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In-Depth Review of 10 Resource Scheduling Tools You Need to Know in 2024

Online resource scheduling tools

The efficient flow of modern projects often depends on well-prepared resource scheduling. This process usually takes place across the initial stages of a project lifecycle and involves the assistance of robust resource scheduling tools.

The online solutions for scheduling needs offer required functionality, simplify work, and open up broad prospects for the high-quality use of assets within a certain project and the entire business. They streamline resource allocation in project management and ensure that projects are delivered on time and within the established financial range.

Is it easy to choose an appropriate solution for scheduling your workforce, vehicles, materials, or other work assets? 

Some issues may arise. Therefore we’ve compiled some excellent web project management tools with automatic resource scheduling for your better choice, including free resource scheduling tools and open source resource scheduling tools.

It’s time to explore them and make the right decision.

Contents:

What is a resource scheduling tool?

A resource scheduling tool in project management is a professional platform designed to assign tasks and activities to available resources such as facilities, people, equipment, and other assets to ensure their optimal use and prevent conflicts in scheduling.

Based on business requirements and teams’ preferences, these tools may include various features for estimating and planning, task management, cost management, resource allocation, and more.

In general, reliable resource planning and scheduling tools help streamline day-to-day scheduling activities, allocate assets, and constantly monitor resource capacity.

Practice shows that such tools as well as the ability to plan itself are pretty important in the modern business reality.

Thus, a survey conducted among 411 respondents within the RGPM research (2022) showed that 92% consider planning the first-ranked skill needed to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Image source: RGPM

What are the benefits of resource scheduling tools?

Resource scheduling tools are designed to optimize the organization of various assets, from workers to equipment and vehicles. 

By ensuring a strategic approach to assigning resources, these solutions help responsible managers make informed decisions that align with the business goals and strategic project requirements. 

When identifying the key benefits of such tools, you should consider the actions and processes listed below.

What features should you look for in resource scheduling tools?

By planning and controlling the utilization of accessible assets, online resource scheduling tools can significantly boost efficiency and successful outcomes of projects.

When investing in resource planning and scheduling tools, it’s crucial to evaluate specific standards and features to ensure the platform aligns with your requirements.

Here is a set of features you should consider to select a solution that will fulfill your resource scheduling needs.

Now that you know everything about the desired functionality and benefits of typical online resource scheduling tools, it is time to explore our top picks.

10 resource scheduling tools that ensure healthy asset management

There’s no shortage of resource scheduling tools on the market. Dozens of them provide a complete range of features required for professional project management and resource scheduling.

Although their claims are bold, some of these solutions have a real chance to achieve the title of your favorite.

Let’s explore 10 trustworthy resource scheduling tools. But note that the prices and reviews listed below are variable and may alter at any moment. For the most up-to-date information, check the product’s official websites.

1. GanttPRO – best for Gantt-based resource scheduling

Basic: starts at $7.99 user/month (billed annually).
Pro: starts at $12.99 user/month (billed annually).
Business: starts at $19.99 user/month (billed annually).
Free trial: 14 days.

Striving to improve the processes of task planning and resource scheduling, many project managers rely on tools like a Gantt chart. It provides a convenient way to visualize plans and schedules without the risk of missing out on anything important. 

Resource scheduling tools based on this chart are usually easy to use, intuitive, and multifunctional. 

A good example is GanttPRO. The platform has everything to be considered one of the best Gantt chart software with resource scheduling functionality.

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GanttPRO helps project teams and individuals worldwide plan various project activities, collaborate, and oversee the whole picture of their workflows.

In his review, Ali Nouasri, an internet marketer, characterizes GanttPRO as follows:

GanttPRO perfectly suits in-office teams, remote workers, and freelancers.

It serves as a confident helper across various businesses and professional fields, including marketing, HR, software development, manufacturing, construction, education, etc.

Additionally, GanttPRO is known for advanced team communication and workload management. You can leave comments, attach files, mention colleagues, and add descriptions to your tasks.

Project teams choose GanttPRO to improve project planning, task organization, and resource scheduling, considering it a professional resource management software.

How GanttPRO fits into this overview

A visually appealing Gantt chart with resource allocation is the main reason why GanttPRO tops this overview.

The online diagram empowers teams to schedule and organize assets and gain complete control over their timelines, budgets, and staff. It sets the platform apart from numerous resource scheduling tools.

GanttPRO offers a convenient WBS work breakdown structure to break down and allocate tasks on a timeline. You can set deadlines and task dependencies as well as mark milestones by applying the drag-and-drop feature.

GanttPRO allows dealing with three types of resources:

Projects may require unique equipment, skilled specialists, raw materials, etc. GanttPRO helps to consolidate and visualize all needed resources within one schedule. 

You can attract team members as well as set calendars and costs for them, specifying certain account roles and project rights. Creating virtual resources (people, facilities, tools, etc.) is also available.

It’s worth mentioning that GanttPRO also deserves first place in the list of the top workload management tools.

You can find the workloads of project participants available right under your timeline. It’s also possible to switch to managing assets in a separate window for one project or in the same window but for all projects. 

All this means that your resource workloads are controlled and balanced centrally.

This is appreciated by Allan Cid, an experienced project manager:

After such visualization, you can allocate your resources and specify workers, deadlines, and dependencies for the tasks you’ve added to your timeline. 

The Gantt chart maker and one of the selected resource allocation methods will ensure that all your work assets are distributed properly based on their availability.

Most useful features:

Rating as of Q1 2024:

Quick review:

2. nTask – best resource scheduling platform with various views

Premium: starts at $3 user/month (billed annually).
Business: starts at $8 user/month (billed annually).
Free trial: 14 days.

The next platform in our set of powerful online resource scheduling tools is nTask.

This well-known project management system with the resource scheduling feature is widely used in IT, marketing, construction, and other areas. nTask is highly valued among both in-office and distributed teams as it comes with a range of universal capabilities from simple task organization to advanced analytics and reporting.

With this platform, you get a complete overview of how your project processes are performed by responsible employees. It assists in controlling work activities, organizational hierarchy, virtual events, and meetings with important agendas.

One of the users of nTask, Mohammad Iqbal S. (India) who worked as an assistant manager claims: