Excel Mastery: Advanced Techniques for Monitoring Virtually Any Data Set

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Microsoft Excel is known for being an excellent tool for tracking things like a budget , inventory, or sales and revenue. But there are so many templates available you might not realize exist that can help you track just about anything.

You might use a list app to track chores or to keep track of the movies you want to watch. If you already use Excel, why not take advantage of it for tracking these types of things too? It just might save you some time.

How to Access Templates Inside of Excel

You can access the below templates in the Excel desktop app or via the Microsoft template website . On your desktop, open Excel and go to the Home section. Select “More Templates” and then use the Search box or browse the categories.

In our examples below, we’ll include web links to the templates so that you can view them online. Some templates are available for use in Excel for the web or as a download to use in the desktop application.

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Weekly Chore Schedule Template

Does everyone in your home pitch in with chores? If so, making sure everybody knows what they’re responsible for is key to getting it all done . Try this Weekly Chore Schedule template that you can print and then pop up on the fridge or family bulletin board.

This weekly chore list gives you spots for all the tasks along the left. Then, it’s easy to add the person who’s responsible for each task on any given day. Each family member can then add a checkmark when they complete the chore.

Vacation Items Checklist Template

Booking flights, scheduling rental cars, finding accommodations—planning a vacation takes work. When it’s time to get ready for your trip, make sure you’ve got everything you need with this Vacation Items Checklist .

Add to-dos to the list such as confirming hotel reservations or notifying neighbors you’ll be away. Then, assign a category to the item so you can use the filters on the right to see all the items in that category.

The template also has spots to mark items complete as you prepare for your trip.

Movie List Template

It can be hard to remember every movie you’ve seen and those you want to watch too. Create a list of the movies you’ve watched or those you want to watch next with the Movie List template .

Simply add the movie details including year, starring actors, director, genre, and rating. Then, include your own review from one to five stars and enter notes about the movie you don’t want to overlook.

Wine Collection Template

If you’re a wine connoisseur or simply want to keep track of the wines you’ve tried, the Wine Collection template is a handy tool.

This template features a table where you simply add the details for each wine, including the vineyard or winery, vintage, color, country of origin, and region. Then, mark your favorites and add notes.

Book Collection Template

Similar to the wine collection template is one for listing books . This list gives you a convenient way to log all of the books you’ve read and add notes about the plot, characters, or conflicts.

The Book Collection List template offers tons of space for basic details such as author, publisher, date, and edition. You can then add extras like language and translator, cover type, number of pages, the condition of the book, and its location on your shelf.

Video Game Tracker Template

Gamers usually have a good mental list of the games they’ve played or want to play. But with the Video Game Tracker template in Excel, you can log those other details that may not be as easy to remember.

Include the platform, the character you played, your high score, any achievements, the highest level achieved, and the percentage of levels completed inside the tracker.

Then, use the additional sheets to track friends of yours who play as well. You can include their gamer tags and notes. The other sheet allows you to log details for gaming events, including the cycle and date.

Subscription and Membership Tracker Template

From application subscriptions to memberships for clubs or teams, you can keep track of it all with this Subscription and Membership Tracker template .

Add the name of the subscription or membership , the date you paid, the amount, length, and renewal date along with the payment method. You can also include notes for choosing a lengthier renewal or not renewing at all.

Conversational Ice Breaker Tracker Template

While many people are pros in social situations, others may struggle. Using this Conversational Ice Breaker Tracker template , you can prepare for business or personal conversations ahead of time.

Create your list of ice breakers or the things you can say to start a conversation. Then, include the type of situation, whether professional or personal. After you use the ice breaker, come back to your sheet to track how well it worked.

Add details for when you used it and if you’d use it again. Be sure to enter any notes about the ice breaker to help in the future.

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Car Repair Tracker Template

Keeping a log of car repairs or vehicle maintenance is important. You’ll want to know when a service was performed, by whom, and how much it cost. These are the types of things you can track with the Car Repair Tracker template .

Include the date, cost, vehicle (if your household has more than one), the service or repair center, and a description. Whether your family has only one vehicle or several, you can stay on top of repairs and maintenance right in Excel.

These templates are just scratching the surface of what you’ll find in Excel. Other templates exist such as a Credit Card Tracker , a Weekly Assignment Schedule , and a Gas Mileage Tracker .

With these Excel templates, you can stay on top of things. And if this sparks an idea for another option, look at how to create a custom template of your own in Excel.

Win Dash

Excel Mastery: Advanced Techniques for Monitoring Virtually Any Data Set