Employee training plan template (free Excel)
Plan a team's training for a quarter or a year: the skill gaps, what each training should achieve, how it will be delivered, what it costs and how you will know it worked.
Free to use, edit and share. Opens in Microsoft Office, Google Docs and Sheets, and LibreOffice.
Columns in the template
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Training need / skill gap | What people cannot yet do, e.g. "log deals in the new CRM" |
| Objective | A measurable result, e.g. "all reps log deals in the CRM within two weeks" |
| Audience and number | Which team or role, and how many people |
| Format | Dropdown: online course, live online class, classroom, blended, on the job, coaching, external course |
| Trainer / provider | Internal expert or external provider |
| Start and end dates | When the training runs |
| Budget | Cost per line, totalled at the bottom |
| Success measure | How you will check it worked: completion, test score or a work metric |
| Status | Dropdown: planned, in progress, completed, on hold, cancelled |
How to build a training plan in five steps
- Find the gaps. Look at new systems, new hires, compliance deadlines, customer complaints and performance reviews. A training matrix shows gaps by person and skill.
- Prioritise. Legal and safety requirements first, then gaps that affect customers or revenue, then development.
- Write measurable objectives. If you cannot say how you will check it, rewrite it.
- Choose the format. Self-paced online courses suit knowledge that many people need. Live sessions suit practice, discussion and questions. Most plans use both.
- Schedule, budget and review. Spread training so teams are not overloaded, and review the status column monthly.
Individual and team training plans
This template is a team or department plan. For an individual development plan, use one row per goal for one person and add a column for the manager's check-in date. For new starters, the employee onboarding checklist is a better fit for the first 90 days.
Measuring whether training worked
Completion alone does not show that people learned anything. Use at least two measures: a test or practical check at the end, and a work measure a month or two later, such as error rate, time to productivity or sales. The training evaluation form helps collect the learner's view.
Running the plan in an LMS
A spreadsheet is a good place to plan. Delivering and tracking the training is easier in employee training software: assign courses, run live sessions, test understanding and pull completion reports without chasing people for updates.
Common questions
Is this training plan template free?
Yes. The Excel file is free to download, edit and share.
What should a training plan include?
The skill gap, a measurable objective, the audience, the format, the trainer, dates, budget, a success measure and status. The template has a column for each.
How often should a training plan be updated?
Review status monthly and rebuild the plan once a year, or when something big changes, such as a new system or regulation.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. The dropdowns and budget total carry over.
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