{"id":1580,"date":"2026-09-09T13:53:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T13:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resourceguru.wpengine.com\/?p=1580"},"modified":"2026-09-09T15:13:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T15:13:41","slug":"free-project-plan-template-for-excel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel","title":{"rendered":"Free project plan template for Excel"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only half of projects succeed, delivering value that exceeds the effort and expense involved, according to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pmi.org\/about\/press-media\/2025\/new-pmi-research-reveals-strategy-execution-gap-is-undermining-transformation-and-how-to-close-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PMI&#8217;s 2025 global study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of 5,800+ professionals. The rest either fall short or fail outright. For teams where every hour is billed and every missed deadline costs client trust, that success rate first hinges on the planning stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article and asset are for project managers, studio managers, and operations leads who need a practical tool now to help on that front. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1CLRJxiDmPNUAvRyAxBs-r-iQNKVLCfco9gZgEpYUt0Q\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Download our two-in-one free Excel project plan template<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (including a task-list view and a Gantt chart) then work through the step-by-step setup guide to build your plan and adapt it to your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your Excel project plan template at a glance<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The template includes task names, phases, assignees, start dates, end dates, a status dropdown (not started\/in progress\/complete\/overdue), as well as an auto-calculated duration field<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The task-list is a flat table; the Gantt chart template in the next tab adds a conditional-format timeline that updates automatically from the task list<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The template is free to download as an .xlsx file or to use in Google Sheets; no sign-up or account required<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Excel project plan template is best suited to projects with clearly defined phases, named task owners, and fixed delivery deadlines<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gantt tab of this Excel project plan template is useful when project phases overlap, or when you need a basic, shareable visual timeline for client updates or stakeholder reviews<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team availability, utilization, and scheduling conflicts across concurrent projects are note included in these templates. See &#8220;When it stops working&#8221; for when to try something more sophisticated<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Download your free Excel project plan templates<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The template lives on Google Sheets for ease of online access. To download it for Excel, simply <strong>Make a Copy<\/strong>, and go to <strong>File<\/strong> \u2192 <strong>Download<\/strong> \u2192 <strong>Microsoft Excel<\/strong>. You&#8217;ll then have access to multiple tabs: the task-list view for day-to-day tracking, and the Gantt chart view for timeline visualization. All free of charge, no account needed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1CLRJxiDmPNUAvRyAxBs-r-iQNKVLCfco9gZgEpYUt0Q\/edit?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u2192 Download your free project plan template<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simple project plan template<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The task-list template tab organizes your project as a flat table, one row per task. Each row captures:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Task name<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phase<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Owner<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start date<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">End date<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Status dropdown (not started\/in progress\/complete\/overdue)<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Completion percentage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The template also calculates a total days field automatically from your date entries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use this template for projects with sequential phases. For example, an agency may be tasked with establishing a brand identity, building a site, a paid media campaign, or any engagement where work runs in order, rather than in parallel. The template stays most legible at smaller project sizes, and it takes under a minute to update in a weekly review.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-10126\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-943x275.png\" alt=\"Project plan template for Excel with task list.\" width=\"943\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-943x275.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-1042x304.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-310x90.png.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-800x234.png 800w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-1200x350.png 1200w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1.png 1384w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.46.26@2x-1-310x90@2x.png.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project plan with a Gantt chart<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There&#8217;s a simple Gantt chart in an additional tab in the template file. Task names, owners, start dates, end dates, and status get pulled from the task-list tab.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gantt view draws conditional-format bars across a calendar timeline. Each task&#8217;s bar spans its start and end dates, and progress shading updates as you mark work complete or in progress in the task-list tab.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use the Gantt version when phases overlap, when you need a shareable timeline for client reviews, or when your team benefits from seeing the task timeline visually. The chart updates as the task list changes, and there are no formulas to write.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-10127\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-943x200.png\" alt=\"Project planning template for Excel with basic Gantt chart functionality.\" width=\"943\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-943x200.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-1042x221.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-310x66.png.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-800x170.png 800w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-1200x255.png 1200w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1.png 1207w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/CleanShot-2026-09-09-at-13.49.00@2x-1-310x66@2x.png.