Free Project Timeline Templates for Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and More

By Kate Eby | July 17, 2019 (updated October 17, 2024)

We’ve compiled the most useful collection of free project timeline templates for project managers, sponsors, team members, and other project stakeholders to better track and manage their projects. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a simple project timeline template, a project milestone chart template, a weekly project timeline template, an annual project timeline template, and a multiple project timeline template, among others. We’ve also included a list of helpful tips for completing these project timeline templates.

Project Timeline Template

Example Project Timeline Template

Download a Sample Project Timeline Template for
Excel  | Google Sheets

Download a Blank Project Timeline Template for
Excel  | Google Sheets | Smartsheet

Display key project information, like tasks and important milestones, using this simple project  timeline template. Track task start and end dates, and view them against each other in weekly, monthly, or yearly views. Color-code the tasks based on phases or categories to gain a quick overview of how your project is progressing.

You can also make your own timeline from scratch — learn how to create a timeline in Microsoft Word.

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Project Timeline Presentation Template for PowerPoint

Project Timeline Presentation Powerpoint

Download the Project Timeline Presentation Template for PowerPoint  

Use this simple presentation-ready project timeline presentation template to introduce key milestones to project team members and other stakeholders, or update them on project progress. Enter your project timeline details about its conception and initiation, definition and planning, the project launch and its execution, its overall performance and the project closing. With drag-and-drop project features, tasks, and milestones, this template is the perfect solution for all project team members and sponsors to ensure your project remains on track.

For Microsoft Project Gantt chart solutions and resources, learn how to create a Gantt chart in Microsoft Project.

Weekly Project Timeline Template

Weekly Project Timeline Template

Download a Project Timeline Template for
Excel  |  Microsoft Word  |  PowerPoint  

See your project at a glance with this timeline template designed for weekly viewing. Track each task by the week, identify who is responsible for what task, and document task names — or color-code them — with this easy-to-use, weekly project timeline template.

Project Milestone Chart Template

 

 

Download a Project Milestone Chart Template for
Excel  | Google Sheets | Smartsheet

Plot important project milestones and view their dates of delivery, their status, and the person responsible with this visual project milestone chart template. Stay on top of each important project date and task, and share among team members to improve visibility into how a project is progressing.

Learn how to Learn how to make a free Excel timeline template with step-by-step instructions.

Event Marketing Timeline Template

Download an Event Marketing Timeline Template for
Excel  | Google Sheets | Smartsheet

List all the important information for a specific marketing campaign or initiative, like campaign type, phase name, and start and end dates, so you’re always on top of the marketing projects that are going live. You can plan, track, and monitor the success of your efforts and customize the template for all sizes and types of events.

Marketing Project Timeline Template

Marketing Project Timeline

Download a Marketing Project Timeline Template for
Excel  |  PowerPoint  | Smartsheet

Visually show each stage of your marketing plan with this colorful, customizable marketing project timeline template. Use this template to show the phases of the plan and all associated details, and present specific information to key stakeholders in order to keep them informed of your progress. With this professionally designed template, you’re bound to gain buy-in and streamline your planning process.

Simple Project Timeline Template

Simple Project Timeline Template

Download a Simple Project Timeline Template for 
Excel  |  Microsoft Word  |  Adobe PDF

With this simple timeline template, document tasks and subtasks, assign them to team members, and mark them off as the team completes them to stay on top of your project. Identify start and end dates for each task, and the duration will automatically be calculated (in days).

Strategic Project Planning Timeline Template

Strategic Planning Timeline Template

Download a Strategic Project Planning Timeline Template for 
Excel  | Google Sheets 

Designed to help you strategically think through and plan out your project, this timeline template highlights specific goals and tasks over a predetermined period of time. Use this template to separate tasks by category and facilitate discussion around the most important tasks and when team members should complete them.

Annual Project Timeline Template

Annual Project Timeline Template

Download an Annual Project Timeline Template for 
Excel  | Google Sheets 

Track every task or initiative that goes into a project on a visual, 12-month timeline, so you can better prepare for all project efforts over the course of the year. This template gives you the ability to track current projects and view past tasks in a summary view in order to assess performance and make future business decisions.

6-Month Project Timeline Template

6 Month Project Timeline Template

Download a 6-Month Project Timeline Template for 
Excel  |  PowerPoint

Track your project in increments of six months, or plan a six-month-long project, with this timeline template specifically designed for half-year-long projects. List your start and end dates and their durations, and compare them against other project tasks to get an accurate picture of how your project is progressing.

