Fancy that Project Style calendars but don't have a project management software? 

If you have Microsoft Excel, you can now generate Project style calendar plans, just by entering the tasks and associated data like it's name and the starting and end date. Use different colors and select a deadline terminator for each task. Indent each task to its level or sub-level.

Really easy to use, just fill in the values in the Input Cells and press the "Run" button to create several different styles of Calendar Plans.

PIC. 1 - Screen Shot from the Microsoft Excel Macro File (Click to Enlarge)

The system will generate a new workbook with the resulting Calendar (PICs. 2, 3, 4 and 5). This new workbook HAS NO MACROS on it, just the resulting calendar. Change, save and email it as any other regular Microsoft Excel file.

EXCEL ONLY - No installation or setup required. Just open in Excel and run!

FOUR types of calendar plan from the SAME task list!

Generate daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or ALL (make them all at once) calendar plans from the same task list and parameters:

• Daily Calendar Plans are calendar plans with a column for each separated day in the calendar main interval. This gives maximum detail but produces long calendars for large periods. Better for smaller periods, when details are important;
    
• Weekly Calendar Plans are calendar plans with a column for each separated week in the calendar main interval. This gives less detail but produces compact calendars for larger periods. Better for larger periods, when the "big picture" is important.
   
• Monthly Calendar Plans are calendar plans with a column for each separated month in the calendar main interval. This gives still less detail but produces very compact calendars for larger periods. Better for larger periods (1 year and above). Very good for 1 year calendar plans with an overview of the main tasks.
   
• Yearly Events Calendars are a completely different concept: There is no task bars, just a 1 year grid (per year) and tasks attributed to each day. Better for important but short events like meeting and holiday calendars.

PIC. 2 - Screen Shot from the resulting DAILY Microsoft Excel File (Click to Enlarge)

PIC. 3 - Screen Shot from the resulting WEEKLY Microsoft Excel File (Click to Enlarge)

PIC. 4 - Screen Shot from the resulting MONTHLY Microsoft Excel File (Click to Enlarge)

PIC. 5 - Screen Shot from the resulting YEARLY Microsoft Excel File (Click to Enlarge)
 

Excel / Office Consulting Services

Like this product but need a specialized version? Prefer to have the changes professionally applied? Need a completely different Excel product for your own purpose?

Contact us here with your request and we will issue a quick estimate. Estimates are free and do not constitute any obligation to purchase the service.

Services also available for other Microsoft Office applications like Outlook, Word, Powerpoint,etc.

FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE - Make them look the way YOU want

There are now 4 customization categories and you can customize all aesthetical features of the plan just by supplying samples of YOUR intended format. To supply them samples, just format (using Excel regular tools) the source cell!

Month Names are supplied as full names in English. You can use short names, numbers or a different language;    Header Column Widths (like the task names column!) can now be defined in advance so that you don't have to adjust each calendar output later.   Background Colors and Fonts for all Plan Cells - Format the Font and Background Color of the sample cell for Headings, Task Names,  Optional Fields, Calendar Area, Weekend Days and Deadline Markers. The macro will copy their format to all related plan cells!    Global Formatting options like the use of Gridlines on the Output Calendar Plan or the insertion of the beginning and end dates on task bars (Weekly and Monthly Plans only).

PIC. 6 - Screen Shot from the Customization Sheet (Click to Enlarge)

BETTER CALENDAR PLANS WITH LESS EFFORT

Optional Fields

You can include/exclude up to 3 optional fields that are added as columns between the Task Names and the Calendar Plan (PIC 7). They are defined by default as % Done, Resource and Category, but can be used for any other purpose. Just change their name!

PIC. 7 - Optional Fields in Plan (Click to Enlarge)

Detail Management

Plans don't all need the same amount of detail (or sub-tasks). Long-term plans like monthly plans may include only the main tasks (Level 0 or Level 0 and 1) but Short-Term plans like Daily or Weekly may include all sub-tasks (PIC 8). Selection is made on the Include Levels option field near the Run button.

PIC. 8 - Detail Management - Level 0 Tasks only on Monthly Plan

PIC. 9 - Detail Management - All Levels on Weekly Plan

Improved Readability

Each Task Start and End dates can now be included on the Plan types where they were not immediately visible on the Plan itself (Weekly and Monthly):

PIC. 10 - Start and End dates on Task Bars (Click to Enlarge)

Automatically split long calendars

Force calendar plans to be automatically split every N (3, 6, ...) months to produce readable and easy to print plans. Create each split plan on the same sheet or on different workbooks at choice. No additional effort, just make your choices and press run!

PIC. 11 - Non-split Calendar (Click to Enlarge)

PIC. 12 - Split Calendar (Click to Enlarge)

OUTLOOK INTEGRATION

Most Excel users are also Microsoft Outlook users and already have events like Meetings, Holidays and other tasks on Outlook  So why write them again for a Calendar Plan?

Import Tasks or Calendar Events from Microsoft Outlook

Importing from Outlook is as easy as defining the desired source (Outlook Calendar or Task list) and Color, Deadline Marker and Task Level for the imported tasks. Press the Import from Outlook button and select the first row for the imported tasks (no overwriting of manually entered tasks). Relax and see your tasks being automatically added for you!

PIC. 13 - Import from Outlook interface

WARNING: To be able to import Shared Calendars or Calendars/ Task List sub-folders, you need the more advanced CUSTOM Edition (click here).

You can define Advanced settings for special cases on the macro CONFIG sheet. Check the Help Information for details.

PIC. 14 - Import from Outlook Advanced Options

It can also be used to print Outlook Calendars or Task lists - Just import them, apply custom formats, create the calendar and print it.

OTHER FEATURES

Is Help available?

Yes. There are two sheets on the Microsoft Excel Workbook (PIC. 15). The first one is the Input sheet, the second is the Help one. There is also an Online Help Page for this product (see bottom of page for all related links).

PIC. 15 - Input and Help Sheets

Can the resulting Calendar Plans be customized?

Yes, before and after generation. The month names, supplied in English, can be changed to match any other language. The task bars on the calendar can have selected colors and optional deadline terminator.

After generation, the file can be manually changed as any other regular Microsoft Excel file. There are no special features to the Calendar file, it is a regular Excel file with painted cells.

Can I save the Plan Generator with the Plan Data? Can I have several copies?

It's a regular Microsoft Excel file. There are NO MACROS on the resulting plan, only on the generator file. It can be freely copied and manipulated.

Need more CALENDAR OPTIONS?

Consultant? Developer? Corporate IT? Make your own BRANDED version!!!

Rebrand messages and interface with YOUR logos and trademarks! Add missing features or adjust existing ones to your clients special needs. Supply it as your own product:

Excel / Office Consulting Services

Like this product but need a specialized version? Prefer to have the changes professionally applied? Need a completely different Excel product for your own purpose?

Contact us here with your request and we will issue a quick estimate. Estimates are free and do not constitute any obligation to purchase the service.

Services also available for other Microsoft Office applications like Outlook, Word, Powerpoint,etc.