A milestone is a result, not an activity
"Design signed off by the client" can be checked. "Working on design" cannot. If you cannot say when it is done, it is not a milestone.
Free template
Milestone tracker template
The moments that matter in each project, with their due date, status and progress. See at a glance which milestones are done, which are running and which are at risk.
Free, no signup. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers.
Imports asMilestones
What is in the template
Example data. Delete it before you add your own.
| Milestone | Project | Phase | Start date | Due date | Status | Progress | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickoff and discovery | Website relaunch | Planning | 2026-09-01 | 2026-09-18 | Completed | 100 | Stakeholder interviews, Sitemap, Content audit |
| Design sign off | Website relaunch | Design | 2026-09-21 | 2026-10-23 | Completed | 100 | Wireframes, Visual design, Design system |
| Build and CMS setup | Website relaunch | Development | 2026-10-26 | 2026-12-11 | In progress | 55 | Page templates, CMS setup, Forms |
| Content migration | Website relaunch | Development | 2026-11-16 | 2027-01-08 | In progress | 30 | Content mapping, Migration, Redirects |
| Launch | Website relaunch | Deployment | 2027-01-11 | 2027-01-29 | Pending | 0 | Test report, Go live, Handover |
| Requirements and data model | CRM rollout | Planning | 2026-10-05 | 2026-11-13 | Completed | 100 | Process maps, Data model, Field list |
| Pilot with sales team | CRM rollout | Testing | 2026-11-16 | 2027-01-22 | In progress | 40 | Pilot environment, Sales training, Feedback report |
How to use it
Write each milestone as a result someone can check, such as Design sign off, not as an activity.
Add the project name exactly as it appears in your portfolio, so milestones from several projects can share one sheet.
Update status and progress once a week, ideally just before your project meeting.
List what gets handed over in the Deliverables column, separated by commas.
What each column means
- Milestone
- A point where something is finished and can be checked, such as Design sign off.
- Project
- The exact project name. The import uses it to put each row on the right project.
- Phase
- The stage it belongs to. Use the same phase names in every project.
- Start date
- When work towards it starts.
- Due date
- When it should be done.
- Status
- Pending, In progress, Completed, On hold or Cancelled.
- Progress
- How far along it is, from 0 to 100.
- Deliverables
- What is handed over at this milestone, separated by commas.
What makes a good milestone
Aim for one every two to six weeks
With fewer you hear about delays too late. With more the list turns into a task list that nobody keeps up to date.
Be strict about progress
Progress that sits at 90% for three weeks usually means the last part is the hard part. Ask what is left, not how far along it is.
When the tracker stops being enough
A tracker shows dates, not what a slip costs. When Design sign off moves two weeks, you still work out by hand which milestones, people and invoices move with it. Vaizy links each milestone to the team, hours and budget behind it, so you see the knock on effect straight away.
See milestone tracking in VaizyImport it into Vaizy
Start a free trial and open the import dialog from the dashboard.
Drop in the file. Vaizy recognises the columns and maps them for you.
Check the preview and import. Nothing is saved until you confirm.
Questions about this template
A list of the key moments in a project with their due dates, status and progress. It shows at a glance whether a project is on schedule.
A task is work someone does. A milestone is the result that work leads to. Track milestones here and leave the tasks to the people doing them.
Yes. Each row becomes a milestone with its dates, status and progress, and the Deliverables column turns into deliverables under that milestone.
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