To-Do List Template for Excel and Google Sheets: Build One That Actually Gets Used
Build a to-do list template in Excel or Google Sheets: checkboxes, due-date alerts, priority, a filtered Today view, recurring tasks, a progress bar and simple planning methods, with a worked example.
A good to-do list template is a simple table — one row per task with a checkbox, due date, priority and a short note — plus a few formulas that flag overdue items and pull today’s tasks to the top. In Excel or Google Sheets you can build it in about 15 minutes, share it with a partner or team, and reuse it every week. The difference between a list that gets used and one that gets abandoned is usually structure: every task starts with a verb, has a date, and the sheet shows you only what matters today.
This guide is part of our Project Management hub. A to-do list handles day-to-day actions; for multi-step projects with dependencies and budgets, use a project management template or a Gantt chart.
Columns for a to-do list template
| Column | What goes in | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Done | Checkbox (TRUE/FALSE) | Insert → Checkbox in recent Microsoft 365 versions; Insert → Checkbox in Google Sheets |
| Task | Action starting with a verb | “Email revised quote to client”, not “Quote” |
| List / area | Work, admin, clients, home | Dropdown |
| Due date | Date | Every task gets one |
| Priority | High, Medium, Low | Dropdown |
| Estimate (min) | Rough time needed | Helps you avoid overloading a day |
| Status / alert | Calculated | Formula |
| Repeat every (days) | Blank or a number | For recurring tasks |
Turn the range into a table (Ctrl + T in Excel) named Tasks so new rows inherit formulas and formatting automatically.
Formulas that make the list smart
Due-date alert
=IF([@Done],"Done",IF([@[Due date]]<TODAY(),"Overdue",IF([@[Due date]]=TODAY(),"Today",IF([@[Due date]]-TODAY()<=7,"This week","Later"))))
Pair it with conditional formatting: red for Overdue, orange for Today, yellow for This week. To strike through completed rows, add a rule with the formula =$A2=TRUE and a strikethrough gray font.
A “Today” view that updates itself
On a second sheet (Excel 365 or Google Sheets):
=SORT(FILTER(Tasks[[Task]:[Priority]],(Tasks[Done]=FALSE)*(Tasks[Due date]<=TODAY()),"Nothing due today"),3,1)
This lists every open task due today or earlier, sorted by due date (the third column of the returned range). Overdue items naturally appear first.
Time check for today
=SUMIFS(Tasks[Estimate (min)],Tasks[Done],FALSE,Tasks[Due date],"<="&TODAY())/60 returns the hours of work due today. If it says 9 hours and you have 5 available, you know what needs to move before the day starts.
Recurring tasks
When a recurring task is checked, add its next occurrence: =IF(AND([@Done],[@[Repeat every (days)]]<>""),[@[Due date]]+[@[Repeat every (days)]],""). Copy the task to a new row with that date (or use the result to overwrite the due date and uncheck the box). For month-end tasks, =EOMONTH([@[Due date]],1) gives the last day of the next month.
Progress bar
- Completion rate:
=COUNTIF(Tasks[Done],TRUE)/COUNTA(Tasks[Task]) - Text progress bar:
=REPT("█",ROUND(B1*10,0))&REPT("░",10-ROUND(B1*10,0))
Worked example: a freelancer’s week
Checked on Friday, November 6, 2026.
| Done | Task | Priority | Due | Est. | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Send invoice for October project | High | Nov 4 | 20 min | Overdue |
| ☐ | Email revised quote to new client | High | Nov 6 | 30 min | Today |
| ☐ | Reconcile business bank account | Medium | Nov 6 | 45 min | Today |
| ☐ | Draft homepage copy | High | Nov 10 | 120 min | This week |
| ☐ | Book dentist appointment | Low | Nov 13 | 10 min | This week |
| ☐ | Update portfolio with two case studies | Medium | Nov 20 | 90 min | Later |
| ☑ | Client kickoff call | High | Nov 3 | 60 min | Done |
| ☑ | Back up project files | Low | Nov 5 | 15 min | Done |
Two of eight tasks are done (25%; the progress-bar formula above shows ███░░░░░░░, because Excel’s ROUND(2.5,0) rounds up to 3). The Today view lists three items — the overdue invoice and the two tasks due today — adding up to 95 minutes, so the day is realistic. The invoice comes first because cash depends on it; your invoice template makes that a 20-minute job. The quote follows from your quote template.
Simple methods that fit a spreadsheet list
| Method | How it works | How to apply it in the sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower matrix | Sort tasks by urgent/important into do, schedule, delegate, drop | Add “Urgent?” and “Important?” Yes/No columns and a formula for the quadrant |
| 1-3-5 rule | Plan one big, three medium and five small tasks for a day | Use a “Size” column (Big/Medium/Small) and count today’s tasks by size with COUNTIFS |
| Time blocking | Give tasks a slot in the calendar | Use the Estimate column to block time in your schedule or calendar |
| Weekly review | Once a week, clear, update and plan | Archive done tasks, re-date overdue ones, add next week’s items |
None of these is magic; they simply limit how much you commit to in a day. Pick one and use it for a few weeks before changing.
Shared to-do lists for small teams
- Add an Owner column with a dropdown, and give each person a filtered view:
=FILTER(Tasks[Task],(Tasks[Owner]="Sam")*(Tasks[Done]=FALSE),"All clear"). - Count overdue tasks per person with
COUNTIFSand review them in a 15-minute weekly meeting; capture decisions with the meeting minutes template. - Store the file in OneDrive/SharePoint or Google Drive for simultaneous editing.
- Lock formula columns so nobody overwrites them — see how to protect formulas in Excel.
Common mistakes
- Vague tasks that never feel finished (“website”). Break them into the next physical action.
- No due dates, so nothing ever becomes urgent until it’s too late.
- A list that only grows. Move completed tasks to an Archive sheet monthly.
- Planning more hours than you have. The estimate column keeps today honest.
- Using the to-do list as a project plan. When tasks depend on each other and have budgets, move to the project template.
FAQ
How do I add checkboxes in Excel?
In recent Microsoft 365 versions, select the cells and choose Insert → Checkbox; each cell then holds TRUE or FALSE. In older versions, use a Yes/No dropdown or the Form Controls checkbox on the Developer tab linked to a cell.
Is a printable to-do list better than a spreadsheet?
Paper works well for a single day’s list. A spreadsheet wins when tasks carry over, repeat, have due dates or are shared. Many people use both: keep the master list in the sheet and print or copy the Today view each morning.
Can Excel remind me of due tasks?
Not on its own. The color alerts and Today view make due tasks obvious whenever you open the file. For notifications, connect the sheet to an automation tool or use a task app.
Does this template work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Google Sheets has native checkboxes and supports FILTER, SORT, SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, REPT and EOMONTH.
Next step: create the Tasks table with the columns above, add everything on your mind with a due date, and set up the Today view on a second sheet. More planning tools are in the Project Management hub.