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The 5 Best Excel Project Management Templates

• Last updated March 21, 2024

Fact Checked By Cindy Wong

Looking for Excel project management templates? You’ve come to the right place! I like using pre-designed templates because they save time and help me manage my project more effectively.

If you’re looking for project management templates in Excel, click “ Home ” > “ More Templates .” Then, you can search for an appropriate template that fits your needs.

Table of Contents

Benefits of Using Excel for Project Management

An Excel project management template is handy for several reasons, including:

• Efficiency and Saving Time: Excel templates save you time because you don’t need to create your own from scratch. They’re also dynamic, changing depending on the input, making them very efficient.
• Clear Task Assignment and Management:  Excel project management templates help break down project tasks into manageable components. They assign responsibilities to team members, set deadlines, and track task progress, all aided by helpful features like checkboxes, drop-down lists, and progress bars.
• Communication and Collaboration:  The templates help to establish effective communication between you and your team. Comments, notes, or discussion sections within the template allow team members to communicate and provide feedback on tasks or project components.
• Resource Management: They help you plan for and manage project resources, including human resources, inventory , materials, equipment, and finances. And there are many more for businesses. Check out my expense report templates .
• Quality Management:  They define quality standards and requirements for project deliverables, establish quality assurance processes, and implement quality control measures to ensure that project outcomes meet you and your team’s expectations.
• Change Management: Excel project Templates help you manage changes to project scope, schedule, and budgets, especially when working with a large team. Additionally, you can track document change requests and obtain necessary approvals before implementing changes.
• Progress Tracking and Reporting : Project management templates help you monitor project progress against established milestones and timelines and track key performance indicators (KPIs). They also make it easy to generate progress reports to keep you and your team informed about project status and performance.
• Document Management:  The templates help centralize project documentation, including project plans, schedules, inventories, meeting minutes, and other relevant documents, to ensure easy access and retrieval by your team members.

The most efficient Excel project management templates include the following features:

• Project plans
• Budget sheets
• Risk assessment forms
• Communication plans

How To Find Excel Project Management Templates in the Excel Template Gallery

As mentioned earlier, Excel has a wealth of free Excel project management tracking templates that you can easily access.

If you have never used the Excel gallery before, follow these simple instructions and enter a new world of efficiency.

Here’s how to find a project management template in Excel’s template gallery :

• Open Excel and go to “ Home” > “More Templates .”

• Type “ Project ” in the search bar and hit “ Enter .”

• Scroll and find a template you like.
• This will open a new workbook with your template, and you can start customizing it.

Depending on your version of Excel, you can also go to the “ Home ” menu, click “ New, ” and search for free project management Excel templates from there.

Now, let’s look at some of my favorite project management Excel templates.

Some of my favorite project management templates in Excel are free in the online template gallery. Below is a mix of templates available in Excel’s gallery or my pre-made templates.

If you want to use any of these templates, you download and customize the template rather than making one from scratch.

Just make sure you click on “ Edit a copy ” in the top right corner or “ File ” > “ Save as ” > “ Download a copy .”

1. Project Planner Template

Access the Template

The Project Planner Gantt template is a free Excel project management template that you can find in the template gallery.

This template has a simple table for inputting your activities and periods and a Gantt chart dashboard for visualizing the timelines for each activity.

I particularly like this template because it is excellent for tracking the timelines of tasks in a project. However, the downside is that it uses periods for intervals instead of dates, which might not suit your project (that’s why I’ve included a custom Gantt chart in this list, too).

The template has the following features:

• Columns for activity names, statuses, planned start, start duration, and end duration.
• A Gantt chart to visualize the timeline for each activity in the project
• Visual indicators, such as color-coded cells or icons, indicate the progress of the project statuses  (e.g., plan duration, actual start, completed).
• Filters and sorting options to organize projects by status, priority, or deadlines.

2. Custom Project Management Spreadsheet Template

Access Template

If you’re looking for an all-rounder Excel Gantt chart template for project management, this template is for you.

Our Project Management spreadsheet template is versatile and suitable for various project management components.

It’s similar to the standard Microsoft Excel library, but I’ve made it easier to track calendar dates. I have also included more room for project details.

The best features of this template include:

• Detailed task list with columns for task names, descriptions, assigned resources, start dates, end dates, durations, and statuses.
• Drop-down function to highlight overdue tasks, upcoming deadlines, and completed tasks.
• Filters and sorting options to organize tasks based on various criteria.
• A Gantt chart to visualize the timelines for each task.
• Automatic calculation of task durations and end dates based on start and end dates.
• Task tracking for complex projects.

3. Project Tracker Template

This project plan template is simple and easily customizable, with features that let you track multiple projects.

It is a straightforward solution for maintaining a centralized list of projects. This project-tracking Excel template is designed to help project managers monitor and oversee the progress of multiple projects simultaneously and divide labor throughout the projects’ workload.

The key features include:

• A comprehensive table view to track multiple projects simultaneously.
• Columns for project names, descriptions, statuses, start dates, end dates, and assigned employees and project managers.
• A color-coded progress bar to track the progress of each task.
• Work breakdown structure for several projects as part of
• Interactive features, such as drop-down menus, for user-friendly navigation and data entry.

4. Project List Excel Template

This template is also part of Excel’s online template gallery. It is a simple table with columns for different aspects of the project you want to track.

This Project List Excel template is the best for beginners since it’s easy to understand and edit.

One thing to note is that there is no Gantt chart or other visualization, making it more appropriate for smaller projects with fewer stakeholders or employees.

It offers a structured approach to task management, enabling users to create task lists, prioritize activities, assign responsibilities, and track progress seamlessly.

It includes the following features:

• Customizable spreadsheet with columns for different project management components (e.g., task name, assigned to, duration, and work hours).
• Standardized formats for documenting project information.
• Built-in formulas for automatic calculations, data analysis, and reporting.
• Conditional formatting to flag work hours under specific values.
• A “setup” tab will allow you to alter drop-down lists.

5. Project Timeline Excel Template

The Project Timeline template is another Excel template available in the online template gallery.

Using timelines as project management tools makes it easy to visualize the business plan throughout the entire project.

It provides a clear and concise overview of project milestones, deadlines, and critical events, enabling you to understand project progress and milestones at a glance. This task management Excel template is an excellent asset for time-sensitive projects.

• A simple list format to track basic project information such as activities, start dates, end dates, and notes.
• An editable timeline to highlight critical project milestones or deadlines.
• Various sorting options to arrange projects alphabetically, by start date, or by status.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can excel be used for project management.

Excel has many useful features for project management. These include:

• Drop-down menus
• Progress bars

These features create an excellent project management template, depending on your needs. I like to incorporate task list tables with a Gantt chart in my templates to keep track of project components, but there are plenty of options in the template library.

Does Excel have a Project Management Template?

Plenty of free project management Excel templates exist in Excel’s template gallery. Alternatively, you can visit Excel’s template gallery to see the full range. Go to “ Home ” > “ More Templates .”

Wrapping Up

In this guide, I’ve explored five of the best Excel project management templates, including some from Excel’s template gallery and some of our own.

These templates are designed to streamline project planning, execution, and monitoring. Each template offers unique features tailored to specific project management needs. Alternatively, look at our guide for the best Excel business templates . I also have a guide especially for project managers who use Google Sheets. You can find that guide here .

Which template did you find most useful? Are there any from the template library you think we should add to our list? Let us know in the comments section below.

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The 9 Best Project Management Templates for Excel (Free)

Project managers are known for their decisiveness and time management.

A project’s success depends on how a project manager identifies, plans, and employs the resources available for any given project (especially the timespan).

If you, too, have a complicated project ahead of you that requires sophisticated planning – don’t sail all the way along alone. 😃

Bringing you the best templates, Excel consistently provides a solution for everything. It offers a wide variety of project management templates that make your job all the easier.

To learn what these templates are and how you may use them, continue reading.

Table of Contents

Why Project Management in Excel?

Template 1: Gantt Chart

Template 2: Project Budget

Template 3: Action Item Report

Template 4: Project Dashboard

Template 5: Multiple Project Tracking

Template 6: Status Report

Template 7: Critical Path Method

Template 8: Project Timeline and Budget

Template 9: Content Calendar

There’s no denying the plethora of software for managing projects in the market. A new project management software comes out daily, better than the previous versions.

But even with all the excellence. Not a single software has been able to take the place of Excel project management – and there’s no wonder why.

Microsoft Excel is by far one of the most efficient software for managing tasks. And a huge number of project managers all around the world only use Excel for their work.

Their familiarity with the Excel spreadsheet greatly contributes to the software’s favor. Excel offers so many wonderful project management templates, and a lot of them are for FREE! 🤩

However, know that you can always switch to Microsoft Project software. That is if you prefer more advanced project tracker template options.

Now, let’s see the templates Excel has to offer.

1. Gantt Chart Template

The Gantt Chart template is a very helpful visual tool. It gives you an overview of the project schedule of your team at all times.

A typical example of its use can be a small content creation agency. It needs a system to assign tasks and keep a record of the deliverables. This way, you are never behind schedule.

In the Gantt chart, all the data is represented in color-coded bars. And you can customize them for different teams and individuals by changing the colors, elements, and more.

You can divide the tasks into phases or milestones with a summary of their progress. The chart also offers different layouts, and you can choose any one that suits your needs and appeals to the eye.

Excel has different variations of the Gantt chart template, from simpler ones to advanced charts. One of the most used Gantt chart templates includes the  Vertex42 Simple Gantt Chart .

You can get it from Excel templates as well. And if you don’t understand  how to create a Gantt chart , try watching this YouTube tutorial.

In addition to the simple template, you can also use the  Ultimate Excel Gantt Chart . That is if you are a business that is constantly expanding. This graph can be a bit difficult to understand, but nothing a  YouTube video  can’t solve.

2. Project Budget Template

Finalizing the budget is the first step toward successful project management. And you wouldn’t want to make any mistake here as it sets the base of the project.

You must keep track of all the expenses from start to end, and the project budget template helps you do just that.

It color-codes Balance when you are exceeding your project’s budget. This is your cue to reconsider the expenses. The best part is that you can set expenses per team, phase, equipment, travel, and others using this.

You can get the all-in-one Project Budget template from  the Project Manager . It can even help you set an estimate for all the project resources and costs. The template comes with two sheets, including a how-to guide.

But it isn’t limited to that. You can explore other options. And even customize a project budget template using  SmartSheet .

3. Action Item Report Template

The Action Item Report is one of the most useful Excel templates. Every company has a to-do list of items assigned to its team.

The Action template lets you organize the tasks and keep the workflow going swiftly. It lets you set the task status as high, low, or medium and shows each task’s progress in one glance.

You can rank tasks, update deadlines and pay special attention to team members who need help.

It is the perfect template for effective project management. You can get the Action template from Excel or from  Vertex 42  – both work wonderfully. 😉

4. Project Dashboard Template

The project dashboard template gives you a bird’s eye view of all the tasks and their statuses.

It gives you a visual representation of where your team stands. And gives you the latest key performance metrics every time.

You can also choose the layout or style you want in your Excel project management template. This makes it easy to understand the project phases.

And the best part is that this  Project Dashboard template  is 100% free – the only fee is your Email.

Protip: Check out my top-6 dashboard templates here !

5. Multiple Project Tracking Template

Being a project manager is not an easy task. Managing multiple tasks and supervising the team spells difficult. And on top of that, sending daily reports to authorities is enough exertion.

A little help in the form of a reliable project planning timeline template is necessary. It can be a tad bit complex to understand, but once you get a hold of it, you should be able to do it with your eyes closed.

The  Multiple Project Tracking Template  lets you manage all the tasks in one go. You can add as many projects as you like, manage over 40 tasks at once, and you get all this for free! Isn’t that amazing?

Download yours today and manage your daily tasks with a few clicks only. 😃

6. Status Report Template

There is nothing more embarrassing than being the project manager and not having the correct project details. Luckily, we have the Status Report template to save the day.

It lets you keep an eye on your progress as a team and identify challenges. So you can prepare for the next project while keeping the data compact and concise.

You can also keep strict and clear intel on the workflow. And this is so important while managing different projects.

If you are not already using the  Status Report template , you are working blind-eyed. And the resources of the project are subject to threat.

Using the Project Status Report template, you will know where the team members lack and how you can help them. This helps construct more relevant and purposeful follow-ups than simply increasing the bottlenecks.

7. Critical Path Method Template

CPM has a special place when it comes to project management.

With the Critical Path Method, you can pay special attention to tasks that are long overdue. Provide extra resources, and determine which task requires more consideration with increased proficiency.

Usually, you’d need specialized software to keep track of such details. But now all you need is the CPM software.

The best part is that it’s so simple you don’t need to learn any new formulas or terms to perform a critical analysis. Moreover, you can simply copy and paste data acting upon a few guidelines.

The CPM uses a Gantt chart that works like a bar chart . But offers more benefits with increased ease of use and low cost.

Creating and designing a CPM is truly a challenging task. But with this new, free version of  Critical Path Method , provided by Vertex42, you can set it up in minutes. 😀

8. Project Timeline Template

Project timelines are great for having an overview of all important tasks. They give you an insight into the project plan that you and your team can follow timely.

This way, there are no communication gaps. And everyone is well aware of their tasks and the deadlines approaching. It really adds to a more peaceful and organized working environment.

You can also customize the template as you like. You change the color bars from 6 different colors. And quickly insert and delete milestones.

Although this template is very resourceful, creating it can be tedious. This is why we’ve brought you the  free Project Timeline template  that has everything prepared for you. Just erase the existing text and add your own – you’re good to go!

9. Content Calendar Template

If you’re a blogger or a social media person, a content calendar is your go-to tool. And without a calendar, you’re knee-deep in trouble. 😬

But thank God we have Excel to our rescue.

The brilliant  Content Calendar template  of Vertex42 is tailor-made for your needs. It will take you through all the chaos – from planning content to publishing it.

It will not only help you plan your content but also track its progress and schedule content to post.

Once you get a hold of it, it will really be your best friend in times of urgency. A single glance at your calendar in the morning, and you’re well prepared for the tasks of the day.

And the best part is that it’s free to use, unlike the other expensive, good-for-nothing project management software. So get your free Content Calendar template today!

That’s it – Now what?

This article helped us learn a lot about project management Excel templates. And how they can help you better organize and manage your projects.

But it doesn’t end here. You can choose any project schedule template from the Microsoft Excel templates. And even customize one to fit your needs.

If you are new to Excel, try our Excel course designed specifically for you. Where you learn some core Excel functions like the VLOOKUP, IF, and SUMIF functions.

To become a pro at these functions (and others),  enroll in my 30-minute free email course  today. 😃

Other resources

Excel has been a major hub of project management templates for years now. And it is improving with each passing day.

All these advancements make it a more reliable software for managing project tasks.

You can use Excel not only for project management but also to create  Dashboard ,  Budget , and  Power BI templates .

To read more such interesting articles, head on to our website. See you there! 😉

10 Powerful Excel Project Management Templates for Tracking Anything

Want Microsoft Excel to manage your projects? Use these free Microsoft Excel spreadsheet templates for tracking any project!

Project management templates are an essential tool for replicating successful projects. With Microsoft Excel's free templates, you can turn your simple spreadsheets into powerful project management tools.

In this article, you'll find some of the most useful and free Microsoft Excel project management and project tracking templates you'll want to use for your next project.

