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Top Google Sheets Project Management Templates in 2024

Managing projects effectively can be daunting, especially for those new to the process. However, with the advent of Google Sheets project management templates, the journey becomes smoother and more organized. 

These templates serve as powerful tools, aiding individuals and teams in structuring, tracking, and executing tasks efficiently. 

This article will delve into a collection of top Google Sheets project management templates designed to streamline your project planning and implementation process. 

But before we get into the specifics and show you a list of Google Sheets project management templates you can start exploring, let’s quickly understand what Google Sheets project management templates are and how they can help you simplify your job. 

What is a Project Management Template?

A project management template is a tool that provides the basic structure and frameworks to help manage key aspects of a project efficiently.

Templates contain well-formatted sheets, helpful formulas, charts, and visuals that allow you to plan and execute projects seamlessly. They save you time by removing the need to create these tools from scratch.

For example, a template may include:

  • Gantt charts to visualize timelines
  • Kanban boards to track progress
  • Budget sheets to monitor costs
  • Heatmaps to highlight task priority

Templates help you schedule tasks, allocate resources, track status, identify risks, manage budgets, and more. The visual elements provide insights so you can catch issues early. Thanks to being easily customizable, you can tailor templates to each project’s unique needs. 

And just so you know, there are templates for agile projects, complex programs, team collaboration, status reporting, and more.

What Makes a Good Project Management Template?

An effective project management template includes various elements to help seamlessly plan, execute, and monitor projects. Here are some key features of a robust template:

  • Visual timelines like Gantt charts to schedule tasks and view dependencies
  • Kanban boards or lists to organize work into digestible chunks
  • Log sheets to track status, progress, costs, risks, and other metrics
  • Charts and graphs to provide insights through data visualization
  • Customizable tables to add tasks, resources, deadlines, etc.
  • Color coding and heatmaps to highlight priorities and progress
  • Formulas and calculations for timelines, budgets, resource allocation, etc.
  • Instructions tab or page to guide usage and customization
  • Links to other integrated apps like email, docs, calendar, drives, etc.
  • Ability to share or collaborate on the template with teams

The right template structures your project information visually and logically. It centralizes all the necessary project management disciplines – scheduling, cost management, task management, progress tracking, reporting, etc.

An intuitive, feature-rich template allows you to execute projects smoothly. It provides a single source of truth for project information that is easily accessible. With the right template, you can plan and implement projects successfully.

Why Should You Use Google Sheets Project Management Templates

Google Sheets project management templates offer a host of benefits that make them a smart choice for planning and tracking projects. Here are some of the key reasons you should use Google Sheets templates for your project management needs:

  • Easy to use: Google Sheets is intuitive and user-friendly. The templates provide pre-built frameworks that are simple to understand and use, even for beginners.
  • Customizable: The templates can be easily customized to suit your specific project requirements. You can add or remove elements as needed.
  • Visually appealing: Google Sheets allows for colors, fonts, graphs, and more to create visually appealing templates. This makes them easier to understand at a glance.
  • Shareable:  The templates can be easily shared with your team for real-time collaboration and updates.
  • Accessible: You can access Google Sheets templates from any device via the cloud. This enables easy remote collaboration.
  • Free: Google Sheets is free to use, letting you save on software costs.
  • Automated: The templates allow you to automate repetitive tasks through features like formulas.
  • Integrations: Google Sheets integrates seamlessly with other workspace apps like Google Calendar, Drive, Gmail, etc.
  • Analytics: Built-in analytics help generate data-driven insights to enhance project management.

Accessing Google Sheets Template Gallery: Step-by-Step

Before diving into some of the best Google Sheets project management templates, let’s show you how to access the Google Sheets template gallery. This is where you’ll find a wide selection of ready-made project management templates.

Google Sheets has a large template gallery with professionally designed templates for calendars, invoices, time sheets, budgets, Gantt charts, and more. 

