Below are our top free action plan templates for Excel and Word. Use them individually or combine them to build a complete execution toolkit your team can follow with confidence and clarity.

1. Action Plan Template for Excel

When a project moves from ideas into execution, an action plan becomes the roadmap that guides how work gets done. It breaks down high-level objectives into specific tasks, clarifies who is responsible for each step and establishes deadlines to keep progress on schedule. Project managers rely on action plans to allocate resources effectively, track performance and maintain accountability across teams. By connecting everyday activities to strategic goals, an action plan ensures work remains focused and measurable throughout the project lifecycle.

This action plan template for Excel organizes all project tasks into one structured sheet that’s easy to update and share. It includes fields for priorities, timelines, KPIs, assigned departments, required resources and estimated costs, allowing teams to manage both performance and budgeting simultaneously. As progress changes, status updates keep everyone aligned, while KPIs ensure the work drives meaningful outcomes. It’s a practical tool for improving visibility, coordination and execution across any type of project.

ProjectManager has interactive Gantt charts that let you build a visual timeline for your action plan, link task dependencies, identify milestones and adjust dates with simple drag-and-drop scheduling. You can set baselines to compare planned versus actual progress and visualize the critical path to focus on what’s most important. Get started for free with a 30-day trial, no credit card required.

2. Action Plan Template for Google Sheets

If you prefer working online, this same action plan template is also available for Google Sheets. Teams can collaborate in real time, comment on specific tasks and access the plan from anywhere. Automatic saving prevents version-control issues, while sharing permissions make it easy to manage stakeholder visibility. With the same structure as the Excel version, it supports seamless coordination no matter which platform your organization uses.

3. Action Log Template

A project action log is a centralized record of every task assigned during execution, helping teams monitor progress and hold ownership clearly. It tracks what needs to be done, who is responsible and when the work should be completed. By maintaining visibility into priority levels, deadlines and completion status, an action log reduces confusion and prevents tasks from slipping through the cracks. It’s especially valuable during fast-moving phases where multiple stakeholders contribute to ongoing decisions.

This action log template for Excel makes it simple to capture all action items in one place with sortable columns for assignees, timelines, duration, status updates, and task priority. Teams can filter the sheet to focus on urgent items, identify delays and follow up proactively. As progress is recorded, project managers gain a clear snapshot of what’s completed, what’s pending and where support is needed. It’s an efficient accountability tool that keeps execution disciplined and well-organized.

4. Work Plan Template

Getting organized early can make the difference between a smooth project and one that constantly fights deadlines. A work plan puts structure around that organization by identifying the tasks that must happen, the sequence they should follow and the people who’ll make them happen. It gives project teams a realistic picture of workload and timing, helping them avoid bottlenecks, prepare resources in advance and stay committed to the outcomes that matter most.

This work plan template for Excel provides a clear framework to organize every component of project delivery. It includes sections for goal-setting, task scheduling with a visual timeline, resource planning and cost tracking, giving teams full insight into workload and financial expectations. Role assignments and risk monitoring features help maintain accountability and address issues early. With success criteria built into the layout, the template supports measurable results and keeps the entire team focused on achieving the intended outcomes.

Related: 12 Free Business Planning Templates for Excel & Word

5. Business Action Plan Template

Clear execution is where business strategies become real progress. A business action plan focuses on that execution by identifying the steps required to achieve specific goals, the people responsible and the deadlines that drive momentum. It shifts the conversation from “what we want to accomplish” to “how we’re going to make it happen,” providing clarity around priorities, budget needs and success measures. With this structure in place, teams can coordinate more effectively and maintain accountability from start to finish.

This business action plan template helps organize those execution details in a clean, professional format. Teams can document objectives, define the strategies that support them and break those strategies down into actionable tasks with owners and timelines. Sections for budgeting, KPIs, performance reviews and contingency planning are built in to keep the plan realistic and adaptable. It’s an essential tool for ensuring that every initiative is supported, trackable and aligned with broader business goals.

6. Corrective Action Plan Template

When issues threaten performance, quality or compliance, a corrective action plan provides a structured path to resolve them. It starts by defining the problem clearly, investigating the true root cause and determining which changes are necessary to prevent recurrence. Teams use corrective action plans to coordinate responses across departments, track progress and ensure accountability. By connecting each action to a measurable performance goal, organizations protect workflows, minimize risk and maintain customer or stakeholder confidence.

This corrective action plan template gives teams the organization they need to troubleshoot and recover effectively. It includes fields for documenting the issue, analyzing root causes and prioritizing fixes based on urgency and impact. Each corrective action is broken into tasks with owners, cost estimates, KPIs and clear deadlines, making progress easy to monitor. The layout helps resolve problems faster, ensures lessons are captured and strengthens processes to avoid similar issues in the future.

7. 30-60-90 Day Action Plan Template

The first three months in a new position often determine how smoothly someone adapts and how quickly they can make an impact. A 30-60-90 day plan sets a clear path forward by outlining what should be learned, improved and achieved at each stage of onboarding. It helps new hires build confidence, understand priorities and integrate into team workflows while giving managers a structured way to guide development and track early success.

This 30-60-90 day plan template gives newcomers a practical layout to define their goals and the action steps required to achieve them. It includes space to outline deliverables, KPIs, collaboration needs and training activities for each phase. By tracking progress across 30-, 60- and 90-day checkpoints, the template helps align expectations between leadership and team members. It’s an excellent tool for onboarding project managers, supervisors or any role that must deliver value quickly.

Related: 17 Free Event Planning Templates for Excel and Word

8. Contingency Plan Template

Unexpected disruptions can quickly derail a project if there isn’t a backup strategy in place. A contingency plan prepares teams for those moments by identifying potential risks in advance and outlining the steps needed to respond effectively. It helps organizations maintain continuity, protect budgets and safeguard project objectives even under pressure. By defining triggers, responsibilities and mitigation tactics ahead of time, a contingency plan reduces panic, shortens recovery time and keeps stakeholders confident when challenges arise.

This contingency plan template offers a straightforward structure for documenting risks and preparing actionable responses. It includes space to assess impact, likelihood and priority so teams can focus their attention where it matters most. Each mitigation action is detailed with owners, KPIs, deadlines and required resources, making execution clear and measurable. Whether dealing with staffing shortages, technical failures or external disruptions, this template ensures your project is equipped with a reliable safety net.

9. Implementation Plan Template

Once a project has been approved, the challenge becomes turning that approved strategy into real operational progress. An implementation plan lays out the practical steps required to make that transition happen smoothly. It defines who will execute each task, how long the work should take and what resources are necessary to stay on track. With progress monitored along the way, implementation plans ensure projects move from planning to delivery without confusion or delays.

This implementation plan template for Excel helps teams manage that transition with structure and visibility. Tasks are organized by priority and grouped into phases such as strategy, process and action, allowing you to track work as it moves forward. Planned and actual timelines sit side-by-side so you can quickly identify delays or areas ahead of schedule. Resource and cost fields support budgeting accuracy, while status updates make it easy to communicate progress to stakeholders and leadership.

10. Project Execution Action Plan Template

The execution phase is where all the planning finally turns into tangible work. To keep that work organized and progressing in the right direction, teams rely on a project execution plan. It outlines how the scope will be delivered, how resources will be used and how success will be monitored in real time. With this clarity, communication becomes smoother, risks are easier to control and the project can maintain predictable performance from start to finish.

This project execution plan template for Excel centralizes those execution details into an organized, trackable format. Tasks, deliverables and priorities are listed alongside timeline data to show whether activities are on schedule or behind. Resource and cost tracking fields make it easier to monitor labor, equipment and materials, while completion percentages show progress at a glance. With stakeholder information and scope details included, this template keeps everyone confident in how the project is advancing day by day.

11. To-Do List Action Plan Template

Even simple projects can become overwhelming when tasks live in scattered notes or inside someone’s head. A to-do list brings order by breaking work into clear, manageable items that can be tracked to completion. It helps teams and individuals prioritize, set deadlines and monitor progress without unnecessary complexity. As tasks move forward, the list becomes a visual indicator of momentum, making it easier to stay organized, focused and confident that nothing important will fall through the cracks.

This to-do list template keeps all task details in one place with labeled fields for start and due dates, completion percentages, progress status and notes. Users can quickly update each row to reflect real-time progress and easily identify what still needs attention. Whether used for personal organization or team coordination, the simple layout supports efficient planning and accountability. It’s a flexible tool suitable for daily work, small projects or ongoing task management.

12. 5-Year Action Plan Template

Long-term growth doesn’t happen by chance; it comes from setting a clear destination and mapping out how to reach it. A 5-year plan does exactly that by outlining major objectives and pacing progress through annual milestones. It helps leadership think beyond day-to-day operations, anticipate changes in the market and invest resources wisely. With visibility into priorities and performance over multiple years, teams stay aligned and motivated as they work toward transformational goals.

This 5-year plan template structures strategic planning into a practical, year-by-year format. Each row prompts you to define end goals, action processes, success metrics, projected benefits and required resources for every stage of development. This layout makes it easy to monitor advancement, adjust plans as conditions evolve and keep stakeholders informed. Whether used for business expansion, departmental improvement or organizational change, the template supports focus and accountability from the first year to the fifth.

How ProjectManager Helps Make an Action Plan

ProjectManager makes it even easier to create and follow an action plan. With our Gantt charts, task lists and collaborative workspaces, you can map out each step of your plan, assign responsibilities, set deadlines and visualize dependencies all in one place.

Ensure Alignment as the Plan Progresses

With strong tracking tools like our real-time dashboards and built-in risk management, you can monitor whether tasks are being completed on schedule, identify bottlenecks early and ensure accountability across the team. This visibility helps you make timely adjustments, such as reallocating resources, shifting priorities or updating deadlines, before small issues turn into major setbacks.

Related Action Plan Content

• Action Plan Examples Across Industries (with Free Templates)
• How to Write an Action Plan (Example Included)
• How to Create Action Items & Action Item Lists
• After Action Report Template for Word (Free Download)

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 12 Free Action Plan Templates for Excel and Word appeared first on ProjectManager.

Business templates are a great way to work consistently and not have to reinvent the wheel each time you need to do repetitive tasks. ProjectManager is more than great project management software, it’s a depository of dozens of free Word and Excel templates for business that you can download right now.

1. Excel Timeline Template for Business Planning

This Excel timeline template is a versatile Excel template for business that can be used to visualize all the projects your business will execute in the future, identify the team or business department responsible for those projects and mark down milestones and deliverables. One of the main advantages of using this template is that it comes with various time scales to better adjust to your planning needs. You can use it to make 6-month, 1-year or 3-year timelines.

But Excel templates for business are static. To elevate your business planning, try project management software like ProjectManager. ProjectManager offers dynamic project timeline tools to help you plan projects, build schedules and assign work across your resources. You can even track costs, progress and time along the way. Use the roadmap to track multiple project plans at once, so all of your business projects are in one spot. Get started today for free.

2. Business Plan Template

A business plan is a document that shows how a business will operate and establish itself in the market. It shows what that business will do to be profitable. The business plan template for Word is an essential part of any new business, especially those that are looking for funds from investors.

Everything that is needed to outline the background and value of the business is captured in this free business template. There’s an executive summary for the high-level overview, a company description with value proposition and a market analysis with marketing and sales strategy. Plus a whole lot more.

3. Profit and Loss Statement Template

Business performance isn’t measured only by what is sold but by what remains after costs are paid. A profit and loss statement template shows how revenue turns into profit by detailing income, expenses and operational spending over a specific period. Leaders use it to evaluate financial health, understand cost drivers and make informed decisions about pricing, investment and growth. Regularly reviewing this report keeps companies on track toward long-term profitability.

This free profit and loss statement template for Excel organizes revenue categories, cost of goods sold, operating expenses and taxes into a clean, professional layout. As numbers are entered, it automatically calculates gross profit, operating income, earnings before taxes and final net income. The structure allows businesses to compare performance over time, spot financial trends and identify areas that need attention. It’s a practical tool for budgeting, financial reporting and day-to-day management.

4. Balance Sheet Template

At any point in time, a company’s financial position can be seen by comparing what it owns to what it owes, and a balance sheet template does exactly that. It lists assets, liabilities and equity to show how resources are financed—whether through debt or ownership. This snapshot helps leaders gauge financial stability, meet lending requirements, and evaluate the capacity for growth, investment or risk-management decisions in the business.

Our free balance sheet template for Excel organizes current and non-current assets alongside short- and long-term liabilities, automatically calculating total equity so the statement balances. It also includes key financial ratios like the current ratio and debt-to-equity ratio for quick insights into liquidity and leverage. With a structured format and ready-to-analyze figures, the template makes financial reporting easier and supports strategic assessments of a company’s overall health.

5. Cash Flow Statement Template

Profit doesn’t always mean cash is available, which is why businesses rely on a cash flow statement template. It tracks how money is generated and used through operating, investing and financing activities, revealing whether a company can meet short-term obligations and fund growth. By monitoring liquidity rather than just earnings, leaders can better manage spending, borrowing and investment decisions to keep the organization financially healthy.

This free cash flow statement template for Excel separates cash movement into operational, investing and financing sections for clearer analysis. It calculates net cash flow and updates beginning and ending cash balances automatically. Teams can see where cash is coming from, where it’s going and whether liquidity is increasing or shrinking. With a clean structure and accurate calculations, the template supports budgeting, forecasting and strategic financial planning with confidence.

6. Business Proposal Template

Securing new partnerships often depends on how well a company can communicate its value, and a business proposal template is the document that does this job. It shows a clear understanding of a client’s problem and recommends a tailored solution backed by data, expertise and measurable outcomes. By outlining scope, costs, and delivery expectations upfront, proposals build trust and help both sides feel confident before any work officially begins.

Our free business proposal template for Word guides you through every essential section needed for a strong bid. It includes a compelling executive summary, a detailed problem statement and a needs analysis to show alignment with client priorities. The solution, project scope and timeline sections clarify how work will be delivered, while the cost breakdown and company overview provide transparency and credibility. Terms and signature fields complete the agreement, making this a ready-to-use proposal framework.

7. Business Impact Analysis Template

Every organization depends on certain functions to stay operational, and a business impact analysis template identifies which ones are most critical. It evaluates the consequences of disruptions—financial, operational, reputational and regulatory—to reveal where recovery efforts should be focused first. By highlighting dependencies, acceptable downtime and risk exposure, a BIA supports stronger continuity planning and helps leadership act quickly and effectively when unexpected events occur.

This free business impact analysis template for Word structures all essential components of continuity planning. It includes fields for defining impacted functions, estimating downtime tolerance, prioritizing recovery efforts and assessing resource needs across departments. Risk and vulnerability sections expose weak points, while mitigation strategies turn insights into action. Appendices allow key documents and contacts to be stored in one place. With everything organized clearly, the template strengthens preparedness and speeds decision-making during disruptions.

8. PESTLE Analysis Template

Businesses operate within a broad external environment, and a PESTLE analysis template helps them understand the forces shaping that landscape. By examining political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors, companies can anticipate risks, spot opportunities and adapt strategies before conditions shift. This structured view of external influences supports better decision-making, long-term planning and stronger competitive positioning across changing markets.

Our free PESTLE analysis template for Word breaks each environmental factor into clear sections with space to document relevant trends, threats and opportunities. It guides teams in assessing how government policies, market conditions, societal shifts, technology changes, legal requirements and environmental pressures influence their operations. With an organized layout and prompts for detailed insights, the template makes strategic scanning easier and ensures external risks are thoroughly evaluated during planning.

9. SWOT Analysis for Business

Businesses need to make strategic plans if they want to remain competitive and profitable. Our free SWOT analysis template for Word is a method that can be used to evaluate your business environment. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which can then be defined within and outside of your organization.

The free business template is set up in four quadrants. One for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Vertically, up the left-hand side of the template are two distinctions: one for external and the other for internal. Then on top there are also two categories: one for positive and another for negative. As you do your research, place what you find in the appropriate square. From this visual tool, you can make a viable strategic plan for your business.

10. Vision Statement Template for Business

A vision statement is used by businesses to distill what they do, their core values and future goals. The catch? It has to be done in only a couple of sentences at most. Use this free vision statement template for Word to succinctly define the purpose of a business and what it plans to achieve in the future.

This business template is like a high-level pitch for the future of an organization. To help write this, there are a series of steps and associated questions. The answers are collected on the right-hand side of the template. When done, the pieces are all there to be assembled into a powerful and appropriate vision statement.

11. SIPOC Template for Business Processes

SIPOC is an acronym for suppliers, inputs, process, outputs and customers. This free SIPOC template for Excel is a visual diagram that shows a business process from start to finish. This Excel business template gives team members a better understanding of the process and helps with continuous improvement.

The reason to use this Excel business template is that it can improve business processes. It helps with onboarding, especially for when a new team member joins a project. It quickly brings them up to speed. That’s because it provides a high-level overview of key steps, including suppliers, inputs, etc.