Microsoft Excel Project Timeline Templates

Let's take a look at the best Microsoft Excel project management templates.

We cover both native and third-party templates here. To find the pre-installed Excel spreadsheet templates, open Excel and search for the respective keyword from the New document screen.

If you're already in Excel, go to File > New to bring up the template search. Check the Managing Microsoft Excel Templates section below for more details.

Excel comes with several timelines and Gantt chart templates provided by Microsoft, but it also integrates templates from Vertex42, one of the most popular third-party resources for spreadsheets.

1. Work Plan Timeline

The Work Plan Timeline template is suitable for a basic project with multiple phases. When you enter your data into the worksheet, the roadmap will update automatically. This template comes pre-installed in Microsoft Excel 2016 and up.

2. Date Tracking Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are a staple in every project manager's toolset. They help you visualize the flow of your tasks and track progress.

With this template, you can create a comprehensive Gantt chart with minimal effort. Just enter each task, complete with a description, who it's assigned to, a percentage to indicate progress, a start date, and allocated days until completion. This template is a Microsoft Excel default.

3. Milestone and Task Project Timeline

If you want to integrate milestones into a basic timeline, this template provided by Vertex42 is ideal. It combines the best elements of a Gantt chart, i.e. the visualization of the task flow, with milestones hovering above the timeline.

Just fill in the respective tables to populate the visual. You can find this template by searching in Excel.

Excel Project Plan Templates

A project plan is a document that may require Excel charts, but is otherwise composed in Microsoft Word. For basic projects, however, you may get away with only a Microsoft Excel document.

4. Simple Gantt Chart

When you search Excel's template repository for project plan templates, you'll mainly find different Gantt chart variations, including this Simple Gantt Chart from Vertex42. What sets it apart from the Gantt chart above is the inclusion of project phases. This template is included in Microsoft Excel.

5. Event Planner Template

A project plan really isn't something you typically put together in Excel. However, if you are planning a small project, like a party, you just need a one-page template that lists the essential tasks and lets you define a schedule and a budget. This template from Office Templates Online is a great start.

Excel Project Tracker Template

A search for a tracker will bring up a wild mix of personal and business-related Excel spreadsheet templates for tracking. However, you can narrow down your search by selecting categories that relate to the project management task you're dealing with.

6. Activity-Based Cost Tracker

This tracking template can help you get an overview of direct, indirect, and general and administrative product costs.

7. Project Tracking Template

This Vertex42 template is essential if you are handling multiple different clients, projects, and/or deliverables. It combines project details, expenses, task statuses, and due dates.

Business Plan Templates

Microsoft Excel 2016 had its own category for business plans. You could search for the keyword business and select the Business Plans category on the right.

In Excel 2019 and onwards, you can perform either query, but the latter misses some templates, while the former might be overwhelming. We recommend looking into the following.

Business Plan Checklist

Creating a business plan can be a complex project in and of itself. This checklist will help you cover all your bases by guiding you through the process using a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis.

Note that you'll find two similar templates in Excel, but they're both identical SWOT analysis checklists, differing only in their formatting.

Startup Expenses

This template is a great starting point for a budding business owner who needs some help with projecting the costs of their endeavor. The template will guide you through the most common assets and services your new business might require.

Once you've filled in all the potential expenses, you'll have a much better idea of how much funding you'll need to raise to get your business up and running. For more business plan templates , take a look at our dedicated article.

Search for Online Templates

Couldn't find the exact project management template you need in Excel? Turn to a third-party online resource for a wide selection of Excel spreadsheet templates. We recommend the following sites.

This website has a few great project management templates for Microsoft Office 2003 and up. The site notes that its templates are mostly related to project scheduling. Anything more complicated might require Microsoft Project or other project management software.

On the page dedicated to project management , you'll find a list of useful material, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Project Budgeting
• Critical Path Method

Each page contains a quick rundown of what the template does, one or more templates, and further tips and tricks for the respective project management tool. It's a great resource for budding project managers.

TidyForm has a respectable selection of Microsoft Excel project management templates. The most popular categories are listed on the homepage. If you can't immediately spot what you need, switch to the Business section or try the search feature.

When you scroll to the bottom of a section, you'll see a list of popular categories and related categories. This can be helpful when trying to find just the right template. We recommend the following pages:

• Project Budget
• Project Proposal
• Work Breakdown Structure

Still looking for the perfect template? You might have to create custom Excel templates to get exactly what you want.

Managing Microsoft Excel Templates

First, let's see what templates you already have installed in Microsoft Excel. For the purpose of this demonstration, we've used Excel 2019, but the procedure is similar in Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 2016.

Default Templates

When you start up Microsoft Excel, the first window you see will contain a search field for online templates. When you're starting from an existing workbook, go to File > New to arrive at the same view.

Microsoft Excel comes with a selection of pre-installed templates. They are listed underneath the search field. You can pin your favorite ones by clicking the respective symbol in the bottom right of the listing.

Search Online for More Project Templates (Excel 2016)

Searching for the type of template you need is the fastest way to locate it. For example, if you search for the term "project," you may also see template categories listed next to the templates that match your search. The category feature no longer appears in Excel 2019.

Narrow Down Your Search (Excel 2016)

A neat feature is that you can narrow down your search by selecting multiple categories. This helps you exclude templates that may match your keyword, but not your desired category. On the downside, you may find that the perfect template is not available in Microsoft Excel.

Preview & Create Your Template

When you click a template, you'll see a preview with a brief description of what the template provides. You can also pin the template from its preview; the symbol sits in the top right.

To download and use a template, click the Create button, which will open a new Microsoft Excel workbook with the template pre-filled.

Template Ready, Set, Go

Now that you have all the project management templates you could ever need, maybe you're interested in additional tools, tips, and tricks. For example, you could build a custom interactive Excel dashboard to manage data within your projects. The possibilities are endless.

• Sign up — it's free

Complete Guide to Gantt Charts

Top 5 excel project management templates, what’s a rich text element.

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

Having the right tools is crucial for successfully planning and executing a project, regardless of your project management experience.

For example, you can easily organize your entire project plan using pre-built, customizable project planning templates . 

Working with templates provides structure, helps clarify project requirements, and promotes collaborative work .

Spreadsheet.com features a gallery of templates for this purpose, but if you're looking for Excel project management templates, you’re in the right place. 

Using Excel for Project Management

Created by Microsoft for the purpose of analyzing data, Excel has over 750 million users worldwide. Despite its lack of team collaboration features , Excel is one of the most commonly used project management tools.

With 11.4% of investment lost to poor project planning, having the right software is crucial to executing a successful project plan. That’s where project management templates come in. Here’s our pick of 5 Excel project management templates, some of which have been downloaded over 3 million times:

1. Excel Gantt Chart Project Schedule Template

Gantt charts provide a visual illustration of how much work is planned and how much progress has been made towards the goal. It helps to keep track of milestones and easily view their dependencies.

The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents different phases and milestones of a project. The Gantt chart is a helpful tool for managing time, resources, and workflows. 

This Gantt chart Excel template by Vertex42 has been downloaded over 3 million times. No learning curve is required - even novice Excel users can easily customize it.

Some of the core functionalities include the ability to add more tasks by simply copy-pasting rows. With a simple scroll, you can change the range of dates on your sheet.

If you need a template that sorts your main and sub-tasks and has advanced milestone features, consider using Spreadsheet.com’s Gantt Chart template . It’s built with team collaboration in mind with features like Row channels and Cell channels for messaging collaborators . Drag and drop task bars to change dates, create dependencies, and instantly visualize the overall status of your project.

2. Excel Task List Template

With columns as simple as task name, priority, end date, and notes, task lists come in handy to get an overview of each project task. Task list templates are easy to customize based on your project requirements and help you keep track of your team’s progress by monitoring status updates.

This Excel Project Task List template from Vertex42 lets you easily group your tasks by priority and track key dates to keep deadlines attainable and not overwhelming. You can also highlight the priority column and add a progress bar to monitor the task's status.

In addition to this Excel template, you can help your team prioritize their tasks with Spreadsheet.com’s Team Task List Template .

3. Excel Project Timeline Template

This project template uses a Gantt chart to generate a timeline view of all tasks and their dependencies and keeps track of upcoming weekly and monthly milestones, all organized chronologically.

Milestones serve as a way of tracking the progress of your project. Since every successful project depends on meeting deadlines, this Excel Project Timeline template could become an indispensable tool for your team. Establish a timeframe for each task within the project, use distinct colors for different tasks, and monitor how your project progresses towards completion.

Alternatively, consider this Project Timeline with Milestones Template from Spreadsheet.com to make sure your team is hitting their deadlines. 

4. Project Budgeting Template in Excel

When you’re managing a project, accurately tracking your project budget is essential. Consider using this Project Budget template from Vertex42 to keep your project on budget.

List tasks, estimate costs, track actual costs, and relay budget updates to stakeholders as the project progresses.

With this template, you can develop a project budget that incorporates all costs, such as labor, technology, fixed costs, travel, and other expenses. It can be adapted and customized to any industry.

Despite its simple appearance, this template comes with robust features for creating categories, tasks, and sub-tasks. 

It includes areas for details like fixed costs, actual amounts, and how far your project deviates from its budget. This allows project managers to visualize the entire budget and plan accordingly. 

Another option for managing your project budget is Spreadsheet.com’s Project Budget template . 

Managers can browse and sort through the overview Budget sheet and view tasks grouped by the owner, as well as by their state of completion.

5. Excel RACI Template for Project Management

RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. A RACI Template is sometimes referred to as a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) or linear responsibility chart (LRC). 

This RACI Matrix template for Excel from Vertex42 can be used by project managers for initiatives involving different team members with various roles and responsibilities across the organization. It provides a great system to break down tasks into smaller parts and visualize them.

To create the RACI matrix, specify the tasks required to complete the project and assign them to the appropriate individual or a team. Review the matrix with all relevant parties before implementing it to keep all stakeholders on the same page. This will help to ensure there is no confusion on who is responsible for what.

For another way to get clarity into everyone’s roles and responsibilities, try Spreadsheet.com’s RACI Matrix Template with a built-in Kanban view. It provides the same intuitive interface, color-coded layout, and numerous advanced features . 

With a variety of pre-built Excel and Spreadsheet.com project management templates , you can stay on top of your deadlines and keep accurate track of budgets. These templates are simple to customize, easy to adopt, and designed for users with all different levels of Excel experience.

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Excel Project Management Templates

There are hundreds of software tools for project management, but familiarity with spreadsheets and the flexiblity that they provide makes using Excel a very popular solution. The project templates listed here are mostly related to project scheduling . Our Gantt chart template is the most useful project management template that we offer. Anything more complicated would probably require Microsoft Project or other project management software.

Project Management Templates

Gantt chart / project schedule.

Vertex42's gantt chart template is a great tool for project scheduling and project tracking . The chart is created using conditional formatting and shows the completion status of each task.

Task List Templates

This page provides multiple templates for tracking tasks. The templates demonstrate various techniques for adding drop-down lists and conditional formatting with Excel.

Project Timeline Template

Create a project timeline in Excel using a stacked bar graph with milestones and different colors for different phases or categories.

Project Budgeting

Download 3 different types of project budget templates, for simple to complex projects. The WBS-based project budget works well in combination with our gantt chart template.

RACI Chart Template

Download a free RACI Matrix Template to assign roles to project tasks as Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.

Kanban Board Spreadsheet

Manage tasks collaboratively using an agile project management methodology.

Content Calendar Template

Plan your posts in advance using a social media content calendar template. Includes a Gantt-like timeline as well as a monthly calendar view.

Timeline Template

Our timeline template now includes a project timeline example that you can use to create a project schedule using an Excel chart. An interesting alternative to a gantt chart.

Critical Path Method

Perform a Critical Path Analysis using this spreadsheet. It automates the implementation of the PERT algorithm.

Project Timeline

This particular project schedule template is not an automated tool, but it demonstrates how you can use drawing tools in Excel to create a custom project schedule.

For some projects, a simple shared To Do list may be sufficient. This template includes columns for updating the status and the priority of each task.

Project Tracker for Contractors

Sub-contractors and freelancers may find this template helpful if they are working with a client in a situation where the client frequently creates new tasks and a tool is need for communicating the status of those tasks.

Project-Based Time Card

Unlike a basic timesheet template that tracks only total hours worked, this timecard was designed for tracking hours worked by an employee on different projects or tasks.

Continuous Monthly Calendar

We have many different calendar templates for Excel, but this calendar is particularly useful for project scheduling because it does not include any breaks between months. So, if you want to display project milestones in a calendar format, you can try this template.

Simple Project Schedule

You can use this template for creating a basic overview or project timeline. It is not automated like the gantt chart template, but it has its uses.

Work Breakdown Structure Template

Create a simple Work Breakdown Structure in Excel with automatic WBS numbering.

Action Item Templates

This page provides a couple different templates for brainstorming and project review meetings. List action items and rank them by Value and Difficulty to help determine what to focus on first.

Construction Schedule Template

A simple way to create a multi-year project schedule with a basic automated gantt chart. Enter start and end dates and pick a color for the bar. Add text within the chart area if needed.

Earned Value Management Template

Create a project budget and use the EVM system to monitor spending over time. Helps determine whether you are on time and under budget, especially for projects where spending is nonlinear.

Project Planner Template

Create a project plan using a gantt chart that shows the planned schedule vs. the actual schedule.

Simple Gantt Chart

This free gantt chart provides an easy way to create and track a project schedule in Excel. This version does not require you to copy any formulas (though you can still add formulas if you want to).

SWOT Analysis Worksheet

Use a SWOT Analysis to evaluate and improve your project workflow or to evaluate new projects prior to starting them.

Daily Work Schedule for Multiple Employees

Create a daily work schedule showing the schedule for each worker as a separate column. Add days by copying and pasting groups of rows. Add workers by inserting new columns.

Availability Calendar Template

Resource Management . Create a calendar for scheduling reservations for your rental property or other resources.

Project Management KPI Dashboard

Measure and track Key Performance Metrics using this dashboard template from Someka.net . Some of the KPIs are Cost Performance Index, Scheduled Variance, and Resource Utilization. Use this template for advanced and more effective project management.

Project Management Kit

This collection of templates by Method123.com comprises the entire suite of templates used to initiate, plan, execute and close projects successfully . More than 50 Word and Excel templates comprising over 300 pages of helpful hints and real-life examples.

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How to Create a Task Tracker in Excel: Free Template

Checking tasks off your to-do list feels pretty awesome, right? If only everything in life gave you that instant sense of accomplishment!

A task list earns its keep by helping you schedule, assign, and track all the work that needs to be done for a project. You can also use it to give stakeholders and team members at-a-glance updates on project progress.

With our free Excel task checklist template, you can keep up with all the to-dos you need to knock out—whether you’re focused on an important work assignment or just want to finish up a few projects around the house. We’ve done all the hard work so you can have all the fun marking things done.

Ready to get started? We’ll show you just how easy it is to take your task list from to-do to ta-da! Here’s what we'll cover:

How to create a task tracker in Excel

How to customize your task list template, how to create an online task tracker in teamgantt.

Let’s start with a simple tutorial on how to keep track of tasks at work using Excel.

1. Download our free Excel task tracker template

At TeamGantt, we know how important it is to ensure projects get done on time and on budget. That's why we created this Excel task list template to make tracking project progress a breeze.

Make this task tracker template your own by adding to-do list items and tasks, assigning task owners, and tracking task status, budgets, and costs.

