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If we’re being honest, the numbers for a “normal” retirement in the US just don’t add up. Healthcare feels too expensive even with Medicare. Rents and groceries keep inching up beyond “comfortable”. And the version of retirement that shows up in glossy brochures, with the big house, big SUV, and frequent domestic flights like they’re ... Read moreView the full article

National Audit Office studied sample of 5,000 people and said it was impossible to know their whereabouts due to poor internal systemsView the full article

Construction projects come in all shapes and sizes, but all must be monitored closely. This is why a project has many construction documents. Building a structure is a complicated job and every aspect of it requires construction drawings to plan on paper before the build begins. The importance of construction documents and drawings in construction project management cannot be understated. They set up the project for success by detailing everything from the site to the design and even the project administration. But what exactly are construction documents and what types of construction drawings are there? What Are Construction Documents? Construction documents help project managers streamline the process of planning, scheduling and tracking construction projects. There isn’t only one type of construction document and they come in many types. Construction documents can be written, graphical and pictorial. ProjectManager is construction project management software with unlimited file storage. Our software can be accessed in the office, on the job site and even remotely so everyone on the project can share the construction documents and drawings from one centralized hub. If you need to make changes, everyone is updated to keep them on the same page. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/collaborate.pngTry it free In a sense, construction documents are like puzzle pieces that make up a bigger picture of the project’s design, location and physical characteristics. You can’t pull building permits without the right documents, and you can’t legally build anything without permits. This gives you an idea of the importance of construction documents. Construction Documents Here are some of the main documents that are created throughout the construction phases. While each of these documents serves a different purpose, they all contribute to one common goal, which is to facilitate the construction project management process. Creating these documents can be challenging, so we’ve created free construction project management templates to help you with this process. 1. Construction Plan A construction plan is a thorough construction document that describes all the planning details of a construction project, such as its scope of work, budget, schedule and work breakdown structure, among other important components. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Construction-management-plan-template-600x690.pngFree Download 2. Construction Budget A construction budget is a document that outlines all the costs of a construction project. The main purpose of a construction budget is to help construction project managers control spending as construction projects are executed to ensure the costs won’t be exceeded and the project will be profitable. In addition, a construction budget should include a construction contingency fund to cover unexpected expenses such as the cost of responding to project risks. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/construction-budget-for-excel-screenshot-600x160.pngFree download 3. Construction Schedule A construction schedule is a document that coordinates the activities that take place over the execution phase of a construction project. The main purpose of a construction schedule is to ensure that everyone involved in the project such as contractors and subcontractors understands the due dates for their deliverables so the project can be completed on time. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Construction-Gantt-light-mode-task-info-general-1600x858.jpg Using construction scheduling software like ProjectManager helps create a detailed construction schedule and track the progress of your project in real time. ProjectManager is equipped with tools like Gantt charts, task lists, project calendars and project dashboards that allow you to monitor each activity in your construction schedule. /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Construction.jpg Get your free Construction Schedule Template Use this free Construction Schedule Template to manage your projects better. Get the template 4. Construction Estimate Document A construction estimate is a document that includes the direct, indirect and overhead costs of a construction project such as materials, labor and equipment rental. The construction estimate is the preliminary version of a construction budget. /wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Construction-Estimate-Template-600x331.jpgFree download Creating a construction estimate is a complex process that can be overwhelming without the right tools. That’s why it’s advisable to use construction estimating software, which helps you map the different costs of your project. 5. Construction Scope of Work Document The scope of work is a document that describes the work that will be performed in a construction project, including the estimated timeline, deliverables, costs and payment terms. It’s a critical construction document often used during the construction bidding process or as part of construction contracts. /wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Scope-of-work-template-screenshot-450x459.pngFree download 6. Construction Proposal or Construction Bid Document A construction proposal or bid is the document that contractors use to apply for construction contracts. It explains how a contractor would execute a project, including details such as the project timeline, costs, scope of work, specifications and more. Contractors typically submit this document to project owners after receiving a request for proposal (RFP) from them. /wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Construction-Proposal-Screenshot-450x351.jpgFree download 7. Construction Punch List A punch list is a construction form that lists any tasks that need to be completed before the construction phase can be considered complete. These are usually non-critical tasks such as doing paint touch-ups, cleaning debris or replacing defective equipment. /wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Punch-List-Screenshot-600x210.jpgFree download 8. Request for Proposal (RFP) A request for proposal (RFP) is a construction document that’s used to initiate the construction bidding process, as it allows owners to solicit project proposals from contractors interested in building their project. Besides this, RFPs help owners specify the details they’d like to know about the contractors’ proposals, such as their scope of work, timeline, costs and more. /wp-content/uploads/2024/03/RFP-Template-screenshot-600x307.pngFree download 9. Request for Information (RFI) In many cases, important construction documents such as the scope of work might have omissions or mistakes such as missing tasks or unclear specifications. In these cases, you may submit a request for information (RFI) document to the project owner, architect, engineer or construction project manager to get more information on a particular matter. /wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RFI-Screenshot-450x402.jpgFree download 10. Request for Quote (RFQ) A request for quote (RFQ) is a document that’s often used in construction when contacting a supplier of goods or services such as construction materials to estimate how much project resources will cost. The vendor will then reply with a quote that will be valid for a limited time, as material prices fluctuate over time. Then, after reviewing multiple quotes and finding the best vendor for your project, you may send a purchase order and continue with the procurement process. /wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RFQ-Screenshot-450x381.jpgFree download /wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-construction-ebook-banner-ad.jpg 11. Construction Daily Report Document A construction daily report is a document that lists the work that occurred during a day on the construction site, along with other details such as the material and equipment inventories, incidents, weather conditions and any other information that might be relevant to the construction site manager, construction project manager or general contractor. /wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Construction-Daily-Report-600x401.jpgFree download 12. Construction Timesheet Construction timesheets are documents that help construction project managers, site supervisors, crew managers and other professionals keep track of the time construction workers spend on the job site performing project tasks. It allows them to calculate their pay based on the hours they’ve worked and their hourly rate. /wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Timesheet-Screenshot-600x261.jpgFree download 13. Construction Invoice Document Payments in construction rarely happen automatically. A construction invoice documents the labor, materials and services that have been delivered so contractors can request payment with clarity. It shows quantities, agreed rates and any approved changes to scope. By keeping billing transparent and tied to actual progress, the invoice helps prevent disputes and ensures cash continues flowing to keep work moving on schedule. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/construction-invoice-template-600x375.pngFree Download 14. Construction Incident Report Document When something goes wrong on a jobsite—an injury, equipment damage or a near miss—it must be captured immediately. A construction incident report records what happened, who was involved and the conditions that contributed to the event. This construction document helps improve safety programs, supports insurance and legal requirements and gives project teams the insight needed to prevent similar incidents in the future. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/incident-report-template-600x508.pngFree Download 15. Construction Cost Breakdown Structure Document A construction cost breakdown structure divides the project budget into detailed categories such as labor, materials and subcontractor expenses. By organizing costs at a granular level, teams can track spending with precision and compare estimates to real performance. This structure supports better financial control, strengthens bid accuracy and makes it easier to detect overruns early, before they impact the entire project. /wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cost-breakdown-template-600x255.pngFree Download 16. Construction Traffic Management Plan Document Busy worksites often share space with public roads, pedestrians and service vehicles, which creates safety and congestion risks. A construction traffic management plan defines routing, signage, access points and timing for deliveries to control how vehicles move around the project area. By coordinating traffic flow and protecting community access, this construction document reduces accidents, ensures regulatory compliance and keeps projects running efficiently. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Construction-Traffic-Management-Plan-Screenshot.pngFree Download 17. Construction Site Waste Management Plan Document Construction projects generate significant debris, and without a plan, disposal can become costly and environmentally harmful. A construction site waste management plan outlines how materials will be reduced, reused, recycled or properly discarded. It assigns responsibilities, sets targets and ensures legal compliance. This document supports sustainability goals while lowering waste-related expenses and keeping the site cleaner, safer and more organized throughout the project. 18. Construction Safety Plan Document Every construction site contains hazards, so teams need a proactive approach to managing them. A construction safety plan identifies risks, outlines required protective measures and specifies emergency procedures. It clarifies responsibilities for workers and supervisors while aligning with safety regulations. Using this construction document helps prevent injuries, reduces downtime and builds a safety-first culture that protects people and project performance from day one. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Construction-Safety-Plan-Template-600x450.pngFree Download 19. Construction Supplier Evaluation Document Choosing the right vendors matters to project cost, schedule and quality. A construction supplier evaluation form collects objective criteria on experience, pricing, delivery performance, compliance and more to assess each potential partner. Documenting the evaluation process ensures transparency, supports better sourcing decisions and reduces procurement risks. Stronger supplier selection leads to fewer delays and improved outcomes across the entire supply chain. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Supplier-Evaluation-Form-600x178.pngFree Download 20. Construction Submittals Document A construction submittal is a document that’s created by subcontractors and sent to general contractors, construction project managers, design teams or architects so they can approve the materials, equipment and processes that the subcontractor intends to use to execute their construction work. Construction submittals help ensure all the construction work subcontractors are performing is aligned with the specifications outlined in construction contracts. 21. Construction Change Order A construction change order is used whenever the initial construction plan needs to be adjusted. There’s a wide variety of reasons why this might happen. For example, project owners might add extra work to the construction plan during the execution phase. This means the initial scope of work needs to be expanded and more materials, labor and equipment are needed. /wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Change-Order-Screenshot-450x356.jpgFree download 22. Bill of Quantities A bill of quantities is an important construction planning document that describes the quantity and quality of materials that will be required to complete a construction project, along with the labor requirements. This construction form allows contractors to estimate construction costs and prepare their construction bids accordingly. /wp-content/uploads/2023/03/bill-of-quantities-template-1-600x293.jpgFree download 23. Schematic Design Document A schematic design is a construction drawing that provides an idea of the construction project layout, how the construction site fits with its surroundings, what the actual measurements of the building will be like and whether building codes and other regulations are met. Schematic designs are created during the schematic design phase, which is one of the steps in the architectural design process. 24. Construction Specifications Document Construction specifications describe the guidelines for the scope of work, materials and quality of workmanship for the activities that make up a construction project. They provide additional information that should be used with construction drawings to ensure the project is completed within the standards set by the owner and the construction design team. The design team makes construction specifications and project owners approve them before the construction company or general contractor executes the work. 25. Material Takeoff Document A material takeoff (MTO) is a construction document that itemizes the needed materials for a construction project and describes the required quantities based on all the available construction drawings and documents. The main purpose of a material takeoff is to accurately estimate the costs of those materials. 26. Schedule of Values Document A schedule of values is a construction project management document that allows contractors and subcontractors to report the work they’ve completed so far and the materials they’ve spent to the project owner. It also indicates the total labor and material costs needed to complete the project. It facilitates the payment process as it allows both parties to clearly understand what’s being paid for and what’s next. /wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Schedule-of-Values-Template-600x199.pngFree download 27. Construction Lien Waiver Document A construction lien is a legal claim that protects construction firms, contractors and subcontractors in scenarios where project owners aren’t willing to pay for the construction work they’ve performed. On the other hand, a construction lien waiver is a document that’s exchanged between project owners and contractors once the project has been completed and the corresponding payment has been made. A lien waiver is a legal document by which a contractor gives up the right to file a construction lien. 28. Contractor Payment Schedule Document In construction, a contractor payment schedule is a form that allows you to keep track of the payments that you’ve made to all the contractors you’ve hired for the execution of work. This document is ideal for general contractors, who usually have to hire multiple specialized subcontractors to help them with various areas of their construction projects. /wp-content/uploads/2024/03/construction-payment-schedule-screenshot-600x270.pngFree download Construction Drawings The term construction drawings refers to all the architectural documentation that guides the construction phase of a project. Architectural drawings are very detailed and cover everything from codes, safety plans and sustainability standards to plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems. There are many types of architectural drawings and for this reason, different countries have developed their nomenclature standards. In the United States, the preferred method of construction drawings nomenclature is the US National CAD standard, which was developed through a group effort from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Construction Specifications Institute and the National Institute of Building Sciences. Here’s a quick overview of some architectural drawings, as defined by the US National CAD standard. 1. A0 Sheets A0 sheets, also known as project information, have a cover sheet that summarizes the project information such as names, contact information, property details, zone use, building type, city PIN, site map, regulations, etc. Source: Amatect, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons There’s also the accessibility notes and details sheet which includes door width and sizes and location of signage among other things (though not included for residential projects). The site plan shows the building as it sits on the property, landscaping, concrete work and exit safety requirements. A more detailed landscape plan is sometimes included. 2. A1 Sheets A1 sheets are floor plans that show where every building element will be located and include detailed dimensions for these elements. There are also keynotes, door, window and wall type tags as well as other call-outs. Source: Amatect, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 3. A2 Sheets A2 sheets deal with elevations and sections. Elevations are the flat image of the outside faces of buildings. They show the height of the existing and new building elements as well as the materials that’ll be used or persevered from existing elements. Some keynotes add other important information about the construction of the exterior. Source: Amatect, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 4. A3 Sheets A3 drawings or section drawings are cut-section drawings through the center of the building. They show wall and foundation construction, floor-to-floor heights and the height relationships between the inside and the ground plane outside. Source: Amatect, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons 5. A4 Sheets A4 sheets are enlarged plans or large-scale views. The main one is the reflected ceiling plan which shows the view up to the ceiling rather than down to the floor. These include ceiling material types such as drywall, plaster, wood cladding, etc. They often include the light switch locations to control the ceiling-mounted lights. In residential construction projects, there’s also a power plan that locates the outlets and data points for cable TV or internet access. It shows the power location for appliances and personal devices. Larger projects have these details noted in the electrical plans. The enlarged plans also include what materials will be applied to the walls and floors. This is done with finished tags that refer to a finish schedule (details further down the list) which show manufacturer, product names and other qualities. 6. A5 Sheets A5 sheets are about details. They show the types of walls, built-in furniture, where the power outlets will be, lights and switches as well as the height of different elements. These differ from residential and commercial spaces, but both need interior elevations charted. 7. A6 Sheets A6 sheets are schedules. Schedule in this case means a spreadsheet rather than a timeline. They’re used to keep track of various detailed product information concerning finishes, types, sizes and so forth. 8. S Sheets S sheets are structural drawings, which are standard throughout the building. The drawings are done by a licensed structural engineer and show the plan for each level, such as concrete footing, steel and wood framing and where and what size they will be, as well as any other structural details. 9. M Sheets M sheets are the mechanical drawings for the project, such as the electrical and plumbing systems. They’re usually delivered by the engineer who provided the S sheets. These drawings show where the electrical and plumbing systems will go and what sizes they’ll be, including ductwork and types of air handling systems used. 10. P Sheets P sheets are plumbing drawings that detail the pipe sizes that will be used in the system for both waste and potable water. There are also locations of vent risers to release sewage air out of the building safely. 11. E Sheets E sheets are directed towards details in the electrical drawings. They have locations of outlets for all power in the building, including the switches that control them. They detail what type of wiring is required and the boxes to handle the electrical equipment. ProjectManager Helps Manage Construction Documentation As you can see, those are many documents to manage. Project management software can help you organize these documents and make them accessible to those who need them during the execution of the project. ProjectManager has unlimited file storage and is online, offering everyone access to the files they need whenever and wherever they work. But our construction project management software is more than a document organizer. Use Multiple Project Views The ability to share files is great, but if you can’t execute that work, you’re going to have to seek out other tools. That makes things complicated. We keep it simple. Our multiple project views mean that construction project managers can plan on Gantt charts, designers can visualize workflow on kanban boards, crews can check off tasks on our list view and stakeholders can make sure milestones are met on the calendar view. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/construction-gantt-resources-costs-150-1600x856.jpg Connect Everyone On the Project Other problems occur if everyone is working on construction documents in a silo. If teams can’t collaborate effectively, issues will arise that result in delays and extra costs. Our online software takes care of that. As noted, files can be shared and users can comment on tasks and tag anyone in the project to bring them into the conversation as needed. Emails notify users of changes to the plan or comments, but there are also in-app alerts so you don’t have to leave the tool. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Task-Card-List-Light-Mode-Bid-Proposal-1600x786.png Our software is a great construction project management tool that is a centralized hub for your construction documents and drawings, but we also give you features that help you plan, monitor and report on the project. Get a high-level view with our real-time dashboard to keep on track. Then use customized reports to keep your stakeholders updated. We’ll help you manage expectations and deliver success. ProjectManager is award-winning software that organizes and stores all your construction documents and construction drawings. Our collaborative platform connects everyone on the project team and lets them work with the tools they want. Plan, monitor and report on every aspect of the construction project. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 39 Construction Documents (Templates Included) appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Google added a new section to the core updates search developer documentation that confirms it releases smaller core updates without announcing those updates. Google has told us this before, but has now added it explicitly to the search documentation. What is new. Google added this new paragraph: However, you don’t necessarily have to wait for a major core update to see the effect of your improvements. We’re continually making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. These updates are not announced because they aren’t widely noticeable, but they are another way that your content can see a rise in position (if you’ve made improvements). What Google said. Google explained this section was added “To clarify that site owners that make content improvements can see a rise in position in Google Search results without having to wait for the next major core update.” In fact, Danny Sullivan, the former Google Search Liaison, told us this in August 2019. He said then: Broad core updates tend to happen every few months. Content that was impacted by one might not recover – assuming improvements have been made – until the next broad core update is released. However, we’re constantly making updates to our search algorithms, including smaller core updates. We don’t announce all of these because they’re generally not widely noticeable. Still, when released, they can cause content to recover if improvements warrant. A larger core update is coming soon. Today at the Google Search Central Live event in Zurich, John Mueller from Google said a core update is being worked on and hopes it will be released soon. He added, he would be surprised if it was released within a couple of weeks. But he had nothing to announce. Why we care. This just confirms what we already know, that Google is often pushing out smaller core updates. But do expect a new core update to come sooner, rather than later. And then, you may see even bigger changes to the search results and its rankings. View the full article

