youtube video planning template excel

Content Production & Lifecycle Tracker

This system serves as a centralized command center for managing the end-to-end lifecycle of digital video assets. It is designed to track progress from conceptual ideation through publication and performance analysis. Update this document weekly during your content planning sessions to ensure consistent output and maintain production velocity.

Column Definitions

• Status: [Dropdown] Current lifecycle stage (Planning, Filming, Editing, Review, Published).
• Title: [Text] The working title or project name.
• Target Date: [Date] The scheduled publication date.
• Script Link: [Hyperlink] Direct link to the shared document containing the script.
• Thumbnail Status: [Dropdown] Status of graphic design (Pending, In Progress, Completed).
• Views: [Number] Total views recorded at the last audit.
• Retention %: [Percentage] Average percentage of the video watched by the audience.

Calculation & Automation Formulas

Calculate Days Until Publication:

=IF(A2="Published", "N/A", C2-TODAY())

Calculate Total Channel Views:

=SUM(F2:F100)

Calculate Average Channel Retention:

=AVERAGEIF(G2:G100, ">0")

Formatting & Validation Rules

1. Status Dropdown (Data Validation): Select the "Status" column range, go to Data > Data Validation > Criteria: List of items. Enter: Planning, Filming, Editing, Review, Published.
2. Overdue Date Alert (Conditional Formatting): Select the "Target Date" column. Use formula =AND(C2<TODAY(), A2<>"Published") and set the background color to light red to highlight missed deadlines.
3. Thumbnail Progress (Conditional Formatting): Select the "Thumbnail Status" column. Use "Text contains" rule: "Completed" set to green text/background to visualize readiness at a glance.