Download your free Excel task tracker template

2. Add to-do list items and tasks

First, find the T ask Name column on your worksheet, and enter a descriptive name for each task you want to track for a particular day of the week.

3. Indicate the status of each task

This sample to-do list template features four different status options—with icons as easy visual cues—so you can see where each task is at a glance: Not Started , In Progress , Complete , and On Hold .

To assign a status to a task, click on the status dropdown menu in that task’s row, and choose the status that applies to the task you’re working on.

4. Set task due dates

Set clear expectations for your team by entering the deadline for each task in the Due Date column.

5. Assign task owners

Start by specifying which team or department will carry out the work using the Task Type column. Then pair each task with its rightful owner by entering the team member’s name into the Assigned to column.

6. Include task budgets and costs

Use the Hours Budgeted column to let team members know how much time has been budgeted for each task.  

‍Once a task is complete, log the time spent on it in the Actual Hours column.

Tracking daily and monthly tasks in Excel

We’ve designed this task tracker template to track your weekly to-do list. But you can create additional task lists for monitoring daily and monthly to-dos.

Click Insert > Sheet > Blank Sheet to add a new worksheet. Then give each row and column a header label, and use the formatting tools to design your own daily or monthly task tracker.

Once you’ve got the basics squared away, feel free to customize your Excel task list template to ensure it fits your project needs. You can add a title, switch up the colors, add or delete new rows and columns, or even dress your to-do list up with your company logo.

Adding titles

We’ve titled this checklist template “Weekly Task List.” As exciting as that moniker may be, we bet you’ll want to give your to-do checklist your own snazzy (and specific) name.

1. To add or edit the title of your project task list template, double-click your cursor into cell A-2.

2. Enter a new title for your task list. Feel free to include the project name and date range in your title so there’s no doubt what this task tracker covers.

3. Format the header text using the same formatting tools you’d use to format any other text in the worksheet.

Changing colors

Want to apply your own brand colors to your task list? Or make it easy to tell Tom’s tasks from Bill’s? No problem!

1. Click to highlight the cell, row, or column you want to change.

2. Go to Format > Cells , and select the Fill tab.

3. Click on the Background Color dropdown, and choose the new color you want to apply to the cell, row or column you’ve highlighted.

Adding rows/columns

We’ve outlined a few basic to-do list categories to get you started. But there may be other details you need to track along the way. For example, you might want to add a priority column. Or maybe your Monday has a lot more to-dos than the other days of the week.

1. To insert a new row, click Insert > Rows . A new row will be added above the one you currently have selected, using the same formulas and formatting of the row above.

2. To insert a new column, go to Insert > Columns . A new column will be added to the left of the one you currently have selected, using the same formulas and formatting of the column to the left.

Removing rows/columns

We may have included details you simply don’t need to track. That’s okay! Deleting extra info won’t hurt our feelings a bit.

1. To delete an existing row, click on the row you want to remove. Go to Edit > Delete , and choose Entire Row .

2. To delete an existing column, click on the column you want to remove. Go to Edit > Delete , and choose Entire Column .

Adding a company logo

Want to give your project task list template some more flair? Add your company logo to the worksheet.

1. Right-click on the TeamGantt logo/header image in row 1, and select Change Picture .

2. Choose the image file you want to add to the worksheet, and click the Insert button.

Printing the to-do list template

By the time you finish customizing your to-do list template, it’ll be so pretty you just might want to print it out and pin it to the wall—and we don’t blame you.

1. First, let’s set the print area. Simply click and drag your cursor to highlight all the cells you want to print out. Then go to File > Print Area > Set Print Area.

2. If you want to adjust the scale of the checklist to fit on a single page, click on the Page Layout tab. Then go to Margins > Custom Margins and select the Page tab.

3. Once you’ve set the print area and adjusted the scale of your checklist, you’re ready to send your task list to the printer. Click File > Print.

Additional resources

• Project management template library : Use these simple templates in any industry to plan and manage projects, identify and mitigate risk, and communicate effectively at every project step.
• ‍ Gantt chart Excel template : Save time organizing your project plan with our premade Excel gantt chart template! Simply plug in your tasks and dates, and you'll have a presentation-quality Excel gantt chart.

Want to take the tedium out of task lists? Give TeamGantt’s online gantt chart software a try , and create a customized task tracker in minutes.

With TeamGantt, it’s easy to collaborate on work and streamline workflows. Here are just a few of the handy features you—and your team—will have at your fingertips:

• Drag-and-drop simplicity
• Reusable project plan templates
• Project dependencies
• File storage
• Time tracking
• Resource management
• Planned vs. actual timelines

And because TeamGantt is all online, everyone on the team can update tasks in real-time. No more juggling a million different spreadsheets or scrambling to capture last-minute updates before a big meeting!

Sign up for your free account and get started. (No strings attached, we promise!) Once you’re in, here’s a sneak peek at just how easy it is to create and manage task lists in TeamGantt.

Setting up your task list project

Before you can set up tasks, you’ll need to answer a few quick onboarding questions and then create a new project.

1. Start by entering a descriptive name for your project on the project setup page. We called our example project “Weekly Task List.”

2. Then, choose a new Start Date , if you want your list to begin on a day other than today.

3. Next, decide whether you want to start from scratch with a blank project or choose a template from our handy library of pre-built options . To make things super easy for you, we created a Weekly Task List template .

Simply click on the Preview templates icon, expand the Admin & Personal category, and select Weekly Task List to preview the template. If you’d like to use it, select Use Template in the bottom right corner of the window.

4. If not, feel free to choose a different template option or click anywhere outside of the preview window to return to the Create a new project page.

5. Next, select which days of the week you want to assign and track work for this project. The default is Monday through Friday, but you can choose any configuration of days that make sense for your work schedule.

6. Finally, select Create new project to save your changes and get to work.

Adding and editing task lists

Now that you have a project, it’s time to set up your task list! We chose the Weekly Task List template for our example, which gives us a labeled task group for each day of the week.

1. Simply click on each task group field, if you want to rename it.

2. If you need to add more task groups, click +Group of Tasks , and enter the name of your new task group in the blank field that appears below.

3. To add a new task, click +Task and enter a name in the blank that appears below. Then, use the drag-and-drop features to adjust the timelines for each task .

4. To delete a task, hover over it and select the trashcan icon that appears to the right of the task name.

Assigning team members

To invite other users to your project, select the People tab in the top navigation bar of your project. Then, select Invite People to add new users by name and email address.

Once a user has been added to your project, designate them to a task by clicking assign in the Assigned column and selecting the checkbox next to their name.

Here’s an in-depth tutorial on how to invite users and assign them to tasks .

Creating dependencies

Dependencies enable you to control the order of tasks in your project. If one task has to wait for another to get done before it can begin, the dependency will account for that. For example, a designer may not be able to design a landing page until the content’s been written.

1. To add a dependency, click on the gray dot to the right of the first task in the gantt chart.

2. Then drag the dependency line to connect it to the dependent task below.

Changing task colors

To change the color of a task, hover over the task, and choose a new color by clicking on the colored square that appears to the right of the task.

Ready to discover just how easy and fast task tracking can be?

This is just a preview of all the fun you can have with task lists on TeamGantt—but there’s so much more to see!

Sign up for your free TeamGantt account today to learn all about the project management possibilities you could have at your fingertips.

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20 Free Project Plan Templates in Excel & ClickUp

Senior Content Marketing Manager

March 19, 2024

That’s what you risk when you don’t plan. We know we’re channeling our inner dad voice right now, but it’s true. 

Whether you’re planning toward success or in preparation for potential pitfalls, project planning is critical to seeing tasks through to completion. And for those of us managing teams or individual contributors, there’s an even greater need for strategic planning to reach project efficiency.

Let’s be real—planning is crucial whether it’s for a product launch or an international vacation. When we plan, we anticipate problems (i.e. appropriate resource allocation ), establish clearer project goals (i.e. meet deadlines), and better manage project budgets (i.e. avoid those unexpected travel expenses).

However, putting a plan together from a blank page is no easy task. With the help of detailed project plan templates, you’re more likely to successfully kick off assignments and organize project timelines . Because without a project plan, disorganization overtakes your work and chaos ensues.

So, let’s keep the disorder at bay and check out the top 20 project plan templates for your next project!

What is a Project Planning Template?

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First, let’s cover the basics with the key qualities to look for in project plan templates.

A project plan template is an indispensable tool to successfully manage projects by tailoring your process to achieve the project’s goals, objectives, budget, or challenges.

With the help of a planning template, you can calculate the necessary steps to complete your project and have the flexibility to arrange them on either a static project timeline or a dynamic Gantt chart . This lets you clearly define the scope and project schedule while organizing tasks in the most efficient way possible.

Project managers and team leads use project planning templates to save time and money by organizing tasks and avoiding unnecessary mistakes. This project management process is essential to keep the project schedule in order.

What makes a good project planning template?

A good project plan template makes it easy to detail the project scope and the overall purpose of the work needed to reach completion. A functional template should also outline your goals and the expected outcomes of your project schedule . 

This works best when you have a detailed description of what needs to be done and any limitations that could alter the project timeline or budget. Great project planning templates also span both short and long-term goals while addressing any resource, project timeline, or budget constraints. 

It helps to use a project planning template that easily integrates into your project management software so you can seamlessly input aspects like deadlines, key milestones , project progression, roles and responsibilities, and available resources at your disposal. 

Without this connection—here comes the dad voice again—you risk a cluttered project plan that spins in circles and wastes everyone’s time.

20 Best Free Project Plan Templates

Who doesn’t love free? That’s why you’ll love our list of the best free project plan templates you can use right this second! Let’s take a look at what made our list:

Listen—we wouldn’t put this template first if we didn’t believe it could easily (and quickly) help you form your project plan. The Project Planner Template by ClickUp utilizes your Workspace to its fullest potential by creating tasks in any List and then easily moving them to other Lists. 

This project planner template is designed to help project teams achieve their desired outcomes within the given scope, schedule, budget, and resources. It enables stakeholders to easily track progress through visually appealing and easy-to-understand project schedules so they best plan around changes while proactively managing risks. 

ClickUp’s template also serves as a communication medium between the project team and stakeholders. This project planning process can be done through the platform via assigned comments so your team knows what needs attention—all without losing conversations in dreaded email chains. 

Use this template to truly ensure everyone has access to the same information, expectations, decisions, and assumptions.

Another awesome resource for project managers or those managing clients—especially within professional services—is the Consulting Project Plan Template by ClickUp . This project planning template works as a guide to provide direction and structure for a successful outcome. 

Get more of a bird’s-eye view into the tasks in your project by using ClickUp’s List view for a quick breakdown of the tasks by status, which stakeholders can click into for more details on each task or its subtasks. 

Custom Fields make it even easier to view important project plan details like due dates, the task progression status, the project’s stage, and resources. Invite clients as guests in ClickUp to access this List view so they don’t need to click through every task to find essential information.

Effective consulting analyzes the potential challenges and problems while developing effective strategies to identify opportunities for collaboration and value creation. Good news for you—this template lets you do that and more to better manage client expectations and create transparent communication plans.

More times than not, you need a project plan that works across teams . That means your plan should meld nicely into different workflows without being an annoyance to your stakeholders and various teams.

The Cross-Functional Project Plan Template by ClickUp ensures all stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process. Additionally, it creates a better avenue for communication between teams so everyone’s experience and expertise are accounted for in the project.

So, what sets this template apart from the others? With this template, you truly rely on ClickUp’s custom Fields to give teams the simplest—or the most in-depth—view into what’s needed to move the project onward. 

Easily add assignees, stakeholders, project watchers, and approvers to tasks and subtasks for different workflows in your project plan. This will cut down the confusion between teams on any process and give a customizable project summary of what’s needed to start and complete each task.

Project compliance is the Robin to your project’s Batman—the George to your objective’s Jerry. And using the Compliance Project Plan Template by ClickUp works like your sidekick to ensure you hit your goals, stay on track, and provide additional security to protect your project.

Maybe George Costanza isn’t the greatest analogy, but this ClickUp template provides a fantastic visual to identify and assess your project’s compliance requirements. Again, ClickUp’s Custom Fields are an invaluable feature to document, organize, and provide high-level insights into how you’ll keep business operations compliant in this project plan.

These views are convenient for teams involved to take action and correct noncompliance issues in your project plan. Serenity now!

Planning an event can be daunting—particularly when you’re not starting from a resourceful planning template.

The Event Planning Template by ClickUp makes it easy! 

This template comes with all the features to keep your event-planning anxiety from taking over. Its custom task statuses, in-app Chat view, and unique Map views make it easy to track any event exactly how you want to. 

It doesn’t matter the type of event—whether it’s a product launch or a local fundraiser, you can use two pre-made Custom Fields and seven automations to track the small details. Best of all, this template is customizable to adjust to your specific budget or goals—no matter the size of the project. 

Let’s stop stressing about your project plan for your next event and start off on the right foot with this detailed project template.

Crafting a productive website project plan requires a detailed project scope , timelines, budgets, and stakeholder responsibilities. 

It’s critical to have these components in place before any website launch, which is why we’re recommending the Website Project Plan Template by ClickUp . Website projects tend to have multiple layers, and within each layer, you run the risk of impromptu problems you didn’t expect in your project plans.

Avoid the uncertainties and use this template as your one-stop shop for tracking all of the different tasks, processes, and decisions that go into bringing a website project to life. Get organized through Custom Fields and assign each task to its rightful owner so no detail is left untouched in the project planning phase.

Utilizing the concept of business process management (BPM) can drastically improve a website project. This involves using the analysis, design, implementation, and monitoring phases to map out existing processes, create new ones, implement them in the organization, and continuously check that they are providing the desired results.

The Technology Project Plan Template by ClickUp is ideal for those who want to improve the way their team or department implements technology. Planning this process requires detailed timelines, access to important resources, and progress reports. 

It pays when all parties know what’s next in line in the overall project. And this template provides the Custom Fields, view types, and statuses to properly plan your technology projects.

Data center migrations require the transferring of data and assets from one site to another. Simply put— it’s a lot of moving parts.

It can be a challenging and complex process, which is why we suggest the Data Center Project Plan Template by ClickUp . This project planning template provides a simple framework to help data migration teams bear the process efficiently and effectively.

Of all the project plan templates, this one can handle the simplest or most complex tasks, project goals, and project budgets to ensure your entire project team successfully migrates your data.

Take it from us—we know the complexities of planning a major virtual event ! Your project timeline is everything (even more so to your project manager).

These events require a ton of planning across teams so that everyone can work toward the same goal . The Virtual Event Project Planning Template by ClickUp simplifies the task of organizing a complete and successful virtual event. 

This plan template also streamlines all the different elements involved in the process for a project manager. That means your entire project team saves time and effort with this plan template while ensuring a successful outcome.

ClickUp’s Action Plan Template assists teams in structuring, prioritizing, and tracking tasks to achieve their objectives.

This template features built-in metrics for evaluating outcomes, facilitates task assignment, and offers a collaborative space for setting and monitoring goals. Use this template as guide for personal growth, startups, marketing initiatives, and creative workflows

ClickUp’s Project Management Template is a comprehensive tool designed to facilitate effective project planning. It provides a structured foundation that incorporates all the essential steps of project planning, promoting clear communication among team members and stakeholders.

This template helps teams navigate through each stage of a project, allowing them to understand the project’s core aspects, customize plans to their specific needs, organize tasks efficiently, and coordinate team efforts for smooth execution. It is particularly beneficial in managing the complexities that come with project planning.

