Whether you have to plan an event or manage a project, a to do list helps you set priorities and track your progress. By listing out all the necessary steps in one place, you can break down your goal in small, bite-sized chunks and organize your time accordingly.
In this article, you’ll find nine to do list templates in Excel. We’ll walk you through the steps to creating your own to do list with checkboxes in Excel and the most common uses for a to do list template.
We’ve also provided to do list templates in Smartsheet, a spreadsheet-inspired work execution platform that makes managing to do lists more collaborative and real-time than Excel.
Download Basic To Do List Template
This basic to do list template can be customized to be a daily to do list, weekly to do list, or monthly to do list based on your desired time frame. You can write out your tasks, convey status, set priority, assign due dates and owners, and add notes for extra context.
Download Printable To Do List Template
If you’re running around planning an event or need to hang your task list on a wall, a printable version of your to do list is necessary. However, not all Excel to do list templates are printer-friendly (the rows will often print on multiple pieces of paper).
Be sure to look for a to do list template, like this one, that has been designed to print the whole to do list on one page. You can write in your tasks and due dates, and check the box when you’re done with a to do item.
Download To Do List with Checkboxes Template
Who doesn’t enjoy the feeling of accomplishment after checking a checkbox?
This to do list template includes dynamic checkboxes for each task and once you check a box, the strikethrough formatting will be applied to the task. This allows you to visually convey which tasks are completed and uncompleted at a glance.
Download To Do List with Drop-Downs Template
If you need to add similar details (like status) for many tasks, drop-down lists save you from entering the same information over and over again.
This to do list template features drop-down lists for priority (you can choose from high, medium, and low) and status (complete, in progress, or not started). And, when you specify that a task has been complete, that row will automatically turn green.
Download Action Item List Template
Also known as a rolling action item list, this template tracks specific tasks that must be accomplished by a certain person. Action items typically arise from meetings and should always be clearly documented.
This action item list template has columns for you to track the date created, description, priority, assignee, due date, completion date, and notes for each task.
Download Group Project Task List Template
While a to do list traditionally includes the tasks only assigned to you, there will be times when you need to see what your colleagues are working on as well.
A group project task list, or group assigned to do list, allows everyone to see which tasks they need to complete and when. This template boosts accountability by assigning each task to a person (or multiple people) and adding due dates.
While it can reduce stress to write down all the tasks you need to accomplish in no particular order, sometimes you need to quickly see the most important to dos and the ones that can wait.
This prioritized to do list has drop-down columns, letting you organize tasks by high, medium, and low priority, or put the task on hold.
This template features VBA code, or a Macro, allowing you to simply double-click on a cell and a checkmark will automatically be added to that cell. You can then create conditional formatting rules around that checkmark. For example, in this template, the row will turn green and will have strikethrough formatting when the checkmark is checked.
Note: When you open the file for this template, you must “Enable Macros” for the double-click code to work.
A to do list isn’t only helpful for project management. When you need to coordinate a business trip, a checklist ensures you have the right reservations, documents, and meetings before you get on the plane.
This business trip checklist includes tasks for international travel, meeting with clients and vendors, and notifying coworkers and clients of your departure.
By leveraging the developer ribbon and adding some conditional formatting rules, you can create a to do list with checkboxes in Excel.
Here are the steps:
You first need to enable the developer ribbon in Excel. If you already have the developer ribbon, skip to step 3.
Now you need to link each checkbox to a cell where it will display the check/uncheck status of the checkbox. The check/uncheck status will be represented by “True/False,” allowing you to create formulas and conditional formatting rules that react to the checkbox’s status.
When the checkbox is checked on Sheet1, the value changes to "True" on Sheet2.
9. Repeat steps 7-9 for all the other checkboxes.
Now you can create conditional formatting rules based on the status of the checkbox. For example, you could change the font color to red for tasks that have not been checked or change the row color green for tasks that have been checked.
For this example, we’ll add strikethrough formatting to tasks with a checked checkbox.
You can now customize the colors and fonts of your to do list.
You can use a basic to do list template to track almost anything. Here are some common uses:
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