Effective resource management is hardly possible without the right tool, especially when you have multiple projects in the pipeline and a shared resource pool. A robust resource management solution is a must to allocate resources to projects, track their utilization, and manage budgets across multiple projects, to name a few. At the same time, the variety of resource management tools is overwhelming, and finding a perfect match for your organization’s needs will take a bit of work. So, to help you make the right choice, we’ve prepared a shortlist of resource management solutions that are worth your attention if you need to increase the efficiency of your resource management.

What Are the Key Features of Resource Management Software?

Resource management solutions and their features vary depending on a number of factors: the purpose of the software, the industry it’s intended for, the size of the company, etc. In a nutshell, when looking for a resource management tool, you must be expecting that it will help you plan resources across all your projects, increase team members’ productivity, utilize available resources with maximum efficiency, have visibility into your resources’ competencies, capacity, availability, and more. To meet these needs, the solution should include the following resource management functionality:

  • Resource capacity planning to be sure that all projects running in an organization are staffed with the required resources;
  • Competence management to assign the right resources to the right tasks; 
  • Workload management which will protect people from overload and idleness and contribute to their efficiency; 
  • Performance analysis: it will allow you to assess team members’ performance and timely detect bottlenecks; 
  • Predictive capabilities that will facilitate more effective decision-making;
  • Visibility into and quick access to essential resource-related data (capacity, availability, location, and other attributes).   

This list of capabilities isn’t exhaustive, but at the same time, not every resource management software will have them all implemented, this will rather depend on its purpose.

Read more: Top 5 Must-Have Capabilities of a Multi-Project Resource Management Solution

Now, let’s proceed to an overview of seven remarkable resource management solutions, which will shed light on their essential capabilities and will help you make the right choice.

Top Resource Management Solutions’ Overview

1. Epicflow

Pricing: On request

Trial: No free trial  

Mobile App: iOS and Android

Epicflow is an AI-powered resource management solution tailored for managing complex multi-project environments with a shared resource pool. Epicflow’s primary objective is to ensure the smooth flow of concurrent projects and the efficiency of their shared resources. With its resource management capabilities, Epicflow empowers companies in aerospace and defense (including Ministries of Defense), pharmaceutical, engineering, automotive, telecommunications, IT, and other industries to increase team output and reduce projects’ lead times. 

Let’s delve into the key functionalities of Epicflow. 

Intelligent resource allocation

The solution offers a smart resource allocation approach based on team members’ skills, capacity, availability, or specific attributes (e.g., previous experience in similar projects). Epicflow’s resource allocation advisor suggests perfectly matching team members to assign to project tasks based on the above-mentioned parameters. You can also assign and manage material resources (raw materials, equipment) and track their utilization. 

Predicting workload and capacity 

Leveraging predictive capabilities, Epicflow assists in creating realistic and manageable project plans. It forecasts team output and shows you when potential bottlenecks may appear in the future.

Insight into project progress and resource performance

Epicflow provides comprehensive visibility into projects’ timelines, budgets, and remaining work. You can also assess how well resource groups cope with their work and detect bottlenecks if any.

Bottleneck identification and resolution

Epicflow identifies resource groups that have become bottlenecks and points out the reasons for them. The solution’s AI-driven What-if analysis makes it possible to test various bottleneck resolution strategies and management decisions.

Virtual assistant

Among other capabilities, Epicflow’s interactive assistant Epica makes resource managers’ work easier: it can notify them of red flags appearing in the workflow, e.g., overloaded resource groups, relieving them from the task of manually analyzing the corresponding data.

Integrations 

Epicflow integrates with Jira, MS Project, and Oracle Primavera as well as provides opportunities for on-demand integrations. Integration with Epicflow is a powerful solution enabling managers to gain comprehensive insights into project and resource performance while letting the team work in their familiar environment. Integration of Epicflow with human resource management systems ensures that the data on employees’ capacity and availability is always relevant. 

Data safety 

When working with Epicflow, you shouldn’t worry about data security: Epicflow has a security certificate and JOSCAR registration that acknowledges the implementation of top-tier security measures. Finally, Epicflow has undergone penetration testing, adhering to the standards set by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD).

