Free project management templates
All 30 templates are free to download in Excel, Word or PDF, with no account needed. They cover every phase from the project charter to the closure report. The five most used are the project charter, risk register, RACI matrix, status report and WBS.
Which templates do you need at each project phase?
Built from real projects, pre-filled and professionally formatted.
Phase 1 of 5
Initiation
Before the project starts: define it, justify it and get approval.
Start here. The project charter gives the project formal approval. Without a signed charter, scope creep is almost guaranteed.
Phase 2 of 5
Planning
How the work will be done, who does what, what it costs and how risks are handled.
Phase 3 of 5
Execution
Keep the team aligned, decisions recorded and changes controlled while work happens.
Keep status reports to one page: what was done, what is next, what is blocked. Stakeholders don't read long reports.
Phase 4 of 5
Monitoring and control
Track performance against the baseline and report with confidence.
Phase 5 of 5
Closure
Formally close the work, hand over to operations and capture what you learned.
Don't skip closure. A signed sign-off form alone can prevent costly disputes about what was in scope.
All 30 templates by phase and format
| Phase | Number of templates | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Initiating | 5 | 4 Word, 1 Excel |
| Planning | 10 | 4 Word, 6 Excel |
| Executing and monitoring | 10 | 1 Word, 9 Excel |
| Closing | 5 | 4 Word, 1 Excel |
| Total | 30 | 13 Word, 17 Excel |
Every template is free, with no email or account needed.
How do you choose the right template?
Start from the decision or control you need. Approval needs a business case or charter; control needs a register or log; closure needs a sign-off form or closure report. Pick Excel for anything you update every week, such as risks, issues and budgets, and Word for documents that are approved once, such as plans and reports.
- New project: business case, project charter, stakeholder register and kickoff agenda
- Planning: WBS, Gantt chart, budget, risk register and RACI matrix
- Delivery: status report, issue log, decision log and change request form
- Closing: sign-off form, handover document, closure report and lessons learned
A small internal project may need only 5 or 6 templates; a large one may use most of the 30. In 2026 every template is aligned with PMI and PRINCE2 terminology, and each one has its own page with a preview, a worked explanation and common questions. Questions about a template? Contact us or read the blog.
How were these templates built?
Each template follows the document types and terms used in the PMBOK Guide and PRINCE2, so it fits most organisations without heavy editing. Excel templates include drop-down lists and formulas where they save time, such as risk scores, budget variance and EVM metrics, and Word templates include guidance text that you replace with your own content.
All 30 were reviewed in 2026 for the current PMP exam content outline. If you find an error or want a template we do not have yet, tell us; reader requests decide what we build next.
Each template page also includes a short explanation of when to use the document, the sections it contains and common questions, so you can use it confidently even on your first project. Download as many as you need: there is no limit and no email address required.
If you are preparing for the PMP, using these documents on a real project is one of the best ways to understand the processes and artifacts that appear in exam scenarios.
Common questions.
Short answers, with links to each template.
What project management templates do I need?
Are these PM templates free to download?
What format are the templates in?
Can I use these templates to prepare for the PMP?
What is a RACI matrix?
What should a project charter include?
These are the templates I used managing projects in the UAE and now give my PMP students. MS in Project Management, Bahria University, Islamabad, and former project management lecturer at International Islamic University, Islamabad.