Indicator tracking spreadsheet: which columns and formulas do you need?
Oct 12 2026 · Templates
The columns, attainment formula and status rules for an indicator tracker that reports itself — plus a free template.
An indicator tracking spreadsheet holds one row per indicator, with its baseline, target, means of verification and each period's result. Attainment is calculated as result divided by target, then formatted as a percentage. A status rule turns that number into a signal: red below 80%, amber from 80 to 99%, green at 100% or above, grey where no result has been entered. Keep data entry on one tab and reporting on another, so donor tables rebuild themselves when the format changes. Every row needs a named means of verification — the document or system you will actually read. Without one, the indicator is a wish rather than a measurement.
What is an indicator tracking spreadsheet?
It is a single sheet where each row is one indicator and each column is one piece of evidence: what you promised, what you measured, and how far you got. It is not a logframe and not an evaluation plan. It is the working file you update every period so reporting becomes a copy-and-paste job rather than a scramble.
Which columns does an indicator tracker need?
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Written for M&E professionals. Not a guarantee of accuracy — always verify every claim against its source, and let a named human sign off. Get the free handbook.