Классический клиент Project Online Project профессиональный 2021 Project стандартный 2021 Project профессиональный 2019 Project стандартный 2019 Project профессиональный 2016 Project стандартный 2016 Project профессиональный 2013 Project стандартный 2013 Project 2010 Project стандартный 2010 Еще…Меньше
Вы можете допустить это— вы используете таблицу Microsoft Excel для управления проектами и не видите веской причины для изменения. Вы не одиноки.
Создать план проекта в Excel очень просто, так как он помогает быстро перечислить все проекты, упорядочить их и даже создать что-то похожее на представление диаграммы Ганта. Однако при вычислении изменений в проекте не хватает электронных таблиц.
Если вы совмещаете несколько проектов, прерываете расписания и общие ресурсы, сохранение расписания в электронных таблицах становится сложной задачей. С его динамическим механизмом планирования, средствами управления ресурсами и поддержкой для лучшей коммуникации Microsoft Project помогает отслеживать процесс.
Что необходимо сделать
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Преимущества корпоративного управления ресурсами
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Позвольте Project вычислить эффект изменения даты
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Использование гибких методов отчетности
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Интеграция с Excel
Преимущества корпоративного управления ресурсами
Что происходит при использовании электронных таблиц для отслеживания проектов, когда одному ресурсу назначено несколько проектов? Управлять ресурсами за пределами плана проекта можно вручную или с помощью стороннего программы. Часто ресурсы непреднамеренно перенастрояются, и вы можете тратить много времени на перепланику работы.
С помощью Microsoft Project Server все проекты в организации могут рисовать из централизованного корпоративного пул ресурсов. Это позволяет руководителям проектов быстро доступность ресурс, прежде чем назначать его задаче.
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Позвольте Project вычислить эффект изменения даты
Предположим, что вы отслеживали проект в электронных таблицах. У этого проекта есть задача, которая не может начаться, пока в другом проекте не будет конечные результаты. Срок поставки запланирован на 18 июня. Сейчас 25 июня, и вы все еще ждете его. Сколько времени займет обновление таблицы до новой даты для задачи, которая зависит от ее результатов? Может быть, это недолго, если задача находится в конце проекта, но что делать, если она находится в начале? А что делать, если в проекте больше 50 задач? Более 100 задач?
Project поможет вам быстро скорректировать расписание проекта и назначения ресурсов с помощью динамического механизма планирования. Она полностью обрабатывает изменение даты и его влияние с учетом всех зависимостей, результатов и назначений ресурсов. Он не только автоматически пересчитает расписание, но и выделяет измененные даты, чтобы можно было быстро увидеть влияние каждой смены.
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Использование гибких методов отчетности
За десять минут вам нужно обсудить состояние проекта с руководителем. Вы хотите вывести отчет о ходе выполнения проекта, но в таком коротком уведомлении лучше всего распечатать таблицу и надеемся, что все данные точны. Вы хотите предоставить руководителю более надежный отчет о проекте, но это невозможно сделать в такие короткие сроки при использовании таблицы.
С помощью Project вы можете быстро создать наглядный отчет с использованием шаблона, который экспортирует данные в сететсхиму в Microsoft Visio профессиональный. Вы можете выбрать поля, которые вы хотите выделить в отчете, включая настраиваемые поля, которые вы настроили для проекта, и представить краткий отчет для собрания с руководством.
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Интеграция с Excel
Экспортив данные проекта в Excel, вы можете продолжать использовать его функциональные возможности работы с электронными таблицами, при этом пользуясь преимуществами Project для отслеживания календарного плана и ресурсов проекта. Вы также можете импортировать или встраить данные Excel в план проекта.
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Нужна дополнительная помощь?
Project management templates in Smartsheet
A project management template is an effective tool for any project — big or small, simple or complex. Even if the deliverables are small, you still need to estimate timing, identify the resources required, and assign tasks to team members. That’s why it’s important to find the right project management solution to help ensure that your next project is delivered on time and on budget.
One solution is Smartsheet, a work execution platform that enables enterprises and teams to get from idea to impact — fast. Top project management leaders rely on Smartsheet to help align the right people, resources, and schedules to get work done.
Use Smartsheet to create consistent project elements, increase speed, and improve collaboration with scalable options that fit individual work preferences. Hold yourself and your team accountable, improve visibility into team priorities, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. See how easy it can be to use a project management template in Smartsheet.
Get free Smartsheet templates
Before you can plan your project, you have to have the right tools to collect the data you need in order to formulate a strategy—and project management Excel templates are a great place to start.
Using Excel for Project Management
Think of all the things you have to process along the way to a successful project—scheduling, resource planning, defining tasks and milestones, etc. The days of Post-It notes and notebooks filled with scraps of paper are long gone. Thankfully, today project managers can use Microsoft Excel templates for project management.
Microsoft Excel does a lot of things well: mathematics, analysis, organization. But, it’s not intuitive for project management due to its blank spreadsheet format. So, without using pre-built project management spreadsheets or templates, it’s hard to execute project management on Excel.
Best Project Management Templates & Spreadsheets for Excel
Visit our templates page and you’ll find Excel and Word templates for creating all the project documents you need to manage your project. But, if you just need free Excel project management templates and spreadsheets, then look no further.
Here are 20 essential project management Excel templates you can download and use right now. Transform your bland Excel spreadsheets into expertly-designed project management templates, and take your project management Excel processes to the next level.
1. Gantt Chart Template
A Gantt chart is a visual tool that helps you see at-a-glance the scheduling of tasks and their dependencies over the project timeline. That makes it a great project planner template.
While it’s true a Gantt chart can be overly complex in Excel spreadsheets, especially when you are in need of more advanced scheduling features like task dependencies and resource allocation, they remain a vital part of any project manager’s toolkit. That’s why we recommend using online Gantt chart software to help plan tasks and projects collaboratively with your team.
Online Gantt chart tools integrate into project management & planning software, so it can update in real time. This allows for easy drag-and-drop changes and can be color-coded to customize as you need. ProjectManager is a project management software that does all that and more. Try it for yourself today!