Google updated its core updates documentation to say smaller core updates happen on an ongoing basis, so sites can improve without waiting for named updates. The post Google Confirms Smaller Core Updates Happen Continuously appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Antitrust concerns and ties to The President administration complicate picture of who may ultimately own media groupView the full article

A PMO, or project management office, can be an internal department or an external group or agency that defines and maintains the standards for a company’s project management. There are three types: supportive, controlling and directive and each has varying degrees of involvement. However, all three can use PMO templates to support project programs and portfolios. ProjectManager is project management software that’s more dynamic than static PMO templates, but if you’re not ready to upgrade, our site is rich with free project management templates for Excel and Word. We’ve collected 33 free templates that are suitable for a PMO. These templates cover everything from Gantt charts, project planning, resource allocation, status reports on project data and so much more. 1. PMO Gantt Chart Template The Gantt chart is one of the essential tools for project managers. It provides a view of the entire project on a timeline and includes tasks, milestones, schedules and more. The project management office can use our free Gantt chart template for Excel to get an overview of a project or use it as a roadmap to track multiple projects in one place to allocate resources when and where they’re needed. /wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Gantt-Chart-Screenshot.jpg The Gantt chart template is broken up into two sections. On the left is a regular spreadsheet where you can add the tasks or projects that you’re overseeing. Next to that are columns to capture the start and end dates. Finally, there’s a column for the duration of the task or project. Once you’ve filled out this information, the color-coded timeline on the right automatically populates and allows you to see the tasks, phases and projects all in one place. 2. PMO Project Dashboard Template PMOs need a high-level view of the projects they’re overseeing. They need metrics to help them chart the course of those projects and know when changes are required to keep everything on track. Our free PMO project dashboard template for Excel is made up of easy-to-read graphs and charts that give them the data at a glance. /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Project-Dashboard-template-UPDATE.png You need real-time data to make better decisions or you might act on inaccurate data. ProjectManager is online project management software with portfolio dashboards that capture real-time data that requires no time-consuming configuration or manual input as with PMO templates. Instead, you get fast and reliable data on the health of your projects, tasks, progress, time, cost and workload whenever you need it. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Portfolio-Dashboard-CTA-1.pngLearn more 3. PMO Cost-Benefit Analysis Template There are certain projects that are worth pursuing, while others are going to end up in a money pit. A PMO helps guide companies to choose projects that will give them value for their investment. To do this, they can use our free PMO cost-benefit analysis template for Excel. /wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Cost-Benefit-Analysis-Screenshot.jpg A cost-benefit analysis is used to compare what you expect to pay for a project against what you hope it’ll provide in terms of opportunity. This is done by adding a dollar amount to all your quantitative costs and quantitative benefits. From there, it’s easy to see if you’ll be getting a return on your investment. 4. PMO Strategic Plan Template Oftentimes, when a company needs help executing a major strategy, it turns to a PMO. A strategic plan will help define how an organization can reach long-term objectives, so the team can use it as a reference document through the months and years. This free strategic plan template for Word will help you get started with such a long-term plan. /wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Strategic_Plan_Template_for_Word_Image.png This strategic plan template will help a PMO nail down the essentials for any strategy. There are fields for the vision statement, mission statement and a SWOT analysis to help everyone come to terms with their competitive environment. It’s an ideal place to start when trying to solve the big questions. 5. PMO Strategic Roadmap Template PMOs, by definition, oversee multiple projects. When an organization creates a strategic plan it usually involves many projects working together to achieve a common goal. Using our free PMO strategic roadmap template for Excel visualizes the steps that lead to reaching the organization’s long-term goals. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Strategic-Roadmap-Template-for-Excel-ProjectManager-2.webp Our free PMO template is customizable so you can adjust it to fit your long-term goals. When you open ours you’ll find a timeline, tasks and activities with deliverables and timelines to track your progress. There’s even a column to list your team and the departments they’re working in. 6. PMO Strategic Map Template Another job for PMOs is to provide guidelines and communicate the strategic plan throughout the organization to ensure that everyone is working together on that common cause. A PMO template that helps do this is our free PMO strategy map template for Excel is a visual tool that disseminates the strategic plan across the organization. /wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Strategy-Map-Template.png The PMO strategy map template shows the cause-and-effect of an organization’s strategic objectives and breaks up those objectives into four perspectives: financial, customer, business process and learning and growth. The strategic objectives are represented by ovals on the map and arrows show the relationship between them. 7. PMO Balanced Scorecard Template PMOs use tools to manage strategy and get metrics to measure their performance. One of these tools is our free PMO balanced scorecard template for Excel. This free PMO template can help with the improvement of internal operations and external outcomes. /wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Balanced-scorecard-template-screenshot.png This PMO template helps to communicate targets and goals for an organization and informs its day-to-day operations. This is both a planning tool and a way to communicate the plan, but can also be used to track and assess the effectiveness of that plan. 8. PMO Project Prioritization Matrix Template One thing a PMO does is provide guidance. This guidance and insight can help with how you manage projects, but also whether those projects are worth taking on in the first place. One tool to help make those types of decisions is our free project prioritization matrix template for Excel. /wp-content/uploads/2022/09/project-prioritization-template-screenshot-final.jpg The process is deceptively simple, but it’s an effective way to prioritize your projects. The matrix is divided into four sections. On top, there are two columns, one for doing now and the other for doing later. The lefthand side has two rows, one for crucial and the other for not crucial. Depending on where you place the project, it can be a must-do immediately, scheduled for the near future, delegated, delete or move. You can also use this for tasks or anything you need to prioritize. 9. PMO Project Portfolio Template A project portfolio template for Excel helps you manage many projects at once in a single, organized workbook. It lets you list each project’s name, sponsor or manager, project status, priority level, progress (e.g. phase or percent completion), start and end dates (planned vs actual) and budget. /wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Project-Portfolio-Template-1.png Using it means you get a high-level snapshot of everything underway, which projects are on track, which might be delayed, which are high priority and how budgets and timelines compare across the board. It makes it easier to allocate resources, identify conflicts or overloads, spot risks and make strategic decisions about which projects to push forward or pause. 10. Resource Plan Template for PMOs Allocating limited resources across multiple projects so everyone has what they need when they need it is a large part of what a PMO does. Being able to plan those resources smartly will help deliver successful projects. Our free Excel resource plan template for PMOs helps PMOs make sure teams are properly allocated. /wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Resource-Plan-Screenshot-e1704301619226.jpg Using this PMO template lets you list all your team members by department and their individual tasks. Then you can show each team member’s total effort, rate and the cost for that work. There’s even a calendar to map out when each team member will be working. 11. PMO Resource Capacity Planning Template Another PMO template is our free PMO resource capacity planning template for Excel. This helps PMOs to figure out how much production capacity is needed to meet demand. This is especially useful as demand is constantly fluctuating. /wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Capacity-Planning-Template.png This PMO template allows you to list your tasks and their estimated duration, including the start and end dates. There is another chart for resources to be listed, including hourly rates and a project timeline. Other info includes resource utilization, availability and more. 12. Project Update Template for PMOs PMOs need visibility into projects to ensure the portfolio is running smoothly. Regular updates show whether projects are on schedule, within budget and aligned with organizational goals. Download this free project update template for Excel for a streamlined way to communicate with stakeholders. /wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Project-update-template.png Project updates also ensure consistency in reporting across teams, which allows the PMO to compare performance, support decision-making and maintain accountability. Ultimately, timely updates help the PMO guide projects toward successful, predictable outcomes. 13. Project Estimate Template for PMOs Having accurate forecasts for the cost of your projects is part of delivering them successfully. Our free Excel project estimate template for PMOs helps PMOs figure out how much each project will cost to the best of their ability. /wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Project-Estimate-Screenshot.jpg The phases of the project are broken up in this PMO template. In each of these sections the vendor or contractor is listed as well as the labor and materials for the specific line item task. Adding all this up will give you an accurate estimate for the project. 14. PMO Flow Chart Template As a PMO, it’s critical to understand all the steps for a project or a process. A flow chart will allow you to map out those steps and provide a visual reference point for others in the organization. Our free flow chart template for Word will provide you with springboard to make your own flow chart. /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/flowchart-template-screenshot-600x618.png Making a flow chart is often a rock-solid place to start understanding a key process or project. Once you’ve identified key tasks and their relationships, you can start assigning responsibility and developing a full-blown schedule for execution. 15. PMO Project Budget Template Money is always going to rule decisions when overseeing projects. Companies have finite costs and don’t want to find themselves continuously updating a budget because it demands more funds. Using our free PMO project budget template for Excel can help you accurately forecast budgets and avoid overspending on projects. /wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Project-Budget-Screenshot.jpg There are so many costs related to a project that our free template helps you capture them all. The template itself is customizable, so if there’s anything you don’t need or want to add, it’s easy to do. Our template has fields for labor costs, consulting fees, raw materials, software licenses, travel, utilities, office space and equipment and so much more. Get accurate estimates of project costs before executing the project. 16. Stakeholder Analysis Template for PMOs If you look at PMOs as service providers, it’s clear that they have stakeholders. For a project management office, those stakeholders can include executives, project managers, functional managers and even team members. All will have their specific expectations. With our free stakeholder analysis template for Excel, you can identify and manage them all. /wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Stakeholder-Analysis-Screenshot.jpg This PMO template begins with basic stakeholder information. That is, you list all the stakeholders and their projects. Then you can add their relationship to those projects, whether they have any subject matter expertise or are decision-makers. You also get to define how to communicate with them. Finally, there’s a dropdown menu to define their commitment, from C for the level of commitment and R for the required level of commitment. 17. PMO Project Handover Template A project handover marks a critical point where a project’s deliverables, documentation, and responsibilities are transferred from the project team to the operations team or client. Download this free project handover template for Excel to document the current status of a project. /wp-content/uploads/2025/04/handover-template.png A smooth handover ensures that all work is complete, quality standards are met, and nothing is lost in transition. For the PMO, this is crucial for maintaining accountability, confirming that objectives were achieved, enabling ongoing support or maintenance and capturing lessons learned for future projects. 18. PMO Project Review Template A PMO is responsible for evaluating past projects as well as planning new ones. If you don’t have a consistent method for evaluation, your review process could be spotty and deliver unreliable results. Try this free project review template for Word and bring some consistency to your project evaluation. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Project-review-template-screenshot-600x603.png Of course, project review doesn’t have to be limited to the conclusion of a project. Reviewing an ongoing project can also be beneficial in terms of staying on track and meeting stakeholder requirements. When you consider all the ways you can leverage this PMO template, it’s self-evident how impactful it can be. 19. PMO Timesheet Template Being able to track time over a specific period helps ensure the project is progressing on schedule. This is an essential resource management tool as well as part of payroll. Therefore, the PMO is going to want to have access to timesheets to track progress. They can use our free timesheet template for Excel. /wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Timesheet-Screenshot.jpg The first thing you do with our free template defines a timeframe for the timesheet. Next, you can add the start time, lunch start and end and the end time for each person’s day. There is a column to add regular hours, overtime hours and then the total work hours. Now you have a high-level view of your costs. 20. Project Request Form for PMOs A project request serves as a starting point for evaluating and approving new projects. This free project request form template captures essential information such as objectives, scope, resources, timelines, risks and benefits. In return, a PMO can quickly and consistently review project requests. /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Project-Request-Form-Screenshot-600x526.png This ensures that each request includes all the information needed to evaluate alignment with organizational priorities and resource availability. The uniform structure makes it easier to compare multiple proposals, prioritize effectively and decide which projects should move forward. 