Project Plan - Tracking View

Purpose: Strategy Planning | Template Type: Project Plan

Last Updated: October 5, 2023

Excel Template for Strategy Planning: Project Plan (Tracking View)

This comprehensive Excel template is specifically designed for strategic planning within project management contexts, combining the structured approach of a Project Plan with the dynamic oversight capabilities of a Tracking View. Tailored to support long-term organizational objectives, this template enables teams and leaders to align daily operations with overarching business strategies while maintaining real-time visibility into progress, risks, and dependencies. The integration of strategy planning with project tracking ensures that every task contributes meaningfully to strategic goals.

Sheet Names

The template contains five main sheets:

1. 1. Strategy Map: A high-level visual representation of organizational goals, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
2. 2. Project Plan (Tracking View): The primary working sheet where all project tasks, timelines, owners, and status are tracked.
3. 3. Timeline Gantt Chart: A visual Gantt chart derived from the tracking view for easy progress monitoring.
4. 4. Risk & Dependency Log: A dedicated log to track potential risks and inter-project dependencies.
5. 5. Dashboard Overview: An executive summary dashboard showing KPIs, task completion rates, and milestone status at a glance.

Table Structure and Columns (Project Plan - Tracking View)

The core sheet, Project Plan (Tracking View), uses a structured table format with the following columns:

Formulas Required

To ensure accurate and dynamic tracking, the following formulas are implemented across the sheet:

• Progress (%) Calculation:
  =IF([@Status]="Completed", 100%, IF([@Status]="Not Started", 0%, IF(AND([@Start Date] <= TODAY(), [@End Date] >= TODAY()), (TODAY() - [@Start Date]) / (DATEDIF([@Start Date], [@End Date], "d") + 1) * 100, 50%)))
• Risk Level Auto-Assignment:
  =IF(OR([@Status]="On Hold", [@Priority]="High", [@Progress (%)]<20, TODAY()>[@End Date]), "High", IF([@Progress (%)]<50, "Medium", "Low"))
• Days Remaining:
  =IF(OR([@Status]="Completed", [@Status]="On Hold"), 0, MAX(0, [@End Date] - TODAY()))
• Task Status (Color-Coded):
  Uses conditional formatting based on the above formulas and status.

Conditional Formatting Rules

Dynamic visual cues are applied using Excel’s conditional formatting:

• Status Color Coding: Red for “On Hold”, Yellow for “In Progress”, Green for “Completed”.
• Risk Level Highlighting: High risk tasks are highlighted in red; medium in yellow; low in green.
• Overdue Tasks: If current date exceeds End Date and status is not “Completed,” cells turn bright red.
• Progress Bar Visualization: A data bar is applied to the "Progress (%)" column for visual progress indication.

User Instructions

1. Begin by populating the Strategy Map sheet with high-level strategic objectives and their respective KPIs.
2. In the Project Plan (Tracking View), add each task, linking it to a specific strategy objective via the dropdown menu.
3. Set realistic start and end dates. The template will auto-calculate progress based on current date.
4. Update the Status and Progress (%) fields regularly—ideally weekly—to reflect actual work completed.
5. Use the Risk & Dependency Log to document external risks (e.g., supply chain delays) or internal dependencies between tasks.
6. The dashboard will automatically update with KPIs, task completion trends, and risk alerts as data is entered.

Example Rows

Recommended Charts and Dashboards (Dashboard Overview Sheet)

The Dashboard Overview includes:

• A Bar Chart: Showing progress per Strategy Objective (KPI completion vs. target).
• A Gantt Chart Visualization: Based on timeline data, showing task duration and overlap.
• Pie Chart: Distribution of tasks by Status (Completed, In Progress, On Hold).
• Line Graph: Trend in overall project progress (%) over time.
• An Alert Table: Highlights overdue or high-risk tasks for immediate attention.

This Excel template seamlessly blends strategic planning with tactical project execution. By continuously linking day-to-day work to long-term objectives, it ensures alignment, transparency, and accountability—making it an essential tool for any organization committed to effective strategy implementation through structured project tracking.