But to quickly make a Gantt chart from your task lists, download this free Gantt chart Excel template for an easy way to create a project schedule. Just add tasks and deadlines to this Excel spreadsheet and visualize how long your project will take.
2. Project Status Report Template
The need for a project status report is obvious. If you don’t have good intel on what is happening in the project, then you are managing blind. You have no idea if you’re on track or if resources are being blocked.
With this free Excel project status report template, you have a tool to greatly improve your project communications, both with stakeholders when you’re delivering a presentation, but also with team members.
It’s up to you to decide on the frequency of the reports. But with a project status report template a lot of the busy work that can pull you away from a project is already done, giving you greater access to the information you need.
3. Work Breakdown Structure Template
A project is made up of deliverables and those deliverables are created by tasks. The work breakdown structure (WBS) is a way to visualize the project deliverables, the tasks, and the subtasks, which are necessary to make them.
ProjectManager has a free WBS template that structures the process of breaking down the large project into smaller and smaller tasks, in a hierarchical visual that allows you to see the entire scope of the project work.
This is a key element of project planning, but it is also critical to estimating project costs and setting up a realistic schedule. Better still, because our WBS free template is an Excel spreadsheet, it can then be uploaded into the ProjectManager software to initiate a project, assign tasks to team members and monitor and track progress once the project is executed.
4. Action Plan Template
A project is initiated to complete the realization of a goal. But to achieve that objective requires a strategy and then the steps to implement that strategy successfully. In short, an action plan.
Projects are pragmatic and the action plan is a framework to collect your thoughts about executing the project plan in an effective and efficient way. With our free action plan template, you can just fill in the blanks to make sure that you’ve covered all bases and make your project start on the right foot. It’s a great companion template to an overall project plan and project charter.
From prioritizing tasks to assigning and noting the status, timeline and resources, we have you covered. And, again, the action plan can be uploaded seamlessly into ProjectManager, so you can then use all our great features to visualize workflow with kanban boards and monitor progress with our real-time dashboard.
5. Project Tracker & Task List Template
Tracking the project is crucial to ensure that it remains on schedule. That means also keeping tabs on the work at a task-level.
This project tracker & task list template can help as a task to-do list, and it includes columns for the planned and actual duration of the project in order to know what’s working and what needs more attention.
Once you integrate your project and task tracking template into a project management software system, you can then produce Gantt charts to get a clear visual on the project timeline, as well as get that data delivered to your dashboard to note project progress in real time. And, of course, you can import your Excel and Microsoft Project files seamlessly into ProjectManager. Our software can transform your static Excel files into stunning, dynamic project management tools.
6. Risk Register Template
Risk is a part of managing a project. The job involves being able to anticipate what risks are likely to occur and then formulating a response to get the project back on track. That’s where this free Excel risk tracking template comes in.
First, it allows you to list all the possible risks you believe may happen over the course of the project. Next you can define how it will impact the project. You determine level of the risk and assign it an owner, so that someone is responsible to keep an eye out for it.
Now you have a plan in place to resolve that risk quickly, and a document that can be shared so risk is never given a chance to blindside a project.
7. Issue Tracker Template
Issues are when something is happening right now in your project. So, what do you do when this happens? You track those issues and resolve them with the help of this free issue tracker template.
The first thing, of course, is identifying those issues as they occur. This is the document in which you can collect that information. The issue tracking template serves you by making sure every step of the way, from identifying to resolving the issue, is documented.
Of course you will want to share the issue tracker template, and you can with this free Excel template, but only as a static document. In a project management software program, that information is easy to collect and share, as well as edit in real time.
8. Change Request Form Template
One thing that’s constant in any project is change. Those changes, however, must be managed. That’s where the change request form comes in.
Our free change request form template gives you the structure to identify, track and resolve those changes when they arise in a project. The free template has space to note what the change is, give a team member ownership to lead the task of resolving it and then get it signed off on.
When used in conjunction with ProjectManager, the change request form is more dynamic. It can act as a collaborative platform in which team members can communicate and attach relevant documents, even hand-offs and sign-offs. Keeping everything under one roof is something you’ll not want to change.
Related: How to Run MS Project on your Mac step by step!
9. Project Budget Template
A project can have a great plan, but without the financial backing to pay for it nothing can happen. That’s why a project budget, as tedious as it might be, is one of the most important phases of getting a project on track to a successful completion.
With this free Excel project budget template you can literally see when you’re in the red, because it’s color-coded. And this document, more than just one that is crucial to the start of a project, is also a way to track that budget across the lifecycle of the project.
This template has room to cover all your costs, from easy ones to collect — such as labor and materials — to ones that change or carry over from project to project. Budgets are estimates, but with this free template those numbers will be more accurate.
10. Project Timesheet Spreadsheet
Team members need to have a way to track their work through the tasks they are assigned, and a simple timesheet can provide an easy way to keep them on schedule as well as give you the needed information to know where they are in their tasks.
The free Excel timesheet can calculate cost per hour and includes vacation and overtime columns, to accurately note the time spent on and off the project. But project timesheets are useful for a number of different purposes, so this is a handy tool.
When you manage timesheets with online project management software, then the rubber hits the road. You’ll be able to filter columns and customize reports, easily share in an email, PDF or Excel and CSV file. Plus your team can submit timesheets based on actual tasks in the system, and you’ll get alerted by email when they do.
11. Project Dashboard Template
The project dashboard is what keeps you in the driver seat as you travel through the lifecycle of the project. It allows for you to monitor the project, tracking the task status, budget and more in one place.
From this free project management dashboard for Excel, you create graphs and charts that give you a visual and easily digestible look at your task and workload management, as well as cost. It’s a sure way to stay on top of a project generally and know where you have to drill down into specifics.
You can add more power to your PM dashboards when you use online project management software. That way, when team members are updating statuses on tasks, the dashboards are populating with real-time data.
12. Project Plan Template
A project plan template has everything you need to map out your project once it’s been approved. It has space for you to define your project goals, activities, tasks as well as all the resources you’ll need to execute the work. You can begin to schedule your activities, tasks and the duration of each across a project timeline. There’s even a place to identify task dependencies.