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing the right template for your project type<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose based on project structure and who needs to see the plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Linear campaigns:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Task-list template only. Think a brand refresh, content sprint, or paid media launch fits the flat structure cleanly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Construction or infrastructure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Focus on the Gantt chart template. Phases typically overlap; the timeline view makes sequencing, handoffs, and phase dependencies visible at a glance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>IT and software development:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Prioritize the Gantt chart template. Monitor phase rows to keep an eye on sprints, milestones, or agile cycles, and communicate delivery windows while keeping the full plan to the people who need it<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Marketing retainers:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The task-list template is best for ongoing monthly work. The Gantt chart template is more helpful for project-specific deliverables with defined start and end dates<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Website launches:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Lean on the Gantt chart template. Discovery, design, build, content, QA, and launch often run in parallel, so this view is pest. The timeline will highlight date conflicts before they become deadline problems<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, you can use both tabs on one project: the task list for daily tracking, the Gantt tab for forward planning.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What&#8217;s inside the template<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The .file contains two tabs: the task-list view and the Gantt chart view. The Gantt chart view pulls data from the task-list view.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s some more info on what to include in each task list column:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Task name:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A verb-led description of the work (for example: &#8220;Review and approve homepage design&#8221;)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Phase:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The project stage this task belongs to, used to group rows and create a visual hierarchy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Task owner:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> One named person per task; the person accountable for completion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Start date and end date:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Entered manually; the total days field calculates from these automatically<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Status:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A dropdown with not started, in progress, complete, or overdue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Total days:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Calculated automatically from start and end dates<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we&#8217;ve mentioned, the Gantt chart tab takes information from the start and end date columns and draws conditional-format bars across a calendar timeline. Progress shading updates as task status changes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The template covers tasks and timeline. To track spend alongside your plan, use our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/project-budget-template\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project budget template<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a tool like Resource Guru, you can compare <a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/project-planning-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gantt chart plans<\/a> to your team&#8217;s actual availability and capacity on a dedicated <a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/resource-scheduling-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">schedule<\/a>. That way you can close the gap and connect each task to whoever&#8217;s actually free to do the work, across every project in your portfolio.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"freetrial freetrial--text-light freetrial--default\"><div class=\"freetrial__image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"310\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Planner-CTA-decorative-image-2-310x168.png.webp\" class=\"attachment-freetrial size-freetrial wp-post-image\" alt=\"Resource Guru Gantt chart with team avatars decorating it.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Planner-CTA-decorative-image-2-310x168.png.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Planner-CTA-decorative-image-2.png 602w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/div><div class=\"freetrial__text\"><h4>Plan with Gantt charts. Deliver with smart scheduling.<\/h4>\n<p>Join thousands of managers using Resource Guru to plan projects and schedule people in one place.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/app.resourceguruapp.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Start Your Free 30-Day Trial<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to build a project plan in Excel<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Make a copy of the template<\/strong>, <strong>download it as a Microsoft Excel file or work online in Google Sheets<\/strong>, then fill in the task columns as you work through each step. The Gantt chart updates automatically once dates are in place.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: List tasks\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter every piece of work in the task name column, using verb-led descriptions for clarity: &#8220;Design homepage wireframe&#8221;, not &#8220;Homepage&#8221;.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep task scope consistent. Break large tasks down until each one represents an ownable unit of work that&#8217;s specific enough that a single person can track, complete, and mark it done.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Assign owners, start dates, and end dates<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter one owner per task. This should be the single person responsible for delivery, even if they are collaborating with others on the task. Split a task into two or more separate tasks if it cannot legitimately have a sole person responsible for it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add a start date and end date for each task. The template calculates the total days field automatically. For tasks that depend on another finishing first, align the start date with the expected completion of its predecessor. On the Gantt chart tab, the sequence becomes visible. You can also mark tasks as milestones.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Track status, progress, and dependencies<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Update the status dropdown weekly using the four options: not started, in progress, complete, or overdue. On the Gantt chart tab, progress shading reflects task status, giving you a visual read on where the project stands without scanning every table row.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flag tasks that block others directly in the dependency column and dependency alert column. A task marked overdue with downstream dependencies needs immediate attention. The status field holds value only when the team updates it consistently and acts on what it shows.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Review and update weekly<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set a fixed weekly review cadence (for instance, 15 minutes before or after your team&#8217;s standing check-in). Update every status, adjust any dates that have slipped, and reassess the plan if the original timeline is no longer realistic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project plan is only useful when it&#8217;s current, after all. Stale dates and optimistic statuses give stakeholders false confidence and leave the team guessing about what to prioritize. The weekly update is the best time to set consistently realistic expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When an Excel project plan template stops working<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excel project plans work well for a single project with a stable team. They start to break down as complexity grows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common breakpoints:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Multiple concurrent projects:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Task status across five project files shows where each project stands; whether the team can deliver them all on schedule is a separate capacity question the spreadsheet leaves open<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Clash detection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Book the same person in two separate project files and the spreadsheet shows both as fine. You&#8217;ll only find out the truth at standup, when it&#8217;s already a problem<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Leave and availability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Vacations, reduced hours, and existing bookings on other client work all sit outside what Excel tracks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Version control:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Shared Excel files multiply (v2, v3, FINAL_FINAL), especially on agency engagements with multiple stakeholders<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"casestudy casestudy--default\"><p class=\"casestudy__logo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2167\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Spindogs logo.