This Planning Document Template by ClickUp helps teams establish the foundations of the project to ensure that fewer risks and problems are encountered during execution. 

ClickUp’s Planning Document Template makes it easy to get organized and get started. With this template, your team can:

• Capture key objectives, goals, and action items
• Break down tasks into manageable chunks for faster delivery
• Align teams around what’s most important for collective success

Utilize ClickUp’s Plan of Record Template to capture your business objectives, objective details, success metrics, and target timeline in one digital document.

ClickUp’s Plan of Record Template is designed to help you do just this. With it, you can:

• Ensure clear communication between stakeholders
• Align teams around common objectives
• Track progress and milestones to stay on top of deadlines

The ClickUp PI Planning Template assists in structuring and streamlining the project planning process. It’s designed to make the process more efficient, especially for Agile teams.

The ClickUp Pi Planning Template helps teams:

• Break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable chunks
• Organize tasks for better clarity and focus
• Allocate resources effectively and plan ahead for successful execution

ClickUp’s Planning a Project Template provides a well-organized base, guaranteeing that all essential steps are included in the plan and promoting transparent communication among team members and stakeholders.

This template navigates you through each stage of the project, helping you understand the essence of the project, customize plans as per your requirements, arrange tasks efficiently, and coordinate team members for flawless execution.

ClickUp’s Work Plan Whiteboard Template is structured to provide a systematic visual guide for your project. It serves as a comprehensive solution for visualizing, administering, and monitoring all of your team’s tasks in a well-structured manner.

ClickUp’s Work Plan Whiteboard Template not only aids in planning but also ensures that every task is tracked and managed effectively, leading to a more productive and efficient workflow.

A well-crafted plan sets the stage for exceptional execution! Implement your project’s deliverables effectively with ClickUp’s Project Deliverables Template . This template is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of your project’s deliverables, designated owners, timelines, and budget. It acts as a helpful tool in monitoring the progress of your deliverables.

This template isn’t just about keeping track of deliverables, it’s also about creating a space where transparency, accountability, and efficiency come together. By having a clear view of who is responsible for what, and when tasks are due, you can ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page.

Project development comes with its fair share of complexities and numerous elements to manage. No matter the size or intricacy of your project, ClickUp’s Project Roadmap Template is equipped with all the necessary tools for your success!

Whether you’re on the verge of launching a new feature or managing a long-term product vision, our project roadmap template serves to assist your product team efficiently.

ClickUp’s Project Scope Whiteboard Template is a tool designed to help structure and streamline the process of defining the scope of a project. It provides a concise summary of activities, resources, dates, and deliverables involved in a particular project.

Use this template to organize projects, stay current with tasks, and track deliverables.

For those who love to work in Microsoft Excel —we’ve got you covered! 

This simple project plan template from Microsoft Excel works as a timeline in your spreadsheet to create a clear and organized roadmap for your project. Within the cells, you can add your key project milestones, change text and images, and share it with your team.

Additionally, you can add your milestones in the project details table within the simple project plan template spreadsheet for a more visually appealing glance at your timeline. Use this customizable template to set your entire project outline and determine the essential steps you need to take to achieve success.

Start Planning With Project Plan Templates

There you have it—20 project management templates you can use completely for free to plan your new project!

If you’re still struggling to choose the best project template, rest assured that with ClickUp, you not only get a powerful tool for project planning , but an intuitive platform your entire team can use. Take advantage of ClickUp’s highly-customizable views to see clear deadlines, your project scope, project progress, and assigned stakeholders.

ClickUp offers a variety of features specifically designed to streamline your project management plan and workflow. You can easily create tasks, assign them to team members and monitor progress in real-time to hit project goals and project deliverables. 

Don’t overthink your project plans. Instead, use ClickUp for free today to share ideas and workflows across teams on your most intricate projects.

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

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7 Free Resource Planning Templates For Project Teams

Are you looking for free resource planning templates? Get access to the below templates the Google Sheets/Excel templates that make resource planning and management relatively easy.

• Team Availability Tracker
• Resource Allocation Template
• Project Resource Planning Template
• Resource Capacity Planning Template
• Timesheet Template
• Staff Resource Planning Template
• Human Resource Capacity Planning Template

If like most small teams, you use spreadsheets to manage project resources, these ready-made templates are a huge time-saver. Instead of starting from scratch, you can get quickly off the blocks using templates.

Let’s dive in.

What is resource planning?

Resource planning is the process that ensures that the right resources are available to the project when needed. Within resource planning, project managers:

• Track resource availability.
• Plan and track project resource allocation.
• Assign resources to project tasks.
• Manage resource capacity and workloads.
• Track time spent by resources on tasks.

Without a resource plan in place, projects get delayed, or worse, fail. Besides, upfront resource planning also helps avoid conflicts with other teams .

However, resource planning is not a one-time activity. Project managers need to adjust resource plans to account for:

• Changes in project scope
• Changes in resource availability or capacity
• Delays in tasks and milestones

Resource planning templates help you record, update and visualize resource availability, allocation, and capacity data. 

Resource planning and management templates

So far, you’ve learned about resource planning templates and how they can help. You also know about the disadvantages of using these templates.

Next, let’s take a look at the templates you’ll need to manage your project team.

How to download and use these templates?

All the templates below are view-only templates.

Make a copy of a template by clicking File → Make a copy… from the Google Sheets menu.

To download the template for Excel, click File → Download → Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) .

Each template comes with three sheets (Instructions, Example, and Template) to help you get started.

1. Team Availability Tracker

Team members are unavailable because of public holidays or planned vacations. Finding available team members to work on a project is a critical step in resource allocation. 

The Team Availability Tracker Template helps you track your team’s off time and visualize your team’s availability to work on a project. That way, you can schedule work when they are available.

How to use the Team Availability Tracker template?

• Click here to make to copy or download the template as an Excel file.
• Enter the month (MONTH) for which you want to track your team’s availability. This automatically populates the calendar for the month below.
• Add your team members to the EMPLOYEE column.
• Enter text or emojis to mark a team member’s off time on a specific date.

2. Resource Allocation Template

Once you know the available resources, the next step is to allocate them to a project . Or simply assigning a team member to a project for a specific period. 

The Resource Allocation template helps you track these assignments.

It helps track when a specific resource is available to work on a project . Use this template along with the resource availability tracker to avoid scheduling on dates when the resource is AWOL.

Tracking work assignments is critical, especially with shared team members. For example, multiple project teams could share a designer in a small web design company. It becomes important to know when this designer is available to take on more work.

How to use the resource allocation template?

• Enter your team member names in the RESOURCE column.
• This resource allocation template shows you weekly assignments for your team members.
• Once a team member is allocated to a project, mark the corresponding week with an ‘ X ‘.
• Optionally, insert a note from the File → Insert menu to add the name of the project they’re allocated to.

3. Project Resource Planning Template

Once people are assigned to a project, the next step is to track their workload within a project. 

The Project Resource Planning Template helps you assign tasks within a project without creating scheduling conflicts or workload imbalances. It also gives you a clear overview of who within your project is doing what and when.

In addition, it also shows you the number of days available for a resource during a month.

You’ll need to account for task dependencies, delays, as well as people’s availability and skills when assigning tasks. 

How to use the project resource planning template?

• Enter the month ( MONTH) and the project name ( PROJECT NAME) . The calendar below automatically updates for the month.
• Enter an ‘ X ‘ for a day when a resource is not available.
• Enter the task name when you want to book a resource for a task.

4. Resource Capacity Planning Template

After you’ve assigned people to tasks, the next step is to track each team member’s workloads.

Whether a client comes with additional work or a new client comes onboard, you want to know who’s available to take on new work. At the same time, you don’t want to overwork your team members.

The Resource Capacity Planning Template helps you track the estimated working hours for all team members .

Also, you can visualize if any team member has some extra capacity. Or rebalance workloads if any team member is overwhelmed.

How to use the resource capacity planning template?

• Enter the MONTH for which you want to track your team’s capacity.
• Add all your team members under the RESOURCE column.
• The sheet automatically creates the calendar for the month and calculates the available working hours ( AVL. HRS. )
• Now add the estimated workloads on each day of the month corresponding to a team members.
• The sheet calculates the booked hours ( BKD. HRS. ) and utilization ( UTIL. ) for each member.

5. Timesheet Template

The timesheet template helps you track and measure the billable hours put in by your team in a project.

Whether you’re charging based on time and materials or a fixed price, staying in control of your project’s budget is essential. Without this, your agency cannot deliver profitable projects and grow.

How to use the Timesheet Template?

• Enter the month ( MONTH ) for which you want to track billable amounts.
• Enter the names of your team members ( RESOURCE ) and their hourly rates ( HRLY. RATE ) in the corresponding columns.
• Finally, enter the billable hours put in by each team member on a day of the month.
• The sheet automatically calculates the

6. Staff Resource Planning Template

At times you may want to look at the resource requirements over the next year.

A Staff Resource Planning Template helps you understand if you need to hire any resources based on project commitments for the year.

In addition, it can also help you plan your recruitment based on when you need a specific type of resource.

How to use the Staff Resource Planning Template?

• Enter all the roles that your agency needs in the RESOURCE TYPE column.
• Enter the number of days you expect to utilize a resource type during each month.
• The sheet automatically calculates the TOTAL days you’ll require a resource during the year.

7. Human Resource Capacity Planning Template

The Human Resource Capacity Planning Template helps you see average workload and utilization by employee, department, and job title.

Like the Staff Resource Planning Template, this template helps you manage your employee/freelancer recruitment and onboarding. As a result, you can match your agency’s capacity with the demand and the workload.

How to use the Human Resource Capacity Planning Template?

• Enter your agency’s EMPLOYEE s along with their DEPARTMENT , JOB TITLE , and monthly CAPACITY .
• Enter their workload in actual (or estimated) hours for each month.
• The sheet automatically calculates the average workload ( AVG. WRKLD ) and UTILIZATION for each employee.
• In addition, the spreadsheet also has two pivot tables that shows you average workload and utilization for each department and job title.

Pros and cons of using resource planning templates

Ready-to-use templates come with the following advantages:

• Instead of starting from scratch, you can get started quickly
• Low cost, as you probably already have access to Excel/Google Sheets
• Little onboarding, as almost everyone knows how to use spreadsheets

Templates also have their fair share of disadvantages which make them unusable in most real-world situations.

• Spreadsheets generally lack communication and collaboration features essential for team scheduling
• It’s hard to keep track of who’s made what changes to a spreadsheet’s data
• Not everyone needs to see everything in the spreadsheet, but you cannot prevent them from seeing it
• Keeping track of different versions and keeping different spreadsheets in sync is quite a task

Updating templates needs discipline & effort

If you haven’t realized it yet, updating all these templates is a lot of work . 

These templates work together. And, if you miss updating any of these, your resource planning will be error-prone.

Some of these templates may look similar. And it’s tempting to combine these templates into one. 

But, there’s a reason why these templates are separate. Each template serves a different audience and purpose. Combining templates will cause information overload, and inconsistencies and lead to chaos.

So, what are your options?

• Either, you can choose to keep all the templates up to date with the necessary discipline.
• Or, you can choose to follow only the relevant steps in the resource planning workflow. That way, you’ll have fewer templates to update.
• Or, you can use a project and resource planning tool like Toggl Plan.

Toggl Plan: A Better Alternative To Resource Planning Templates

Toggl Plan is a beautifully simple work timeline planning tool. It makes project and resource planning a breeze.

Let’s understand how:

Track Team Member Availability

With Toggl Plan, you can create unlimited, color-coded plans. You can create a plan specifically to track your team’s leave plans. 

Besides, Toggl Plan also adds country-specific public holidays to the timeline. 

With these two features, you can easily visualize and find the available team members to take up a project.

Some more notable features include:

Track time off

Knowing when your team is available is crucial for scheduling and delivering projects on time.

The Time off feature is a convenient way to communicate the team’s time away from work. It provides a clear overview of who’s available and who’s not — be they annual leave, public holidays, sick leave or something else. You can also see a conflict warning when work is scheduled for someone who is unavailable.

Allocate Team Members To Projects & Tasks

With Toggl Plan, you can easily add team members to a project plan or a team plan. 

You can assign one or more team members to a task. And, these team members can collaborate on a task using comments and file attachments.

As a result, all the project-related information is available in one place. And, your team doesn’t have to use multiple channels to communicate about the project.

Managing Team Capacity & Workloads

For each task in Toggl Plan, you can include the estimated effort. 

On the team timeline, you can visualize your team workloads. Visualizing workloads helps you understand if team members are overworked or have any capacity to take up more tasks.

Time Tracking & Timesheet Management

Toggl Plan integrates with Toggl Track for time tracking and timesheet management . 

With this integration, you can easily track the actual time on each task. Plus, you can generate timesheets and billing reports. 

In Conclusion

Resource planning templates help you organize, capture, and track resource allocation and usage. 

Spreadsheet templates are easily accessible to everyone. Plus, such templates are readily available for free on the internet.

However, spreadsheets don’t come with communication and collaboration features. Also, you’ll constantly struggle to maintain data integrity and prevent information overload.

Consider using a project and resource planning tool like Toggl Plan to avoid these drawbacks. Try out the team plan with a 14-day free trial. 

Jitesh is an SEO and content specialist. He manages content projects at Toggl and loves sharing actionable tips to deliver projects profitably.

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Project Schedule Template Excel (Free Download Included!)

Table of Contents

What is Project Schedule Template?

Increased efficiency and productivity, reduced risks and errors, boosted team morale and performance, understanding your project needs.

• Popular Project Schedule Template – Types

Additional Considerations

1. define your tasks:, 2. estimate task durations:, 3. manage task dependencies:, 4. allocate resources:, 5. set milestones:, project details:, overall project summary:, task details:, gantt chart:, how to use our free project schedule excel template, best practices for using project schedule templates effectively, conclusion: effectively schedule your project with free schedule template.

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Project management can be a juggling act – deadlines, tasks, resources, all vying for your attention. But what if there was a way to streamline the process and achieve optimal project efficiency? That’s where project schedule templates come in – your secret weapon for organization and success.

This comprehensive guide empowers you to harness the power of these templates, unlocking their potential to:

• Simplify Project Planning: Break down complex projects into manageable chunks with pre-defined structures.
• Boost Resource Allocation: Ensure effective resource utilization for a smooth and efficient project workflow.
• Maintain Clear Timelines: Visualize project schedules with clear timelines to keep everyone on the same page and deadlines within reach.
• Download Your Free Template: Get immediate access to a customizable project schedule template to put theory into practice.
• Master Pro Tips: Learn expert-driven strategies to maximize the impact of your chosen template.

By the end of this guide, you’ll be a project scheduling pro, equipped to create clear, realistic, and adaptable project roadmaps. Free yourself from project management chaos and embrace efficiency with the power of free project schedule templates! Let’s dive in.

A project schedule template is a pre-formatted document that helps you plan and visualize the tasks, timelines, and milestones involved in your project. It’s essentially a roadmap that keeps everyone on the same page and ensures your project stays on track.

Here are some key features of a project schedule template:

• Tasks: It breaks down your project into manageable chunks, outlining all the individual steps required for completion.
• Timelines: It defines the estimated duration for each task and the overall project timeframe. This helps visualize the project flow and identify potential bottlenecks.
• Milestones: It highlights key achievements or checkpoints throughout the project, providing a sense of progress and motivation for the team.
• Dependencies: It clarifies which tasks need to be completed before others can begin. This ensures a logical flow of work and avoids delays.
• Resource Allocation: Some templates allow you to allocate resources (people, equipment, materials) to specific tasks, ensuring efficient utilization.