Project plans are tailored around your project and no two are the same. That’s why this project management template has a place to add appendices. Here is where you can attach a scope, cost and schedule management plan or a work breakdown structure (WBS) as well as your business case, feasibility study and project charter.. The more detailed your project plan, the more you position yourself and team for success when the project is executed.
13. Project Estimate Template
This free project estimate template for Excel will help you forecast a more accurate budget and realistic schedule. Before you can plan a project, you need to identify all the costs that will be associated with it. This free project management spreadsheet allows you to do a more detailed collection of what you’ll need to spend on your labor, materials and project resources.
From a job description to estimate details, this project template is a great way not only to figure out your budget but collect the various vendors and contractors you’ll be employing to help you execute the project. Create as many project phases as you require. Each is subtotaled and those subtotals are then tallied automatically for a final sum. Change is impossible to avoid when managing a project, but the more accurate your estimate, the more likely you’ll deliver on time and within budget.
14. RACI Matrix Template
Using a RACI matrix template is an essential tool for organizing projects. Projects can be confusing, and if people aren’t sure of their roles, problems are going to occur. The RACI template for Excel is a free tool to identify and define the various roles and responsibilities of everyone involved with the project.
This project management Excel template is broken up by project phase on the left and across the top all the various project positions are listed. Then in the corresponding box beneath the title is filled in with R, A, C or I to explain their relation to that specific point in the project. RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted, informed. Defining these roles with this Excel spreadsheet leads to smoother operations.
15. Change Log Spreadsheet
Try our free change log template for Excel and create a successful change management process. Change is going to happen in every project, whether requests from stakeholders or from external forces, such as weather or supply chain issues. Being prepared for change and how to respond to it is going to make or break your project.
This project management Excel spreadsheet allows you to number changes that you identify in the project to track them easier. There’s a place to capture when the change was first discovered, who owns it and is tasked with dealing with that change. There’s even space to note its status and set the priority so you know which changes should be dealt with first. Having a change log means you can manage change and not allow change to negatively impact your project.
16. Resource Plan Template
Resources are anything you need for a project. Our free resource plan template for Excel is the first step to managing your team and resources. You can use it to identify, list and organize all your project resources as well as figure out how much of each you’ll need and what that will cost. You can use this project Excel template to integrate with your schedule and budget to track costs as you execute the project.
While you’ll want to start your resource plan during the planning phase of your project, it should be a living document that is regularly updated as things change over the life cycle of the project. Once the project has been completed, you can save the template and use it when you are planning resources for future projects that are similar. Using this free project management template for Excel keeps everyone informed, which leads to a better running project.
17. Stakeholder Analysis Spreadsheet
Stakeholders are invested in the project and project managers have to keep them updated and manage their expectations. That’s where this free stakeholder analysis template for Excel comes in. It helps you identify and manage all the stakeholders in your project. This free template is a cornerstone of any thorough stakeholder management plan.
The stakeholder analysis template gets you started with a project overview, which is followed by a list of all the stakeholders involved with the project. There’s a dropdown menu to note if that particular stakeholder is of high, medium or low influence. That means, how much power do they have to impact the project. That information is crucial to how to manage them. Then you identify each stakeholder in the spreadsheet as they relate to the project. Note the frequency you need to communicate with each stakeholder and more to manage them and keep the project moving forward.
18. Gap Analysis Template
If you’re looking to improve your business and stay innovative, then you need this gap analysis template for Excel. It’s one of the tools you can use to get a strategic analysis of where you are now and how to get to where you want to be in the future. This project management spreadsheet will help you devise an action plan to move you from your current state of affairs to wherever you plan to take your organization in the future, whether that’s an increase in marketshare or getting a product to market quickly.
This free Excel template has everything you need to start meeting your goals, from general information and the current state of your business to the future state you’re aiming to achieve, what the gap percentage is and the actions necessary to close that gap. You can identify who in the organization can lead the initiative and even track the status. You have to start somewhere and a gap analysis is where it all comes together.
19. Cost Benefit Analysis Spreadsheet
Crunch the numbers to learn if your project is worth pursuing with our free cost benefit analysis template for Excel. You can see if the project can be delivered within a specific time frame and reasonable cost. This Microsoft Excel template allows you to compare what you expect to spend against the benefits or opportunity the project might provide. Therefore, from a cost perspective, you can see if the project is viable.
Whether a personal or professional project, our free cost benefit analysis template is a powerful and flexible tool. It can be used over and over again, collecting the project information, quantitative costs (indirect, intangible and opportunity) and then the quantitative benefits (direct benefits, indirect benefits, intangible benefits and competitive benefits). Adding up the three cost sections and the four benefits sections of the template provide a total cost to compare against total benefits. It’s an essential analysis to undertake before committing to any project.
20. Weekly Work Schedule Spreadsheet
If you need help handling your human resources, get our free weekly work schedule spreadsheet for Excel. You can use it to manage your team’s weekly work and the project’s workflow. Note the days your team can work and collect the rate of pay and hours they work on their tasks. This flexible employee work schedule can apply to the regular nine-to-five work week or a more hybrid model.
Use this project management template for Excel to get info on your team members and their work schedule. You can add their name, tasks assigned to them and the project they’re working on. There’s space to list all the days they’ll be working. This Excel template is a great place to capture data but it’s a static document. If you want to update it, you have to do that manually. It can take time and pull you away from managing the project and your team’s work.
Go Beyond Excel Templates & Spreadsheets with ProjectManager
Project management software can take you way further than Excel templates for project management ever could. ProjectManager, an award-winning project management software, is a comprehensive platform that lets you plan, track and report on your projects online. Because it’s an online tool, you get live visibility into your project team and their tasks.
Plan your projects from start to finish with our Gantt chart feature. This feature allows you to map out all of your project tasks in phases, and then assign them to team members. You can even create dependencies and set milestones. Plus, you can import Excel files and Microsoft Project files into the Gantt chart, bringing your static templates to life. In addition, ProjectManager integrates with over 1000 third-party apps such as Google Drive, Slack and Microsoft Office 365 so that you can share your project with everybody on your team.