Here are the steps to find and open project management templates from this gallery:

  1. Open Google Sheets by entering sheets.google.com in your browser.
  1. Click on ‘Template gallery’ in the top right corner.
  1. You will now see the template gallery with various categories. Look for the ‘Project Management’ section.
  1. Browse through the project management templates and click on one to open it.
  1. You can now customize the opened template for your specific needs.

Optionally, you can also open a new template directly from your worksheet by going to File > New > From Template Gallery.

With these simple steps, you can access a wide variety of pre-made Google Sheets templates for all your project management needs. Now, let’s look at some of the best templates for project scheduling, resource planning, budgeting, and more.

Best Free Google Sheets Project Management Templates

Exploring the realm of project management tools reveals a myriad of options, ranging from premium software to free, customizable templates. While renowned platforms like Unito and Clickup offer comprehensive solutions, there’s a hidden gem in the form of Google Sheets project management templates. 

These free, adaptable templates offer a flexible and accessible approach for individuals seeking personalized project management solutions.

Below, we’ve curated a selection of six exceptional Google Sheets project management templates that stand out as powerful assets for effective project management. Each template serves as a versatile tool, empowering users to tailor their project workflows to meet specific needs. 

Let’s dive into these handpicked templates that can transform how you manage projects.

Gantt Chart Template

Click Here to Copy This Template

The Gantt Chart template in Google Sheets is an excellent tool for visualizing and tracking your project schedule. It lets you break down your entire project into tasks and subtasks, each represented as a bar on a timeline.

The position and length of each bar indicate the start date, duration, and end date of that particular task. This allows you to see task sequencing and dependencies at a glance. You can view where tasks overlap and estimate the minimum time required to complete the project based on the task schedules.

The template also includes a heat map showing each task’s percentage completion in different colors. This lets you monitor the progress and status of all tasks simultaneously. As you update the template, the Gantt chart reflects changes in real time.

Overall, the visual timeline provides an overview of your project from end to end. Instead of having to imagine task sequencing and timelines, the Gantt chart presents it visually for better planning.

Key Features

  • Break down projects into tasks, subtasks, and phases
  • The visual timeline shows start dates, durations, and end dates
  • View task dependencies and overlaps
  • The heat map indicates the percentage completion
  • Real-time updates to reflect changes
  • Estimate total project timeline

If you’re looking for an efficient way to schedule and track your projects, try this Gantt Chart template. Its visual representation makes project planning much more intuitive.

Get started with this project management template by accessing it via the link below.

Project Timeline Template

Click Here to Copy This Template

The Project Timeline template in Google Sheets by SmartSheet enables you to break down your project into manageable phases and tasks.

You can define project phases on a weekly basis and further break down each phase into granular day-to-day tasks. This phased approach helps you plan large, complex projects into bite-sized pieces.

The template also allows you to map out task sequencing and timelines in detail using the grid view. You can track progress by updating tasks as you complete them.

Key Features

  • Break projects into weekly phases
  • Define tasks for each phase day-by-day
  • View task sequence and timelines
  • Track progress by updating tasks
  • Plan and execute projects seamlessly

With capabilities to schedule projects and track progress, this Google Sheets project management template is great for project planning and execution.

Ready to try this Project Timeline template to see if it simplifies your tasks? Click the link below to access this template right away. 

Project Tracking Template

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The Project Tracking template in Google Sheets acts as a central dashboard to monitor your project’s key details all in one place.

It allows you to log tasks, deliverables, due dates, assignees, status, and priority for each project. What is incredibly unique about this Google Sheets project management template is that it comes with built-in formulas that auto-calculate metrics like percent completed, costs, and time spent per task.

With this centralized view, you can get a high-level snapshot of where each project stands. Track overall progress across all current tasks and deliverables. View key stats like costs, hours, and resource allocation at a glance. Filter and prioritize tasks so you can focus on critical items first.

Let us also quickly add that the template provides visibility into task and project status so you feel less overwhelmed. And guess what? All the necessary calculations are built-in, so you don’t have to set them up yourself.

Key Features

  • A centralized dashboard to track all projects
  • Log tasks, deliverables, due dates, assignees
  • Formulas for progress, costs, time tracking
  • Filter and prioritize tasks
  • At-a-glance view of key stats per project
  • Ready-made template without setup needed

This automated project tracking template allows you to monitor status, progress, and costs without hassle. By leveraging this Google Sheets project management template, you can finally spend less time managing data and more time executing projects efficiently.

Ready to try this project tracking template to see if it lives up to the hype? Click the link below to access this template now. 

Event Marketing Timeline Template Overview

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The Event Marketing Timeline template in Google Sheets is designed to help you plan and execute marketing activities leading up to an event launch or promotion.

With this template, you can detail your event marketing timeline and all associated tasks. You can even break down activities on a weekly or monthly basis spanning pre-event, during-event, and post-event stages.

It includes an overview dashboard to visualize your overall timeline. Log tasks such as social media posts, email campaigns, influencer outreach, PR activities, etc, under each phase.

The template also provides a task-tracking grid to monitor the progress of your activities as the event approaches. Thanks to this template, you are sure to stay on top of assignments, due dates, budget, and other details.

With the Event Marketing Timeline template, you can strategize, schedule, and track all marketing efforts to drive awareness and engagement for your event.

Key Features

  • Breakdown event promo timeline into phases
  • Log tasks for pre-event, during, and post-event stages
  • Task tracking grid to monitor progress
  • View the timeline & tasks on the overview dashboard
  • Track assignees, due dates, and budget for tasks
  • Plan and execute marketing efforts seamlessly

Take the guesswork out of event marketing with this template. Schedule and execute campaigns efficiently leading up to your big day.

Want to see how this Google Sheets project management template can simplify your tasks? Feel free to access it by clicking the link below.

Project Budget Template 

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The Project Budget template from Vertex42 is an excellent tool for tracking project costs and managing your budget.

This template allows you to log all project income and expenses – both internal funds and external sources. You can define line item budgets and track actual spending against those budgets.

We love that this Google Sheets project management template comes loaded with useful indicators that help you visually monitor how actual costs deviate from your defined budget so you can catch overages early.

Additionally, the template provides a detailed overview of the total budget versus the total cost for clear reporting. You can use it to provide in-depth budget reports and monitor project profitability.

With this template, you can closely manage project budgets, track real spending, and ensure you have visibility into the financial health of your project.

Key Features

  • Log income & expenses from all sources
  • Define budgets for line item costs
  • Track actual spending against budgets
  • Visual indicators for budget overages
  • Detailed reporting of total budget vs. costs
  • Monitor project financials closely

If your job entails controlling project budgeting and cost tracking, you’ll not be disappointed to give this Google Sheets project management template a try. It is the most comprehensive template we have come across. 

Click the link below to access this remarkable template. 

Action List with Ranking Template Overview

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The Action List with Ranking template from Vertex42 is great for prioritizing project tasks.

This template allows you to log all your action items and rank them on a scale of 2 to 6 based on importance. The ranks are displayed as a heat map so you can visually identify high-priority tasks at a glance.

You can also color-code tasks by difficulty level and value to communicate complexity and impact to your team. Useful progress bars let you and your team quickly monitor work completed versus pending.

With this template, you can easily separate mission-critical tasks from less important ones. It also ensures your team focuses on the right activities at the right time for maximum results.

Using this brilliant Google Sheets project management template, anyone can prioritize work intelligently, delegate better based on skills and difficulty, and keep projects moving smoothly. 

Key Features

  • Log all action items
  • Rank tasks 2-6 based on priority
  • Heatmap to visualize priority
  • Color-code by difficulty and value
  • Progress bars to indicate work status
  • Intelligent task prioritization

By leveraging this Google Sheets project management template, you can finally stop struggling with disorganized task lists. Finally, you can prioritize your project actions like a pro with this template. 

Ready to explore this template and access some of its brilliant features? Click the link below to gain hassle-free access.

Getting Started With These Project Management Templates – 3 Easy Steps

The beauty of these Google Sheets project management templates is that they are incredibly simple and intuitive to use. You don’t need any specialized training to start benefiting from these templates.

Most templates provide detailed onboarding instructions on how to set up, customize, and utilize the features optimally. Even as a beginner, you can be up and running in no time.

Here are the 3 easy steps to get started:

  1. Access – Simply click the link provided to access each template. Use the steps outlined earlier to open templates from the Google Sheets template gallery.
  1. Copy – Make a copy of the template in your Google Drive account so you can edit it. Do not request access – just hit copy.
  1. Customize – Review the instructions tab on the template. Follow the steps to add your tasks, timelines, resources, etc. Customize charts, colors, and fonts as needed.

And that’s it – you are ready to manage your projects with a powerful template customized to your needs. No need for any specialized training.

These Google Sheets project management templates make project management intuitive. 

Additionally, SmartSheet templates provide additional videos for guidance. With these robust and easy-to-use Google Sheets templates, you have all the tools to take your projects to the next level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use Google Sheets for project management?

Yes, Google Sheets is an excellent platform for project management. Their flexible spreadsheets allow you to create customized templates to plan, execute, and track projects. 

You can build task lists, Gantt charts, budget sheets, Kanban boards, and more to suit all project needs. There are also pre-made templates you can use.

How do I create a project management plan in Google Sheets?

Start by identifying all the key deliverables and milestones for your project. Then, break these down into individual tasks and subtasks. 

Next, map out task dependencies and sequences using a Gantt chart. Define resources needed, budgets, risks, and constraints. Use sheets to track progress on tasks, costs, changes, etc. Share the template with your team for collaboration.

How do I use the Project Timeline Template in Google Sheets?

Open a new Google Sheet and go to File > New > From Template Gallery. Search for “Project Management” and open the Project Timeline template. 

Make a copy in your Drive. Review template instructions. Add your project phases and tasks to the sheet. Use the Gantt chart to map out task schedules and relationships. Customize colors, fonts, add logos, etc. Share with your team to start collaborating. 

What are the best practices for project management using Google Sheets?

Some best practices include: Break down projects into tasks > Visualize schedules using Gantt charts > Log all tasks, dates, status, etc. > Assign owners > Use charts to monitor progress > Share templates for collaboration > Set notifications for deadlines > Customize sheets for each project > Automate repetitive tasks.

How do you track a project in Google Sheets?

Create a project tracker sheet with columns for tasks, owner, start/end dates, status, priority, notes, etc. 

Set conditional formatting to highlight impending deadlines. Use drop-downs to select status. Insert a Gantt chart to visualize the schedule. Share the template with team members so everyone can update status. Use a stacked bar chart to indicate project progress.

Final Thoughts

Google Sheets provides a free yet powerful platform for creating customized project management templates. The right templates will help you execute projects efficiently by standardizing tools and workflows.

Whether you need to map out timelines, assign resources, track tasks, or manage budgets, there is likely a Google Sheets template to suit your needs. Many templates come with detailed instructions so even beginners can get started quickly.

Leverage the visual elements in Google Sheets like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and dashboards to gain insights into your projects. The ability to share these Google Sheets project management templates makes real-time collaboration seamless.

Today’s guide provided you with a list of top free Google Sheets project management templates you can leverage for your projects. Simply copy the templates to gain seamless access. These templates are a great starting point for finding a solution for your projects and team.

With the power of Google Sheets and these ready-made templates, you have all the tools needed to start managing projects like a pro. Simplify planning, streamline execution, and enhance collaboration on your next project using these templates.