Tracking Sheets

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Manage your Project with a Tracking Sheet

Tracking sheets are the backbone of a professional ELT publishing workflow. They bring together every module, lesson, and asset in one place, so teams can see at a glance what has been written, reviewed, designed, checked, and implemented.

◎Aims

The aim is to make tracking sheets clear, consistent, and easy to use. Writers, editors, designers, and project managers should all be able to read the sheet quickly and understand the status of each module or asset in the publishing process.


You can also use this sample tracking sheet as a reference model for structure, columns, and workflow organisation.

A good tracking sheet turns a complex publishing workflow into a simple overview with well‑defined columns, dates, and status labels. It supports quality, deadlines, and communication across the whole project.

1What is a Tracking Sheet?

A tracking sheet is usually a spreadsheet that lists every deliverable in a course and its journey through the editorial and production pipeline.

Each row typically represents one module, unit, lesson, or asset (e.g., audio file, worksheet, video), and each column represents a key piece of information such as owner, status, and dates.

Typical format

Tracking sheets can be created in different tools like Excel, Google Sheets, Notion, or dedicated project‑management tool. The important point is that there needs to be a clear table with consistent task definitions, dates and responsibilities.

Digital e-learning projects might include more information regarding technical implementation, including AI material generation, AI editorial processes, human editorial checks etc.

2Core Information to Include

A good tracking sheet includes only the fields that teams genuinely use to manage progress and quality. The exact columns will depend on the publisher and product, but most ELT projects track similar information.

Typical columns
  • Course / product name – identifies the overall series the module belongs to.
  • Module / unit name – shows the unique name or code for each module or unit.
  • Component – indicates SB, WB, TN, audio, video, digital activity, etc.
  • Writer – names the writer responsible for the draft.
  • Status – shows the current stage (e.g., Draft 1, Review 1, Design, QA, Implemented).
⚠ Keep column headings short, clear, and consistent across all products, so that different teams can read any tracking sheet without confusion.

3Workflow Phases in the Sheet

Tracking sheets should mirror the real editorial and production workflow. Each status and date should correspond to a clearly defined phase in your process.


Common ELT publishing phases:
  • Draft 1 – records when writers produce the first draft of each asset.
  • Review 1 – records when editors and content reviewers give pedagogical feedback on the first draft.
  • Draft 2 – records when writers revise the material and incorporate feedback.
  • Review 2 / sign‑off – records when final editorial, pedagogical, and language checks are completed.
  • Design – records when layouts are created for print or online publication.
  • Design check – records when content and layout has been checked.
  • Final QA – records when language, layout, and functional QA are complete.
  • Implementation – records go‑live date when content is delivered to print or digital platforms.

Each phase should have a corresponding status label and at least one date column in the tracking sheet, so that progress across the whole course can be monitored at a glance.

4Good Practice: Consistency and Clarity

Just like bullet points, tracking sheets are most effective when they follow clear conventions. Inconsistent labels, missing dates, or unclear ownership quickly reduce their value.

  • Use a fixed list of status labels and avoid ad‑hoc wording such as “nearly done” or “almost final”.
  • Use one date format (e.g., YYYY‑MM‑DD) throughout the sheet to support sorting and filtering.
  • Keep one row per module or asset, and label components clearly to avoid ambiguity.
  • Include a "Product Owner” and initials for each step, so it is always clear who is responsible for the next task.
  • Maintain discipline so that each responsible person updates the sheet regularly; an outdated tracker is worse than no tracker at all.
⚠ Agree conventions for names, codes, and statuses at the start of the project and apply them across all products to make cross‑project reporting easier.

✓Key Takeaway

  • Consistent: use the same column headings, status labels, and date formats across the whole course or series.
  • Clear: make every row easy to scan, with one module or asset per row and unambiguous component labels.
  • Practical: track only the stages that teams actually use to make decisions (drafts, reviews, design, QA, implementation) and keep them up to date.