A RACI template is a project management tool that defines roles and responsibilities across tasks using four categories: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed. By creating a clear structure for decision-making, a RACI template helps avoid confusion and ensures every task has ownership and support.
When first introduced, RACI charts were drawn out on paper or whiteboards for team alignment. Now, digital versions are available in project management software, though many teams still rely on spreadsheets. A RACI template in Google Sheets is a simple way to build a shared responsibility chart, and variations such as a RACI chart template for Google Sheets or a RACI matrix template in Google Sheets make it easy to customize the format to fit different projects.
Why Use a RACI Template for Google Sheets?
Use Google Sheets to make a RACI template that captures roles and responsibilities for project tasks. Build a simple table that lists activities in rows and team members in columns, then mark each cell with Responsible, Accountable, Consulted or Informed. With a RACI template in Google Sheets, you can quickly assign ownership, clarify decision-making and share the chart with stakeholders in real time. This helps prevent overlap, reduces miscommunication and gives the team a clear understanding of who does what.
Still, a RACI chart template for Google Sheets or a RACI matrix template in Google Sheets is not the most powerful way to manage responsibility assignments. Spreadsheets require manual updates and do not integrate with live task progress or project timelines. For advanced project management features, use ProjectManager instead.
With our software, you can build RACI charts connected directly to tasks, visualize responsibilities on an interactive Gantt chart, update roles automatically and generate reports in real time. Our tools go beyond a static template, giving you visibility into dependencies, accountability across your team and a clear view of how responsibilities align with the project schedule. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
Google Sheets templates can help map roles and responsibilities, but they can’t offer the planning, scheduling and tracking tools that project management software like ProjectManager provides. Let’s review some of the key features that make ProjectManager’s RACI charts, Gantt charts and reporting tools a much better choice for managing accountability than a RACI template in Google Sheets.
Free RACI Template for Google Sheets
While project management software offers the most advanced RACI chart features, Google Sheets is still a useful and free alternative, especially for teams that need to collaborate online and share responsibility assignments in real time.
There’s no better way to understand how a RACI template works in Google Sheets than by using one. This free RACI template Google Sheets comes with a pre-built grid of tasks and roles, along with sample responsibility assignments that can be edited and customized to fit your project. Click on the image to download the template and follow the steps below.
RACI Template for Google Sheets: Pros & Cons
Using a RACI template in Google Sheets can be a quick and cost-effective way to assign roles and responsibilities in a project. Like any spreadsheet solution, it has its advantages and drawbacks. Below, we break down the pros and cons of creating a RACI chart template in Google Sheets so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your team.
Pros of Making a RACI Template in Google Sheets
A RACI template in Google Sheets can provide a simple structure to clarify project roles without requiring new software. Here are some key benefits:
- Free to use with a Google account
- Easy to customize with rows, columns and formatting
- Cloud-based for real-time collaboration with remote teams
- Accessible on desktop, tablet or mobile devices
- Simple sharing and version control through Google Drive
Cons of Making a RACI Template in Google Sheets
While Google Sheets can help you get started quickly, it lacks many advanced features needed for larger or more complex projects. Here are the main drawbacks:
- Manual updates are required, which can cause errors
- No automation or integration with project schedules
- Limited reporting and tracking capabilities
- Not scalable for projects with many tasks and team members
- Harder to connect responsibilities with actual task progress
Related: 32 Must-Have Project Management Templates for Google Sheets
ProjectManager Is Better Than a Google Sheets Template
ProjectManager’s RACI tools go beyond what a spreadsheet can offer by connecting roles and responsibilities directly to tasks. You can automate updates, set approval workflows for accountability and track both costs and resources in real time. This integration ensures that responsibility assignments are never static but evolve alongside your project schedule.
Illustrated in the image below, ProjectManager’s task views provide far more context than a RACI chart template for Google Sheets or a RACI matrix template in Google Sheets. Instead of a simple grid, every task can display detailed information to help project managers and teams make better decisions.
