is a flexible work management platform designed to help teams communicate and collaborate on any project at scale.
It provides a bird’s eye view of ongoing projects, timelines, due dates, and available resources and has a simple interface that facilitates proper resource allocation and management. It offers resource planning tools that empower teams to initiate realistic resource planning timelines as well as project ownership assignments and management within minutes.
monday.com provides users with different visualizations to represent important data. This allows individual team members to work on their task assignments according to their preferences. For example, the workload view allows project managers to quickly see who among their staff members has too much or too little on their plate. This enables them to remove or reallocate tasks and resources where necessary.
The platform also allows users to gain valuable insights into their resource capacity so they can plan their resource allocation accordingly and make the necessary adjustments to the project timeline, regardless of where they are.
In addition to the resource planning tools, monday.com also provides features like shared documents for real-time collaboration, file management, Gantt charts, multiple dashboards, automation capabilities, and more than five visualization options. The platform supports third-party integration with apps such as Google Calendar, Slack, GitHub, Dropbox, Jira, and Trello. It can also integrate with dozens more apps via Zapier.
Wrike
Best for flexibility & customizability
Wrike is a cloud-based project management and resource planning software tool that helps businesses with their project management needs. It provides users with a centralized place to store, share, and collaborate on projects, tasks, and resources. This powerful platform lets users easily plan projects and track their progress in real time. With its intuitive user interface, Wrike helps teams become more productive as they can plan out their tasks more efficiently. Additionally, Wrike’s reporting features offer valuable insights into team performance and the success of different projects.
Why I Picked Wrike: Users can easily manage multiple projects without switching between applications or searching for information in different places. Wrike provides access to real-time analytics that allow teams to monitor the progress of their work by tracking key metrics such as completion rate or due dates. The software allows users to assign tasks and resources based on role or availability so that everyone on the team knows who is responsible for what task ahead of time. Wrike’s interactive calendar interface makes it easy to create, adjust and store events that can be set up as one-time or recurring activities. Its forecasting feature helps companies streamline their project management by predicting what resources will be needed and how they can best be allocated. It allows businesses to analyze resource gaps or conflicts caused by changes in project timelines or team size and identify potential opportunities for future growth.
Wrike offers several collaboration tools that help teams stay organized while working on projects. Its group chat feature allows team members to communicate quickly and easily while staying focused on the task. Its files-sharing feature lets members access documents from any device so they can work together even when they’re not in the same place. Wrike’s discussion boards empower teams by enabling them to provide feedback quickly and effectively without ever leaving the application itself.
Wrike Standout Features & Integrations
Features include project management, task scheduling/tracking, resource management, expense tracking, API, budgeting, Gantt charts, marketing automations, collaboration support, and reporting.
Integrations include 400+ pre-built native integrations, including integrations with the most popular file management software from Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox, along with sales and marketing software from Salesforce and Marketo.
Parallax
Best resource forecasting features
Parallax is a cloud-based resource planning software tool that gives enterprises visibility into the organization's usage and allocation of their resources. With its intuitive dashboard, users can easily monitor resource utilization in real time and make informed decisions about where they should allocate resources to maximize efficiency. It offers insights into resource trends over time, allowing users to identify areas where resources are being wasted or underutilized.
Why I Picked Parallax: Parallax’s smart algorithms allow users to quickly gain insights into resource utilization by analyzing data from multiple sources, including spreadsheets, databases, and other systems. The data can be visualized on an interactive dashboard which allows users to track performance metrics such as project progress and cost savings.
Parallax’s forecasting feature offers a comprehensive resource planning solution to help businesses increase their efficiency and productivity. This tool leverages advanced forecasting algorithms that analyze historical data and use machine learning techniques to generate accurate forecasts of resource availability. With this feature, businesses can accurately predict the quantity and types of resources they need in the future. They can then use this information to plan for upcoming projects, optimize existing workloads, and develop effective strategies for deploying available resources.