12. Operating Budget Template for Business Expenses

Use this free operating budget template for Excel to get a detailed view of the coming year and accurately predict revenue and expenses. But there’s more to this Excel business template than a financial snapshot of the future. It can be used by organizations to set realistic business goals for the coming year.

This Excel business template can also be used to look back at the past month or quarter of an operating budget and see if the predicted sales in fact occurred and if there were any unexpected expenses that require the annual balance to be adjusted. This analytic tool helps organizations adapt, update and remain strategic as business conditions change.

13. Budget Proposal Template for Business Projects

Before a project can start it has to be approved. The free budget proposal template for Excel is the sales pitch. It details the investment required to take the project across the finish line by estimating all the costs associated with the potential project. It’s presented to stakeholders to secure funding.

This Excel template for business is flexible enough to be used by companies, campaigns or any endeavor to show how its benefits outweigh the costs. It does this by breaking down the project into categories, such as salaries, materials, equipment, travel, communications, etc.  Then there is a section to show the anticipated revenue or benefits to compare that to the funding.

14. Weekly Work Schedule Template

How you handle your human resources is instrumental to the success of your business. Organizing the work schedules of your employees keeps the company productive. Manage workflow with our free weekly work schedule template for Excel. This free Excel template for business lists all your employees, where and when they work as well as their responsibilities over a period of a week.

This not only helps with productivity but ensures that you are efficiently balancing your workforce. It’s a way to organize work and keep everyone working at capacity without over-allocating them. This helps to reduce the cost of your resources while keeping to deadlines. There’s also the fact that you can prioritize the work that must be done over the week. It also keeps the work-life balance that retains employees and lifts morale.

15. Timesheet Template

It’s said that your employees are your most valuable resource. So, why would you want to give them cumbersome timesheets? Using our free timesheet template for Excel is a simple and effective tool for keeping track of the time your employees spend on their work. It’s good for them and it’s good for managers to track time spent on tasks.

16. Standard Operating Procedure Template

This free standard operating procedure template for Word captures a step-by-step set of instructions that will direct an organization or project team on how to do a task. This free business template is used to ensure that a process or task is always being done correctly.

The importance of this template is clear: it documents company processes, which keep things consistent. It establishes guidelines for teams, which leads to greater productivity. The standard operating procedures template is helpful for fast growing companies to build clear communication between management and employees, especially if hands-on instruction isn’t possible.

17. Business Case Template

Use this  business template to show the costs related to a project. The free business case template for Word will help clients, customers or stakeholders see that they’re getting a return on their investment and the project is worth initiating.

Once the research for the project is completed, use this free template to write the executive summary, share the mission statement and describe the product or service that will be delivered. There’s space for how the project will be organized, its financial appraisal, market assessment and strategy. There’s even a place to add risk assessment.

18. Business Requirements Document Template

Use this free business requirements document template for Word to capture all the information needed to deliver a project successfully. This template has everything from the objectives the project is trying to achieve to the project scope, schedule and more.

Use this business requirements document format to give stakeholders a clear picture of the project’s priorities, design and structure to help them make better business decisions. It can also act as a contract between customer and vendors outlining the project and deliverable expectations.

19. Project Budget Template

One of the most important aspects of any business is its bottom line. If you can’t make a profit, you can’t stay in business. Budgets are estimates of the costs that you’ll spend over a period of time. They need to be accurate, which is where our free project budget template for Excel comes in. It is certainly one of the more important free Excel templates for business.

Making an accurate forecast for a budget is hard. There are many uncertainties. But you can use our free Excel template for business to capture labor costs, consultant fees, raw materials, software licenses, travel expenses and even those costs that are recurring, such as telephone charges, office space and equipment, general administration and company insurance. Be sure to use our free project budget template before you embark on any business endeavor.

20. RACI Matrix Template

There are multiple stakeholders in every business. From executives to employees and customers, everyone has some vested interest in the business. Being able to identify those roles and responsibilities as well as how they relate to the overall business and its communications is what our free RACI matrix template for Excel helps you determine.

RACI is another acronym, this one stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. The value of this free Excel template for business is that it lists everyone in the business on the left-hand column and then the top row identifies them by title. Then you can add the corresponding initial (R, A, C or I) that allows you to understand their place in the business and will help everyone know as well.

21. Stakeholder Analysis Template

Stakeholders are anyone or anything that has a vested interest in the project. Use this free stakeholder analysis template for Excel to better understand project stakeholders and how to communicate with them to manage their expectations.

Understand and map the strategy for dealing with stakeholders with this Excel template for business. First, identify the project stakeholders and then determine how to deal with each. This is a key part of stakeholder management, showing each stakeholder’s relationship to the project and the level of commitment.

22. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Business

A free Excel template for business that no enterprise should be without is our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel. When you’re exploring business opportunities you need to make sure that they’re worth the time, effort and especially cost. This free template will allow you to test the waters so you know if you will swim or sink if you take on the project.

A cost-benefit analysis is used by businesses to look at what they expect to pay for a project against what benefits or opportunities it will provide them. In short, will they make money or gain some advantage? Is it worth it? That answer can save a company a lot of frustration down the line or put them in a position to reap the rewards of its endeavor. Either way, it’s a free template that no business can do without.

23. Strategic Plan Template

Company leaders can use this business template to define its long-term vision, goals and objectives. The free strategic plan template for Word can then be shared across the organization so that it’s clearly understood by everyone from employees to customers, business partners and investors.

Everything that needs to be defined is outlined in this template. There’s space for an executive summary, vision and mission statements. A SWOT analysis addresses the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Business goals, marketing and operational goals are defined. There’s also a place for financial projections and identifying the team that will execute the plan.

24. Meeting Minutes Template

One thing that business people seem to agree about is that there are too many meetings. However, meetings are essential for communication, brainstorming and more. That doesn’t mean they don’t meander, but with an agenda, they can stay on point. With our free meeting minutes template for Word, you can also capture the important takeaways.

Using our free template for business allows you to collect all the necessary information in a format that is easy to read and, therefore, more likely retained by those who are in attendance. Minutes also help with documentation and save time during the meeting. That’s because everything is laid out, from the agenda to action items and even scheduling the next meeting.

25. Executive Summary Template

An executive summary template is a document that outlines the key points of a project. It’s usually the first part of a larger project document that is being used to sway stakeholders or sponsors. This business template can be viewed as the elevator pitch. It should be short and compelling to draw readers in for more details.

This free template covers all the bases, from the vision and mission statements to the company’s role and strengths. It identifies the need or problem that the project will address and offers a unique solution, with documentation to back it up, the return on investment (ROI) and the budget required.

26. Work Order Template for Business

Use this free work order template for Excel to explain the labor, tools and materials that will be required to complete a task. It includes instructions on what the task is, an estimation of the costs involved, the deadline by which it should be completed, who’s responsible for doing the work and more.

This Excel template for business can also track work orders, be used to communicate tasks and the how to do them, which helps ensure that those tasks are done correctly. They’re especially useful for service providers or working with independent contractors. They can be found in construction, maintenance and other industries.

27. Inventory Template

Businesses run lean and mean if they want to stay in business. If your business has inventory then knowing exactly what you have and what you need is key to success. If you have our free inventory template for Excel then you’ll always have the materials you need on hand and never have costly delays in production to restock your inventory.

The free inventory template records the level of stock you’re warehousing as well as tracking turnover. It’s all there on one document, which makes it easy for managers to know what they have and when they have to order more. Not only manufacturers, but retailers can use the free Excel template for business to see what is and isn’t selling.

28. Flowchart Template for Business Operations

A flowchart is a visual tool that represents a process by breaking down the essential steps. The free flowchart template for Word makes it easy to create a flowchart, which is made up of ovals that represent the start and end points of the process, arrows to show the direction of the process, a diamond which means a decision on an activity and a rectangle that shows the action or deliverable.

Using this free business template helps turn complex processes into easily digestible visual steps. It creates clarity in showing how the process should be done. The flowchart template can be shared with the team, who can then see the entire process and their place in the larger whole.

29. Gap Analysis Template

Businesses don’t have the luxury of resting on their laurels. Stagnation leads to death. But wanting to improve and improving are two different things. That’s why our free gap analysis template for Excel is so critical for any business that wants to stay competitive. It helps businesses set long-term goals and stay innovative.

This free Excel template for business is a chart that collects the data you need to create an action plan that will move a business from where it currently stands in the marketplace to where it wants to be in the future. It does this by focusing on areas of improvement, using a gap percentage to show how far you have to go, including a timeline and resource management to get you there.

30. SMART Goals Template for Business Objectives

SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. A free SMART goal template for Word is a great tool to ensure that a project’s or organization’s goals are reasonable. This business template also gives direct to the project team as they develop objectives to achieve these goals.

The free template works by breaking down each of the five aspects of a SMART goal into a series of questions. There’s then a space on the template to answer these questions. Work through the entire template and whatever goals that are being decided on are now more clear and understandable.

31. Project Prioritization Matrix Template

The insight to know which project needs your attention if you’re managing a portfolio or program is key to managing your precious resources wisely to get the best return on your investment. Your business has a long-term strategy and using our free project prioritization matrix template for Excel helps you determine which projects are aligned with that strategy objectively and need attention immediately.

It does this with what’s commonly referred to as an Eisenhower matrix. It’s a chart broken up into four quadrants: must be done immediately, scheduled for the near future, delegated and delete or move. Across the top of the chart are two columns, one for do now and the other for doing later. On the left-hand side are two rows: crucial and not crucial. By placing your projects in one of these quadrants you can make more insightful decisions as to where to place your business efforts.

32. Organizational Chart Template

As businesses grow, they can become like a freighter, too big to turn swiftly. Our free organizational chart template for Excel won’t necessarily make your business more nimble, but it’ll help you stay competitive and improve departmental communication. Knowing who reports to who and who has authority to do what in a business will help you respond quickly to market forces and that makes this free Excel template for business so valuable.

A visual chart that shows the internal structure of a business, this hierarchical document breakdown the chain of command from top to bottom. It lists everyone’s name and position and shows where they stand in the organization of the business. Besides showing the relationships of the employees in a business it also helps to analyze the needs of a workforce, which makes it easier to know when you have to hire staff or streamline to create greater efficiency.

33. Action Plan Template

Businesses have strategies, but they’re just ideas on paper until they’re executed. An action plan turns that strategy into actionable steps that will ideally lead to the outcome you’ve planned to achieve. To outline those steps use our free action plan template for Excel. It will visualize the steps necessary to meet your business objectives and goals.

This action plan is made up of tasks and the free Excel template for business even breaks these tasks into subtasks, which are action items. It also notes the team, time and resources that will be required to complete the work. This includes a timeline to organize those tasks, prioritize them and assemble the team who will execute the work.

34. Request for Quote Template

Businesses can’t do everything themselves. They contract out work often but even more, they build relationships with suppliers who provide them with the materials they require to get their work done. Getting the supplies they need, when they need them is done through a request for quote (RFQ) process. To secure the procurements you need for your business, use our free request for quote template for Word.

The RFQ is often used with the request for proposal, the latter being how contracts between businesses and suppliers are defined. This free template is key to negotiating the price, amount and delivery of those supplies necessary for your work. Through a RFQ, both sides can come to an equitable agreement. This free template is ideal for keeping your supply costs down.

35. Marketing Calendar Template

If your business is marketing a product or service that’s a whole other job you have to do on top of everything else. Planning a marketing campaign involves deadlines, coordinating resources and much more. Using our free marketing calendar template for Excel shows you the campaign and activities on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis to help you stay on track.

This customizable free Excel template for business will allow you to visualize your marketing plan over a specific period of time. You can organize your schedule, the many tasks that are involved and their duration. There’s a place to describe the work and when it’s due as well as the people who are involved in doing that work. You can even set marketing goals to measure the success of your campaign.

36. Change Log Template

There isn’t a business that has not had to change something in order to remain solvent. But changes are disruptive and if you’re not managing them they can end up causing damage or worse to your business. Our free change log template for Excel captures those changes and tracks them throughout their life cycle until they have been resolved.

This provides a business with greater visibility. You identify the change and assign someone in the business to be responsible for addressing it. That creates accountability and managers can be certain that the change, whatever it might be, is taken care of. Not all changes are created equally, either. You can prioritize the change on this free Excel business template and better manage the time and cost related to the change.

37. Implementation Plan Template

This free implementation plan template for Excel charts the steps that lead to the delivery of a project. It’s a plan to implement a strategy and reduce the risk of surprises negatively impacting the project’s goals and objectives.

This free Excel business template defines the strategy, process and actions required to deliver a successful project. This free template is used by project managers to take the executive leadership team’s ideas and turn them into viable projects.

38. KPI Dashboard Template

Both project management teams and businesses need to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor their performance. This free KPI dashboard template is ideal for monitoring tasks, workload, costs, budgets and revenue.

ProjectManager Helps With Business Planning

All of these free Word and Excel templates for business are helpful, but they can only take you so far. They are, after all, static documents. You have to manually update them and, if they’re shared, it can be difficult to impossible to know which version has the most current data. ProjectManager is cloud-based software that empowers businesses to work more productively and streamline their processes for greater efficiency. Plus, everyone is connected, any time and anywhere, and they’re working off of real-time data to make more impactful decisions.

Plan Business Strategy With Robust Gantt Charts

Businesses need to plan ahead, whether to implement their strategies and meet objectives and goals or to execute projects. That involves scheduling costs, resources and time. Our robust Gantt charts do all that and more. They link all four types of dependencies to help you avoid delays. You can also create milestones and set a baseline to track your planned effort against your actual effort in real time to keep your strategic plans on track.

Track Projects With Real-Time Dashboards

Once you’ve set a baseline, you can track your progress and performance across our software in real time. Toggle over to the live dashboard where colorful graphs and charts make it easy to see metrics, such as time, cost and more. Unlike lightweight tools, there’s no configuration required. It’s ready when you are to show a high-level view of the work you and your employees are doing.

That’s just a sampling of the features we have. There are also resource management tools that can help you balance your employees’ workload to make them more productive. Risk management features allow you to track those changes and make sure they don’t impact your schedule or budget. All this on a collaborative platform that makes it easy to share files, comment and more. Business templates are fine, but our software takes your business to the next level. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Related Business Content

If you’re not ready to take our free trial and upgrade your business, but still curious about how ProjectManager can help your business, we’ve got more for you to read. Below is a sampling of the free content on our site,, which includes weekly blogs, guides and, of course, free templates.

• 15 Must-Have Business Report Templates
• What Is a Business Budget? Business Budgeting Basics
• SWOT Analysis: Definitions, Examples & Templates
• How to Write a Mission Statement (Definition & Examples Included)
• What Is a Vision Statement? 15 Vision Statement Examples to Inspire You
• How to Create a Small Business Plan
• How to Write a Business Case (Template Included)
• 25 Must-Have Project Management Excel Templates and Spreadsheets

The post 38 Free Excel Templates for Business (Plus 10 Word Templates) appeared first on ProjectManager.

ProjectManager has over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word that can be downloaded now. There are over a dozen templates that can help during the construction bidding process. They are listed and linked below to help land work that serves the contractor and their client.

However, templates are static documents. Project management software is better at forecasting the details of the project correctly and then executing that project to ensure it’s delivered on time and within budget. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has robust Gantt charts that can help estimate schedules, costs and more. Once the bid is won, our Gantt charts go the extra mile, linking all four types of task deliverables to avoid cost overruns due to delays, identify essential tasks by filtering for the critical path and set a baseline to capture the plan and compare it against actual progress and costs. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Why Use a Bid Proposal Template?

While a bid proposal template has its limitations, it provides consistency in format and style to reinforce brand identity. Their pre-structured framework is time-efficient and ensures comprehensive coverage. The consistent format also streamlines the review process while improving the overall quality of the proposal.

Its structure also provides a clear and organized way to present services, qualifications and pricing. This makes it easier for clients to evaluate the offer. A well-crafted bid proposal template will give contractors a competitive edge by showcasing the strengths and the value proposition of the bid.

This provides the contractor with an opportunity to persuade the potential client by making a compelling case for why they’re the best choice, highlighting past successes, relevant experience and client testimonials. The bid proposal template, if approved by the client, can serve as a reference later to clarify terms and conditions when a formal contract is written up.

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Bid Proposal Template

Use this free Bid Proposal Template for Word to manage your projects better.

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Best Free Bid Proposal Templates

The following are a variety of bid proposal templates that address different types of projects and industries. There are more generic ones and others specific to a certain type of work. Also included are free templates that can help prepare the big proposal, such as budget, scope of work and executive summary, which are all part of the larger proposal. Download these free bid proposal templates for a better chance of getting that job.

1. Bid Proposal Template

This free bid proposal template for Word can be used for any job. Once downloaded, users can add or subtract from this customizable template to better reflect the work they’re bidding for. This formal response to an opportunity for a working relationship with a potential client will showcase the contractor’s qualifications and outline their approach.