Here are some of the key task details you can track with ProjectManager:
- Task description
- Category tags
- Due dates
- Priority level
- Percentage of completion
- Estimated vs. actual costs
- Estimated vs. actual task duration
- Assignees
- Task recurrence
- Subtasks
- Comments and file attachments
In addition to these dynamic task views, ProjectManager has a full suite of project management tools to support RACI planning and beyond, including Gantt charts with dependency tracking, timesheets for monitoring hours, workload charts for resource management, project dashboards for real-time visibility and more.
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RACI Matrix Template
Use this free RACI Matrix Template to manage your projects better.
How to Make a RACI Template in Google Sheets
Creating a RACI template in Google Sheets is simple and flexible, allowing you to build a clear responsibility matrix that matches your project needs. The template linked above already has the framework in place, but customizing it step by step ensures that the chart reflects your team, tasks and project structure. Follow the steps below to set up your own RACI matrix template in Google Sheets.
1. Identify Project Phases
Start by deciding how you want to divide your project into phases. In a RACI matrix, you don’t necessarily need to stick with the traditional project life cycle stages. Instead, you can establish your own project phases based on deliverables, sprints, departments or other criteria that make sense for your work. Create these phases as bolded or highlighted rows in the “Project Tasks” column so that all related tasks can be grouped under them for easy tracking.
2. Make a List of Tasks for Each Project Phase
Under each project phase, list out the specific tasks or activities that need to be completed. These can be high-level deliverables or detailed subtasks depending on the scope of your project. For example, in the planning phase, you might include tasks such as drafting requirements, creating a budget or developing a schedule. Make sure each task is written clearly so that there is no confusion when assigning responsibilities later.
3. Identify Project Team Members
Next, add your project team members across the top of the sheet as column headers. These should include everyone involved in the project, from core team members to stakeholders who need to be consulted or informed. Each person will have their own column where R, A, C or I will be assigned. Be sure to include roles that are often overlooked, such as quality assurance, legal review or client representatives, to make the matrix comprehensive.
4. Assign a RACI Letter to Each Team Member
Once the phases, tasks and team members are listed, begin filling in the matrix with R (Responsible), A (Accountable), C (Consulted) and I (Informed). Use data validation in Google Sheets to create dropdown menus with these letters, which helps avoid errors and keeps the entries consistent. Apply conditional formatting to color-code each letter so the chart is easier to read at a glance. Remember that each task should have one clear Accountable role, but can have multiple Responsible, Consulted or Informed roles as needed.
More Project Management Templates for Google Sheets
In addition to a RACI matrix template in Google Sheets, many other spreadsheet tools can help manage different parts of your project. While not as powerful as project management software, these Google Sheets templates can be useful for planning, budgeting and tracking work in a lightweight and accessible way. Here are some of the most common templates that teams use.
Gantt Chart Template for Google Sheets
A Gantt chart template in Google Sheets helps you map out project tasks along a timeline. You can create rows for each task, add start and end dates and use conditional formatting or bar charts to visualize progress. This gives a basic overview of deadlines and dependencies, though unlike project management software, it won’t automatically update or link tasks together. Still, for smaller projects or quick planning, a Google Sheets Gantt chart template can provide a simple schedule view.
Google Sheets Budget Template
A budget template for Google Sheets allows you to track project expenses and compare them against your planned budget. By listing categories such as labor, materials, equipment and overhead, you can monitor costs as they occur and use formulas to calculate totals and variances. It’s an effective way to maintain financial oversight when managing smaller projects, though it lacks advanced cost tracking or integration with project tasks and schedules.
Google Sheets Inventory Template
An inventory template in Google Sheets helps keep track of supplies, equipment or products tied to a project. You can log item descriptions, quantities, locations and reorder levels, then use conditional formatting to highlight low stock. This is particularly useful in manufacturing or retail projects that require accurate resource tracking. While a spreadsheet works for simple inventory management, larger operations often benefit from software that automates updates and integrates with other project tools.
Related RACI Content
There are other RACI templates and articles on how to make one, as well as other tools for assigning responsibilities and making decisions. Below are links to some related articles.
- How to Make a RACI Chart for a Project (Example & Template Included)
- RACI Matrix Template for Excel (Free Download)
- How to Make a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for a Project (Template Included)
- Top 7 Decision-Making Templates
ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams in the office, out in the field and anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
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