21. Communication Plan Template for PMOs All activities that are part of a company’s project management go through the PMO. Communication is a vital part of this process. If things aren’t clearly stated and distributed properly, issues will arise that can impact the bottom line. That’s why our free communication plan template for Word is so important. /wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Communication-Plan-Screenshot-600x537.jpg This PMO template helps you define the vision and objectives for the project, program or portfolio as well as their goals and timeframes. There are also places to add the communication staff and what tools they’ll be using. Then you can show how you’ll measure the effectiveness of your communication plan to make sure it’s doing what you want it to do. 22. Project Plan Template for PMOs PMOs improve project management by standardizing processes and boosting efficiency. That means they create and maintain documentation, tracking and training. But they also plan. That’s where our free project plan template for PMOs comes in handy. /wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Project-Plan-Screenshot.jpg This PMO template has everything you’ll need for a PMO. There’s a place to define the scope of the project, program or portfolio, including milestones, phases and tasks. You can also add your effort and resource requirements. Then schedule the plan, including task dependencies, project assumptions and constraints, budget, risk log, change management process and much more. 23. PMO Project Tracking Template PMOs monitor the projects they oversee. They need to track their progress in order to make sure that they’re running as per schedule. If they’re not, resources might need reallocation to get everything back on track. Our free PMO project tracking template for Excel is designed to work as a task management system to track tasks and make sure the work is being done on time. /wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Task-Tracking-Screenshot.jpg Using the project tracking template allows you to track individual projects or programs and portfolios. First, you list the task name or project name and a brief description. If there are any task dependencies, you add them to the next column. There’s space to add who the task is assigned to or the project manager. Now note the priority, start date, planned end date and actual end date. Finally, there’s a pulldown menu to capture the status. 24. Project List Template for PMOs A project list template gives the PMO a single, consolidated view of all projects in the organization, whether they’re active, planned or completed. Leverage this free project list template for Excel to avoid overlooked initiatives, duplicate work or conflicting schedules. /wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Project-list-template-for-Excel.png With this template, the PMO can standardize how projects are recorded and monitored, creating consistency across teams. That standardization supports easier reporting, comparison and decision‑making (which projects to prioritize, where to allocate resources, when to start new ones). 25. Project Requirements Template for PMOs A requirements template gives the PMO a clear, formal baseline for what the project is supposed to deliver. That baseline helps prevent scope creep, misunderstandings and misaligned expectations. Download this free project requirements template for Excel to capture exactly what the project must do before work begins. /wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Project-Requirements-Template.png With requirements documented in a consistent format, the PMO can verify that deliverables actually meet the agreed‑upon criteria, track changes over time and log who requested or approved which requirements. That makes audits, quality control and stakeholder communications cleaner and more reliable. 26. Multiple Project Tracking Template for PMOs PMOs are monitoring multiple projects at once in order to ensure that all are working towards the common strategic goal of the organization. To achieve that goal means these projects must be delivered on time and stay within budget. Our free Excel multiple project tracking template for PMOs is a great PMO template for this. /wp-content/uploads/2023/02/multiple-project-tracking-template-for-excel-projectmanager-1600x743.jpg When you open the template, there are several charts, each a separate project. You can name the project, list the tasks and dependencies, who those tasks are assigned to and their priority. There’s also a place to list the planned start and end dates, the actual start and end dates and the same with the costs. This allows you to see if your actual progress is aligned with the planned progress. If not, you can make adjustments to get back on track. 27. Requirements Gathering Template for PMOs The purpose of requirements gathering is to guide the PMO through the whole project, from initiation to delivery. Requirements are a condition or capacities that stakeholders need to solve a problem or achieve an objective. Using our free requirements gathering template for PMOs, you can collect everything in one place. /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Requirements-Gathering-Screenshot-600x482.jpg Everything you’d need to understand the project is within the pages of this Word document, including the project plan, a description of the project’s purpose, scope and a timeline that has milestones, dependencies and so forth. The goals and objects are also defined as well as the constraints and restrictions and how to resolve them. 28. Risk Log Template for PMOs Risk is always something that PMOs are tracking. Whether it’s a good risk or a bad risk, the sooner it’s identified and dealt with, the better. Our free risk log template for PMOs gives you a tool to prepare for risk and have a plan in place to resolve it if it shows up as an issue. /wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Risk-Tracking-Screenshot.webp Begin by describing the risk and its impact. Then add how you’ll respond to the risk if it in fact becomes an issue. To help in your response, add the risk level, such as high, medium or low. Now you know how to prioritize the risk if it becomes an issue. There’s also a place to add the project manager or team member who owns that risk and is responsible for identifying and leading the response to it. 29. PMO Change Log Template Change is going to happen, and the PMO is there to help ensure that it doesn’t negatively impact the project. One way to do that is by using our free PMO change log template for Excel. It’s part of any larger, effective change management plan that helps control the change by tracking it from the moment it’s identified until it’s been resolved. /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Change-Log-Screenshot.jpg This spreadsheet gives you a place to put everything you need to know about the change in your project to manage it. Note when the change is first observed, who on the project team owns it, which means they will lead the effort to resolve it, and you can also add the priority and status of that change. 30. PMO Change Request Template Before you resolve or respond to any change, you need to decide whether it’s worth doing. There are changes, such as inclement weather or equipment failure, which must be dealt with. But more often than not, changes come from owners and other stakeholders. Our free PMO change request form for Word provides you with a place for everyone to agree on what to do. /wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Change-Request-Screenshot-600x514.jpg You can customize the change request form to have as much or as little detail as you want. We’ve included space for a brief description and the impact it’ll have on the project. There’s enough information on the form for project managers to work with the PMO on deciding if the change is worth doing, and if so how, or to take no action. 31. Project Status Report Template for PMOs Reporting is key to PMO work. For example, a status report delivers key project data that will inform how a PMO will guide the project management of that project. With our free project status report template for PMOs, you can chart the project’s health and progress, among other things, within a specific period of time. /wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Status-Report-Screenshot-600x319.jpg The status report has a summary of key accomplishments, the work that has been completed over that period, planned work still to come in the project scope, milestones achieved and deliverables. There’s also a place to list action items for what needs to come next. Other things under review include the budget, schedule, quality, risks, issues and roadblocks. 32. Progress Report Template PMOs need to track the progress of the projects they’re overseeing. Reporting is a valuable tool that captures data from the project over a specific period of time, including if it’s moving forward as planned. Our free progress report template for Word gives PMOs that snapshot in one document. /wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Progress-Report-Screenshot.jpg This PMO template gives PMOs everything from a summary to data on tasks, any issues that have come up over the time period covered and how the project is performing in terms of its budget. There’s also space for accomplishments and what is expected to be accomplished moving forward. 33. Program Roadmap Template This free program roadmap template for Excel allow PMOs to visualize the timelines of the multiple projects that make up a program and identify their tasks, milestones and deliverables. It can be used to track projects on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Program-roadmap-template-2.png This PMO template gives PMOs everything from a summary to data on tasks, any issues that have come up over the time period covered and how the project is performing in terms of its budget. There’s also space for accomplishments and what is expected to be accomplished moving forward. How ProjectManager Helps PMOs That’s a lot of templates. And although free is free, there’s always a price. PMO templates are static and you have to do all the work. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that delivers task management, risk management and resource management features to help PMOs guide their projects, programs and portfolios in real time. It has automation and updates so you’re always looking at the most current information. Manage Resources With Roadmaps PMOs oversee many projects at once. They have to provide direction on which needs what resources and when. To do that, they need more than PMO templates can provide. Our project management software gives you an overview of all your projects on one screen. See them from start to finish on a visual timeline, including metrics such as the planned effort, actual effort and more. You can open any project, print the roadmap and easily edit and adjust the column to view what you want. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/portfolio-roadmap-compressed.png Keep Teams Balanced With Workload Charts Teams are your most valuable resource. You can track their time on tasks with our secure timesheets, but our workload view goes even further in providing resource management. Use it to efficiently track progress and workload across projects. You can see total hours and reassign tasks to balance the workload and keep everyone productive. /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Workload_Wide_Zoom-150_Reassign-hours.jpg PMOs can also benefit from customized reports, including status and portfolio reports, and many more. All can be filtered to focus on what you want to see and then easily shared. There’s also a portfolio view where you can group projects and view progress, project manager, team members, status and much more. Related PMO Content If you’re looking for more resources on project management offices and the tools and techniques they use, we have blog posts, ultimate guides and much more. Project Management Tools and Techniques Every PMO Should Use Project Management Excel Templates Project Management Templates for Google Sheets Project Management Office (PMO) – The Ultimate Guide Project Portfolio Management (PPM): The Ultimate Guide Project Prioritization: How to Prioritize Projects & Strategy ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that does what templates can do. Open our collaborative software and connect with teams across departments or time zones. Share files, comment and more. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 33 Free PMO Templates for Excel and Word appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Few of us are under the illusion that we own the content that we post on Instagram, but we do get a say in how that content is presented—w can choose which photos and videos we share, what captions appear (or don't appear) on each post, as well as whether or not we include where the image was taken or shared from. We might not control the platform, but we do control the content of our posts—unless those posts are found on search engines like Google. As reported by 404 Media, it appears that Instagram is experimenting with AI-generated SEO titles for users' posts—without those users' input or permission. Take this post for example: Author Jeff VanderMeer uploaded a short video of rabbits eating a banana to his Instagram. The video was posted as-is: There was no caption, location tag, or any other public-facing information. It's just a couple of rabbits having a bite. Instagram, however, took it upon itself to add a headline to the post—at least when you stumble upon it on via Google. Rather than display a link featuring Jeff's Instagram handle and some metadata about the video, the Google entry comes back with the following headline: "Meet the Bunny Who Loves Eating Bananas, A Nutritious Snack for..." (the rest of the headline cuts off here). VanderMeer was less than pleased with the discovery. He posted a screenshot of the headline to Bluesky, writing, "now [Instagram] appears to generate titles [and] headlines via AI for stuff I post...to create [clickbait] for [Google] wtf do not like." This was not the only AI-generated headline VanderMeer was roped into. This post from the Groton Public Library in Massachusetts, which advertises VanderMeer's novel Annihilation as the library's December book group pick, was also given the "clickbait" treatment on Google. Just as with VanderMeer's post, the Groton Public Library didn't include any text in its Instagram post—just an image showing off the book. But if you see the post within a Google search, you'll see the following partial headline: "Join Jeff VanderMeer on a Thrilling Beachside Adventure with Mesta..." 404 Media's Emanuel Maiberg says that they've confirmed that Instagram is also generating headlines for other users on the platform, all without permission or knowledge. Meta did not return 404 Media's request for comment. (I have also reached out for comment.) Google, on the other hand, did return 404 Media's messages, and confirmed the headlines are not coming from its AI generators—though it has been using deceptive AI-generated headlines of its own on Google Discover. In fact, the company says its search engine is simply pulling the text from Instagram itself. Maiberg found that these headlines do appear under title tags for Instagram posts when using Google's Rich Result Test tool. When digging through the code, Maiberg also discovered AI-generated descriptions for each post, which could be what Instagram is ultimately using to generate the headlines. Why would Instagram generate AI headlines for posts?I'll update this post if I hear back from Instagram regarding these AI-generated headlines. Until then, I can only speculate on their intended purpose (assuming Instagram is the one generating these headlines in the first place). And the likeliest reason is to boost engagement: Instagram probably wants to increase the visibility of its users' posts in search, which means giving Google more information to work with. If the user doesn't provide their own details about the image, Instagram's AI appears to be filling in the blanks, first generating a description, and from there, sticking a "clicky" headline onto it. The results aren't actually all that appealing, though. Just because Meta AI may be capable of generating headlines, doesn't mean it is good at it, or even that it should—especially when users never consented to this practice in the first place. It'd be one thing if Instagram had an option before you post—something like "Generate a headline for me using Meta AI that will appear in search engines for my post." Most of us would opt out of that, but it'd at least be a choice. However, it appears that Instagram decided that users like VanderMeer weren't capable of writing a headline as clever as "Meet the Bunny Who Loves Eating Bananas." The worst part is, the AI doesn't even accurately describe the posts. That Groton Public Library post was only about a book club meeting featuring VanderMeer's novel, but the headline says "Join Jeff VanderMeer," as if he'd be making an appearance. Not only did Instagram add a headline without VanderMeer's consent, it spread misinformation about his whereabouts. And for what? Some extra engagement on Google? If Instagram wants its posts to appear as headlines on search engines, it should include the actual posters in the conversation. As VanderMeer told 404 Media: "If I post content, I want to be the one contextualizing it, not some third party." View the full article

