action plan of business plan

What is an Action Plan? & How to write an Action Plan with Templates

Planning on turning your vision into reality? And what’s your best way to avoid challenges and problems during this journey? A solid action plan.

We have outlined 6 steps explaining how to write an action plan. Once you familiarize yourself with them, go ahead and use the editable templates below to start planning right away.

What is an Action Plan?

An action plan is a specific list of tasks in order to achieve a particular goal. It can be regarded as a proposed strategy to execute a specific project to achieve a specific or general goal effectively and efficiently. It outlines steps to take and helps stay focused and organized, whether it’s personal or work-related. Breaking down the goal into smaller, manageable steps, makes it easier to stay motivated and track progress.

It’s an essential part of the strategic planning process and helps with improving teamwork planning Not only in project management, but action plans can be used by individuals to prepare a strategy to achieve their own personal goals as well.

What Are the Components of an Action Plan

By including these components, your action plan can guide you effectively toward achieving your goals.

Goals and objectives: Clearly define what you want to achieve. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Tasks: Break down the goals into smaller, manageable tasks or steps that need to be completed.

Timeline: Set deadlines for each task. A timeline helps keep everyone on track and ensures timely progress.

Responsibilities: Assign specific tasks to individuals or teams. Clearly define who is responsible for each task.

Resources: Identify the resources needed to complete the tasks, such as budget, tools, and personnel.

Evaluation: Determine how you will measure progress and success. This can include regular check-ins and progress reports.

Adjustments: Be prepared to make changes to the plan as needed. Sometimes, things don’t go as expected, so flexibility is essential.

An action plan is not something set in stone. As your organization grows, and surrounding circumstances change, you will have to revisit and make adjustments to meet the latest needs.

Why You Need an Action Plan?

Sometimes businesses don’t spend much time on developing an action plan before an initiative, which, in most cases, leads to failure. If you haven’t heard, “failing to plan is planning to fail” said Benjamin Franklin supposedly once.

Planning helps you prepare for the obstacles ahead and keep you on track. And with an effective action plan, you can boost your productivity and keep yourself focused.  

Here are some benefits of an action plan you should know;

• It gives you a clear direction. As an action plan highlights exactly what steps to be taken and when they should be completed, you will know exactly what you need to do.
• Having your goals written down and planned out in steps will give you a reason to stay motivated and committed throughout the project.  
• With an action plan, you can track your progress toward your goal.
• Since you are listing down all the steps you need to complete in your action plan, it will help you prioritize your tasks based on effort and impact.

How to Write an Action Plan?

From the looks of it, creating an action plan seems fairly easy. But there are several important steps you need to follow with caution in order to get the best out of it. Here’s how to write an action plan explained in 6 easy steps.

Step 1: Define your end goal

If you are not clear about what you want to do and what you want to achieve, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Planning a new initiative? Start by defining where you are and where you want to be.

Solving a problem? Analyze the situation and explore possible solutions before prioritizing them.

Gather your team for a brainstorming session to explore possible goals or solutions. Encourage everyone to share their ideas freely to help shape a clear and focused goal. This collective input will ensure that the goal is well-rounded and reflects diverse perspectives.

Then write down your goal. And before you move on to the next step, run your goal through the SMART criteria . Or in other words, make sure that it is

• Specific – well-defined and clear
• Measurable – include measurable indicators to track progress  
• Attainable – realistic and achievable within the resources, time, money, experience, etc. you have
• Relevant – align with your other goals
• Timely – has a finishing date

Use this SMART goals template to simplify this process. Share it with others to get their input as well.  

• Ready to use
• Fully customizable template
• Get Started in seconds

And refer to our easy guide to the goal-setting process to learn more about setting and planning your goals.

Step 2: List down the steps to be followed

The goal is clear. What exactly should you do to realize it?

Conduct a brainstorming session with your team to list all the tasks required. Create a rough template to list down all the tasks to be performed, due dates and people responsible. This allows team members to contribute ideas about potential steps that may be overlooked. Collaboration ensures that every necessary task is identified and accounted for.

Create a rough template to list down all the tasks to be performed, due dates and people responsible.

It’s important that you make sure that the entire team is involved in this process and has access to the document. This way everyone will be aware of their roles and responsibilities in the project.

Make sure that each task is clearly defined and is attainable. If you come across larger and more complex tasks, break them down to smaller ones that are easier to execute and manage.

Tips: Use a RACI Matrix template to clarify project roles and responsibilities, and plan projects

Step 3: Prioritize tasks and add deadlines

It’s time to reorganize the list by prioritizing the tasks. Some steps, you may need to prioritize as they can be blocking other sub-steps.

Add deadlines, and make sure that they are realistic. Consult with the person responsible for carrying it out to understand his or her capacity before deciding on deadlines.

Step 4: Set milestones

Milestones can be considered mini goals leading up to the main goal at the end. The advantage of adding milestones is that they give the team members to look forward to something and help them stay motivated even though the final due date is far away.

Start from the end goal and work your way back as you set milestones . Remember not to keep too little or too much time in between the milestone you set. It’s a best practice to space milestones two weeks apart.  

Step 5: Identify the resources needed

Before you start your project, it’s crucial to ensure that you have all the necessary resources at hand to complete the tasks. And if they are not currently available, you need to first make a plan to acquire them.

This should also include your budget. You can assign a column of your action plan to mark the cost of each task if there are any.  

Step 6: Visualize your action plan

The point of this step is to create something that everyone can understand at a glance and that can be shared with everyone.

Whether your action plan comes in the shape of a lowchart, Gantt chart, or table, make sure that it clearly communicates the elements we have identified so far – tasks, task owners, deadlines, resources, etc.

This document should be easily accessible to everyone and should be editable.

