Successful resource management simply means being able to squeeze the maximum benefit out of your resources. This requires the optimization of all procedures that govern the procurement, warehousing, scheduling and use of resources, including personnel. When coupled with an efficient project management system, being able to take full advantage of your resources allows your company to operate at a high productivity level, which maximizes your profits.

What the Ideal Resource and Project Management Software Looks Like

You may have some concerns, though, about the efficiency of your company’s resource and project management systems, and you feel there is room for improvement. Should that be the case, perhaps it is time for you to consider upgrading your resource management software. Once you make that decision, how do you go about finding the package that will be most appropriate for your company? To help you with that endeavor, here are four of the major things to look for in custom resource management software:

Easy to Use

It is well-known that if software isn’t easy to use, it will be underutilized. To be considered easy to use, the software must be simple to install, easy to update, intuitive, and efficient.

Project managers should have a wide choice of tools available to them, such as Gantt charts. Multiple methods of sorting and color coding projects should be included. The software should allow for the accounting of budgets, employee workload and equipment availability. Holidays and vacation days also should be readily apparent.

Operates in Real time

In order to be effective, your resource management system must be able to operate in real time. After all, things change over the lifespan of project, don’t they? It is vital that when one team member updates a status, other users should instantaneously see that change. The software should include a process that allows for resources to be reallocated at the discretion of a project manager.

Collaborative

All users of the software should be able to view project resources and requirements from a bird’s-eye view and make changes in cooperation with other users. After all, you’re not the only one managing resources. When you make a change, it affects all the other users. You need the capability of sharing data with other members of your team. You should have the ability to chat with other users and share files. Being able to do so in a cloud environment is also critical if you have team members in multiple locations.

Comprehensive

Unlike spreadsheets and some of the older automated systems, the software you select should give you a complete view of your managed resources in order to supervise them effectively. You should be able to see every resource associated with every project within your organization. Standards should be established for ordering and acquiring resources and for tracking them as they are being used. At the conclusion of the project, the software should allow for resources to be reallocated, demobilized and/or restocked.

Project Management Software - The Right Way

PMware provides enterprise-ready project and portfolio management software that allows you to plan, manage and control projects, resources and financials. PMware lets you collaborate in real time using a centralized, comprehensive, hosted or on-premise solution. See how resource management software from PMware can help streamline your organization.