On Wednesday morning, local time, over one million Australian children discovered their social media accounts had vanished. And it may not be long before kids in other countries find themselves in a similar predicament. Under the new law, which was approved late last year, no one under the age of 16 in Australia will be allowed to set up accounts on platforms including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Snapchat, Twitch, and Reddit. Any accounts for people in that age category will be deactivated or removed. The law is meant to protect the mental health of children from the addictive nature of social media. Australia’s law goes three years beyond the de facto minimum age for social media limits in the U.S., where privacy legislation dictates that children under 13 are not supposed to be able to create accounts (though they easily end-run those restrictions). Anika Wells, the country’s communications minister, said those extra years will help children mature more before they take part in social media. “We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind and we want young people—young Australians—to have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are,” she said earlier this year. The legislation is being watched carefully by other governments, which have struggled with the impact of social media on young minds. If Australian children show improvements in their mental (and physical) health, with reduced reports of depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, and more, the country’s policies could become a blueprint for other nations. Several have already put plans into motion. Denmark, Norway, Malaysia, and the European Parliament have all either announced plans to ban social media access for children, similar to the Australian law, or are in the process of creating new rules. Denmark has gone the furthest, announcing last month that it would ban access to social media for anyone under 15, noting 94% of the children in that country had profiles on at least one social media platform. Under the age of 10, half of all Danish children do. The country has not yet set a date for the ban to begin. “Children and young people have their sleep disrupted, lose their peace and concentration, and experience increasing pressure from digital relationships where adults are not always present,” the Danish ministry for digital affairs said. “This is a development that no parent, teacher or educator can stop alone.” As for the U.S., don’t expect similar legislation anytime soon. The Big Tech lobby is firmly against the policy. And tech leaders, including Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, have a close relationship with Donald The President. Even those whose relationship with The President is contentious are seemingly protected. Last week, when the European Commission hit Elon Musk’s X with nearly $140 million in fines for violating its moderation law, the The President Administration came out swinging. “The European Commission’s $140 million fine isn’t just an attack on X, it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media. “The days of censoring Americans online are over.” Some U.S. states, including Texas and Florida, have tried to enact bans, but those measures have either failed to pass the state legislatures or have been struck down by courts. Australia’s social media ban, meanwhile, passed with overwhelming support, though some critics warned it would be “too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.” Social media companies were given a year to beef up their technology to confirm user ages and teens were encouraged to begin weening themselves off of the apps, so the formal ban wouldn’t come as a shock. Teens were even given a checklist to prepare for the shift. View the full article

