Saviom is one of those enterprise tools that inspires strong reactions. Its fans praise the depth of its resource scheduling and forecasting capabilities. Its critics point to a dated interface and a learning curve that can stall adoption. Both sides are right.
At its core, Saviom is an enterprise resource management and workforce planning platform designed for mid-to-large organizations that need to allocate people across complex project portfolios. It is not a lightweight project management app. It is not a Kanban board with a scheduling feature bolted on. Saviom exists to solve a specific, high-stakes problem: how do you get the right people on the right projects at the right time, across an organization with hundreds or thousands of resources?
If that is your problem, Saviom belongs on your shortlist. But the platform comes with tradeoffs you need to understand before committing, including opaque pricing, a UI that feels behind the times, and a deployment model that may surprise buyers expecting a modern SaaS experience.
What Is Saviom?
Saviom Software Pty. Ltd. was founded in 1999 in a Sydney suburban garage by four entrepreneurs. The company’s first client was PwC, and it has since expanded globally across Europe, North America, and Asia. Headquartered in Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia, Saviom now serves Fortune 500 companies including Siemens, Honeywell, Fujitsu, Telstra, DHL, AlixPartners, Grant Thornton, and Rabobank across 50+ countries.
The company offers four core products: Enterprise Resource Management (ERM), Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (EPPM), Enterprise Workforce Planning, and Professional Services Automation (PSA). These can be purchased individually or bundled depending on organizational needs. The ERM product is Saviom’s flagship and the focus of most buyer interest. This review covers the Saviom platform broadly, with particular emphasis on the resource management and project portfolio management capabilities that define the product.
Saviom Key Features
Multidimensional Resource Scheduler
Saviom’s scheduler is the centerpiece of the platform, and it is genuinely impressive in scope. It supports 25+ dimensions for viewing resource data, including role, department, project, individual, team, location, skill set, and more. This means a resource manager can slice and dice scheduling views to see exactly who is available, where, and with what qualifications.
The scheduler uses a drag-and-drop Gantt interface that allows bookings to be created, updated, reassigned, or split with minimal friction. Multiple users can edit the schedule simultaneously, and the system provides conflict notifications when overlapping allocations occur. Bulk bookings and edits are also supported, which is critical for organizations managing hundreds of resources.
Forecasting and Capacity Planning
This is where Saviom separates itself from simpler scheduling tools. The platform provides forward-looking capacity vs. demand analytics that let managers see upcoming resource shortages or surpluses before they become emergencies. Custom demand forecasts can be built for pipeline projects, allowing organizations to plan hiring or reallocation well in advance.
The forecasting engine ties directly into the scheduling data, so projections are based on actual booking patterns rather than manual estimates. For professional services firms with seasonal demand fluctuations, this capability alone can justify the investment.
What-If Analysis and Scenario Modeling
Saviom includes scenario planning tools that let managers simulate different project timelines, resource allocations, and staffing configurations before committing to changes. This is particularly valuable for organizations evaluating whether to take on new projects or restructure existing ones. You can model the impact of pulling a key resource off one project and onto another without making any live changes.
Early Warning System
The early warning system monitors for potential problems across the portfolio: skills shortages, unavailable resources, low utilization rates, cost or time overruns, and excessive bench time. Alerts are surfaced to managers proactively, reducing the need for manual monitoring. One organization reported that this feature helped reduce regular resourcing meetings from two hours per week to roughly ten minutes.
Real-Time Business Intelligence
Saviom provides customizable dashboards and analytics powered by real-time data. Reports can be filtered, drilled into, and exported to Excel or PDF. Color-coded heatmaps visualize utilization across the organization at a glance. The platform supports hundreds of report types and integrates with Power BI for organizations that need more advanced analytics.
Dashboard customization is extensive, though setting up the right views requires some upfront configuration time and, ideally, a dedicated system administrator.
Resource Requisition Workflow
Project managers can submit formal resource requests through Saviom’s requisition workflow, which routes requests through approval chains. This replaces the informal email-and-spreadsheet approach that plagues many organizations and creates an auditable trail of resource allocation decisions. The system can match requests against available resources based on skills, certifications, and availability.
Open Seat Feature
A more recent addition, the Open Seat feature allows resources to browse available project opportunities and express interest. This introduces an element of self-selection into the allocation process, which can improve engagement and retention by giving team members some agency over their assignments.
Time and Expense Tracking
Saviom includes timesheet management with approval workflows and billable hours tracking. Leave tracking is also integrated, so resource availability calculations automatically account for planned absences. While this is not a full-featured time-and-billing system, it covers the essentials needed for utilization measurement and project costing.
Saviom Pricing and Plans
Saviom does not publish pricing on its website. All pricing is quote-based, determined by the number of licenses purchased and the specific product modules required. This is typical for enterprise resource management tools, but it does make comparison shopping difficult.