This bid proposal template can be used by construction companies, consulting firms, freelancers, suppliers and vendors, nonprofits and government agencies. It covers the whole gamut, from the executive summary, scope of work and company information to exclusions, terms and conditions and acceptance of proposal.

2. Project Proposal Template

Another versatile document is this free project proposal template for Word. It can be customized as a proposal for a construction, IT, marketing, engineering or business project. The template delivers the rationale for the project by formally communicating to sponsors or a boss the good reasons to initiate the project to solve a specific problem or exploit a business opportunity.

Like any proposal, it begins with an executive summary to introduce the proposal and then goes into the process, solution, deliverables, duration and more to flesh out the project. It’s used to kick off a new project, which is why it’s so in-depth. It’s a vehicle that clearly defines the project to get approval from the sponsor and convince them of its value.

3. Budget Proposal Template

One of the most important parts of a bid proposal template is the budget forecast. Some clients, sponsors and bosses will only look at the bottom line and if that is too much, no amount of convincing will get them to approve the value of the proposition. This free budget proposal template for Excel is a great tool for forecasts to show the work is within means.

This budget proposal template lists all the tasks that lead to the completion of the project or service, including subtasks. Then the costs related to the resources needed to deliver those tasks are estimated, from labor and materials to other costs, such as travel, equipment, etc. The budgeted costs are added up and there’s a column to capture the actual costs to track the cost variance when executing the project to help stay on budget.

4. Service Proposal Template

Another kind of bid proposal template is this free service proposal template for Word. It’s part of the sales process where the service provider and customer define the outline for the service being offered. They can figure out the details here before settling on a legally binding contract. This communication channel brings both parties to an agreement, whether delivering the service provider’s value proposition or establishing the expectations of the potential client.

The bid proposal template is broken down into sections. It begins with an executive summary to provide an overview of the main points and moves into the service provider’s pitch, scope of work, cost forecast, timeline and more. All the details of the agreement are worked out beforehand so if the two parties contract together, there will be no misunderstandings about the work to be done, when it should be completed and how much it will cost.

5. Construction Proposal Template

General contractors will want to download this construction proposal template for Word. It’s part of the bidding process and includes detailed project information, including quotes from suppliers, which provide an estimate of the overall cost for the proposed project. Construction firms can streamline the process of getting work by using this bid proposal template, which acts as a sales call to a motivated target.

As with any bid proposal template, this one includes sections that define the scope of work, financial information and the project schedule, to name only a few. By outlining all of the project details accurately, both parties can come to an agreement and avoid any misunderstandings after the job has been contracted.

6. Event Proposal Template

Not all bid proposal templates are the same, of course. Some proposals target specific projects or, in this case, events. The free event proposal template for Word is perfect for an event planner, who are project managers, even if they aren’t often thought of as one. This document covers the details of a coming event, whether a conference, trade show, exposition, wedding, fundraiser, etc.

This bid proposal is similar to the other free templates on this list. It’s broken down into sections. Some of those sections will be familiar, such as the event schedule and cost estimation. Others are unique to event planning, such as being able to define the target audience and coming up with event marketing and promotions. But the goal is the same, landing that job because one’s firm is the best to achieve the goals and objectives for a reasonable price and on the client’s deadline.

7. Request for Proposal Template

A request for proposal (RFP) is the document that contractors respond to from project owners. It is sent to solicit offers that meet the project requirements so project owners can select the right contractor for the job. Therefore, this free RFP template Word isn’t a bid proposal template, but a document that will generate bids from contractors who are interested in being selected for the job.

Project owners send out the RFP when they aren’t sure of who they want to hire for the job and are looking to shop around for the right contractor or vendor. This business document basically announces a project and is used across a number of different industries from construction to government projects. The RFP will inform the bid proposal template as it outlines what the project owner is looking for.

8. Request for Information Template

A request for information (RFI) is used to formulate information on products, goods and services from existing or prospective suppliers. It’s sent from the customer to the supplier. It can range from general questions before a product is purchased to more specifically geared toward products already bought. This is like a bid proposal template for customers looking to work with suppliers.

This template solicits information in a formal and structured way, primarily in the construction industry. It identifies the requirements of the customer and can also get answers to specific questions from the supplier. To inform the customer about suppliers serving the market, which helps them make a decision as to which supplier is best suited to contract with the customer and deliver what they need when they need it.

9. Service Quote Template

Another bid proposal template is the service quote template for Excel. Use this template to streamline the process of giving customers clear, professional pricing for services. It provides a structured format where you can list the scope of work, rates, timelines, terms and total estimated costs.

This makes quoting faster, reduces errors, and ensures every quote includes the same essential information. For customers, it creates transparency and builds trust. For businesses, it helps with consistency, easier approvals, and a smoother handoff into contracts or project work.

10. Scope of Work Template

Though not a bid proposal template, the scope of work is a key element to any bid proposal. Use this free scope of work template for Word to identify everything the project will and won’t cover. This includes project deliverables, a project timeline, project milestones and more. This means when bidding for the project, contractors won’t neglect any vital part that will impact the budget or schedule forecast.

The scope of work sets clear expectations and, if the bid is approved, will guide the project team through the execution of the project. It is used by project managers, contractors, project owners and project management offices (PMOs) to deliver the project and meet its requirements. It’s also an important document to prevent scope creep, which is when more tasks are added to the project during execution, and that can lead to cost overruns and schedule delays.

11. Business Case

A business case is often a key component of a bid proposal template. It provides the rationale and justification for why a company should be awarded a contract. It outlines the benefits, costs and risks associated with the proposed project. This powerful tool can convince a client or project owner that the bidding contractor is the best fit for the job.

This free business case template for Word is laid out to make it easier to deliver the information to prove that one’s contracting firm is the right choice to be awarded the job. It begins with an executive summary, offers a mission statement and then explains why the contractor is the best for the job. It also shows that the project aligns with the overall strategy of the organization seeking a contractor.

12. Executive Summary Template

We’ve talked about executive summaries a lot. That’s because they’re an essential part of a bid proposal template. The executive summary is like the elevator pitch, short and sweet. It’s when you want to grab someone’s attention and win them over so they spend the time to look over the more detailed part of the proposal. But not everyone is familiar with how to put together a persuasive executive summary.

This free executive summary template for Word lays out the basic structure to help. It lists topics that should be covered, from the company’s role and strength to the problem being addressed and the unique solution being offered. Use this template to get an executive summary into shape so that when it’s added to the bid proposal template, it’ll have maximum impact and help sell the company to the client.

13. Construction Quote Template

In construction, a quote template outlines the estimated costs, materials, labor, timelines and scope of work for a construction project. It helps contractors present pricing clearly and professionally while ensuring all critical project details are included—from materials and equipment to hourly rates, subcontractor fees and payment terms.

It brings consistency and accuracy to the bidding process. A template reduces mistakes, speeds up quote creation, and makes it easier to compare bids across projects. It also helps set clear expectations with clients, reducing misunderstandings and protecting both parties with a well-defined scope and pricing before work begins.

14. Construction Estimate Template

A construction estimate ensures consistency, accuracy and professionalism. Contractors can quickly produce detailed, easy-to-read estimates that clients can understand and compare. This template reduces the risk of missing costs, speeds up proposal creation and strengthens the contractor’s credibility, increasing the chances of winning the project.

It’s used to calculate and present the expected costs for a construction project, including materials, labor, equipment, permits and other expenses. It provides a clear breakdown of all components needed to complete the project.

15. Estimate Template

The importance of accurate estimates can’t be overstated when filling out a bid proposal template. If the cost forecast is off, that difference will come out of the contractor’s profit margin. Using this free estimate template for Excel ensures that all tasks and associated costs are captured to avoid surprises when executing the work.

The template is broken down into project phases. All the tasks are listed in one column. There’s a column to capture labor and material costs. Each row with a task and its associated costs are added up. Then the total column is added at the end to forecast how much the project will cost.

16. Project Timeline Template

Another essential estimate for any bid proposal template is the schedule. If the schedule is not forecasted accurately, the client will be upset and the contractor will end up spending more than they expected. Everyone loses. But with this free project timeline template, all the tasks and their duration are accounted for, making the schedule more accurate.

This free template is divided into two sections. The left side is a spreadsheet. It’s where all the project tasks are listed, including their start and end dates. On the right side is a timeline that is automatically populated as the spreadsheet is filled out. It shows the entire project in one place; each task bar is the length of its estimated duration and they can be color-coded to make it easier to read the template.

17. Job Estimate Template

A job estimate is a detailed calculation of the expected costs, time, and resources required to complete a specific job or project. Our job estimate template streamlines this process by providing a consistent, organized format to create estimates quickly and accurately.

For bid proposals, the template ensures all necessary cost components are included, reduces errors and presents the estimate professionally.

18. Request for Quote Template

Another asset that can help with bid proposals is a request for quote template. Organizations use this standardized document to ask suppliers or vendors for pricing and details on specific products or services. It typically includes information about the required goods or services, quantities, delivery timelines, specifications and any terms and conditions.

It helps organizations compare offers accurately, reduces misunderstandings, speeds up the procurement process and provides a documented record of requests and responses. Using a template also saves time and ensures all necessary details are captured upfront, improving decision-making and vendor communication.

19. Budget Template

Another way to forecast project costs for a bid proposal template is by creating a budget for the project. This free budget template for Excel contains the financial details to create an accurate budget, including all resources, both human and nonhuman. If the bid is awarded to the contractor, they can also use this template to track the budget against actual spending to help them stay on budget.

When estimating a budget, the first step is to list all the tasks and subtasks needed to deliver that project. That is the first column in this template. It’s followed by labor, which is broken into three columns: planned, actual hours and the rate per hour. Next is materials, divided into units and cost per unit. There are also columns for travel, equipment and other miscellaneous expenses.

20. Risk Register Template

Another common part of a bid proposal template is a risk register. It’s a list of risks and opportunities that might occur throughout the project’s life cycle. It’s part of a bid proposal as it identifies areas of uncertainty, helps to allocate resources and informs the negotiating strategy.

Download this free risk register template for Excel to list those uncertainties that might crop up in the project and the potential impact they’ll have if they do. Then a response can be defined to mitigate the risk and the people on the project team who are responsible for dealing with it. There’s also a column to note the risk level from high to low, which allows the project team to prioritize which risk is dealt with and when.

21. Vision Statement Template

A vision statement is a concise description of an organization’s long-term goals and aspirations. While not a standalone section in a bid proposal template, it still can be incorporated into the company information to provide an overview of the contractor’s business objectives. It can show how the job being bid on will contribute to the contractor’s long-term aspirations, which makes it a better fit than other companies vying for the same work.

Use this free vision statement template for Word to help define the purpose of a business and what it hopes to achieve in the future. The template is divided into three parts. The first are the steps to developing a vision statement. The next are questions that come out of each of those steps. The final column is where users put their answers to these questions, which ends in writing a vision statement.

ProjectManager Helps With Bid Proposals and Beyond

A bid proposal template is okay, but project management software is better. Templates are static documents that have to be manually updated. They’re not collaborative. If the job is awarded to the contractor, templates aren’t the most efficient way to execute and manage that project.

Why go to the trouble of filling out templates only to have to move on to another tool to more efficiently deliver the project when project management software can both help with the bidding process and manage the project? ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has the tools general contractors need to create and manage one or more bid proposals and then seamlessly move into managing those projects that they win.

Plan Proposals and Execute Projects

Most contractors are sending out multiple bid proposals at one time. Our multiple project views allow them to manage the bid proposal process on kanban boards. The customizable columns of the kanban board can reflect the bid process and each kanban card can be a unique bid. Our software has unlimited file storage, which means all the related documentation can be attached to those bids. Schedules and costs can be estimated on the Gantt chart, resources forecast with the workload chart and when the bid is won, the team can be assigned to the task board while clients are kept informed with the calendar view to track progress.

Track Costs, Progress and More in Real Time

When the bid proposal is accepted and the job is executed, contractors must monitor the work to ensure it aligns with the plan that was approved by their client. Once a baseline is set on the Gantt chart there are multiple ways to track the project. Real-time dashboards provide a high-level overview of time, cost, workload and more displayed on easy-to-read graphs and charts. Customizable reports get deeper into the details for field crews and can be filtered to show more general metrics to keep clients updated on progress. Secure timesheets allow the teams to log hours from the job site with mobile devices but also give managers a window into labor costs to help them stay on budget.

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level or stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 21 Bid Proposal Templates for Word and Excel appeared first on ProjectManager.

If that’s the case, check out these free software development templates for Excel, Word and more. They’re just a sampling of all the free project management templates available to download on our site. They cover every aspect of managing a project across multiple industries.

For those wanting a more efficient and effective tool than software development templates, there’s ProjectManager, award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts to plan software projects, especially with waterfall or V-shaped models. Yes, it’s easy to assign teams and drag and drop timelines, but it also links all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays, filters for the critical path and sets a baseline to compare planned effort against actual effort in real time to keep the project on track. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Why Use a Software Development Template?

Still reading? Then let’s explain why some prefer to use a software development template. For one, they provide consistency. Templates help maintain uniformity across projects, ensuring that coding standards, documentation and processes are followed. This creates a level of efficiency by saving time with a ready-made structure. This allows developers to focus on the actual coding rather than starting from scratch.

Using a software development template incorporates industry best practices and guidelines, which promotes better coding habits and quality. It reduces errors and omissions to enhance overall code quality and stability. They also help new team members onboard quickly as templates make it easier for them to understand the project structure and standards.

With templates, developers can set up new projects or features faster. This accelerates the development cycle, enabling teams to iterate more rapidly and respond to changes in requirements or market conditions. In agile environments, where speed and flexibility are key, templates can help teams spin up user stories or feature branches, aligning with the fast-paced nature of agile methodologies.

18 Free Software Development Templates

While templates will always lag behind project management software, they do have benefits and can act as a bridge for teams as they transition from templates to software. The demands of software development are unique and these free software development templates address the specific needs of software developers and their teams.

1. Software Development Plan Template

Software development without a plan is foolhardy. That’s because it provides a structured framework for development processes and outlines phases, tasks and timelines. This helps managers see the entire project on a timeline. It provides an overview of the project and helps track progress to ensure the work is done according to the software development plan.

Download this free software development plan template for Excel to organize tasks and monitor progress. On one side of the template is a project scheduling spreadsheet. Here all tasks are listed, including their start and end dates. This indicates the duration of the work. This data automatically populates a timeline, which can be color-coded to differentiate project phases. There are columns on the spreadsheet that note the task’s priority and the percentage complete to track progress.

2. Test Case Template

The test case is a critical component of software development. It ensures the quality and reliability of the software product by allowing testers to create test case scenarios for the software product or one of its features. This free test case template for Excel is a methodical tool for doing a thorough test of the product that developers and testers can use to discover missed errors and defects.

Use this software development template to carefully check every aspect of the software to ensure it’s working properly before releasing it to the public. The free template has a column to give the test case an ID, another for defining the test case scenario and one to explain how it will be tested. There’s a field to capture pre-conditions, test steps, expected results, actual results, post-conditions and more.

3. Agile Sprint Plan Template

Sprint planning is a meeting that occurs at the beginning of each sprint, which is a time-boxed iteration, usually between one and four weeks. The team discusses and decides which items from the product backlog will be worked on. This free agile sprint plan template incorporates the entire scrum team to motivate and challenge them to drive success.

This software development template opens in ProjectManager, which gives users a variety of project views to work from. There are kanban boards for agile teams, task lists for developers and the aforementioned Gantt charts to track progress. Real-time data is shared across all project views, which keeps cross-functional teams working off the most current information to foster better collaboration.

4. Project Plan Template

Project plans serve as a comprehensive document that outlines the strategy for managing a software project from initiation to completion. It includes such vital information as defining the scope of the project, creating a timeline and adding milestones to ensure that the project stays on schedule. It also includes resource allocations, budgeting, risk management and more.

The free software development template includes all these components in a thorough Word document. It breaks the project into phases and tasks and creates a schedule with task dependencies, project assumptions and constraints. It also defines the change management process to log and track any changes to the project plan.

5. Bug Report Template

This free bug report template for Excel is used to maintain software quality and ensure that issues are identified and resolved effectively. It documents defects or issues found in the software and serves as a communication tool between developers, testers and other stakeholders. They prioritize and track progress and promote accountability within the team.

The bug report is an essential software development template that captures all the pertinent information needed to fix the bug. There’s the bug ID, including the reporter’s name, assigned developer and the date it was submitted. The bug is then summarized, adding a URL or screenshot if possible. The environment is defined and the details of the bug are listed. The severity and priority are also noted.

6. Roadmap Template

A roadmap provides a strategic overview of a project’s direction and milestones. This free roadmap template for Excel outlines the long-term vision and goals of the software project, which helps stakeholders understand where the project is heading. This free software development template is similar to the Gantt chart, with a spreadsheet that populates a timeline to keep the project team and stakeholders aware of the project’s objectives.

