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As someone juggling multiple content projects at once, I've learned that resource planning tools aren't just helpful—they're absolutely essential. From coordinating writers and editors, to looping in designers are SEO specialists, I rely on these tools to keep everything flowing smoothly.
Let's say I'm rolling out a new content series (which happens pretty often!). With the right resource planning tools, I can assign tasks, track deadlines, balance workloads, and avoid last-minute chaos. Everyone knows what they're working on - and when it's due - which keeps the whole process humming.
In this guide, I'll walk you through how I use resource planning in real life, the techniques that save me time, and my go-to tools that keep content projects on track, on time, and stress-free.
What is resource planning?
Resource planning is the process of identifying, organizing, and managing the people, tools, time, and budget needed to complete a project successfully. It ensures that the right resources are available at the right time, helping teams work efficiently and minimize roadblocks.
In this article, I’ll focus specifically on the people side of resource planning, as that’s a key part of my role—making sure team members are assigned effectively, their workloads are manageable, and their skills are aligned with the tasks that will help the project succeed.
5 resource planning techniques
There are a few key techniques I use when planning resources for a project:
Workload planning: I look at what tasks need to be done and match them to the right people based on their skills and availability. This helps avoid burnout.
Capacity planning: I check how much work my team can realistically handle within the project timeline. This stops us from taking on too much and missing deadlines.
Resource allocation: I make sure each task has the right people, tools, and budget assigned to it. It’s about putting resources where they’re needed the most.
Resource utilization: I make sure I’m getting the most out of our available resources by tracking how efficiently they’re being used. I keep an eye on how each resource is performing, and if something isn’t being used to its full potential, I’ll adjust the plan.
Forecasting: I try to predict what resources we’ll need in the future based on upcoming work. This helps me plan ahead and avoid last-minute problems.
Quick glance: the 10 best resource planning tools
Tool
10 Best resource planning tools
1. Teamwork.com
Managing projects with Teamwork.com has completely transformed the way I organize and allocate resources. From tracking time to adjusting workloads, everything runs efficiently. It’s been a relief to have a tool that keeps everyone on the same page—it makes collaboration so much easier. Teamwork.com has become my go-to platform for staying organized and ahead of schedule.
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Best features
Real-time workload visibility: Teamwork.com’s Workload Planner lets you manage each team member’s tasks and overall workload on a short-term, day-to-day basis. This helps prevent burnout by making sure work is spread out evenly. You can easily see how busy each person is and quickly move tasks around when needed. It also helps project managers stay ahead of problems instead of reacting to them after they happen.
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Advanced resource scheduling: The Resource Scheduler feature helps you plan ahead with long-term forecasting. You can assign tasks based on team availability and use placeholders for projects that haven’t been confirmed yet, giving you a clear view of possible outcomes. This makes it easy to stay flexible and quickly adjust plans when team availability changes. You also get a visual warning when someone is overbooked, as the allocation line changes from blue to red so there’s no more guessing.
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Tracking and reporting: With built-in utilization tracking and reporting, you can see exactly how your team’s time and effort are being used. The utilization report breaks down key details for each person, like estimated and actual workload, billable hours, and available hours. This helps you plan more effectively and makes it easier to explain your resource decisions to clients, managers, or anyone else involved.
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Project snapshot: Teamwork.com’s Planning Overview gives you a clear and simple snapshot of how your team’s time and tasks are organized. You can see exactly what your team is working on based on their tasks, deadlines, and estimated hours. This helps you see if your team has any availability to take on extra tasks when someone is sick or on holiday, so you can keep the project on track.
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Project management templates: Save time by setting up projects with pre-configured tasks, milestones, and deadlines. This way, I don’t have to start from scratch every time I kick off a new project. I can simply select a template and customize it based on my needs. Templates ensure that all resources and tasks are planned ahead, so nothing important is forgotten later.
Limitations
Teamwork.com has a lot of great features, so it might feel overwhelming at first. If you're new to project management or resource planning software, it could take some time to get used to. The good news is that Teamwork Academy offers easy-to-follow videos to help you learn everything step by step.