Team members (and managers) can choose to manage their own tasks in either the task list or kanban view. The kanban view is a favorite for visual workers who have a lot of different projects going on. The customizable columns on a kanban board allow a user to easily see their progress, or sort their tasks by project or department. Of course every view, whether it’s the Gantt, List or Board, allows you to collaborate with other team members and get more work done than you ever thought possible. You’ll wonder why you ever did project management Excel processes.
Get all the features of these Excel project management templates and more when you use ProjectManager. All of these tools are available in our award-winning project management software to help you plan, track and report on your project in real time. See what it can do for you by taking a free 30-day trial run.
Related Posts
Want to know more about managing projects with Excel?
Or are you looking for a helpful Excel project management template?
You’ve come to the right place!
Microsoft Excel is an incredibly versatile tool that you can use for a number of different tasks. However, it’s not without its drawbacks.
In this article, we’ll review using Excel for project management and give you some handy Excel templates to use right away.
Let’s start.
Is Excel Project Management Useful?
Microsoft Excel is a handy tool that can do many different things to help you and your project team. And on its good days, Excel can function as a basic project management tool.
Here’s what it can offer you:
1. Detailed spreadsheets
This is the most obvious reason to turn to Excel.
Excel is great for crafting detailed spreadsheets with tons of project data. Categorize information easily, highlight important sections, and even create separate sheets within a spreadsheet.
For example, Excel is perfect for a long list of prospects to keep track of their details.
You can also create a timesheet in Excel to keep your team accountable or maintain expenses on a budget template.
When it comes to data logging, Excel is still one of the best tools in the business!
2. Conditional formatting
Another great Excel feature is conditional formatting.
You can turn simple project data into powerful insights.
There are tons of Excel formulas you can employ to automate the data logging process and create detailed calculations. With the right formula, you can organize large amounts of data within seconds.
Say bye to that complicated scientific calculator!
For example, Excel can manage your project budget or timesheet a piece of cake with its advanced mathematical formulas.
The only issue with conditional formatting is that it’ll take some time to get used to.
3. Data storage and recovery
Excel can handle all project-related data.
From your project budget to your timeline, you can store it in Excel without worrying about losing it.
Additionally, like most other Microsoft tools, Excel has built-in data backup functionality. So if, for example, your timeline data gets accidentally deleted, you can always recover it!
10 Excel Project Management Templates & Use Cases
Excel is pretty much the Superman of basic project management, powerful enough to take on most tasks you’d otherwise have to struggle with manually.
Here are some examples of Excel project management templates and use cases:
1. Excel Gantt chart template
Your brain responds better to visual stimuli, and a Gantt chart is nothing but that!
It gives you a complete overview of a project, all at once.
A Gantt Chart project template makes it easy to map out a project’s course.
Use it to keep on top of all the project milestones, dependencies, and project tasks that are left before your end dates.
2. Excel Project timeline template
Once the project begins, all anyone will think of is deadlines.
But how do you track them?
A project timeline template is similar to a project milestones sheet.
Use it for tracking project progress as you move towards completion. With an accurate project timeline, you’ll be able to know what stage a project plan is in at all times.
3. Excel Task list or project tracker template
You won’t go shopping without a shopping list.
So why not carry around a task list for your project too?
A task list gives you a list of deliverables for completion, along with their deadlines.
Use this task tracking template for tracking the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and project phases to keep track of your project schedule.
But what’s WBS anyway? Check out this detailed breakdown of a project scope document to learn about your WBS.
4. Excel Multiple project tracking template
This multiple project tracking template in Excel allows you to get an overview of all the current projects underway.
Super helpful to manage a business’s project portfolio or implement your organization’s enterprise project management!
You can enter all the project’s data in the Data Sheet, and view the overall progress of the project plan in a dashboard. Furthermore, you can filter by individual columns and see all the tasks in a Gantt chart.
5. Excel SWOT analysis template
Simple pros-cons lists may help you decide on your next vacation.
But you need more when it comes to project management.
In project management, you need to SWOT things!
A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats) analysis template is used for tracking a project’s strengths and weaknesses when evaluating your project plan.
After you’ve conducted this analysis, reformulate your project activities, project phases, and deliverables to align with your findings.
6. Excel Project Budget Templates
This project budget template itemizes your WBS. You can input the projected cost of each task depending on which column it fits under.
With this template, you can keep track of labor, materials and fixed costs, as well as keep a pulse on actual spend.
When the actual cost is incurred, the handy formulas of this template will let you know whether you are over or under budget.
7. Excel Cost-benefit management template
The cost-benefit management template lets you gauge a project’s success before you start it. Because if something costs more than it gains, it’s already a loss.
Remember, doing a cost-benefit analysis isn’t needed for all software development projects.
However, it does have applications in some industries which use Agile project management. Moreover, this chart in Excel is important for senior leaders in charge of project accounts and budgets.
Calculate the value of a project’s deliverables vs. what the project budget is and use this project information to schedule a cost-effective Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) with correct project phases.
8. Excel Agile project planning template
Want to say goodbye to traditional project management methods like Waterfall and enter the Agile realm?
Good for you. You’re about to deliver better results, faster.
And isn’t that what every project planner wants?
However, that’s possible only if you do it on a project management tool that supports and enhances your team’s agility throughout the project lifecycle.
While we’d never recommend doing it on Excel, the right template might just do the trick for you.
Catch up on Agile project management and Agile software development.
9. Excel Burnup chart template
In an Agile project, a burnup chart is an essential part of your arsenal.
It helps you keep track of all you’ve accomplished in each sprint and keeps you well within the project scope.
But here’s the thing.
Setting a burnup chart requires careful calculations about each aspect of your sprint.
So you can either start setting aside some time each day to deal with numbers.
Or you can download a simple burn up chart template for Excel.
