Free Project Tracker Template
If you searched for a project tracker template or a project tracking template, this is the downloadable spreadsheet. Track projects, deadlines, owners, status, priorities, and next actions in one place. Download the free Excel project tracker or move the same workflow into ClientPlot when the spreadsheet gets difficult to maintain.
Projects hold the named work. To track tasks for multiple clients as a dated verb list, download the client task tracker. Want columns of your own? Build a custom tracker, or check an existing spreadsheet.
Free download. No signup required.
No signup required. Excel includes the extra formatting. CSV is portable data only.
Outgrown the project spreadsheet?
Import the tracker and hang each project under its client, with tasks and deadlines on the dashboard.
Free to preview. No credit card. Create an account only when you want to save your dashboard.
- Spreadsheet rowsClient records
- Project columnProjects under that client
- Deadline columnDue dates on the work
- Next action / next taskTrackable tasks
- Client notesNotes on the client page
Official ClientPlot templates skip the mapping quiz. ClientPlot counts what it found, then you import. Unusual spreadsheets still get a mapping review.
Project spreadsheet
- One row has to hold the whole project
- Waiting-on-client work hides in status
- Owners live in a color or a comment
- Hard to see the client relationship next to the work
ClientPlot
- Projects grouped under each client
- Tasks with due dates
- A Today view across every project
- Follow-up dates on the Today view
Template preview
Sample rows so you can see what you will download. Scroll sideways on a phone if the table is wider than the screen.
| Project | Client | Owner | Status | Start Date | Due Date | Priority | Progress | Project Value | Next Task | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Homepage refresh | Acme Co | John | In Progress | 2026-08-04 | 2026-09-12 | High | 60% | 2400 | Send revised homepage wireframes | Retainer. Desktop and mobile. |
| 3 | Photo shoot package | Smith LLC | Amy | Waiting | 2026-08-11 | 2026-08-24 | Normal | 20% | 1800 | Nudge on signed proposal | Day rate plus two selects. |
| 4 | Identity system | Jones Co | John | On Hold | 2026-07-28 | 2026-09-18 | High | 10% | 3200 | Restart after hiring pause | Two revision rounds in the SOW. |
| 5 | Patient intake page | Harbor Clinic | Sam | In Progress | 2026-08-08 | 2026-08-26 | Urgent | 45% | 1500 | Collect intake form copy | Must match language they already use. |
| 6 | Onboarding microsite | Bright Labs | Amy | Not Started | 2026-08-18 | 2026-09-20 | High | 5% | 4100 | Send kickoff agenda | Need SSO notes before build. |
| 7 | Catalog refresh | Mesa Goods | Amy | Completed | 2026-05-02 | 2026-07-15 | Low | 100% | 900 | Archive files | Warm relationship. Do not delete. |
| 8 | Q3 workshop | Acme Co | John | Waiting | 2026-08-20 | 2026-09-04 | Normal | 15% | 1200 | Confirm attendee list | Workshop date locked. Materials not started. |
What this spreadsheet looks like in ClientPlot
Upload your spreadsheet and ClientPlot turns the rows into clients, projects, tasks, deadlines and follow-ups on a live dashboard. Preview it before signup. Create a free account only if you want to save it. No credit card.
Dashboard preview
This replaces a formula Dashboard tab. Counts stay current after you import. Invoice totals and hours stay in the spreadsheet if you track them there.
Operational notes
After import, these counts stay current as you work. Invoice totals and hours stay in the spreadsheet if you track them there.
Clients with open work show here after import.
Upcoming schedule
- 2026-07-15 · Archive files · Mesa Goods
- 2026-08-24 · Nudge on signed proposal · Smith LLC
- 2026-08-26 · Collect intake form copy · Harbor Clinic
- 2026-09-04 · Confirm attendee list · Acme Co
- 2026-09-12 · Send revised homepage wireframes · Acme Co
- 2026-09-18 · Restart after hiring pause · Jones Co
What is in the template
Project, Client, Status, Owner, Priority, Start Date, Due Date, Next Task, Progress, Project Value and Notes. The Excel file includes dropdowns, frozen headers, filters and overdue highlighting. CSV has the same columns without formatting.
ProjectThe named body of work.
ClientWho the project is for.
