podcast episode planner pdf

Podcast Production and Editorial Calendar

This system serves as the central command for managing your audio content lifecycle—from initial ideation to final distribution. It is designed to track production status, ensure timely releases, and maintain consistency in your publishing schedule. Update this document weekly during your production sync meeting to ensure all stakeholders are aligned.

Column Definitions

• Episode #: Integer. Unique identifier for the episode.
• Working Title: Text. The temporary or final name of the content.
• Status: Dropdown. Defines the lifecycle stage (Planning, Recording, Editing, Scheduled, Published).
• Target Publish Date: Date. The date the episode goes live.
• Recording Date: Date. The scheduled or completed date for audio capture.
• Editor Assigned: Text. Name of the person responsible for post-production.
• Distribution Link: Hyperlink. URL to the hosted audio file or landing page.

Essential Formulas

Days Until Publication (Calculate urgency):

=IF(ISBLANK(D2), "", D2-TODAY())

Status Check (Check if recording is overdue):

=IF(AND(E2<TODAY(), C2="Recording"), "OVERDUE", "On Track")

Data Validation and Formatting

1. Status Dropdown (Data Validation): Select the Status column, go to Data > Data Validation > Criteria: List of items. Enter: Planning, Recording, Editing, Scheduled, Published.

2. Conditional Formatting (Status Color-Coding): Apply to the Status column:

• If text is "Published", set background to Light Green.
• If text is "Planning", set background to Light Yellow.
• If text is "Recording" and date in E2 is before today, set background to Light Red.

3. Checkbox Checklist (For Production Tasks): Add a column for "Final Review" and use Data > Data Validation > Checkbox to track completion for each row.