If you are managing a team without the right tools it can be a bit of a problem. Projects get delayed, some team members are overloaded while others are underused, and it becomes tough to see who’s doing what and when. This can impact your team potential and eventually leads to missed deadlines, stressed employees, and wasted time.
That’s why more businesses are turning to Resource Management Software (RMS). It gives the ability to plan and balance resources effectively is key to delivering high-quality work on time and within budget.
This guide will help you understand what RMS is, why it’s important, how to choose the right one for your business, and which tools stand out in the market today.
What is Resource Management Software?
Resource management software helps you plan, schedule, allocate, and monitor both human and non-human resources across projects. It ensures the right people are working on the right tasks at the right time—without burnout, confusion, or underutilization.
Unlike basic project management software, RMS goes deeper. It offers advanced visibility into team capacity, skill sets, workloads, availability, and even forecasting for future needs that traditional task trackers can not do.
Must Have Features in a Resource Management Software
Resource management software offers various software to its users for planning and managing their resources. Here are the essential features that every RMS should offer:
- Resource Planning & Forecasting: This feature helps you plan current and future workload by comparing project demands with team availability. You can forecast staffing needs, identify potential bottlenecks, and run “what-if” scenarios to prevent overcommitment.
- Resource Scheduling & Allocation: A good RMS should offer drag-and-drop scheduling tools like Gantt charts or timeline views. It should let you allocate resources based on skillsets, availability, and workload capacity.
- Time Tracking Integration: Built-in or integrated time tracking lets you compare estimated hours vs. actual hours spent on tasks. It also helps with billable/non-billable hour tracking for accurate invoicing and reporting.
- Skills Management: This feature lets you maintain a centralized database of employee skills, certifications, and experience. It enables better project-staff matching and highlights any skill gaps you need to address.
- Skill-Based Resource Matching: The software should automatically suggest the best-fit resource based on required skills, certifications, location, seniority, or language. You should be able to tag employees with skill levels (e.g., beginner, intermediate, expert).
- Bulk Resource Editing & Mass Allocation: Suppose you need to assign 5 designers to a 3-month project, then look for a bulk-editing feature that lets you select multiple resources and schedule them all at once—adjusting % allocation and time blocks in one action.
- Integrated Leave & Holiday Calendar: Track leaves, vacations, public holidays, and non-working days—automatically reflected in capacity calculations. Additionally, the software must support region-specific holidays for global teams.
- Resource Costing and Bill Rate Configuration: Define internal cost rates and external billable rates for each resource. Moreover, a good RMS should support time-based (hourly/daily) or role-based pricing.
How to Choose the Right Resource Management Software?
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you make a smart decision on how to find the best software to manage your resources:
- Understand Your Resource Planning Needs: To choose the best RMS for your business, start by thinking about how your team works. Are you managing a small team, coordinating multiple departments, or running a service-based business? If you're juggling project timelines, skill sets, and availability, you’ll need a tool with strong planning and forecasting features. Knowing your needs will help you focus on the right software.
- Prioritize Key Features: Look for essential features like drag-and-drop scheduling, skill-based allocation, availability tracking, utilization reports, and forecasting tools. These help you plan efficiently, prevent burnout, and optimize workloads. The right RMS should help you balance your team’s time and make informed project decisions.
- Compatible with Existing Tools: The best RMS should integrate smoothly with tools you already use—like project management software (Asana, Jira), CRMs (Salesforce), HR systems, or accounting software. Seamless integrations save time and reduce manual work by syncing data across platforms automatically.
- Ease of Use: An easy-to-use interface is key. Look for clean dashboards, visual schedules, and customizable views. Whether you’re a manager or team member, the software should make it simple to check availability, assign tasks, and track workloads without a steep learning curve.
- Check for Scalability and Flexibility: Pick a solution that can grow with your team. Whether you scale from 5 to 50 people or switch from Waterfall to Agile workflows, your software should adjust easily. A flexible RMS supports different team structures, multiple locations, and evolving project needs.
- Set a Budget and Compare Pricing Plans: Decide how much you're ready to invest. Some tools charge per user, while others offer tiered pricing or flat rates. Don’t forget to factor in costs for training, support, or extra features. Look for free trials or demos to test value before buying.
- Check Customer Support and Reviews: Reliable customer support is a must, especially during onboarding. Look for 24/7 chat, email, or phone support along with helpful documentation or webinars. Also, check user reviews online to understand real experiences with ease of use, performance, and support quality.
Top Resource Management Software Comparison
Here is a comparison table of the best resource management software, along with their notable features and pricing plans.
Software | Best For | Industries | Starting Price | Free Trial |
Scoro | All-in-one business & resource management | Professional Services, Agencies, Consulting Firms | Starts at $23.90/user/month | 14-days free trial |
Resource Guru | Simple visual scheduling for growing teams | Creative Teams, Marketing, Design Studios | Starts at $5/user/month | 30-days free trial |
Float | Creative teams need drag-and-drop scheduling | Advertising Agencies, Design Studios | Starts at $7.50/user/month | 30-days free trial |
Runn | Forecasting + capacity planning for consultancies | Consultancies, IT Services, Software Development | Starts at $10/user/month | 14-days free trial |
Teamdeck | Time tracking & resource planning for small teams | Startups, Freelancers, Digital Agencies | Starts at $6/user/month | 14-days free trial |
Forecast | Mid-to-large teams with financial tracking needs | IT Services, Consultancies, Enterprise Teams | Available on request | N/A |
ClickTime | Time tracking + cost control for service businesses | Professional Services, Consulting, NGOs | $12/user/month | 14-days free trial |
Saviom | Enterprises with deep resource planning needs | Engineering, Construction, IT Enterprises | Available on request | N/A |
Productive | Agencies needing project, time & finance tracking | Creative Agencies, Marketing, Software Firms | Starts at $11/user/month | 14-days free trial |
HubPlanner | Visual resource scheduling for agencies & teams | Agencies, Event Planning, Remote Teams | Starts at $7/user/month | 30-days free trial |
How Do We Evaluate and Select the Best Resource Management Software for You?
At Techjockey, we use a user-first approach to evaluate the best Resource Management Software (RMS) for your business. We assess each tool based on essential features like resource planning, scheduling, forecasting, time tracking, and reporting. We prioritize software that’s intuitive, scalable, and improves overall team efficiency.
We also examine how well it integrates with other tools like project management software, CRMs, HR software, and communication apps. Real-world user feedback, industry reviews, and customer support quality are key to our evaluation process. This ensures we recommend only reliable, well-performing tools that deliver value across different business types and team sizes.
Why Choose Techjockey for the Best Resource Management Software?
Techjockey makes it simple to find the right Resource Management Software (RMS) for your team, without the confusion. Whether you’re managing a small creative agency or a large enterprise with multiple teams, Techjockey helps you explore and compare the top RMS tools in one place.
Our expert team provides honest advice, personalized recommendations, and free demos to help you select the software that best fits your needs and budget. You don’t need to be tech-savvy—we guide you every step of the way.
With a wide range of trusted solutions and responsive support, Techjockey is your reliable partner for choosing the best RMS.