Businesses need all the help they can get. These 31 free Word and Excel templates for business help with everything from cost-benefit analysis to timesheets.
Business templates are a great way to work consistently and not have to reinvent the wheel each time you need to do repetitive tasks. ProjectManager is more than great project management software, it’s a depository of dozens of free Word and Excel templates for business that you can download right now.
1. Excel Timeline Template for Business Planning
This Excel timeline template is a versatile Excel template for business that can be used to visualize all the projects your business will execute in the future, identify the team or business department responsible for those projects and mark down milestones and deliverables. One of the main advantages of using this template is that it comes with various time scales to better adjust to your planning needs. You can use it to make 6-month, 1-year or 3-year timelines.
But Excel templates for business are static. To elevate your business planning, try project management software like ProjectManager. ProjectManager offers dynamic project timeline tools to help you plan projects, build schedules and assign work across your resources. You can even track costs, progress and time along the way. Use the roadmap to track multiple project plans at once, so all of your business projects are in one spot. Get started today for free.
2. SIPOC Template for Business Processes
SIPOC is an acronym for suppliers, inputs, process, outputs and customers. This free SIPOC template for Excel is a visual diagram that shows a business process from start to finish. This Excel business template gives team members a better understanding of the process and helps with continuous improvement.
The reason to use this Excel business template is that it can improve business processes. It helps with onboarding, especially for when a new team member joins a project. It quickly brings them up to speed. That’s because it provides a high-level overview of key steps, including suppliers, inputs, etc.
3. Operating Budget Template for Business Expenses
Use this free operating budget template for Excel to get a detailed view of the coming year and accurately predict revenue and expenses. But there’s more to this Excel business template than a financial snapshot of the future. It can be used by organizations to set realistic business goals for the coming year.
This Excel business template can also be used to look back at the past month or quarter of an operating budget and see if the predicted sales in fact occurred and if there were any unexpected expenses that require the annual balance to be adjusted. This analytic tool helps organizations adapt, update and remain strategic as business conditions change.
4. Budget Proposal Template for Business Projects
Before a project can start it has to be approved. The free budget proposal template for Excel is the sales pitch. It details the investment required to take the project across the finish line by estimating all the costs associated with the potential project. It’s presented to stakeholders to secure funding.
This Excel template for business is flexible enough to be used by companies, campaigns or any endeavor to show how its benefits outweigh the costs. It does this by breaking down the project into categories, such as salaries, materials, equipment, travel, communications, etc. Then there is a section to show the anticipated revenue or benefits to compare that to the funding.
5. Weekly Work Schedule Template
How you handle your human resources is instrumental to the success of your business. Organizing the work schedules of your employees keeps the company productive. Manage workflow with our free weekly work schedule template for Excel. This free Excel template for business lists all your employees, where and when they work as well as their responsibilities over a period of a week.
This not only helps with productivity but ensures that you are efficiently balancing your workforce. It’s a way to organize work and keep everyone working at capacity without over-allocating them. This helps to reduce the cost of your resources while keeping to deadlines. There’s also the fact that you can prioritize the work that must be done over the week. It also keeps the work-life balance that retains employees and lifts morale.
6. Timesheet Template
It’s said that your employees are your most valuable resource. So, why would you want to give them cumbersome timesheets? Using our free timesheet template for Excel is a simple and effective tool for keeping track of the time your employees spend on their work. It’s good for them and it’s good for managers to track time spent on tasks.
7. Standard Operating Procedure Template
This free standard operating procedure template for Word captures a step-by-step set of instructions that will direct an organization or project team on how to do a task. This free business template is used to ensure that a process or task is always being done correctly.
The importance of this template is clear: it documents company processes, which keep things consistent. It establishes guidelines for teams, which leads to greater productivity. The standard operating procedures template is helpful for fast growing companies to build clear communication between management and employees, especially if hands-on instruction isn’t possible.
8. Business Case Template
Use this business template to show the costs related to a project. The free business case template for Word will help clients, customers or stakeholders see that they’re getting a return on their investment and the project is worth initiating.
Once the research for the project is completed, use this free template to write the executive summary, share the mission statement and describe the product or service that will be delivered. There’s space for how the project will be organized, its financial appraisal, market assessment and strategy. There’s even a place to add risk assessment.
9. Business Plan Template
A business plan is a document that shows how a business will operate and establish itself in the market. It shows what that business will do to be profitable. The business plan template for Word is an essential part of any new business, especially those that are looking for funds from investors.