The forecasting capability of Parallax further enables users to anticipate potential risks, allowing for smarter risk management decisions and greater continuity in operations. The resource allocation tools within Parallax include drag-and-drop functionality to make assigning tasks easy and straightforward. Additionally, team members can be selected from pre-defined lists, speeding up the selection process for projects with large teams. With Parallax’s automated tracking capabilities, users can monitor their project’s progress in real time as resources are allocated, and work is completed.
Parallax Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource management, budgeting, dashboards, notifications, API, data visualizations, external integrations, forecasting, multi-user, and scheduling.
Integrations include Salesforce, Oracle Netsuite, Asana, Slack, Harvest, Hubspot, Microsoft Teams, Jira Software, Tempo, and more.
Jira Software
Best for software developers
Jira is a popular project and resource management software that is designed to help teams plan, track, and manage their work. It offers a range of features that are particularly useful for agile project teams, such as backlog prioritization, sprint planning, and Scrum and Kanban boards.
Why I Picked Jira: When starting, it’s easy to create a project from a template and then assign tasks to the appropriate team members. There’s even a capacity report that predicts bandwidth so you don’t take on more work than your employees can handle.
The roadmap dashboard lets you break projects down into tasks and then plan progression with a Gantt chart. It shows you what everyone is working on, which tasks are complete, and which are still in progress. You can also see a task’s dependencies, allowing you to quickly spot bottlenecks. You can gain visibility into how new projects are progressing via the progress bar in the project tracking dashboard. It shows how close to completion each project is.
Jira Standout Features & Integrations
Features include Agile project management, issue tracking, team collaboration, custom workflows, roadmaps, sprint planning, time tracking, project reporting, custom fields, project portfolio management, backlog prioritization, Scrum and Kanban boards, integration with other tools, mobile app, and API integration.
Runn
Best for IT and software teams
Runn is a resource allocation and scheduling software with powerful visualization and analytics features. Its simple and intuitive interface makes it easy to keep track of who is assigned to what, spot overbookings, identify resourcing patterns, and more.
Why I Picked Runn: Scheduling and allocating resources is incredibly easy in Runn. With a drag-and-drop, users can create project phases, allocations, and time off on the Gantt chart and timeline view. Unique to Runn are the real-time charts and scenario planning functionalities, which let users instantly see changes to their team’s workload, availability, and utilization.
Runn’s reporting and analytics features provide up-to-date data in one place to keep tabs on insights like utilization, project variance, and overall financial performance. Runn also is equipped with financial forecasting capabilities to track budgets, revenue, profit, and costs across your entire business. With Runn built-in time tracking and timesheets, users can monitor how their projects are going and compare how much time was worked with what was planned.
Runn Standout Features & Integrations
Features include apacity planning, resource scheduling, project management, time tracking, financial forecasting, custom fields, drag and drop interface, real-time reporting, team utilization reporting, workload forecasting, scenario planning, email notifications, Slack integration, API integration, and mobile app.
Integrations include Harvest, WorkflowMax, and Clockify, and users can also make use of Runn’s API to build their own integrations.
Resource Guru
Best for beginners looking for a low-cost option
Resource Guru simplifies delegating tasks to your team. It has a super-intuitive UI that is easy to use and provides great visibility into project progression and workflow.
Why I Picked Resource Guru: The main benefit of the tool is that it provides full visibility into your team’s capacity so you can plan work and take on only as much as you can complete. With Resource Guru, it’s easy to view your team’s schedules in colorful Gantt charts that provide a clear overview of what everyone’s doing. The software has powerful leave management features, which means you won’t accidentally schedule tasks to unavailable employees.
Resource Guru Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource scheduling, team management, time tracking, project planning, custom fields, drag and drop interface, real-time reporting, calendar sync, resource utilization reporting, availability scheduling, leave management, email notifications, API integration, and mobile app.
Integrations include Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook Calendar, Apple Calendar, Calendly, and Fantastical. You can use Zapier to connect Resource Guru with 1,500+ apps, though this may incur additional costs.
Hub Planner
Best for midsized to large companies who want extended features
Hub Planner is a dedicated resource management software with powerful resource planning features. You get access to time tracking via timesheets and the ability to create intuitive reports that show total resource spend.
