Top 10 Open-Source Resource Management Tools for 2024
Feburay 28, 2024
Best Resource Management Software - A Comprehensive Overview
Best for: Medium to enterprise-level organizations
SAVIOM is a pioneer in the resource management domain, trusted by many Fortune 500 companies across 50+ nations. With over two decades of industry experience, Saviom’s futuristic resource management software has helped numerous organizations boost business efficiency and maximize profitability.
What makes SAVIOM unique?
The tool’s Lego-like architecture makes it highly configurable, enabling firms to easily adapt the solution as per their requirements. It has a Gantt chart-style interface that offers unprecedented visibility into the entire resource pool. Moreover, the multi-dimensional forecasting and capacity planning feature empowers enterprises to stay forewarned of upcoming demands and resource imbalances.
Customizable business intelligence reports such as utilization heatmaps, forecast vs. actuals, people on the bench, project vacancy, etc., help team leaders optimize resource usage and productivity. It also offers granular insights into financial metrics, assisting users to prevent cost escalations. Besides, the embedded What-if analysis allows firms to model and simulate scenarios in resource-constrained environments. In conclusion, Saviom is a next-gen resource management solution that can help businesses truly realize the potential of their workforce.
Core Features
- Forecasting and capacity planning
- Multi-dimensional resource scheduler
- Real-time business intelligence dashboards
- Extensive integration capabilities
- In-built timesheets
- Scenario planning and automation
Pricing Structure
Saviom follows a tiered pricing model where users can purchase power and lite users as per their needs. The company offers a 60-day trial period.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy to customize and highly scalable
- Drag-and-drop features make scheduling quick
- Provides real-time insights and analytics into key resource KPIs
- Provides a sandbox environment for simulation
- Smooth integration with other existing business applications
Cons
- Initial set-up requires significant time
- Feature-rich design demands a learning curve
- More suitable for larger organizations
Best for: Small-to-mid sized organization
PMEntire is a SAAS-based project resource management solution that focuses on helping professional services firms and agencies get the best out of their resources and boost their top and bottom lines.
What makes PMEntire unique?
PMEntire software boasts advanced features coupled with a highly interactive user interface. It offers a comprehensive view of the workforce across the organizational boundaries. Thus, it empowers resource managers to select the right candidate with the right skill sets for each project with precision. Moreover, with its sophisticated forecasting capability, the tool identifies capacity gaps, minimizes bench time, and enhances the billable utilization of resources.
Moreover, the in-built customizable reports present a real-time overview and analysis of various project and resource KPIs, helping managers promptly detect and rectify potential bottlenecks. Lastly, equipped with a versatile PSA component, PMEntire caters to the needs of diverse professional service organizations, whether they're startups or established firms. In essence, PMEntire stands out as a viable solution for all your project resource management requirements.
Core Features
- Powerful resource management module
- Early warning systems and forecasting capabilities
- Configurable BI-powered reports and analytics
- Project, expense, and resource tracking facility
- Integrations with other applications
Pricing Structure
PMEntire provides pricing information on demand. It also offers a 60-day trial period.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Highly interactive and configurable solution
- Provides role-specific dashboard
- Accurate timesheet and expense interface
- Beats market volatility with early warning systems
- Smooth integration with other enterprise software
Cons
- Feature-rich design demands a rather extensive learning curve
- On-premises hosting feature is not provided
Featured Tools
Best for: Small-to-mid-sized professional service organizations
Kantata is an award-winning solution for managing projects and resources. It combines project and resource planning aspects to help creative agencies tap into emerging market opportunities.
What makes Kantata unique?
Kantata lets users plan, allocate, and monitor resources with its intuitive interface. The extensive range of configurations and functionalities helps managers streamline workflows, automate tasks, and use resources more efficiently.
Kantata seamlessly integrates with other business tools, making data exchange effortless for organizations. Moreover, it provides dedicated modules for project management, accounting, resource allocation, business intelligence, and team collaboration that empower services teams and agencies to operate with unparalleled efficiency and clarity.
Core Features
- Resource, project, and task management
- Scenario and role-based planning
- Team collaboration platform
- Time and budget tracking
Pricing Structure
Kantata provides prices on demand. It also offers a free demo.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Drive efficiency and performance by making data-driven resource decisions
- Boost team efficiency and project success with real-time insights
- Start projects faster with pre-built templates
- Monitor project costs in real-time
Cons
- Extra features are unlocked only after upgrading
- Building custom reports can be tricky without knowing the software
- The mobile experience isn't smooth
Best for: Medium-sized organizations
Runn, a dynamic resource management software, is perfect for project teams seeking to streamline all their resourcing processes. This tool simplifies project resource forecasting, planning, and tracking, ultimately boosting your team's productivity.
