Effective communication is vital for the success of any project. This is especially true for projects that involve multiple team members, who may be located in different locations and have different schedules. A project team communication planner can help you to keep track of all the communication that needs to happen, such as regular meetings, status updates, and project milestones.

An Excel spreadsheet is a great way to create a project team communication planner. It is easy to use and allows you to customize it to meet your specific needs. Plus, you can easily share the spreadsheet with other team members, so that everyone is on the same page.

In this article, we will show you how to create a project team communication planner in Excel. We will cover the following topics:

• Creating a new Excel spreadsheet
• Adding the necessary columns
• Formatting the spreadsheet
• Customizing the spreadsheet
• Sharing the spreadsheet

How To Make Project Team Communication Planner In Excel

Here are 7 important points about how to make a project team communication planner in Excel:

• Create a new spreadsheet
• Add the necessary columns
• Format the spreadsheet
• Customize the spreadsheet
• Share the spreadsheet
• Use the planner to track communication
• Update the planner regularly

By following these steps, you can create a project team communication planner that will help you to stay organized and on track.

Create a new spreadsheet

The first step in creating a project team communication planner in Excel is to create a new spreadsheet. To do this, open Excel and click on the “Blank workbook” template.

• Name the spreadsheet

  The first thing you should do is give your spreadsheet a name. This will help you to identify it later, especially if you have multiple spreadsheets open.

• Save the spreadsheet

  Once you have named your spreadsheet, you should save it. This will prevent you from losing your work if Excel crashes or if your computer shuts down unexpectedly.

• Choose a location to save the spreadsheet

  When you save the spreadsheet, you will need to choose a location to save it. It is a good idea to save the spreadsheet in a folder that is specifically for project team communication.

• Click on the “Save” button

  Once you have chosen a location to save the spreadsheet, click on the “Save” button. Your spreadsheet will be saved and you can start adding the necessary columns.

Now that you have created a new spreadsheet, you can start adding the necessary columns to track your project team communication.

Add the necessary columns

The next step in creating a project team communication planner in Excel is to add the necessary columns. The columns that you need will depend on the specific needs of your project team, but some common columns include:

• Date

  The date of the communication event.

• Type of communication

  The type of communication event, such as a meeting, phone call, or email.

• Participants

  The participants in the communication event.

• Topic

  The topic of the communication event.

• Notes

  Any notes or action items from the communication event.

• Status

  The status of the communication event, such as “completed” or “in progress”.

Once you have added the necessary columns, you can start formatting the spreadsheet.

Format the spreadsheet

Once you have added the necessary columns to your project team communication planner, you can start formatting the spreadsheet. This will make the spreadsheet easier to read and use.

• Adjust the column widths

  The first thing you should do is adjust the column widths so that all of the data is visible. To do this, hover your mouse over the line between two column headers and then click and drag the line to the desired width.

• Freeze the top row

  If you have a lot of data in your spreadsheet, it can be helpful to freeze the top row. This will keep the column headers visible even when you scroll down the spreadsheet.

• Apply a filter to the data

  You can also apply a filter to the data in your spreadsheet. This will allow you to sort and filter the data by any of the columns.

• Add a conditional formatting rule

  You can also add a conditional formatting rule to the spreadsheet. This will allow you to highlight certain cells based on the data in those cells.

Once you have formatted the spreadsheet, you can start customizing it to meet the specific needs of your project team.

Customize the spreadsheet

Once you have formatted the spreadsheet, you can start customizing it to meet the specific needs of your project team. Here are a few ways to customize the spreadsheet:

Add a project team logo
You can add a project team logo to the spreadsheet to make it more visually appealing. To do this, click on the “Insert” tab and then click on the “Picture” button. Select the logo image file and then click on the “Insert” button.

Change the font and color of the text
You can change the font and color of the text in the spreadsheet to make it easier to read. To do this, select the cells that you want to change and then click on the “Font” button on the “Home” tab. Select the desired font and color and then click on the “OK” button.

Add a header and footer
You can add a header and footer to the spreadsheet to include information such as the project team name, project name, and date. To do this, click on the “Insert” tab and then click on the “Header & Footer” button. Select the desired header and footer and then click on the “OK” button.

Protect the spreadsheet
You can protect the spreadsheet to prevent unauthorized changes. To do this, click on the “Review” tab and then click on the “Protect Sheet” button. Enter a password and then click on the “OK” button.

Once you have customized the spreadsheet, you can start sharing it with other team members.

Share the spreadsheet

Once you have customized the spreadsheet, you can start sharing it with other team members. Here are a few ways to share the spreadsheet:

• Email the spreadsheet

  You can email the spreadsheet to other team members. To do this, click on the “File” tab and then click on the “Share” button. Enter the email addresses of the team members that you want to share the spreadsheet with and then click on the “Send” button.

• Share the spreadsheet on a shared drive

  You can share the spreadsheet on a shared drive so that other team members can access it. To do this, click on the “File” tab and then click on the “Share” button. Click on the “Get a link” button and then select the “Anyone with the link can edit” option. Copy the link and then share it with other team members.