But why bother with limited templates when one can sign up for a free trial and use ProjectManager’s dynamic roadmap feature for long-term planning? Our roadmap can also be used for portfolio management, capturing all projects on a Gantt chart that has resource management, time tracking and task management tools. The roadmap can be filtered by the assignee, project manager or customer to make forecasts and highlight key metrics for stakeholders.

7. Test Plan Template

A test plan provides a structured roadmap for verifying that a product, system or feature works as intended. It can help save time, prevent defects and reduce risks. It defines what will be tested, how it will be tested and who is responsible for ensuring thorough coverage. This improves product quality, builds stakeholder confidence and supports smooth project delivery.

Rather than creating a plan from scratch for each product or feature, use our free test plan template for Excel. It improves consistency across testing cycles, reduces the risk of missed defects and helps developers and stakeholders see progress clearly. Ultimately, it supports higher-quality products, faster release cycles, and more reliable decision-making throughout development.

8. Requirements Gathering Template

Requirements gathering is an important part of software development as it collects, analyzes and documents the needs and expectations of stakeholders. This helps to understand the use needs for the software, defines the project scope and ensures all stakeholder perspectives are considered. This software development template is about business, user and system requirements and is crucial to complete before starting any software development project.

When you download the free requirements gathering template for Word, there’s everything needed for a thorough listing of project requirements. It has a cover page with the project name and a chart to track the versions of the document. There’s a section to show the project plan and describe the project and its purpose, scope and timeline, which has milestones, goals, dependencies and more.

9. Risk Tracking Template

The free risk tracking or risk register template is essential for identifying and mitigating risks that can impact the project’s success. This software development template allows teams to proactively identify the risks that could arise as issues in the project and note the impact, which will help to categorize risks by levels, such as high, medium and low. This allows risks to be prioritized.

This free template allows developers and their teams to systematically track and evaluate the actions taken to mitigate the risks that show up as issues in the project. Risk is an inevitable part of any project management. Being prepared for risk is key to software development to ensure the delivered product is high quality, on time and stays within budget.

10. Bug Report Template

Catching bugs early is pivotal, so a bug report is key. It typically includes details like a clear description of the problem, steps to reproduce it, expected versus actual behavior, severity or priority, screenshots or logs and the environment in which the bug occurred.

Use this free bug report template to help maintain software quality, prevent recurring issues and ensure that stakeholders are aware of defects that could impact performance, user experience or timelines. Well-documented bug reports streamline debugging, improve accountability and support a smoother, more predictable development process.

11. Issue Tracking Template

Another software development template that helps to keep work moving smoothly is our free issue tracking template for Excel. Unlike a risk, which is an event, both positive and negative, which might occur, an issue is presently impacting the project for the worse. The issue must be resolved.

Download this issue tracking template to ensure that issues are not only identified but resolved without negatively impacting the project. Each issue is listed and described with the potential impact to the project defined. A priority is then set and the date the issue is opened is noted. There’s space to list the date when the issue has closed as well as who on the team is responsible for dealing with it. A column with the status tracks whether the issue is open or closed.

12. Product Backlog Template

A product backlog is a prioritized, dynamic list of all the work items required to build or maintain a product: new features, bug fixes, improvements, technical tasks, or other requested changes. It acts as a “single source of truth” for everything that could or should be done for the product.

The product backlog template helps teams organize and manage all work items in one place. It lets you list each task or feature, assign priorities, estimate effort, track status and record acceptance criteria. By keeping everything structured and visible, the template makes it easier to plan sprints, communicate with stakeholders and focus on the most valuable work. It ensures clarity, transparency, and flexibility as priorities change during product development.

13. Change Log Template

Change is a constant and if it isn’t managed it’s a project-destroyer. Change can come from problems in the project to last-minute requests from stakeholders. Wherever they originate, change has to be logged to determine if it should be followed. This free change log template from Excel helps to manage equipment breaks, team members getting sick or whatever change occurs in the project.

Use this software development template to capture change as it happens and track it throughout the project until it’s no longer impacting work. The template notes the type of change, describes it and prioritizes it to help the team know which to address first. The team member who’s assigned to own the change is listed and much more to ensure that the change never falls through the cracks.

14. Change Request Form Template

Another component of change management is this free change request form template for Word. It collects data that determines how to deal with the proposed change. This way, if the change request is approved, the work won’t create issues with the current workflow. This ensures that approved changes are smoothly implemented.

This software development template has everything one needs to capture the specifics of the requested change. It shows who requested the change, the date it was submitted, the priority and the impact on deliverables. There’s also a field to note the impact of not responding to the change and why. Other fields note the cost, quality and duration of the change, impact on deadlines and much more.

15. Kanban Board Template

In software development, a kanban board provides a visual way to manage and track work as it moves through different stages of the development process. Typically, tasks or user stories are represented as cards that move across columns such as “To Do,” “In Progress” and “Done.”

This kanban board template helps teams see workflow bottlenecks, manage workload and prioritize tasks. It promotes transparency, encourages continuous delivery, and allows developers, testers, and product owners to quickly understand project status at a glance.

16. Root Cause Analysis

Root cause analysis is a systemic process used in software development to identify the underlying reasons for defects or issues within a system. This free software development template can help identify problems when a bug or failure occurs and analyze the contributing factors.

Use this free root cause analysis template for Word to identify and document what is responsible for the problem. The root cause analysis template is a fishbone diagram where the problem is at the head and the spine captures various causes that are the reason for the problem being analyzed.

17. Timesheet Template

Timesheets help with payroll. Specifically, as a software development template, timesheets can help track contractors. They tend to work long hours when doing development work. Timesheets not only help them log their hours but also allow managers to track their labor costs to ensure that the project stays within its budget.

Download this free timesheet template for Excel to manage payroll and track expenses. There’s a box for the employee’s name, department, supervisor and hourly rate. Under that, the days they’re working for the pay cycle are listed, including start and end times, with a lunch break. There’s a column for any overtime hours and then it’s all added, with signature lines for the employee and their supervisor.

18. Progress Report

A progress report is a document that shows how far the project has progressed in comparison to where the project plan says it should be. This software development template is key to tracking the project to ensure that it stays on schedule.

Download the free progress report template for Word to keep software products meeting deadlines. The template opens with a summary and then lists all the tasks that were executed over the period covered in the report. If there are issues, they’re highlighted in another section. Both progress and the budget are tracked. The template closes with accomplishments over that period and what is expected to be accomplished over the next period covered.

ProjectManager Helps With Software Development

While these software development templates are helpful, as we’ve mentioned, they cause frustration. That’s because they’re only static documents working in a dynamic field. It’s hard enough to do a software development project without having to stop and manually update templates. And forget about collaborating with other team members. Templates aren’t capable. Project management software clears all those hurdles and more. ProjectManager is award-winning software that has Gantt charts and roadmaps that are updated in real time, and can be shared with teams whether they’re working side-by-side or in another time zone.

Execute Work on Kanban Boards and Task Lists

While Gantt charts are great for planning and roadmaps illustrate strategic objectives, dev teams need tools designed to help them execute their work. That’s why we have multiple project views that share data so everyone is working on the same page. They can visualize workflow with kanban boards. Teams can collectively plan sprints, manage their backlog and managers can see potential roadblocks and reallocate resources quickly to clear the way and keep the project moving forward as planned. Task lists and calendar views give stakeholders a monthly overview of progress to keep them informed.

Track Progress, Costs and More in Real Time

Instead of using a software development template to report on progress, use one of our customizable reports on status, portfolios, workload, variance, timesheets and more. They can be filtered to go deep into the details for teams or a more general overview for stakeholders. For a high-level overview, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio dashboard. It automatically collects live data, which is displayed on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. There are also secure timesheets that can help managers track labor costs.

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or anywhere in the world. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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There are many project management templates that are designed to help you identify, respond to and track those risks. This helps you avoid an issue that becomes a problem that negatively impacts the project’s time, cost and scope. Download these free risk management templates and gain more control over your project.

1. Risk Management Plan Template

A risk management plan is a document that describes how a project management team will manage risk over a project. Risk management plans consist of several sections that describe the potential risks of a project and the various risk mitigation strategies that will be executed to manage said risks.

To provide a clear view of project risks, a risk management plan typically contains a risk register, risk breakdown structure, risk matrix and a risk mitigation plan. Our risk management plan template helps you organize these different risk management documents.

2. Risk Register Template

Planning for risk is how you manage risk. While it’s impossible to know what’ll happen, an experienced project manager will have the resources to predict what might happen. In order to define the potential of the risk from showing up in your project and what the impact could be, you’ll want to use our free risk register template for Excel.

The free risk register gives you space to describe the risk, its impact and what your response will be if it appears in the project. There’s also a column to note if the risk is high, medium or low. Plus, you can assign a team member to that risk so they know to keep an eye out for it. If that risk becomes an issue, then the team member will be responsible for tracking it until the issue has been resolved.

Or you can build your risk register in ProjectManager, a robust project management software complete with risk management and reporting tools. Build project plans with Gantt charts, execute with tasks lists and address risks alongside your project. It’s easy to identify impact, likelihood and potential resolutions. Plus, you’ll be able to centralize communications and documentation with your team as the project unfolds. Try ProjectManager today for free.

3. Project Dashboard Template

Preparing for risk is essential to risk management, but that’s just the start. Once the project begins, you have to be diligent in monitoring the work to catch issues when they arise. The faster you capture issues, the less impact they’ll have and the quicker you’ll be able to resolve them. Using our free project dashboard template for Excel creates graphs that track your tasks, workload, costs and more.

4. Risk Matrix Template

There’s more than one way to manage risk, but regardless of how you choose to do so, you’ll always want to identify, prioritize and assign an owner to be on the lookout for it. Risk isn’t always negative, of course, but if you’re not prepared for risk then you can’t mitigate or take advantage of it. Our free risk matrix template for Excel provides a visual tool to manage risk easily.

A risk matrix is a type of chart that’s used by project managers to map risks. It helps categorize the risk in terms of its likelihood of occurring and how it’ll impact the project. It does this on a colorful grid, which provides you with a visual tool that helps communicate risk to the project team.

5. Issue Tracking Template

Risk is potential, but project issues are real. They could be the manifestation of a risk that you’ve identified and have been monitoring or they could be unique. Whatever they are, you need to address them and our free issue-tracking template for Excel is just the tool you need to make sure issues don’t sidetrack your project.

The issue tracking collects all the data you need to keep an eye on the issue as it moves through its life cycle. You have a column to describe it and its potential impact. Then you can give each issue a priority to know which to deal with first as well as the date it was first identified and who’s responsible for resolving the issue. There’s space to note the department responsible and whether the status is open or closed.

6. Risk Assessment Template

Projects move forward with many uncertainties, and a risk assessment helps teams prepare for what could go wrong. A risk assessment template identifies threats to schedule, cost, quality and safety, evaluates their likelihood and impact, and determines what actions can reduce or respond to each one. By addressing risks proactively instead of reacting to surprises, project managers protect timelines, budgets and stakeholder confidence throughout the entire execution process.

Our free risk assessment template organizes every key detail needed to evaluate project threats. Users can log each risk’s category, source, stakeholders affected, severity level and likelihood, along with prevention steps and mitigation responses. Resource needs and ownership fields ensure accountability is clear, and assumptions provide context behind decisions. With this structure in place, teams can monitor risks consistently, prioritize attention and adjust plans quickly when conditions change.

7. RAID Log Template

Complex projects involve moving parts and shifting realities, and a RAID log keeps those elements visible in one place. This RAID log template tracks Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Decisions so teams can understand what might go wrong, what is believed to be true, what problems already exist and what choices have shaped the project. This organized view supports faster responses, stronger accountability and better-informed planning across the entire lifecycle.

This free RAID log template provides a simple structure to categorize each item by type, impact, response strategy and priority level. Ownership fields make responsibilities clear, while notes give room for status updates and context. By recording risks before they escalate and tracking decisions as they are made, the template helps teams stay aligned and focused on what requires attention, ultimately improving control over project performance.

8. Issue Report Template

Unexpected problems can derail a project plan if they aren’t addressed in a timely and organized way. An issue report template gives teams a structured method to capture the details of what went wrong and how serious the consequences might be. Rather than letting obstacles linger, this process assigns ownership, encourages prompt action and supports better communication so that the project can recover without losing sight of its goals.

Our free issue report template captures essential details such as description, origin, impact severity, cost estimates and affected areas. It includes fields for assigning an issue owner, defining mitigation actions and updating status as progress is made. By organizing issues in a clear, actionable format, the template helps teams focus on the highest-priority problems and maintain momentum while keeping stakeholders informed about any disruptions.

9. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template

Not all risks are created equal. Project managers can get sidetracked trying to resolve a risk that’s trivial when put in the context of the larger project. But how can you tell whether the risk in the project is worth the effort? Simply download our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel to help you decide if the effort is worth the cost.

The free template helps you collect the quantitative costs (indirect, intangible and opportunity) and compare them to the quantitative benefits (direct, indirect, intangible and competitive). With this data, you can make a cost-benefit analysis to see if the investment is worth the return.

10. Project Status Report Template

We’ve talked about project dashboards as a means to monitor for risk. Reports are another tool that provides a more detailed look at the project’s progress and performance. Use our free project status report template for Excel to view a slice of time in the project to chart its health and progress.

Some of the data a status report captures include a summary of the project, such as key accomplishments, work that has been done, what work is still to come, milestones, deliverables and action items. There’s also information on the budget, schedule, quality and scope of the project. Plus, you can see risks, issues and roadblocks.

11. IT Risk Assessment Template

IT projects have their own unique risks and, therefore, need their own unique risk assessment. There are risks to software and hardware from malware, viruses, scams and more. There are also human errors, security breaches and natural disasters that can take you offline, too. Our free IT risk assessment template for Excel is a great tool to avoid potential loss from downtime.

Everything you need to manage IT risk is included in the free template. You can list the risk by number to track it, note the area where the risk is likely to happen and define the risk. Then there’s a place to set up processes to control the risk, assess it and determine what activities will be required to reduce the risk. You can even monitor the risk if it shows up to make sure it’s properly resolved.

12. Change Log Template

Change is a risk; you don’t know when it’s coming, but you have to be able to deal with it. Whether it’s a request from stakeholders or an issue with equipment or weather, change can impact your project. If you planned correctly, then you’re ready for changes even if you’re not sure what they’ll be. When they come, though, you need our free change lot template for Excel to manage them.

The free template lets you date when the change first came, who owns it and who’s responsible for taking care of the change. There’s a place to note its priority to know what should be done and when. You can also note its status. This way, as changes come into your project (and they always do), you have a way to track them and make sure nothing crucial is overlooked.

More Project Management Templates

Everyone likes free templates. ProjectManager has dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Word that are ready to be downloaded on our site. You can find more than free templates that deal with risk. There are ones that cover every phase of your project and below is only a small sampling.

Gantt Chart Template

The Gantt chart is one of the most popular scheduling tools in project management. Use our free Gantt chart template for Excel to list all your tasks and see them on a visual timeline. It’s a great way to organize your costs and resources.

Project Plan Template

Project plans allow project managers to scope their work and break it down into manageable parts. It’s an essential document in project management. Using our free project plan template for Word will help you organize your tasks, phases, budget and much more.

Project Budget Template

All projects require money to deliver success, and budgets capture those financial details. The more accurate the budget estimates, the more likely you’ll be able to complete the project. Using our free project budget template for Excel will help you accurately forecast costs.

ProjectManager Is a Risk Management Software

There’s no doubt that free project management templates are great. But they’re also status documents that must be manually updated. That’s a lot of time and effort to extend on a limited tool. ProjectManager is online project management software that delivers real-time data to help you better manage project risk.

Track Risk in Real Time

None of the free templates can track risk in real time. Someone on your team has to manually update those templates and there’s always a danger that copies are floating around so no one is aware of their actual status. Our risk management features make it easy to stay informed. You can create a risk just as you would a task and assign an owner, add dates, priorities, tags, attachments and more. Always know the status of your risk in real time.

Manage Risk on Robust Gantt Charts

Having a risk management plan is essential and templates can help but they might not be flexible enough. In some cases, you need something more dynamic. Our online Gantt charts help you schedule and assign as well as monitor the project on a timeline. You can also easily share the Gantt chart with the project team and stakeholders.

Of course, teams and stakeholders aren’t going to need the details of a Gantt chart. That’s why we have multiple project views. Teams can manage and prioritize risk on kanban boards, which visualize the workflow. Stakeholders can be updated by viewing the calendar view or using customized reports to share just the data in which they’re interested.

Related Content

If you’re still hungry to learn more about risk and how to manage it, you’re in luck. ProjectManager isn’t only great software but our site is the premier online destination for all things project management. There are more than templates. We publish weekly blogs and have guides, videos and much more. Here’s some more risk-related reading.