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM.png 2167w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-943x316.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-1042x349.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-1536x515.png.webp 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-2048x686.png.webp 2048w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-310x104.png.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-800x268.png 800w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-1200x402.png 1200w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-1748x586.png 1748w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-943x316@2x.png.webp 1886w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-1042x349@2x.png.webp 2084w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_05_15-PM-310x104@2x.png.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2167px) 100vw, 2167px\" \/><\/p><p>See how Spindogs boosted billable time and saved hours every week by switching from spreadsheets to Resource Guru.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/customer-stories\/spindogs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Case Study<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"callout callout--takeaway\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-management\/capacity-planning-template\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">capacity planning template<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a useful intermediate step when you&#8217;re ready to add availability into the picture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For teams managing multiple concurrent projects with shared people, our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-management\/resource-scheduling-template\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource scheduling template<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> adds the availability layer a plain spreadsheet leaves out.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequently asked questions<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does Excel have a project plan template?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excel&#8217;s built-in library does not have a project plan template or timeline view. Microsoft Create offers general planners, but most teams use a purpose-built download like the free one on this page with Gantt chart functionality and status tracking already configured.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do I create a project plan template in Excel?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An Excel project plan template starts with a table: task name, phase, owner, start date, end date, and status. For a Gantt chart view, apply conditional formatting to draw bars across the date range, or use a template like the one provided here.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you use an Excel project plan template?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You use an Excel project plan template by downloading the file to your device, or by adding it to a shared drive. You can then add tasks, assign owners, enter dates, and update the status dropdown as work progresses. One person should own the master file, since shared copies diverge quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you write a project plan in Excel?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing a project plan in Excel starts before the spreadsheet: identify deliverables and phase boundaries first. Then enter tasks by phase, assign one owner per row, add start and end dates, and track progress with the status field.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From plan to schedule: Resourcing the work<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project plan defines what needs to happen and when. Whether your team has the capacity to actually deliver it is a separate question.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That gap between what the plan requires and what the team can realistically produce is where projects slip. An Excel template maps the expected timeline, but a task owner who&#8217;s fully booked elsewhere or on vacation during a critical build phase sits off the page entirely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resource Guru is project planning software that brings Gantt charts and team scheduling together in one place. See how <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/product-updates\/gantt-charts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">our Gantt charts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> connect your project timeline to real team availability and turn a plan on paper into one that can actually be delivered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-9656\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-943x439.png\" alt=\"Sample Gantt chart in Resource Guru.\" width=\"943\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-943x439.png.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-1042x486.png.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-1536x716.png.webp 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-2048x954.png.webp 2048w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-310x144.png.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-800x373.png 800w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-1200x559.png 1200w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-1748x815.png 1748w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-943x439@2x.png.webp 1886w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-1042x486@2x.png.webp 2084w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Clarity-over-complex-plans-310x144@2x.png.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your team runs multiple projects with shared people, explore <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/capacity-planning-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">our capacity planning software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to see where utilization is running hot, before it burns the project to the ground.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All details accurate as of September 9, 2026.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<div class=\"freetrial freetrial--text-light freetrial--default\"><div class=\"freetrial__image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"310\" height=\"218\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/free-trial-310x218.png\" class=\"attachment-freetrial size-freetrial wp-post-image\" alt=\"Screenshot of Resource Guru&#039;s resource scheduling platform.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/free-trial-310x218.png 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/free-trial.png 708w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/div><div class=\"freetrial__text\"><h4>The #1 scheduling tool trusted by thousands of project teams<\/h4>\n<p>Join thousands of project managers who have made scheduling a breeze.