Saviom uses three license types:
| License Type | Access Level | Intended Users |
|---|---|---|
| Power License | Full access: scheduling, editing, reports, filtering, authority assignment | Resource managers, project managers, team leaders |
| Lite License | View-only access; cannot edit schedules or configurations | Stakeholders, executives, team members who need visibility |
| Non-User License | No direct system access; can be scheduled on projects by others | Individual contributors who do not need to log into Saviom |
Billing is based only on the number of Power and Lite licenses purchased. Adding more employees to the database as Non-User licenses does not increase costs, which is a meaningful distinction for large organizations where many staff members need to be scheduled but not all need system access.
Saviom is generally positioned at the higher end of the pricing spectrum for resource management software. Per-license costs can accumulate quickly, especially for organizations with 50+ users who need Power or Lite access. The view-only Lite license can feel expensive when many stakeholders need read-only visibility.
A 60-day customized free trial is available, which is notably generous compared to the 14-day trials common in the category. This extended trial period reflects the complexity of the product; you will need time to configure it properly before you can evaluate it fairly.
One important cost consideration: Saviom is not a vendor-hosted SaaS product. If you choose cloud deployment, you will need to arrange third-party cloud hosting (such as AWS or Azure), which adds to the total cost of ownership. On-premise deployment requires your own server infrastructure.
Integrations
Saviom offers a solid integration ecosystem for an enterprise resource management tool. The platform supports real-time and batch integrations with a range of business systems, and the vendor claims two-way sync with 60+ applications.
Confirmed native integrations include:
- Project Management: Jira, MS Project
- CRM: Salesforce
- ERP: SAP, Oracle NetSuite
- HR/Payroll: ADP
- Accounting: QuickBooks, WorkflowMax
- Productivity: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook
- Analytics: Power BI
- Automation: Zapier
- Time Tracking: eppiq Timer
An open API is available for custom integrations, which is important for enterprise buyers who need to connect Saviom to proprietary or less common systems. Zapier support also opens the door to hundreds of additional app connections without custom development.
That said, some integrations require configuration effort and may involve the risk of data duplication if not set up carefully. Organizations should budget for integration setup time and potentially dedicate a system administrator to manage ongoing data flows.
Customer Support
Saviom provides a dedicated account manager to each customer, which is a significant differentiator from competitors that rely on tiered support models. Support channels include phone, email, and live chat. A knowledge base with FAQs and forums is also available for self-service troubleshooting.
The vendor releases point updates every 8 to 10 weeks, which is a healthy cadence for an enterprise product. These regular releases suggest active development and a willingness to address issues and add features incrementally rather than through infrequent major upgrades.
Support quality is generally well-regarded. The team is described as readily available and responsive to requests. However, documentation could be more comprehensive. For a product this complex, the available self-service materials do not always match the depth of functionality, which can make the onboarding period more dependent on direct support interactions than it should be.
Initial setup typically requires system administrator involvement, and the vendor provides implementation assistance. Given the steep learning curve associated with the platform, organizations should plan for a more involved onboarding process than they might expect from a modern SaaS tool.
Pros and Cons
Saviom’s strengths and weaknesses follow a predictable pattern for mature enterprise software: deep functionality paired with usability and deployment challenges. Here is our assessment based on thorough analysis of the platform’s capabilities and real-world performance.
Pros
- Multidimensional scheduler supports 25+ dimensions (role, project, team, location, skills, etc.), providing exceptionally granular resource visibility
- Advanced forecasting and capacity planning tools that project future resource demand and identify shortages before they impact projects
- What-if analysis and scenario modeling allow managers to simulate staffing changes without affecting live schedules
- Generous 60-day customized free trial provides adequate time to configure and evaluate the platform with real data
- Dedicated account manager for each customer, with regular point releases every 8-10 weeks showing active development
- Broad integration ecosystem with 60+ apps including Jira, Salesforce, SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Power BI, and an open API
- Early warning system proactively surfaces skills shortages, utilization issues, and cost overruns before they escalate
Cons
- User interface looks dated and needs modernization; the vendor has acknowledged this but updates have been slow
- Steep learning curve requires dedicated system administrator and extended onboarding period
- Not a true SaaS product; cloud deployment requires arranging third-party hosting, adding cost and complexity
- No public pricing; per-license costs can accumulate quickly, especially for organizations with 50+ users needing Power or Lite access
- Performance can degrade with very large datasets (700+ resources and 400+ projects)
- Limited to English only, which may be a barrier for global organizations
- Lacks native budget tracking and does not support assigning multiple roles to a single staff member
- Self-service documentation is limited relative to the platform's complexity
Who Should Use Saviom?
Saviom is best suited for mid-to-large enterprises with 200+ employees that need to manage resource allocation across a complex portfolio of projects. The typical Saviom customer is an organization generating $100 million or more in annual revenue, operating in industries like IT services, engineering, architecture, consulting, audit, accounting, legal, construction, or professional services.
The platform is ideal for organizations where resource allocation decisions directly impact profitability, where managers need to forecast demand months in advance, and where the cost of misallocating a senior consultant or engineer is measured in tens of thousands of dollars per project. If your resource planning currently involves spreadsheets, lengthy weekly meetings, and gut instincts, Saviom can formalize and optimize that process.
