Free Website Development Project Plan Template (Excel)
What's in the website development project plan
The workbook has two tabs. Tasks lists 50 pre-filled tasks already tagged to a phase - 8 for Discovery, 10 for Design, 15 for Development, 10 for QA & Testing, and 7 for Launch - covering the real work of a website build: sitemap, wireframes, visual design, front-end build, CMS integration, cross-browser testing, DNS cutover and post-launch verification.
Phases is a 5-row rollup: one row per phase, with a target date you set and a live count of tasks total, tasks done, and percent complete pulled automatically from the Tasks sheet.
Generic project-plan roundups (Smartsheet, ProjectManager, Venngage) don't have website-specific phases at all - you'd start from a blank task list. Website-focused tools (GanttPRO, TeamGantt, GoodDay) require an account and keep the real functionality inside their SaaS app. This is a direct, ungated download with the phase structure already built.
Percent complete per phase, not a Gantt chart
Be clear on what this calculates: percent complete per phase, computed live as tasks-done divided by tasks-total for that phase, using the Status column on the Tasks sheet.
It does not draw dependency-aware Gantt bars or auto-shift downstream dates when one task slips - that requires a scheduling engine no spreadsheet formula subset can replicate reliably. If you need that, a dedicated PM tool is the right call; this template's job is giving you a clean, phase-organized task list with automatic progress rollup, with no login required.
Client approval checkpoints
The Notes / client sign-off column on the Tasks sheet is where you log approval checkpoints - date requested, date approved, who approved it - for phases like Design and QA where client sign-off gates the next phase.
This keeps the approval trail attached to the specific task it applies to, rather than a separate sign-off log you have to cross-reference.
How to use it
- Review the 50 pre-filled tasks on the Tasks sheet, already grouped by phase (Discovery, Design, Development, QA & Testing, Launch).
- Assign an owner and due date to each task and update Status as work moves.
- Set a target date per phase on the Phases sheet - percent complete rolls up automatically from the Tasks sheet.
- Log client approvals in the Notes / client sign-off column as each phase gates to the next.
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Frequently asked questions
Does this draw a Gantt chart with dependency bars?
No. It gives you a phase-organized task table with automatic percent complete per phase - not an automated Gantt chart with dependency-shifting bars.
Can I add my own tasks?
Yes. Add rows to the Tasks sheet and keep the Phase dropdown consistent with one of the five phases so the Phases sheet keeps counting correctly.
Do I need a project management app account to use this?
No. It's a standard Excel/Google Sheets file with no signup, unlike SaaS Gantt tools that require an account for full functionality.
Can I use this in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive, then open it and choose File > Save as Google Sheets. The percent-complete formulas keep working.
Is this template really free?
Yes. You give an email address to download it, and then it's yours to use with no further cost.
What's the usage license?
Personal or single-business use. It's not meant to be resold or redistributed as a template product.