Step 7: Monitor, evaluate and update

Allocate some time to evaluate the progress you’ve made with your team.

You can mark tasks that are completed as done on this final action plan, bringing attention to how you’ve progressed toward the goal.

This will also bring out the tasks that are pending or delayed, in which case you need to figure out why and find suitable solutions. And then update the action plan accordingly.

How to Implement Your Action Plan Successfully

To successfully implement your action plan, share it clearly, set deadlines, provide resources, and keep track of progress. Stay flexible, encourage teamwork, and learn from the process. Tools like Creately can help by providing templates and visual tools and a centralized workspace to keep the plan organized and easy to access.

1. Share the plan

Once the action plan is ready, make sure every team member knows about it. Explain what the goal is and how each person’s role fits into the bigger picture. It’s important that everyone understands their tasks and how their work contributes to the success of the plan. Sharing the plan clearly helps avoid confusion and keeps everyone on the same page.

2. Set clear deadlines

Every task should have a deadline to make sure things stay on track. Assign specific dates for when each task should be finished. It’s also helpful to set smaller milestones along the way for bigger projects so that progress is visible. This keeps the team motivated and ensures that everyone knows when their part is due.

3. Use Kanban boards to manage tasks

Kanban boards are a great way to visualize and organize tasks. You can see which tasks are pending, in progress, or completed, making it easier to manage the workflow. Creately offers templates for Kanban boards, helping teams keep tasks organized and track progress visually. This makes it simple to stay on top of all the moving parts in the action plan.

4. Use or create templates

Templates are useful for standardizing recurring tasks. Whether you are creating a new action plan or organizing tasks for a specific project, templates can save time and make sure nothing important is missed. Creately offers a wide range of templates that can help you set up your action plan efficiently and consistently.

5. Set up real-time alerts and assign dependencies

Real-time alerts keep everyone informed about important updates, like deadlines or changes in the plan. Assigning task dependencies helps team members understand how their work connects with others. For example, one task might need to be completed before another can start. Creately can help visualize these dependencies, assign responsibilities and deadlines, making it easy to see how tasks are linked, ensuring everyone knows when their part is due.

6. Mark tasks as completed

As tasks are completed, mark them off the list. This creates a sense of achievement and helps the team track their progress. It’s also a useful way to see how much work is left to do.

7. Address late or pending tasks

If any tasks are running late or still pending, discuss them openly with the team. It’s important to identify the reasons for delays and find solutions together. Regular check-ins and updates help ensure that issues are addressed before they become bigger problems. Open communication also builds trust and keeps the team aligned on how to get back on track.

8. Review and reflect

After the plan is fully implemented, review how it went. Did everything go according to plan? What worked well, and what could have been better? Ask for feedback from the team to gather different perspectives. Reviewing helps you learn from the process and improve future action plans.

Action Plan Templates

Business action plan.

You may like to read: The Easy Guide to Making a Business Plan for Presentations

Marketing action plan

Strategic action plan, corrective action plan template, simple action plan template, action plan vs. plan b vs. project plan vs. to-do list.

While all these tools help with planning and organization, they serve different purposes. An action plan focuses on achieving specific goals, a plan B is a backup for when things go wrong, a project plan manages an entire project, and a to-do list keeps track of daily tasks.

Different Types of Action Plans

Action plans can vary based on their purpose, scope, and the specific outcomes they aim to achieve. Here are different types of action plans, explained in simple terms:

1. Strategic action plan

A strategic action plan outlines the long-term goals of an organization and the steps needed to achieve them. It usually focuses on overall direction rather than day-to-day operations.

Key features

• Focus: Big-picture goals, such as expanding into new markets or improving customer satisfaction.
• Timeframe: Typically covers a longer period, like one to five years.
• Components: Goals, objectives, major initiatives, and performance indicators.

2. Operational action plan

An operational action plan is more focused on the day-to-day activities of an organization. It outlines specific tasks and processes required to achieve short-term goals.

• Focus: Daily operations and immediate goals, such as meeting quarterly sales targets or improving customer service response times.
• Timeframe: Usually covers a shorter period, like a few months to a year.
• Components: Specific tasks, assigned responsibilities, deadlines, and required resources.

3. Marketing action plan

A marketing action plan outlines the steps needed to achieve specific marketing objectives. It provides a clear roadmap for the marketing team to follow and ensures that all efforts are aligned with the broader business goals.

• Focus: Marketing strategies, campaigns, and tactics to reach target audiences and achieve business objectives.
• Timeframe: Often linked to specific campaign timelines, product launches, or quarterly/yearly goals.
• Components: Marketing goals, target audience, strategies, tasks, assigned responsibilities, deadlines, and key performance indicators (KPIs).

4. Project action plan

A project action plan is created for specific projects, detailing the steps needed to complete them successfully. This type of plan is often temporary and specific to a single initiative.

• Focus: Specific projects with defined objectives, such as launching a new website or organizing an event.
• Timeframe: Varies depending on the project, from weeks to several months.
• Components: Project goals, tasks, timelines, team members, and evaluation measures.

5. Personal action plan

A personal action plan is designed for individual goals, helping a person outline steps to achieve personal or professional objectives. This can include career development, health, or education goals.

• Focus: Individual aspirations, such as advancing in a career or improving fitness levels.
• Timeframe: Can be short-term (weeks) or long-term (years), depending on the goal.
• Components: Specific actions, deadlines, resources needed, and methods for tracking progress.

6. Business action plan

A business action plan outlines the specific steps and strategies that a company will take to achieve its goals and objectives. It serves as a roadmap for business initiatives, ensuring that resources are effectively allocated and actions are coordinated across the organization.

• Focus: Business goals and strategic initiatives.
• Timeframe: Typically covers a specific period, such as quarterly or annually, with milestones for progress tracking.
• Components: Business objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), assigned responsibilities, action steps, timelines, and resource allocation.