Why Use a Project Schedule Template?

Feeling the pressure of looming deadlines and scattered tasks? Project schedule templates are your secret weapon for conquering project chaos. In this section, we’ll unveil the top benefits of using these templates, including:

Ditch the chaos and streamline your workflow! Project schedule templates bring order to the project planning process. By providing a clear framework, they help you allocate resources effectively, avoid bottlenecks, and keep your project moving smoothly – meaning more gets done in less time.

• Streamlined planning: Templates provide a clear framework to define project tasks, dependencies, and timelines.
• Improved resource allocation: Allocate resources effectively and avoid overcommitment.
• Enhanced communication: Share the schedule with stakeholders for better project visibility.

Proactive planning is key! Project schedule templates help you identify potential roadblocks early on, mitigate risks, and ensure high-quality deliverables by keeping everyone on the same page.

• Early identification of potential roadblocks: Proactively identify and address potential issues before they derail your project.
• Improved risk management: Mitigate risks by planning for contingencies and alternative solutions.
• Enhanced quality control: Ensure all project deliverables are completed on time and to a high standard.

Clear expectations, improved collaboration, and a sense of progress – project schedule templates facilitate all of this. Your team will be motivated and empowered to achieve project goals!

• Clear expectations: Team members understand their roles and deadlines, promoting ownership and accountability.
• Improved collaboration: Foster teamwork by providing a shared reference point for project progress.
• Enhanced motivation: Visualizing progress keeps teams motivated and focused on achieving goals.

Choosing the Right Project Schedule Template

There’s no one-size-fits-all project schedule template. The best choice depends on your project’s specific needs. Here are some popular options: There’s no magic one-size-fits-all project schedule template. The ideal choice hinges on the specific requirements of your project. Selecting the wrong template can lead to inefficiencies, missed deadlines, and frustration. But worry not! This section will equip you with the knowledge to choose the perfect template to propel your project to success.

The first step is to gain a clear understanding of your project’s unique characteristics. Consider factors like:

• Project Complexity: Straightforward projects with well-defined tasks might benefit from simpler templates, while intricate projects with numerous dependencies might require more advanced options.
• Task Uncertainty: Are task durations well-defined, or is there a significant degree of uncertainty? If uncertainty is high, consider templates that can accommodate probabilistic scheduling.
• Project Team Size: For smaller teams, a basic template might suffice. Larger teams working on complex projects might require more robust features for collaboration and communication.
• Project Management Style: Do you prefer a traditional waterfall approach or a more agile methodology? Some templates cater better to specific project management styles.

Popular Project Schedule Template – Types

Now that you have a grasp of your project’s needs, let’s explore some popular types of project schedule templates:

• Gantt Chart Template: A tried-and-true classic, the Gantt chart offers a visual representation of tasks and their durations along a timeline. It’s ideal for straightforward projects with clear dependencies between tasks.
• PERT Chart Template (Program Evaluation and Review Technique): For projects with uncertain task durations, PERT charts come to the rescue. They incorporate probabilistic scheduling to account for potential variations in task completion times.
• Critical Path Method (CPM) Template: Need to identify the critical path – the sequence of tasks that dictates your overall project timeline? CPM templates are your answer. By focusing on the critical path, you can prioritize tasks and optimize your schedule for efficiency.

Beyond the template itself, consider these factors when making your choice:

• Ease of Use: Select a template that aligns with your team’s technical expertise. User-friendly templates with clear instructions are ideal for teams new to project scheduling.
• Integration with Project Management Tools: If you’re already using project management software, ensure compatibility with your chosen template. This allows for seamless data transfer and avoids the hassle of manual updates.
• Customization: The ability to customize the template to fit your specific project needs is a valuable asset. Look for templates that offer flexibility in terms of adding or removing elements.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment! Try out different templates to see which one best suits your workflow and project requirements. Many project management software options offer a variety of built-in templates to explore.

By carefully considering your project’s characteristics, the available template options, and additional factors like ease of use and customization, you’ll be well-equipped to select the right project schedule template. Remember, the perfect template acts as a roadmap to project success, so invest the time in making an informed choice!

Creating Your Project Schedule: Key Elements

Crafting a robust project schedule is the foundation for successful project execution. It ensures everyone involved understands the roadmap, promotes efficient resource allocation, and helps mitigate potential risks. But what exactly goes into building a strong project schedule? This section delves into the essential elements you need to consider to create a clear, realistic, and adaptable plan for your project.

The first step is to break down your project into manageable units – the individual tasks that need to be completed. Here’s what to consider:

• Granularity: Aim for tasks that are specific enough to be actionable but not so detailed that they become overwhelming.
• Comprehensiveness: Ensure you’ve captured all the necessary tasks to complete the project, leaving no gaps in the overall plan.
• Ownership: Assign clear ownership for each task. This fosters accountability and ensures everyone understands their role.

Once you have your tasks defined, it’s crucial to estimate how long each one will take to complete. Here are some tips for accurate estimation:

• Historical Data: If you’ve undertaken similar projects before, leverage past data on task durations as a reference point.
• Expert Input: Consult with team members or subject matter experts who have relevant experience with the tasks involved.
• Buffer Time: Don’t underestimate potential setbacks. Add buffer time to account for unforeseen delays or resource constraints.

Many projects involve tasks that rely on the completion of others before they can begin. Identifying these dependencies is critical for creating a realistic schedule. Consider these methods:

• Predecessor-Successor Relationships: Specify which tasks must be finished before others can start.
• Flowcharts or Dependency Diagrams: Visually represent task dependencies for a clear understanding of the project workflow.

Resources are the fuel that keeps your project moving – people, equipment, materials, and even budget. Here’s how to manage them effectively:

• Resource Availability: Ensure the necessary resources are available throughout the project timeline to avoid bottlenecks.
• Skill Sets: Match team members with tasks that align with their skills and expertise.
• Communication: Keep stakeholders informed about resource allocation to manage expectations.

Milestones are significant achievements within your project – milestones act as markers to track progress and maintain focus. Consider these points when defining milestones:

• Regular Intervals: Space milestones throughout the project schedule to provide regular checkpoints for evaluation.
• Measurable Goals: Milestones should represent tangible accomplishments that demonstrate progress towards the overall project objective.
• Motivation: Milestones serve as a source of motivation for the team – celebrating achievements keeps morale high.

Pro Tip: Involve your team members in the scheduling process to ensure buy-in and realistic estimates.

Download Now: Free Excel Project Schedule Template

Ready to put your newfound knowledge into action? We’ve got you covered! Click the link below to download a free, customizable project schedule template:

Project Schedule Template

This template includes all the essential elements mentioned above, ready to be tailored to your specific project needs.

Elements of the Free Project Schedule Template

Our free downloadable project schedule template provides a comprehensive framework to manage your projects effectively. Here’s a breakdown of the key sections:

Set the stage for your project by outlining key details. Include the project name, designate a project manager, and provide a concise background summarizing the project’s goals.

• Project Name: Clearly identify your project for easy reference.
• Project Manager: Assign a dedicated individual responsible for project oversight.
• Project Background: Briefly describe the project’s purpose and objectives.

Gain a high-level view of your project’s health. Track overall progress, define the project timeframe, and identify key milestones like start and end dates. Monitor resource allocation (man-days) and task completion status (completed, in progress, not started).

• Overall Progress: Track the overall percentage completion of the project.
• Duration: Define the total project timeframe from start to finish.
• Project Start: Specify the official project start date.
• Project End: Set a realistic target date for project completion.
• Man-days: Estimate the total person-hours required to complete the project.
• Total Tasks: See the total number of tasks involved in the project.
• Completed: Track the number of tasks successfully finished.
• In Progress: Monitor the number of tasks currently underway.
• Not Started: Identify tasks that haven’t begun yet.

Break down your project into manageable tasks. Clearly define each task and assign ownership to team members. Set realistic start and end dates, track progress percentages, and maintain the current status of each task (completed, in progress, not started).

• Task Title: Provide a clear and concise description of each task.
• Assigned To: Assign specific tasks to team members for accountability.
• Start: Define the planned start date for each task.
• End: Set a target completion date for each task.
• Progress: Track the percentage completion of each individual task.
• Status: Indicate the current status of each task (e.g., Completed, In Progress, Not Started).

Pro Tip: Utilize conditional formatting to visually highlight overdue tasks or tasks falling behind schedule.

Visualize your project timeline with ease. The built-in Gantt chart provides a clear graphic illustration of task durations and dependencies (if applicable), offering a comprehensive overview of your project schedule.

• Display tasks and their durations.
• Illustrate task dependencies (if applicable).
• Provide a clear visual of the project timeline.

Get started with our Free downloadable project schedule template excel template! This section provides a step-by-step guide to utilizing all the features and transforming it into your personalized project management powerhouse.

• Download the Template: Click the provided link to download the Excel file.
• Fill in Project Details: Enter the project name, manager, and background information.
• List Your Tasks: Detail each project task, including titles, assignments, planned start and end dates.
• Track Progress: Update the progress percentage and status (completed, in progress, not started) for each task as the project unfolds.
• Overall Project Summary: Key Metrics of Overall Project will be updated automatically based on your data. Yo can see the important KPIs like project duration, start and end dates, and resource allocation (man-days). on top section of the Template.
• Visualize Your Schedules in Gantt Chart : You can clearly track your Tasks and Schedules using Dynamic Gantt Chart.

Pro Tip: Use the built-in Excel formulas to automatically calculate the overall project progress and other summary metrics based on your task updates. With this user-friendly template and these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to efficient project scheduling and successful project delivery!

Project schedule templates are powerful tools, but to truly unlock their potential, consider these expert tips:

• Regularly review & update your schedule to reflect project progress and changes.
• Communicate clearly with all stakeholders to keep everyone informed.
• Utilize project management tools for progress tracking, resource management, and collaboration.
• Embrace flexibility and adapt when unexpected events occur.
• Build in buffer time to account for potential delays in critical tasks.
• Identify risk factors and develop contingency plans to address them.
• Maintain open communication within your team to encourage timely updates.
• Schedule recurring review meetings to discuss progress and address concerns.
• Leverage automation features in project management tools to streamline tasks.
• Export and share reports based on your schedule for clear stakeholder communication.

Take control of your projects and say goodbye to chaos! This free downloadable Project Schedule Template (Excel) empowers you to streamline workflows, manage resources effectively, and keep your team on track. Download your template today and unlock the secrets to project success: clear timelines, efficient resource allocation, and boosted communication. Embrace organization and watch your projects transform from scattered tasks to triumphant achievements!

Ready to unleash your inner project management pro? Download your free template now and let us know how it helps you conquer project chaos! We’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions in the comments below. What are your favorite project management tips and tricks while Scheduling Projects? Share your wisdom and help others achieve project success too!

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Project Management Templates | FREE Downloads Word, Excel, PDF, Visio

• Concise, focused guide that cuts through the clutter
• Step-by-step instructions for creating a project plan in under a day
• Master essential skills like work breakdowns and task sequencing
• Real-world troubleshooting for 20 common scheduling challenges
• Rapidly get up to speed if you're new to Microsoft Project
• Includes glossary, support resources, and sample plans
• Start planning like a pro
• Get your copy today!

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) Template | FREE Download

The Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) shows 'who does what' on a work package or task. It is a popular tool because it shows what is expected of each member of the project team 'at a glance'. Scheduling tools like Microsoft project allow multiple resources to be linked to a task, but there is no easy way to show what each resource is expected to do - RAMs fill the gap. stakeholdermap.com

• See a screenshot of the template
• How to use the template
• Download the Excel Template

How to use the RAM template

• Enter your project details on the first tab
• Open the second tab named RAM
• List your work packages down the left hand side (replacing Workpackage 1, 2, 3.. etc)
• Enter the names of your project team in the columns. Replacing Person (1,2,3..)

Responsible

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• Sample Project Charter - FREE example from a real software project
• Excel Project Plan - FREE excel Gantt Chart template for project planning
• WBS Checklist - Download a Free checklist for reviewing Work Breakdown Structures
• Project Management Templates - View our collection of FREE templates for Project Managers
• MS Project schedules - Get a ready made Microsoft Project Plan for your Project.
• Risk Register template - Download a free Risk Register Template for managing your risks.
• Software Project Plan - Get a ready Made Microsoft Project Plan for your Software Implementation Project.
• Sample Statement of Work - Writing a SOW is challenging! That is why we are sharing this free example!
• WBS examples - 22 Examples of real world Work Breakdown Structures.

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Templates for college and university assignments

Include customizable templates in your college toolbox. stay focused on your studies and leave the assignment structuring to tried and true layout templates for all kinds of papers, reports, and more..

Keep your college toolbox stocked with easy-to-use templates

Work smarter with higher-ed helpers from our college tools collection. Presentations are on point from start to finish when you start your project using a designer-created template; you'll be sure to catch and keep your professor's attention. Staying on track semester after semester takes work, but that work gets a little easier when you take control of your scheduling, list making, and planning by using trackers and planners that bring you joy. Learning good habits in college will serve you well into your professional life after graduation, so don't reinvent the wheel—use what is known to work!

The Top Project Plan Templates

By Kate Eby | June 8, 2018 (updated April 3, 2024)

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A project plan is an essential part of any project manager’s toolkit. While it can be tempting to get started on completing tasks as soon as possible, taking the time to map out your strategy can help you save money and resources. Your project will constantly be shifting, and you need a project plan template that can keep up. 

But, with so many available templates, how do you know which one to use? We’ve sorted through them all and found the best project plan templates in Excel and Microsoft Word. We’ll explain the different types of templates and when you should use each one. We’ll also provide a selection of free downloads of project plan templates in Microsoft Word and Excel. You’ll learn what a project plan is and how to make one from scratch in Excel. Or you can try a pre-built template in Smartsheet, a project management platform that empowers you to efficiently manage projects with real-time collaboration and process automation.

Project Plan Templates

A project plan template can be as simple or as complex as you need, depending on your style of project management and the requirements of your project planning . You can choose to include a static timeline or a dynamic Gantt chart, and focus on action items or business goals.

A project plan is most often used in a project management context, with Gantt charts to plan and report progress as the project changes. The main difference between a project plan and a work plan is the Gantt chart, making it a more integrated project plan complete with a way to track tasks against timelines. A Gantt chart is a dynamic, horizontal bar chart to visualize a project schedule and is an important asset to share with stakeholders to communicate project status. This type of template caters toward project managers who are managing larger projects with many people.

‌  Download Excel Template   Try Free Smartsheet Template   ‌

Project plan templates, complete with a Gantt chart, are used most often in instance like construction project management , or where there’s a need for a more agile project plan . Sometimes, people prefer to use  project management software to create more complex project plans, enabling them to easily update and manage their plans with greater flexibility.

Simple Project Plan Template

Track project details, manage timelines, and visualize how your project is progressing with this simple project plan template. Document all key details, like task start and end dates, resources needed, and budget details, with this comprehensive, easy-to-use template.

‌  Download Word Template   Try Free Smartsheet Template   ‌

Work Plan Templates

A work plan template is designed to break down your large project goals into smaller, actionable steps. This kind of template outlines what needs to be done, by whom, and when. It also includes a timeline to help set expectations and improve transparency, keeping everyone on the same page about deliverables and deadlines. A work plan template is best for larger teams working on big projects with many tasks and due dates.