To sum up, Epicflow facilitates resource efficiency within a dynamic multi-project environment for timely and successful project delivery. Its adaptability helps business organizations overcome uncertainties, promptly detect bottlenecks, and enhance decision-making effectiveness.

2. Saviom

Pricing: On request

Trial: 60-day free trial   

Mobile App: iOS and Android

Saviom is an enterprise resource management and planning solution designed to improve resource allocation and enhance team productivity. The platform offers enterprise-wide visibility of a company’s resources, empowering resource managers to assign the right personnel to the right tasks. Saviom’s forecasting functionality bridges resource capacity with demand, manages project vacancies, bench resources, etc.

Here are some of Saviom’s capabilities:

  • Resource planning and scheduling;
  • Resource capacity planning;
  • Managing project vacancies and bench resources;
  • Resource optimization thanks to balancing billable and non-billable utilization;
  • Tracking resource metrics;
  • Forecasting and What-if analysis;
  • Integration with various business applications.

Therefore, Saviom optimizes the utilization of available resources, reduces resourcing costs, and contributes to more successful project delivery. The solution is well-suited for the following industries: accounting and audit, architecture & engineering, IT, construction, and professional services & consulting.

3. eResource Scheduler

Pricing: From $2.00 per user per month

Trial: 14-day free trial available

Mobile App: No

eResource Scheduler is a cloud-based system designed to manage various types of resources, including manpower, equipment, and facilities. It’s suited for task-level scheduling, project planning, and employee collaboration as well as includes custom resource types, multiple working calendars, drag-and-drop scheduling, and MS Excel import/export.

Here are its most essential capabilities:

  • Enterprise-wide visibility into resources’ availability, schedules, and utilization;
  • Easy resource scheduling;
  • Assessing and optimizing resource utilization;
  • Resource utilization reports covering all levels of an organization (role, city, team, department, etc.);
  • Visibility into real-time resource capacity on different levels (role, team, manager, department, etc.);
  • Timesheets that reflect insights into actual time spent on projects and providing insight into schedule vs actuals. 
  • Resource overload indicator that provides insights into resource demand vs capacity. 

The advantages of eResource Scheduler involve its resource forecasting functionality and precise resource matching, compiling detailed reports, and providing real-time insights into resource utilization. The solution is mostly suitable for mid-sized and large organizations working in professional services, IT, and construction.

4. Forecast

Pricing: On request

Trial: No free trial

Mobile App: iOS and Android

Forecast is a software solution that integrates resources, work, and financial management into a single platform. Its multifaceted functionality enables you to:

  • Forecast the demand: you can forecast future demand to determine which projects to undertake and when based on the available capacity of team members.
  • Monitor resource utilization: you can track resource utilization comprehensively across the entire organization, including both overall work utilization and billability metrics.
  • Enhance resource efficiency: you can analyze resource utilization and make adjustments if needed to ensure that resources are utilized to their full potential.
  • Balance team members’ workloads to prevent bottlenecks.
  • Optimize resource allocation by considering employees’ availability and capacity.

Therefore, Forecast contributes to more efficient project and resource management by streamlining the day-to-day work of team members, optimizing staffing decisions, and creating intelligent plans based on individuals’ capacity and availability. The solution is suitable for consulting companies, software & technology, advertising & digital agencies. 

5. Resource Guru

Pricing: From $4.16 per user per month 

Trial: 30-day free trial available

Mobile App: iOS and Android

Resource Guru is a resource scheduling tool with a primary focus on enhancing team productivity while preventing people from unrealistic workloads. It provides comprehensive visibility of people’s availability, considering factors like days off, sick leaves, and other absences. This approach helps avoid overbooking and resource conflicts, and in case they happen, Resource Guru facilitates their resolution.

Here are the key advantages of this resource management tool.

  • Comprehensive resource management:

The tool facilitates the management of diverse resources involved in a project including employees, equipment, meeting rooms, and more.

  • Insightful reports.

Resource Guru provides reports on resource utilization rates, billable hours, and other metrics.

  • Communication and updates.

Team members stay well-informed through personalized dashboards, daily schedule emails, and calendar integrations.

