Project managers often feel the need to pull their hair out when managing resources. This includes people, materials, equipment and knowledge. Many resources are complex and interdependent. People, however, are unpredictable.
Even worse, project expectations may not be fully defined by the target date. Project managers must manage unknowns and other volatile resources.
This means that project management resource allocation is flawed and reporting based on this flawed data is not much better.
Poor project management resource allocation, planning, and reporting can lead to many problems. And promises of “easy” solutions are often not kept.
Allocation of Project Resources
Good resource management is essential for good project management. It’s a fact that can’t be ignored. There are some tricks that can make resource planning easier. Get project management software that includes resource allocation functionality.
You won’t get far if you plan to do resource allocation manually. Even if you rely on Excel to organize your work, you will get overwhelmed by redundant data entry, mixed spreadsheets, or a multitude of sheets.
To avoid these mistakes, I recommend investing in project-management software. The following ten programs are my favorite because they focus on resource management within project management. These software options aren’t sloppy in resource management and have clunky calendar systems that can be prone to human error. These software options are so different that they cannot be compared side by side, so they are listed alphabetically.
1. Clarizen

Clarizen is a top-rated project management program that meets all enterprise project management needs. Project managers can run “what-if” scenarios using varying resource priorities and supplies with Clarizen’s resource management feature.
Prices start at $30 per user per calendar month
Have you used Clarizen? Leave a review
2. ConceptDraw Project

ConceptDraw Project is a Gantt-based PM software with teeth. This visual project management tool is similar to Excel, as it has easy reporting options and can be used in just a few clicks. Project managers can assign resources (aka members of a team) to new projects directly from the Gantt chart view. They can also quickly adjust their implementation percentage on the same page.
Price: The price starts at $199 per licence and decreases as you add users.
Have you used ConceptDraw Project? Leave a review
3. Ganttic

Ganttic is another Gantt-based PM Software option, but this one was built from resources.
You can find their website here:
Ganttic’s core is made up of resources. They can be found on the left side, and could include your team, rooms or equipments, or any other items that you use frequently for your business. Ganttic allows you to group your resources based on their roles, skills, and more.
Ganttic’s intuitive design makes it easy to learn and produces beautiful reports.
Ganttic is available for free for up to ten resources. Next level provides up to 20 resources at $25 per month or $250 annually.
Have you used Ganttic? Leave a review for Ganttic!
4. Mavenlink

Mavenlink, a beautiful PM solution, was named one the best Microsoft Project alternatives.
Mavenlink’s “master planning” allows project managers to forecast future resource requirements and view productivity numbers for each resource. All project managers can see which resource is working on which task, so there’s no overbooking or over-planning.
Price: Starting at $19 per month for up to 5 users
Mavenl Used

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