Free Project Schedule Templates

By Kate Eby | September 12, 2019

In this article, you’ll find all the project schedule templates you need to get started. We’ve included project schedule templates in Gantt, timeline, and list formats that cover high-level project overviews and monthly and weekly schedules.

Included on this page, you’ll find a simple project schedule template, a project management schedule template with Gantt chart, a multiple project dashboard template, a construction project schedule timeline template, and a design project schedule template.

Project Schedule Template

Project Schedule Template

 

Download Project Schedule Template

  Microsoft Excel  | Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Sheets | Smartsheet

With this project schedule template, you can track delivery dates and add custom phases to a color-coded Gantt chart. You can also Include notes on the schedule, budget, project resources, and project risks, and add additional comments. Leverage this overview template for project portfolio management.

To find out more about ensuring that your project schedules are fully optimized, see this definitive guide on project scheduling.

Project Management Template with Gantt Schedule Creation

 

Project Management with Gantt Schedule Template

Download Project Management Schedule Template with Gantt Chart

Microsoft ExcelGoogle SheetsSmartsheet

If you are managing a large project with many resources, you probably want to view schedule changes in real time and share updates with your team. Use this customizable project management schedule template with a customizable, color-coded Gantt chart to track tasks, assignees, due dates, and task completion by project phase.

Read our article on project schedule management to find additional templates and resources and learn about optimizing your project schedules.

Master Project Schedule Template

Master Project Schedule Template

Download Master Project Schedule Template

  Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

Project managers leverage the work breakdown structure (WBS) and the project timeline to create the project schedule. To get started with this master project schedule template, add your WBS component ID numbers, task names, start and end dates, task duration, and assignee to the chart, and the template will automatically create a project overview with the timeline. In the Smartsheet version, select the Critical Path button to highlight essential tasks.

 

One-Page Project Schedule Template

One-Page Project Schedule Template

Download One-Page Project Schedule Template

Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Google Docs 

Use this single-page, print-friendly project schedule template to assign team members to each project task, schedule start and end dates, and note task status. Enter project name, project manager, key project deliverable, scope details, and project start and end dates. The template provides you with an Overall Progress section to note percentage complete, so that you can easily track your overall project progress.

Project Timeline Template

Project Timeline Template PowerPoint

Download Project Timeline Template

  Microsoft Excel | Microsoft PowerPoint

A project implementation plan schedule is essential for overseeing the progress of projects, project phases, and sub-tasks. Customize this project schedule template with the built-in Gantt timeline to track multiple projects or major tasks at once, note the task start and end dates, task duration, assignee, and milestones, and manually flag overdue items.

Multiple Project Dashboard Template

Multiple Project Dashboard Template

Download Multiple Project Dashboard Template

Microsoft Excel | Microsoft PowerPoint

Dashboards offer high-level project schedule views to help you stay up to date on impending deadlines. Use this multiple project schedule dashboard template to quickly track progress for a project portfolio or more than one project.

Monthly Gantt Project Schedule Template

Monthly Gantt Project Schedule Template

Download Monthly Gantt Project Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

In project management, it’s crucial that the manager has a 50,000-foot view, while the team can benefit from a more detailed picture of the schedule. This colorful monthly project schedule highlights the active phases of the project by month. Manually position each colored bar and drag it to cover the applicable dates. Display this template on a monitor in a common area or share it in a project-related online space.

Weekly Schedule Template

Project Weekly Schedule Template

Download Weekly Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets

Designed for the individual team member, this weekly schedule template provides a clear view of pending and completed tasks. A task list such as this can also serve as a record of efforts for each team member when they’re completing quarterly reviews or revising a resume.

To ensure that you optimize your weekly schedules, download free weekly schedule templates.