• The Risk Management Process in Project Management
• How to Make a Risk Management Plan
• What Is a Risk Register & How to Create One
• Risk Analysis: Definition, Examples and Methods
• Risk Breakdown Structure for Projects: A Complete Guide to RBS

ProjectManager is award-winning software that helps you plan, manage and track risk in real time. We also empower teams on a collaborative platform with task and resource management features to keep everyone working together more productively. Get onboard with teams from companies as varied as Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver success. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

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18 Budget Templates for Business and Project Budgeting

Below are 18 budget templates that you can use for estimating your project costs. There are some industry-specific budgeting templates, too, but all of them will help you forecast costs, which is the first step in running a tight budget and delivering a successful project.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software, but our website is a hub for all things project-related. We publish weekly blogs on the topic, and have in-depth guides, tutorial videos and free project management templates for Excel and Word.

We’ve selected the ones that can help you with your budget, but there are free templates available for every phase of your project. Visit our template page and you’re sure to find something to help you plan, manage and track your project.

1. Budget Proposal Template

Before you can create a project or business budget, you have to get it approved. That means you’re going to need to write a budget proposal to pitch the idea to your executive team and stakeholders. This is a critical step as it will determine if the project is a go or if the powers that be choose to pass on it. This is why our free budget proposal template for Excel is so important.

A budget proposal is a document that estimates the cost of executing a potential project. It’s used to secure funding and, if the project is approved this document will be the foundation of your project budget. A budget proposal can be used for a future project, but that’s not all. They’re also great for a business budget, an upcoming campaign or any enterprise in which it’s critical to show the benefits are greater than the costs.

Our free budget proposal template is broken down into categories, such as salaries, materials, equipment, travel, communications and any miscellaneous items. But the template is fully customizable so you can add or subtract as you see fit for whatever budget you’re proposing. By estimating the costs of everything involved in the project, you’ll get an accurate forecast of your potential costs (though it helps to seek out experts who’ve been there and done that as well as historical data).

2. Project Budget Template

Once the budget proposal has been approved, it’s time to build a budget. This will take all the financial details that you gathered in your proposal, especially the cost estimates, and lay them out for your team to have the resources they need to execute the project successfully.

The project budget template will need to cover a lot of bases, including the hiring of a team, subcontractors, vendors, materials, equipment and more. All of which cost money.

Our free project budget template for Excel is customizable so you can add as much to it as you need to cover the expenses of your project. First, you can list all your tasks and who they’re assigned to. Then there are the costs to collect for each, such as labor and materials. While that might be the bulk of your costs, a budget is more than just those two resources. That’s why we’ve added travel, equipment and fixed costs. Again, you can add more columns if necessary. At the far right end of the spreadsheet is a column for your budgeted and actual expenses, with the final column noting if you’re under or over budget.

That can help you track, but a template is a static document that must be manually updated. Project management software is going to automate many of those tasks to help you manage your budget more efficiently. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that can help you plan, manage and track your costs in real time. Either start your budget in our software or upload the budget template into our Gantt chart. Now you can link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays, filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks to keep you on schedule and set a baseline to track your actual costs against your budget in real time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

3. Budget Dashboard Template

Dashboards are a very useful tool when tracking budgets, as they can help decision-makers quickly determine whether the costs of a project or business operations are exceeding the budgeted costs at a glance. For example, this free budget dashboard for Excel helps keep track labor, material, equipment and overhead costs and presents that data on visual charts. The best part is that it allows to compare planned versus actual project costs to identify cost overruns. To use it, simply enter your project costs and the charts will autogenerate based on the information that’s entered in the tables.

4. Budget Plan Template

When organizations map out how their financial resources will support upcoming goals, a budget plan becomes the anchor for those decisions. Instead of reacting to expenses as they arise, teams can predict revenue, schedule spending and understand the impact of each cost before it happens. This kind of planning makes it easier to protect cash flow, set realistic profit targets and steer the business with more clarity and control throughout the budgeting period.

This budget plan template gathers all financial planning elements into a single, well-organized document. It begins with high-level goals, assumptions and risk considerations, then breaks down income projections, expense categories and cash flow timing to show when funds are available. Profit and loss estimates help measure expected performance, while approval and version details keep governance clear. The structure supports transparent planning and delivers a realistic financial outlook for any upcoming period.

5. Cash Flow Statement Template

Even profitable businesses or projects can struggle if cash isn’t available when needed. A cash flow statement reveals how money actually moves in and out of an organization by tracking operating results, investments and financing activities. It shows whether day-to-day operations generate enough cash to support growth and pay obligations. Budget planning becomes more realistic when teams can forecast upcoming shortages or surpluses and make informed decisions about spending, borrowing or reinvesting funds.

This cash flow statement template organizes financial activity into three key categories: operations, investing and financing. Users can enter income adjustments, asset purchases, debt changes, dividends and more, while totals automatically update to show net cash flow for the period. Beginning and ending cash balances make it easy to verify financial health. With a clear structure and real-world format, this template helps businesses monitor liquidity and strengthen their budgeting and forecasting practices.

6. Procurement Plan Template

Every organization relies on outside goods and services, but without a clear process, spending can quickly drift off-budget. A procurement plan template gives structure to how items will be sourced, who will manage each step and what criteria define acceptable quality and pricing, whether you’re managing a business or a project. It connects purchasing decisions directly to project goals, supporting more accurate cost forecasts, reducing delivery risks and improving accountability with vendors. The result is better budgeting and stronger overall financial control.

This procurement plan template consolidates all key sourcing elements into one organized document. It starts by defining procurement objectives, then lists required items with specifications and pricing to help estimate project costs early. Vendor evaluation criteria and acquisition methods promote transparency and fair selection. Timelines, roles and contract strategies keep responsibilities clear, while compliance and documentation sections protect against regulatory issues. Together, these components streamline decision-making and ensure purchases align with schedule and budget needs.

7. Expense Report Template

Tracking spending isn’t just about paperwork—it’s essential for managing budgets responsibly. An expense report template records costs incurred by employees while carrying out business activities, ensuring every purchase has a purpose and aligns with company policies. When expenses are categorized, approved and documented consistently, organizations maintain financial transparency, prevent overspending and forecast future costs more accurately. This allows budgeting to reflect real operational needs rather than estimates or assumptions.

This expense report template provides an organized way to list business-related purchases, including travel, meals, supplies and professional fees. Employee details and approval fields support accountability and policy compliance, while itemized entries capture dates, vendors and justifications for each expense. With automatic totals and clear categories, it simplifies reimbursements and helps finance teams track spending trends. The template ensures documentation stays complete and structured, contributing to more effective budgeting and cost control.

8. Marketing Budget Template

As we’ve mentioned above, a budget is useful across all industries. If it costs money to do, then a budget is instrumental in making sure those costs don’t balloon and bankrupt you. Marketing campaigns aren’t cheap and there’s always a client looking over your shoulder to make sure they’re getting bang for their buck. Having a marketing budget template is a way not only to forecast the cost of the marketing campaign but can help legitimize your expenses with the client so they understand where every dollar went and how it was spent wisely.

Using our free marketing budget template for Excel will help you estimate the financial element of the marketing campaign by outlining all the potential costs, which will then be approved by the client to ensure that everyone is aware of the expense and has signed off on it. The marketing budget will provide guidelines to the marketing team in terms of what they can and can’t spend to fulfill the mandate of their client. Marketing departments are also under a mandate, whether they’re part of a larger organization or a boutique firm, and that’s to keep costs low. Budgeting templates help by forecasting and tracking costs to ensure they stay within budget.

Marketing can be many things and that’s reflected in our marketing budget template. Again, every budget template is customizable so you can add or remove what you want to fit your marketing budget. We’ve broken up our marketing budget template into various campaigns, such as email, direct mail, online and promotions. Under each category are the various tasks associated with them. For each, we have a column to note the total budget and it’s also broken up into quarters, as marketing budgets usually are.

9. Event Budget Template

An event can be part of a marketing campaign, such as a trade show or product launch, or it can even be a personal thing, such as a birthday party, wedding or bar mitzvah. Whatever type of event you’re having, it’ll involve money and that means it will need a budget template to make sure that money is well spent and doesn’t break the bank. This is true for any event, whether it’s small or large and complex. Events have a tendency to get out of hand and an event budget template is a tool to not only forecast the cost but keep track of what you’re spending.

As with any budget template, our free event budget for Excel helps you to estimate the costs involved in making whatever function you’re putting on. It does this as all budgeting templates do, by having a cost associated with every event planning task, which includes all the resources you’ll need to execute those tasks. Once you’ve created your budget, the next step is to get it approved. When approved, you’ll execute the tasks. The marketing budget template continues to be useful as it allows you to track those costs to make sure that you’re not overspending.

The event budget template is customizable so you can use our categories or add your own. Therefore, this budgeting template can work with any event. We break it down by categories, such as venue, equipment, travel and accommodation and marketing. The next column lists the vendor or contractor you’re working with. Then there’s a column for labor and material costs followed by a total for the line item. The next column is where you’ll add the actual cost so you can compare it to your budgeted cost and make sure you’re keeping to your budget.

10. Operating Budget Template

Another type of budget template is one dedicated to operating expenses. An operating budget is used by organizations to look at the coming year through a financial lens. It’s used to forecast the revenue and expenses that an organization expects to make over the coming year or quarter, depending on the timeframe for the operating budget.

Most organizations will set their operating budget in the fourth quarter and use it as a plan for the coming year. It’ll show what they expect to do and how much that will cost as well as how much they hope to make, including fixed costs and variable costs.

Our free operating budget template for Excel will help you manage your day-to-day operations and help your business meet its strategic goals without spending more than it has to. But things change and our operating budget template allows you to adjust your operating budget to reflect those changes and you measure how you performed over a month or quarter compared to what you had planned. The operating budget will give your organization accountability as well as planning and managing your resources. It identifies cost drives and helps to find when you can increase cost efficiency and profitability.

Use our free operating budget template to figure out the products or services you’ll sell over the quarter or year and their costs as well as how you plan to sell them. Next, budget those costs, including direct expenses and cost per unit, units sold and the total cost. Operating expenses are outlined for each month, including fixed and variable costs. We’ve also added a section for unexpected expenses so there’s a cushion in your operating budget because there are always unexpected expenses.

11. Project Estimate Template

While not exactly a budget, estimating is a necessary step toward creating an accurate budget. The more accurate your estimates are, the more accurate your budget is. Every budget begins with a project estimate, which is a bit of a science and a bit of an act of faith. If you have historical data that can help you determine what things will cost. It’s also good to seek the advice of experts. A project estimate template is also important.

Using our free project estimate template for Excel will help you build your budget by identifying the resources you’ll need and for how long you’ll need them. Then you can start figuring out how much each of these costs will be. Bit by bit, you’ll be able to make an accurate forecast of the financial investment needed for your project and from there, it’s only a small step to making the project budget, which you can do with one of the many free budget templates we’ve highlighted above.

Our project estimate template does this by first breaking up your project into phases. Every project has five phases: initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and, finally, closure. Each of those phases will have expenses associated with it. Our free template lets you define them by tasks, vendor or contractor, labor and material costs. Once you’ve filled in all the tasks for all the phases, you’ll have a clear idea of what the project is going to cost.

12. Construction Estimate Template

If you’re a construction project manager, you understand the importance of an accurate estimate. If the project ends up costing more than you budgeted for, those extra costs are coming out of your profits. Accurate estimates are always important, of course, but when those dollars are coming out of your pocket chances are you’re going to pay closer attention. That’s why you’ll want to take time for a thorough construction project estimate.

A free construction job estimate template for Excel is a great place to start when figuring out the finances for your project. Of course, there isn’t just one type of construction estimate. There is the preliminary estimate, which is a general overview of costs. A detailed estimate used the design documents to estimate raw materials, equipment and labor costs. There is also a quantity estimate, which relies on material takeoffs, and a bid estimate, which is the final version sent by the general contractor to the project owner.

Our free construction estimate template helps you forecast labor costs, material costs and your profit market as the contractor for the job. These are the basic components of any construction estimate. Labor estimates refer to the human resources who execute the tasks. Material costs are those raw materials used to construct what you’re building. The profit margin is a percentage of this to cover all costs, including labor, materials, direct, indirect and overhead costs.

13. Inventory Template

This inventory template is designed to help you keep track of various types of physical goods inventories, like the raw materials you need to manufacture your products, the product stock that you have available for sale or even products that are still in process.

It allows you to monitor the number of units in stock, price per unit, reorder information and total inventory cost. It’s a must-have business template for any business owner, manufacturer, retailer or store owner.

14. Sales Forecast Template

Planning revenue requires more than guessing how many products might sell. A sales forecast uses expected demand, pricing and market conditions to estimate future income, helping leaders prepare business or project budgets with confidence. By anticipating seasonal swings, identifying growth opportunities and accounting for risks, businesses can align spending on inventory, staffing and marketing with projected revenue. This makes financial planning more responsive and prevents budget decisions from being based on assumptions alone.

This sales forecast template brings structure to revenue predictions by tracking product volumes, prices and total expected income across multiple channels and regions. Assumptions, risks and opportunities are documented to explain the rationale behind the numbers. It also includes fields for probability ratings, making forecasts more transparent and measurable. With a clean layout and clear revenue calculations, the template supports better budgeting, smarter decision-making and more accurate planning for upcoming sales periods.

15. Construction Budget Template

For construction-specific projects, this construction budget template is one of the easiest and most streamlined ways to list and keep track of costs to ensure all expenses are accounted for. It’s a helpful tool to keep track of where spending can be reduced and improve financial management on construction projects as a whole. This is why our free construction budget template for Excel is so important.

This template is especially useful for general contractors as they estimate project costs. As a result, they can see if the project is viable for the property owner while still guaranteeing there’s a healthy profit margin. The template has space for project task information, assignees, labor, materials and budgeted and actual data to clearly see where you are under or over-spending.

Other benefits of using this budgeting template include cost control, forecasting, transparency between stakeholders, risk management, reporting and overall accountability.

16. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template

Launching a new project is no easy feat, and project managers have to factor in many moving parts to help set up the project for success. Consider whether the project is meeting a need, offering a service or solving a problem. Plus, project managers must consider what the potential return on investment is going to be. This is where our free cost-benefit analysis template can help compare what you expect to pay for a project against the value or opportunities it will provide.

Our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel is designed to suit businesses, projects and personal matters. There are dedicated sections for adding project information, quantitative costs, various types of costs including indirect, intangible and opportunity costs, quantitative benefits, types of benefits and the overall cost-benefit analysis. Feel free to add or remove sections as needed.

There are many benefits to using this cost-benefit analysis template. It offers a systematic and transparent way to assess a project’s financial implications. As a result, it helps decision-makers make informed choices about whether to move forward with a project.

17. Workload Budget Template

One important part of project budgeting is having an understanding of your team’s workload and how many resources can be allocated to their schedules. The last thing you want is for one employee to have a full schedule while another one is sitting idly waiting for another assignment. That is where workload analysis and budgeting comes into play. It helps manage the workforce by balancing workload and increasing team member satisfaction.

Use this free workload budget template for Excel to start mapping out the information on each team member’s workload and avoid burnout. When there’s a better idea of how the workload is balanced, it’s easier to identify what resources are needed at certain times of the project.

Some other benefits of using this budget template include performance measurement and tracking, forecasting future workloads based on historical data and improving communication within teams through a shared reference point.

18. Contractor Budget Template

Even though construction projects are well organized, there still needs to be seamless coordination between all involved parties. A huge part that factors into a successful project is budgeting, specifically for construction contractors. A contractor budget template is a perfect place to create accurate and streamlined estimates; there’s a place to add item numbers, a description of the job, any associated vendors or contractors, labor costs, material costs and notes.

This budget template provides essential information that contributes to the construction planning phase as it helps determine the project’s costs, resources and duration. Both general contractors and subcontractors can use this budget template when bidding for a new construction job.

The consistency that this template provides makes the data easier to understand. It acts as a communication tool between the contractor and general contractor, helping to resolve differences between what needs to be done and how much it will cost to execute those tasks.

Use ProjectManager to Get More Than Budget Templates Can Give

While our free templates are a great way to help you estimate your project costs and even make a budget, you’re not going to want to run a project on templates. Templates just can’t do what a project requires. You’ll always have to stop what you’re doing to manually update the template and they’re not a great collaboration tool. That’s why project management software was developed, to give project teams greater control over what they do and do it more efficiently. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that helps you not only create a budget but has the tools to track costs.

Monitor Labor Costs With Timesheets

One of the budgetary costs that can quickly get out of control is your labor costs. When projects get delayed, your crew is on the job site longer than you expected or the team is working more days than were initially scheduled. This is all going to impact your budget. One way to make sure your team is keeping to the project plan is with our secure timesheets. Not only do they streamline and add security to the payroll process, they track the hours each team member is spending on their tasks. You can then use this to see if they’re keeping up or falling behind and reallocate resources accordingly to stay on track

Track Progress With Real-Time Dashboards

Another way to make sure you’re staying on budget is to monitor your project. This is part of the monitor and control phase, which occurs with executing the project. Our real-time dashboards allow you to get a high-level view of the project’s progress and performance whenever you want. Just toggle over to the dashboard and it automatically collects live data and displays it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show metrics, such as cost, time, workload and more. Best of all, there’s no lengthy and complicated setup required as with lightweight alternatives. Our dashboard is ready when you are.