3-Month Project Timeline Template

3 Month Project Timeline Template

Download a 3-Month Project Timeline Template for
PowerPoint  | Google Slides 

Use this presentation-ready, 3-month project timeline template to keep track of quarterly project progress, and share it with team members and other project stakeholders. The template enables you to list each task and show month-by-month progression towards completion. Use the drag-and-drop start and end-date bar charts to set task durations, and provide a status of each project’s task progress and percentage of completion. 

Download free PowerPoint project timeline templates to help ensure your team is on track.

Multiple Project Timeline Template

Multiple Project Timeline Template

Download a Multiple Project Timeline Template for
Microsoft Word  | Google Docs

Track multiple projects’ progress across a customizable timeline with this multiple project timeline template. Create tasks for each individual project, and extend or shorten task duration with the drag-and-drop feature. The template also includes a way to add color-coded status (e.g., planning, approved, development) and risk level (high, medium, and low) so any project sponsor or team member can see how the project is doing at a glance.

Construction Project Timeline Template

Construction Project Timeline Template

Download a Construction Project Timeline Template for
Excel  | Google Sheets

Use this construction-specific project timeline template to schedule all your construction project’s deliverables in chronological order. The template includes editable example construction tasks (e.g., demo prep, framing, electrical) to show how you can schedule each task sequentially and keep the whole construction project moving. Plus, the built-in Gantt chart provides a visual record of each task’s due date, duration, and status.

IT Project Timeline Template

IT Project Timeline Template

Download an IT Project Timeline Template for
Excel  | Google Sheets

With this project timeline template designed for IT projects, you can list sprints, assign each one to a specific team member, and track their progress. Maintain visibility into any project changes as you view the status of each sprint to ensure your time-sensitive project conforms to the proposed timeline.

What Is a Project Timeline Template?

A project timeline template is a tool that displays the project schedule, including individual tasks, key milestones, and due dates. Use the template to plan your project, and to keep team members and other stakeholders up to date on progress. 

Project managers, project sponsors, team members, and clients know that having an accurate project plan is crucial for ensuring that you proactively define the project’s objectives and goals, anticipate individual project tasks, as well as how you will implement the project. While a project plan defines all project work and the individuals who will complete it, a project timeline puts all of this information into a visually dynamic, chronological format so that you can better track and manage your project. 

Project timeline templates also include your project’s key milestones, task owners, start and end dates, and individual task statuses. A thorough project timeline template provides project managers, team members, and project sponsors with phase-by-phase and task-by-task details and their current – and collective – status, so that the project can be successfully completed on time. 

While project timeline templates may vary, most of them include the following components: 

  • Project Name: Enter the name of the project. 
  • Project Manager: List the name of the project manager ultimately responsible for managing project day-to-day tasks and ensuring successful project delivery.  
  • Start Date: Set the project start date. 
  • End Date: Set the project end date. 
  • Phase Title: Enter a name for each phase or stage of your project timeline. 
  • Task Name: List each individual task.  
  • Assigned To: List the team member responsible for completing each individual project task. 
  • Task Start and End Dates: Set the date the task owner is scheduled to begin and finish working on each individual task. 
  • Duration: Review the task duration to ensure that the task owner has sufficient time to complete it. 
  • Status: Provide the status for each individual task (e.g., not started, in progress, on hold, complete, etc.).  

Additionally, some project timeline templates include the following additional components: 

  • Milestones: List the project’s key milestones. 
  • Project Scope: Provide brief details of the scope of the project (i.e., product or project features).  
  • Objectives and Goals: List the project’s key goals or objectives.   
  • Task ID: Provide a unique task ID for each project task for easier task-by-task status tracking. 
  • Department: List the department responsible for each project phase or individual task.  To keep track of the time spent by individual teams or department members, use one of our free timesheet templates.
  • At Risk: Mark tasks that are at risk of not being completed on time, and whether this jeopardizes project delivery.  
  • Sprint: If your project timeline is structured according to Agile sprints, enter the name or number of the sprint.  
  • Project Notes: Provide any notes about schedule, budget, resources, risks, or other issues that may affect successful project delivery.
  • Status Key: Provide a color-coded status for each project phase, feature, or task (e.g., planning, approved, development, launched). 
  • Risk Level: Provide a level for any particular project phase, feature, or task that is at risk of not being completed (e.g., high, medium, low).

Create Powerful Project Timelines with Smartsheet for Project Management

Timeline view in Smartsheet empowers users to plan, visualize, and collaborate on date-based work in real-time, enabling you to effortlessly organize tasks, track progress, and communicate status.

In just a few clicks, launch your project’s timeline on any sheet to visualize your work, understand the details, and adjust information, making it easy to track project progress, detect blockers, and communicate statuses.

Discover how timeline view in Smartsheet can help your team visualize date-based work and achieve greater efficiency and transparency across projects.

Learn more about timeline view in Smartsheet.



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