Why I Picked Hub Planner: Resource managers can schedule work on an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly basis. It’s easy to spot gaps in workload and give people tasks to keep busy. There is also a matching feature that lets you tag employees based on their skill or role, so you can easily find people qualified for the work you have in mind. Another cool feature is the project pipeline. This highlights upcoming work, which is useful for capacity planning. It has a heat map that allows you to identify production gaps quickly.
Hub Planner Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource management, PTO planning, timesheets, reporting, skills matching, task management, templates, drag and drop scheduler, project budgets, approval flow, smart scheduler, and third-party integrations/add-ons.
Integrations include DIY options via their Hub Planner API and webhook. Or, open an account with Zapier for more options (may incur an additional cost).
Mosaic
Best for productivity reports & optimization analytics
Mosaic is a modern resource management software purpose-built for project teams and time-billing companies. They offer resource planning, project management, workload forecasting, hiring insights via role demand, capacity planning, profit and loss analysis, budget and time tracking, and performance dashboards.
Why I Picked Mosaic: Mosaic is a leading resource management software that helps businesses optimize their resources for maximum efficiency. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive features enable users to manage multiple aspects of their operations with ease. With Mosaic, businesses can better organize, track, and coordinate the use of their resources in order to maximize productivity.
The first step to using Mosaic as a resource management software is creating an account on its platform. Once set up, users can start inputting data about their resources into the system. This data includes information about employees’ availability, cost tracking for specific projects or tasks, material costs associated with different processes, and more. By having this information readily available in one place, users gain insight into how they are using their resources while also ensuring they have access to up-to-date records at all times.
Mosaic Standout Features & Integrations
Features include resource scheduling, team collaboration, time tracking, project planning, budget tracking, custom fields, drag and drop interface, real-time reporting, capacity planning, utilization reporting, email notifications, API integration, and a mobile app.
Integrations include Quickbooks, Unanet, Deltek, Asana, Salesforce, Jira, Workday, SAP, Oracle, and many other software applications.
Projectworks
Best resource planning software for professional services providers
Projectworks is a professional services automation platform with resource planning and management, time and expense tracking, and invoicing capabilities. The software is designed for companies in the professional services industry to facilitate more effective project management.
Why I picked Projectworks: This platform is especially suited to service providers, with resource planning features like skills mapping, invoicing, and leave management. Timesheets can be linked to invoices to keep track of what's been paid out and what hasn't, and the expenses feature includes hosting fees, contractor invoices, and travel expenses.
The tool also offers business intelligence analytics and reports. Project reports give insights into what was planned vs. the actual outcome, and margin reports can be produced by project, customer, individual, or team. The software can also give predictive insights like capacity and revenue forecasting.
Projectworks standout features & integrations
Features include time tracking, invoicing based on T&M, fixed price, or manual billing, expense reporting, skills mapping, revenue and capacity forecasting, and leave management.
Integrations include Azure DevOps, Hubspot, Jira, MYOB, QuickBooks, and Xero, and a paid Zapier account unlocks additional integrations.
Deltek ERP
Best for manufacturing companies
Deltek ERP is an enterprise resource planning system designed for project-based businesses, and it offers a range of features to help manage various aspects of a project-based business, from project planning and resource management to financial management and reporting.
Why I Picked Deltek: There are versions of Deltek built specifically for different types of business. Each has unique features that help in those industries. For example, the manufacturing ERP gives managers insight into how many orders are open, completed, or scheduled, whereas the agency tool helps owners plan for multiple projects at once. Each tool has an easy-to-use UI and plenty of reporting and analytics features. This gives a full overview of project progression, helping you keep a healthy margin.
Deltek Standout Features & Integrations
Features include project management, resource planning, time and expense management, financial management, procurement and purchasing, customer relationship management, human resources management, business intelligence and reporting, compliance and security, mobile app, and API integration.
Integrations include A2B Tracking, Angles Reporting, Boost, ClientPay, Dynafact, Elevia, FMIS Asset Management, InfoTek, IntroHive, Invoicepay, Raken, Insight Software, QuickBooks, Xero, Workmax Time, and Yellowfin BI.
