Excel or Workload for capacity planning?
Excel works to start (< 15 IT staff, few projects). Workload makes sense from 30–50 IT staff or many parallel projects: automatic overload detection, consolidated capacity view, timesheet integrations — 14-day free trial, from $59/month. Typical ROI by saving 5–10 h/week of manual consolidation.
Features by plan
Jira Tempo, Azure DevOps, and Toggl integrations from the Professional plan
The Starter plan includes the full trial and CSV import; native integrations start on Professional.
Compare plans →Excel vs Workload
Excel is where many IT departments start. Workload automates what spreadsheets can't: real-time conflicts, net capacity, timesheet, and IT portfolio.
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Switch to Workload if…
- Multiple shared Excel files and version conflicts
- Can't see overload in real time
- Manual consolidation > 5 h/week
- Need to link planned (capacity) and actual (timesheet)
- IT team > 30 people or portfolio > 10 projects
Excel is still enough if…
- Small IT team (< 15 people)
- Few simultaneous projects (< 5)
- Single master file, few changes
- No timesheet or CIO reporting need
Frequently asked questions
Can we migrate from Excel to Workload?
Yes. Workload imports CSV/Excel with mapping wizard (teams, projects, allocations). Most IT departments migrate in one day.
What ROI when leaving Excel?
IT departments typically save 5–10 h/week on consolidation, reduce undetected overload, and speed up capacity trade-offs. Use our ROI calculator at /calculator-roi.
Do we have to abandon Excel completely?
No. Many customers export from Workload to Excel for ad-hoc analysis. Workload becomes the capacity source of truth; Excel remains an export tool.
Does Workload offer a free trial?
Yes — 14-day free trial with no credit card at simpleworkload.com/register. CSV import on Starter (~30 minutes for first setup).
Do you need Jira to use Workload?
No. Workload runs standalone with CSV/Excel import (Starter). Jira Tempo and Azure DevOps integrations are on the Professional plan.
What IT team size is Workload built for?
CIO and IT PMO teams from 20 to 500 people. Below 15 staff Excel may suffice; from 30–50 onward a dedicated tool typically pays off quickly.
Can you migrate from Excel or an existing PPM?
Yes. Workload offers CSV/Excel, Sciforma, and MS Project migration kits with guided wizards. Most IT departments migrate teams and projects in hours.
Does Workload replace full enterprise PPM?
Not at multi-BU PPM parity. Workload is the tactical IT capacity layer (teams, allocations, conflicts, timesheet) — often alongside Sciforma/Planview or replacing Excel.
Which timesheet integrations are available?
Jira Tempo, Azure DevOps, Toggl, and Clockify (Professional plan). Workload compares planned vs actual for CIO reporting and PvA variance.
How does Workload handle intelligent allocation?
Transparent 0–100 scoring (skills ~60%, availability ~40%) with conflict detection — no opaque ML on your data. Generative AI may enrich explanatory text only.