Despite there being so many dedicated software for Project Management, Microsoft Excel remains the most prevalent software used in Project management.
Some of the key reasons for Excel being such a great Project management tool are:
1. Availability: It’s available in almost all computers. Most people will have Microsoft Office installed. Also, there is an online version of Excel available for free. So, you will never have any issue with your team members not having access to it.
2. Familiarity: One does not have to learn a new tool as most people are familiar with Excel. Though they may not use it to the full extent that it is capable of, almost all users are consumers of Excel files, and they know how to open, enter data and view reports.
3. Easy to learn and use: Even those who are not familiar can quickly pick it up. It’s easy to learn how to use it. Once you learn, it’s a simple tool to use.
4. Functionality: In many scenarios, the spreadsheet layout of Excel is very suited to project management tasks. Excel’s built-in functions come in very handy for calculations related to project management. In addition, data visualization capabilities make it an ideal tool for Project managers.
Let’s talk about how you can improve your project management tasks using Excel templates.
1. Gantt Chart Excel template
A Gantt chart template allows you to visualize the project plan.
A very simple Gantt chart template will just display the tasks’ planned duration. A more advanced template will allow additional capabilities like having subtasks, comparing actual vs plan, customizing the display formatting, accommodating weekends and holidays and calculating summary statistics.
You can find such a template on https://indzara.com/product/project-management-excel-templates/gantt-chart-excel-template/
2. To-do List Excel Template
Another common need in Project management is to have a to-do-list or list of items to track completion on. It’s easy to create one yourself. If you are looking for one to download and get a head start, check this page for many options https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/to-do-lists.html
3. Project Pipeline Tracker Excel template
When you are dealing with multiple projects and you want to present a simple visual tracking the status of those project, you can use a project pipeline tracker excel template.
https://indzara.com/free-excel-template-for-project-pipeline-tracker/
You can enter the different stages a project will go through, and then you can see the number of projects in each stage.
The template also helps with calculating the duration it takes to complete the projects and how long the project stays in each stage. This will help identifying any bottlenecks in your project workflow.
4. RACI Matrix Excel template
As a project manager, you will often work with multiple stakeholders in a project. It’s extremely important that everyone involved is on the same page as to who is responsible for what in the project. Failing to do this step effectively could lead to major issues.
One method commonly used is the RACI concept. R — Responsible, A — Accountable, C — Consulted, I — Informed.
Each person/role will be clearly labelled as one (R/A/C/I) in the RACI matrix. You can create such a matrix instantly for your project using this template.
https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/raci-matrix.html
5. Project planning Excel Template
A simple Gantt chart can display based on specific task start and end dates. It is a great visualization technique. However, it will be great if the task starts, and end dates can be automatically calculated.
Advanced software can create a project schedule based on inputs (task duration, task dependencies, resource availability, holidays, weekends, any restrictions on start dates) we provide. A task dependency is when one task cannot start until another task completes. This is quite common in projects.
This will save a lot of time for the project managers and also improve accuracy. Such advanced functionality can be done in Excel with advanced formulas.
You can find a free template that does this advanced automatic scheduling here: https://indzara.com/free-excel-template-for-project-planning/
The template can handle multiple projects in one file. The template will assist in finding projects that will not complete by due date so that you can make the necessary corrections (increase capacity or reduce demand). This will ensure that your projects can complete, and your project plan is comprehensive and accurate.
6. Project Budget Tracker Template
An important item to manage in project management is its budget. A simple free Excel template to track budgeted amounts and actual cost is available here: https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/project-budget.html
The simple design allows easy data entry, and you can instantly see whether the project is over or under budget.
7. Project Management Dashboard Excel Template
I was looking for a comprehensive template to manage a single project which had the following capabilities/features.
1. Create a project baseline plan
2. Automatically schedule tasks instead of me manually entering start and end dates
3. Enter actual progress of tasks
4. Automatic report on actual vs baseline plan
5. Gantt chart visualization which is customizable
6. Burn down chart
7. Project Status dashboard
I came across this template https://indzara.com/product/project-management-excel-templates/project-manager-excel-template/ which had all these capabilities and more.
The template supported entering task dependencies and task prioritization. The template flags tasks that will not complete and tasks that are behind schedule. The report also shows how much the resources are utilized. That helps identify under-utilization. It was easy to enter holidays and employee availability.
You can find more information at https://indzara.com/project-management-excel-templates/