When you want more detail than our dashboard can provide, use our customizable reports. They can be generated in a couple of keystrokes and filtered to show only the data you want to see. There are status reports and portfolio status reports if you’re managing a program or portfolio. There are also timesheets, variance and more reports, all of which can be saved in a variety of formats that can then be delivered to stakeholders to keep them updated.

ProjectManager is online project management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and get notified by email or in-app alerts whenever there are changes or updates. Our software helps teams collaborate better and is used by companies as diverse as Avis, Nestle and Siemens to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 18 Budget Templates for Business & Project Budgeting appeared first on ProjectManager.

As you might imagine, having project management software helps plan, manage and track this work, but if you’re not using such tools, there are product management templates that can help you steer the course.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software, but we understand that not everyone is ready to upgrade right away. For those of you managing product development projects, here are some of the product management templates we offer for free download on our site.

1. Product Requirements Document Template

For your product to achieve its objectives and meet the quality expectations of your end-users, many requirements must be met. A product requirements document (PRD) lists the features you’ll include in your product release. Our free product requirements document template for Word should be part of any product development to communicate to the product team what’s required when building the product.

You’ll find everything you need for your product to reach a successful conclusion and it’ll guide the development team throughout the release process. Some of the fields in our customizable template include the objects and goals, which help define what you’re building, assumptions and constraints, the problem or niche you’re targeting and how your organization is a good strategic fit for the project. There’s also room for user stories and, of course, requirements, features, release criteria, success metrics and more.

2. Product Roadmap Template

A product roadmap is an essential tool in product management. It shares the product plan with the team by showing all phases on one page. This includes the vision of the project, its direction, priorities and even the progress over time. All of this can be mapped out on our free product roadmap template for Excel. It helps with strategic decision-making and communicating the product development to the entire team.

Using the product management template is easy. It’s divided into two parts. On the left side is a simple spreadsheet where you can list all the tasks in your product development. You can add the states when those tasks will start and end as well as their duration. The right side is the visual timeline of your product roadmap. Once you’ve added to the spreadsheet, the roadmap timeline automatically populates so you can see the entire project in one place with color-coded phases to make it easier to read.

3. Agile Sprint Plan Template

The roadmap is an overview, but it’s not a tool that’ll be used by your development team. They need different tools to plan and execute the various sprints that will take the project from start to finish. Agile and cross-functional teams prefer the visual workflow of kanban boards and they can use our free agile sprint plan template to get their work done collaboratively.

Many of our product management templates can be downloaded as Excel or Word files or opened in our software for a more dynamic experience. The free agile sprint plan template opens in ProjectManager and collects the backlog from the product owner. The development team plans their sprints together with the product owner, who can update items on the product backlog when necessary.

Best of all, you can use the kanban board for agile teams, but others can switch to one of our multiple project views. Developers can use task lists and more traditional departments can track progress on Gantt charts. All views update at the same time with real-time data. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

4. Product Backlog Template

A product backlog is a prioritized list of everything that needs to be done to build or maintain a product — features, improvements, bug‑fixes, and other work items. This product backlog template for Excel acts as a “to‑do list” for the project team and helps ensure work is aligned with business value and user needs. By keeping all tasks in one backlog ordered by priority, teams stay focused on what matters most, avoid losing track of ideas or requests, and adapt quickly as requirements change.

Using the template, you can log each backlog item with details such as description, type (feature, bug, improvement, etc.), priority, status, estimated effort and assignee. It organizes everything in a single, structured sheet, making it easier to review, update and reorder items as priorities shift. This clarity ensures your team always knows what’s next, helps avoid overlooked tasks and supports efficient planning, whether you use agile methods (like sprints) or a more flexible workflow.

5. Marketing Plan Template

Getting your product developed is part of a larger initiative of getting it to the market and in front of your target audience. This involves marketing and promotion. That’s a project for its own sake and one that involves cross-functional teams to succeed. That’s why you need to use our free marketing plan template for Word to properly go through all the phases, activities and scheduling necessary for your campaign.

Of the product management templates, this one is designed to help you plan for the marketing and advertising goals you have over a specific period. To do that, there’s a place to schedule tasks on a timeline with start and finish dates. You can also define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that’ll allow you to track the campaign and make sure you’re hitting the marks from your performance baseline. There’s even a place to profile the target market and audience.

6. Marketing Budget Template

It’s no surprise that all of these phases of product development cost money. Product owners have to forecast those costs to build an accurate budget that can cover all expenses required to build, test and bring to market your product and deliver a return on your investment. For a thorough estimate of how much it’ll cost to promote your product use our free marketing budget template for Excel.

The marketing plan template is broken up into categories and subsets for smaller tasks. There’s a column to capture the budget for the entire marketing budget but also each subtask and category. You can chart the year-to-date spending to track how much you’re spending each quarter. There’s also a column that shows what you have left in your budget. There’s room to map your marketing budget across the four quarters of the year to further ensure you’re keeping to your budget.

7. Customer Journey Map Template

A customer journey map turns user insights into actionable product decisions, helping product managers create products that better satisfy users and meet business goals. Use this customer journey map template for a structured layout to capture personas, stages, touchpoints, actions, feelings and pain points in one place.

It helps align teams across product, marketing, UX and support by providing a shared format. The template highlights friction points and opportunities, supports data-driven prioritization of improvements and is flexible and shareable, making it easy to update, customize and export for stakeholders.

8. Competitive Analysis Template

Competitive analysis gives you a clearer picture of your market: what similar products exist, how they’re positioned, what features they offer (or lack), their pricing and strengths/weaknesses. Use this competitive analysis template for Excel to help product managers make smarter, data-driven decisions. It provides a clear view of competitors’ features, pricing, strengths and weaknesses, revealing market gaps and opportunities for differentiation.

That context helps you make smarter decisions about what you build, how you price it and who you target. It reduces risk by highlighting potential threats, supports feature prioritization and roadmap planning, ensures consistent, organized data and makes insights easier to share with stakeholders, ultimately helping teams build more competitive and user-focused products.

9. Product Launch Template

Developing and making the product only gets you to the starting line. If you can’t deliver the product to your target audience, then it’s dead on arrival. Of course, that’s easier said than done. You need to have a well-thought-out product launch, which involves a lot of organization to deliver on the potential of your product. Our free product launch template is designed to connect your product to the market it’s serving.

Open the product launch template in ProjectManager and you have everything you need to deliver your product to market. First, track workflows on our aforementioned kanban boards. Customize columns to represent your workflow and use task cards to track whatever you need, from user stories, prototypes, user feedback and more. Then switch to the Gantt chart to view the product launch timeline. Again, whatever project view you use, the data is the same and it’s always up to date.

10. Go-to-Market Strategy Plan Template

A go-to-market (GTM) strategy plan template helps your product reach the right audience with clarity and purpose; it defines who the ideal customers are (“who”), what value you offer, how you’ll communicate that value and through which channels you’ll deliver it. Use this go-to-market plan template to plan every step, from defining customer personas and value propositions to mapping channels, budgets and launch activities.

Because everything is laid out in a shared, centralized document, it ensures cross‑team alignment, from marketing and sales to product and customer success, which helps the entire launch run more smoothly.

11. Statement of Work Template

There are product management templates that you need before you even start the project. One of those is a statement of work (SOW). It shows the steps of the process you’ll be using, including activities and deliverables, to capture the essential project data. You don’t want to neglect anything critical and have it come to haunt you when in production. That’s why we have a free statement of work template for Word to help you manage the process.

The SOW template doesn’t just detail the project but communicates that information to the product and development team or any other relevant parties. Our free template includes everything you’ll need, from background to the purpose of the project, the scope of work, schedule, deliverables, milestones and more. Plus, it’s customizable. Anything that you don’t need can be deleted and anything not included, you can easily add to ensure it’s as thorough as possible.

12. Media Plan Template

Download this free media plan template for Excel for a structured framework to plan, execute and track marketing campaigns across channels. It helps marketers identify target audiences, select the most effective media outlets, allocate budgets and schedule content or ads efficiently.

By consolidating all media activities in one place, the template improves coordination, ensures campaigns align with product goals, and allows teams to measure performance against KPIs. This leads to more strategic, cost-effective and impactful marketing efforts.

13. Work Order Template

Not all products are built in-house. There’s often the need to outsource some part of the product to contractors. In order to make sure that work is done to your specifications, you need a contract between all parties involved. Our free work order template for Excel organizes the tasks you require in order to keep you on schedule and deliver the product as you want and when you want it.

When you download our free work order template, you’ll see that it has fields for your company information and dates to define the work that’s being contracted. There’s also a place to describe that work so it’s clear and there are no misunderstandings as to what’s expected of the contractor. Finally, after everyone reviews the work order, there’s a place to date and sign it to create a legally binding document.

14. Purchase Order Template

If you need to source products or services from outside vendors, you’ll want to use our free purchase order template for Excel. This acts as a contract between a buyer and a seller and is an essential document to keep the product development moving forward without incident. You need to have an agreement and the purchase order is that legal document that covers both the product owner and whichever vendor they’re working with.

You’ll find everything you need to make the transaction smooth between you and the seller. There’s vendor management information, including contact information, shipping details and inventory that includes what items are being purchased and a place to sign and date the document to make it legally binding. You don’t want to leave loose ends that might make the item unavailable when you need it.

15. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template

We’ve saved one of the most important product management templates for last. Use our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel to see if the product is worth the time and effort you’ll have to put into it. This template will help you determine if the money you invest in the project is going to have a return on that investment, whether in terms of making money or providing some valuable benefit that makes it something you’ll want to pursue.

How does a cost-benefit analysis work? It’s not that hard, though collecting all the information takes time. Basically, you’re adding up the quantitative costs, whether direct, intangible and opportunity and the quantitative benefits, such as direct, indirect, intangible and competitive. Then you compare the two and see if the costs are worth the benefits.

16. Product Development Template

Use this free product development template to help turn an idea into a viable product in the marketplace. Organize tasks and build a roadmap to turn a concept into a reality. This project management template opens in ProjectManager, which gives users real-time data, a collaborative platform and access to resource, risk and task management tools as well as dashboards and reports.

Some of the benefits of using the free product management template are that users get customized views, built-in columns, subtasks, real-time data and the ability to attach documents, images, schematics and more. There are also multiple views to execute the product management template on kanban boards, Gantt charts and more. See the whole product development on a roadmap and keep the team’s workload balanced so they stay productive.

17. Kanban Board Template

This kanban board template for Excel helps visualize the workflow. The kanban board is a popular tool with DevOps, software developers and more. The process stages are represented by columns and tasks are set on cards that move through production, column by column.

This product management template is customizable and can easily be made to reflect any production schedule. The cards are also customizable. They are outlined with space to define the task title, describe what the task is, who it’s assigned to and the due date.

18. Inventory Template

This free inventory template for Excel is used to document the level of inventory one has in stock and monitor the inventory turnover to ensure that there is always enough inventory to keep production moving uninterrupted. This free product management template lists all the inventory businesses use in their operations.

Manufacturers use this free product management template to make sure they have adequate stock to keep work moving smoothly by tracking turnover and knowing how much to reorder and when to do so to avoid any gaps in production.

19. SWOT Analysis Template

SWOT analysis is a method of evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in an organization, both internal and external. This knowledge will inform the work one is planning to do and help to invest in the right projects that will deliver a return on investment or some such benefit to the company.

The SWOT analysis product management template is divided into four parts, one for strength, one for weakness, one for opportunity and one for threats. These are then defined as either internal or external, positive or negative. Once the four quadrants are filled, product managers have the information they need to make a strategic plan.

20. Capacity Planning Template

Capacity planning allows product managers to know how much production capacity is needed to meet the demand for their products. This is especially crucial as demand is constantly changing and this free capacity planning template for Excel allows product managers to better manage resources, time, teams and work.

This free product management template lists tasks and their duration, including start and end dates. It also lists the associated resources for those tasks and the hourly rate for the resources and maps this on a project timeline. Using this product management template helps with resource availability and the resource utilization rate.

How ProjectManager Helps With Product Management

These free product management templates are useful, but as we noted earlier, they all fall shy of what project management software can do. ProjectManager isn’t a static spreadsheet or Word document. It’s online software that updates in real time. You don’t have to constantly be manually adding data. Plus, it’s collaborative even for cross-functional product and development teams. Everyone is always working with real-time data, whether they’re in the next office or another time zone.

Create Robust Roadmaps on Gantt Charts

You need to see the whole product development in one place to better understand how to best allocate your resources. Our roadmap shows you every stage of the product management process on a visual timeline. See all the product tasks and milestones and even link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays. You can toggle to the kanban view so teams can manage their sprints or the calendar view to plan your product launch.

Track Your Progress With Real-Time Dashboards

When you set a baseline on the Gantt chart, you capture the product plan and are then able to compare it to your actual progress to make sure you’re staying on schedule. Get a high-level view of your time, tasks, workload and more with our live dashboards. There’s no time-consuming configuration as with lightweight alternatives. Our dashboard is ready when you are.

When you want to get more detail than a dashboard provides, use our project reports which can generate status reports, reports on variance, timesheets and much more, all with a keystroke. Each report can be filtered to show only the data you want to see and then easily shared with stakeholders to keep them updated.

Related Product Management Content

We’ve only scratched the surface on the subject of product management. There’s so much more that can be explored on our site. We published weekly blogs, videos, guides and free templates on everything product and project management-related. Here is some free content on product management if you want to go deeper.

• How to Create a Product Roadmap: Example & Template Included
• Product Management Software
• How to Plan a Successful Product Launch
• Product Backlog and Sprint Backlogs
• How to Make a Product Vision
• Product Manager Job Description

ProjectManager is award-winning software that empowers teams to better plan, manage and track their product development in real time. Use our task management, risk management and resource management features to help stay on track and keep to your budget. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 20 Free Product Management Templates for Excel, Word and More appeared first on ProjectManager.

ProjectManager has dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Word that IT managers need when working on web development, software development, mobile app development, network configuration and so much more. Try these 21 free IT project management templates today.

1. IT Project Plan Template

IT project managers are responsible for many different types of projects, from developing new systems to upgrading old enterprise applications. But every IT project has one thing in common: it starts with an IT plan. With our free IT project plan template, IT project managers can organize tasks, costs and resources with scheduled deadlines and deliverables.

Using an IT project management template saves you time and helps you to start a project more efficiently, which leads to a more successful outcome. Not only are you able to figure out what you’re going to do, but you can also share the IT project plan template with your team to get them on the same page.

2. Gantt Chart Template

When making an IT plan, or any plan for that matter, the go-to tool is the Gantt chart. It’s a tried-and-true tool for good reason; Gantt charts create a visual timeline in which all your project tasks are scheduled. They can manage time, costs and resources. Creating a Gantt chart in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel is frustrating, especially when there’s one ready for you to use when you download our free Gantt chart template for Excel.

3. IT Risk Assessment Template

IT projects are no different than any other type of project in that they’re rife with risk. IT risk carries an extra burden in that most businesses, regardless of what they do, demand that their IT systems work. If something goes down or is compromised in any way, it can lead to a significant financial loss or worse. This is why our free IT risk assessment template for Excel is so important.

The structure of any risk assessment tool has common elements. Ours lists the risk numerically, which makes it easy to track, as well as describing the risk and the control environment. It collects data but also defines the actions to take if the issues do in fact arise so you can mitigate the risk. There’s also a calculator to note the likelihood of the risk occurring and, if it does, what impact it will have.

4. IT Incident Report Template

An IT incident report template is a structured document used to record unexpected events that disrupt IT systems or services, such as outages, security breaches, hardware failures or other technology issues. It captures what happened, when, who noticed it, the impact and how the issue was resolved. A well-documented incident report helps teams analyze causes, restore service properly, track patterns over time and improve system reliability and future response.

In this IT incident report template, you’ll find a ready-to-use form to log all important details of an IT incident: incident ID, time and date, who reported it, affected systems, severity, description of the event, actions taken, resolution steps and recommendations to prevent recurrence. It also includes fields for impacted users, recovery actions and evidence attachments (like logs or screenshots). Teams can use it to ensure incidents are consistently documented, making post-mortem analysis, audits and continuous improvement easier.

5. Action Plan Template

Whether you’re responding to risk or simply planning an IT project, you need a strategy. Our free action plan template for Excel is a document that outlines the steps you should take in order to achieve that strategy. IT project managers can use this IT project management template to visualize how to turn the strategy into actionable steps, which can be broken down into subtasks or action items.