What makes Runn unique?
With its intuitive interface and robust features, Runn simplifies the task of managing resources across projects. One of its standout features is its ability to provide a holistic view of the workforce, allowing managers to identify the right team members for each project. This helps optimize resource utilization and ensure that projects are adequately staffed to meet deadlines and deliver quality results.
Additionally, Runn's advanced forecasting tools enable users to anticipate capacity gaps and make informed decisions to mitigate risks. Furthermore, the flexible reporting and analytics capabilities empower users to track project performance, monitor resource utilization, and identify areas for improvement. Therefore, Runn emerges as an excellent resource management tool for companies of all sizes looking to optimize their project workflows and maximize productivity.
Core Features
- Bird’s eye view of resources
- Easy-to-use interface
- Efficient workload balancing
- Real-time insights on finance health
Pricing Structure
Runn follows a tiered pricing model based on the number of resources. A free plan and a pro plan of $10 per month. A free demo is also available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Simplified visual scheduling of resources
- Accurate forecasting capability
- Integrated analytics to offer a better view of project and resource performance
- Monitor project costs in real-time
Cons
- Configurability is minimal
- Difficult to integrate with external software
- Extensive learning curve
Best for: All types of businesses
Resource Guru is a comprehensive resource scheduling platform designed to efficiently manage resources, including both human and non-human assets, as well as meeting rooms.
What makes Resource Guru unique?
Resource Guru offers a user-friendly resource scheduling solution that provides a comprehensive view of your workforce’s workload and availability. The software includes advanced filters for finding resources based on various criteria such as skills, locations, capacity, etc. Furthermore, it offers a robust leave monitoring system, which assists in identifying which team members are absent, enabling managers to make appropriate adjustments as needed.
Resource Guru possesses distinctive features like clash management that help optimize employees' schedules during work overload, preventing scheduling conflicts. Furthermore, the tool sends out daily schedule emails to keep team members informed about their day-to-day activities.
Core Features
- Forecasting functionality
- Gantt-Chart view
- Leave and PTO management
- Drag and drop booking
- Seamless integration with external applications
Pricing Structure
Resource Guru offers three distinct pricing plan tiers with captivating names. These tiers include the Grasshopper plan, priced at $4.16 per month, the Blackbelt plan, available at $6.65 per month, and the Master plan, which is priced at $10 per month. A 30 day free trial is also available.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Offers clash management system to avoid cases of overbooking
- Provide a flexible and adaptive interface
- Provides downloadable utilization reports
Cons
- Basic customization
- Difficult to track changes in resource schedules
- Mobile UI is not user-friendly
Best for: Small-to-mid sized organizations
Float is a cloud-based software that provides an all-encompassing solution aimed at efficiently refining resource management processes.
What makes Float unique?
Float is a user-friendly tool designed for project resource planning, scheduling, and time tracking. One of its notable features is resource scheduling, which enables users to split, duplicate, and multi-select resource bookings and allocations within the project management realm.
Moreover, its user interface is intuitively designed for easy navigation, ensuring easy accessibility for teams of varying sizes and proficiency levels. Further, its time-tracking functionality assists managers in planning and overseeing team schedules, enabling them to take necessary actions as needed. Additionally, Float seamlessly integrates with various tools to enhance workflow efficiency and includes a mobile app for convenient progress tracking from anywhere in the world.
Core Features
- Resource scheduling
- Task management
- Resource Forecasting
- Time-tracking feature
- Advanced reporting tool
Pricing Structure
The pricing structure is seen in three tiers in Float. The starter pack is priced at $7.50 per person/month, the Pro plan is available at $12.50 per person/month, and for the enterprise plan, rates are provided upon request. A 14-day free trial is also included.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Provides robust encryption and keeps daily backups
- The competency matrix allows managers to assign resources based on skills
- Get role-based access to avoid information overload
Cons
- Lacks integration feature with specialized tools
- Time tracking feature is available only on higher plans
- Updating data can be time-intensive
Best for: Mid to enterprise-level firms
The Forecast software assists in efficiently managing and monitoring the workforce on a unified platform, utilizing AI-generated insights to streamline both resource and project management processes.