Construction Project Schedule Timeline Template

Construction Project Timeline Template

 

Download Construction Project Schedule Timeline Template

Microsoft Excel  | Google Sheets | Smartsheet

This construction project schedule template provides a construction timeline for building a new house. However, you can customize the phases and tasks to reflect other types of construction endeavors. In addition to capturing administrative details, such as the project manager’s name and the planned project duration, this template lists each activity, its status, the assignee, the activity start and end dates, and the duration. Finally, the template includes space for comments for each task.

To learn more, download free construction schedule templates, and find free equipment scheduling templates.

Marketing Timeline Template

Download Marketing Timeline Template

Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

Marketing initiatives also require project management schedules, and timelines can help you visualize the deadlines for the various forms of marketing content. Simply add the task name and the start and end dates, and the timeline will automatically display the duration and any overlapping tasks.

 

Sample Project Schedule Template

Sample Project Schedule Template

Download Sample Project Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets 

Use this sample project schedule template with example copy to visualize project task due dates, milestones, and deliverables. The template provides a timeline that is broken down into five phases with sample text, including Conception and Initiation, Definition and Planning, Launch / Execution, Performance and Control, and Project Close. A Delivery Timeline Gantt chart provides you with a color-coded, presentation-friendly visual overview of your project’s scheduled tasks, phases, and overall progress.  

For more resources, check out our roundup of free Google Sheets scheduling templates.

Project Delivery Schedule Template

Project Delivery Schedule Template

Download Project Delivery Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets 

Use this customizable project delivery schedule template to manage schedules for projects of all sizes, and to share out visually-rich updates on project progress. For each individual project task, enter a unique task ID, title, owner, and start and end dates. In the Pct of Task Complete section, track task-by-task progress to completion, and use the Gantt chart to visually represent the progress of your project’s phases and individual tasks.

Project Task Schedule Template

Project Task Schedule Template

Download Project Schedule Task Template 

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets

Use this project schedule task template to schedule each project task, and ensure that you complete each one successfully. For each task, set status, priority, deadline, task name, assignee, description, deliverable, and percentage complete. The template also includes a unique Cost/Hours section for you to enter any task-specific fixed costs, and estimated and actual hours for improved project budgeting.

Project Crashing Template

Project Crashing Template

Download Project Crashing Template

Microsoft Excel | Smartsheet

Use this project crashing template to easily compress your project’s schedule (known as project crashing) without altering its scope. The template assists you in reestablishing more effective time management, which will help to lower project costs. This way, you can keep your project fast-tracked, and make scheduling adjustments that are reflected in this template’s visually-rich Gantt and pie charts.

Project Hours Template

Project Hours Template

Download Project Hours Template

Microsoft Excel | Adobe PDF

Easily track all estimated and actual project hours with this comprehensive project hours template. This fully customizable template allows you to write your own abbreviation legend for employees’ roles, and then track each individual employee’s hours on a day-by-day and week-by-week basis. The Total Hours column calculates total project hours spent, so that you can readjust your project budget and reallocate project resources as needed. 

Visit our roundup of free daily schedule templates for more resources.

High-Level Project Schedule Template

High-Level Project Schedule Template

Download High-Level Project Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF

Use this high-level project schedule template to plan week-by-week project features and task work, and present your project’s “big picture” to project sponsors. Enter project name, project manager, start and end dates, and individual task or feature durations and deadlines. You can also customize a color-coded Stakeholder Key, so that any project stakeholder can see each team member’s progress at a glance.

Preliminary Project Schedule Template

Preliminary Project Schedule Template

Download Preliminary Project Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets

Proactively anticipate your project’s scheduling needs with this preliminary project schedule template. Use the Project Conception and Initiation and Project Definition and Planning sections to ensure that you’ve created a substantial project charter, performed adequate research, and established scope and goals. Use this template to plan all project schedule components, so that you’re fully prepared for the next project launch and performance monitoring stages. 

For more preliminary project planning resources, see this article on free Excel project plan templates.