Everything that is needed to outline the background and value of the business is captured in this free business template. There’s an executive summary for the high-level overview, a company description with value proposition and a market analysis with marketing and sales strategy. Plus a whole lot more.
10. Business Requirements Document Template
Use this free business requirements document template for Word to capture all the information needed to deliver a project successfully. This template has everything from the objectives the project is trying to achieve to the project scope, schedule and more.
Use this business requirements document format to give stakeholders a clear picture of the project’s priorities, design and structure to help them make better business decisions. It can also act as a contract between customer and vendors outlining the project and deliverable expectations.
11. SWOT Analysis for Business
Businesses need to make strategic plans if they want to remain competitive and profitable. Our free SWOT analysis template for Word is a method that can be used to evaluate your business environment. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which can then be defined within and outside of your organization.
The free business template is set up in four quadrants. One for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Vertically, up the left-hand side of the template are two distinctions: one for external and the other for internal. Then on top there are also two categories: one for positive and another for negative. As you do your research, place what you find in the appropriate square. From this visual tool, you can make a viable strategic plan for your business.
12. Project Budget Template
One of the most important aspects of any business is its bottom line. If you can’t make a profit, you can’t stay in business. Budgets are estimates of the costs that you’ll spend over a period of time. They need to be accurate, which is where our free project budget template for Excel comes in. It is certainly one of the more important free Excel templates for business.
Making an accurate forecast for a budget is hard. There are many uncertainties. But you can use our free Excel template for business to capture labor costs, consultant fees, raw materials, software licenses, travel expenses and even those costs that are recurring, such as telephone charges, office space and equipment, general administration and company insurance. Be sure to use our free project budget template before you embark on any business endeavor.
13. RACI Matrix Template
There are multiple stakeholders in every business. From executives to employees and customers, everyone has some vested interest in the business. Being able to identify those roles and responsibilities as well as how they relate to the overall business and its communications is what our free RACI matrix template for Excel helps you determine.
RACI is another acronym, this one stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. The value of this free Excel template for business is that it lists everyone in the business on the left-hand column and then the top row identifies them by title. Then you can add the corresponding initial (R, A, C or I) that allows you to understand their place in the business and will help everyone know as well.
14. Stakeholder Analysis Template
Stakeholders are anyone or anything that has a vested interest in the project. Use this free stakeholder analysis template for Excel to better understand project stakeholders and how to communicate with them to manage their expectations.
Understand and map the strategy for dealing with stakeholders with this Excel template for business. First, identify the project stakeholders and then determine how to deal with each. This is a key part of stakeholder management, showing each stakeholder’s relationship to the project and the level of commitment.
15. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Business
A free Excel template for business that no enterprise should be without is our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel. When you’re exploring business opportunities you need to make sure that they’re worth the time, effort and especially cost. This free template will allow you to test the waters so you know if you will swim or sink if you take on the project.
A cost-benefit analysis is used by businesses to look at what they expect to pay for a project against what benefits or opportunities it will provide them. In short, will they make money or gain some advantage? Is it worth it? That answer can save a company a lot of frustration down the line or put them in a position to reap the rewards of its endeavor. Either way, it’s a free template that no business can do without.
16. Strategic Plan Template
Company leaders can use this business template to define its long-term vision, goals and objectives. The free strategic plan template for Word can then be shared across the organization so that it’s clearly understood by everyone from employees to customers, business partners and investors.
Everything that needs to be defined is outlined in this template. There’s space for an executive summary, vision and mission statements. A SWOT analysis addresses the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Business goals, marketing and operational goals are defined. There’s also a place for financial projections and identifying the team that will execute the plan.
17. Meeting Minutes Template
One thing that business people seem to agree about is that there are too many meetings. However, meetings are essential for communication, brainstorming and more. That doesn’t mean they don’t meander, but with an agenda, they can stay on point. With our free meeting minutes template for Word, you can also capture the important takeaways.
Using our free template for business allows you to collect all the necessary information in a format that is easy to read and, therefore, more likely retained by those who are in attendance. Minutes also help with documentation and save time during the meeting. That’s because everything is laid out, from the agenda to action items and even scheduling the next meeting.
18. Executive Summary Template
An executive summary is a document that outlines the key points of a project. It’s usually the first part of a larger project document that is being used to sway stakeholders or sponsors. This business template can be viewed as the elevator pitch. It should be short and compelling to draw readers in for more details.
This free template covers all the bases, from the vision and mission statements to the company’s role and strengths. It identifies the need or problem that the project will address and offers a unique solution, with documentation to back it up, the return on investment (ROI) and the budget required.
