Excel Template: Content Planning with Stock Control (Basic Version)

This Excel template is a streamlined, user-friendly tool designed to merge two critical operational functions—Content Planning and Stock Control—into a single, cohesive system. Tailored for small to medium-sized marketing teams, content creators, e-commerce businesses, or publishers managing physical/digital product launches tied to content calendars, the “Basic” version ensures simplicity without sacrificing functionality. Unlike advanced enterprise systems requiring integration or cloud subscriptions, this template operates entirely offline in Microsoft Excel and uses foundational formulas and formatting tools accessible to all users. It enables teams to align content creation schedules (blogs, social posts, videos) with inventory availability (physical products or digital assets), preventing mismatches such as promoting a product that is out of stock or scheduling a video review when the item hasn’t been shipped.

Sheet Names

• Content_Calendar: Primary sheet for planning content topics, deadlines, channels, and statuses.
• Inventory_Log: Tracks stock levels of products tied to content pieces.
• Mapping_Table: Links each content item to its corresponding inventory product SKU.
• DASHBOARD: Summary view displaying real-time alerts, inventory health, and content progress.

Table Structures & Columns

Content_Calendar Sheet:

Inventory_Log Sheet:

Mapping_Table Sheet:

Formulas Required

• In Content_Calendar!H2: =IF(D2>TODAY(), "Upcoming", IF(D2=TODAY(), "Today", "Past")) — Auto-classifies content timeline.
• In Inventory_Log!H2: =D2-E2 — Calculates buffer stock (Current - Safety).
• In Content_Calendar!I2: =IF(VLOOKUP(F2, Inventory_Log!A:D, 4, FALSE)
• In DASHBOARD!B3: =COUNTIF(Content_Calendar!E:E,"Published") — Total published content items.
• In DASHBOARD!B4: =SUMIFS(Inventory_Log!D:D, Inventory_Log!D:D,"<"&Inventory_Log!G:G) — Total products below reorder point.

Conditional Formatting Rules

• Content_Calendar! Column E: Green = Published, Yellow = Review/Approved, Red = Delayed.
• Inventory_Log! Column D: Light red fill if value is below Reorder_Point (G column).
• DASHBOARD! B4: Bold + red text if > 0, indicating inventory risk.

User Instructions

1. Begin by populating the Inventory_Log with all products and their current stock levels. Set Safety_Level and Reorder_Point based on historical demand.
2. In the Mapping_Table, link each Content_ID to its Product_SKU and assign a Promotion_Weight (High/Medium/Low).
3. Enter new content ideas in the Content_Calendar, ensuring every entry has a valid SKU.
4. The DASHBOARD will auto-update. Monitor red alerts: if “LOW STOCK ALERT” appears next to a planned post, pause promotion or restock immediately.
5. Update Current_Stock weekly or after each shipment/sale. Use simple subtraction: new stock = old stock – units sold.
6. Do not delete rows—use filtering to hide completed content instead.

Example Rows

Recommended Charts & Dashboards

• Pie Chart (DASHBOARD): Shows % of content types (Blog, Social, Video).
• Bar Chart: Compares Current_Stock vs Reorder_Point across top 10 products.
• Line Chart: Tracks inventory levels over the last 30 days for key SKUs linked to content.
• Alert Summary Box: Large red/green indicators showing “Inventory Risk: ON” or “OK” based on number of products below reorder point.

This Basic template transforms disjointed workflows into synchronized operations. By tying content deadlines to inventory realities, teams prevent lost sales, improve customer trust, and optimize production timing. It’s ideal for non-technical users who need clarity—not complexity—ensuring that every piece of content drives tangible business results.