In project management, every minute counts. That’s why planning has become an essential skill in time management. In 2024, it’s more important than ever to master the art of team planning to maximise efficiency and productivity. Good time management means prioritising tasks, avoiding the stress of procrastination and ensuring that objectives are met on time.
Time planning involves defining clear objectives, setting realistic deadlines and putting strategies in place to deal with the unexpected.
Those who know how to plan effectively will have an undeniable advantage in a world where speed and efficiency make all the difference.
Why use planning software?
Scheduling software is an essential tool for managing teams and organising tasks within a company. Using a shared, collaborative calendar, these solutions enable project managers to plan appointments, manage resources and customise schedules online. The flexibility and customisability of this management software means it can be adapted to the specific needs of each organisation. With an intuitive interface and comprehensive dashboard, project managers can easily adapt their staff schedules efficiently and save time in project management.
Finally, thanks to the Cloud and mobile applications, users can view their schedule online and in real time, so they can keep track of their tasks wherever they are.
If you’re looking for a free, comprehensive planning tool, don’t hesitate to discover the best tools available online. Whether it’s for resource management, online booking or personnel management, these planning software packages offer all the functions you need for efficient management. From booking software to all-in-one management solutions, there’s a type of software to suit every need. With free trials and comparisons of the best software, it’s easy to find the ideal management solution for your organisation.
Selection criteria for the best diary tools
The criteria for selecting the best planning software for effective management should take several factors into account.
First and foremost, the essential features to consider include the ability to customise staff schedules, a collaborative and flexible calendar, an intuitive dashboard and efficient resource management. In addition, it’s important to look for software that is available online and as a mobile application, offering a free trial so that users can familiarise themselves with the interface and features on offer.
Next, a scheduling tool should make it easy to plan appointments, with a shared calendar for optimum staff management.
Finally, the planning software must be designed to support the company’s growth, offering the best management solutions to save time and optimise processes efficiently, now and in the future.
Our top 6 recommended planning software for 2024
Our top 5 scheduling software includes customisable options for managing schedules and calendars. These tools facilitate workflow and the management of tasks and absences.
Teambook
Teambook is a resource management tool for professionals who want to maximise the productivity and work management of their staff. Teambook lets you plan tasks and projects and allocate the right people to the right projects. This project planning saves time thanks to a planning application integrated into the tool. Teambook is easy to use and saves project managers a considerable amount of time. It provides employees with project and resource calendars. Teambook can be customised in just a few clicks. It is free up to the management of 10 projects in progress and for all sizes of company.
Teambook offers a host of other features, which you can discover in this video.
Prices start at $45 per month for a package of 40 active projects. This pricing based on the number of projects is unique, given that all other providers charge according to the number of users; Teambook is therefore almost always more advantageous for its customers.
Another specific feature of this tool is its European roots: the company is Swiss and development is carried out in Europe, where the data is stored. Teambook is therefore available in most European languages, and its customer service is multilingual;
Finally, Teambook can be tested free of charge for a period of 14 days. Don’t wait any longer!
Forecast.app
Forecast.app is a project planning tool specially designed for businesses and professionals. Recommended primarily for executive and management positions, it is widely adopted by medium-sized companies operating in the service and tertiary sectors.
With Forecast, it’s now possible to integrate task, resource and financial management on a single, user-friendly platform. This will enable you to supervise, control and steer your company’s activities by benefiting from a global view and detailed data thanks to an artificial intelligence tool.
The price can be broken down into 2 options:
- a pro package at $49/month/user
- a « plus » package at $96/month/user
Discover the alternatives to Forecast.app.
Runn.io
Runn.io, a solution that originates from New Zealand and is only available in English, focuses on the big picture rather than the day-to-day details, to meet the needs of project managers and executives seeking total transparency in managing their teams, projects and business performance. Before plunging into the details of project plans, results and resource allocation, it is possible to obtain an overview of your projects – including the financial situation, resource utilisation, profit forecasts, etc.
Runn is free for as few as 5 users, with limited functionality. Pro and Enterprise packages are also available.
Discover the alternatives to Runn.io
Toggl
Toggl is recognised as one of the best management tools for effectively controlling and organising teamwork. It’s user-friendly and ideal for project managers managing small teams.
However, an integrated time tracking feature, called Toggl Track, has been specifically designed for Toggl.
To integrate it into your Toggl subscription, it will cost you $8 per user per month. Alternatively, a free version is available for up to 5 users. After that, prices range from $9 per month to $18 per month.
Float
Float is a powerful, user-friendly tool for scheduling work and managing capacity. With Float, you can track in real time who is working on which project at what time, allowing you to maximise the efficiency of your team. Using this intuitive software, you can instantly access your team’s schedules, distribute tasks fairly and maximise the use of available resources.
With Float, you can manage your team’s resources and anticipate future workloads. You can also monitor working hours, holidays and absences, simplifying the management of your team and helping you to make informed decisions.
This tool originated in the USA and is only available in English.
Float offers 3 packages:
- Entry: 6$/month per person (planning resources only).
- <10/month per person (resource planning + time tracking)
- Company : personalised pricing.
Discover the alternatives to Float.com.
ResourceGuru
Resource Guru is a practical resource planning solution for teams looking to improve their activity tracking and project planning. With this application, project managers and team leaders can better manage their schedules so that they can focus on important tasks rather than on organising and tracking resources. Resource Guru has a slightly outdated interface and standard pricing based on the number of users. It is mainly suited to small businesses.
ResourceGuru is priced from USD 6.65 per user per month (the USD 4.16 version is not recommended as it does not offer reporting features). A free 30-day trial is available.
Discover the alternatives to ResourceGuru.
How can I make the most of my diary tools?
It is essential to understand all the functions offered by this type of diary management software.
To take full advantage of the planning capabilities, we recommend customising the interface to make it more intuitive for users.
Look for software with a free trial version to familiarise yourself with its features. Opt for a collaborative and flexible management solution such as the Cloud to save time when scheduling staff. Use a shared diary for efficient resource management. For better organisation, use dashboards and kanban boards designed for large companies.
Test Teambook for free!