Project Implementation Plan Template

Ensure you don’t miss or overlook any key steps and that all your bases are covered as you move through your project. Use this professionally designed template to keep key internal and external stakeholders, clients, and upper management in the loop on all phases of the project.

‌  Download Word Template

Action Plan Templates

An action plan lists all the steps that must be taken to achieve a specific goal. The template includes information about the actions that need to happen, the people that will complete them, due dates, priority, and status. While an action plan and work plan are similar, an action plan focuses on goals, whereas a work plan template focuses on phases of tasks that are usually listed in chronological order. An action plan template is best for individual use or by smaller teams.

Project Action Plan Template

Establish the main goals of your project, identify the actions needed to achieve those goals, and assign a person to be responsible for each task with this complete project action plan template. Assign priority to tasks, view status, and list start and end dates to keep your project moving forward.

Business Plan Templates

A business plan template highlights business goals and the plan for achieving them. It focuses on your business’ future and how you intend to reach your objectives. Business plans are much more strategic than a work plan or action plan and often include a vision statement, business profile, economic assessment, and more. A business plan is most appropriate for people who are starting their own business, growing their business, or seeking outside help.

Get started quickly with project plan templates in Smartsheet

Your projects may be complex, but your project management tool doesn’t have to be. Combine a rich set of features with flexibility, simplicity, and ease of use to deliver projects quickly. Try Smartsheet free for 30 days and get access to hundreds of pre-built, easily customizable templates to jumpstart your project. After your trial, you can choose the plan that best suits your needs or opt for the Free Plan as a no-cost alternative.

Try Smartsheet for Free

What is a project plan?

A project plan is designed to deliver the intended scope of a project, facilitate communication among stakeholders, and track planning assumptions and decisions. It is a living document that can include a stakeholder list, a scope statement, a project schedule, schedule and cost baselines, baseline management plans, communication plan, and it can change over the course of a project. It is worth noting that a project plan is not just a project timeline, although that is an important component of the plan.

You should always create a project plan before starting a new project. Start with what you want to achieve from the project and break it down into the things you need to do in order to accomplish the goal. Then, once you have a high-level plan of all the things that need to be done, you can think about timing, budget, resources, and more.

At the very least, a project plan should answer the following questions about a project:

• Why? - Why are we starting this project? What is the problem that this project will address or solve?
• What? - What are we working on? What are the major deliverables and goals?
• Who? - Who will be involved in the project and what will be their responsibilities?
• When? - When should the project start and end? What are the milestones?

What to include in a project plan

Project plans differ, but they all contain similar information. In your project plan, include an executive summary, project goals, milestones, deliverables, an estimated timeline, potential risks, and budget details. We’ve outlined some common topics covered by a project plan below:

To learn how to create your own project plan, check out our comprehensive guide to project planning.

• Executive Summary: The executive summary should summarize the information contained within your project plan onto a single page for easy reading.
• Project Goals: Outline the end goals of your project and how you will measure its success.
• Target Audience: Identify the target audience of your project, or who it will affect and who will use the results.
• Key Responsibilities: Outline the roles and responsibilities of each team member.
• Key Tasks and Deliverables: Highlight the most important tasks and deliverables throughout the project, with estimated deadlines.
• Available or Needed Resources: List the resources you will need to secure to complete the project.
• Risk Analysis and Mitigation Plan: Identify possible risks and put a plan in place to manage them before they become problems.
• Key Milestones: Identify the key milestones you will use to measure progress.
• Proposed Project Timeline: Create an estimated timeline for tasks, milestones, and deliverables.
• Costs and Budget Details: Create an estimated timeline for tasks, milestones, and deliverables.
• Contingency Plans: Include any contingency plans for project elements that don’t pan out as planned.
• Communication Strategies: Create a communication plan for reference throughout the project’s lifecycle.
• Evaluation Strategy: Determine how you will evaluate the successes and failures of your project.

To learn more, check out our comprehensive  Project Management Guide .

What is the purpose of a project plan?

A project plan is one of the most important ingredients for a successful project. It is used to document and communicate expectations, to control schedule and delivery, and to calculate and manage risks. In general, it acts as a roadmap for everyone involved in the project.

Here are the four biggest benefits of a project plan:

• Improves communication : By outlining your whole plan for everyone to see, stakeholders can provide feedback early in the process if things are going in the right direction. A project plan also helps facilitate expectation management by letting you update milestones and timelines as the project progresses.
• Increases transparency : With a project plan, stakeholders and team members know exactly where to look to get information every step of the way. Expectations and the project timeline are clearly defined, so everyone is on the same page about priorities and objectives.
• Increases organization : Many projects have dozens of tasks, dependencies, and milestones, and it can be hard to track how everything is progressing. A project plan makes you think through the timing of each activity and how it affects the rest of the project. You always know how much time to spend on each task and how many things you can accomplish at the same time.

The project planning process

The project planning process involves thoroughly mapping out your project from start to finish. At this time, determine your goals, estimate a timeline for key deliverables, create a budget projection, and assess your risks before launching your project.

• Concept and Initiation: Start by determining the overall concept of your project and how you plan to complete it.
• Roadmap Creation: In this phase, determine a rough timeline of the tasks necessary to complete your project.
• Deliverable Listing: Each project must have specific deliverables, which you should identify during the beginning portion of your planning phase, so each team member is aware of what is expected of them.
• Project Milestone Identification: Figure out specific points in the project that you consider to be key milestones. These milestones can consist of certain tasks that you complete, a budget target that you reach, or a team that you assemble.
• Budget Creation: Creating a predetermined budget is one of the most important parts of a project plan. You should adhere to that budget as your project moves forward. This way, you can allocate specific resources and budgets to certain tasks, without exceeding spending projections.
• Team Member Identification: As with any project, you’ll need to assemble a team of people to implement the project. Work with others to target the specific people who will be most helpful in carrying out the project.
• Risk Assessment: You must identify all potential risks or threats to your project, including those that could cause budget issues, project delays, and more. List all those potential risks, and detail how you plan to mitigate the issues if they do occur.
• Project Communication: Once you’ve outlined the key components of your project, you need to communicate these plans and goals to the greater team — including key stakeholders and any external parties. Develop a way to appropriately and efficiently communicate the project plans to everyone involved.
• Project Launch: At this point, your project should be ready to launch. Ensure that you’ve covered all your bases and outlined all the details before starting. Then, you’re set to begin.

How to create a project plan in Excel

Here are some step-by-step instructions for making a project plan in Excel. You’ll first create the table with your project information, then we’ll show you how to make your project timeline.

1. Add Headers to the Table 

First, you’ll need to add some headers to your table.

• Leave the first row in your spreadsheet blank. On the second row, type in the headers. In this example, we’re using Tasks, Responsible, Start, End, Days , and Status . You could also add more headers for extra granularity, like Budget, Cost , and more. 
• Highlight the text and in the Alignment group, click the center icon to center the text in the headers.
• To format the headers for proper spacing, highlight all the text you just typed and on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format . Select Column Width and set the width for around 15-20 so you have enough space to enter in your project information.

2. Add Your Project Information

• Start with the Task column and enter the tasks for your project plan. You can enter as many or as few tasks as you want. To visually organize your project plan, we recommend adding a title for each group of tasks or each phase. In this example, we use Prerequisites, Initiation, Development, Operations and Launch .
• Then, enter the person responsible for each task and the start and end dates.
• To automatically calculate the number in the Days column, click on a cell in the Days column and type =, then click the End date cell, type the minus (-) symbol, then click the Start date cell. Click enter. Drag the bottom right-hand corner of this cell down the entire column and the rest of the values will be automatically calculated for you with this formula.
• Enter the status of each task. We use Complete, In progress, Overdue , or Not started .
• All the information should now be in your table, but you’ll notice the spacing is off depending on the length of your text. To fix this, highlight all your information and in the Cells group, click Format . Select Autofit Column Width to automatically adjust the column width to your content.
• To center your content, highlight the text and in the Alignment group, click the center icon.

3. Add Colors to Convey Project Status at a Glance

It’s easy to customize your project plan with colors and visual hierarchy. By changing the styling and font sizes, you can highlight key information and convey project status at a glance.

• To change font color, click on the cell with the text you want to change. In the Home tab, select the color you want from the color drop-down list.
• To change the background color of one or more cells, select the cell(s) you want to change. Click the paint bucket icon and select the fill color.
• To format fonts, select one or more cells. In the Home tab, you can change the font type, font size, and make the title bold, italicized, or underlined. 

We recommend adding a background color to the main header and to each group or phase of tasks, as well as your target completion date or launch date. You can also change the font color of in the Status column to reflect current progress (in this example, red represents Overdue , green represents Complete , etc).

4. Create the Project Plan Timeline

You’ve already added all your project information to the table, now it’s time to make the corresponding project timeline. Including a timeline in your project plan will help set expectations and increase transparency, keeping everyone aligned around priorities and due dates.

Add and Format Dates

• On the same row as your table headers, in the next available column, enter the two dates of your project timeline. Then, hold down Shift, select the two dates, and drag the bottom right-hand corner across the row until you’ve reached your end date.
• If you’d like to change the format of dates, select all the dates and right-click. Select Format Cells .
• In the pop-up box, select Date under the Category section and select the date type you’d like.
• You’ll notice that the cells are very wide. To make the timeline more compact, select all the dates, and select a smaller font size. In this example, we’ve selected font size 9.
• Then, select all the dates again and in the Cells group, click Format . Select Autofit Column Width to automatically adjust the column width to the dates.

Add Colors to Make the Project Timeline

• First, extend the same background colors and font formatting from your table to your timeline.

• Now, you’ve created a type of matrix. You have a row that corresponds to each task, and on the right-hand side, on your timeline, you can simply fill in the cells that represent each task’s start and end date. To do this, select a cell (or more than one cell) and click the paint bucket icon. Select the color you’d like to use.

5. Final Touches

• To add grid lines to the project plan, select the entire project plan, both the table and the timeline, and in the Font group, click the borders icon. Select All Borders .   
• If you want to add more project information, select the first column, right-click and select Insert > Entire Row . Repeat until you have 8 empty rows.
• Then, in the first column, enter the following: Project Name, Project Manager, Project Deliverable, Start Date, End Date , and Overall Progress . Then, fill in the corresponding information.

How to create a project plan in Smartsheet

Smartsheet’s pre-built project template with a Gantt chart makes it even easier to organize tasks, foster communication, and improve transparency. In this template, duration is automatically calculated for you and the interactive Gantt chart lets you drag-and-drop task bars to adjust dates. Smartsheet’s powerful collaboration features let you have discussions directly in the project plan, attach files, and set alerts and reminders.

Here’s how to use a project plan template in Smartsheet:

1. Select a Project Template

• Go to Smartsheet.com and login to your account ( or start a free 30-day trial )
• From the Home tab, click Create and choose Browse All Solutions .
• Type “ Project with Gantt Timeline ” in the Search box or select Projects from the category list.
• Click on the  Project with Gantt Timeline  tile, then click the blue Use  button.
• Name your template, choose where to save it, and click the Ok button.

2. List Your Project Information

A pre-made template will open, with sample content filled in for reference and the sections, sub-tasks, and sub-sub-tasks already formatted. With Smartsheet, it’s easy to add or delete columns depending on the scope of your project.

Simply right-click on a column and select Insert Column Left/Insert Column Right to add a column or Delete Column to remove a column.

• Add your tasks under the Task Name column. You’ll notice that the hierarchy is already formatted for you. So, be sure to enter the project phase name or group name to the Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3 fields (this is called the parent row. For more information about hierarchy, click here )
• Enter your tasks and sub-tasks under the parent rows.
• On the left side of each row, you can attach files directly to a task (perfect for attaching stakeholder lists, budgets, and more) or start a discussion about a certain item.

3. Add Start and End Dates

• Add start and end dates for each task. If you click and drag either end of the task bars in the Gantt chart, Smartsheet will automatically adjust the dates in your table.
• Click a cell in the either date column.
• Click the calendar icon and choose a date. You can also manually enter a date in the cell.

4. Enter % Complete and Assigned To Information

The % Complete and Assigned To columns provide more information about your project and improve transparency by allowing team members to see who is doing what and the status of each task.

On the Gantt chart, the thin bars inside the task bars represent the percentage of work complete for each task.

• In the % Complete column, enter the percentage of work complete for each task. Enter a whole number and Smartsheet will automatically add the percentage sign. 
• In the Assigned To column, choose a name from your contact list (in the drop-down menu) or manually enter a name.

Customize your project plan in Smartsheet

With just a couple clicks, you can customize the appearance of your project timeline.

1. Customize Fonts and Colors in Your Project Plan

• To change the font type and size, or bold, italicize or underline text, click the cell with the text you want to change. On the left-hand toolbar, you will find all the text formatting options.
• To change the background color of a row, click the far left gray cell to highlight the entire row. Then, click the paint bucket icon and select the color you’d like to use.

2. Change the Colors in Your Gantt Chart

• Right-click on a task bar and click Color Settings .
• Select the color you’d like to use from the color palette.
• If you want to apply the same color to more than one task bar, click the bars while holding down the Shift key. Then, release the Shift button, right-click on any of the selected bars, and click Color Settings .

Discover a better way to manage your project plans with Smartsheet

From simple task management and project planning to complex resource and portfolio management, Smartsheet helps you improve collaboration and increase work velocity -- empowering you to get more done. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed.

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time. Try Smartsheet for free, today.

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Download Over 700 Free Project Management Templates in Excel and Word

If you are a project manager looking to streamline your workflow and enhance productivity, you are in luck. We are offering over 700 free project management templates available for download in both Excel and Word formats. These templates are meticulously designed to cater to a wide range of project management needs, ensuring that you have the right tools at your disposal to manage tasks efficiently and effectively.

Maximize Efficiency with Professional Templates

Our extensive collection includes templates for project planning, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, resource allocation, and much more. Whether you are handling a small team or managing a large-scale project, these templates provide a robust foundation for organizing your project from inception to completion.

Benefits of Using Our Templates

• Time-Saving: Save countless hours on design and formatting. Our templates are ready to use, allowing you to focus on project execution rather than administrative tasks.
• Enhanced Productivity: With predefined structures and formulas, you can streamline data entry and automate calculations, leading to increased productivity and reduced errors.
• Professional Quality: Impress stakeholders and team members with professionally designed templates that adhere to best practices in project management.
• Customization: Easily customize templates to fit your specific project requirements. Modify layouts, fields, and data points to align with your unique workflow.

Premium Features for Optimal Project Management

Our templates are not just generic documents; they come with premium features that set them apart:

• Gantt Charts: Visualize project timelines and track progress with interactive Gantt charts.
• Risk Management Tools: Identify, assess, and mitigate risks effectively with comprehensive risk management templates.
• Budgeting Spreadsheets: Keep your project finances in check with detailed budgeting and financial tracking templates.
• Resource Management: Allocate resources efficiently and monitor usage to ensure optimal performance and productivity.

Why Choose Our Templates?

• User-Friendly: Designed with user experience in mind, our templates are easy to navigate and use, even for beginners.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Covering all aspects of project management, our templates ensure that no part of your project is left unmanaged.
• Free and Accessible: Download and use any of our templates at no cost, making professional project management tools accessible to everyone.