IT project managers can use the free template during the planning stage of the project. It outlines goals, action steps, tasks and a timeline and can address business, strategic and corrective action as needed. It’s a versatile tool. However you use it, an action plan provides a framework that helps you think pragmatically and ensures you don’t overlook important tasks.

6. IT Project Budget Template

Getting an accurate count of the costs of your IT project is how you ensure you have the funds to do the work properly. That includes everything from your team, equipment and more. It’s a lot of costs to track, which is why IT project managers can download our free project budget template for Excel.

Not only will it help you create a more accurate budget but it’ll help you monitor your costs as you execute the project. The IT project management template captures labor, consultant and software license costs to name a few. But it also collects recurring costs such as phone bills, office space and equipment costs. Remember, you’re not only creating a budget but a cost control mechanism.

7. IT Server Maintenance Checklist

If the server goes down, trouble is around the corner. To avoid that, schedule maintenance. There are many things to check to ensure that all are well, which is why we recommend downloading our free server maintenance checklist for Excel. This free IT project management template helps you do a thorough job.

Using the template is simple. On the left-hand side are a variety of tasks that are common to server maintenance, such as updates, security, backups, monitoring, file system maintenance and more. On the right is a grid where you can schedule those tasks as daily, weekly, monthly or occasionally. The template is customizable so you can add or subtract what you want, so it better reflects your responsibilities.

8. IT Budget Template

An IT budget template outlines all expected technology-related expenditures for an organization (hardware, software, personnel, maintenance, subscriptions, etc.) over a period — often a fiscal year. It helps ensure financial resources are properly planned, tracked and aligned with business goals. A good IT budget prevents overspending, supports strategic investment decisions, enables forecasting, and ensures accountability and transparency in IT spending.

Our IT budget template for Excel organizes all your technology costs in one spreadsheet, letting you list items such as hardware, software subscriptions, labor, infrastructure and recurring expenses. You can enter projected costs, track actual spending month-by-month, and allocate costs across departments or projects. It makes it easier to spot overages, forecast future expenses, and maintain control over IT spending — helping you plan, monitor, and adjust budgets with clarity and accountability.

9. IT Asset Inventory Template

An IT asset inventory template acts as a comprehensive record of all hardware, software and digital resources owned by an organization. It tracks each asset’s identity, location, user assignment, purchase and warranty data, and current status. Keeping this information organized helps prevent loss or misplacement, supports compliance with licensing rules, simplifies audits, helps plan upgrades or replacements and keeps maintenance or security tasks on track.

The IT asset inventory template in Excel organizes your technology assets in a single, customizable spreadsheet, where you list each item’s ID, type (hardware, software, etc.), description, purchase date, warranty info, assigned user or department, location, status (active, in repair, retired) and other relevant details. It makes it easy to update or reassign assets, track maintenance or warranty expiration and monitor what’s in use or retired. The template is useful for tracking assets across teams or departments and helps you maintain clarity and accountability over your organization’s IT resources.

10. IT Roadmap Template

An IT roadmap template is a high-level plan that outlines an organization’s technology goals, initiatives, and the schedule for implementing them over time. It aligns IT strategy with business objectives, guiding decisions about infrastructure upgrades, software deployments, security improvements and resource allocation. A good roadmap gives structure, helps prioritize efforts, anticipates future needs, and ensures all stakeholders share the same long-term vision.

Use this IT roadmap template for Excel to organize your major technology initiatives in a clear timeline, showing current capabilities, upcoming projects, milestones, responsible teams and resource needs. It captures strategic objectives, planned upgrades or deployments, and key dependencies. Laying everything out in one spreadsheet helps you communicate your IT plan to stakeholders, track progress, and make informed decisions about priorities and timing.

11. Dashboard Template

Monitoring IT systems is key to keeping software and hardware running smoothly. By having a high-level view, it’s possible to not only track progress and performance but also catch any anomalies that might indicate issues that need to be addressed before they become problems. Use our free dashboard template for Excel and track this data at a glance.

Use this IT project management template to track keep performance indicators (KPIs) such as tasks, workload, task length and cost. The colorful bar graphs and charts make it easy to digest the data quickly and provide IT project managers with the perspective they need to get valuable insights that’ll guide better decision-making.

12. IT Risk Register Template

Every IT project manager knows that risk is always around the corner. That’s just part of project management. Planning for it is also part of project management. Our free risk register template for Excel gives you the tools to plan and mitigate risk in your IT projects. This tool allows IT project managers to prepare a strategy that helps them to respond to risk and resolve or take advantage of it if it occurs in their project.

This IT project management template numbers risks to make them easy to track. You can also describe the risk, its impact and what response you’ll have if it becomes an issue in the IT project. There’s also a column to rank the level of the risk from high to low, which helps with prioritization. Finally, you can assign an owner who’s responsible for identifying and mitigating the risk.

13. IT Issue Tracking Template

Issues are problems. Whether they’re risks that you planned for or something that comes out of the blue, they can sidetrack your IT project. When an issue arises, you have to be able to identify it and resolve it quickly before it impacts the time, scope or cost of your project. That’s what our free issue-tracking template for Excel is designed to do.

Use the free IT project management template to capture any issues that show up in your project, which is the first step in developing an action plan to deal with the issue. There’s a column to describe the issue and its impact. Then you can add the priority, the date it was identified and who’s responsible for responding to it. There’s also space to add the department that’s handling the issue, its status (open or closed) and even a place to add notes.

14. IT Change Log Template

Another risk or issue is change. That change can occur in an IT project due to equipment failure, human error, an act of God, such as a power outage or requests from stakeholders, to name a few. Whatever the reason, changes in a project can impact your schedule, budget and more. To manage them, download our free change log template for Excel.

Everything you need to collect and manage change is included in the document. From the project’s and project manager’s names to the change number and type of change request, it’s all included. There’s also a date to note when the change was requested or occurred, a description of the change and its status. You can also assign it, add a priority and determine when it’s expected to be resolved, understand its impact and outline the action steps that’ll resolve it.

15. GDPR Compliance Checklist

Anyone in IT knows the importance of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). While it’s specific to the European Union (EU), any tech company that collects and processes personal information and has a presence in the EU is under a legal requirement to be compliant with this law. Our free GDPR compliance checklist template makes it easy to manage that process.

Our IT project management template has columns to collect the tasks that are required to remain compliant with the law. It assigns owners to each of these tasks to ensure they’re done in a timely and thorough fashion. There’s also a place to add a deadline and you can even allocate resources to each task as needed. Then simply check them off as you go down the list. It’s an easy way to manage a legal requirement.

16. Requirements Traceability Matrix Template

IT projects have requirements, meaning they must be done and done right or else the project suffers. In order to ensure that, use our free requirements traceability matrix template for Excel. It does this by listing all those project requirements and how to track them through the project’s life cycle. This wa,y nothing critical can fall through the cracks.

There are many ways in which this IT project management template helps you manage your project requirements. It’s great for quality assurance (QA) and understanding what needs testing to ensure it’s meeting the project requirements. IT project managers can also use this document to help them make data-informed decisions rather than acting on instinct.

17. IT Project Prioritization Matrix Template

Not all IT project managers have the luxury of focusing all their attention on one project. They’re often responsible for a portfolio of work and making sure they allocate their resources wisely among that group. Our free project prioritization matrix template allows you to look at all your IT projects and make objective decisions as to which projects need attention and when.

This Eisenhower matrix is broken into four quadrants. On top, there are two columns: one for do now and the other which says do later. On the left-hand side, there are two rows: crucial and not crucial. Now you can place your projects in one of the four squares to know what must be done immediately, what can be scheduled for the future, what can be delegated and what can be deleted or moved.

18. Implementation Plan Template

Every IT project starts as an idea that’s codified by a plan, but it needs to be realized by an implementation plan, or the steps required to actualize that plan and produce its deliverables. While it might sound redundant to have the plan to execute a plan, anyone who’s familiar with project management knows that using our free implementation plan template for Excel is how you organize those ideas into actionable steps.

The IT project management template is broken up into three distinct parts. First, there is the project strategy, which moves down to processes and actions to implement that strategy. Then there’s the timeline, which shows the planned and actual start and end dates for the tasks as well as the planned hours for the task. Finally, there are the resources to execute those tasks, including materials and costs. With all this mapped out, you can implement your plan successfully.

19. Requirements Gathering Template

Knowing the requirements for an IT project is what starts out the planning phase. They will be collected in a document, which is where our free requirements-gathering template for Word comes in. This IT project management template also acts as a communication tool connecting the requirements of the user to the developer.

But it’s not only user requirements that are gathered; there are also business and system requirements captured in the document. The requirements are broken down into seven subsections: user, functional and system requirements, software and user interfaces, workflow activities and change and risk management. There’s also high-level technical architecture sketched out plus maintenance and support. There’s even testing and evaluation, such as objectives, artifacts, users and tasks included.

20. Test Case Template

A test case template is a software development document that allows developers to verify if new software will perform as expected before releasing it to the public. To do so, they test all the features of the software and then use a test case to document their findings.

21. Bug Report Template

A bug report is a document that helps IT and software development teams document and monitor software malfunctions, commonly referred to as bugs. Bug reports are commonly used when testing a new software feature before it’s released to the public. They should contain basic information that developers can use to understand the circumstances in which the bug occurred so they can fix it.

ProjectManager Helps With IT Project Management

As any IT project manager will tell you, templates are static documents. They can be a step back, not forward, when it comes to managing a project. What you need is project management software, such as ProjectManager. Our online software delivers real-time data for better decision-making. What also makes our software superior to templates is that you can use a variety of tools that all share the same updated data.

Use Multiple Project Views

Not all project tools are created equal. The Gantt chart is ideal for scheduling, but kanban boards visualize and control workflows as you plan and execute sprints or manage your backlog. Teams might prefer using our robust task list, which also shares the same real-time data as the other tools, such as the sheet and calendar views. That means you can work on the tool you want and stay up-to-date with the most current project information.

Capture Real-Time Data

Having everyone on the team work on the same live data is key to productivity, but it’s not everything. IT project managers also need a see high-level view of the project whenever they want. Our real-time dashboard does just that. It captures live data and crunches those numbers to display metrics on time, cost and more in easy-to-read graphs and charts. Best of all, there’s no setup required. It’s plug-and-play.

Reports take you deeper into the data, customizing results to show just what you want to see and making it easy to share with stakeholders to keep them updated. There are also resource management tools that balance workload, risk management tools that track issues and task management tools that keep teams collaborating and productive.

Related IT Project Management Content

If you’re still on the fence about signing up for a free trial of ProjectManager, we have lots of free content you can read. From weekly blog posts to guides, videos, templates and more, we have information on every aspect of the project management phases. Here’s a small sampling of our IT-related content.

• IT Project Management Guide
• IT Project Management Software
• IT Audit: Definition & Quick Guide
• How to Become an IT Project Manager
• IT Problem Management
• IT Risk Management Strategies
• IT Governance Framework

ProjectManager is award-winning software that empowers IT teams to plan, manage and track their work in real time. Our collaborative software makes it easy to comment and share anywhere and at any time, whether across departments or continents. Get started with ProjectManager today.

The post 21 Free IT Project Management Templates for Excel, Word & More appeared first on ProjectManager.

Project management software does more than a static Excel or Word template, but using these free 23 project planning templates for Excel and Word is a decent substitute. Download one or all to start your next project on the right foot.

Why Use Project Planning Templates?

Project planning templates are an important part of project management. They organize your tasks, help you write a project charter, come up with an accurate budget and so much more. Even if you’re using project management software, project planning templates can help you with everything from decision-making, such as with our free RACI matrix template, to identifying project deliverables, with our free work breakdown structure template.

You can even use project planning templates to help you manage your project and track progress and risks. They provide a consistent project documentation process, which can then be archived and retrieved to inform future planning. Project planning templates help reduce work as they’re preformatted, so you don’t always have to start from scratch.

But using project planning templates is, at best, only a starting point. To ensure your plans are well-managed during project execution, you’ll want to upgrade to project management software.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that helps you plan projects and manage and track them in real time. We have multiple project views, from kanban boards to task lists, sheet and calendar views, but project managers typically plan their projects on our powerful Gantt charts.

Unlike templates, our Gantt charts organize your tasks, add resources and costs and link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays. Gantts can filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks and set a baseline to track your planned progress against actual progress in real time. That’s how you deliver on time and within budget. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

23 Best Project Planning Templates

If you’re not ready to use project management software, these 23 project planning templates for Excel and Word can help you get your project planned properly. They cover all the bases, from creating a timeline to chart your tasks to having a risk register to prepare your team for issues that inevitably arise in every project.

1. Project Plan Template

A project plan is a big endeavor. Our free project plan template for Word helps you organize the various project management documentation needed to prepare your project for success. You get to address the planning basics, such as defining your project scope, identifying milestones and breaking the project down into manageable phases and tasks.

Then you can create a project schedule, including task dependencies, project assumptions and constraints. There’s also a section that addresses the project budget, risk and change management, which is essential to stay on track. Included is a risk log and the process you’ll use for change management to avoid delays.

2. Project Plan Template for Excel

Project plans are essential, but sometimes, Excel is the preferred format. It maps out milestones, deadlines and resource allocation, giving the team a clear roadmap. A good project plan ensures everyone knows what to do, when to do it and who is accountable, reducing confusion, avoiding delays and boosting the likelihood of successful results.

This Excel project-plan template provides a clean, organized spreadsheet for mapping out tasks, start and end dates, assignments and status. It helps you build a timeline, track deadlines and monitor progress in one place. Customize columns to match your project’s needs, log details clearly and easily update information. Ideal for small- to medium-scale projects, it brings clarity and coordination to your team’s workflow.

3. Project Charter Template

A project charter is an important project planning document. It provides high-level information on the project to ensure stakeholders are aware of the project deliverables, milestones and the roles and responsibilities of the project team. It also explains the reason for the project, including how the project plan and project team will be structured to meet the project goals.

Using our free project charter template for Word will define the project vision and scope for everyone involved. It’s presented to the project sponsor in a neat, organized and easy-to-digest fashion. From the executive summary to the appendix, everything is collected to show how to achieve the project’s goals. The project charter template defines the project and shows the plan that will outline the milestones, tasks, dependencies and resource management plan.

4. Project Execution Plan Template

A project execution plan (PEP) is a focused blueprint that defines how a project will be carried out: its scope, schedule, resources, costs and responsibilities. It bridges high-level planning and on-the-ground work, making sure everyone knows what needs to be done, when and by whom. A clear execution plan reduces confusion, aligns the team around shared goals, helps manage resources and ensures the project stays on track from start to finish.

This Excel template offers a structured format to map out every aspect of project execution, including tasks, deliverables, schedule, resource needs, and budget, in one document. It helps specify what’s in scope, assign tasks with start/finish dates, track task status and percent complete, and monitor cost variances. The template also makes it easy to define required materials, labor and equipment, and to clearly assign responsibilities. It’s ideal for teams that need to coordinate complex workflows and keep execution transparent and organized.

5. Project Budget Template

All projects cost money. Being able to accurately estimate those costs and make a realistic project budget can make the difference between a healthy profit margin and losing money on the project. That’s why using our free project budget template for Excel is such a vital part of any project planning template offering. It can help you monitor project expenses and avoid cost overruns.

The free project planning template lets you list all your tasks and subtasks, including who’s assigned to each. Then you can estimate the labor, materials and other costs, such as travel, equipment, food and more. There’s also a column to track the actual costs for each of these categories to monitor the budgeted versus actual costs. A final balance column shows if you’re in the red.

6. Work Breakdown Structure Template

A work breakdown structure is a project planning tool that allows you to identify your project tasks and deliverables and, in turn, begin the scheduling process of your project plan. You don’t want to neglect any deliverables or you’ll suffer delays and cost overruns during the project execution phase.

A work breakdown structure is a hierarchical chart that incrementally breaks down the project into deliverables and the tasks that are needed to complete those deliverables. Our free work breakdown structure template for Excel is a customizable project planning template made up of two sheets, one that has a task list and the other a tree diagram to help you identify not only deliverables and tasks but dependencies, resources and more.

7. Project Timeline Template

Another powerful project planning template is a timeline. It’s a visual representation of your schedule laid out from start to finish. On the project timeline, you can plot your project tasks, due dates, milestones and more. Use our free project timeline template for Excel to start your project scheduling process.

When you open our free project planning template for making timelines, you’ll see that it’s divided in half. On the left is a spreadsheet where you can list all the project tasks in one column, their start date in another and the end date in yet another. The last column notes the duration of the task in days. As you’re doing this, a timeline on the right will automatically populate to show you the entire project in one place.

8. Project Scope Template

The project scope outlines your project, so this project planning template is extensive. It’s a detailed document that shows the project’s activities, resources, timelines and deliverables. It lists your key stakeholders, the processes you’ll be using in the project, assumptions and constraints, all so you can understand what’s in and out of scope for the project.