19. Work Order Template for Business
Use this free work order template for Excel to explain the labor, tools and materials that will be required to complete a task. It includes instructions on what the task is, an estimation of the costs involved, the deadline by which it should be completed, who’s responsible for doing the work and more.
This Excel template for business can also track work orders, be used to communicate tasks and the how to do them, which helps ensure that those tasks are done correctly. They’re especially useful for service providers or working with independent contractors. They can be found in construction, maintenance and other industries.
20. Inventory Template
Businesses run lean and mean if they want to stay in business. If your business has inventory then knowing exactly what you have and what you need is key to success. If you have our free inventory template for Excel then you’ll always have the materials you need on hand and never have costly delays in production to restock your inventory.
The free inventory template records the level of stock you’re warehousing as well as tracking turnover. It’s all there on one document, which makes it easy for managers to know what they have and when they have to order more. Not only manufacturers, but retailers can use the free Excel template for business to see what is and isn’t selling.
21. Flowchart Template for Business Operations
A flowchart is a visual tool that represents a process by breaking down the essential steps. The free flowchart template for Word makes it easy to create a flowchart, which is made up of ovals that represent the start and end points of the process, arrows to show the direction of the process, a diamond which means a decision on an activity and a rectangle that shows the action or deliverable.
Using this free business template helps turn complex processes into easily digestible visual steps. It creates clarity in showing how the process should be done. The flowchart template can be shared with the team, who can then see the entire process and their place in the larger whole.
22. Gap Analysis Template
Businesses don’t have the luxury of resting on their laurels. Stagnation leads to death. But wanting to improve and improving are two different things. That’s why our free gap analysis template for Excel is so critical for any business that wants to stay competitive. It helps businesses set long-term goals and stay innovative.
This free Excel template for business is a chart that collects the data you need to create an action plan that will move a business from where it currently stands in the marketplace to where it wants to be in the future. It does this by focusing on areas of improvement, using a gap percentage to show how far you have to go, including a timeline and resource management to get you there.
23. SMART Goals Template for Business Objectives
SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. A free SMART goal template for Word is a great tool to ensure that a project’s or organization’s goals are reasonable. This business template also gives direct to the project team as they develop objectives to achieve these goals.
The free template works by breaking down each of the five aspects of a SMART goal into a series of questions. There’s then a space on the template to answer these questions. Work through the entire template and whatever goals that are being decided on are now more clear and understandable.
24. Project Prioritization Matrix Template
The insight to know which project needs your attention if you’re managing a portfolio or program is key to managing your precious resources wisely to get the best return on your investment. Your business has a long-term strategy and using our free project prioritization matrix template for Excel helps you determine which projects are aligned with that strategy objectively and need attention immediately.
It does this with what’s commonly referred to as an Eisenhower matrix. It’s a chart broken up into four quadrants: must be done immediately, scheduled for the near future, delegated and delete or move. Across the top of the chart are two columns, one for do now and the other for doing later. On the left-hand side are two rows: crucial and not crucial. By placing your projects in one of these quadrants you can make more insightful decisions as to where to place your business efforts.
25. Organizational Chart Template
As businesses grow, they can become like a freighter, too big to turn swiftly. Our free organizational chart template for Excel won’t necessarily make your business more nimble, but it’ll help you stay competitive and improve departmental communication. Knowing who reports to who and who has authority to do what in a business will help you respond quickly to market forces and that makes this free Excel template for business so valuable.
A visual chart that shows the internal structure of a business, this hierarchical document breakdown the chain of command from top to bottom. It lists everyone’s name and position and shows where they stand in the organization of the business. Besides showing the relationships of the employees in a business it also helps to analyze the needs of a workforce, which makes it easier to know when you have to hire staff or streamline to create greater efficiency.
26. Action Plan Template
Businesses have strategies, but they’re just ideas on paper until they’re executed. An action plan turns that strategy into actionable steps that will ideally lead to the outcome you’ve planned to achieve. To outline those steps use our free action plan template for Excel. It will visualize the steps necessary to meet your business objectives and goals.
This action plan is made up of tasks and the free Excel template for business even breaks these tasks into subtasks, which are action items. It also notes the team, time and resources that will be required to complete the work. This includes a timeline to organize those tasks, prioritize them and assemble the team who will execute the work.
27. Vision Statement Template for Business
A vision statement is used by businesses to distill what they do, their core values and future goals. The catch? It has to be done in only a couple of sentences at most. Use this free vision statement template for Word to succinctly define the purpose of a business and what it plans to achieve in the future.
