Free template
Excel project management template
Type your tasks or start from an example, check the plan and the timeline here, and download an Excel workbook whose dates, Gantt bars and tracker are live formulas — so it keeps working when you edit it.
| # | Phase | Task | Owner | Working days | Starts after | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 3 | ||||||
| 4 | ||||||
| 5 | ||||||
| 6 | ||||||
| 7 | ||||||
| 8 | ||||||
| 9 |
Fix the highlighted fields to see the preview and download the file.
What's inside the template
- Plan: ID, phase, task, owner, start, duration in working days, end, status (Not started, In progress, Blocked, Done), % complete and notes, with a weekly Gantt chart covering 52 weeks. Bars turn grey when a task is Done.
- Tracker: project start and end, number of tasks, tasks by status, overdue tasks (not Done and ending before today) and overall % complete weighted by duration.
- How to use: short notes on editing durations, statuses and adding tasks.
How the dates are calculated
A task with no predecessor starts on the project start date (in a Monday-to-Friday plan, a weekend start moves to the
next Monday). A task that starts after another one begins on the next working day after that task ends. The end date is
the start plus the duration minus one working day — in Excel, WORKDAY(start, duration-1) for
Monday-to-Friday plans and start + duration - 1 for 7-day plans. Holidays are not skipped.
When a spreadsheet stops being enough
A spreadsheet works well for one planner and a short task list. When several people need to update tasks at once, or you want reminders and dependencies that update themselves, compare the free plans of project management tools or estimate a paid plan with the pricing calculator. For a monthly or yearly calendar with US federal holidays, use the Google Sheets calendar template.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Excel project management template free?
- Yes. Build your plan above and press Download .xlsx. The file is generated in your browser, so nothing you type is sent to us or saved.
- What is inside the file?
- Three sheets. Plan lists every task with phase, owner, start, duration in working days, end, status, % complete and notes, with a weekly Gantt chart to the right. Tracker counts tasks by status, overdue tasks and overall progress. How to use explains the formulas.
- Do the dates update when I change a duration?
- Yes. End dates are formulas, and tasks that start after another task start the next working day after it ends, so changing one duration moves everything that depends on it. The Gantt bars (52 weeks from the week the plan starts) and the Tracker follow; the Tracker also counts tasks that end after the chart.
- Does it skip weekends and holidays?
- In a Monday-to-Friday plan, weekends are skipped with the WORKDAY function. Holidays are not: move a start date by hand if a holiday falls inside a task. A 7-day plan counts every day.
- How long a project can it hold?
- Up to 200 tasks of 1 to 260 working days each. The Gantt chart covers 52 weeks from the week the plan starts; the file says so when a plan runs longer, and its Tracker counts tasks that end after the chart.