Priya Dogra set to take over from former boss Alex Mahon with announcement expected as early as this weekView the full article

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Here are four updates from past letter-writers. 1. How can we create a schedule that’s fair to people with and without kids? (#2 at the link) Since our job is very flexible in terms of how to manage/create your off-of-direct-customer-facing-service schedule, I think coworkers were getting a little opportunistic about the lack of oversight in order to create these very ideal (for them) schedules. I kind of mentally handed back the scheduling to the people who wanted a lot of accommodation or to cut up our normal scheduling blocks (wanting to work an opening shift 9-10:30 instead of 9-12 like before). I ended up following the advice that the reasons I don’t want to fill in all the gaps aren’t important, stopped trying to justify myself at all, and said some variation of “that doesn’t work for me” or “I can’t do that.” The schedule went through 15+ rounds of version changes but I got my one closing a week and one opening, and while I have the majority of the late afternoon/early evening slots, I’ll take it. We also have a new boss who has implemented a kind of review of our scheduling and who does the most substituting, covering, etc. so I’m hopeful that might be a factor in limiting this sort of behavior going forward. My coworker with the most scheduling limitations has also agreed to keep to this schedule for our usual duration (one year) so we won’t have to revisit this again until the spring. I think I’ll be better prepared to stand up for myself this go around. 2. I doubt my boss’s nephew is really a genius (#3 at the link) I took your advice and reached out to my boss’s boss via Teams but he never got back to me. So I decided I would call him, instead. But before I even had a chance to call him, our HR department reached out to me asking if they could talk to me. Apparently, someone else in my department had filed a complaint with HR about boss’s nephew (HR did not specify the person’s identity or the nature of the complaint) and HR was investigating so they wanted to talk to me as his “supervisor.” I told them everything I knew (about the favoritism, etc.) and I explained how I wasn’t really his supervisor in any real sense of the word, all I did was approve his timecards and that my boss was his supervisor in every other way. They thanked me for being candid about the situation and that was it. A week or two later, at our next staff meeting, my boss announced that the nephew was transferring to a new department effective immediately. He is still with our organization in that other department and is doing good work from what I hear. I and my co-supervisor still do not have any other direct reports. We both have the title of supervisor, but we really function more as team leads. This is not the case with supervisors in other departments at our organization, I don’t know why my department is different. No one in my department, including my boss, has ever brought up the HR investigation, FYI. Not a very exciting update, but I think my organization handled this appropriately. I just wonder why this was ever allowed to happen in the first place. 3. Are my longer hours unfair to my coworker? The good news is that I took your advice, and things got much better for Jane … at least for a while. I pulled back from doing a lot of unrecognized overtime, which reflected better on her with the contract employees and people at the office level. The bad news is that I got several reprimands from my corporate-level boss for not working those additional hours and for being “out of sync with the culture of my cohort.” (Remember, even though on the office level Jane and I appeared the same to contract employees, on the corporate level we were on different strands or cohorts.) It also gave me far, far too much work to do within the hours allowed, which caused others to fall behind. Eventually, it became too much, and I took another position with another company. Apparently, my former company never hired another person to replace me. Rather, they assigned additional work to others in my cohort. I’m still friends with Jane (as well as people from my own cohort), and I’ve learned that many contract employees and office-level managers are miserable because my replacements are not customer service-oriented or responsive to their needs. At the same time, those who took over my work are now forced to work many extra hours just to do the bare minimum. And this makes more work for Jane. It’s a bad situation. I am glad I am out, but I do feel for Jane and the others who are still stuck there. 4. My coworker reacts out loud when reading about politics I don’t have much of an update about implementing the advice you gave; shortly after I sent in my letter, the coworker in question moved to another job. I’ll admit that my frustration with this issue was related to a lot of other issues with that job, so I’ll use this space to brag about the fact that I landed my dream job! It’s part-time, so I’m still at the other job, but I’m so beyond happy that I’m right in my niche and part of a supportive team that wants to use my expertise. I definitely used a lot of your resume and interview tips, so you get credit for this one for sure! The post updates: the unfair schedule, I doubt my boss’s nephew is really a genius, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

White House adviser Kevin Hassett to compete with three other candidates for powerful US central bank postView the full article

October ‘Jolts’ figures unlikely to deter the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates on WednesdayView the full article

YouTube creators report sudden channel bans for spam policies, with some restored after public outcry. YouTube claims the vast majority of terminations are correct. The post YouTube AI Enforcement Questioned As Channels Get Restored appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When I hear that a smartwatch company is launching a ring, I assume it’s going to be a smart ring. But Pebble went a different direction, instead creating what’s basically a remote microphone that can work with your phone and other devices. It's available for pre-order for $75, and will sell for $99 after launch. Pebble’s new ring is called the Index 01. It’s got a button you can click and hold, and a microphone that will listen to what you’re saying as you hold the button. The recording is then sent to your phone, where it’s processed on-device. That's it—no heart rate sensor, and no charging dock. The Index 01's specs and functionalityEric Migicovsky, Pebble’s founder, describes using the Index to capture short messages and send instructions to his Pebble watch via his phone. The idea is that you wear the Index on your index finger (get it?) and press the button with your thumb. The ring comes in three colors: matte black with a black button, polished gold with a blue button, and silver with a white button. There is no battery to charge, just a built-in battery that lasts a total of 12 to 15 hours. Migicovsky writes: “On average, I use it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. That’s up to 2 years of usage.” The ring doesn’t have a speaker and can’t vibrate for notifications; it’s just for input. Communication between the ring and your phone is encrypted, and the voice recordings are processed into text on your phone, without requiring an internet connection. The ring doesn’t talk directly to a Pebble watch, but it can talk to your phone and your phone can then display any output to the watch—for example, displaying the text of a reminder that you set. Who should buy an Index 01 ring?So far, Pebble users don’t seem to be nearly as excited about this product as Migicovsky is. A Reddit thread discussing the announcement has comments like “Cool idea, weird product,” and “Why would I want this if I already have a Pebble that has all the capability to take voice notes?” Migicovsky explains in the company’s blog post that his goal was for the button to be operated with one hand, and gestures on the Pebble weren’t reliable enough. He also emphasizes the fact you don’t need to charge it, while some of the users seem to be more concerned that a device that can't be charged is basically disposable—"manufactured e-waste." After about two years of use (or less, if you make longer recordings), the app will ask if you’d like to order another ring. The ring will cost $75 to pre-order, and $99 at its regular price. There hasn’t been any mention of a discounted rate for a replacement; it sounds like you’re supposed to buy a new $99 ring every two years. The ring’s functionality could be extended in the future. A double click-and-hold could signal the Pebble app to process the data in a different way (perhaps sending it to ChatGPT, Migicovsky suggests) and developers could connect the voice processing in the app to other services like calendar and weather apps. View the full article

Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of dating app Hinge, is consciously uncoupling from his app. Hinge’s president and chief marketing officer Jackie Jantos—recently named one of Fast Company’s CMOs of the year—will succeed him in the role of CEO, effective immediately. McLeod will stay on as an adviser through March to support the transition. McLeod, who founded Hinge in 2011, is leaving to launch Overtone, an AI-driven venture focused on facilitating connections between people; it will be backed by Match Group. In a blog post, he calls his departure “a wildly bittersweet moment.” “This past year, I got higher conviction on two different things. One is that Jackie is the next right leader for Hinge. She’s an incredible strategist,” he tells Fast Company. “The other thing [is] I realized how much I miss and how much I love the early-stage part of building a company. That was where my heart was and where I wanted to focus.” Jantos joined Hinge four years ago as CMO and took on the role of president in March. She’s behind the company’s breakout “No Ordinary Love” campaign and has steered its outreach to Gen Z users, who now account for more than half of Hinge users. She also helped bring the app to new markets, most recently Mexico and Brazil. “I’ve been operating the business for the past year, since I stepped into this president role, so there won’t be much change,” Jantos says. “Hinge has been so successful because Jackie and the team understand their consumer,” says Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Hinge parent company Match Group. “They have [their] finger on the pulse of where the world is at with respect to human connection.” “DESIGNED TO BE DELETED” Hinge has been one of the few bright spots amid a broader downturn in dating apps. Earlier this year, Bumble’s struggles led to the return of founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who has since laid off 30% of staff. Tinder, another Match Group property, has lost more than 1.5 million paying users since its 2022 peak. After Rascoff took over as CEO of Match Group in February, he trimmed headcount by 13%. In contrast, Hinge, which has 15 million monthly active users, saw its paying users grow by 17% year over year to 1.87 million in the third quarter of 2025. The app took in $550 million in revenue last year, and more than $500 million in the first nine months of 2025. McLeod laid the foundation for this success with a foresighted app relaunch in 2015. While other dating apps were prioritizing user engagement and addictive swiping, Hinge focused on creating positive outcomes: app interactions that convert into real-life dates. The company has even inserted deliberate speedbumps into the user experience to combat user behavior like ghosting. McLeod’s iconoclastic approach is embodied in the app’s tagline, “designed to be deleted.” Jantos says Hinge’s mission will remain unchanged. “We are very much working to help intentional daters find the relationships they’re looking for and get off the app into dates.” THE MATCH GROUP ECOSYSTEM McLeod’s departure comes as Rascoff pushes to create more links between Match Group’s different apps, allowing them to share insights around user behavior and how to incorporate AI in their user experiences. For example, a member of Chispa, Match’s Latino-focused dating app, might receive an invitation to join Hinge, which will autofill their profile. Rascoff even envisions that the matching algorithm behind these apps could be standardized “I’m moving the company towards more cross-brand collaboration and knowledge sharing,” Rascoff says. He notes that Hinge has long embraced a “consumer-focused, product-led” mindset. “I’m trying to bring that attribute that has made Hinge so successful into all of our other brands, many of which have been more financially oriented, more short-term oriented, and less consumer-driven,” Rascoff says. With more integrations on the back end, the distinctive user experience and marketing of each app could prove more important than ever. As CMO, Jantos has attracted younger users to Hinge by showcasing real-life relationships rather than the polished versions of love usually portrayed in media. This year, the company launched the second iteration of its “No Ordinary Love” campaign, which tells the complicated love stories of real Hinge couples, as well as the second chapter of the “It’s Funny We Met On Hinge” video series. FOUNDER MODE McLeod remains coy about his new venture, Overtone, which a Hinge spokesperson describes as “focused on using AI and voice tools to help people connect thoughtfully and in a personal way.” “We’re not going to talk a lot about that quite yet,” McLeod says, “except to say that there’s an opportunity to completely reimagine the dating experience and how technology can help facilitate people finding their partner—that breaks the mold of the way current dating apps are designed.” McLeod has been bullish on audio technology in dating apps: Hinge now allows users to record a 30-second audio introduction. McLeod began developing Overtone at Hinge, with Match Group providing early funding. Overtone will operate independently, but Match Group plans to lead the company’s initial funding round early next year and will have a substantial ownership position. Rascoff will join its board of directors. McLeod will serve as chairman and founder. “I think for that zero-to-one stage of a company, where you have to move really fast, it made sense [for Overtone] to be its own independent public company,” McLeod says. “And I’m a founder and CEO at heart. There’s a piece of me that wants to be out there on my own, ultimately steering the ship again.” View the full article

If your home insurance rate has spiked lately, you’re not alone. And President The President’s policies could make it even more expensive. Since 2021, at least 6 million policy holders across the country have seen rate hikes to their property insurance policies, according to a new report from environmental advocacy group Climate Power. Insurers have also canceled at least 1.4 million policies in that time. One big reason is the worsening climate crisis, which is driving more and more instances of extreme weather. Inflation, labor shortages, and supply chain issues are also factors, as they drive up the costs to rebuild a home. The The President administration’s policies may exacerbate this crisis. The President’s tariffs could make home insurance prices rise 38% faster, one insurance agency estimated. And since beginning his second term in office, The President has also gutted the country’s abilities to forecast extreme weather, as well as the government’s ability to respond to disasters. Less information means insurance companies may raise premiums even more, or pull out of high-risk areas altogether. Climate change and the home insurance crisis When it comes to rate hikes, cancellations, and the cessation of new business, insurers attribute more than one in four of those actions to extreme weather or climate disasters, per Climate Power. In Louisiana in 2023, Citizens Property Insurance customers saw a 63% rate increase on their home insurance. That move affected more than 100,000 homeowners, who were “forced” to take out policies with Citizens after Hurricane Laura and other recent storms, the Times-Picayune reported, because other insurance companies went insolvent or left the state because of its disaster risks. And more companies are leaving especially risky states, or halting their coverage. State Farm and Allstate stopped insuring homes in California because of climate risk. And Farmers and Progressive have scaled back their coverage in Florida. It’s not just coastal states at risk, though. While Florida and California are the two top states impacted by insurance cancellations, per Climate Power’s report, the top 10 list also includes Iowa, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Cost-of-living and affordability issues don’t hurt profits At the same time that Americans are facing higher premiums or being left without any coverage, insurance companies are still profitable, and paying their CEOs millions. In 2024, 22 publicly traded insurance companies reported profits that exceeded $36 billion combined, per Climate Power. Together, they gave their CEOs more than $220 million. One example is Allstate, which reported $4.7 billion in profits and compensated CEO Thomas Wilson with $26.7 million in 2024. That’s the same year the company raised rates for 350,000 California policy holders by 34%. “Insurance companies are raking in profits, paying CEOs millions, but still canceling policies and hiking rates, leaving Americans—especially those facing extreme weather—hung up to dry,” said Lizzy Ganssle, the national press secretary with Climate Power. No help from The President Property insurance companies have also supported The President to the tune of more than $1.3 million for his presidential campaigns. But as Climate Power points out in its report, The President isn’t addressing the insurance crisis issue, and may actually make it worse. The President’s tariffs, cuts to disaster relief, and elimination of FEMA programs all mean homeowners will have to bear more of the burden when it comes to extreme weather events and the cost of rebuilding their homes. Many Americans are already dealing with a cost-of-living crisis, struggling to pay for groceries, housing, and skyrocketing energy bills. As they become more pessimistic about the economy, though, The President has called affordability issues a “con job” and a “fake narrative.” Climate Power hopes its report helps Americans understand the scope of the insurance problem, and why their prices may continue to rise. “It’s very important for us that Americans understand the impacts that extreme weather is having on their real lives,” Ganssle said. “It’s also important for us that folks understand Donald The President is doing nothing to address this issue.” View the full article

This week, young people are longing for a past they were barely alive for, roasting people who dare to read books in public, and sharing videos of the last moments their lives made sense. So, not exactly an uplifting collection of cultural observations, but I threw in some truly banger Christmas carol mashups to lighten the mood. Everything is nostalgic, melancholic, or festive—sometimes all at once. What is "millennial optimism"?Nostalgia for Y2K is dying out, replaced by romanticization of the years around 2010, which some younger people are imagining as a more innocent, hopeful time that they missed out on. At the same time, many millennials who were setting those trends then are feeling nostalgic for their lost youth, so both groups are posting TikTok videos about "millennial optimism." You see, supposedly post-2010 was an era marked by whimsical possibility and confidence in a bright future, which is decidedly not how kids feel today. Thus: Nostalgia. Here are some examples of videos about the time, one made by a young person: and one by an older person: So is "millennial optimism" really a thing? Yes and no. While it's hard for an older person to see a decade that included both the fallout from the 2008 recession and the election of 2016 as the best of times, a youth living through our current nightmare might see it that way. And I'm sure many millennial hipsters were having a lovely time back in the late-aughts and teens, growing funny mustaches, going to farmer's markets, and listening to Stomp Clap Hey music. But whatever fun and whimsy was on order back then wasn't because of some overall cultural optimism; it was because that's when millennials were young, and it's fun to be young. Also, the urban hipsters at the center of these memes were only a tiny percentage of the population; everyone else was just living their lives—which were, more or less, the same lives people have always led. Anyway, if young people you know start talking about the golden age of optimism that was 2010-2020, this is the context behind their understanding of the recent past. It's flawed, but nostalgia for times we didn't live always is. What is "performative reading"?The rise of the term "performative reading" could be seen as an indicator that the recent past was actually more optimistic. Performative reading was coined around 2020 and originally referred to people who read books in public as a social status indicator. You might know it better as “acting pretentious” or “being a pseudo intellectual.” As an insult toward people who use books as fashion accessories, "performative reading" wasn’t widely employed back then, but lately, the term is being connected to the insult “performative male,” and is often used to refer to young men who read books written by women authors in public in an attempt to get women to notice/like them. I don't think this actually a widespread trend—it feels like one of those things that is commented upon more often than actually happens. Regardless, the result is the worst type of people posting photos (that I won't link to) of "performative readers" they spot on subways and coffeeshops, so other horrible people can comment like, "look at this jerk, readin' a book! Written by a woman!" This is troubling on many levels—it’s anti-intellectual, it's sexist, it's bullying, and it’s also part of a larger trend among generations Z and A, who seem reluctant to do anything out-of-the-ordinary for fear of being publicly judged and/or ridiculed for it online. Before everything was online, you could sit at a coffeeshop reading bell hooks and the worst you might have to deal with would have been a smirk from a stranger. Now, a picture of you in a beret could end up online with a hundreds of thousands of faceless strangers dunking on your pretentious ass. The result is a drop in the number of annoying urban attention seekers, but also a drop in the number of people who do anything interesting at all. So maybe nostalgia for the aughts antwenty-d teens is warranted. What is the white rabbit trend?In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the main character chases after a white rabbit and is led into a surreal, troubling world. That's the basis of the White Rabbit trend on TikTok. The idea is to post a video of yourself experiencing a moment of happiness right before the "white rabbit" appeared to change the trajectory of your life. It's the calm before the storm, the tragic equivalent of the "photo taken moments before disaster" meme, but with the confessional intimacy of TikTok. The melancholic mood is driven home by a soundtrack of a metronome counting down, accompanied by a baleful lo-fi piano riff. Here's an example, in which a TikToker posted a graduation walk, taken two days before her white rabbit showed up in the form of a serious car accident. Many white rabbit videos don't offer any context, leaving you to fill in the blanks: It's not exactly an uplifting trend, but if you like the camaraderie of knowing you're not the only person whose life has been suddenly uprooted by forces beyond your control, you can check out over 200,000 videos that use the "white rabbit" audio. What does "hemmy" mean?Back in my day, "hemmy" was a word gearheads used to describe the engines in Ram trucks, but among a growing number of young people, "hemmy" now means "homie," but as said by a white person. The originator of the word is Milk, a fan-favorite character in Legends of Chamberlain Heights, an "edgy," crudely animated cartoon that premiered on Comedy Central in 2016 and ran for two seasons. Viral video of the week: Noteliwood's Christmas Mash-upsIt's Christmas, so let's check out some Christmas carols that are going viral. TikTok DJ Noteliwood is blowing up (as they used to say) for his holiday-themed mash-ups, like this collision of "Linus and Lucy" from the Vince Guaraldi Trio and and GloRilla's "Yeah Glo!" that I cannot stop listening to (along with 3.3 million other people): If that's not enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, how about "Money in the Sleigh," a mashup of Wham!'s "Last Christmas" and Drake's "Money in the Grave" that's closing in on four million streams: View the full article

