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Reviewed · Updated 2026-06-19

ability smartforce

Workforce management and staffing optimization software for healthcare providers.

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team ·
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Pricing
Free Trial
Best for
Workforce planners
Category
Productivity & Collaboration
The bottom line

A solid enterprise healthcare scheduling platform, but opaque pricing and no free trial make it a commit-before-you-try purchase.

5.7
Our score
5.7 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
Custom pricing (contact vendor)
Features7/10
7 - Strong healthcare-specific scheduling, OSM, and ERP integrations; credential and attendance modules add depth.
Value4/10
4 - Custom-only pricing with no trial, and user reviews rate value at 3/5; hard to assess ROI before committing.
Ease of use5/10
5 - Web and mobile access are useful, but reported bugs and limited cross-location UX drag ease scores down.
Ecosystem7/10
7 - Solid enterprise ERP integrations (PeopleSoft, Kronos, Lawson, ADP); fits large health system tech stacks well.
Support5/10
5 - Offers 24/7 chat, phone, email, and training, but user reviews consistently rate support at 3/5.
What it really is

ABILITY SMARTFORCE (by Inovalon) — cloud-based shift scheduling and open shift management for healthcare organizations.

Our take

ABILITY SMARTFORCE Scheduler (formerly ShiftHound) is an enterprise-grade healthcare workforce management platform owned by Inovalon since 2018. The DB mislabels it under 'Productivity & Collaboration' — it is specifically healthcare staff scheduling software. DB pricing of '$29/user/month' and a 'free_trial' tier are both incorrect: all current sources confirm custom/quote-only pricing with no free trial available.

Why we rate it

ABILITY SMARTFORCE earns points for deep healthcare-specific workflow support — shift swapping, OSM, cross-facility visibility, and enterprise ERP integrations — but loses ground on transparency, value (user reviews rate value 3/5), and limited public evaluation options.

The catch

No free trial, no public pricing, and user reviews flag recurring bugs (dropdown glitches) and poor cross-location visibility. Customer support scores are below average (3/5).

Best for
Hospital and health system scheduling teams managing complex multi-unit shift coverage
Healthcare HR teams needing ERP integrations (PeopleSoft, Kronos, Lawson)
Organizations seeking automated staffing-to-patient-demand alignment
Not good for
Small clinics or practices that need simple, affordable scheduling tools
Teams wanting a free trial or transparent self-serve pricing
Non-healthcare industries (retail, hospitality) seeking general workforce tools
Friction report
Time to value
Slow: enterprise onboarding, custom implementation, and no self-serve trial mean time-to-value is measured in weeks, not minutes.
Scale breakpoint
Multi-facility cross-location visibility is a known weakness; scheduling across many sites can strain the platform's UX.
Walled garden
Moderate: integrates with major enterprise HRMs (PeopleSoft, Kronos), but the platform's workflows and data are largely Inovalon-ecosystem-centric.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternatives

Step up

Inovalon's broader workforce analytics suite for full predictive staffing and compliance intelligence.

Lighter alternative

ShiftWizard or NurseGrid for smaller healthcare teams that need simpler, affordable nurse scheduling.

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Tags

#FieldService#Scheduling

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