The work plan is something essential to most businesses. Project managers know it and use it to their advantage. Without it, everyone could be just wondering and not knowing what to do, how to act, and why they should do what they’re doing.

The best work plans are those that detail each person's responsibilities and the potential outcome of their efforts. It also describes the project timeline. With every new project, you need to create additional ones to keep everything in check and have a clear vision of what you are trying to accomplish.

Well then, you are in luck! We have prepared a project plan template you can use multiple times for any project. The work plan template and the project planning process are essential when it comes to the successful running of the company and will surely make your next project work out.

So, in that fashion, let’s talk about the project plan templates we’ve prepared for you and why you should invest your time in this concept.

So, a simple project plan template can easily be found online. We have prepared some examples for all the tasks you may need to use them for. Each project work plan template will help you out in getting your work plan started and surely will be of benefit in future ones.

But before that, you need software that will be able to run this template. In this case, we recommend using Microsoft Office. It is the single best project management software you can imagine.

It has a lot of tools to use, and most people on the planet who have work experience in the office use this one for sure. Microsoft Office has been a staple in the office–related software for years now and a reason.

There is no other software that is comprehensive and easy to use as Microsoft’s proposition. And, despite what you may have heard, it is not an expensive tool anymore.

You can find Microsoft Office for an affordable price nowadays. You just need to know where to look. Your project team will thank you!

And now, let’s get on with some of the more exciting templates you can use with this software.

Work Plan Template #1

This template is a basic example of your standard work plan template. Looking at this template, you can see the critical action steps and the overall project schedule.

The best thing about this one is that it’s just so transparent. One glance and you can get all the necessary data you want to find. With managing multiple projects, you can use this project management tool to identify project risks and just be on top of everything.

You can download this template for free at TemplateLab.com.

Work Plan Template #2

Here is something more complicated. An all–in–one thing that will help you create your project plan and goals. Out of all our project templates, this will allow you to see the entire project from start to finish: all the project deliverables, resource allocation, budget, risk management, and everything on the same page.

If you want to have a successful project, it is one of the best ways of going about it. It takes care of all the aspects of the whole project and allows you to see the specific tasks in detail.

You can download this template for free at SmartSheet.com.

Work Plan Template #3

This one, on the other hand, is something totally in between. It has all the project elements you may encounter in your standard template, with further breakdowns of the different goals.

If you need something to help you with your everyday project issues, you have your winner. This template is the most universal when it comes to project tracking possibilities. You can even create your work plan template based on this one. It shows all the crucial elements and some added ones that will help you track progress and see daily tasks.

You can download this template for free at Indeed.com.

Now that we know what to use and how to use it, let’s go over some detail of the main thing in question. What is a work plan?

In the most basic of understandings, the work plan is a document that shows all the necessary elements like the project name, the project status, the tasks in each project phase, and the project delays we need to take care of.

It is a schedule created in the planning phase that shows you everything that will happen from start to finish. It is not only a detailed plan but also –– a great visual representation of the whole project template.

A well-structured work plan can benefit you and your company in many ways. It is not only a schedule but also a place where you can quickly check out your project's progress and see some shortcomings of your plan.

Here are some of the most attractive benefits of using a work plan that will help you with any complex project. And every team member will benefit from it as well.

Organization

A work plan can significantly benefit you in getting all the crucial information in the correct order. Of course, some of the elements may be loose. But if you visualize it with a work plan, completing tasks will be so much easier.

You will also be able to track all the end dates and critical components of each goal you are trying to accomplish in a visually appealing way.

Scheduling

Additionally, it is so much easier to schedule different tasks when you have a work plan. Just think about it this way. If you organize tasks, you must understand what elements come before each other. That way, you can send critical details and relevant data to the proper departments without confusion and delays.

Saving Money

A work plan also allows you to save money. It has an estimated budget, and when you break down the whole project, you will likely notice some elements of the project that will have to be included. You will also see what some of the optional features are.

That way, you will be able to save money and make more efficient use of your resources.

Even though there are many different projects with their individual needs, some elements are essential in each one of them. Here are some of the most important parts you should consider including in your work plan.

Idea Behind the Project

Every work breakdown structure starts with a simple question – What exactly are we doing? So, start with some goals and objectives you are trying to achieve and go down from there. We all know that a specific project needs specific attention, so be sure to make those as clear and as precise as it is humanly possible.

Managerial and Employees Duties

Another key element to consider is the responsibilities of team members. If people do not know their duties, everything starts breaking down, people blame each other, and it is an overall mess.

This is essential for the employees, as they can always go back to the work plan and check what is within their responsibilities and what their teammates should be responsible for.

With a clear distinction between different parts of the project, you will be able to avoid potential conflicts and create a more comfortable space overall.

Funding

They say that the world revolves around money, so budgeting is essential. With it, you will be able to see what you can do as a manager and who you can employ to do what kind of task.

You will also be able to create a marketing campaign and get out the deliverables as soon as possible.

The best way to accomplish that is to create a budget bracket with detailed information on what elements should go to which part of the project.

