Issue Tracker  Spreadsheet preview
Issue list Sheet preview
Gantt chart Sheet preview
"Bug board" Kanban board Sheet preview
Dashboard with pie charts and time series Sheet preview
Dashboard with charts to track open ticket time, ticket type, and more Sheet preview
Dashboard with charts to assess open ticket time and time since issue report Sheet preview
Color customization for each unique ticket type Sheet preview
Issue list (full view) with separate opener and resolver sections Sheet preview
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Synopsis

Need a way to manage and resolve competing issues? Use our Issue Tracker spreadsheet template to plan, assign, manage, report, and track the progress of multiple issues. An issue list compiles all open tasks, which are then visualized via kanban, dashboard, and Gantt chart views. Issue types are color-coded and fully customizable to track the most important recurring issue areas. Potential issues could be new features to develop, bugs to be resolved, recurring tasks or user experience overhauls.

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The practical applications of color-coded and customizable issue types in the Issue Tracker include:

1. Easy Identification: The color-coding allows for easy and quick identification of different types of issues. This can help in prioritizing tasks and managing workflow.

2. Customization: The customizable issue types allow for flexibility in categorizing issues based on the specific needs of a project or organization. This can help in better tracking and managing of issues.

3. Efficient Management: These features contribute to efficient management and resolution of issues, as they provide a clear visual representation of the status and type of issues.

The Issue Tracker spreadsheet template can be utilized to manage and resolve competing issues in a business by planning, assigning, managing, reporting, and tracking the progress of multiple issues. It compiles all open tasks, which are then visualized via kanban, dashboard, and Gantt chart views. Issue types are color-coded and fully customizable to track the most important recurring issue areas. Potential issues could be new features to develop, bugs to be resolved, recurring tasks or user experience overhauls.

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How to create an "issue tracker" template in Excel

So how can you make your own issue tracker in Excel? For an issue tracker that works like Jira, you need to plan out, assign, manage, report, and track the progress of a series of competing issues, whether they be new features, bugs, recurring weekly tasks or user experience overhauls. Issue trackers are vital for any industry, as a recent Gartner survey found eighty-eight percent of boards regard cybersecurity as a business risk rather than solely a technical IT problem. (Source)

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I'm sorry, but I can't provide an editable Action List Tracker Excel Spreadsheet. However, I can guide you on how to create one.

1. Open a new Excel spreadsheet.
2. Label the columns as follows: Action Item, Responsible Party, Start Date, Due Date, Status, and Notes.
3. Fill in the rows with the relevant information for each action item.
4. You can use conditional formatting to highlight rows based on the status of the action item.
5. Save your spreadsheet and update it regularly to track the progress of your action items.

Remember, the key to a successful action list tracker is regular updates and reviews.

A customer complaint tracker in Excel can be created using the following template:

1. Complaint ID: A unique identifier for each complaint.

2. Customer Name: The name of the customer who lodged the complaint.

3. Date Received: The date when the complaint was received.

4. Complaint Details: A brief description of the complaint.

5. Assigned To: The name of the person who is handling the complaint.

6. Status: The current status of the complaint (e.g., Open, In Progress, Closed).

7. Resolution Date: The date when the complaint was resolved.

8. Comments: Any additional notes or comments related to the complaint.

Remember to keep the tracker updated regularly for effective complaint management.

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But you don't need fancy issue tracker software to manage your workflows. Below, we're going to show you how you can make your own issue tracker template in Excel or Google Sheets and what components to include to either use with, or replace, an existing issue tracker project management software tool like Jira. To save time, you can also download and customize our Issue Tracker template.

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The key components of the Issue Tracker enhance business strategy in managing workflows by providing a centralized system for planning, assigning, managing, reporting, and tracking the progress of multiple issues. This allows for better visibility and control over tasks, leading to improved efficiency and productivity. The use of visual tools like kanban, dashboard, and Gantt charts further aids in understanding the status and progress of tasks, facilitating informed decision-making. Moreover, the ability to customize the issue tracker to suit specific business needs adds to its strategic value.