7. Contingency action plan

A contingency action plan outlines steps to take in case of unexpected events or emergencies. It helps organizations prepare for risks and uncertainties.

• Focus: Risk management and response strategies for potential problems.
• Timeframe: Ongoing, as it needs to be updated regularly based on new risks.
• Components: Identified risks, response actions, responsibilities, and communication plans.

8. Change action plan

A change action plan is created when an organization undergoes significant changes, such as restructuring, implementing new technologies, or altering policies.

Key features:

• Focus: Managing the transition effectively and minimizing disruptions.
• Timeframe: Varies based on the scale of the change, often several months.
• Components: Objectives for change, steps to implement, stakeholder communication, and training needs.

9. Corrective action plan

A corrective action plan is developed to address specific problems or deficiencies within an organization. It outlines steps to correct issues and prevent them from happening again.

• Focus: Identifying and resolving problems, such as quality issues or compliance failures.
• Timeframe: Varies depending on the severity of the issue, including both immediate and long-term actions.
• Components: Problem description, root cause analysis, corrective actions, assigned responsibilities, timelines, and monitoring measures.

10. Emergency action plan

An emergency action plan outlines the procedures to follow during various emergency situations to ensure the safety of individuals and minimize damage. It provides a clear response strategy for emergencies such as fires, natural disasters, or medical incidents.

• Focus: Immediate response to emergencies, ensuring safety and effective communication.
• Timeframe: Designed for use during emergencies, with regular updates and drills to maintain readiness.
• Components: Emergency procedures, designated roles, communication plans, evacuation routes, and contact information for emergency services.

Learn more about: Corrective Action Plan template .

Additional resources: The Easy Guide to Creating a Business Contingency Plan

Who Should Make Action Plans?

Action plans can be developed by various individuals or groups within an organization, depending on the context and the type of plan being created. Here are some key stakeholders who typically make action plans:

Management: Management teams, including executives and department heads, often create strategic and operational action plans to align organizational goals with operational activities.

Project managers: Project managers are responsible for developing project action plans to guide specific initiatives, ensuring that all tasks are coordinated and completed on time.

Team leaders: Team leaders or supervisors create team action plans to define goals and responsibilities for their team members, fostering collaboration and accountability.

Individuals: Individuals can create personal action plans for their professional or personal development, outlining specific steps they want to take to achieve their goals.

Quality assurance teams: Quality assurance teams may develop corrective action plans in response to identified issues, focusing on resolving deficiencies and preventing future occurrences.

Safety officers: Safety officers are typically responsible for creating emergency action plans to ensure preparedness for potential emergencies, outlining procedures for protecting personnel and property.

Cross-functional teams: Cross-functional teams may collaborate to develop action plans for organizational changes or major projects, leveraging diverse perspectives and expertise.

When to Develop an Action Plan?

You should develop an action plan whenever you have specific goals, need to address problems, or implement changes. They provide a clear guide to keep everyone on track and accountable.

Setting new goals: Create an action plan when you have new goals to achieve. It helps outline the steps needed to reach those goals.

Launching projects: Before starting a new project, develop an action plan to define tasks, timelines, and who is responsible for what.

Addressing problems: If issues come up, such as quality problems or inefficiencies, create an action plan to identify solutions and outline steps to fix the problems.

Implementing changes: When you plan to make changes in the organization, like restructuring or adopting new processes, an action plan helps manage the transition smoothly.

Preparing for emergencies: Develop an emergency action plan to ensure you are ready for potential emergencies, outlining clear steps to follow during a crisis.

Evaluating performance: After reviewing how well you’ve met your goals, create an action plan to address any shortcomings and outline ways to improve.

Improving collaboration: When multiple teams need to work together, an action plan helps coordinate efforts and clarify each team’s responsibilities.

Action Plan Best Practices

Follow these best practices to make your action plans more effective. They provide a clear path to achieving your goals while keeping everyone involved and accountable.

Be specific: Clearly define your goals and actions. Vague plans can lead to confusion, so detail what you want to achieve and how you will do it.

Set realistic timelines: Establish achievable deadlines for each task. Make sure your timelines are realistic to avoid frustration and keep everyone motivated.

Assign responsibilities: Clearly assign tasks to specific individuals or teams. This ensures accountability and helps everyone understand their role in the plan.

Prioritize tasks: Identify which tasks are most important and need to be done first. Prioritizing helps you focus on what will make the biggest impact.

Use measurable outcomes: Include ways to measure progress. This could be through key performance indicators (KPIs) or specific milestones that show how close you are to achieving your goals.

Communicate regularly: Keep everyone informed about progress and any changes to the plan. Regular communication helps maintain motivation and keeps the team aligned.

Be flexible: Be prepared to adjust your action plan as needed. If you encounter unexpected challenges or changes, adapting your plan will help you stay on track.

Review and reflect: Regularly review the action plan to see what is working and what isn’t. Reflecting on the process allows you to learn and improve future action plans.

Any More Tips on Creating an Action Plan?

An action plan is designed to guide your way to accomplishing your goals. It turns your vision into actionable goals and steps. And it helps you stay focused and motivated.

From an individual employee in an organization to larger departments can make use of action plans to steer their way towards completing their goals.

Maybe you are about to create your very first action plan, or you are already a pro at writing them. Either way, we’d like to hear your opinions on how to write an action plan. Do share them with us in the comments section below.

FAQs About Action Plan

What are the common mistakes to avoid when collaborating on creating an action plan.

Lack of clarity on goals: Make sure the team understands the goals and objectives of the action plan. The goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Unclear responsibilities: Assign clear roles and responsibilities for each team member to avoid confusion and ensure accountability.

