How to Track Productivity in Excel

It is easy to calculate productivity in Excel or Google Sheets. All you need is this simple formula:

Productivity = total output / total input

Output is the task you’ve done. Input is the effort, time or any other resources you use to get the output.

With that said, you should start tracking your productivity. Especially when you want to improve yourself at handling certain tasks or build a positive character.

The feedback you’ll get from tracking is also valuable for your improvement.

This is why it is a common practice in businesses as well. It helps them use resources better and optimise their workforce. 

Now, don’t worry if all of this is new to you. Because we’re here to help you start and track productivity in Excel.

How to calculate your productivity in Excel

You can calculate productivity in Excel once you know your personal outputs and inputs. Here are some activities you can track with the Excel productivity tracker:

Outputs

• Workout sessions: Feel free to track the workout sessions that you do. This can be your cardio sessions, strength training, and other fitness activities.

• Household chores: Log your household tasks such as laundry, grocery shopping, and cleaning. You can also break down these chores by type and track them individually.

• Assignments or projects: The number of personal assignments or projects you do within a certain time also lets you determine your productivity.

• Books or chapters: Keep track of the number of books you’ve read weekly or monthly. Alternatively, you can record the number of chapters you read.

Inputs

• Activity duration: Track how long it takes for you to do a task. For instance, how long does it take for you to clean your room?

• Effort or energy levels: Log the energy levels for your tasks. Do this by giving each task an energy rating based on how much effort you need to do it.

• Other resources: You may also log other resources that you use to do a task. This can be how much money you spend or the tools you use to do the activity.

Excel has the answers you need on how to track habits efficiently with a spreadsheet. And many of its templates make a great personal productivity log.

When it comes to personal task tracking, it is best to use a template that can visualise your progress.

So, a task tracker template will be the best option for you. It shows you the details of your tasks, including priority levels and your progress on them. 

You can also use a to-do list template. It is a much simpler template, but does the job of showing a list of tasks that you need to do.

Calculate productivity in Excel for business use

For businesses, the input and output values vary depending on the industry. But in general, these are the factors to consider when you track productivity in Excel:

Outputs

• Goods and service delivery: Track the number of sales if you sell goods. If your business provides services for clients, you can track the number of services you deliver instead. 

• Products made: The number of products you make within a timeframe is also a good output. If you sell cookies, it would be the boxes of cookies you make in a week or month.

• Revenues: Besides the delivery of goods and services, your revenues from such deliveries can also be calculated. 

• Completed tasks: The amount of tasks your team can do within a set time can determine your business’s productivity, too. Use this if your business has more than one output.

Inputs

• Hours of work: Use the time each employee takes to do tasks for input. This can be done by setting a time log for your employees to record their hours.

• Capital or budget: Keep track of how much you spend on a project. Then, compare it to its output, such as your sales or revenues, to monitor your business productivity.

• Other resources: You can also set materials, tools, or software used for your business as the input.

Excel’s project plan template is great for business use. It lets you simplify tasks into phases and assign them to employees. Plus, you can check for updates and deadlines from time to time.

You can also use the dashboard template to monitor your team’s progress. Other than that, the budget tracker template is helpful for expense tracking.

Pros and cons of tracking productivity in Excel

Like most tools, Excel has its pros and cons. So before you make a habit tracker in Excel, be sure to consider these things:

Pros

• Affordable: Excel is a part of the Microsoft Office package. You can access it at no extra cost if your device already has the package.

• Visual data: The platform provides excellent analytics that you can use to monitor your progress.

• Many features: It has many tools for many kinds of uses. Hence, you can do everything there, from habit tracking to budget planning.

Cons

• Takes time: Excel has limited automation and you have to type a lot on your own. Hence, it takes a lot of time to make a habit tracker in Excel.

• Complex: It also has a lot of advanced features. Beginners may find it hard to learn and understand how to use them.

• Not flexible: It’s a hassle to edit the spreadsheet because it is rigid. This can affect your productivity, especially when you need to correct errors or make adjustments.

Certainly, Excel is a great tool for spreadsheet tracking. However, it may be too difficult to us, especially for beginners.

As an alternative, you can go for a Google Sheets tracker instead. Its tools are much easier to use and it is free. You only need a Google account to access it.

Start tracking using our template

And if you’re looking for the best personal Google Sheets tracker, try our Monthly Habit Tracker.

Our tracker offers detailed visual data through a table, heatmap, graph, and overall metrics. It even measures task completion rates daily, weekly, and monthly.

You can also skip the hassle of setting it up from scratch since it is ready-made and editable. All you have to do is set your tasks and start tracking.

Although it is not made for business purposes, it will surely be a great tool for your personal growth.