Pricing
Deliver: $10.99/user/month
Grow: $19.99/user/month
Scale: $54.99/user/month
Enterprise: Custom pricing (contact for a demo)
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5
A Capterra user, Chris, shared, “I run a digital agency. Teamwork is crucial to managing our projects and keeping track of everything in one place. It's flexible enough to handle different project types, from flat fee to hourly billing. My clients often comment on how much they like using Teamwork for communication and collaboration.”
Read real user reviews of Teamwork.com here.
2. Ganttic
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After trying various resource management software tools, I found Ganttic to be a standout for its intuitive interface and robust features. It's particularly useful for teams managing multiple resources across various projects. The platform is flexible, so it can be adjusted to fit your needs, whether you’re scheduling, tracking, or reporting.
Best features
The drag-and-drop tool simplifies task assignments and timelines.
Ganttic lets me create personalized views to focus on the most relevant information, making resource planning easy.
With cloud-based access, the entire team stays up-to-date and aligned on tasks and deadlines.
Ganttic automatically generates customizable reports, providing valuable insights into resource usage and project progress.
Limitations
Ganttic's reporting is helpful, but if you need very detailed or advanced data analysis, it might not be enough.
Integrations are limited because it doesn’t connect with tools like Teams or Slack, so you might need to switch between apps, which can be a bit of a hassle.
Pricing
Contact sales
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.3/5
A Capterra user, Kevin, shared, “Overall we are very pleased with the use of Ganttic. Help team replies quickly when we do have interrogations or improvement ideas and that's really a great thing! We feel like we are participating in the development of Ganttic and that they do really care about their users.”
3. Parallax
[COMPETITOR IMAGE HERE]
After trying out Parallax, I found it helpful for teams who want a simple way to plan and forecast resources. It's focused mainly on future resource planning rather than detailed project management. The platform is clean and straightforward, but it definitely feels built for companies already working in a very structured way.
Best features
Parallax’s forecasting helps plan future resource needs based on upcoming projects and sales opportunities.
The utilization dashboard shows exactly how busy each team member is, so I can fix workload problems fast.
Timesheets in Parallax auto-fill from planned work, saving your team from spending time on manual updates.
Limitations
Parallax doesn’t connect with many tools outside of Salesforce and a few others, so I had to jump between apps.
The interface feels clunky. If I’m away from it for a while, it sends a notification asking me to reload the page.
Pricing
Contact sales
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.4/5
A Capterra user, Patrick, shared, “Learning curve was steep and onboarding effort was high but the outcome has been worth it. We've realized real gains in utilization (and subsequently revenue), it's given the operations team peace of mind that we've got enough people to do the work (even in the pipeline) and it's given leadership insight that we've never had.”
4. GanttPRO
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After testing out GanttPRO, I found it to be a great choice for visual project planning. The Gantt chart interface is intuitive, making it easy to map out tasks and timelines. But it’s missing a few important features I need for bigger projects. It doesn’t have strong detailed time reports or full budget management features. It’s better for teams who mainly want to plan tasks and schedules without a lot of extra features.
Best features
The Gantt chart updates in real-time, making it easy to adjust tasks and manage complex projects.
GanttPRO has templates that save time and can be customized to suit your needs, for simple tasks or complex projects.
Offers fast, helpful support and advice on using the tool more effectively.
GanttPRO lets you easily link tasks, so one task won’t start until the previous one is done.
Limitations
GanttPRO doesn’t offer a free plan, so if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll need to commit to a paid plan from the start.
GanttPRO doesn’t connect with billing or invoicing tools, so you’ll need separate software to manage payments and client invoices.
Pricing
Core: $7/month
Advanced: $10/month
Business: $17/month
Enterprise: Custom price
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.8/5
A Capterra user, David, shared, “Overall experience is pleasantly surprised and I selected it over a host of other very popular platforms. In my opinion, considering all the factors (style, price, capabilities, etc) this is the winner.”
5. Airtable
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After trying Airtable, I found it’s a flexible resource planning tool that combines spreadsheets and databases. It’s great for teams that need to organize information visually. But the free plan’s record limits and lack of advanced features like detailed time tracking, resource management, and project forecasting can be a problem for larger teams.