  • Integration capabilities.

Resource Guru integrates with other software solutions creating a cohesive and interconnected digital environment.

  • Capacity planning and forecasting.

The solution helps resource managers plan resource capacity and forecast future work.

To sum up, Resource Guru is a solution that facilitates realistic resource scheduling and contributes to manageable workloads for team members. The solution is designed for agencies, consultants, IT, engineering, and construction companies.

6. Float

Pricing: From $6 per user per month 

Trial: 14-day free trial available

Mobile App: iOS and Android

Float is a resource management solution with a focus on efficient planning and scheduling based on team members’ capacities. Here are its key capabilities.

  • Insight into team members’ data.

Float keeps detailed records of each employee’s availability, including vacations, sick leaves, and public holidays, alongside information on capacity, skills, and location. 

  • Reporting capabilities.

Reporting features enable the monitoring of resource utilization, tracking actual vs. scheduled hours, and adjusting to team members’ workloads.

  • Forecasting capacity and spending.

Float forecasts capacity and spending by analyzing completed hours and remaining budgets. This ensures that projects stay on track regarding both timelines and budgets with the available resources.

  • Seamless integration and mobile accessibility.

Float seamlessly integrates with popular platforms such as Slack, Google Calendar, and Outlook. Additionally, its mobile application facilitates fruitful collaboration on projects.

In summary, Float allows project/resource managers to plan projects and budgets, assign work in accordance with employees’ capacity, monitor schedules in real time to make sure that projects are on track.

7. Keloo

Pricing: From $2.3 per user per month 

Trial: 30-day free trial available

Mobile App: No

Kelloo is a user-friendly resource management tool embracing diverse features — resource planning, team scheduling, roadmapping, utilization tracking, and reporting.

Keloo allows users to observe the impact of scheduling changes on resources. For example, when adjustments are made in the planner, the real-time resource utilization heatmap is updated, highlighting any potential resource issues or conflicts.

The capacity planning feature facilitates informed decisions regarding project initiation and execution — users can evaluate the impact of various project mixes, resource allocations, and project timings on resources and deadlines.

For resource managers anticipating future needs, Kelloo offers resource forecasting features that identify skill gaps between the current resource pool and project requirements. The tool also includes a backlog for pending work, dashboards, finance tracking, and agile resource planning support.

To conclude, Kelloo assists in allocating and scheduling the right resources for the right projects. By providing comprehensive insights, it ensures that organizations have the necessary resources to successfully execute their plans. Kelloo is suitable for software and IT projects, Agile teams, and PMOs.

Read more: Why No Miracle Happens: Typical Mistakes in Work with a Resource Management Solution and How to Avoid Them

Now that you’ve reviewed these resource management tools, let’s explore the criteria that will help you select the solution that will perfectly meet your business needs. 

How to Select Resource Management Software: Essential Criteria

Each of the previously mentioned tools deserves attention, yet there is no universally applicable solution. When selecting resource management software, it’s crucial to align your choice with the specific needs of your company and the nature of your projects. Consider the following factors. 

  • The industry context. 

You should take into account the industry in which your organization operates, as different sectors may have specific requirements for resource management or specific challenges.

  • Project scale and complexity. 

Evaluate the scale and complexity of your projects, ensuring that the chosen software meets them. A simple tool may not meet the demands of a complex multi-project environment, while a highly sophisticated solution might be overcomplicated for smaller companies running more predictable projects.

  • Project pipeline size. 

Consider the number of projects in your pipeline, as not every software solution can be suitable for managing resources in a multi-project environment.

  • Organizational business needs. 

Assess your organization’s business needs and objectives, whether they are increasing profitability, ensuring business growth, optimizing available resources, etc.

  • Learning curve and employee readiness.

The adaptability of the software should align with your team’s capacity for transitioning to a new system.  

Making an informed decision based on your organization’s unique requirements ensures that the selected software optimally contributes to the success of your resource management efforts.

Contact us to learn more about Epicflow, its resource management capabilities, and how it contributes to achieving your organization’s business goals.

Read more: How to Choose the Right Project Management Tool: Selection Guide