Resource management & Resource planning

Author: Lena Schmidt  | Last updated: Monday, February 5, 2024 | Time to read: 6 min.

At the core of project management lies resource management - a critical factor that determines whether the targeted business goals are achieved or not. In this context, InLoox, as your partner, offers a comprehensive and functional software solution for multi-project resource planning that enables resources to be managed efficiently.

Content

1. Challenges in resource management
2. The solution: InLoox, a software for resource management
3. Key features of efficient resource management software
4. Advantages of integrated resource planning
5. InLoox in practice: An exemplary use case for efficient resource management
6. Conclusion on software-supported resource management

Challenges in resource management

Resource management is an integral part of project management that brings with it diverse and complex challenges. These challenges include:

Resource availability and allocation

Identifying and efficiently allocating available resources to projects is a constant challenge. The aim is to avoid overbooking employees and at the same time ensure that all projects are adequately supplied with the required resources without negatively impacting other projects.

Prioritization of projects

In an environment with limited resources, it is crucial to prioritize projects effectively. Strategic decisions must be made to determine which projects receive the highest priority and therefore the most resources.

Change management

Projects are dynamic and requirements can change. Flexibly adapting resource planning to new circumstances and priorities without compromising project progress is a challenging task.

Communication and collaboration

Effective resource management requires clear communication and collaboration between all stakeholders. Challenges arise when information is not shared efficiently within the team or there are misunderstandings about the availability and obligations of resources.

Competencies and skills

Another challenge is assigning people to tasks based on their skills and competencies to ensure optimal performance.

Challenges intensify in the absence of software support

Especially without specialized software, companies often face considerable challenges. Manual planning and management of resources can lead to inefficiencies, conflicts in resource allocation and ultimately to over- or under-utilization of employees. Without the use of resource management software, it is difficult to gain a holistic overview of resource availability, utilization and project prioritization. This can lead to delays in project implementation, budget overruns and general dissatisfaction within the team.

The solution: InLoox, a software for resource management 

InLoox offers a comprehensive solution to resource management challenges by providing a powerful platform for multi-project resource planning. The software makes it possible to get an instant and complete overview of resource utilization, which includes both project workload and Outlook appointments.

Key features of efficient resource management software

Resource overview

InLoox provides a detailed view of resource utilization that includes individual work calendars, workload in projects and Outlook appointments. Such a realistic overview enables precise capacity planning and resource management.

Seamless integration with Outlook

The integration between InLoox and Outlook is a special feature that improves planning reliability within the team. Outlook appointments of resources are included in the workload in compliance with data protection regulations, which enables precise resource planning.

Utilization views and multi project management

InLoox offers different perspectives for viewing capacity utilization: on specially created team levels, project levels and individual levels. These functions allow bottlenecks to be identified, workloads to be compared and resources to be efficiently reallocated at the touch of a button, simplifying multi project management.

Targeted resource allocation

Another highlight of InLoox is the ability to assign specific skills to team members. This supports resource management with the ability to search and assign the right team member for specific tasks based on their skills.

User-friendliness and intuitive interface

InLoox places great emphasis on clear structuring and user-friendliness. The intuitive design of the software ensures a high level of acceptance among employees and draws attention to the important aspects of resource management.

Projects at a glance: Dashboards and KPIs

The InLoox dashboards provide comprehensive overviews of resource allocation and utilization as well as all other important criteria and KPIs in project management. This makes project controlling much easier.

Advantages of integrated resource planning

Integrated resource planning offers numerous benefits, including improved visibility and control over resources, optimization of resource utilization, increased project profitability and the avoidance of resource conflicts. InLoox enables companies to take full advantage of these benefits by providing a realistic overview of availabilities and requirements. 

Specifically, you benefit from the following advantages:

• Identify and deploy the available, qualified and most suitable resources.
• Reduce idle time for your project resources.
• Identify potential bottlenecks and act before they occur.
• Achieve a balance between resource requirements and resource supply.
• Find out about the level of resource utilization throughout the organization.
• Receive automatic updates and create efficient distribution.
• Know about capacities, allocations, utilization, programs, projects and costs.

In the next chapter, you can read about how planning with resource management in InLoox can look in concrete terms.

InLoox in practice: An exemplary use case for efficient resource management

Resource management in project planning with InLoox

When planning and implementing projects, InLoox offers an intuitive and efficient solution for managing and monitoring resource utilization. A central element here is the integration of the Gantt chart, a proven tool for the visual representation of the project schedule. However, InLoox goes one step further by offering the possibility to display the resource utilization of the team members assigned as resources for specific tasks in the chart directly below the Gantt chart at the touch of a button. This approach enables simultaneous monitoring of project progress and the associated resource utilization.

Key elements of resource monitoring in InLoox:

1. Personal and project level: resource utilization is always displayed as a percentage (%), providing a quick overview of the availability and workload of team members.
2. Task evaluation: The workload for each task is quantified in hours, which supports precise planning and allocation of resources.
3. Overload indication: An area marked in red indicates an overload of resources, while an area marked in green shows free capacity. In cases of overload, an immediate check and possible redistribution of tasks is required to ensure a balanced workload between resources.

Practical example:

In a concrete scenario, InLoox shows that the resource Lena Schmidt has a workload of 126% and 101% in the week of November 27, which indicates an overload. This is also marked in red. In order to achieve an even distribution of the workload, tasks could be redistributed from Lena Schmidt to her colleague Max Mustermann, as he is working on the same project. This assumes that Max has the necessary qualifications and knowledge to take on these tasks.

The redistribution of tasks is very simple in InLoox: by clicking on the relevant task and changing the assigned resource, adjustments can be made that are immediately reflected in the resource utilization view. This process supports dynamic adjustment of project planning and ensures efficient use of available resources.

Conclusion on software-supported resource management

InLoox offers a powerful and user-friendly platform for resource management. By combining visual planning tools such as the Gantt chart with advanced resource utilization monitoring features, InLoox helps to increase efficiency, avoid overloads and successfully achieve project goals.

However, InLoox is not just an answer to the challenges of resource management, but a comprehensive tool for the entire project management process. With its efficient solution, InLoox helps companies to implement their projects successfully and efficiently. Learn more about the solutions & core features of InLoox and revolutionize your project management. Start your 30 day free trial of InLoox.