Project Work Schedule Template

Project Work Schedule Template

Download Project Work Schedule Template

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets

Use this project work schedule template to break down your project’s stages and features into individual scheduled tasks. This customizable template includes pre-built Initiation, Development, Operations, and Launch sections, which you can easily edit to fit your project’s needs. Represent project progress with the task-by-task bar chart — simply adjust the start and end dates, and the information will cascade down the four project stages.

Project Management Timetable Template

Project Management Timetable Template

Download Project Management Timetable Template

Microsoft Excel | Google Sheets 

Account for all project schedule components with this easy-to-use, visually dynamic project timeline template. The template assists you in scheduling project tasks and milestones with a unique, phase-by-phase approach (e.g., Phase One: Project Conception and Initiation). You can also monitor project tasks over a longer period of time with the template’s built-in month-by-month and quarter-by-quarter columns.

Design Project Schedule Template

Design Project Schedule Template

Download Design Project Schedule Template

Microsoft PowerPoint | Google Slides

Use this presentation-ready design project schedule template to design your initial project stages – from research and analysis to gathering requirements and design to final project launch. Customize this visually rich template to fit the needs of your project, and share it with project sponsors and team members to get input on designing your unique project’s schedule. 

For more project calendar resources, see this article on free project calendar templates.

What Is a Project Schedule?

A project schedule usually appears in a graphic format and describes the expected dates for completing tasks and achieving milestones. A project schedule also records the expected duration for each activity and the logical order of activities. A well-considered project schedule helps you and your team meet deadlines while managing resources.

What Is a Project Schedule Template? 

A project schedule template provides a timeline framework for you to schedule all project-component phases and individual project tasks. Use a project schedule template as a guide to plan and track your project’s development and execution.  

Regardless of the complexity of your project, a schedule is an essential document for communicating what you must finish and when, and for planning and monitoring your project. Use planning resources to create an initial or baseline schedule, and then measure progress against this planned timeline. Review any problems that arise or change requests that are submitted against the baseline schedule, and update the document to reflect these changes.

A project schedule template typically includes the following components: 

  • Project Name: Enter the name of the project. 
  • Project Manager: Enter the name of the project manager. 
  • Project Start and End Dates: Enter the project’s start and end dates. 
  • Project Phases: List the phases of your project.
  • Project Tasks: List the specific tasks that need to be completed by the end of the project.  
  • Task Start Date: Provide a start date for each individual task. 
  • Task End Date: Add an end date for each individual task. 
  • Task Duration: Review the task duration (the time between task start and end dates) to ensure the task owner has adequate time to successfully complete it. 
  • Project Notes: List any phase or task-specific project scheduling notes as they pertain to schedule, budget, resources, risks, or any other issues that may arise.
  • Comments: Add any other details related to the scheduled project phase or task. 

Some more in-depth project schedule templates also include the following components: 

  • Assignee: Add the name of the individual responsible for completing each individual project task (i.e., the task owner). 
  • Status: Select a status for the individual task (e.g., not started, in progress, completed, etc.).
  • Priority: Enter a priority level for the individual project task (e.g., high, medium, or low).
  • Project Deliverable: Provide a brief description of the main project deliverable(s).  
  • Overall Progress: Enter the overall percentage of project complete.   
  • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Number: Assign a WBS number, also called a task ID, to make it easier to reference and track each task. 
  • Deadline: Enter any crucial task or feature-specific deadlines for the project. 
  • Percentage of Task Complete: List the percentage of each task complete.  
  • Milestones: List the key milestones for the project, and indicate the specific points in your project schedule that need to be met.

Build Powerful Project Schedules with Smartsheet for Project Management

From simple task management and project planning to complex resource and portfolio management, Smartsheet helps you improve collaboration and increase work velocity -- empowering you to get more done. 

The Smartsheet platform makes it easy to plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere, helping your team be more effective and get more done. Report on key metrics and get real-time visibility into work as it happens with roll-up reports, dashboards, and automated workflows built to keep your team connected and informed.

When teams have clarity into the work getting done, there’s no telling how much more they can accomplish in the same amount of time. Try Smartsheet for free, today.

 

 

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