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The Best Resource Planning Software Comparison Chart
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | monday.com Best for efficiently managing team workloads | 14-day free trial + freemium plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Visit Website |
2 | Wrike Best for flexibility & customizability | Freemium version available | From $9.80/user/month | Visit Website |
3 | Parallax Best resource forecasting features | Free demo | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
4 | Jira Software Best for software developers | 7-day free trial | $10/user/month | Visit Website |
5 | Runn Best for IT and software teams | 14-day free trial and free plan | From $10/person managed/month | Visit Website |
6 | Resource Guru Best for beginners looking for a low-cost option | 30-day free trial | From $3/user/month | Visit Website |
7 | Hub Planner Best for midsized to large companies who want extended features | 30-day free trial | From $7/resource/month (billed annually) | Visit Website |
8 | Mosaic Best for productivity reports & optimization analytics | 30-day free trial | From $9.99/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | Projectworks Best resource planning software for professional services providers | A free trial is available. | Pricing information is not provided by the vendor. | Visit Website |
10 | Deltek ERP Best for manufacturing companies | Not available | From $30-46/user/month | Visit Website |
Other Resource Planning Software Tools
There are tons of resource planning tools out there. Including plenty of great options that didn’t make our list. Here are some of them:
- Apache OFBiz
Best for commerce-based resource planning
- Tempo
Best as a JIRA add-on
- Retain
Best for demand forecasting
- Meisterplan
Best for its role-based resource allocation prior to staffing
- LiquidPlanner
Best for its automatic resource leveling
- BigTime
Best for resource scheduling
- KeyedIn
Best for multi-language support
- ActiveCollab
Best for centralizing communication
- Productive
Best for agencies
- Forecast
Best for cutting administrative work
- Smartsheet
Best for tailored industry use cases
- Adobe Workfront
Best for working across entire organizations
- Float
Best for time tracking
- NetSuite
Best for managing inventory
- ProjectManager.com
Best for getting started quickly
- Celoxis
Best for customizations
- Saviom
Best resource management software for enterprise
- Silverbucket
Best AI-driven analytics for resource planning & allocation
- Mavenlink
Best for professional services
- EasyProjects
Best for optimization billable hours
- LANSA ERP Frameworks
Best for IBM i users
- Unit4 ERP
Best for people-centered businesses
- SAP S/4HANA
Best for those who need a custom solution
How I Selected the Best Resource Planning Software
If you're wondering how I selected the best resource planning software, here's where I'll break it all down for you. First of all, I started with resource planning software that have high user review and satisfaction ratings. Then, using my experience in project management, I discerned what key criteria were most important for resource planning software and compared how each of them stacked up against the rest.
I empathize with how much time it takes to source the right software for a job. I do this work so that you don't have to. I've been using and reviewing project management software for years so you can trust me to do the heavy lifting and compile all the facts you need to make your final decision.
Selection Criteria
After careful consideration, I've determined that these are the most important criteria when selecting the best resource planning software. Here's a brief list outlining the whats and whys of my selection
User Interface (UI)
The best resource planning tools are clean and easy to use. Drag-and-drop, visual charts, and clean animations make using the tools a breeze.
Customer Support
Even the most intuitive resource planning software has a learning curve. Real-time chat support, in-person training, video lessons, and knowledge bases help you quickly get to grips with the software.
Integrations
Your resource planning software must be able to communicate with the other tools you use. Most of those on this list offer plenty of integrations.
Pricing
This is highly subjective as it depends on your resource planning needs and how you intend to use the tool. I think all the products in our list offer value to the right organization.
Resource Booking Software FAQs
Find answers to common questions people ask about this topic in their search for the ideal resource management solution.
Which software is used for resource management?
What are the key features of resource planning software?
What other resource planning resources do I need?
What's Next?
Finding the right resource planning tool for you is tough due to the many available options. But the tools on this list are a great place to start your search when looking for resource management software with planning features.
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