U.S. job openings barely budged in October, coming in at 7.7 million with ongoing uncertainty over the direction of the American economy. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that employers posted 7.67 million vacancies in October, close to September’s 7.66 million. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), which was delayed by the extended government shutdown, also showed that layoffs rose to almost 1.9 million, the most since January 2023. And the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in the labor market — fell in October, suggesting that “businesses seeking to control labor costs will have to pivot to active layoffs, lifting unemployment, rather than rely on natural attrition,” Samuel Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon, wrote in a commentary. Job openings have come down steadily since peaking at a record 12.1 million in March 2022, when the economy was roaring back from COVID-19 lockdowns. The job market has cooled partly because of the lingering effect of the high interest rates the Federal Reserve engineered in 2022 and 2023 to combat an outburst of inflation. Overall, it’s a puzzling time for the American economy, buffeted by President Donald The President’s decision to reverse decades of U.S. policy in favor of free trade and instead impose double-digit tariffs on imports from most of the world’s countries. Policymakers at the Federal Reserve are meeting this week to decide whether to cut their benchmark interest rate, and the gathering is expected to be unusually contentious. Inflation remains stuck above the Fed’s 2% target, partly because importers have tried to pass along the cost of The President’s tariffs by raising prices. Normally, stubborn inflation would discourage Fed policymakers from cutting rates. But the job market has looked shaky in recent months, and the Fed is expected to reduce its benchmark rate for the third time this year, though some policymakers might dissent. Meanwhile, the 43-day federal shutdown has made a mess of the government’s economic statistics. The October report on job openings came out a week late, and the September version was not published separately because federal data collectors were on furlough. Instead, September’s JOLTS numbers were folded into Tuesday’s report along with October’s. They showed a hefty increase in openings from 7.23 million in August. The Labor Department will issue numbers for hiring and unemployment for November next Tuesday, 11 days later than originally scheduled. The department is not releasing an unemployment rate for October because it could not calculate the number during the shutdown. It will release some of the October jobs data — including the number of positions that employers created that month — along with the full November jobs report. Forecasters surveyed by the data firm FactSet predict that employers added fewer than 38,000 jobs in November and that the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.5% from September’s 4.4%. That would be low by historical standards, but the highest in nearly four years. —Paul Wiseman, AP economics writer View the full article

Google faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators, who opened an investigation Tuesday into the company’s use of online content for its artificial intelligence models and services. The latest regulatory flexing by Brussels risks antagonizing President Donald The President‘s administration, though EU officials denied they were singling out American Big Tech companies. The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc’s top antitrust enforcer, said it’s examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers and material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes. Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers and content creators or letting them opt out. AI Overviews are automatically generated summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries. They’re also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers. Officials said they’re seeking to determine whether Google gained an edge over AI rivals by imposing unfair terms and conditions, or giving itself privileged access to content. “This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever,” Google said in a statement. “Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era.” The Commission, which is the bloc’s executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU’s longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets. “AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies,” Teresa Ribera, the commission’s vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement. Last week, the Commission opened an antitrust investigation into WhatsApp’s AI policy. It also fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X 120 million euros ($140 million) for breaching digital regulations, which drew complaints from The President officials that American companies were being targeted. The Commission is “agnostic” about the nationality of companies it is investigating, spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said. “Of course, the sole focus of our antitrust investigations is a possible illegal behavior and the harm that this could bring to competition and consumers within the European Union,” she told reporters at a regular briefing in Brussels. Google will have the chance to reply to the concerns and the Commission has also informed U.S. authorities about the investigation, she said. Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions, including a fine worth up to 10% of the company’s annual global revenue. —Kelvin Chan, AP business writer Associated Press writer Sam McNeil contributed to this report. View the full article

Socialists back government bill to deliver razor-thin majority in lower house of parliamentView the full article