10. Excel Workflow Template
Microsoft Excel’s SmartArt Flow Chart template is a helpful instructional list of graphics that you can effortlessly manipulate and customize to build out your diagram. By selecting the Insert tab, users unlock an array of vibrant color-coded visuals they can add text, shapes, and other formatting elements to in order to develop their desired workflow sequences quickly and effectively.
Challenges of Using Excel Templates for Project Management
While Excel templates add some functionality to your standard Excel file, they aren’t ideal project management solutions.
Here are three significant reasons why:
A. Not a dedicated project management software
Remember, Excel wasn’t built for project management.
It’s an excellent data management tool that can supplement your project management.
But that’s about it.
So why use an Excel report template when you have access to far better tools for managing projects for free?
From creating your project charter to managing projects and analyzing your breakdown structure, the ClickUp management tool can handle it all!
B. An Excel project management template is difficult to customize
Working on Excel templates is like shoe shopping.
There’s no customizing it once you’ve bought them.
So you don’t have a lot of flexibility when it comes to customizing the templates for Excel as per your project’s needs.
For example, you may be using a sales invoice template or budget report template but can’t tweak it to reflect the project budgeting interface you want accurately.
C. There’s no automatic data entry
All the templates in Excel require manual inputs at all points.
There’s no way to schedule automated updates or create team-wide notifications like project management tools can.
For example, if you’re using an Excel schedule template, you won’t be able to readjust task dependencies and deadlines automatically after schedule changes.
Remember, Excel templates can help, but they can’t solve all the issues associated with Excel project management.
Bonus: Data Entry Software
Let’s explore these limitations and the solutions with a dedicated free project management tool: ClickUp
Excel Project Management Template Alternatives
Excel isn’t always the ideal way to go about managing your project tasks.
Check out these project management templates from ClickUp:
1. ClickUp Project Mangement Template
This ClickUp Project Management Template is a great way to get started quickly with your projects and tasks. By following the pre-made templates, you can streamline your process and make sure all of your tasks are organized and tracked in an efficient manner. The template includes steps for creating a project plan, assigning tasks, tracking progress, monitoring deadlines, and more.
The template also includes helpful views such as a Board View, Gantt Chart, and List View. All of the components are easy to customize so you can tailor the project management system to fit your needs.
2. ClickUp Agile Project Management Template
The ClickUp Agile Project Management Template is the perfect choice for anyone looking to efficiently manage agile projects. It covers all aspects of project management, from sprint planning and story mapping to creating user stories and tracking progress on tasks. This template not only streamlines your workflow but also helps you prioritize requests with clarity, organize sprints in multiple views, collaborate with team members as well as stakeholders seamlessly!
Related Excel Resources:
- Create burndown charts in Excel
- Create a form in Excel
- Create a graph in Excel
- Create a mind map in Excel
- Create a flowchart in Excel
- Create an Org Chart in Excel
- Create a Database in Excel
Break Free From Excel Project Management
While Excel has many uses, project management isn’t something it does very well.
Even with Excel templates, you’re still going to have a tough time managing your projects in Excel.
While there are many Excel alternatives to consider, the smarter choice would be to use a specialized task management tool like ClickUp instead.
That’s because ClickUp is a tool designed for project management. Its features were designed to help you manage your projects more efficiently at a very friendly pricing point!
So why not try ClickUp for free and experience it yourself?
Using Excel for Project Management
Project Managers working on small to midsize projects can use Microsoft Excel to visualize, plan and track their projects. This may be a simple project management spreadsheet an Excel project tracker or something even more complicated like an Excel project management dashboard. For important client and executive communications Excel data can also be converted into PowerPoint slides.
Excel Budget Template
Project Managers working on small to midsize projects can use Microsoft Excel to visualize, plan and track their projects. This may be a simple project management spreadsheet an Excel project tracker or something even more complicated like an Excel project management dashboard. For important client and executive communications Excel data can also be converted into PowerPoint slides.
Download this Excel Budget Template
Excel-Budget-Template.xlsx
Excel Project Review Template
Project reviews are usually conducted at the end of each project phase to evaluate the current status of a project. To help document and share the results of their reviews, Project Managers can use an Excel spreadsheet that shows a clear overview of completed, outstanding, and planned deliverables, while also including risk management details and financial information. This will make it easier for them to measure progress and clearly communicate key data that clients and executives want to know.
Download this Excel Project Review Template
Excel-Project-Review-Template.xlsx
Excel Sprint Project Tracker Template
Agile projects require thorough sprint planning and management. Managers can use Excel to plan and track their Agile project, as well as prioritize features that must be delivered each sprint. Sprint project tracker spreadsheets usually list the start date, finish date and duration of every task, including the percentage of work that has been completed. Color codes can also be added to instantly show the tasks’ status.
Download this Excel Sprint Project Tracker Template
Excel-Sprint-Project-Tracker-Template.xlsx
Excel Project Schedule Template
Effective project management requires a clear view of all the work associated with delivering a project on time. Using project schedule spreadsheets enables professionals to efficiently manage their project by the hour and see exactly how much time is left to complete a task or if there is any work overdue.
Download this Excel Project Schedule Template
Project-Schedule-Template-Excel.xlsx
Excel Project Status Report Template
Project managers who want to inform team members, executives and clients of where a project stands can use Excel to illustrate and track the progression of all critical activities involved. Project status spreadsheets list the key deliverables, developments and risks associated with a project and help measure the progress toward the completion of each objective.
Download this Excel Project Status Report Template
Project-Status-Report-Template-Excel.xlsx
Excel Project Tracker
Project Management requires that all scheduled work or tasks are tracked. A project tracking spreadsheet is a useful visual tool to track each task’s progress against the original plan. The spreadsheet should include all tasks, their status, the owner of the task, the percent complete and the planned duration versus actual duration.
Download this Excel Project Tracker
Excel-Project-Tracker.xlsx
Excel Critical Path Tracker
Project Managers need to see which tasks are dependent on the completion of preceding tasks before they can begin. To do this they can utilize a critical path spreadsheet which lists all of their tasks, the planned duration for each task and whether the task is dependent on another. This provides Project Managers a visual way to plan the quickest path for completing their project.