Overcomplicating the plan: Keep the action plan simple and easy to understand. Avoid adding unnecessary complexity or detail that may confuse the team.

Failure to prioritize tasks: Prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. This will ensure that the team focuses on the most critical tasks first.

Inadequate resources: Ensure that the team has access to the necessary resources such as time, budget, and equipment, to carry out the action plan successfully.

Lack of communication: Effective communication is crucial to the success of any action plan. Ensure that team members are regularly updated on progress and any changes to the plan.

Failure to monitor progress: Regularly monitor progress and adjust the action plan as needed to ensure that it stays on track and achieves its goals.

What are the different types of action plans?

Strategic action plan: This type of plan outlines the long-term goals and objectives of an organization, and the actions that will be taken to achieve them. It typically covers a period of several years and includes high-level strategies and initiatives.

Operational action plan: This plan focuses on the day-to-day operations of an organization, outlining the actions that will be taken to achieve short-term goals and objectives. It typically covers a period of one year or less and includes specific actions and timelines.

Project action plan: This type of plan is used for individual projects and outlines the actions that will be taken to achieve specific project goals and objectives. It includes a detailed breakdown of tasks, timelines, and responsibilities.

Sales action plan: This plan focuses on the actions that will be taken to increase sales and revenue. It includes specific strategies for marketing, sales, and customer service.

Marketing action plan: This plan outlines the actions that will be taken to promote a product or service and increase brand awareness. It includes strategies for advertising, social media, public relations, and other marketing initiatives.

Crisis management action plan: This type of plan outlines the actions that will be taken in the event of a crisis, such as a natural disaster or security breach. It includes specific protocols for communication, evacuation, and other emergency procedures.

Who can use an action plan?

An action plan can be used by anyone who wants to achieve specific goals or objectives. It is a useful tool for individuals, teams, and organizations in a variety of contexts. Here are some examples:

Individuals: An individual can use an action plan to achieve personal goals such as losing weight, completing a degree, or starting a business.

Teams: A team can use an action plan to achieve goals related to a specific project or initiative. For example, a marketing team may use an action plan to launch a new product.

Small businesses: Small businesses can use an action plan to achieve goals related to sales, marketing, operations, or finance.

Non-profit organizations: Non-profit organizations can use an action plan to achieve goals related to fundraising, volunteer recruitment, or program implementation.

Government agencies: Government agencies can use an action plan to achieve goals related to policy implementation, disaster response, or public safety.

Educational institutions: Educational institutions can use an action plan to achieve goals related to improving student outcomes, increasing enrollment, or expanding programs.

How can I make action plan?

How do i create an affirmative action plan, when should an action plan be created in a meeting, what is an action plan in education.

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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How to create an action plan template (including examples)

You have a goal in mind but haven’t yet pulled together a strategy to achieve it. An action plan template is how you’ll get from A to B. This document provides a ready-made framework for adding all the steps you need to reach your project goals. Everyone who follows the plan will understand what is expected of them, which ensures those jobs-to-be-done actually get done.

This guide explores how to write an action plan template step-by-step, with examples for inspiration. For a ready-made solution, you can dive right into monday work management’s custom action plan template.

What is an action plan?

An action plan is a detailed blueprint that outlines the steps you, your team, or your organization will take to achieve a specific goal. By sequencing each step of your plan, you’ll complete everything in order and won’t miss any vital tasks. Action plans include detailed information, such as:

• A description of each action or task to complete
• The person or assignee responsible for each action
• Due dates for each task
• Resources required to complete the action
• Space to reflect or take notes after you’ve completed a task

What is an action plan template?

An action plan template is a pre-structured document that gives you a framework for crafting your new action plan. Instead of creating your strategy from scratch every time, a practical action plan template has designated spaces for each aspect you need to cover. These might be presented in a table format like this:

Why is an action plan template important?

The benefits of using an action plan template are clear:

Action plan templates are efficient

Leaders and managers use action plan templates to speed up the strategic planning process . Rather than spending unnecessary time designing their planning documents, project managers can simply pull up their template, save a new copy—keeping the existing template intact—and get straight to work scheduling and assigning tasks.

Action plan templates are consistent

When your organization uses the same action plan template for the whole company, it’s easier for team members to interpret and understand the plan because they’re familiar with the format. The result is an organized, professional appearance.

Action plan templates aid effective planning

Action plan templates help project organizers plan more effectively by offering predefined categories and columns, reducing the chance of human error or omitting information from an action plan. And every time you add an enhancement to your template, you’ll consistently improve subsequent action plans.

Action plans are easy to track

While completing a project, you might find that some of the tasks in your task lists didn’t have clear outcomes, or you weren’t sure they were complete. Get around this by following the SMART goals framework and including a new column in your action plan template to note how you’ll measure if the task is complete.

When using an action plan template within monday work management, you can add your action plan to relevant project boards, create cross-team automation, and more—making it easier to collaborate with a distributed team in real-time.

What are the essential features of an effective action plan template?

Action plan templates should contain the following features:

• Multiple views , including tables, timelines, Kanban boards, and Gantt charts to visualize tasks.
• Task notifications to detail and assign tasks to team members.
• Structured layouts to plan tasks based on priority, status, and resource allocation.
• Collaboration space to maintain notes, comments, and files in one place.
• Automations to update task status and notify owners.
• Status columns to show the current status, such as Stuck, Working on it, and Done.
• Dashboards to track overall progress, timelines, and budgets.

What is the difference between an action plan and a project plan?

A project plan is more detailed than an action plan. Both list the tasks, timelines, and resources required to achieve a desired goal. Project plans also include:

• Project goals and objectives
• Project milestones and deliverables
• Project scope and budget
• Project roles and responsibilities
• Project stakeholders and communication schedule
• Project risk mitigation and contingency plans
• Project success criteria

But it’s not an either-or situation. Instead of choosing one over the other, simply create an action plan from your project plan to outline the steps required to achieve your project goals.

