Research Management - Chore Chart - Basic

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Research Management Chore Chart – Basic Excel Template

This Basic Research Management Chore Chart is a streamlined, intuitive Excel template designed to help research teams — from graduate students to lab managers — track daily, weekly, and recurring tasks essential for the smooth operation of academic or industrial research projects. While traditionally “chore charts” are associated with households or children’s routines, this adaptation reimagines the concept for professional research environments. It transforms mundane but critical responsibilities into visualized workflows, ensuring accountability and preventing overlooked tasks that may derail data collection, sample preservation, equipment calibration, or compliance reporting.

Sheet Names

The template consists of three structured sheets:

Chore Log: The primary data entry sheet where all research-related chores are recorded.
Task Library: A reference sheet containing standardized chore templates with descriptions, frequency, and responsible roles.
Summary Dashboard: A visual summary showing progress, overdue tasks, and workload distribution using charts and conditional indicators.

Table Structures & Columns

The Chore Log sheet contains the following table structure with defined data types:

When the task was assigned.

Deadline for completion, calculated based on frequency (daily, weekly, monthly).

Status options: Not Started / In Progress / Completed / Overdue.

Date task was completed — auto-filled when status is set to “Completed”.

Any observations, issues, or results related to the chore.

Pull from Task Library: Daily / Weekly / Monthly / One-time.

Column	Data Type	Description
A: Task ID	Number (Auto-increment)	Unique identifier for each chore instance.
B: Chore Name	Text	Name of the task pulled from Task Library (e.g., “Calibrate pH Meter”).
C: Responsible Person	Text (Dropdown)	Name of researcher assigned to the chore.
D: Assigned Date	Date
E: Due Date	Date
F: Status	Text (Dropdown)
G: Completion Date	Date (Optional)
H: Notes	Text
I: Frequency	Text (Dropdown)

The Task Library contains:

Daily / Weekly / Monthly.

Average time required to complete the chore.

e.g., “Cell Culture”, “Spectroscopy”, “Data Analysis”.

List of tools or instruments needed (e.g., “Autoclave, gloves, ethanol”).

e.g., “Wear goggles”, “Biohazard waste only”.

Column	Data Type	Description
A: Chore Name	Text	e.g., “Clean laminar flow hood”.
B: Frequency	Text (Dropdown)
C: Estimated Time (min)	Number
D: Department	Text
E: Required Equipment	Text
F: Safety Requirements	Text

Formulas Required

In column E (Due Date): =IF([@Frequency]="Daily", TODAY()+1, IF([@Frequency]="Weekly", TODAY()+7, IF([@Frequency]="Monthly", TODAY()+30, "")))
In column G (Completion Date): =IF([@Status]="Completed", TODAY(), "")
In column F (Status) with data validation: Dropdown list from “Not Started”, “In Progress”, “Completed”, “Overdue”.
Conditional status update formula in a helper column: =IF(AND([@Status]<>"Completed", [@Due Date]



Conditional Formatting

    Overdue Tasks: Red fill if Status = “Overdue”.
    In Progress: Yellow highlight if Status = “In Progress” and Due Date is within 1 day.
    Completed Tasks: Light green fill for rows where Status = “Completed”.
    Dates Overdue: Red border on Due Date column if date < TODAY() and status ≠ Completed.


User Instructions

    Set Up Team Members: Populate the “Responsible Person” dropdown in Chore Log with names of all researchers.
    Add Tasks: In the Task Library, add recurring research chores relevant to your lab/project. Use consistent naming (e.g., “Replace HPLC column”, “Back up sequencing data”).
    Assign Chores: In the Chore Log, use the dropdown menus to select a Chore Name and Responsible Person. The Due Date auto-calculates based on Frequency.
    Update Status Daily: At end of each workday, update “Status” column. Mark as “Completed” and the Completion Date auto-fills.
    Review Dashboard Weekly: Use the Summary Dashboard to identify bottlenecks or underutilized team members.


Example Rows
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    Task ID Chore Name Responsible Person Assigned Date Due Date Status
    
        101 Clean laminar flow hood Alex Chen 2024-05-27 2024-05-28 Completed
        102 Calibrate pH meter Sarah Kim 2024-05-27 2024-05-31 In Progress
        103 Back up genomics data Jamal Wright 2024-05-26 2024-05-31 (Overdue) Overdue
    


Recommended Charts & Dashboard Elements
The Summary Dashboard should include:

    Pie Chart: % of tasks by status (Completed, Overdue, In Progress).
    Bar Chart: Number of tasks per researcher — identifies workload imbalance.
    List of Overdue Tasks: Scrollable table pulling from filtered “Overdue” entries.
    KPI Card: Total tasks assigned, completed, overdue (using COUNTIFS).


This Basic Research Management Chore Chart is not merely a task tracker — it's a cultural tool that fosters transparency, reduces cognitive load in complex research environments, and ensures compliance with protocols. By treating routine lab chores as non-negotiable research activities — just like experiments or data analysis — teams significantly reduce operational failures. This template’s simplicity makes it ideal for small labs or early-stage projects where advanced software is not feasible.

Task ID	Chore Name	Responsible Person	Assigned Date	Due Date	Status
101	Clean laminar flow hood	Alex Chen	2024-05-27	2024-05-28	Completed
102	Calibrate pH meter	Sarah Kim	2024-05-27	2024-05-31	In Progress
103	Back up genomics data	Jamal Wright	2024-05-26	2024-05-31 (Overdue)	Overdue

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