Best features
Airtable allows you to create different views (Grid, Calendar, Kanban, Gallery) tailored to your team's needs, making it easy to visualize data in various formats.
The interface designer lets you build custom interfaces on top of your data.
Airtable’s automations trigger actions like sending emails or updating records.
Airtable is adaptable to various types of projects, whether simple or complex.
Limitations
It lacks advanced reporting features.
I found that using the templates feature on the mobile app is tricky, as it's hard to copy and organize them efficiently.
Pricing
Free
Team: $20/month
Business: $45/month
Enterprise Scale: Contact sales
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.7/5
A Capterra user, Samantha, shared, “Overall, I have had a positive experience with Airtable. It allows me to create beautiful dashboards for clients, quickly see my data and collect information with ease.”
6. LiquidPlanner
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I found LiquidPlanner to be an impressive resource planning tool designed to handle complex, fast-moving projects. It offers smart features like predictive scheduling and real-time forecasting, which helps teams manage shifting priorities. While it’s a great choice for larger, more experienced teams, the tool might feel overwhelming and too expensive for small teams or beginners. Despite its strengths, it does come with a learning curve and pricing that could be challenging for some.
Best features
Automatically adjusts project timelines based on task priorities and resource availability, providing realistic forecasts.
The tool includes built-in time tracking features, allowing teams to monitor actual hours spent on tasks and compare them against estimates.
It helps you allocate resources efficiently and manage multiple projects while tracking availability.
Limitations
Creating custom dashboards to track data can be difficult and may require extra time to learn.
Lacks strong financial tracking features, which can be an issue for users who need to track expenses, revenue, or retainers.
Pricing
Essentials: $15/month
Professional: $28/month
Ultimate: $42
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.3/5
A Capterra user, Thomas, shared, “We sit between manufacturing and construction, this system bridges the gap between a resource planner and project management tool. It is the only system we have found that makes intuitive changes to project dates based on changes to resource or changes to projects and assigned personnel.”
7. ClickUp
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I was impressed by how much ClickUp packs into one platform from task management to collaboration and automation. It’s a great resource management software tool for teams that juggle multiple projects and need a comprehensive solution. But while it offers a ton of features, it can also feel a bit overwhelming, especially for new users.
Best features
ClickUp offers various views like List, Board, Calendar, and Timeline, allowing you to visualize tasks in the way that suits your workflow.
Provides built-in chat, document sharing, and whiteboard features, making communications easy-peasy.
Custom dashboards track project progress and team performance.
Limitations
The mobile app doesn’t have as many features as the desktop version, which can make it difficult to work when you’re on the go.
When more people use the platform, it can get messy and harder to use, which slows things down.
Pricing
Free
Unlimited: $7/month
Business: $12/month
Enterprise: Contact sales
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.6/5
A Capterra user, Rita, shared, “I was tasked with finding a software that would give my department a place to store our workplans. We have multiple divisions within the department and needed something to be able to show our commissioner a snapshot of our projects for the year. Click-up was amazing! It was visual, had so much detail that could be included and so much functionality and editing capacity that it can be used for a whole range of data. The system is user friendly and I had to do minimal training with staff as it is very intuitive.”
8. Planview
[COMPETITOR IMAGE HERE]
After trying Planview, I found it to be a useful tool for managing projects and portfolios, especially for large teams. It helps connect projects with company goals and makes it easy to manage resources. It can be a bit complicated and expensive, which might not work well for smaller teams. But if you're looking for a tool for big projects and have the time to learn it, Planview could be a great choice.
Best features
Planview helps ensure all your projects align with your business's bigger goals, so everything you're working on moves the company forward.
Create customizable workflows like to-do lists, Gantt charts, and more to organize your tasks.
Planview is great for managing large projects and analyzing financials at every level, from the business down to individual tasks.
Limitations
Some users find the interface messy and hard to use.
No mobile app available.
Pricing
Contact sales
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.3/5
A Capterra user, Jennifer, shared, “I have been using Planview for more than 3 years now, and I liked its simplicity in managing medium-sized/complex projects. The best thing I liked is about the 'Export/Import capability of an MSP project at the task level.”
