If you’ve used Microsoft Excel before, you’re aware of its large array of capabilities, including real-time data syncing, comprehensive sharing capabilities. As a result, it’s the perfect spreadsheet program for project management and collaboration with colleagues. The high level of cloud computing Microsoft Excel uses takes teamwork to a new level. The Project management template by Sheetgo is therefore the best way to create an entirely automated system using your Excel files. Let’s explore how the template works and how you can implement it into your operations in a matter of minutes.
Why use Microsoft Excel to manage expenses?
- Flexible: You can tailor Excel spreadsheets to your business’s specific demands and expectations. And best of all, you do not need any coding or software knowledge to adapt the Project management template in Excel to your needs.
- Accessible: All your data is accessible from anywhere in the world. You can share it with your colleagues so they can easily collaborate with you. This makes the Project management template in Excel completely accessible as long as you have an internet connection.
- Compatible: Microsoft Excel is easily compatible with any software you or a colleague might be using. Because of this, different departments of your company can import data into the Project management template in Excel with ease.
- Ease of use: Most of your staff are likely familiar with the use of spreadsheets which makes onboarding easier. As a result, an Excel-based project management template is perfect for both beginners and advanced users.
What is a spreadsheet-based workflow template?
A spreadsheet-based workflow template provides additional benefits to help optimize your operations. Here are just a few:
- Organization and data privacy: Each document is assigned to a certain activity, ensuring that information is kept safe and isolated. Every member of the team has their own spreadsheet within the Project management template in Excel. They can see what tasks they need to complete and track their progress within their file. The manager’s primary spreadsheet and dashboard get data from these files. Without having to contact team members, the supervisor can monitor the status of tasks in the automated Gannt chart.
- Scalability: Although you can easily share Excel files, this becomes more difficult as you store more data. On the other hand, the Excel template system will continue to run smoothly as data remains in distinct but connected spreadsheets. When you want to add a new member of the team to the process, you simply duplicate and share one of the collaborator spreadsheets with them.
- Integration: A spreadsheet-based workflow template enables managers to integrate and aggregate data from across the entire department, as well as import data from other tools. This data then comes together in the master sheet. You may combine your project management workflow with your accounting workflow (or a workflow from any other department) to produce a high-level report for supervisors.
What you get with this template
- 3 collaborator spreadsheets: Each spreadsheet is shared with a single team member. Here, they can view the personal task they have to complete. They input their progress status, which is then sent to the master sheet. You can duplicate this spreadsheet for as many members of your team.
- 1 project management sheet: Owned by the project manager. They assign tasks to other team members, and the task automatically transfers to the spreadsheet of the person responsible. Once the person responsible completes a task or changes the task status, this information automatically flows back to the master sheet. The manager then has an overview of real-time progress updates, thanks to the automatic Gantt chart dashboard.
How to get the Project management template for Excel
Project management
Google Sheets workflow template to allocate tasks, get status updates and track progress.
- Log into Sheetgo if you already have an account. Alternatively, sign up using Microsoft, Dropbox, or a Google account.
- Click on the Install template button and choose the platform you like to store the template copy.
- Wait for Sheetgo to set up your new workflow.
How to use the Project management template for Excel
Step 1: Choose your settings
Open up the Project management master sheet in Excel. Click on the Instructions tab. You should see a section called Inputs on the right-hand side of the sheet.
Adjust your settings in the boxes. This includes the project start date, Gannt view format, and the day of the week of which your work week starts.
Step 2: Input project tasks
Go to the WBS tab within the master sheet, and enter your project data by overwriting the sample data (columns E to G).
What is a WBS?
WBS is an abbreviation for Work Breakdown Structure. It’s a technique for breaking down a project into small, achievable chunks.
Organize the project by clicking on the WBS tap and filling out columns E to G: ‘Project’, ‘Sub-project’, and ‘Task title’. Here’s an example of breaking down a project into smaller steps:
Project: “Planning”
Sub-project: “Preliminary scope plan”
Task title: “Research”
Step 3: Enter the dependencies of the tasks
Now, input the dependency of each task in columns H and I. This lets you know whether a task can begin when another one starts (Start-to-start), or whether a task can only begin once another has been completed (Start-to-finish).
For example, in the screenshot below, you can see that task 1.5.1 can only begin once 1.1.1 has is complete.
Enter any dependencies of tasks in column H. Change the dependency relationship of your tasks by selecting an option from the dropdown menu in Column I.
Step 4: Select the duration of a task and the owner
Use column J to enter in how many days a task must be completed. Use column K to add the name of the task owner.
Step 5: Give the team member spreadsheets a new name
Rename the 3 collaborator spreadsheets to the names of your team members. To do this, simply head to Workflow, click on the File tab, select More options (⋮) > Rename for each spreadsheet.
Step 6: Update the connections
To send the new tasks to the spreadsheets of the corresponding task owners, click the Run button located in Workflow. All your spreadsheets are now up-to-date.
Step 7: Share files with your colleagues
It’s time to share the collaborator spreadsheets with your colleagues. Open each collaborator sheet, and click the Share button in the top right-hand corner.
Enter the email address of the collaborator and click Send.
Step 8: Enter your progress as a team member
Now the allocated task for each employee appears on their own spreadsheet, each employee can now enter their progress for each task as a percentage under column G.
Step 9: Automation of the workflow
Now that the system is set up and your team members are entering their progress, you can automate the workflow. This will cause information to flow automatically between the spreadsheets at a single or multiple moments of the day, making sure your Gantt chart and all spreadsheets are up to date.
Simply head to Workflow, and press the Automate button. Create a custom schedule by selecting the days and hours you wish to update your workflow. Once finished, click Save.
Step 10: Monitor progress
From the master sheet, you can now easily track the progress of all the tasks from the Gantt tab.
How you expand/add more files to your workflow
If your project is more complicated, you can always arrange a call with a Sheetgo automation expert who will help you create the exact workflow your company needs.
