SmartHelping / Human Resources / Excel
Human Resources (HR) Planner
Plan hires, departures, and expected attrition by department. Compare projected headcounts with your staffing targets to see potential shortages or surpluses today and at future dates.
Immediate download after purchase. By purchasing, you agree to the Terms of Service.
See the template in action
Walk through the headcount planning process.
Simple workforce planning inputs
Define the staffing changes you expect.
Departments and teams
Use up to 28 department slots. Track broad groups such as General and Administrative, Sales and Marketing, or Research and Development, or use more detailed departments and branches.
Headcount additions and losses
Enter the department, whether an event adds or reduces headcount, and the number of people involved. Include planned hires, departures, and expected attrition.
Expected event dates
Assign an expected date to each addition or loss so the forecast reflects when the staffing change is planned to take effect.
Target headcounts
Define your model headcounts by department. These provide the staffing targets against which projected headcounts are compared.
From event inputs to staffing visibility
Review current and projected headcounts.
Current headcount by department
See headcounts as of the current date based on the information entered in the template.
Future headcount snapshots
Review planned staffing at 30, 60, and 90 days out, or change the forecast intervals to suit your planning needs.
Projected versus target staffing
Compare projected headcounts with your model headcounts. Automatic color coding highlights whether the expected result is above or below the target.
Printable visuals and dashboards
Use the printable reporting views to review staffing plans. The main visual shows expected net shortages or surpluses for the current date and each future period.
Read the staffing gap
See where the plan falls short or runs ahead.
Negative: shortage
A negative difference indicates projected headcount is below the department’s model headcount.
Positive: surplus
A positive difference indicates projected headcount is above the department’s model headcount.
Zero: on target
A zero difference means projected headcount matches the model headcount for that department and date.
Adapt the planning view
Choose the forecast timing and level of detail.
Use your own forecast intervals
The future periods are not fixed at 30, 60, and 90 days. Enter the number of days ahead you want to review; the current and relative future dates update using the TODAY function and your day inputs.
Start with the rows you need
Remove unnecessary starting data and use one or multiple tracking rows according to your plan. Organize departments at a high level or by more granular branches within the 28 available slots.
Included in the HR collection
Explore the HR Management Templates Bundle.
HR Management Templates Bundle
This HR Planner is included in the HR tools bundle. Explore the collection for employee records, training, time tracking, scheduling, payroll, and workforce planning.
Explore the HR bundleQuestions before you start
A few useful details.
How many departments can I track?
The template includes up to 28 department slots. You can use broad business functions or more detailed departments and branches.
Are the forecasts limited to 30, 60, and 90 days?
No. Those are the starting intervals. You can choose other numbers of days ahead, with the reporting dates calculated relative to the current date.
How does the template identify a shortage or surplus?
It compares projected headcount with the model headcount you define for each department. Negative differences indicate shortages, positive differences indicate surpluses, and zero indicates the target is met.
What information do I enter?
Enter the department, an addition or loss event, the headcount value, and the expected date. Define model headcounts by department and set your preferred forecast intervals.
Plan ahead for staffing changes
See your expected headcount gaps.
Human Resources Planner — $45, delivered as an Excel download.
