Projects

How to Run a Task List in Excel

A free Excel task tracker is a list for one client job, not a full project suite. The sample is a spring menu launch for Northside Cafe. Ten tasks. You type the task, one owner, the due date, and a status. The sheet counts Done, In progress, and Not started. There is no hourly rate on this sheet.

Free Excel task tracker

The free Excel task tracker understands three status words: Done, In progress, and Not started. Spell them that way, including the space in In progress. Finished and Complete are ignored by the Done count. With the ten sample tasks, the three counts add up to 10. If they do not, a status is spelled wrong.

The menu draft in the sample is due March 6, 2026. The sheet does not email the owner when a date passes. Priority is High, Medium, or Low, and it does not sort the rows for you.

Owners and the rota

Amina, Luis, Priya, or Chris is one owner. If two people share a task, pick the person who will say it is done. Shifts belong on the free employee schedule template. Hours belong on the free Excel timesheet template. This file only tracks the work.

  1. Download the free Excel task tracker.
  2. Type one owner and a real due date.
  3. Use only the three status words.
  4. Check that the three counts add up to the number of tasks.
  • Typing Complete and wondering why Done did not move.
  • Leaving the owner blank.
  • Expecting the file to email anyone.

Open the free Excel task tracker. More guides are on the blog.

Common questions

Is this Excel task tracker free?

Yes. The free Excel task tracker counts Done, In progress, and Not started.

Which status words does the count understand?

Done, In progress, and Not started. Spell them that way, including the space.

Does it email the owner?

No. You still look at the due date. The sheet only counts the words you type.