What makes Forecast unique?
The Forecast is a game-changing resource management tool that uses AI to estimate project timelines and assign resources automatically. Its user-friendly interface and insightful dashboards make it easy to see your resource data, allowing you to determine capacity and modify schedules proactively. Plus, it smoothly integrates with your existing cloud platforms for a consistent workflow.
This resource planning tool also offers powerful reporting features and customizable workflows so that you can adapt it to your specific needs. To top it off, it calculates resource utilization rates in real-time, helping you maximize efficiency and get the most out of your team. In short, Forecast is an all-in-one solution for unraveling your team's capability and streamlining your daily operations.
Core Features
- Automated workflow
- Time & utilization tracking
- Role-based access
- In-built project templates
- Efficient resource booking
- Robust reporting
Pricing Structure
The pricing of Forecast is available on demand. A free demo is also provided by the tool.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Provides excellent resources & project management tools like Gantt Charts, Kanban boards & templates
- Provides accurate estimations by leveraging machine learning techniques
- Offers on-the-go updates on mobile app
Cons
- Not ideal for smaller teams
- Complex forecasting feature
- Minimal customization available
Best for: Small-to-large sized organizations
Hive is an all-in-one software for managing projects, resources, tasks, deadlines, requests, etc. It also provides a unified platform for organizing and overseeing various project management aspects.
What makes Hive unique?
Hive's user-friendly interface makes managing projects a breeze. It offers a clear view of resources, deadlines, and project progress. It provides automation and templates that simplify complex workflows, while Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and other layouts let you visualize projects in your preferred way. Further, managers can easily create and adjust schedules with drag-and-drop functionality and plan for future projects.
Hive also helps you track time accurately, making payroll operations a cakewalk. Its built-in collaboration tools keep teams connected and help them understand the project’s progress. Plus, customizable reports provide real-time insights into resource availability, utilization, budget, and more. Overall, Hive is a powerful tool that helps organizations optimize project workflows for success.
Core Features
- Resource planning & scheduling
- Configurable workflow automation
- In-built project & resource templates
- Multiple resource layouts
- Seamless integration
Pricing Structure
Hive’s pricing plans are of four tiers. The free plan, the starter plan at $1.50/month, the teams plan at $5/month and the enterprise plan pricing is available upon request. A free demo session is also provided upon request.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Provides intuitive drag-and-drop facility
- Automated time tracking system for easy resource monitoring
- Adaptable project structures enable agile project management practices
Cons
- Add-on features are expensive
- Limited integration capabilities
Best for: Mid to enterprise-level organizations
ClickTime is a cloud-based platform that helps businesses get the most out of their people and projects.
What makes ClickTime unique?
ClickTime doesn't just track time; it acts like a financial GPS for your business. It combines everything from billing rates and project budgets to staff vacation time, giving you a real-time snapshot of your company's health. You can see if projects are progressing within budget if employees are hitting their billable targets, and even identify potential areas of bottlenecks.
On the other hand, its reporting feature has 70+ in-built reports that provide real-time dashboards and project performance insights. Plus, the mobile app keeps everyone connected, whether they're in the office, on the road, or working remotely. Think of it as having your finger on the pulse of your business, all in one place.
Core Features
- Project and resource management
- Budget tracking
- Leave management
- Powerful reporting
- Smooth integrations with external software
Pricing Structure
The pricing structure of ClickTime is four-tiered. The starter plan is $10/month, the team plan is $13/month, the premier plan is $24/month, and the enterprise plan rate is on request. The tool also provides a free demo upon request.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Keeps financial health of project under check
- Offers efficient leave tracking
- Enables time tracking through a mobile app
- Supports single sign-on
Cons
- Only on the premium plan is the resource planning feature available
Best for: Small-to-mid sized organizations
HubPlanner provides functionality for planning resources, managing timesheets, and overseeing vacation schedules, all within one integrated platform.
What makes HubPlanner unique?
HubPlanner streamlines project resource planning and team management for small and medium businesses. With a clear view of resource availability, you can quickly assign the right people to the right tasks. Further, its intuitive interface and seamless integrations make it user-friendly.
The built-in timesheet feature and automated approval system within the tool simplify the management of resources for teams spread across different locations. Additionally, its dynamic reporting and analytics offer valuable real-time insights accessible through a visual dashboard. In conclusion, Hub Planner is most effective for managing global and hybrid teams.