OwnerWho is responsible on your side.
StatusNot Started, In Progress, Waiting, On Hold, or Completed.
Start DateWhen work began.
Due DateClient-facing deadline.
PriorityLow, Normal, High, or Urgent.
ProgressPercent complete.
Project ValueFee or remaining value.
Next TaskThe next concrete step.
NotesScope notes, URLs, constraints.
Who it is for
Small agencies, designers and consultants tracking a handful of named projects, not a PMO with custom workflows.
How to use it
1. One row per project
If a client has two projects, they get two rows. That is what makes this different from a client list.
2. Track project status
Use Not Started, In Progress, Waiting, On Hold or Completed. Filter out Completed when you want the live list.
3. View overdue projects
Due Date cells turn red when the date is past and Status is not Completed. Sort Due Date oldest-first each morning.
4. Filter projects by client
Use the Client column filter to see one account's work. Sort by Due Date inside that filter.
5. Track progress without a fragile formula
Type a percent in Progress. There is no dependency engine here on purpose.
6. Import when you want the client attached
Upload the sheet. Client becomes the client record, Project becomes a project under that client, and Next Task plus Due Date become work on Today after you confirm the mapping.
What is a project tracker?
A project tracker shows the current status, owner, due date, priority, next action, and progress for each project. This page is the downloadable spreadsheet. The ClientPlot client tracker is the software version of the same idea, with each project sitting under its client.
What should a project tracker include?
At minimum: project name, client, status, owner, priority, start date, due date, next action, progress, and a short note. Add project value if you actually update it. Skip Gantt dependencies unless you will maintain them.
How do I track multiple projects in Excel?
Use one row per project, not one tab per project. Put the client name in its own column so you can filter one account. Sort Due Date oldest-first each morning. This file already has filters and overdue highlighting.
What columns should a project tracker have?
Project, Client, Status, Owner, Priority, Start Date, Due Date, Next Task, Progress, and Notes. That is the project tracker format in this workbook. Project Value is optional.
How do I track project deadlines?
Keep Due Date as a real date, not a note. Filter out Completed, then sort the remaining dates. Red cells in the Excel file mean the date is past and the project is still open.
How do I track projects for multiple clients?
Keep every project on one sheet with a Client column. Filter that column when you need one account. If you also need a dated verb list, use the client task tracker. Deadlines that are promises rather than project rows belong on the client deadline tracker.
Project tracker vs project management software
A project tracking sheet is a working list: status, owner, date, next action. Project management software adds boards, dependencies, and reporting. Most service businesses do not need that until several people share the same plan.
Project vs task vs milestone
A project is the named body of work. A task is the next concrete action. A milestone is a date that matters, such as a launch or review. Put the project on this sheet. Put verbs on the task tracker. Put client-facing dates on the deadline tracker if they are not already a project due date.
When should I move beyond a project spreadsheet?
Move when one row cannot hold the tasks, when two people overwrite owners, or when you cannot see today's work without a filter. You can check an existing spreadsheet first, or build a custom tracker, then import the same columns into ClientPlot.
When a spreadsheet starts becoming difficult
- Projects hide in folders named by year
- You cannot see which projects are waiting on the client
- Owners are implied, not written
- Launch week is a surprise because the sheet is not sorted
Projects under the client
ClientPlot groups each project on the client page, so the relationship and the work stay together.
Tasks for the moving parts
Break a project into dated tasks instead of stuffing milestones into one cell.
A calendar of due dates
See launches and reviews by week without a Gantt you will not maintain.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Gantt chart?
No. It is a working list of projects with dates, owners and progress. If you need dependencies and critical path, this is the wrong template.
How do I see overdue projects?
Due Date highlights when it is before today and Status is not Completed. Sort that column oldest-first.
How does this map into ClientPlot?
Client becomes the client record. Project becomes a project under that client. Next Task and Due Date become a task so the work shows up on Today. Start Date, Priority, Progress and Project Value are kept in notes unless you map them another way.
Can my client see this?
The spreadsheet is yours. ClientPlot is your workspace, not a client portal. You send the update when Today shows the follow-up.
Should I start with a client tracker or a project tracker?
Start with a client tracker if the relationship is the unit of work. Start here if named projects are what you check every morning. You can import either.