Download this Excel Critical Path Tracker
Excel-Critical-Path-Tracker.xlsx
Excel Milestone Tracker
Projects need to be managed on a timeline. Tracking progress toward the important events or to specific points on a timescale is a good technique for monitoring the progress of a project. Project Managers can use an Excel milestone tracker to list their critical milestones and to monitor their performance against that timeline.
Download this Excel Milestone Tracker
Excel-Milestone-Tracker.xlsx
Excel’s accessibility, familiarity, and affordability make it a popular project management tool for small groups and organisations. Additionally, the variety of Excel project management templates increases employee productivity. Managing a project efficiently requires formalizing strategies and measuring performance. Therefore using Excel for project management is a good option.
If you’re interested in knowing the tools for project management, find out the details about project management courses. These will teach you the skills and necessary tools you need to professionally manage projects.
When Excel is the Best Choice?
There is a large array of project management software available which provides you with a huge load of features. However, you may not need all of those tools for your project management needs.
This is because simpler projects might not require advanced tools and they may just moreover complicate the whole procedure of working on a project.
Some of the reasons why you should use Excel for project management are:
- You Operate as a Solo Act: When you are like a solo entrepreneur you do not need software that is packed with features for larger firms. For instance, you have a startup that initially launches at a small scale and few workers. In this case, you do not need fancy software but rather something that is easier to operate.
- You Want it Simple: Even the simplest software for project management has a learning curve that you will need to overcome. But with Excel, you can track and process all kinds of information without hassle.
- You Want to Keep it Budget-friendly: If Excel satisfies your requirements, you will save plenty of funds by forgoing specialised software because that money is directly deducted from your budget.
When Should You Use Excel for Project Management?
Consider all the steps you must take to successfully complete a project, including time management, capacity planning, tasks and accomplishments, etc. Excel helps get all these tasks done without you having to go through a complex learning procedure like other project management software.
You could also use the templates available in Excel to manage the various aspects of a project. Microsoft Excel has always been excellent at organising, analysing, and calculations. Therefore it is one of the most used platforms for budgeting and managing large data sets
Also, If your project deals with a smaller number of members and doesn’t require a complex system to keep track of, Excel is your go-to software. Also, if you don’t like managing multiple projects and prefer focusing on one, then Excel is a perfect choice.
On the other hand, if you work with a company and want to expand your project management skill set, taking a project management professional certification course and learning the advanced tools and tactics will be the right way to go.
Disadvantages of Managing Projects in Excel
Of course, everything has pros and cons and so does Excel. Sometimes managing simple projects in Excel also may not seem fruitful. Here are a few disadvantages of using Excel for managing projects:
- Lack of Communication Features: Excel is the only spreadsheet without any communication methods. It can be difficult to communicate with clientele as well as other teammates.
- Lack of Collaboration Tools: Excel does not support file or report sharing. To send files, you must employ a hosting service file. However, file sharing is already integrated into the majority of PM tools.
- Clutter of Data: Spreadsheets gather a bunch of content over time. Seldom do clients and the majority of team members require the need for all this data. Therefore, Excel users sometimes take a lot of time when looking for data.
Although Excel’s tools weren’t created with program management in mind, unlike some applications, it can still be used to manage daily tasks, plan finances, as well as trace out even the project plan. The following is a list of Excel’s use cases in project management:
1. Timeline
By the use of Excel, you can make a road map of the project schedule and phases, a graphic timeline chart can also be produced in this. Gantt chart is a famous management method that plots functions according to the duration taken for their completion and the start and finish time.
To offer you a true overview of the project’s timetable and deadlines, the timeline tracker template comes with horizontal blocks for each task that are arranged beside one another.
It takes some practice to use the schedule template in Excel and other planning techniques, but they don’t just create a series of due dates and make the process convenient.
2. Budget
Excel is equipped especially well for creating a detailed budget because it excels at making this process to determine numbers easier. Bigger projects would exceed the functionalities of the application, so it comes in handy for mid sized projects.
Also, If you just wish to track the expenses and income simultaneously, simply creating a budget in Excel will do the needful. If you wish to notch up the level of budgeting and go for intricate budgets, Excel can also do that.
3. Task List
Project management dashboard Excel template free can help you create and manage daily activities with the aid of an Excel work plan or task list. You can also create it daily to keep everyone posted on the advances in the project.
In the task list that you have created, you can have entries like task descriptions, resources required, the employee assigned and other details in these in a simple or automated and dynamic way.
One of the striking features of Excel is also that it provides these project management excel templates free of cost.
4. Project Tracking
Excel can be used for project tracking as soon as the project is on the roll to handle any issues arising. You can make section tracking details like:
- Project title
- Tasks to be performed
- The manager assigned to it
- Project duration
- Progress made
- Budget
- Expenditure and other pertinent information
This helps you display the status of duties, manage the budget and track other information. Then, using this information, you can make graphs showing the position and development of projects. It is the best way to gain insight from the data you track.
5. Project Analysis
Once you have gathered all the data the next thing in line is analysing and arranging all of it so as to make reports. This will help you analyse the advancement of your project.
The generation of these reports is automatic with the help of various tools and number-crunching templates that can be found on the project management dashboard in Excel.
It is done on the basis of the entries you select in Excel, giving you limitless customisation. It’s challenging, but once you figure it all out, you will be able to pump out reports with ease.
Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct Project Management Certification Training Course Online
Best Project Management Templates & Spreadsheets for Excel
While using a project management dashboard, excel provides templates free of cost which makes the task easier. This makes managing projects hassle-free and transforms your plain spreadsheets into intricate project spreadsheets. Some of the best templates and spreadsheets are:
1. Gantt Chart Template
A Gantt Chart can be termed as a visual tool. It makes it easy to glance at their schedules, interdependencies and timelines. It is a fantastic template for project planning.
Download the Gantt Chart Template here.
2. Project Status Report Template
You are handling blindly if you lack accurate information about what is taking place while carrying out the project. You are unaware of your progress or whether resources are really being restricted, whatever is the case, it will affect the quality of your work.
