10 Excel project management templates

Want to download Excel project management templates? Use these free Microsoft Excel spreadsheet templates to track any project.

Project management templates are an integral part of replicating a successful project. With free Microsoft Excel templates, you can turn a simple spreadsheet into a powerful project management tool.

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

Check out the best Microsoft Excel project management templates below.

Note: We cover both native and third-party templates here. To find the pre-installed Excel spreadsheet template, open Excel and search for the appropriate keyword in the New Document screen.

If you are already in Excel, go to File > New to bring up the template search. See the Microsoft Excel Template Management section below for more details. Excel comes with several timeline and Gantt chart templates provided by Microsoft, but also integrates templates from Vertex42, one of the most popular third-party resources for spreadsheets.

The worksheet timeline template is suitable for a basic project with multiple phases. When you enter your data into the worksheet, the roadmap will be updated automatically. This template comes pre-installed with Microsoft Excel 2016 and higher.

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

This template allows you to create a complete Gantt chart with minimal effort. For each task, simply enter its description, who is assigned, the percentage to show progress, the start date and the number of days assigned to complete the task. This template is Microsoft Excel by default.

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 visualisation of the task flow, with the milestones appearing on the timeline.

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

When you search the repository of Excel templates and project plans, you will mainly find different variations of Gantt charts, including this Simple Gantt Chart from Vertex42. What differentiates it from the Gantt chart above is the inclusion of the project phases. This template is included in Microsoft Excel.

A project plan is not something that is usually drawn up in Excel. However, if you are planning a small project like a party, all you need is a one-page template that lists the important tasks and allows you to schedule and budget. This template from Office Templates Online is a good start.

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

This Vertex42 template is essential if you manage several different clients, projects and/or deliveries. It combines project details, expenses, task status and due dates.

Microsoft Excel 2016 had its own category for business plans. You could search for businesses and select the Business Plans category on the right. In Excel 2019 and onwards, you can do either query, but in the latter you lose some templates, while in the former it could be overwhelming. We recommend that you consult the following.

Creating a business plan can be a complex project in itself. This checklist will help you cover all the bases by guiding you through the process using a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. Please note that you will find two similar templates in Excel, but both are identical SWOT analysis checklists, differing only in their format.

This template is a good starting point for a budding entrepreneur who needs help in projecting the costs of his or her business. The template will guide you through the most common goods and services your new business might need.

Once you have filled in all the potential expenses, you will have a much clearer idea of the funding you will need to get your business off the ground. For more business plan templates, take a look at our dedicated article.

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