This business template is like a high-level pitch for the future of an organization. To help write this, there are a series of steps and associated questions. The answers are collected on the right-hand side of the template. When done, the pieces are all there to be assembled into a powerful and appropriate vision statement.
28. Request for Quote Template
Businesses can’t do everything themselves. They contract out work often but even more, they build relationships with suppliers who provide them with the materials they require to get their work done. Getting the supplies they need, when they need them is done through a request for quote (RFQ) process. To secure the procurements you need for your business, use our free request for quote template for Word.
The RFQ is often used with the request for proposal, the latter being how contracts between businesses and suppliers are defined. This free template is key to negotiating the price, amount and delivery of those supplies necessary for your work. Through a RFQ, both sides can come to an equitable agreement. This free template is ideal for keeping your supply costs down.
29. Marketing Calendar Template
If your business is marketing a product or service that’s a whole other job you have to do on top of everything else. Planning a marketing campaign involves deadlines, coordinating resources and much more. Using our free marketing calendar template for Excel shows you the campaign and activities on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis to help you stay on track.
This customizable free Excel template for business will allow you to visualize your marketing plan over a specific period of time. You can organize your schedule, the many tasks that are involved and their duration. There’s a place to describe the work and when it’s due as well as the people who are involved in doing that work. You can even set marketing goals to measure the success of your campaign.
30. Change Log Template
There isn’t a business that has not had to change something in order to remain solvent. But changes are disruptive and if you’re not managing them they can end up causing damage or worse to your business. Our free change log template for Excel captures those changes and tracks them throughout their life cycle until they have been resolved.
This provides a business with greater visibility. You identify the change and assign someone in the business to be responsible for addressing it. That creates accountability and managers can be certain that the change, whatever it might be, is taken care of. Not all changes are created equally, either. You can prioritize the change on this free Excel business template and better manage the time and cost related to the change.
31. Implementation Plan Template
This free implementation plan template for Excel charts the steps that lead to the delivery of a project. It’s a plan to implement a strategy and reduce the risk of surprises negatively impacting the project’s goals and objectives.
This free Excel business template defines the strategy, process and actions required to deliver a successful project. This free template is used by project managers to take the executive leadership team’s ideas and turn them into viable projects.
32. KPI Dashboard Template
Both project management teams and businesses need to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor their performance. This free KPI dashboard template is ideal for monitoring tasks, workload, costs, budgets and revenue.
ProjectManager Helps With Business Planning
All of these free Word and Excel templates for business are helpful, but they can only take you so far. They are, after all, static documents. You have to manually update them and, if they’re shared, it can be difficult to impossible to know which version has the most current data. ProjectManager is cloud-based software that empowers businesses to work more productively and streamline their processes for greater efficiency. Plus, everyone is connected, any time and anywhere, and they’re working off of real-time data to make more impactful decisions.
Plan Business Strategy With Robust Gantt Charts
Businesses need to plan ahead, whether to implement their strategies and meet objectives and goals or to execute projects. That involves scheduling costs, resources and time. Our robust Gantt charts do all that and more. They link all four types of dependencies to help you avoid delays. You can also create milestones and set a baseline to track your planned effort against your actual effort in real time to keep your strategic plans on track.
Track Projects With Real-Time Dashboards
Once you’ve set a baseline, you can track your progress and performance across our software in real time. Toggle over to the live dashboard where colorful graphs and charts make it easy to see metrics, such as time, cost and more. Unlike lightweight tools, there’s no configuration required. It’s ready when you are to show a high-level view of the work you and your employees are doing.
That’s just a sampling of the features we have. There are also resource management tools that can help you balance your employees’ workload to make them more productive. Risk management features allow you to track those changes and make sure they don’t impact your schedule or budget. All this on a collaborative platform that makes it easy to share files, comment and more. Business templates are fine, but our software takes your business to the next level. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
Related Business Content
If you’re not ready to take our free trial and upgrade your business, but still curious about how ProjectManager can help your business, we’ve got more for you to read. Below is a sampling of the free content on our site,, which includes weekly blogs, guides and, of course, free templates.
- 15 Must-Have Business Report Templates
- What Is a Business Budget? Business Budgeting Basics
- SWOT Analysis: Definitions, Examples & Templates
- How to Write a Mission Statement (Definition & Examples Included)
- What Is a Vision Statement? 15 Vision Statement Examples to Inspire You
- How to Create a Small Business Plan
- How to Write a Business Case (Template Included)
- 25 Must-Have Project Management Excel Templates and Spreadsheets