Now that we know a tad more about your team members' responsibilities, how to create a budget, and if it is even optimal to develop a work plan, let’s talk about the different kinds of work plans.

Even though every plan is important, you can differentiate between projects and see some common elements. You can group them and see similarities that will allow you to understand your project better.

Here are some of the most common types of work plans with additional details on each project's primary goal.

Employee Work Plan

Employee work is the most commonly used working plan for various purposes. It is not only a great asset for the whole crew that takes care of the project but also for managers. With all access, you may need to hide some more sensitive information that should not be available to unauthorized employees.

The essential elements that should be included in the employee work plan are the projected budget and all the things involved. We mean materials, other resources, and the potential deadline of the project.

It is also essential to create a list of responsibilities for each employee with many details for each of them. It will help you out in better work organization.

Manager Work Plan

This is similar, but with some additional elements only the manager would know about. So, take everything included in the employee work plan and some sensitive information.

Those would be things like:

• Cost of the project with human resources included

• The reason why the project was initiated and the potential benefits of implementing it

• A detailed plan on how this project will bring profits to the company and when the project will break even

Business Owner Work Plan

This is entirely different from the ones we have seen before, although there are some similarities. Business owners have a completely different way of handling business plans.

Regarding company policies, it is often considered quite strict and without wiggle room or human touch, as some may say.

In the case of the business owner, they are solely responsible for their business and how it will turn out in the end, so it is only fair that they can modify it to their own needs. If something doesn’t work - change it. If the budget does not suffice – increase it!

Also - the scope is entirely different. It is not your every day – we need to find a solution to our leaking pipes in the basement. This is, instead - what are our annual sales goals, and how will we introduce a new car to our fleet?

A business owner’s plan can differ entirely from a manager’s or an employee’s. It is mainly considered to combat a large project with much market research, so the background is different.

We have discussed the benefits and types of different work plans. Now it is time to create one for ourselves. Of course, we will not be going into details about what should be included in which bracket, but rather – what kind of information should be included in the whole work plan.

Those are not set in stone, so there will be many different interpretations of why it happens, but overall, it should suffice for most uses in most cases.

With that in mind, let’s go over some details.

Goals and Objectives

After creating a project name and the reasoning behind it, you first need to make a detailed plan on what you are trying to accomplish with this project. It can be as simple as creating a new app or introducing a unique flavor of your bubble gum.

Whatever it is, make some long and short-term goals to create a perfect business plan before the product launch. Also - remember to add a timeline, as it can make or break your project.

Responsibilities

Next, create a list of everyone involved in the project. Then, assign namely or “team,” all their responsibilities. It will help you with potential “not-my-job” issues, and employees will understand your demands.

It will also be much easier for the project manager to assign team members and be able to control their work and each employee as well. It is an essential part of a manager’s job to know everything, everywhere, all at once.

Create Timelines

After you’ve created all the necessary points, it’s time for the actual work plan. To do that, create a timeline for every one of your employees and see what they are doing, what their strategies are and how they will go about it.

A well-crafted timeline can help you immensely with your goals. Especially considering that you will not only be able to keep the team members in check regarding their duties but also modify the strategy according to circumstances.

Remember, the most critical aspect of the timeline is setting realistic goals for your team and yourself. You will quickly see if you have created unattainable goals, that the morale of overworked employees will soon go down, and you, as manager, will have a big problem.

Not only will you not be able to finish the project within the time limit, but also - you will not be able to work with these employees in a partnership. They will be deflected.

Create a Budget

Budgeting is something that you need to create with an open mind. Some managers tend to be stuck in a budgeting situation without ever having the ability to make some wiggle room for themselves.

It is most important not to be swayed by the corporate culture. Get some coin from the higher-ups for bonuses for the employees for good performance and some additional taco Thursdays.

Morale is one of the most important, and a well-awarded employee is happy. And happy employees do not have complaints and work better in the process.

Additionally, include all the costs from within the company and all third parties.

You should also review each budgeting option after hitting a milestone or completing a goal. With that in mind, you will see which teams are within their budget and which need additional support.

Appendix

This part is voluntary but should be considered when creating a work plan. Here, you can add all the information that does not apply to any other bracket. You can put the marketing expenses here, little project timelines, some concepts or issues that came out during the process, and everything you thought of during writing.

It can be your notepad of some sort, or you can even create a comment section and ask for feedback from everyone. Understanding what the stakeholders think about the whole idea can be beneficial. Maybe they will see something from up close you couldn’t see from up far.

So this is it - a conclusion to our work plan considerations. As usual in those cases, we hope it will benefit you to use one of our templates and suggestions. There are many ways a work plan can help a company, and you probably already have seen plenty of those if you have ever worked on a project.

The most important thing to take away is that a well-construed work plan does not have to be the most detailed or the longest. It just needs to be the most visually coherent. If you can find all the necessary information quickly, you will see that there is no reason to create an unintelligible document, but it is better to have something you can work with. Create some associations and go from there. Excluding, of course, the budget portion, this one has to be somewhat conservative.

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