• Use a cloud storage service

  You can also use a cloud storage service to share the spreadsheet. To do this, upload the spreadsheet to the cloud storage service and then share the link with other team members.

• Use a project management tool

  If you are using a project management tool, you can share the spreadsheet through the tool. To do this, upload the spreadsheet to the project management tool and then share the link with other team members.

Once you have shared the spreadsheet, other team members can start using it to track project team communication.

Use the planner to track communication

Once you have shared the project team communication planner with other team members, they can start using it to track communication. Here are a few ways to use the planner to track communication:

• Add new communication events

  Team members can add new communication events to the planner by entering the date, type of communication, participants, topic, and notes for the event.

• Update existing communication events

  Team members can update existing communication events by changing the date, type of communication, participants, topic, or notes for the event.

• Mark communication events as completed

  Team members can mark communication events as completed by changing the status of the event to “completed”.

• Filter and sort the communication events

  Team members can filter and sort the communication events by any of the columns in the planner. This can help them to find specific communication events or to view the communication events in a specific order.

The project team communication planner can be a valuable tool for tracking communication and keeping everyone on the same page. By using the planner, team members can easily see what communication has happened, what communication is planned, and what communication is still outstanding.

Update the planner regularly

It is important to update the project team communication planner regularly to keep it accurate and useful. Here are a few tips for updating the planner regularly:

• Add new communication events as they occur

  As new communication events occur, add them to the planner as soon as possible. This will help to keep the planner up-to-date and ensure that all communication is tracked.

• Update existing communication events as needed

  If the details of a communication event change, update the event in the planner. This will help to keep the planner accurate and ensure that everyone has the most up-to-date information.

• Mark communication events as completed when they are finished

  When a communication event is finished, mark it as completed in the planner. This will help to keep the planner organized and make it easier to see what communication has been completed.

• Review the planner regularly

  Set aside some time each week or month to review the planner. This will help you to identify any areas where communication is lacking or where the planner needs to be updated.

By updating the planner regularly, you can ensure that it is a valuable tool for tracking communication and keeping everyone on the same page.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to make a project team communication planner in Excel:

Question 1: What are the benefits of using a project team communication planner?
Answer 1: Using a project team communication planner can help you to keep track of all the communication that needs to happen for a project, such as regular meetings, status updates, and project milestones. This can help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that communication is happening in a timely and efficient manner.

Question 2: What are the key elements of a project team communication planner?
Answer 2: The key elements of a project team communication planner include the date of the communication event, the type of communication, the participants, the topic, any notes or action items from the event, and the status of the event.

Question 3: How can I customize a project team communication planner to meet the specific needs of my team?
Answer 3: You can customize a project team communication planner by adding a project team logo, changing the font and color of the text, adding a header and footer, and protecting the spreadsheet.

Question 4: How can I share a project team communication planner with other team members?
Answer 4: You can share a project team communication planner with other team members by emailing the spreadsheet, sharing it on a shared drive, using a cloud storage service, or using a project management tool.

Question 5: How can I use the project team communication planner to track communication?
Answer 5: You can use the project team communication planner to track communication by adding new communication events, updating existing communication events, marking communication events as completed, and filtering and sorting the communication events.

Question 6: How can I keep the project team communication planner up-to-date?
Answer 6: You can keep the project team communication planner up-to-date by adding new communication events as they occur, updating existing communication events as needed, marking communication events as completed when they are finished, and reviewing the planner regularly.

Question 7: Can I use a project team communication planner to track communication for multiple projects?
Answer 7: Yes, you can use a project team communication planner to track communication for multiple projects. To do this, you can create a separate tab in the spreadsheet for each project.

In addition to the frequently asked questions above, here are a few tips for making an effective project team communication planner:

Tips

Here are a few tips for making an effective project team communication planner in Excel:

Tip 1: Keep it simple
Don’t overcomplicate your communication planner. It should be easy to understand and use for everyone on the team.

Tip 2: Tailor it to your team’s needs
There is no one-size-fits-all communication planner. Customize your planner to meet the specific needs of your team.

Tip 3: Use it consistently
For the communication planner to be effective, everyone on the team needs to use it consistently. Make sure to train team members on how to use the planner and encourage them to use it for all project communication.

Tip 4: Review it regularly
The communication planner should be a living document that is reviewed and updated regularly. This will help to ensure that it is always accurate and up-to-date.

By following these tips, you can create a project team communication planner that will help you to stay organized and on track.

Conclusion

A project team communication planner is an essential tool for keeping track of all the communication that needs to happen for a project. By using a communication planner, you can ensure that everyone on the team is on the same page and that communication is happening in a timely and efficient manner.

In this article, we have shown you how to make a project team communication planner in Excel. We have covered the following topics:

• Creating a new Excel spreadsheet
• Adding the necessary columns
• Formatting the spreadsheet
• Customizing the spreadsheet
• Sharing the spreadsheet
• Using the planner to track communication
• Updating the planner regularly

By following the steps in this article, you can create a project team communication planner that will help you to stay organized and on track.