Easy-to-use Resource Planning Tools

Managing resources and planning resources are two of the more complex functions project managers are expected to perform. Because of this, any tools available that can facilitate resource planning are a project manager’s gold. Below is a list of six easy-to-use tools for resource planning.

Microsoft Excel is often overlooked, but in this program, you can keep track of who is working what hours and what they are working on during those hours. It can also help you to identify who will be needed in the future to help get the project completed in a timely manner. It is also likely to be a program used by project managers who do not have a lot of resources to keep track of and add to a project.

This is another tool that can be used for small projects. Invite potential resources to mail you their calendars and you can integrate their calendars with yours to easily set up a schedule for your project. Like Excel, Outlook has its limitations – namely that it doesn’t work so well for large projects or multiple projects.

This program is all encompassing, making it easy to integrate all of the functions project managers require from planning software. One of the features Project 2007 does best is to keep track of resources and to plan resources within your project. Because there is no shortage of books or articles written on Microsoft Project 2007, assistance is often not very far away. Integration with Excel and Outlook is seamless with Microsoft Project 2007. Thus, all three programs can be used together to create a “super-tool” for resource planning.

Accolade boasts that its resource planning software is simple to use and will save you and your company time and money. Their website also includes an easy-to-use resource planning template for you to try. The program offers real-time project monitoring, and has built in features to help you to avoid overallocation when in the resource planning phase.