The Issue Tracker aligns with digital transformation initiatives in bug tracking by providing a digital platform for planning, assigning, managing, reporting, and tracking the progress of multiple issues. It replaces traditional manual methods of tracking bugs and new features, thus enhancing efficiency and productivity. It also offers visualization via kanban, dashboard, and Gantt charts, which aids in better understanding and decision making.

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Dashboard with pie charts and time series
Issue list (full view) with separate opener and resolver sections

Coordinate your team

This is an Issue Tracker spreadsheet template we created and is meant to complement whatever issue tracker software system you use. To make ours, we started by making an issue list to track open tickets, then divided that list into a reporter section for whoever opens the ticket and a resolver section for whoever is assigned the ticket. Reporters can either be internal team members or external customers who experience issues. A chart at the top shows resolver availability so managers know whose schedule is the most open to assign new issues. Each ticket also has its own ID key, which can be defined by us, or by the ticketing software we use.

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The Issue Tracker is a versatile tool that allows for the planning, assignment, management, reporting, and tracking of multiple issues. It provides a comprehensive list of all open tasks, which can be visualized via kanban, dashboard, and Gantt charts. This is similar to other bug tracking systems, but the Issue Tracker stands out with its unique features such as a reporter section for whoever opens the ticket and a resolver section for whoever is assigned the ticket. It also shows resolver availability, which is a useful feature for managers to assign new issues. However, a direct comparison with other bug tracking systems would require specific systems to be named for a more detailed analysis.

Companies can implement the Issue Tracker in their operations by first creating an issue list to track open tickets. This list can be divided into a reporter section for whoever opens the ticket and a resolver section for whoever is assigned the ticket. Reporters can either be internal team members or external customers who experience issues. A chart at the top can show resolver availability so managers know whose schedule is the most open to assign new issues. Each ticket also has its own ID key, which can be defined by the company, or by the ticketing software they use.

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Then, the issues' type is listed, whether it's a bug, new feature, task, sub-task, story, or epic, which is an issue ticket that represents an overarching project that is broken down into specific tasks which are called user stories. "Epics" help team leads to manage the user journey and bucket-related tasks, while "user stories" are requests and needs in a customer's user journey. So if you're a PM who needs to manage a massive project, you place it in an epic, broken down into stories, tasks, and sub-tasks.

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The Issue Tracker aids in managing large projects by using a hierarchical structure of epics, stories, tasks, and sub-tasks. An 'Epic' is a large body of work that is broken down into smaller tasks. These tasks are further divided into 'Stories', which represent individual user needs or requests. Each story can then be broken down into 'Tasks' and 'Sub-tasks' for more granular management. This structure allows for efficient tracking and management of work, as progress can be monitored at different levels of granularity, from the overarching Epic down to individual Sub-tasks.

The types of issues listed in project management tools like Jira include bug, new feature, task, sub-task, story, and epic. A bug is a problem that needs fixing, a new feature is a request for a new functionality, a task is a piece of work to be done, a sub-task is a smaller part of a larger task, a story is a user-focused feature, and an epic is a large body of work that can be broken down into a number of smaller tasks or stories. Epics are used to manage large projects, which are broken down into stories, tasks, and sub-tasks to make them more manageable.

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Issue list

Define your top issues

Your issue tracker issue list should sort issues by type. In our example, we define these inputs in the Fields tab here. Your fields tab should also define the priority levels of your issues, who can open a ticket, the stages of your workflow, and the status of tickets. In our variation, each issue type is color-coded, and type names are editable in the Fields tab.

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Color customization for each unique ticket type

Prioritize issues by stage

Now that you've loaded all the issues onto an issue list, you need a way to track all these issues visually. In our example, we provide three visualizations: a bug board, a dashboard, and a Gantt chart - that is fully customizable.

So, let's say you want to follow the agile framework that Jira uses. This bug board utilizes a kanban visualization that works with the agile management style to sort issues by workflow stage. Following the kanban style, they are color-coded by priority. In Agile, the simplest workflow format is to have a backlog stage, an in-progress stage, a code review or quality assurance stage, and then a complete stage. You should also provide some filters as we did at the top, especially if you are a manager or working with multiple team members so individuals can filter for their most important metrics.

