Free Project Dashboard Template
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Sponsors don't read status reports. They scan dashboards. This one-page Excel template gives you a branded executive health summary: six key metrics across the top, RAG status for every dimension of the project in the middle, and a structured notes section for anything that needs explaining. Update it in 10 minutes. Share it with confidence.
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Quick answer
A project dashboard is a one-page visual summary of a project's health. This free Excel template shows six key metrics across the top and a RAG status for each dimension of the project, so sponsors can see what needs attention in seconds.
Project Dashboard template at a glance
| Format | Excel (.xlsx), one page |
|---|---|
| Sections | 3: headline metrics, RAG status, commentary |
| Lifecycle phase | Executing and monitoring |
| Read by | Sponsor and steering committee |
| Best for | A quick view of project health between reports |
What's in the project dashboard template?
The dashboard is a single-sheet Excel file structured in three horizontal bands. Each band serves a different audience need: from the headline number sponsors want first, to the detailed RAG breakdown the PM needs to track, to the narrative context that explains any non-green status.
How should you use RAG status?
RAG is only useful if it means the same thing to everyone on the project. Vague or inconsistent RAG definitions lead to sponsors either dismissing the dashboard as optimistic or becoming desensitised to Amber because it is over-used. Define your thresholds at the start of the project and apply them consistently.
Setting Thresholds: Examples
Thresholds should be agreed with the sponsor before the project starts and documented in the project management plan. Common examples: Schedule: Green: within 5 days of milestone; Amber: 5–15 days late; Red: more than 15 days late or critical path breached. Budget: Green: within ±5% of plan; Amber: 5–10% over; Red: more than 10% over. Quality: Green: defect rate below 2%; Amber: 2–5%; Red: above 5% or a critical defect found.
The Overall RAG Rule
The overall project RAG status, shown in the header, is typically the worst of the individual RAG ratings. If Risks are Red and everything else is Green, the overall is Red. This rule may feel harsh but it forces the right conversation: a sponsor looking at an overall Green dashboard assumes everything is fine. An overall Red ensures the escalation happens.
Should you use a dashboard or a status report?
The dashboard and the status report are not the same document used for different audiences. They serve fundamentally different purposes. The best reporting packs include both: the dashboard on the cover page, the status report as the body.
A reporting pack that includes only a dashboard leaves the steering committee without enough context to make informed decisions. A pack that includes only a status report buries the key numbers in narrative. Use the Status Report template alongside this dashboard, the dashboard goes on the cover, the status report provides the detail.
Project Dashboard: 4 Common Questions
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