With the help of this template, you can greatly enhance communications over project processes with the team members as well as with partners when giving presentations.
Download the Weekly Project Status Report Template
Download the Monthly Project Status Report Template
3. Work Breakdown Structure Template
An efficient project is made up of deliverables which are then made up of tasks. The WBS template specifies all the details of the project like tasks, subtasks and these deliverables.
Download the Work Breakdown Structure Template here!
4. Action Plan Template
To finish the accomplishment of an objective, a project starts. However, in order to effectively execute a strategic plan, there must first be a plan of action. With this tool, you can cover all the bases and initiate your project the right way.
Download the Action Plan Template
5. Risk Register Template
Project management involves the management of risk. The task entails foreseeing potential risks and finding solutions to put the task back on schedule.
You assess the risk’s threshold and designate an employee for the same, this will make sure that someone will be in charge of keeping tabs on it.
Download the Risk Register Template.
Conclusion
If you are in doubt and wish to know whether Excel is the right choice for you or not then try it out for yourself. To test whether Excel could really handle it, quickly create a timeframe, schedule, list of activities, and cost estimate using numerous spreadsheets.
Try your hand at producing unique reports. Imagine how a task would be managed using Excel on a daily basis. These steps will take some time, but they will help you determine whether Excel is sufficient for your firm and projects or if you would require other software for project management.
Also, check out the article on how to build a project management timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I use Excel for project management?
Yes, you can use Excel for project management and rather it is one of the most accessible ways to initiate a project as it facilitates the quick listing of all your tasks, and their organisation, as well as the creation of an outlook that replicates Gantt Chart.
2. Why Excel is not good for project management?
Some of the reasons that make Excel is considered inadequate by some is that working with it is time-consuming as information is cluttered. Also, progress tracking is difficult with no means of communication and a lack of collaboration tools.
3. What is the best Excel template for project management?
There are various templates in excel that are used for multiple purposes, some of the best Excel templates are: Multiple Project Tracking, Action Item Template, Budgeting Template, Report Templates, and Gantt Chart Template.
4. How do I create a project plan in Excel?
Creating a project plan in Excel is very simple. Firstly, you create table headers and enter all the relevant project information. Now add different colours to highlight the status of your project. Next, create a timeline for the project, add the final touches, and you are good to go.
5. What are the 5 stages of a project?
So the 5 stages of a project are: conceptualising and initiating the project, defining the vision and mission statements of the project, launching and executing the project, tracking the performance of the project, closing the project and making reports.
6. How do I create a simple project schedule in Excel?
For creating a simple project schedule, click on insert and select your choice of SmartArt Graphic and click on process. Click on Basic Timeline and start adding various fields and editing the text.
There are hundreds of software tools for project management, but familiarity with spreadsheets and the flexiblity that they provide makes using Excel a very popular solution. The project templates listed here are mostly related to project scheduling. Our Gantt chart template is the most useful project management template that we offer. Anything more complicated would probably require Microsoft Project or other project management software.
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Task List Templates ▶
This page provides multiple templates for tracking tasks. The templates demonstrate various techniques for adding drop-down lists and conditional formatting with Excel.
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Project Timeline Template ▶
Create a project timeline in Excel using a stacked bar graph with milestones and different colors for different phases or categories.
4
Project Budgeting ▶
Download 3 different types of project budget templates, for simple to complex projects. The WBS-based project budget works well in combination with our gantt chart template.
5
RACI Chart Template ▶
Download a free RACI Matrix Template to assign roles to project tasks as Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.
7
Content Calendar Template ▶
Plan your posts in advance using a social media content calendar template. Includes a Gantt-like timeline as well as a monthly calendar view.
8
Timeline Template ▶
Our timeline template now includes a project timeline example that you can use to create a project schedule using an Excel chart. An interesting alternative to a gantt chart.
9
Critical Path Method ▶
Perform a Critical Path Analysis using this spreadsheet. It automates the implementation of the PERT algorithm.
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Project Timeline ▶
This particular project schedule template is not an automated tool, but it demonstrates how you can use drawing tools in Excel to create a custom project schedule.
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To Do List ▶
For some projects, a simple shared To Do list may be sufficient. This template includes columns for updating the status and the priority of each task.
12
Project Tracker for Contractors ▶
Sub-contractors and freelancers may find this template helpful if they are working with a client in a situation where the client frequently creates new tasks and a tool is need for communicating the status of those tasks.
14
Continuous Monthly Calendar ▶
We have many different calendar templates for Excel, but this calendar is particularly useful for project scheduling because it does not include any breaks between months. So, if you want to display project milestones in a calendar format, you can try this template.
15
Simple Project Schedule ▶
You can use this template for creating a basic overview or project timeline. It is not automated like the gantt chart template, but it has its uses.
17+
Action Item Templates ▶
This page provides a couple different templates for brainstorming and project review meetings. List action items and rank them by Value and Difficulty to help determine what to focus on first.
18
Construction Schedule Template ▶
A simple way to create a multi-year project schedule with a basic automated gantt chart. Enter start and end dates and pick a color for the bar. Add text within the chart area if needed.
19
Earned Value Management Template ▶
Create a project budget and use the EVM system to monitor spending over time. Helps determine whether you are on time and under budget, especially for projects where spending is nonlinear.
21
Simple Gantt Chart ▶
This free gantt chart provides an easy way to create and track a project schedule in Excel. This version does not require you to copy any formulas (though you can still add formulas if you want to).
22
SWOT Analysis Worksheet ▶
Use a SWOT Analysis to evaluate and improve your project workflow or to evaluate new projects prior to starting them.
Project Planning Templates @ Spreadsheet.com
Spreadsheet.com is a great tool for project planning, and is getting better all the time. This link will take you to their category page focusing on templates for project management.
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Project Management KPI Dashboard
Measure and track Key Performance Metrics using this dashboard template from Someka.net. Some of the KPIs are Cost Performance Index, Scheduled Variance, and Resource Utilization. Use this template for advanced and more effective project management.