What are the key elements of a well-written action plan?

A well-written action plan consists of these components:

• Goals : Define what the action plan aims to accomplish.
• Steps : Detail the actions required to achieve each goal.
• Items : Determine the task dependencies and priorities.
• Timeline : Map out the schedule and milestones from start to finish.
• Resources : Identify the people, tools, and budget required.
• Responsibilities : Assign tasks to an individual or a team.
• KPIs : Track metrics against key performance indicators to assess outcomes and ensure alignment with goals.
• Review : Monitor the overall progress of action items completed.

10 types of action plan templates

Project action plan templates can fall into different themes based on the goal you have in mind. Here are some examples of action plan templates you might use within or outside of your business:

1. Action item templates

Action items typically look like to-do lists with a little extra context. Your template might include a row for each action item with columns to define their:

• Unique identification number
• Priority levels
• Status updates
• Completion percentages
• Attachments

2. Corrective action plan templates

Corrective action plan templates focus on the steps involved in overcoming something that’s having a negative impact on your business. For example, IT teams might use this template to resolve a system failure. Typically, this template will include the following fields:

• Problem statement
• Desired outcome
• Action steps
• Stakeholders
• Progress updates
• Constraints
• Metrics for completion

3. Performance improvement plan (PIP) templates

Performance improvement plan templates are an important part of the employee appraisal process. They focus on developing a proactive strategy for dealing with your workers’ ongoing performance or behavioral issues. This template might include:

• Employee name, role, and title
• Manager name
• Performance concern
• Performance goal
• Review rating
• Improvements made
• Goal progress

4. Mutual action plan templates

A mutual action plan template is a collaborative space for two or more parties to outline shared goals, steps, and responsibilities to achieve a specific outcome. This type of template includes:

• Shared objectives
• Key milestones and deadlines
• Detailed action steps
• Specific roles and tasks assigned to each party
• KPIs and success criteria
• Review schedule

5. Marketing action plan templates

A marketing action plan template serves as a roadmap for executing marketing campaigns or initiatives. It ensures all team members are aligned, have sufficient resource allocations, and can easily track their shared progress. This template might include:

• Marketing objective
• Target audience
• Timeline for completion and review
• Responsible parties

5. Sales action plan templates

A sales action plan template is a source of truth for sales professionals who need to hit specific revenue targets within a specific timeframe.

Customize your template to match your workflows and sales objectives based on the following fields:

• Executive summary
• Business goals and revenue targets
• Performance analysis
• Market and industry overview
• Strategy and tactic refinement
• Customer segmentation
• Individual team member plans

7. Microsoft Word action plan templates

Users accustomed to the Microsoft ecosystem may prefer creating action plan templates in Microsoft Word. Based on a table format, you’ll customize the template according to the number of rows and columns you need.

You’ll make a copy of the template to edit for each new action plan, then save it as a PDF or Word document. From here, you can store it in a shared drive for team members to collaborate on, email it to various stakeholders, or attach it to your monday work management board where it’ll slide straight into your workflow.

8. Microsoft Excel action plan templates

Microsoft Excel action plan templates work in much the same way as their Word counterparts. Instead of inserting tables, you’ll use Excel’s natural framework of columns and rows to create a customized template.

The added advantage is you might use built-in formulas to calculate progress and performance for tasks, milestones, or projects assigned to each team member.

9. Business action plan templates

A business action plan template allows you to check off activities as you work toward a specific business goal. The action plan below details the primary goal, with the first column dedicated to a breakdown of each action required.

( Image source )

For example, if your business goal was to design and launch a new website, your activities might include:

• Gathering design assets
• Choosing a color scheme
• Copywriting for new website pages
• Assembling design and development teams
• Creating design wireframes
• Design and development
• Launch and promotion

The penultimate column in this action plan template notes potential hazards or roadblocks that might get in the way of achieving your goals. Use this section to plan workarounds.

10. Personal development action plan templates

Typically, action plans are used in a business context. But a personal development template can be a handy task management tool to help you stay motivated and work toward your goals outside of work. The template below allows you to break down your actions into a step-by-step sequence and includes a “How will I know I’ve been successful?” column to ensure the actions you select have a clear outcome.

How to write an action plan in 8 steps

If you’ve never created an action plan before, follow these manageable steps:

Step 1. Determine your goals

First, you need to understand what you’re trying to achieve. Then, make this goal as specific as possible. For example, “increase sales” is too vague. “Increase sales by 20% in quarter three” is more specific and allows you to set a metric for achieving it.

Step 2. Break down the steps required to achieve each goal

Determine the necessary actions to reach your goal. In this example, that might include:

• Hire three new sales development representatives
• Increase content marketing budget by $20,000
• Implement a new sales training program for new hires

Step 3. Determine task dependencies and priorities

Remember: you can’t do everything at once! After you’ve broken down a big goal into bite-sized chunks, figure out the perfect order for completing the tasks. In the above example, you need to hire new sales representatives before starting a sales training program.

Step 4. Set milestones

Now, set some milestones  for significant events or checkpoints along the project. Some typical milestones are:

• Completion of a substantial task or phase of the project
• A significant event, such as a product launch
• Important meetings, like customer review meetings

Step 5. Add deadlines

When do you need to complete each task? Setting deadlines for each task helps your team stay on track and highlights if your timeline for the larger goal is realistic.

Step 6. Identify your required resources

What’s keeping you from completing these manageable tasks? What do you require, perhaps from leadership or another team, to meet or exceed your goals? In our sales team example, the HR department might help us advertise an open role and attract new applicants.