Core Features
- Project planning
- Collaboration feature
- Timesheet tracking
- Embedded templates
- Resource forecasting
Pricing Structure
Hub Planner follows a three-tiered pricing plan. The plug-and-play plan is $7/month, the premium plan is $18/month, and the business leader plan is available upon request. Hub Planner offers a 14-day free trial.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Provides both organizational and granular level resource view
- Offers 70+ pre-built resource templates
- Facilitates customization at resource or project level for pipeline projects
- Supports extensions to the core product
Cons
- Lacks mobile application support
- Minimal customization opportunities
- 24/7 Customer support is available for only Premium plan users
- Rather on the expensive side compared to other software
Comparison Chart of the Best Resource Management Solutions
TOOLSUITABLE FORPRICINGWEBSITE LINK
Criteria for Selecting the Best Resource Management Software
Before diving into detail on project resource management software, here are some criteria we have considered to choose the top 10 solutions.
Features
A good solution should offer well-rounded functionalities that enable organizations to perform various resource-related functions efficiently. Some key features one should look for include capacity planning, demand forecasting, real-time scheduling, time tracking, business intelligence, integration, etc.
User Interface and User Experience
A tool with an intuitive interface streamlines navigation and allows users to find critical information quickly. This minimizes the learning curve and enables swift adoption of the tool. Hence, prioritizing user-friendliness and seamless navigation is crucial when seeking a robust resource management tool.
Configurability & Scalability
It’s essential to consider the configurability of the software so that firms can view critical resource metrics from multiple dimensions. Moreover, it should be scalable to accommodate the growing needs of the business adequately. Therefore, it’s always best to select tools that regularly upgrade and expand its infrastructure.
Reports & Analytics
An ideal resource management tool should offer a multitude of reports and analytics that enable users to monitor essential KPIs in real time and take measures to optimize them. It should further provide data export and import options to facilitate the seamless flow of information.
Integrations
Any software you consider should be embedded with robust integration capabilities. This enables organizations to maintain a single source of truth and eliminate duplicate data entry and internal conflicts due to competing priorities. By creating a seamless data framework, firms can streamline their workflows.
Pricing
A vital consideration when reviewing any software is pricing. It is essential to assess whether the software is a value-driven purchase with the desired ROI. One must cautiously evaluate the total cost of ownership before narrowing down one’s choice.
Alternative Solutions
If none of the software mentioned above meets your requirements, explore other alternatives for resource management below:
We hope that this guide helped you select the resource management software that satisfies your business needs and values.
Resource Management Software FAQs
What is resource management?
Resource management is the process of managing business resources effectively to bring out their best potential. This encompasses activities such as planning, forecasting, assigning, and scheduling appropriate resources for specific projects. The resources can be human or non-human, like equipment, vehicles, machinery, etc. It ensures that the right resource is working on the right project at the right time and cost.
What is resource management software?
Resource management software is an application that enables organizations to manage resources optimally across current and future opportunities. It provides a wide array of functionalities that empower companies to maximize the potential of their talent pool and achieve the desired outcomes.
What are some key features of resource mangement software?
The primary features of resource management software include:
- Bird’s-eye view of the entire resource pool.
- Resource forecasting and capacity planning functions that help organizations assess and bridge the capacity vs. demand gap.
- Multi-dimensional resource planning tool for agile resource allocation and scheduling.
- Configurable reporting analytics and dashboards that foster data-driven decision-making.
- Automation features that enable organizations to streamline their resource-related workflows.
- A skill inventory to maintain the competencies of the internal resources, facilitating competent allocation.
- The What-if analysis for simulating various scenarios and creating the most realistic resource plans.
What are the benefits of resource management software?
Utilizing a resource management software in your organization gives you several benefits described as below-
- Reduces resourcing costs
- Minimizes the hiring/firing cycles
- Forecasts future resource requirements
- Ensures timely delivery of projects
- Maximizes efficient resource utilization
- Prepares to deal with sudden ramp-up & ramp-downs
- Futureproofs workforce against market volatilities
What are some common challenges faced during resource management?
Project managers confront several challenges during resource management. Given below are some of them.
- Uneven workload distribution among resources
- Incompetent resource allocations
- Poor resource capacity planning
- Lack of communication and collaboration within teams or department
- Inadequate resource risk assessment