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Project Management Kit
This collection of templates by Method123.com comprises the entire suite of templates used to initiate, plan, execute and close projects successfully. More than 50 Word and Excel templates comprising over 300 pages of helpful hints and real-life examples.
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Excel is the most widely used tool for every industry in terms of management, administration, analysis, planning, calculations, and much more. Undoubtedly, Excel is the first go-to tool for project management supported by handy grid formats and the ability to filter and formulate every kind of data to make it easy to use.
However, Excel can be more challenging for some aspects of project management, especially for beginners.
In this article, we will discuss the complete use of Excel for project management in detail.
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What is project management?
Depending upon the needs and task to be done, project management can have different definitions and meaning to different people. For some, it refers to a structured process and a formal discipline for managing across industry projects that are led by professional project managers. These formal projects shave distinct phases to make the entire life cycle of the project, including documentation, manufacturing, and validation a standardized procedure to follow.
However, others may take project management as those things that just need to get done — for example; planning an event, launching a product or an app, coordinating a process, or publishing something. Hence, different types of project management need managers to utilize various tools and methods. Also, when they are setting out new projects, the need the best set of tools to get the best out of them and excel is an essential element of that list.
Excel use cases in project management
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Excel can be used by individuals, companies and all sized organizations in every industry for an entire range of activities including;
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Data analysis
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Product manufacturing
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Business strategy
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Event planning
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Project management
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Brand management
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Budget tracking
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Inventory management
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Publishing scheduling
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Production processing
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Logistics
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Quality assurance
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Supply chain
“The reason for Excel being so popular is that the tool is flexible, work in many operational sectors, and highly acceptable among users. It is an ideal setting for both formal and informal projects and cost-effective as well.” Says Drake Russell, Quality Assurance Head at CrowdWriter.
How to start project management with Excel
Regardless you are working on a small project or a massive one, you need a list to lead with it. It is ideal for opening your Excel and sketching out the rough beginnings with your things-to-do list and assign tentative dates along with responsible teams to accomplish tasks. Excel grids offer an organic logic that helps to define functions that have to culminate into a finished project.
Secondly, formulas provided by Excel have apparent benefits to define column data, including finances and inventory management. More advanced features like Pivot tables are an ideal way to visualize concise data in a single spreadsheet.
Excel offers extremely valuable benefits for starting projects with a Work Breakdown Structure. Below is a list of things that you need to get started with Excel for your upcoming project’s management.
1) Define your project goals and deliverables in a statement of work or charter
2) Create a document to plan steps wise process
3) Start with a project or task tracking template
4) Add tasks and individually prioritize them
5) Add targets with the starting date and a deadline to each stage of the process
6) Distinct large tasks and activities with subtasks by rolling up rows underneath them
7) Plan and define the duration of each task and select timeline
Assign tasks to teams and individuals responsible for them
9) Complete the sheet and share with the authorized personnel
Invite other team leads as well to contribute efforts to set realistic goals and deadlines. By this, they will have a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.
Hence, once you are done with documentation, start with your task tracking list to get updates of every phase progression and to ensure successful delivery all way through.
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How to manage project management with Excel
“Starting managing a project with Excel opts you to go all the way around and manage an entire project at a single place.” Says Steve Scott, Operational Manager at PremiumJackets. It gives you a free hand to manage your project with the best approach depending upon the complexity of your project. There are unlimited templates available online to help you out with every kind of task to get done within minutes of accommodating data. Select accordingly and use them efficiently to get the most of this magical wind.
Pros and cons of Excel for project management
Anyone who has used Excel is well known for its frustrating aspects. Undoubtedly, it is a sophisticated tool that needs an expert to handle and keep it functional as per the requirements of customized tasks. Professionals know all of its ins and outs, and can get the best shortcut approach to make you spectacular and self-explanatory charts and graphs within minutes.
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As mentioned above, Excel is very complicated for the majority of its users. Most people are able to use some of its basic features to make spreadsheets, and some tasks may lead them to hair-pulling moments. Below are some issues reported by users for Excel:
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Time-consuming
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Hard to read
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Buggy crashes
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Complicated working
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Offline operation
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Version control issues
Starting with a blank sheet is often daunting, and when starting a new project, it can be really tough to decide how to structure a project data correctly. However, it may be surprising to know a good project management practice is having a myriad of Excel templates. It saves you a lot of time, energy, and money and enables you to jump into filling the data into pre-designed templates. However, before jumping to the world of templates, it is essential to know where Excel can facilitate you in your project management and where it is liable to make you frustrated.
Excel is ideal for project management activities, including:
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Task Tracking
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To-Do Lists
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Issues, Risks, and Changes Tracking
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Budget Management
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Pivot Table Reports
However, Excel is not ideal for project management activities, including:
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Team Management
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Collaboration
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Advanced Project Management
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Client or Stakeholder Management
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Real-time reporting
Therefore, Excel serves as an ultimate and unmatched tool to help you out with many complicated things. It saves you time, money, and energy. Fortunately, several project management tools offset Excel’s limitations.
Excel compatibility templates
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Excel is used in the majority of industries because of its overall utility. Mostly, users may need to import and export data from Excel to process information from other programming tools.
Also, it is essential to know how Excel can work with other programs with compatibility as it is often used for analytics and complex calculations to get the most of an available set of data.
Since Excel is the proud part of Microsoft Office Suite with PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and other business productivity tools, Microsoft has developed a project management software called Microsoft Project to facilitate it. The tool is designed for advanced project management and planning needs for enterprise level. Undoubtedly, Microsoft has proven to succeed itself in developing compatibility across all of the possible applications to ease the exchange of data.
Conclusion
As the format of Excel is widely used, it has to be compatible with a large pile of apps outside the ecosystem of Microsoft. Today, most of the project management software and programs provide the feature of importing and exporting data with synchronization. Hence if Excel can be an ideal project management tool along with the overly complicated program to handle at the same time, there are way outs that are easy to tackle and process tasks for users.
About the author
Liza Brooke is a qualified IT specialist and part time writer. She loves to work with unique project teams and explore new ways to contribute the developing IT industry.