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/app.resourceguruapp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Free Trial<\/a> <a class=\"button button--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/contact-sales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talk to Sales<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":10133,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[69,38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-templates","category-project-management"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Project Plan Template for Excel: Free Download<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Project Plan Template for Excel: Free Download\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Work Life Balance Blog | Resource Guru\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ResourceGuru\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-09T13:53:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-09T15:13:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2084\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1422\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dan Collins\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@resourceguruapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@resourceguruapp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dan Collins\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dan Collins\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a2394ab2c174a2966686e74adaceb1d\"},\"headline\":\"Free project plan template for Excel\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-09T13:53:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-09T15:13:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\"},\"wordCount\":1911,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Templates\",\"Project management\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\",\"name\":\"Project Plan Template for Excel: Free Download\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-09T13:53:36+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-09T15:13:41+00:00\",\"description\":\"Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg\",\"width\":2084,\"height\":1422,\"caption\":\"Free project plan template for Excel 2026.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\\\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Project management\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/project-management\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Free project plan template for Excel\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Work Life Balance Blog | Resource Guru\",\"description\":\"Work Life - a blog about work\\\/life balance and scheduling by Resource Guru\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Resource Guru\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/resource-guru-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/resource-guru-logo.png\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Resource Guru\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/ResourceGuru\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/resourceguruapp\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a2394ab2c174a2966686e74adaceb1d\",\"name\":\"Dan Collins\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/cropped-Dan-Collins-Headshot-96x96.png\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/cropped-Dan-Collins-Headshot-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/cropped-Dan-Collins-Headshot-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Dan Collins\"},\"description\":\"Hello! Dan Collins here, Position Digital\u2019s SEO Content Manager. I\u2019ve spent the last six years writing helpful, useful, and (hopefully!) enjoyable articles for people in the B2B and SaaS space, from product managers to enterprising CEOs, and pretty much everything in between. I am a stickler for primary sources, a lover of the Oxford comma, and I like to ironically split infinitives.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/resourceguruapp.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/dan-collins\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Project Plan Template for Excel: Free Download","description":"Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Project Plan Template for Excel: Free Download","og_description":"Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.","og_url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel","og_site_name":"Work Life Balance Blog | Resource Guru","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ResourceGuru","article_published_time":"2026-09-09T13:53:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-09T15:13:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2084,"height":1422,"url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dan Collins","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@resourceguruapp","twitter_site":"@resourceguruapp","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dan Collins","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel"},"author":{"name":"Dan Collins","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4a2394ab2c174a2966686e74adaceb1d"},"headline":"Free project plan template for Excel","datePublished":"2026-09-09T13:53:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-09T15:13:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel"},"wordCount":1911,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg","articleSection":["Templates","Project management"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel","name":"Project Plan Template for Excel: Free Download","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg","datePublished":"2026-09-09T13:53:36+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-09T15:13:41+00:00","description":"Download a free Excel project plan template with task list, Gantt chart, and status tracking, plus a step-by-step guide to planning your project.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel-2026.jpg","width":2084,"height":1422,"caption":"Free project plan template for Excel 2026."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management\/free-project-plan-template-for-excel#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Project management","item":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-management"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Free project plan template for Excel"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/","name":"Work Life Balance Blog | Resource Guru","description":"Work Life - a blog about work\/life balance and scheduling by Resource Guru","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/#organization","name":"Resource Guru","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/resource-guru-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/resource-guru-logo.png","width":1024,"height":512,"caption":"Resource Guru"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ResourceGuru","https:\/\/x.com\/resourceguruapp"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/4a2394ab2c174a2966686e74adaceb1d","name":"Dan Collins","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cropped-Dan-Collins-Headshot-96x96.png","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cropped-Dan-Collins-Headshot-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/cropped-Dan-Collins-Headshot-96x96.png","caption":"Dan Collins"},"description":"Hello! Dan Collins here, Position Digital\u2019s SEO Content Manager. I\u2019ve spent the last six years writing helpful, useful, and (hopefully!) enjoyable articles for people in the B2B and SaaS space, from product managers to enterprising CEOs, and pretty much everything in between. I am a stickler for primary sources, a lover of the Oxford comma, and I like to ironically split infinitives.","url":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/author\/dan-collins"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1580"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10136,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1580\/revisions\/10136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}