Blog By Retain

5 expert tips + free resource plan excel template.

By Rahat Ahmed Resource Management Growth Leader

• 07 Nov 2023

Why juggle resource scheduling and utilisation on your own when an Excel resource planning template can help? Get started with a ready-made template and expert tips to make it work for you.

In this article, we dive into resource planning. We'll explore must-have components, help you to kick-start your planning with our templates, and even weigh up whether upgrading to specialised software makes sense.

Let’s get into it. 

What is a resource planning template?

Resource planning is vital for project management. It allows you to track availability, allocate resources, and avoid time and money traps. 

With one, resource managers can:

• Track resource availability
• Plan and track project resource allocation
• Assign resources to project tasks
• Manage resource capacity 

➡️Download your free  Excel resource planning template here .

Or if you are ready to ditch the spreadsheets, why not try specialist  resource planning software ? Take a look or  talk to us . 

Now that you've secured your free template, it's time to amp up your resource planning skills. Here’s some tips on how to use it effectively.

Top 5 tips for maximising your resource planning in Excel

These top tips are your quick guide to becoming a resource planning whizz in Excel:

✅ Master Excel shortcuts: Knowing your way around Excel can save you countless hours. For example, different shortcuts can be applied to a cell, such as editing a cell, aligning cell contents, adding an outline to all the selected cells, and many more.

✅ Use conditional formatting: This allows you to set rules for cell formatting based on the data they contain, helping you spot issues at a glance. You’ll see we have added this to our template to flag when resources are under or over-utilised.

✅ Implement data validation: Ensure accurate data entry by setting up drop-down lists or number ranges. This minimises the risk of errors that could affect your resource allocation.

✅ Regularly update your template:  Business needs change, and so should your resource planning template. Make it a habit to review and update it at least quarterly.

✅ Run ‘what-if’ analyses : Before making major changes, use Excel’s What-If Analysis tool to predict different outcomes. This could help you avoid costly mistakes.

A well-crafted Excel template is only as good as your ability to use it. These top tips aim to boost your effectiveness in resource planning. Want to take it to the next level? Consider  specialised resource planning software like Retain to manage complex scenarios with ease.

Why isn’t resource planning in Excel enough? Let’s break it down:

Resource planning software vs Microsoft Excel: Which approach is best for you?

Excel is often the default planning tool for many organisations due to its accessibility and familiarity. But spreadsheets were designed for basic tables and calculations - not the complexities of resource management. 

In short, Excel is great for basic tasks. But for complex resource planning? Not so much. Here's why:

• Limited visibility: Excel's siloed data complicates staffing optimisation.
• Manual overload: Spreadsheets are error-prone and high-maintenance.
• Inflexible planning: Excel's rigidity hampers custom projects and quick changes.
• Weak analytics : Excel requires manual analysis, making real-time insights a dream, not a reality.

Plus, relying on Excel can quickly become a bottleneck as your firm grows. 

Let’s take a look at this a bit closer:

🔎 Limited visibility

Tracking allocation, capacity, and demand in siloed spreadsheets gives an incomplete picture. This makes it hard to optimise assignments and staffing. What may seem like smooth sailing in individual plans can mask conflicts.

🤯 Manual overload

Spreadsheets need constant manual adjustments, which can be a tedious process prone to errors. Plus, a minor tweak in one place can have downstream impacts. Not to mention that maintaining consistent up-to-date data across multiple files with many users is virtually impossible. 

⬇️Inflexible planning

Excel lacks the flexibility to easily accommodate bespoke projects and priorities. Plus, modelling scenarios like reallocating resources or comparing alternatives is clunky at best. Responding to changes means reworking multiple plans. An absence of workflow rules also increases ambiguity for users.

❌Weak analytics

While Excel can generate reports, the number crunching is labour-intensive. Features like pivot tables help but don't remove the need for manual analysis. Lacking automation, it's hard to get real insights from your data. This prevents fact-based forecasting and optimisation.

In summary, spreadsheets clearly fall short of the needs of organisations that need to juggle many people, projects, and priorities. 

Take  Pitch Partners for example. Rapid growth created greater complexity in resource planning and job costing and spreadsheet-based processes limited visibility into resources and workloads. Plus, resource conflicts and bottlenecks decreased utilisation and profitability.

By moving beyond spreadsheets to advanced resource management, Pitcher Partner gained the visibility and flexibility needed to optimise staff utilisation. They saw business value instantly as they were able to plan (at a detailed staffing level) the year ahead. 

Booking client projects for the next 12 months provided clear visibility of schedules and allowed them to strengthen their resource and engagement planning. The result was greater productivity, efficiency, and profitability firm-wide.

So is it time to consider software specifically designed for resource management? We'll dive into the benefits of doing so next.

Why specialised resource management software is more effective

Resource management software, like  Retain , is specifically designed to handle the unique challenges of people-powered services businesses. It provides a centralised system to maximise resource utilisation while balancing supply and demand. 

Let's look at some of the key capabilities:

1. Holistic visibility 

All resource data is maintained in a single platform, giving real-time visibility into utilisation and availability. Drag-and-drop scheduling, allocation tracking, and colour-coding make analysis intuitive. This helps optimise assignments and staffing for the big picture.

2. Workflow automation

The manual work of updating spreadsheets is eliminated through automation. Resource management software centralises information and keeps it consistent system-wide. Plus, changes and notifications happen in real-time across integrated plans.

3. Flexible planning

Sophisticated tools support agile planning as projects evolve. Plus, scenario modelling enables "what-if" analysis to evaluate alternatives. Resources can be quickly reallocated as needs change. And workflow rules boost efficiency and consistency.

4. Powerful analytics 

Embedded reporting and analytics provide data-driven insights. Dashboards track key metrics like utilisation rate, capacity vs demand, and project progress. And forecasting and modeling capabilities assist long-term planning.

To sum up, by removing the constraints of spreadsheets, resource management software streamlines coordination between projects, managers, and employees. The result: planning and decision-making also becomes far more precise.

If you're keen to learn more, you'll love our new ebook: Beyond Excel for resource planning . 

Retain: A better alternative to Excel resource planning templates

Retain isn't just user-friendly; it's a resource management powerhouse. Here’s how:

• AI-powered skill-based scheduling: Match the right people to the right projects.
• Real-time utilisation: Adjust plans fast to maximise resource use.
• ROI and budget tracking : All your key metrics in one place.

Let’s understand how:

Schedule based on skills matching

With  Retain , you can create unlimited colour-coded plans and use drag and drop to easily adjust plans. With these features, you can easily visualise and find the available team members for client projects. 

Easily schedule and visualise resources : Quickly see availability and accurately schedule resources with at-a-glance access to bookings, jobs, clients, and resources. 

Model different scenarios to stress-test your plan : Improve resource forecasting and run what-if scenarios to see how changes in project timelines, resource availability, and budget impact your overall resource plan. 

See real-time utilisation to make corrections sooner: Compare real-time forecasting to your resource plan to identify gaps and quickly make adjustments.

Some more notable features include:

Deliver projects on time and budget

Move faster by planning and tracking resources against your projects on one simple timeline. You’ll never go back to messy spreadsheets or whiteboards again.

Easily plan and track resources in one place : Get a calendar view of resource allocations across all projects to optimise planning.

See the expected ROI and goal impact of every project : Link each project to strategic goals and quantify the expected business impact.

Track utilisation and budget without jumping between tools: Monitor project budgets, actuals, and resource time in the same system.

Simplify resource allocation and collaborate in real-time

Retain helps you to break down resource planning requirements into a set of resource needs that your team fulfils to hit targets on time and on budget.

Collect project requests remotely & asynchronously: Allow teams to submit resource requests through an online system accessible anytime.

Focus resources on the projects that’ll move the needle : Use data like  ROI , client budget, and resource utilisation to prioritise high-impact projects.

Staff projects accountably and measurably:  Set clear project resource allocations and track them closely to optimise utilisation and throughput.

As a result, all the project-related information is available in one place. And, your team doesn’t have to use multiple channels to communicate about the project.

Manage team capacity and workloads

For each project or task you can easily see overlapping bookings, resource utilisation rates, timescales, and availability, all at the click of a button. 

Ensure teams are not overworked:  You can then visualise workloads and understand if team members are overworked or have capacity to take up more tasks. 

Track time & billable hours: With Retain's Timesheets feature, resources can log their time against projects, and the system calculates billable hours for clients. This provides instant access to project performance and aids in keeping projects within budget, enhancing business management.

Analyse data and create custom reports : Retain elevates your data game. Think AI-powered recommendations and seamless integration with existing tools.

Analyse data and create custom reports

One huge area where Excel struggles is integrations, custom reporting, and continuous learning. This is where a specialist tool like Retain steps in to do the heavy lifting. 

Continuous learning: AI-powered tools like Retain learn from user feedback and data patterns, fine-tuning recommendations and resource allocation strategies over time. This learning process ensures the system's increasing effectiveness in catering to your unique resource management needs.

Digging into the details : For data-driven decision-making, Retain offers a suite of flexible reports and dashboards using Microsoft Power BI. With a few clicks, you can create your own dashboard, visualising availability and utilisation, spotting trends, or identifying potential bottlenecks.

Do more with data: Retain also enables integration and automation, bringing together disparate systems to save time. By integrating data from across your organisation, including CRM and HR systems, Retain provides a single, comprehensive view of your business and its people.

Boost resource management with the right tools

Excel templates are a start, but they lack the firepower for today’s resource management.

Specialised software like Retain delivers unmatched capabilities: AI-powered allocation, automatic utilisation calculations, and easy integrations.

Specialist resource management software like Retain has capabilities which Excel just can’t compete with. With features that take resource planning to the next level:

• AI-powered resource allocation and skills matching
• Automatic resource utilisation calculations
• Bespoke reporting and custom data fields
• Easy integrations with existing tools 

With Retain as your planning partner, you’ll never leave profit on the table. Upgrade to Retain and maximise your profits.

Take a look at our solution or  book a demo to see for yourself. 

Looking for more?

• Beyond spreadsheets: How mature is your resource planning approach?
• How to build a business case for resource planning software
• How to choose the best resource management software

Revolutionise your resource planning

Get a personalised demo that offers resourcing solutions today

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15 Excel Spreadsheet Templates for Tracking Tasks, Costs and Time

Still using spreadsheets to manage your projects? Revolutionize your project management with ProjectManager. Plan projects, manage resources and track progress with powerful features the whole team can use.

Excel spreadsheet templates are a great tool to track the costs, time and performance of your team. We’ve collected ProjectManager’s 15 best Excel spreadsheet templates for tracking that you can download and use for free.

1. Dashboard Template

A dashboard is how you keep track of your work, including the time spent on tasks, what you’re spending and if you’re making progress as planned. ProjectManager’s free dashboard template for Excel gives you an overview of how you’re doing on your work. This information is vital to know if you’re overspending or running behind on your schedule.

ProjectManager’s free dashboard template has several widgets that monitor metrics in your work. For example, there’s a color-coded task graph that shows if your tasks are complete, in progress, not started or overdue. There’s also a workload chart for managing teams and making sure their workload is balanced.

There’s another task graph that measures the duration of the tasks, which is helpful in seeing what’s getting done on time and what’s taking too long. Finally, there’s a cost bar chart to help you stay on budget.

This Excel dashboard template can manage your work, but it’s a static document that must be updated manually. Project tracking software automates that process. ProjectManager is better than Excel spreadsheet templates as it helps to accumulate real-time data, crunch the numbers and display it. Get started with ProjectManager free today.

Not all project management software offers the same project dashboards. ProjectManager’s project dashboard comes equipped with the right project management features to help you keep track of time, tasks, costs and more.

2. Task Tracker Template

ProjectManager’s free task tracker for Excel template can organize and keep track of your work. It’s similar to a to-do list, where you just need to add the work and manage it. Having a task list is the first step to controlling your work.

This task tracker spreadsheet captures the details of your work. Add the name of the task and include dependent tasks. You can assign it to yourself or someone on your team.

Next, set the priority and when you expect to finish. Finally, there’s a column to mark its status, which is essential to track your work. It has everything you need to track your tasks at a basic level with an Excel spreadsheet.

3. Budget Spreadsheet for Cost Tracking

Managing costs in your work is as important as meeting deadlines. ProjectManager’s free budget template for Excel helps you keep to your budget by tracking your financial details on one spreadsheet.

Tasks cost money, and the budget defines the costs of the resources you’ll employ to deliver those tasks to completion. First, the spreadsheet template has a numbered list that corresponds to your work breakdown structure (WBS) . Then, there are labor costs including planned vs. actual hours plus the cost per hour. Materials are broken down by units and cost per unit.

There’s also room for other line items on your budget, which include travel, equipment, fixed and miscellaneous costs. Finally, there are columns to collect the budgeted and actual cost for each line item, then a balance showing if the line item is above or under budget.

Related: How to Track Project Expenses

4. Timeline Template

ProjectManager’s free timeline template in Excel is perfect for scheduling your project from start to finish in Excel. It’s a way to view all your tasks and keep on schedule. You can even add milestones!

To get started with this free timeline template, you first need to list your tasks and give them a name. Each task must have a start date and an end date, plus the time you think it’ll take to complete.

You add all that data to the left side of the template, which is a normal tracking spreadsheet. Then, on the right, you’ll see the timeline that lays out your tasks as horizontal bars across a timeline. It’s easy to see how long it’ll take to complete each task.

Excel spreadsheet templates are good for beginners, but if you want to take your planning even further, upgrade to online software that lets you build timelines in minutes. ProjectManager has online project timelines that update instantly as the team collaborates on tasks. Track costs, workload, planned vs actual progress and more. Get started for free.

5. Action Plan Spreadsheet

Managing work means outlining the steps you must complete to achieve your goals. Use ProjectManager’s free action plan spreadsheet for Excel to track tasks and detail the strategy you’ll use to complete your work on time and within budget.

We’ve broken up this action plan template into three sections. The first is the action steps, which note the priority and list tasks, phases and assignments. There’s also space to note the status of your tasks and track their progress.

Section two of this Excel spreadsheet template is a timeline, with start and due dates, including planned hours. Finally, section three focuses on resources; for example, which department is responsible for which task, what materials are needed and what are the resource costs?

6. Status Report Template

Knowing where you are at any particular point in the project life cycle is how you manage time and costs. Our free status report template is a great tool to track your progress and stay on schedule.

This free status report template is made up of five sections: project information, project status summary, project health, risk management overview and a conclusion that includes recommendations for the future.

A status report is a cornerstone of tracking your work. It’s used in project management and work management alike because it gives managers a picture of their planned vs actual progress. It’s also a powerful tool when presenting to stakeholders.

7. Risk Tracking Spreadsheet

No matter how well-planned your work is, there are unknowns that can impact your progress. Use ProjectManager’s free risk register spreadsheet to help you plan for risks in your work.

This free risk register for Excel has columns to ID the risk to make it easier to track. There’s a column to describe the risk and explain how it’ll impact the work you’re doing if it goes from a risk to an actual issue .

For each risk you identify on the template, you can add a risk response, which is the response you’ll take if the risk actualizes. You can also note the risk level. Then, if you’re working in a team, you can assign the risk so that the team member is responsible for identifying and rectifying it.

8. Change Tracking Spreadsheet

Download ProjectManager’s free change tracking spreadsheet for Microsoft Excel to manage change when it impacts your work management. It’ll help you control change so it doesn’t make you spend too much overtime or incur additional costs.