Saviom is not the right fit for small teams (under 50 people), organizations that need a general-purpose project management tool, or companies looking for a simple drag-and-drop scheduler without enterprise complexity. If you need task management, Kanban boards, or agile sprint planning as your primary use case, lighter tools will serve you better and cost far less. Similarly, organizations that require a true multi-tenant SaaS deployment without managing their own hosting infrastructure should look elsewhere.
Saviom Alternatives
Planview: A direct enterprise competitor that offers a broader suite covering portfolio management, strategic planning, and Lean/Agile delivery alongside resource management. Planview is a better fit for organizations that want a single platform spanning strategy-to-delivery, but it comes with even higher costs and complexity. Choose Planview if you need strategic portfolio optimization alongside resource scheduling.
Kantata (formerly Mavenlink): A strong alternative for professional services firms that want resource management tightly integrated with project accounting, time tracking, and financial management in a true SaaS model. Kantata’s resource planning is less dimensionally rich than Saviom’s, but the overall workflow for services organizations is more cohesive. Choose Kantata if you want a cloud-native PSA platform with solid resource management built in.
Smartsheet: A far more accessible and affordable option for organizations that want visual resource management without the enterprise overhead. Smartsheet lacks Saviom’s depth of forecasting and multidimensional scheduling, but it compensates with ease of use, broad adoption across teams, and a genuine SaaS delivery model. Choose Smartsheet if your resource management needs are moderate and user adoption is a priority.
Float: A modern, lightweight resource scheduling tool with a clean interface and transparent pricing. Float is purpose-built for resource scheduling and capacity planning but does not approach Saviom’s feature depth for enterprise scenarios. Choose Float if you have 20 to 200 people to schedule and want something your team will actually use without extensive training.
Runn: Another modern resource management tool that emphasizes simplicity, real-time resource planning, and financial forecasting. Runn targets agencies and professional services firms that find enterprise tools like Saviom too complex for their needs. Choose Runn if you want clean resource planning with financial visibility at a fraction of Saviom’s cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saviom a cloud-based or on-premise solution?
Saviom supports both on-premise and cloud deployment, but it is not a vendor-hosted SaaS product. For cloud deployment, you need to arrange third-party hosting (such as AWS or Azure) or use Saviom’s partner network. The platform is web-based HTML5 and works on any modern browser or tablet regardless of deployment method.
How much does Saviom cost?
Saviom does not publish pricing. All quotes are customized based on the number of Power and Lite licenses required and the product modules selected. The platform is generally considered to be at the higher end of the resource management pricing spectrum. Contact Saviom directly for a quote.
Does Saviom offer a free trial?
Yes. Saviom offers a 60-day customized free trial, which is significantly longer than the industry standard of 14 days. The trial is tailored to your organization’s requirements, giving you time to configure the system and evaluate it with real data.
What industries is Saviom best suited for?
Saviom is most commonly used in IT services, engineering, architecture, consulting, audit and accounting, legal, construction, mining, and professional services. The platform is designed for any industry where allocating skilled professionals to projects is a core business challenge.
Does Saviom integrate with Jira and Salesforce?
Yes. Saviom offers native integrations with Jira and Salesforce, among other tools. The platform also integrates with SAP, Oracle NetSuite, ADP, QuickBooks, MS Project, Excel, Outlook, Power BI, and Zapier. An open API is available for custom integrations.
What is the difference between Power and Lite licenses?
Power licenses provide full access to scheduling, editing, reporting, filtering, and administrative functions. Lite licenses are view-only, allowing users to see schedules and reports but not make changes. There is also a Non-User license for people who need to be scheduled on projects but do not require direct access to the system.
Is Saviom difficult to learn?
Saviom has a steep learning curve, particularly for users who are new to enterprise resource management software. The platform’s extensive feature set and configurability require significant upfront setup and training. Organizations should plan for a dedicated system administrator and allow several weeks for onboarding and configuration.
The Bottom Line
Saviom is a powerful, deeply configurable resource management platform that delivers genuine value for large enterprises wrestling with complex resource allocation challenges. The multidimensional scheduler, advanced forecasting, and scenario modeling tools are among the best available in the category. For organizations where resource utilization directly drives profitability, Saviom provides the visibility and control that spreadsheets and simpler tools cannot match.
The tradeoffs are real, though. The interface feels dated compared to modern SaaS competitors. The learning curve is steep enough to risk adoption failure without strong executive sponsorship and dedicated administrative support. The non-SaaS deployment model adds complexity and cost. And the lack of pricing transparency makes it hard to budget without engaging the sales team directly.
We recommend Saviom for enterprises with 200+ employees in professional services, engineering, IT, or consulting that have outgrown simpler tools and need portfolio-level resource visibility. If you fit that profile, the 60-day trial gives you ample time to evaluate the platform properly. If you are a smaller organization, or if ease of use and modern design are top priorities, alternatives like Float, Runn, or Kantata will likely serve you better at lower cost and with faster time to value.