A project schedule usually appears in a graphic format and describes the expected dates for completing tasks and achieving milestones. A project schedule also records the expected duration for each activity and the logical order of activities. A well-considered project schedule helps you and your team meet deadlines while managing resources.
Generally, the project manager creates the schedule in consultation with team members and other stakeholders. For large or complex projects, some organizations assign a dedicated project scheduler or a scheduling team to create and maintain the schedule. The PM also updates the schedule as new information and situations develop. Creating the schedule may be one of the most challenging tasks in project planning. When you build a project schedule, you may rely on some or all of the following project details and documents:.
Although you may sketch out your schedule on paper or in a word processing program, dedicated project management software can facilitate the creation and updating of schedules and can often provide an easy way to share schedules with teams. You can also easily create a custom schedule template in Excel. A project schedule helps you plan and monitor your project. Use planning resources to create an initial or baseline schedule, and then measure progress against this planned timeline.
Review any problems that arise or change requests that are submitted against the baseline schedule and update the document to reflect the changes. From simple task management and project planning to complex resource and portfolio management, Smartsheet helps you improve collaboration and increase work velocity -- empowering you to get more done.
The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed. Try Smartsheet for free, today. Get a Free Smartsheet Demo. In This Article. Project Schedule Template. Business Plan Templates. What is a Project Plan?
At the very least, a project plan should answer the following questions about a project: Why? What is the problem that this project will address or solve? What are the major deliverables and goals? What are the milestones? What Is the Purpose of a Project Plan? Here are the four biggest benefits of a project plan: Improves communication : By outlining your whole plan for everyone to see, stakeholders can provide feedback early in the process if things are going in the right direction.
A project plan also helps facilitate expectation management by letting you update milestones and timelines as the project progresses. Increases transparency : With a project plan, stakeholders and team members know exactly where to look to get information every step of the way. Expectations and the project timeline are clearly defined, so everyone is on the same page about priorities and objectives.
Increases organization : Many projects have dozens of tasks, dependencies, and milestones, and it can be hard to track how everything is progressing. A project plan makes you think through the timing of each activity and how it affects the rest of the project. You always know how much time to spend on each task and how many things you can accomplish at the same time. Leave the first row in your spreadsheet blank. On the second row, type in the headers.
You could also add more headers for extra granularity, like Budget, Cost , and more. Highlight the text and in the Alignment group, click the center icon to center the text in the headers. To format the headers for proper spacing, highlight all the text you just typed and on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Format. Select Column Width and set the width for around so you have enough space to enter in your project information.
Select a Project Template Go to Smartsheet. Click on the Project with Gantt Timeline tile, then click the blue Use button. Ensure your project stays within budget by tracking all expenses, like labor, materials, fixed costs, and actuals. Manage additional spend and provide insights into budget variance so all team members and stakeholders are kept in the loop with this easy-to-use template.
Download Excel Project Budgeting Template. Budget Your Projects with Smartsheet. Document important hourly, daily, or weekly tasks with this helpful to-do list template. Organize Your Tasks in Smartsheet.
Track project progress, identify potential delays, and mitigate issues before they occur with this project timeline template. Monitor how your project is progressing and how long each task actually takes to ensure that it stays on schedule. Download Excel Project Timeline Template. Manage Your Timelines in Smartsheet. Identify and track how potential issues could affect your project timeline, and mitigate any that do occur with this issue tracker template. Assign team members to solve problems as soon as they arise to avoid delays and ensure accountability.
Download Excel Issue Tracker Template. Mitigate Project Issues with Smartsheet. Track, allocate, and manage project resources with this timesheet template, which gives team members and stakeholders insight into who is working on what.
You can also practice effective time management in your home life, including with your chore schedule. On this template, you can add a brief description of each chore along with the person responsible for completing it on a specific day. This simple spreadsheet is useful for families or shared houses with roommates who need to manage a rotating chores schedule.
This four-year template was designed with college students in mind, and provides sections for each year of school. Plan out which classes you intend to take and the number of credits needed for graduation. You can use this Excel template to conduct a workplace time study, tracking how much time is being spent on certain tasks. Record all tasks in the first column, and then add the number of minutes spent on each item for each day. Fill out this template throughout the day to ensure accuracy, and be sure to include break times or unexpected activities that arise.
You may also want to dedicate certain hours to studying to make sure you have adequate time set aside. Word Smartsheet. Use this timeline template to create an organized weekly schedule for your study group.
You can plan study sessions based on upcoming assignments and tests by tracking deadlines and relevant course content. This template also creates a log of study group meetings so that you can track previous activities and meeting dates. This template lists classes for each week day so that you can create a homework schedule, manage study time, and plan for upcoming due dates.
Keeping track of all your assignments in one spreadsheet can give you an idea of how much time you need to devote to homework on a given day or week. You can edit the template for your specific classes, and adjust the dates.
Prioritizing tasks can help ensure that important items get done. This simple template in Word format makes it easy to create a hierarchical list, with high-priority tasks at the top and low-priority items at the bottom.
If you have many high-priority items to accomplish, consider creating an "If I finish everything else" list - items you would like to accomplish, but that can wait until you complete all necessary tasks. This template is ideal for setting goals and determining strategies for reaching them. Individuals can use this worksheet to better understand their personal goals and what might be getting in the way of reaching them.
In a business setting, use this worksheet to identify measurable goals, required resources, and action steps for success. The template can also be used for identifying Key Results Areas KRA - the outcomes for which an employee or department is responsible - and plans for achieving those results. Determining specific goals in this manner makes it easier to create a prioritized list of action items.
Even if you have evaluated your schedule, set attainable goals, and created a long-term plan, you may still find yourself procrastinating. This worksheet can help you identify which activities you tend to put off or avoid altogether. Knowing what areas of your life are most affected by procrastination can provide insight into why you might be neglecting certain tasks and what you can do to change this.
A meeting agenda may not be an obvious time management template, but it can help keep a meeting on schedule and ensure priority issues get addressed. With this template, you can set a duration for each agenda item, and assign a timekeeper who monitors the agenda against time spent on items to help presenters follow the predetermined schedule.
This note-taking template follows the Cornell method. The sheet is divided into two columns - the left for recording questions and the right for taking notes. This creates a condensed and organized note-taking format that makes it easier for students to record and review notes. The template is in Word format and you can print it or email it to share with study group, club or meeting participants.
PDF Smartsheet. You can also use this to-do list template to create a list of items that you are waiting for others to accomplish, such as work projects or requested services.
Another creative use is to create a list of distractions that are keeping you from focusing on tasks at hand. Write down tasks or ideas that you want to tackle or remember so that you can stick to your current schedule.
This timesheet is ready to print in PDF format and offers a bi-weekly record of employee hours.
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