A change log Excel spreadsheet is one of the most important Microsoft Excel templates we offer. It’s a spreadsheet template that captures change when it happens. You can number changes for better tracking and note when the change first came up and who discovered or requested it.

You can then prioritize the change, and you or a team member can take ownership to see it through to completion. The Excel spreadsheet tracks the change from discovery to recovery and ensures that no change order is lost in the cracks.

9. Time Tracking Spreadsheet

There’s no better template to track the time you spend on your tasks than with ProjectManager’s free time tracking spreadsheet . This timesheet is great for you or team members to record the amount of time spent on work.

This timesheet Excel spreadsheet template has space for your name or the name of the employee, their department, supervisor and hourly rate. The template collects their hours, such as their start time and end time for their workday. There’s even a place to add overtime and lunch.

Then, the total for the week is added and multiplied by the pay rate to show the total amount the employee is owed. Finally, there’s a line for the employee to sign and the supervisor to look it over and sign it, if accurate.

10. Multiple Project Tracking Template

When you’re managing a portfolio or program, you have to monitor all your projects in one place to make insightful decisions as to how to allocate resources. Using our free multiple-project tracking template for Excel gives you a high-level overview of every project for which you’re responsible.

Once you download the free Excel template, you’ll find it’s formatted with three projects, one stacked on top of the other. You can copy and paste to add as many projects as needed. You can also add columns if you need to track something not already on the template.

Each project spreadsheet allows you to list all the project tasks by name and description, as well as if they’re dependent on another task. There’s space to add who’s assigned to each task. Each task has a start and planned end date, and planned cost, with an actual end date and actual cost to help you track the project.

11. Issue Tracking Template

Issues are problems that arise while executing your project. These issues must be quickly identified and resolved to keep the project on schedule and within its budget. With our free issue-tracking template for Excel , you have the tools to monitor the progress of resolving those issues.

The free template is ideal to capture risks, which become issues if they in fact show up in your project. When they do, you already have them described in the template and what their potential impact is. Next, you can define its priority, from low to critical, which helps you determine which risks need your immediate attention.

There’s also a place to note the date the issue first was discovered and when it was closed, as well as the team member who’s responsible for resolving it. Finally, the free template states the department that’s handling the issue and there’s a column to note its status when tracking the issue.

12. To-Do List Template

Everyone has work to do, and getting that work done efficiently requires task management. At its most basic, that means having a list of your tasks. It’s the first step to getting organized. That’s where our free to-do list for Excel comes in handy.

A to-do list is a simple but highly effective tool. Simply list the tasks you’ve been assigned or you can even use it for household chores. Next, you’ll want to give each task a start and due date. This is the duration or timeframe in which you want the work completed.

Now, you’ll want to track your progress. The free to-do list template shows the percentage complete for each task. It’s a satisfying feeling to see the cell move from 25 percent to 100 percent. Then there’s a column to note the progress. Before you know it, your work is done.

13. Inventory Template

If you’re a manufacturer or have a company with which you carry stock that you need to run your business, then you need our free inventory template for Excel . Use it to prevent production delays by keeping track of what you’re warehousing.

Use this free template to record the level of your inventory and track its turnover. First, each line is numbered to make it easier to find the item you want. Then the item is listed and described, with the unit price noted and the quantity you have in stock.

Now you can calculate the inventory price, which is the unit price multiplied by the number in stock. This Excel spreadsheet template does this automatically. There’s a column to note whether you need to reorder, what level to reorder, how long it takes to restock and what that reorder quantity should be.

14. Progress Report Template

Project reports are essential for a number of reasons. One, they help you monitor your progress and performance, and two, they’re a great tool for keeping stakeholders updated. Our free progress report template for Word captures an overview of the activities and tasks that occurred over a specific period.

The free progress report is broken up into a number of different sections. There’s a summary, which provides a quick overview of what’s to follow, including pertinent data, such as the project scope, schedule, cost and risk for the time period being reported on.

Then there’s a section in this Excel spreadsheet template that goes over the tasks that have been executed over a period of time covered in the report. There’s space to note the status of tasks that aren’t yet completed and a section to list issues, talk about the budget and more. It’s a great way to capture a snapshot of the project in time.

15. Work Schedule Template

Need help managing your human resources or operations planning? Check out our free work schedule template for Excel . This free template lists all your employees and their working hours, including responsibilities, over a day, week or month.

Use the work schedule template to keep your employees productive and help with tracking your resource utilization and scheduling. You can also use it to prioritize tasks and balance your team’s workload, which leads to greater productivity and happier employees.

Our free spreadsheet template has a weekly and monthly work schedule. Both list your employees, their tasks, which project they’re working on and then their hours, either day-by-day or over the course of a month. This will help most organizations and even long-term projects.

Use ProjectManager to Track Time, Costs and Tasks Better Than Excel

Templates and Excel spreadsheets for tracking are great, but as noted, they can only do so much. ProjectManager is online work management software that connects everyone, no matter where they work, what time, department or skill level. It does so in real-time to ensure that everyone is collaborating and working on the most recent data.

Automatically Fill Out Timesheets

Take timesheets, for example. Instead of having your employee fill out the timesheet, ProjectManager’s timesheets autofill their tasks and update the time they’ve spent. This streamlines payroll but also offers a window into tracking the time they spend on their tasks. That way, you know if they’re meeting their quota. Once submitted, timesheets are locked and secure.

Work the Way That Suits You

Multiple project views allow everyone on the team to work how they want. Managers can plan ahead on Gantt charts that show all their tasks on a timeline. The duration bar that connects each task’s start and end dates automatically shows progress based on how much of it is shaded. Teams can use task lists, kanban boards or calendars if they prefer, all of which are updated and show progress. No tool is more flexible for planning and tracking work.

Generate One-Click Reports in Seconds

Tracking time, costs and more is easy with ProjectManager’s one-click reports. Get status reports, reports on tasks, timesheets, expenses and more. These reports take complicated data and turn it into insightful and easy-to-read reports to monitor progress and more. Reports can also be filtered to see only the data you want and then shared to keep stakeholders updated.

Related Excel Project Management Content

While Excel is not a project management software, it can still be a very helpful for managing various aspects of your projects. That’s why we’ve created dozens of blogs, templates and guides to help you use Excel for project management.

• Essential Excel Report Templates
• Free Manufacturing Excel Templates
• Free Excel Construction Templates
• Free Word & Excel Templates for Business
• How to Create a Project Timeline in Excel (Free Template Included)
• How to Make a Gantt Chart In Excel Step-By-Step (Template Included)
• 25 Must-Have Project Management Excel Templates and Spreadsheets

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software for teams. Our real-time tool tracks time, costs and more to ensure you’re always on schedule and never spending over your budget. Join the 35,000+ people using our software to track tasks, cost and time. Get started with ProjectManager free today.

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Project Plan 3

Plan and execute projects with Copilot in Planner (preview) 1 and advanced project management capabilities. Includes the Project Online desktop client and Project Online.

• Leverage Copilot in Planner (preview) 1 to generate new plans, set goals, track status, and react to changes as projects evolve.
• Use rich planning and status tracking capabilities, with features such as advanced dependencies with lead-lag, critical path, and task history.
• Manage scheduling and costing and allocate resources with resource management capabilities.
• Each subscription license allows for up to five concurrent installations of the Project Online desktop client.

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Collaborative, powerful project management enabled by Copilot in Planner (preview)

Get started quickly with Project Plan 3 and have powerful project management capabilities, assisted by Copilot in Planner (preview), to plan and manage your organization’s projects from anywhere.

Copilot in Planner (preview)

With simple, natural language prompts, you can generate and add tasks, goals, and buckets or create a complete plan. Then, use Copilot to break down the work into actionable steps and analyze progress, risks, assignments, and more.

Rich task management capabilities

Create advanced task dependencies with lead-lag, identify progress and changes with task history, and leverage critical path to prioritize resources and assignments.

Ready-made project templates

Use prebuilt templates available in Planner and Project for the web or go to Microsoft365.com for access to ready-made project plans.

Collaborate in a simple, unified experience

Manage all your tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects across Microsoft 365 apps in a single, familiar experience. Use Planner, Project, and Microsoft Teams 3  to collaborate on projects with file sharing, chat, meetings, and more. *

Visual, interactive roadmaps

Visualize progress across projects, programs, and portfolios by connecting different projects within a single view. Choose the initiatives you want to see and add phases, milestones, and key dates.

Make informed decisions

Use baselines to help you track and compare actual progress to the original project plan.

Create reports

Get insights, communicate information to stakeholders, and achieve results with help from powerful built-in reports.

Tailor your project management

Leverage the Microsoft Power Platform to customize your project management needs to best suit your organization.

More about Project Plan 3

Manage all your tasks, to-do lists, plans and projects across Microsoft 365 apps in a single, familiar experience. Seamlessly share project plans, manage tasks, chat, and meet without switching between apps.

Flexible and scalable

Use your preferred view and create plans with powerful scheduling and resourcing tools. Improve resource assignment based on dependencies. Get big picture views and leverage Power Apps to automate and extend.

Intelligent

With Copilot in Planner (preview), use next-generation AI and natural language prompts to generate new plans, set goals, track status, and react to changes as projects evolve.

• [1] While final pricing for Copilot in Planner has not been announced, users with a Project Plan 3 or Project Plan 5 license will be able to preview Copilot in Planner capabilities once it is rolled out to their organization.
• [2] A credit card is required to begin a one-month trial. The duration of the trial varies by the month you sign up. The expiration date will appear on the trial subscription details page within the Microsoft 365 admin center. Upon the expiration of your one-month trial, you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Cancellation can be done at any time to stop future charges.
• [3] Microsoft 365 apps, such as Microsoft Teams, are sold separately. Prices shown are per month. If you are a global or billing administrator, an annual commitment is required to purchase online. You can choose to pay monthly or annually. Within the Microsoft 365 admin center, global and billing administrators can choose either annual or monthly commitment plans.
• [*] License sold separately.    

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• Creating and Administering Analytics and Reports for Project Management

Overview of Configurable Workflow Notifications in Project Management

As part of workflow tasks, the application automatically sends notifications. For example, when a project manager assigns a task to a resource, the application sends a notification to the resource.

For some workflow tasks, you can use Oracle Business Intelligence (BI) Publisher to tailor the content, layout, and style of the notifications. These report-based notifications aren't only configurable, but also optimized for viewing on mobile devices.

In addition to getting notifications in email, users can also view in-app notifications by:

Clicking the Notifications icon in the global header and opening a notification

Going to the Worklist: Notifications and Approvals work area and opening a notification

Clicking the In-App Notification link at the end of an email notification

Here's a table that shows the products that have configurable notifications, along with their associated report name, description, recipients and when it's sent. To navigate to the reports, open Reports and Analytics work area > Browse Catalog > Shared Folders > Projects > Workflow Notifications . Keep in mind that each report caters to multiple cases.

Process Overview

Generating configurable notifications through BI Publisher involves various types of objects in the BI catalog, including data models, subtemplates, style templates, and reports. Reports pull data from data models and generate notifications in an HTML format. The report layout templates use common table and paragraph styles and refer to a central subtemplate that contains reusable notification components.

Data Sources: Store the attributes and attribute values for business objects and transactions in the application (example of data sources being transaction tables)

Data Model: Determines which attributes from data sources are available to be included in the notification and how that data is retrieved

Subtemplate: Provides common components, for example a branding logo and buttons, that can be reused in multiple reports

Style Template: Provides styles such as the type of lines and fonts to use in tables, or the font type, size, and color to use for headings

Report: Contains a layout template that determines:

Which attributes appear in the notification, from the data model used for the report

What the notification looks like, leveraging components from the subtemplate and styles from the style template used for the report

HTML: Is the output generated from the report

Email Notification: Has the HTML output embedded in the email body

In-App Notification: Has the HTML output embedded in the application UI

Each workflow task with configurable notifications has a corresponding predefined report in the BI catalog. For example, the Gate Approval Request Notification contains Gate Approval Request Notification Layout and uses the Gate Notifications data model. The generated output is included in notifications that are sent to users.

Notification Modifications

After you enable configurable workflow notifications, the predefined reports and related objects in the BI catalog work by default. If you need to modify the notifications, you can edit copies of the predefined reports, data models, and subtemplate (but not the style template). You proceed as you would to edit any report, data model, or subtemplate in the catalog:

Open the Reports and Analytics work area and then click Browse Catalog . The Oracle Transactional Business Intelligence page appears.

Navigate to Shared Folders > Projects > Workflow Notifications . And then, select the product. For example, to configure notifications related to Project Management, click Project Management Control.

Click Edit corresponding to the layout that you want to edit. A page containing all the existing layout appears.

Click Edit corresponding to the default layout to download a copy.

Edit the copied report layout template.

Upload the modified template and set it as default.

You should get familiar with BI Publisher in general before modifying configurable notifications.

Use only the Template Builder For Word add-in to edit the .rtf template in Microsoft Word, not the layout editor or other tools available for creating and editing report layout.

Edit a copy of predefined layout templates, rather than create new reports or layout templates.

To modify reports and data models for workflow notifications, you must have the BI administrator role.

To use configurable notifications for Project Management, you must opt-in to the Configure Project and Task Management Notifications feature to configure notifications.

You must download and install the Template Builder for Word add-in:

Open the Reports and Analytics work area.

Click the Browse Catalog button.

Click Home .

In the Get Started pane, click Download BI Desktop Tools and then click Template Builder For Word .

Save and run the installer.

Related Topics

• More About Oracle Transactional Business Intelligence Components
• Best Practices for Content and Layout in Workflow Notifications
• Set Up for RTF and Excel Report Layout Templates
• Overview of Notifications and Approval Workflows
• Configurable Workflow Notifications: Implementation Considerations

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Customer Issue Tracking Excel Template

Effortlessly manage and resolve customer complaints with Coefficient's customizable Customer Issue Tracking Excel Template. Download now!

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Streamline Customer Issue Tracking with Coefficient’s Free Excel Template

Enhance customer service and boost productivity.

Efficiently managing customer issues is crucial for delivering exceptional service and maintaining strong client relationships. Coefficient’s free Customer Issue Tracking Excel Template provides a simple, yet powerful solution to help your team stay on top of customer complaints, feedback, and requests.

Advantages of using the Customer Issue Tracking Template

• Centralize data: Consolidate all customer issue records in one accessible location, eliminating the need to search across multiple systems.
• Automate workflows: Leverage pre-built formulas and conditional formatting to streamline issue prioritization, assignment, and resolution.
• Generate insightful reports: Uncover patterns and trends to identify areas for process improvement and better serve your customers.

Key Features of the Customer Issue Tracking Template

• Customizable fields: Easily modify the template to align with your unique business processes and data requirements.
• Integration-ready: Connect the template to your other business tools, ensuring real-time data updates and seamless collaboration.
• Scalable solution: Adapt the template as your customer base grows, without compromising its efficiency.

How to Use the Customer Issue Tracking Template

• Download the template and open it in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Customize the fields and formatting to match your company’s needs.
• Regularly input customer issue data, such as the description, priority, assigned owner, and status.
• Utilize the filtering and sorting functionality to quickly identify and address critical issues.
• Generate monthly reports to review performance, identify patterns, and make data-driven decisions.

By streamlining your customer issue tracking process with Coefficient’s free Excel template, your team can focus on resolving problems swiftly, driving customer satisfaction, and ultimately, boosting your bottom line.