9. Accelo
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After testing Accelo, I found it to be a solid resource planning tool, especially for service-based teams. It helps with scheduling, monitoring resource utilization, and tracking project profitability. The platform offers real-time data and automation features that save time and improve project accuracy. There’s a learning curve to get the most out of it and it also doesn’t have as much support for complex projects, making it more suitable for teams with straightforward workflows.
Best features
Assign tasks based on team members' skills and availability, ensuring the right person is matched to the right task.
The platform provides live data on resource utilization, helping you monitor workloads and adjust allocations as needed.
Provides financial tracking where you can monitor project costs, revenues, and margins to keep projects profitable.
Accelo automates time logging, reducing manual entry and improving accuracy in billing and reporting.
Limitations
Limited integrations.
Due to its robust interface, certain parts of the same page may take longer to load.
Pricing
Professional: Book a demo
Business: Book a demo
Advanced: Book a demo
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5
A Capterra user, Denise, shared, “This tool is great since it allows us to organize all of our customer information in one place, including notes, invoices, payments, and open tasks. When used together with other applications, such as Xero, Salesforce's sales cloud, PayPal, MailChimp, and social media platforms, it allows for optimal project growth.”
10. Asana
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I found Asana to be a user-friendly tool that helps teams manage their resources effectively. It offers features like capacity planning, workload tracking, and time tracking, all within an intuitive interface. These features make it easier to see who is overloaded and who has bandwidth, allowing for better task management. While Asana is great for smaller to mid-sized teams, larger organizations might find some limitations in scalability and advanced features.
Best features
Asana’s capacity plan feature helps you figure out what your team can realistically handle and achieve.
Provides a visual overview of team members' workloads.
Offers reporting dashboards that can be tailored to track key metrics and visualize team performance.
Limitations
Asana is great for basic resource management, but it doesn't have some of the more advanced features you see in other tools.
For bigger teams or larger projects, Asana can feel limited and might not meet all resource management needs.
Pricing
Free
Starter: $10.99/month
Advanced: $24.99/month
Ratings & reviews
Capterra rating: 4.5/5
A Capterra user, Stephanie, shared, “It has been an incredibly beneficial interface for our organization and has personally helped me a ton to stay on task and focus on the most important tasks first.”
Take your resource planning to new heights with Teamwork.com
With Teamwork.com, I’ve been able to take my resource planning to the next level by streamlining the entire process from beginning to end. The platform’s intuitive interface and powerful features, like the Workload Planner and Resource Scheduling tools, make it easier than ever to match the right people to the right tasks.
Plus, Teamwork.com’s real-time collaboration and time tracking features ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. Whether it’s adjusting workloads, tracking budgets, or managing team capacity, Teamwork.com has been a great choice in helping me stay organized.
We're focused on proactive management of people's schedules, and the planning tools allow us to fill in weekly tasks based on remaining capacity and balance that among the team.
Hannah Taylor
Director of Digital Operations, Interactive Strategies
FAQs about resource planning tools
What are the 3 types of resource planning
The three main types of resource planning are strategic, tactical, and operational.
Strategic planning is about long-term goals and big-picture resource needs.
Tactical planning takes those big goals and turns them into specific actions.
Operational planning focuses on managing resources for day-to-day tasks and short-term needs.
How is resource planning done?
Resource planning starts by figuring out what resources a project needs. Then, resources are assigned based on tasks, deadlines, and what the team can handle. It also involves predicting what will be needed in the future, giving people their roles, and checking progress to make changes if needed. The goal is to use resources efficiently without overloading anyone.
What are the benefits of resource planning?
By properly managing your resources, you can avoid common pitfalls like missed deadlines and overworked teams. Here are five key benefits of resource planning:
Ensures the right resources are available at the right time, preventing delays.
Increases team productivity by balancing workloads and reducing stress.
Helps manage costs and keeps projects within budget.
Provides a clear plan for execution, making it easier to track and adjust strategy as needed.
Improves decision-making by providing a clear view of resource availability and usage.
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