Excel Project Plan Template – An Organized Planner

Excel Project Plan Template

An excel project plan template consists of a statement of work, a list of resources, a project schedule, a WBS (work breakdown structure), and a risk plan. Its scope includes the project objectives, deliverables, and key milestones. It also includes the business need and business problem. The baseline of the project is made in the project plan. 

Excel Project Plan Timeline Template

An excel project plan timeline template is either simple or complex according to the need. There could be either a timeline or a Gantt Chart that focuses on the goals and objectives of the project. Its often used in a project management context. There are 5 stages of the project: 

1. Initiation
2. Planning 
3. Execution
4. Monitoring 
5. Project close. 

How to Create a Project Plan?

There are several steps to creating an excel project plan template such as:

• Firstly, explain the project to key stakeholders, then define the goals and then get initial buy-in. 
• List out all the goals, align OKRs, and outline the project. 
• Then create a project scope document. 
• Craft a detailed project schedule. 
• Define the roles, resources, and responsibilities. 
• Then define the communication and Check-in process.
• Plan for it if not going as planned. 
• Then, in the end, throw a lunch party. 

Excel Project Plan Template

Excel project plan template enables a person to do the following things:

• Enter the tasks and the activities.
• Create a unique ID for each task 
• Track planned start and end dates against actual end date
• Enter task duration or workdays planned. 
• See workdays elapsed 
• Then calculator workdays remaining 
• View the workdays that overrun. 

How to Create a Project Plan In Excel. 

The way to create a project plan in excel is:

• Create a Table
• Then make several columns that are needed for entering important information about the project with the following headings. 
• ID
• Start Date
• Planned end date 
• Actual End date
• Workdays planned
• Workdays elapsed 
• Workdays remain
• Workdays overrun 

10 Steps to Write Good Project Plan

There are 10 steps to write a good project plan such as:

1. Explain the project plan to key stakeholders and discuss its key components briefly. This will make the vision and mission clear about the project and set certain standards to achieve the overall goal of the project. 
2. Define roles and responsibilities for each key stakeholder separately. For example:

• • The project sponsor owns and funds the entire project. 
  • Designated business experts who define their requirements for the end project. 
  • Project manager, who creates, executes, and controls the project plan. 
  • Project team, who build the end product. 
  • End users, who use the end product. 
  • Others, such as auditors, procurement specialists, and so on may also participate in the project. 

3. Hold a kickoff meeting which is an effective way to bring stakeholders together to discuss the entire project and the planning process. 
4. Develop a scope statement.
5. Develop the scope baseline.
6. Develop the schedule and cost baselines.
7. Create a baseline management plan. 
8. Develop the staffing plan
9. Analyze the project quality and risk 
10. Communicate for best performance in the project.