Step 7. Assign tasks to individuals

Who is responsible for each action? Assign a clear task owner to each task. Ownership doesn’t just make someone feel accountable; it empowers them to take the initiative and solve problems without dragging in management at every twist and turn.

Step 8. Agree on a plan to review progress

Before you jump in and start your project, determine how you’ll measure progress toward your goals. For example:

• Will you review your action plan every day or every week?
• Will the task assignees or the project leader be responsible for updating the plan to reflect progress?
• How will you use technology to automate your review and keep all team members in the loop?

Determining these answers upfront means the action plan remains a living document reflecting actual progress.

Kick-start your projects with monday work management’s action plan template

As you’ve seen in the examples above, the typical action plan format is a PDF or Microsoft document. While this is fine for goal setting and creating the plan itself, it’s not so great for putting it into action.

That’s why we’ve purpose-built a flexible, customizable, intuitive action plan template to use with monday work management. Once you have buy-in from your team, here are the features that’ll put your plans into action:

• Multiple views : Use Table, Timeline, and Kanban Views to visualize the action items and overall plan details you need to succeed.

• Integrations : monday work management integrates with 72+ third-party tools, such as Slack, Gmail, or Microsoft products which allow teams to sync documents or send real-time notifications based on your action items.

• Automation : Design custom automations based on triggers, conditions, and actions. For example, when a team member checks an action item completion box, this could trigger the next action item to be assigned to a colleague.

• Progress tracking : Track progress with custom status columns and labels so you can easily see what tasks are in progress, at risk, or completed. Built-in reporting capabilities will also give you an overview of your team’s progress toward achieving the goals outlined in your action plan.

• Collaboration : Comment and collaborate on action items to keep your plan moving forward. Tag team members, attach images or documents for extra context, and keep all discussions in a central location.

Get your free action plan template in monday work management

monday work management is a collaborative and productive space that helps teams and companies of any size reach shared goals quicker. Our action plan template is just one of the ways you can use our platform to streamline your essential business processes.

With a G2 software community score of 4.7 out of 5 , here’s how one small business reviewer describes our templates:

I like the fact that I can use a template or build my own tables and also link them. I love the easy filters and the fact I can have different views. I also like the charts and graphs that are available and the fact that I can easily add to my task list or update anything on my mobile out of office hours. I love the status column and also the automations on my task lists and campaigns.

Ready to use a repeatable process to hit your project goals on time, every time? Get our action plan template today.

FAQs about action plans

What’s the difference between an action plan and a to-do list.

As key components of goal management, action plans and to-do lists are frequently confused. A to-do list is a list of tasks to complete, but they’re not sequenced or even connected to the same goal. An action plan outlines the specific steps and activities that must occur to complete a common goal.

What's the difference between an action plan and a strategic plan?

An action plan and a strategic plan are essential for an organization’s long-term and short-term planning. A strategic plan outlines an organization’s vision for the future by prioritizing goals, making resourcing decisions, and uniting employees. On the other hand, an action plan makes the strategic plan operational by providing detailed instructions on how to accomplish those goals.

What’s the difference between an action plan and an implementation plan?

An implementation plan and an action plan are essential documents that help teams execute a project successfully. An action plan focuses on the specific tasks needed to achieve a goal, while an implementation plan is more holistic, outlining the steps, teams, and resources required to execute a project successfully.

What are the 3 parts of an action plan?

Successful action plans incorporate the following three Ws: what, who, and when. As you design your plan, decide “what” you want to accomplish, “who” is responsible for accomplishing it, and “when” you must accomplish it.

Small Business Trends

What is an action plan and how to create one + an example.

An action plan is an organized list of steps that you can take to reach a desired goal. Creating an action plan requires carefully considering resources, goals, and available time. With a well-structured action plan, you can reach your goals in the most efficient way possible. Here’s how to create an action plan – plus some helpful examples and time-saving tips to guide you during your strategic planning process.

Table of Contents

What is an Action Plan?

At one point or another, you may have a task that seems larger than life. But an action plan helps.

In essence, an action plan is a systematic, detailed blueprint, or a comprehensive document, that lays out the strategy to achieve a certain goal or set of goals. It’s similar to a roadmap, providing clear directions on how you can move from your current status to your desired state.

The concept of an action plan is not limited to any specific domain, making it a versatile tool. It can be applied in various fields such as business, education, project management, personal growth, healthcare, and so forth.

A well-crafted action plan typically encompasses several elements:

• Objective: The objective is the ultimate goal that you aim to achieve. It needs to be clear and precise. This is the “destination” you’re striving to reach, so it’s vital to define it in a way that leaves no room for ambiguity. Often, the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) is used to frame these objectives.

• Steps or Tasks: Once the goal is set, the next stage is to break it down into smaller, manageable steps or tasks. Each task should be straightforward, feasible, and should contribute directly to the attainment of the ultimate goal. For example, when you break down a large project into smaller, manageable tasks, it keeps you on track to success, and makes staying motivated in business easier during tough projects.

• Resources: For each task, you should also identify the necessary resources. These can be physical resources, such as equipment or materials, or human resources, like specific skills or personnel. By identifying these upfront, you can better plan and mitigate potential bottlenecks.

• Timeline: It’s also crucial to set a timeline for each task, which includes a start and an end date. This not only instills a sense of urgency but also helps to track progress over time. A well-planned schedule can also prevent tasks from overlapping or clashing.

• Responsibility Assignment: Each task needs a responsible person or team who will see it through to completion. Defining this ensures accountability and prevents tasks from being overlooked.

• Contingency Plan: Despite the best of planning, unforeseen circumstances may arise. Having a contingency plan prepares you for such scenarios, ensuring that your plan remains robust and flexible.

