Resources / Action plan template
Free Excel template
Free improvement action plan template for Excel
An action plan table with the columns that make actions easy to follow up, the same table filled with a worked example, and short instructions. Each row ties an action to the root cause it removes and the KPI it should move.
In short
An action plan template is a table that lists the actions to remove the verified root causes of a problem, each with one owner, a due date, the root cause it addresses and the KPI it should move. It turns the analysis into work the team can review every week.
action-plan-template.xlsx
Works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice. No sign-up.
What is in the file
- —“Template” sheet: the columns Action, Owner, Due, Root cause and KPI, with bordered empty rows.
- —“Example” sheet: the same table filled in for a plant that wants new operators to reach standard output sooner.
- —“How to use” sheet: the steps to complete it, in short.
How to use it
- 1Start from the verified root causes. Write the root cause first, then the action that removes it. An action with no root cause behind it does not belong here.
- 2Name one owner per action. A role or a person, never a department or a committee.
- 3Agree the due date with the owner. A date the owner accepts. Long actions are split into steps with their own dates.
- 4Link each action to a KPI and review weekly. The KPI shows whether the action worked. Late actions get a new date and a reason.
Frequently asked questions
What columns should an action plan have?
What will be done, who owns it, by when, which root cause it addresses and which KPI it should move. Many teams add a status column for the weekly review.
How is it different from a to-do list?
Every action is tied to a root cause and to a KPI. That is what lets the team check, later, whether the action solved the problem or only kept people busy.
Excel or a dedicated tool?
For a single project, a spreadsheet does the job well. When several projects run at once, LeanOS — a web app for DMAIC projects — keeps each charter, its KPIs and its actions linked, with a portfolio view across projects, and its free plan covers one project.
Run the whole project in one place
Charter, SIPOC, KPIs, causes, actions and control plan linked, with an AI copilot that drafts the first version.
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