Our free project scope template for Word is very thorough, though you can add to it as suits your project needs. We have space for project managers to explain the need for the project, what’s in and out of scope, its business objectives, deliverables and cost estimates and much more.

9. Project Network Diagram Template for Excel

A project network diagram is a visual map showing all tasks in a project and how they connect; what must happen before something else can start. It lays out dependencies and sequencing so you can see the logical flow of work and identify the critical path. Having this clarity helps avoid missteps, manage timing, and ensures the project stays on schedule from start to finish.

This Excel template gives you a ready-to-use canvas to build your project’s task network: add every activity, link dependent tasks with arrows or lines and define start and end relationships clearly. It helps you visualize the full workflow from beginning to end, spot dependencies and understand which tasks must occur in sequence. Great for any project needing structured scheduling, coordination, and clarity across a team.

10. Projects Requirements Template

A project requirements document is a structured record that outlines everything a project must deliver — from scope and objectives to stakeholder needs, functional and non-functional criteria, constraints and success criteria. It ensures all key details are defined before work begins, giving the team a shared understanding. By capturing requirements early, you reduce misunderstandings, prevent scope creep, and set a clear foundation for planning, execution and evaluation.

In this Excel template, you can organize all your project requirements in one place; from basic project info to business, stakeholder, functional, non-functional, technical and compliance requirements. It lets you list each requirement, document who requested it, specify its type and priority and include acceptance criteria or constraints. The template keeps project scope clear and ensures that once development begins, everyone knows exactly what must be delivered, reducing confusion and helping guide project execution smoothly.

11. RACI Matrix Template

RACI is an acronym for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. A RACI matrix, often referred to as a diagram or chart, is a tool that ensures that all project stakeholders are on the same page and working together, making it an important project planning template.

Our free RACI matrix template for Excel helps you identify and define everyone involved with the project. The template lists all the project stakeholders across the top row and tasks down the left side of the template. Then just add R, A, C or I to define who is responsible for what.

12. Resource Plan Template

Resources are part of any planning process and, therefore creating a resource plan is an essential part of the project planning phase. You need to identify and plan everything needed to execute your project, and the most important resource is your team. Our free resource plan template for Excel helps you align resources with your project schedule and budget.

Our free resource plan template helps you organize tasks by team members and the department in which they work. You can also estimate the planned effort for each task, the team member’s rate of pay and the total cost for the duration of that work. There’s also a calendar to schedule the team’s work.

13. Risk Register Template

Risks, whether good or bad, are unexpected events in a project. Regardless, you need to plan for them. A risk register allows you to list all your project risks, their potential impact, priority level and more. You can use it throughout the project life cycle to track any risks that might occur.

The template allows you to add an ID number to each risk to track it. Then you can describe the risk and note the potential impact on the project. Following that, you’ll add the response if that risk becomes an issue in the project. You can also note the risk level to prioritize it and who on the team is responsible for dealing with that issue if it arises in the project.

14. Project Calendar Template

Calendars are one of many ways to plan a project. As a project planning template, calendars can provide a monthly overview of the assignments and deadlines of the project. Use our free project calendar template for Excel to plan your project on a calendar grid.

When you open our free project calendar template, you’ll find 12 sheets, one for each month of the year. The calendar has color coding to indicate the task and which phase it belongs to. We’ve created some examples, which you can use or change to suit your project, as the template is customizable.

15. Action Plan Template

An action plan is a plan. It charts the steps necessary to achieve whatever goals you have in mind. It’s a project planning template that can help you define your project timeline and resources.

Using our free action plan template for Excel gives you space to list your tasks ad note the phase in which they’ll take place and who’s assigned to that task. There’s a column to mark its status to help you track the task, as well as a place to add start and end dates, resources and their associated costs.

16. Project Milestone Template

You can collect project planning templates without touching on milestones, which are part of the project planning phase. They’re used to indicate important dates on a project timeline, often showing the end of one phase and the beginning of the next, which helps with tracking progress.

You can open our free project milestone template in our software and import your project plan from Excel or create your own in the free template. The milestones are represented on the Gantt chart timeline as diamond icons. Our software gives you access to the Gantt chart and multiple project views, but more on that in the next section.

17. Critical Path Template

The critical path is a network diagram that shows tasks as nodes or boxes. These are then connected by arrows that represent the dependencies between tasks. This free critical path template for Excel makes it easier to schedule work because it allows project managers to visualize the longest, most important chain of tasks that must be completed to deliver a successful project.

This project planning template has everything you need to calculate the critical path. Set preceding tasks, estimate durations and automatically calculate slack. This knowledge allows project managers to better prioritize tasks as they know which are essential and which aren’t.

18. PERT Chart Template

PERT stands for program evaluation review technique. A PERT chart is used when scheduling, organizing and coordinating project tasks. This free PERT chart template for Excel breaks down each task so project managers can analyze them to estimate the minimum amount of time needed to complete the project.

This project planning template allows project managers to analyze the work breakdown structure, task connections and the risks associated with the project. Plan even complex projects by visualizing the dependencies between each step, and create a more realistic schedule.

19.Precedence Diagram Template

A precedence diagram is a visual representation of all the tasks in a project and how they depend on each other. In this chart, tasks are shown as nodes and arrows link tasks that depend on one another, revealing the order and dependencies of work. This clarity helps you plan accurately, knowing which tasks must finish before others start, identifying parallel work and spotting potential bottlenecks or delays before they happen.

Use this Excel template for a ready-made layout to map out every task in your project and define which tasks precede others. You fill in task names, dependencies and durations, and the template automatically draws a network chart showing the workflow and relationships. It helps you visually trace the project’s logic flow, spot the critical path and easily update task order or dependencies as the project evolves. Great for planning complex or interdependent work.

20. Change Management Plan Template

Change is part of managing a project, and it must be controlled like every other aspect. This free change management plan template for Word can be used for a variety of transitions, whether involving teams, projects or organizations. It guides these changes from the current to the future state.

This Word template will reduce disruptions that can negatively impact the project by defining dependencies, providing a timeline for the transition and optimizing resources. There are tables to document information, history and approvals, another to capture change management documents and the change management team.

21. Risk Management Plan Template

Risk is a certainty with projects. Not preparing for risks is dangerous, which is why everyone should download this free risk management plan template for Word. It helps project managers identify, assess and control threats to the project’s scope, schedule, budget and quality. There’s also space to develop an action plan if any risk is realized in the project.

Included in this project planning template are fields to define the risk management methodology, a risk register to document risk and a risk breakdown structure, which further identifies risk categories and structures riks in order of importance.

22. RAID Log Template

RAID is an acronym for risks, assumptions, issues and decisions. This free RAID log template for Excel is used during the planning and execution phases of a project to identify and track risks, assumptions and decisions. Use it to manage risks, assumptions, issues and decisions as they arise in the project.

The free project planning template tracks risk, assumptions, issues and decisions and can be used to determine how changes will impact the project. Change also must be planned and managed, which this template helps project managers accomplish by planning more efficiently while capturing edata that can assist in the project and future planning.

23. Event Plan Template

To plan an event, it’s important to make a thorough plan because of all the different activities that are required, such as securing funding, selecting a venue, contracting the participants, creating advertising materials and so on. This free event plan template for Excel helps assign these tasks to team members and track their progress so events go according to plan.

ProjectManager Helps With Project Planning

If you’ve used the milestone template in ProjectManager, then you can see the advantages of project management software over static project planning templates. Templates must be manually updated and aren’t great for collaboration.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that helps you plan, manage and track your projects in real time. Everything you can do with the above project planning templates, you can do better in our software. We’ve already shown how our powerful Gantt chart helps you organize tasks, resources and cost when building a project plan, schedule and budget. Here’s what else our tool can do.

Manage Resource and Labor Costs

Resources are part of any project planning process. Our software makes it easy to assign team members to tasks by allowing you to set up their availability in advance. You can note each team member’s vacation time, PTO and even global holidays for those with remote teams.

Once everyone has been assigned, toggle to the color-coded workload chart, which makes it easy to see team allocation at a glance. If some are overallocated, you can re-allocate those resources to balance the team’s workload and keep them working at capacity and productivity without eroding morale. During project execution, our secure timesheets streamline payroll and help you track labor costs to stay on budget.

Track Project Progress, Time and Costs

There’s more than one way to track project costs once the project has moved into its execution, monitoring and controlling phases. For a high-level view, project managers can use real-time dashboards, which automatically collect data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts. You can see how the project is progressing against your plan, compare costs against your budget and much more. If you’re managing multiple projects, use our portfolio dashboards.

For more details, use our reporting features. Customizable status and portfolio reports capture your project in time, but there are also reports on variance, timesheets, workload and more, all of which can be filtered to show only the data you want to see. Then share them with stakeholders to keep them updated.

Related Project Planning Content

Project planning is a big subject and we have many more articles that discuss all aspects of it, from making a project plan to explaining what an implementation plan is. Check out a sample of our project planning content below.

• Project Management Templates for Google Sheets
• Project Planning: How to Make a Project Plan
• The Ultimate Guide to Resource Planning
• How to Execute a Plan Successfully
• What Is a Work Plan? How to Make a Work Plan In 7 Steps
• What Is an Implementation Plan?

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 23 Free Project Planning Templates for Excel and Word appeared first on ProjectManager.

Using Excel to Track Tasks

Managers have more control over their projects and operations with Excel tracking templates. Because of their quantitative nature, Microsoft Excel spreadsheet templates are a great tool to track data-rich metrics. Whether it’s a KPI dashboard for an overview of progress or a timeline template to visually organize tasks in one place, Excel task trackers can help you deliver on time and on budget.  Without such tools, you risk joining the 78% of projects that reportedly go over budget.

Related: Project Management Excel Templates and Spreadsheets

Best Free Excel Tracker Templates & Spreadsheets

We’ve collected ProjectManager’s 25 best Excel spreadsheet templates for tracking that you can download and use for free. Want more than task trackers for Excel? Visit our project management templates page where we’ve created over 100 free templates for Excel and Word.

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 management 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. Plus it’s packed with planning and collaboration features like Gantt charts, task lists, reports and more. Get started with ProjectManager for 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 Tracking Spreadsheet

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 plan. 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 for Task Tracking

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. Task Tracking Dashboard Template

When tasks move across teams, having a unified dashboard helps everyone stay aligned and focused on priorities. Instead of juggling multiple task lists or updates spread across apps, a dashboard brings key progress metrics into one view. Managers can instantly see what’s on schedule, what’s falling behind and who may need additional support. With real-time tracking, teams respond faster to changes, reduce bottlenecks and keep momentum strong from planning through completion.

Our task tracker dashboard template for Excel displays assignments, due dates, priorities and status indicators in a structured, easy-to-scan layout. Color-coded breakdowns show how much work is done, in progress or overdue, helping users quickly assess workload distribution. Notes fields allow for context on delays or follow-ups, while tracking actual versus planned dates improves schedule accuracy over time. On top of that, it’s also equipped with charts that make it even easier to track tasks at scale and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

6. Budget Tracking Dashboard Template

Tracking a budget is easier when the numbers instantly make sense. A budget tracking dashboard gives teams visual control over spending by highlighting where money is going and how it compares to the original plan. Instead of combing through long spreadsheets, users can quickly spot overruns, evaluate cost efficiency and make informed adjustments before issues escalate. This centralized view supports better financial decision-making, stronger accountability and more predictable outcomes for any type of project or operation.

This budget dashboard template for Excel organizes expenses into clear categories such as materials, labor, equipment and overhead, while comparing planned versus actual totals to show whether spending is staying on target. Donut charts visually break down budget available, budget spent and remaining balance so users can track financial health at a glance. With automatic totals and clear variance indicators, the dashboard simplifies reporting and helps teams maintain full visibility into budget performance from start to finish.

7. Daily Task Tracking Spreadsheet

Managing tasks day by day keeps priorities clear and prevents work from slipping through the cracks. A daily tracker helps individuals and teams stay focused on what matters right now, while also maintaining visibility of progress over time. It encourages accountability, supports better workload planning and highlights both achievements and emerging roadblocks early. With structured daily tracking, projects move forward more smoothly because decisions are based on current, accurate information rather than assumptions.

Our daily task tracker template for Excel breaks each day into hourly slots so responsibilities, deliverables and progress updates can be captured in real time. Clear status indicators show what’s completed, scheduled or still pending, helping users adjust their workflow quickly.

8. KPI Tracking Dashboard

An Excel tracker template will ideally provide an overview of key metrics across an organzation. This free KPI dashboard template for Excel is designed to display a high-level view of progress to track the key performance indicators. This allows managers to make sure campaigns and operations are performing as planned.

This Excel task tracker displays project data imputed by the team. This data is then automatically translated from data to easy-to-read graphs and charts that make it simple to see the status of the KPIs at a glance.

This task tracker for Excel keeps tabs on everything from timelines to the budget and even provides a cost summary. There are graphs and charts that analyze workload to keep teams productive, task status and much more.

9. 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?

10. Status Report Spreadsheet

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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Bug Tracker Template

The QA process is ideal for an Excel tracking template. When a problem is identified in a software product, a bug report is generated and sent to developers. They follow the instructions therein to fix the problem. This process is tracked by the free bug report template for Excel. It tracks one bug at a time to avoid confusion and make sure that the issue is resolved before the product is delivered to the public.

This Excel task tracker does so by collecting all the pertinent information a developer will need to replicate and remove the bug. There’s space to add a summary, screenshot and define the environment in which the bug occurred. There’s also bug tracking to define the severity and priority of the problem.

15. Project Update Spreadsheet

Regular project update meetings keep everyone aligned on progress, risks and upcoming priorities. They provide a space to celebrate recent wins, surface challenges early and ensure stakeholders are able to keep track of how timelines and scope are evolving. These touchpoints improve accountability because every owner knows what is expected next. By sharing updates consistently, teams reduce confusion, strengthen decision-making and maintain momentum all the way to project completion.

This project update template for Excel captures status insights in a clean, structured way. It includes sections for key accomplishments, completed work, upcoming tasks and milestone tracking so updates remain clear and focused. RAG indicators help quickly show what’s on track and where attention is needed. Budget, schedule, scope and quality summaries provide executive-level visibility at a glance. With space for risks, change requests and comments, this template ensures every update is thorough, actionable and easy to reference later.

16. Multiple Project Tracking Spreadsheet

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.

17. Issue Tracking Spreadsheet

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.

18. Operating Budget Tracking Spreadsheet

Tracking costs is critical to keeping a business operating. An operating budget is used to forecast revenue and expenses over a period of time. Download the free operating budget template for Excel to create an accurate operating budget.

Managers can use this Excel tracker template at the end of each month to see if the actual results match the figures forecast in the operating budget. It can also help to go back over the month or quarter and see if sales were correctly predicted. Managers can analyze financial results and adapt to changing business conditions.

The free template tracks income and expenses, identifies cost drivers and helps to show where there is room for cost efficiency and greater profitability.

19. 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.

20. Action Log Spreadsheet

An action log is a simple but powerful tool for keeping track of follow-up items that emerge during meetings and project reviews. It records what needs to be done, who is responsible, and when each action must be completed. By prioritizing tasks and monitoring progress, teams avoid delays, miscommunication and forgotten commitments. This level of visibility promotes accountability across departments and ensures that essential work keeps moving forward toward project goals.

This action log template for Excel organizes every action into a clear structure, including ownership, priority level, expected duration and planned start and finish dates. Status updates show whether an item is not started, in progress or completed, making it easy to track progress during check-ins. With all key details in one place, project managers can identify overdue actions early, shift resources when needed and maintain momentum between meetings—even on fast-moving initiatives.

21. Inventory Tracking 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.

22. 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.

23. Punch List Template

Construction project management can’t deliver a project until everything is completed properly. To ensure that the work is done as planned, the crew does a walkthrough and adds any incomplete or incorrect work to a punch list.

To keep track of that last-minute work, download this free punch list template for Excel. Property owners are often contractually allowed to withhold the final payment until the punch list is completed. Using this task tracker for Excel ensures the general contractor gets paid and the client is happy with their work.

The punch list template will avoid miscommunication between contractors, subcontractors, architects, builders, et al. This document is collaborative and that means better productivity. All the information necessary for the work is collected on the template, from a description and who’s assigned to task dates and status.

24. 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.

25. Workload Analysis Template

Beyond tasks, costs and time, one of the essential metrics to track is workload. Workload tracks resource allocation. Using an Excel tracker template to calculate workload is going to help teams work more efficiently and avoid burnout. Download this free workload analysis template for Excel to manage the project workforce. It identifies the amount of work that must be done and determines how to balance that workload evenly across the project team.

Using this Excel task tracker ensures that the team is working at capacity and no one is overallocated or underutilized. This delivers the best possible performance and highest-quality deliverables.

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)
• Project Management Templates for Google Sheets
• 14 Plantillas de Seguimiento de Tareas, Costos y Tiempo para Excel

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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