Free template

Work breakdown structure template

Split a project into milestones, and each milestone into deliverables one person can own and estimate. The plan everything else is built on.

Download for Excel

Free, no signup. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers. Excel only, because the template has two linked tabs.

Imports asMilestonesDeliverables

What is in the template

Example data. Delete it before you add your own.

Tab: Milestones
MilestoneProjectPhaseStart dateDue date
Requirements and data modelCRM rolloutPlanning2026-10-052026-11-13
Pilot with sales teamCRM rolloutTesting2026-11-162027-01-22
Rollout to service teamCRM rolloutDeployment2027-01-252027-03-26
Tab: Deliverables
DeliverableMilestoneProjectAssigned toStatusStart dateDue dateEstimate hours
Process mapsRequirements and data modelCRM rolloutTom HendriksCompleted2026-10-052026-10-2324
Data modelRequirements and data modelCRM rolloutLisa SmitCompleted2026-10-192026-11-0632
Field list and import rulesRequirements and data modelCRM rolloutLisa SmitCompleted2026-11-022026-11-1316
Pilot environmentPilot with sales teamCRM rolloutJoris BakkerCompleted2026-11-162026-12-0440
Sales trainingPilot with sales teamCRM rolloutSanne de VriesIn progress2026-12-072026-12-1812
Pilot feedback reportPilot with sales teamCRM rolloutTom HendriksNot started2027-01-112027-01-2216
Service desk configurationRollout to service teamCRM rolloutJoris BakkerNot started2027-01-252027-02-2656
Data migrationRollout to service teamCRM rolloutLisa SmitNot started2027-02-012027-03-1248
Go live and supportRollout to service teamCRM rolloutSanne de VriesNot started2027-03-152027-03-2620

How to use it

  1. 1

    List the milestones on the Milestones tab first. They are the big results the client will see.

  2. 2

    On the Deliverables tab, break each milestone into pieces of work. Spell the milestone name exactly as on the first tab.

  3. 3

    Give each deliverable one owner and an estimate in hours.

  4. 4

    Add up the estimates per milestone and compare them with the budget before you commit to a date.

What each column means

Tab: Milestones

Milestone
The level above the deliverables. Each deliverable points to one of these by name.
Project
The exact project name. The import uses it to put each row on the right project.
Phase
The stage it belongs to.
Start date
When work starts.
Due date
When it should be done.

Tab: Deliverables

Deliverable
A piece of work one person can own and estimate in hours.
Milestone
The milestone it belongs to, spelled exactly as on the Milestones tab.
Project
The exact project name. The import uses it to put each row on the right project.
Assigned to
Who owns it. Several names are separated by a semicolon.
Status
Not started, In progress, In review, Completed or Blocked.
Start date
Planned start.
Due date
Planned finish.
Estimate hours
How many hours you expect it to take.

How to break down a project

Start from the result, not the work

Write down what the client gets at the end, split it into milestones, then split each milestone into deliverables. Work only shows up at the lowest level.

Stop at something one person can own

A deliverable is small enough when one person can own it and estimate it in hours. If it needs three owners, split it again.

Cover all of the work

Together, the deliverables under a milestone should cover all of its work, including testing and handover. What is missing here turns up later as a surprise.

When the breakdown stops being enough

A breakdown in a spreadsheet is a snapshot. Once work starts, estimates change, people move and nobody updates the file. In Vaizy each deliverable carries its owner, estimate and logged hours, so the breakdown stays the plan you actually work from.

See deliverables in Vaizy

Import it into Vaizy

  1. Start a free trial and open the import dialog from the dashboard.

  2. Drop in the file. Vaizy recognises the columns and maps them for you.

  3. Check the preview and import. Nothing is saved until you confirm.

Names in Owner and Assigned to link to team members with the same name or email. Import your team first, or the import lists the names it could not match.

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Questions about this template

A work breakdown structure, or WBS, splits a project into smaller parts until each part is something one person can own and estimate. Here the levels are project, milestone and deliverable.

Stop when a deliverable takes between a day and two weeks of work. Smaller than that and you are planning tasks. Larger and it is hard to estimate well.

Yes. The workbook has a Milestones tab and a Deliverables tab. Vaizy imports the milestones first, then links each deliverable to its milestone by name.

More free templates

Milestone tracker templateDue dates, status, progress and deliverables for every milestone.View template
Resource capacity planning templateHours per person per week across projects, with overbooking flagged in red.View template
Project timesheet templateHours per person per project per day, with totals per project.View template

Outgrown the spreadsheet?

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