• Tracking and Evaluation: An important aspect of an action plan is tracking progress and evaluating outcomes. This step is essential as it allows you to adjust your plan as needed, based on the performance of each task or changing circumstances.

Creating an Effective Action Plan

Creating an effective action plan is an integral part of achieving any goal. In the following video, Brian Tracy, a well-known speaker and author in the field of self-development, outlines his method for formulating such a plan. Tracy’s process, built from years of experience, provides clear and practical steps that can be applied to any project or objective.

How to Write an Action Plan

An effective action plan operates as a guiding light, leading the way towards achieving specific objectives, milestones, and goals. For any project or substantial task, it can be the pivotal element that swings the balance between success and failure.

To make the process of creating an action plan easier, we’ve provided a summary table below. This table functions like a checklist, outlining clear steps and eliminating any confusion about what needs to be done next.

Having this overview can be a great starting point, but a deeper understanding of each step will further assist you in crafting a robust action plan. So let’s get started and explore each of these steps in more detail.

Step 1: Define the goal

Defining project goals is a critical first step in the action-planning process. It involves establishing a clear and concise objective that guides the rest of the plan. A well-defined goal serves as a roadmap for the team, providing direction and focus for their efforts. It also helps to keep everyone aligned and on track, ensuring that the plan is executed effectively.

To define a goal effectively, it is important to consider several key factors. First, the goal should be specific, meaning that it should clearly state what is to be achieved. Second, it should be measurable, allowing for progress to be tracked and evaluated.

Third, it should be attainable, meaning that it should be realistic and achievable given the available resources and constraints. Fourth, the goal should be relevant and aligned with the organization’s overall strategy and goals. Finally, it should have a specific timeline, with deadlines established to ensure that the goal is achieved within a reasonable period of time.

Step 2: Project management – Identify the necessary actions

This step outlines the specific tasks and activities that need to be performed in order to achieve the defined goal. It involves breaking down the goal into smaller, manageable steps and determining what needs to be done to accomplish each step. The actions should be specific, measurable, and have clear deliverables.

Project management plays a vital role in this step, as it helps to ensure that the necessary actions are planned and executed effectively. Project managers use a variety of tools and techniques to identify the necessary actions, such as creating a work breakdown structure, creating a project schedule, and identifying project dependencies.

They also work closely with the team to ensure that the necessary resources are available, that risks are identified and managed, and that progress is tracked and reported. Using project management best practices, the team can ensure that the necessary actions are performed efficiently and effectively and that the project remains on track and on schedule.

Step 3: Assign tasks and responsibilities to project managers and any person responsible

Assigning tasks and responsibilities is a key step in the action planning process, as it ensures that all the tasks have a designated person responsible for their completion. This step involves identifying who will be responsible for each of the necessary actions identified in the previous step and assigning ownership for the delivery of each task. It is important to ensure that responsibilities are clearly defined and that each person understands their role and what is expected of them.

Project managers play a central role in assigning responsibilities, as they are responsible for ensuring that the right person is assigned to each task. They work closely with team members to understand their strengths, skills, and availability, and make assignments based on this information.

They may also assign backup resources to ensure the team can complete tasks even if the primary person responsible is unavailable. It is important to remember that assigning responsibilities is a collaborative process, and that team members should have the opportunity to provide input and feedback. Employ team building exercises to promote teamwork, and provide streamlined methods for employees to communicate with managers and decision makers.

Step 4: Determine the timeline and deadlines

This step involves creating a timeline that outlines when each task should start and finish, and when milestones should be reached. The timeline should be based on the scope of the project, the availability of resources, and any other constraints. Use a calendar or gannt chart to outline the exact schedule for each step.

Having a clear timeline and deadlines helps to keep the project on track and ensures that tasks are completed in a timely manner. It also provides a clear visual representation of the project’s progress and helps to identify any potential issues or delays.

Deadlines also help to keep team members accountable and focused, as they know when they need to have their tasks completed. Deadlines also help to prioritize tasks and ensure that the most important work is completed first.

Step 5: Establish a system for monitoring progress

Establishing a system for monitoring progress provides a way to track the project’s progress and identify any issues or challenges that may arise. This step involves implementing tools, processes, and metrics that can be used to measure the project’s progress against the timeline and goals. The system for monitoring progress should be simple, efficient, and easy to use.

Having a system for monitoring progress is important for several reasons. First, it provides real-time visibility into the project’s progress, allowing the project manager and team to quickly identify any issues or challenges that may arise.

Second, it helps to keep everyone accountable and focused, as team members know that their work will be monitored and evaluated. Third, it allows for continuous improvement, as the project manager can use the data and metrics collected to identify areas for improvement and make adjustments as needed.

Step 6: Track progress, evaluate, and adjust as necessary

Evaluating and adjusting as necessary is a critical step in the action planning process, as it provides a way to ensure that the project remains on track and is executed effectively.

This step involves regularly reviewing the actual progress of the project and making any necessary adjustments to the plan, timeline, and actions. The evaluation should be based on the system for monitoring progress that was established in a previous step.

Tracking progress is an important part of this step, as it provides the data and metrics needed to evaluate the project’s progress and identify any areas for improvement. The project manager should use the system for monitoring progress to track key metrics, such as task completion rates, timeline progress, and resource utilization. This information can then be used to assess the project’s progress against the goals and timeline and to identify any areas for improvement.

By evaluating and adjusting as necessary, the project manager can ensure that the project remains on track and is executed effectively. This helps to minimize disruptions and delays and ensures that the project stays aligned with the goals and objectives.

The process of evaluating and adjusting should be continuous, with regular evaluations and progress reviews. This allows the project manager to respond quickly to any changes or challenges that may arise, and to make any necessary adjustments to keep the project moving forward. For example, you may need to employ some time saving tips or delegate to get back on schedule. Alternatively, you may need to try some new call to action examples to more effectively impact customer behavior to meet your goals.