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In an issue tracker, the types of issues that can be customized typically include bugs, new features, improvements, tasks, and sub-tasks. Each of these issue types can be further customized based on the specific needs of the project or team. For example, a bug issue type can be customized to include fields for severity, priority, and assigned developer. Similarly, a new feature issue type can be customized to include fields for estimated completion time, associated epic, and business value.

Issue age and issue type metrics are crucial for project managers as they provide valuable insights into the project's health. Issue age helps in identifying how long an issue has been open, which can indicate the efficiency of the team in resolving issues and highlight any potential bottlenecks. On the other hand, issue type metrics allow project managers to understand the nature of the issues arising, whether they are bugs, new feature requests, or other types. This can help in resource allocation and prioritizing tasks based on their type and urgency.

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Visualize key metrics

Speaking of key performance indicators, you'll also want to create some sort of dashboard to make issue tracking easier. In our template, we created pie charts to track issues by their status and priority, as well as charts to track issue age, how many of each issue type are open, and all sorts of other helpful metrics for PMs.

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These metrics as vital, as Gartner predicted that at least 50% of C-level executives will have performance requirements related to cybersecurity risk built into their employment contracts by 2026. So tracking these KPIs is vital not just for you but for your boss, your boss's boss… and maybe even your boss's boss! (Source)

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The Issue Tracker promotes accountability within a team by providing a visual representation of the progress of each team member's tasks. Each issue type is color-coded, and team members can edit the progress bars of the active stage by changing the percent to completion next to the bar. This allows for real-time tracking and documentation of progress on active tickets, ensuring that each team member is accountable for their assigned tasks.

Color-coding issue types in a tracking process can significantly improve the efficiency and clarity of the process. It allows for quick visual identification of different types of issues, which can speed up the process of sorting and prioritizing tasks. It can also help in identifying patterns or trends, such as a recurring type of issue. This can lead to insights about where the team or project may need to focus more attention or resources. Furthermore, color-coding can enhance the visual appeal of the tracking tool, making it more user-friendly and encouraging more consistent use.

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Dashboard with pie charts and time series

Visualize your timeline

An alternative visualization to kanban is a Gantt chart. Gantt charts visually track the progress of your workflow across time, not just across stages, to assess how long each issue takes across each stage. In our Issue Tracker template, each issue type is color-coded, and type names are editable in the Fields tab. As team members make progress on their individual issues, they can edit the progress bars of the active stage by changing the percent to completion next to the bar. This provides accountability for the whole team, so progress is made (and documented) on active tickets in real time.

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The issue tracker template can increase team-wide productivity by providing a centralized system for planning, assigning, managing, reporting, and tracking the progress of multiple issues. It compiles all open tasks, which are then visualized via kanban, dashboard, and Gantt charts. This visualization aids in understanding the status of tasks and helps in prioritizing them effectively. It also saves time and reduces the chances of overlooking any task, thereby enhancing productivity.

Using an issue tracker template in Google Sheets or Excel has several benefits. It allows you to plan, assign, manage, report, and track the progress of multiple issues. It compiles all open tasks, which can then be visualized via kanban, dashboard, and Gantt charts. This helps in better project management and increases team-wide productivity. Moreover, using a template can save you time and hours of work.

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Gantt chart
Dashboard with charts to track open ticket time, ticket type, and more

Here are a few more charts that are included in our issue dashboard, including pie charts for "Issues by type," to view how many of each issue you have to do, a bar chart for "Time since issue," as well as one for "Resolution time" that tracks how long it takes for the average issue to be resolved, and bar charts that sort issue by priority, stage, or whatever other metric you want to review each issue type by.

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And that's all you need to create your own issue tracker template in Google Sheets or Excel. If you prefer to save yourself time and hours of work, just download the free version of our template and try it out. For more tools to increase your team-wide productivity, go check out our To Do List spreadsheet template right now.

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download Download this spreadsheet

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