Do I Need an Action Plan?

Everyone who has set business goals should strive for effective business planning . Without an action plan, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed by significant goals or lose sight of what perspectives should guide the decision-making process. Having an organized, realistic plan is how to stay motivated and stay focused on reaching success.

This is especially true for larger companies that are trying to navigate complex projects or launch multiple initiatives at the same time. An action plan can help them stay organized, track project progress, anticipate potential challenges, and simplify hiring .

Smaller businesses can also benefit from having an action plan, as it will provide a road map for scaling up operations in the future. An effective action plan should include strategies, resources, timelines, revenue targets , and measures of success. The business budget and cash flow should always be taken into account when creating an action plan.

Why Your Business Should Have an Action Plan

Every business should have an action plan as it’s essential to success and keeping your company on track. Here are five reasons your business needs one:

• Clarity of Purpose: An action plan lets everyone in your company know exactly what they need to accomplish, so they can stay focused and productive. Set call-to-action examples and performance expectations so everyone knows what to strive for.
• Measurable Results: Having specific goals and a timeline helps you keep track of your progress, see what’s working, and adjust plans when needed.
• Achievable Goals: Action plans make sure that you don’t set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic objectives. Outline steps for success in manageable pieces.
• Effective Use of Resources : An action plan helps you prioritize tasks and resources, so you can get the best return on investment (ROI). Public relations strategies and campaigns are two common examples.
• Increased Accountability: By clearly defining roles, responsibilities, deadlines, and expectations, everyone involved is more accountable for their tasks and the success of the project overall.

Plan of Action Example (Template)

A well-structured action plan helps to keep the project on track and on schedule providing a clear path to success. Here’s an action plan template example you can use to inspire you for your own projects:

I. Define the goal:

A. Objective: Launch a new product line

B. SMART Goal: To launch a new product line in 6 months, generating $500,000 in revenue within the first year.

II. Identify necessary actions:

A. Conduct market research to determine the target audience and demand

B. Develop product prototypes and conduct testing

C. Create marketing materials and promotional campaigns

D. Set up the supply chain and logistics

E. Launch product through digital and physical channels

III. Assign responsibilities:

A. Market research: Marketing team

B. Product development: R&D team

C. Marketing plan , materials, and campaigns: Marketing team

D. Supply chain and logistics: Operations team

E. Product launch: Marketing and Operations teams

IV. Determine timeline and deadlines:

A. Market research: Month 1-2

B. Product development: Month 2-4

C. Marketing materials and campaigns: Month 4-5

D. Supply chain and logistics: Month 5-6

E. Product launch: Month 6

V. Establish a system for monitoring progress:

A. Key metrics: Revenue, market share, customer satisfaction

B. Tools: Project management software, weekly progress meetings

C. Progress review meetings: Every 2 weeks

VI. Evaluate and adjust as necessary:

A. Regularly review revenue and customer satisfaction data

B. Adjust marketing strategy and promotions as necessary

C. Monitor supply chain and logistics, and make adjustments as needed

D. Evaluate timeline and deadlines, and adjust as necessary to ensure a timely product launch.

Tips for Building a Fantastic Action Plan

Building an action plan is the first step to reaching your business goals. Here are five tips for creating a fantastic action plan:

• Be Clear & Specific: Make sure that everyone involved in the project understands what needs to be done and when it needs to be completed. Set measurable and achievable targets, with specific timelines and deadlines.
• Prioritize Tasks: Identify which tasks should take priority so you can focus on what’s important right now, while still having a plan for the future.
• Start Small: Break large projects down into smaller components that you can do in stages, rather than trying to accomplish everything at once. Team-building exercises are a great way to keep energy and motivation high.
• Outline Resources Needed: Research ahead of time what resources will be needed for each task and make sure you have everything in place beforehand.
• Include Room for Change: The reality is that things don’t always go as planned so be prepared to adjust timelines or objectives as needed along the way.

Action Plan Vs To-Do List

Action plans and to-do lists may seem similar at first glance, but they are two different tools that serve specific purposes. An action plan is an organized approach to achieving a goal. It helps you break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable pieces and outlines the steps you need to take in order to reach your objectives.

A to-do list is a tool used to keep track of day-to-day tasks or items that need attention. It’s typically used as a checklist for getting things done in a certain timeframe. While both can be helpful when it comes to staying organized and productive, action plans offer a more comprehensive approach to reaching longer-term goals.

Action Plan Vs Strategic Plan

An action plan and a strategic plan are two distinct frameworks used in planning and executing goals, each serving its unique function. An action plan is a detailed outline of the specific, immediate steps required to achieve a short-term objective. It focuses on the ‘how’ aspect, breaking down larger tasks into smaller, actionable items, typically with a shorter time horizon.

On the other hand, a strategic plan is a comprehensive roadmap designed for long-term goals. It involves a broader perspective, focusing on the ‘why’ behind the goals. This plan outlines the organization’s vision, mission, and core objectives over a more extended period, often including market analysis, competitive positioning, and long-term resource allocation. While action plans are more about tactical execution, strategic plans provide the overarching direction and purpose that guide these actions.

Both plans are crucial: the strategic plan sets the course, and the action plan drives the day-to-day activities needed to steer the ship towards the destination outlined in the strategic plan.

Action Plan Vs Project Plan

An action plan and a project plan are both tools used to help maintain organization and productivity when working toward a specific goal. Action plans focus on smaller tasks that need to be completed and prioritize them in an organized list.

Project plans are more comprehensive, providing an overview of all the steps required for completing a particular project. They usually include timelines, deadlines, resources needed, and other specifics. While action plans can help define the daily tasks necessary for completing a project, they should ultimately be formulated as part of the larger project plan.

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