The project budget is developed during the planning phase of a project. It’s a document that captures the total costs required to complete a project over a specified timeframe. The more accurate your forecast for project costs, the more likely you’ll be able to deliver a successful project and make a profit. To help you get started, we have 13 free budget templates that you can download right now. 18 Budget Templates for Business and Project Budgeting Below are 18 budget templates that you can use for estimating your project costs. There are some industry-specific budgeting templates, too, but all of them will help you forecast costs, which is the first step in running a tight budget and delivering a successful project. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software, but our website is a hub for all things project-related. We publish weekly blogs on the topic, and have in-depth guides, tutorial videos and free project management templates for Excel and Word. We’ve selected the ones that can help you with your budget, but there are free templates available for every phase of your project. Visit our template page and you’re sure to find something to help you plan, manage and track your project. 1. Budget Proposal Template Before you can create a project or business budget, you have to get it approved. That means you’re going to need to write a budget proposal to pitch the idea to your executive team and stakeholders. This is a critical step as it will determine if the project is a go or if the powers that be choose to pass on it. This is why our free budget proposal template for Excel is so important. /wp-content/uploads/2022/11/budget-proposal-screenshot-template.jpg A budget proposal is a document that estimates the cost of executing a potential project. It’s used to secure funding and, if the project is approved this document will be the foundation of your project budget. A budget proposal can be used for a future project, but that’s not all. They’re also great for a business budget, an upcoming campaign or any enterprise in which it’s critical to show the benefits are greater than the costs. Our free budget proposal template is broken down into categories, such as salaries, materials, equipment, travel, communications and any miscellaneous items. But the template is fully customizable so you can add or subtract as you see fit for whatever budget you’re proposing. By estimating the costs of everything involved in the project, you’ll get an accurate forecast of your potential costs (though it helps to seek out experts who’ve been there and done that as well as historical data). 2. Project Budget Template Once the budget proposal has been approved, it’s time to build a budget. This will take all the financial details that you gathered in your proposal, especially the cost estimates, and lay them out for your team to have the resources they need to execute the project successfully. The project budget template will need to cover a lot of bases, including the hiring of a team, subcontractors, vendors, materials, equipment and more. All of which cost money. /wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Project-Budget-Screenshot.jpg Our free project budget template for Excel is customizable so you can add as much to it as you need to cover the expenses of your project. First, you can list all your tasks and who they’re assigned to. Then there are the costs to collect for each, such as labor and materials. While that might be the bulk of your costs, a budget is more than just those two resources. That’s why we’ve added travel, equipment and fixed costs. Again, you can add more columns if necessary. At the far right end of the spreadsheet is a column for your budgeted and actual expenses, with the final column noting if you’re under or over budget. That can help you track, but a template is a static document that must be manually updated. Project management software is going to automate many of those tasks to help you manage your budget more efficiently. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that can help you plan, manage and track your costs in real time. Either start your budget in our software or upload the budget template into our Gantt chart. Now you can link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays, filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks to keep you on schedule and set a baseline to track your actual costs against your budget in real time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Construction-Gantt-light-mode-task-info-general-CTA-BUTTON-1.jpgLearn more 3. Budget Dashboard Template Dashboards are a very useful tool when tracking budgets, as they can help decision-makers quickly determine whether the costs of a project or business operations are exceeding the budgeted costs at a glance. For example, this free budget dashboard template for Excel helps keep track labor, material, equipment and overhead costs and presents that data on visual charts. The best part is that it allows to compare planned versus actual project costs to identify cost overruns. To use it, simply enter your project costs and the charts will autogenerate based on the information that’s entered in the tables. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Budget-Dashboard-Template.png 4. Budget Plan Template When organizations map out how their financial resources will support upcoming goals, a budget plan becomes the anchor for those decisions. Instead of reacting to expenses as they arise, teams can predict revenue, schedule spending and understand the impact of each cost before it happens. This kind of planning makes it easier to protect cash flow, set realistic profit targets and steer the business with more clarity and control throughout the budgeting period. /wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Budget-Plan-Template.png This budget plan template gathers all financial planning elements into a single, well-organized document. It begins with high-level goals, assumptions and risk considerations, then breaks down income projections, expense categories and cash flow timing to show when funds are available. Profit and loss estimates help measure expected performance, while approval and version details keep governance clear. The structure supports transparent planning and delivers a realistic financial outlook for any upcoming period. 5. Cash Flow Statement Even profitable businesses or projects can struggle if cash isn’t available when needed. A cash flow statement reveals how money actually moves in and out of an organization by tracking operating results, investments and financing activities. It shows whether day-to-day operations generate enough cash to support growth and pay obligations. Budget planning becomes more realistic when teams can forecast upcoming shortages or surpluses and make informed decisions about spending, borrowing or reinvesting funds. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/cash-flow-template-600x475.png This cash flow statement template organizes financial activity into three key categories: operations, investing and financing. Users can enter income adjustments, asset purchases, debt changes, dividends and more, while totals automatically update to show net cash flow for the period. Beginning and ending cash balances make it easy to verify financial health. With a clear structure and real-world format, this template helps businesses monitor liquidity and strengthen their budgeting and forecasting practices. 6. Procurement Plan Template Every organization relies on outside goods and services, but without a clear process, spending can quickly drift off-budget. A procurement plan gives structure to how items will be sourced, who will manage each step and what criteria define acceptable quality and pricing, whether you’re managing a business or a project. It connects purchasing decisions directly to project goals, supporting more accurate cost forecasts, reducing delivery risks and improving accountability with vendors. The result is better budgeting and stronger overall financial control. /wp-content/uploads/2025/04/procurement-plan-template-1600x748.png This procurement plan template consolidates all key sourcing elements into one organized document. It starts by defining procurement objectives, then lists required items with specifications and pricing to help estimate project costs early. Vendor evaluation criteria and acquisition methods promote transparency and fair selection. Timelines, roles and contract strategies keep responsibilities clear, while compliance and documentation sections protect against regulatory issues. Together, these components streamline decision-making and ensure purchases align with schedule and budget needs. 7. Expense Report Template Tracking spending isn’t just about paperwork—it’s essential for managing budgets responsibly. An expense report records costs incurred by employees while carrying out business activities, ensuring every purchase has a purpose and aligns with company policies. When expenses are categorized, approved and documented consistently, organizations maintain financial transparency, prevent overspending and forecast future costs more accurately. This allows budgeting to reflect real operational needs rather than estimates or assumptions. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/expense-report-template-1600x621.png This expense report template provides an organized way to list business-related purchases, including travel, meals, supplies and professional fees. Employee details and approval fields support accountability and policy compliance, while itemized entries capture dates, vendors and justifications for each expense. With automatic totals and clear categories, it simplifies reimbursements and helps finance teams track spending trends. The template ensures documentation stays complete and structured, contributing to more effective budgeting and cost control. 8. Marketing Budget Template As we’ve mentioned above, a budget is useful across all industries. If it costs money to do, then a budget is instrumental in making sure those costs don’t balloon and bankrupt you. Marketing campaigns aren’t cheap and there’s always a client looking over your shoulder to make sure they’re getting bang for their buck. Having a marketing budget is a way not only to forecast the cost of the marketing campaign but can help legitimize your expenses with the client so they understand where every dollar went and how it was spent wisely. /wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Marketing-Budget-Screenshot.jpg Using our free marketing budget template for Excel will help you estimate the financial element of the marketing campaign by outlining all the potential costs, which will then be approved by the client to ensure that everyone is aware of the expense and has signed off on it. The marketing budget will provide guidelines to the marketing team in terms of what they can and can’t spend to fulfill the mandate of their client. Marketing departments are also under a mandate, whether they’re part of a larger organization or a boutique firm, and that’s to keep costs low. Budgeting templates help by forecasting and tracking costs to ensure they stay within budget. Marketing can be many things and that’s reflected in our marketing budget template. Again, every budget template is customizable so you can add or remove what you want to fit your marketing budget. We’ve broken up our marketing budget template into various campaigns, such as email, direct mail, online and promotions. Under each category are the various tasks associated with them. For each, we have a column to note the total budget and it’s also broken up into quarters, as marketing budgets usually are. 9. Event Budget Template An event can be part of a marketing campaign, such as a trade show or product launch, or it can even be a personal thing, such as a birthday party, wedding or bar mitzvah. Whatever type of event you’re having, it’ll involve money and that means it will need a budget template to make sure that money is well spent and doesn’t break the bank. This is true for any event, whether it’s small or large and complex. Events have a tendency to get out of hand and an event budget template is a tool to not only forecast the cost but keep track of what you’re spending. /wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Event-budget-template-screenshot.jpg As with any budget template, our free event budget for Excel helps you to estimate the costs involved in making whatever function you’re putting on. It does this as all budgeting templates do, by having a cost associated with every event planning task, which includes all the resources you’ll need to execute those tasks. Once you’ve created your budget, the next step is to get it approved. When approved, you’ll execute the tasks. The marketing budget template continues to be useful as it allows you to track those costs to make sure that you’re not overspending. The event budget template is customizable so you can use our categories or add your own. Therefore, this budgeting template can work with any event. We break it down by categories, such as venue, equipment, travel and accommodation and marketing. The next column lists the vendor or contractor you’re working with. Then there’s a column for labor and material costs followed by a total for the line item. The next column is where you’ll add the actual cost so you can compare it to your budgeted cost and make sure you’re keeping to your budget. 10. Operating Budget Template Another type of budget template is one dedicated to operating expenses. An operating budget is used by organizations to look at the coming year through a financial lens. It’s used to forecast the revenue and expenses that an organization expects to make over the coming year or quarter, depending on the timeframe for the operating budget. Most organizations will set their operating budget in the fourth quarter and use it as a plan for the coming year. It’ll show what they expect to do and how much that will cost as well as how much they hope to make, including fixed costs and variable costs. /wp-content/uploads/2023/04/operating-budget-template-correct.jpg Our free operating budget template for Excel will help you manage your day-to-day operations and help your business meet its strategic goals without spending more than it has to. But things change and our operating budget template allows you to adjust your operating budget to reflect those changes and you measure how you performed over a month or quarter compared to what you had planned. The operating budget will give your organization accountability as well as planning and managing your resources. It identifies cost drives and helps to find when you can increase cost efficiency and profitability. Use our free operating budget template to figure out the products or services you’ll sell over the quarter or year and their costs as well as how you plan to sell them. Next, budget those costs, including direct expenses and cost per unit, units sold and the total cost. Operating expenses are outlined for each month, including fixed and variable costs. We’ve also added a section for unexpected expenses so there’s a cushion in your operating budget because there are always unexpected expenses. 11. Project Estimate Template While not exactly a budget, estimating is a necessary step toward creating an accurate budget. The more accurate your estimates are, the more accurate your budget is. Every budget begins with a project estimate, which is a bit of a science and a bit of an act of faith. If you have historical data that can help you determine what things will cost. It’s also good to seek the advice of experts. A project estimate template is also important. /wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Project-Estimate-Screenshot.jpg Using our free project estimate template for Excel will help you build your budget by identifying the resources you’ll need and for how long you’ll need them. Then you can start figuring out how much each of these costs will be. Bit by bit, you’ll be able to make an accurate forecast of the financial investment needed for your project and from there, it’s only a small step to making the project budget, which you can do with one of the many free budget templates we’ve highlighted above. Our project estimate template does this by first breaking up your project into phases. Every project has five phases: initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and, finally, closure. Each of those phases will have expenses associated with it. Our free template lets you define them by tasks, vendor or contractor, labor and material costs. Once you’ve filled in all the tasks for all the phases, you’ll have a clear idea of what the project is going to cost. 12. Construction Job Estimate Template If you’re a construction project manager, you understand the importance of an accurate estimate. If the project ends up costing more than you budgeted for, those extra costs are coming out of your profits. Accurate estimates are always important, of course, but when those dollars are coming out of your pocket chances are you’re going to pay closer attention. That’s why you’ll want to take time for a thorough construction project estimate. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Job-Estimate-Template-ProjectManager.jpg A free construction job estimate template for Excel is a great place to start when figuring out the finances for your project. Of course, there isn’t just one type of construction estimate. There is the preliminary estimate, which is a general overview of costs. A detailed estimate used the design documents to estimate raw materials, equipment and labor costs. There is also a quantity estimate, which relies on material takeoffs, and a bid estimate, which is the final version sent by the general contractor to the project owner. Our free construction estimate template helps you forecast labor costs, material costs and your profit market as the contractor for the job. These are the basic components of any construction estimate. Labor estimates refer to the human resources who execute the tasks. Material costs are those raw materials used to construct what you’re building. The profit margin is a percentage of this to cover all costs, including labor, materials, direct, indirect and overhead costs. 13. Inventory Template This inventory template is designed to help you keep track of various types of physical goods inventories, like the raw materials you need to manufacture your products, the product stock that you have available for sale or even products that are still in process. /wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Inventory-template-v2.jpg It allows you to monitor the number of units in stock, price per unit, reorder information and total inventory cost. It’s a must-have business template for any business owner, manufacturer, retailer or store owner. 14. Sales Forecast Template Planning revenue requires more than guessing how many products might sell. A sales forecast uses expected demand, pricing and market conditions to estimate future income, helping leaders prepare business or project budgets with confidence. By anticipating seasonal swings, identifying growth opportunities and accounting for risks, businesses can align spending on inventory, staffing and marketing with projected revenue. This makes financial planning more responsive and prevents budget decisions from being based on assumptions alone. /wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Sales-Forecast-Template.png This sales forecast template brings structure to revenue predictions by tracking product volumes, prices and total expected income across multiple channels and regions. Assumptions, risks and opportunities are documented to explain the rationale behind the numbers. It also includes fields for probability ratings, making forecasts more transparent and measurable. With a clean layout and clear revenue calculations, the template supports better budgeting, smarter decision-making and more accurate planning for upcoming sales periods. 15. Construction Budget Template For construction-specific projects, this construction budget template is one of the easiest and most streamlined ways to list and keep track of costs to ensure all expenses are accounted for. It’s a helpful tool to keep track of where spending can be reduced and improve financial management on construction projects as a whole. This is why our free construction budget template for Excel is so important. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/construction-budget-for-excel-screenshot-1600x427.png This template is especially useful for general contractors as they estimate project costs. As a result, they can see if the project is viable for the property owner while still guaranteeing there’s a healthy profit margin. The template has space for project task information, assignees, labor, materials and budgeted and actual data to clearly see where you are under or over-spending. Other benefits of using this budgeting template include cost control, forecasting, transparency between stakeholders, risk management, reporting and overall accountability. 16. Cost-Benefit Analysis Template Launching a new project is no easy feat, and project managers have to factor in many moving parts to help set up the project for success. Consider whether the project is meeting a need, offering a service or solving a problem. Plus, project managers must consider what the potential return on investment is going to be. This is where our free cost-benefit analysis template can help compare what you expect to pay for a project against the value or opportunities it will provide. /wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Cost-Benefit-Analysis-Screenshot.jpg Our free cost-benefit analysis template for Excel is designed to suit businesses, projects and personal matters. There are dedicated sections for adding project information, quantitative costs, various types of costs including indirect, intangible and opportunity costs, quantitative benefits, types of benefits and the overall cost-benefit analysis. Feel free to add or remove sections as needed. There are many benefits to using this cost-benefit analysis template. It offers a systematic and transparent way to assess a project’s financial implications. As a result, it helps decision-makers make informed choices about whether to move forward with a project. 17. Workload Budget Template One important part of project budgeting is having an understanding of your team’s workload and how many resources can be allocated to their schedules. The last thing you want is for one employee to have a full schedule while another one is sitting idly waiting for another assignment. That is where workload analysis and budgeting comes into play. It helps manage the workforce by balancing workload and increasing team member satisfaction. /wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Workload-analysis-template-1600x728.png Use this free workload budget template for Excel to start mapping out the information on each team member’s workload and avoid burnout. When there’s a better idea of how the workload is balanced, it’s easier to identify what resources are needed at certain times of the project. Some other benefits of using this budget template include performance measurement and tracking, forecasting future workloads based on historical data and improving communication within teams through a shared reference point. 18. Contractor Budget Template Even though construction projects are well organized, there still needs to be seamless coordination between all involved parties. A huge part that factors into a successful project is budgeting, specifically for construction contractors. A contractor budget template is a perfect place to create accurate and streamlined estimates; there’s a place to add item numbers, a description of the job, any associated vendors or contractors, labor costs, material costs and notes. /wp-content/uploads/2023/02/contractor-estimate-template-projectmanager.jpg This budget template provides essential information that contributes to the construction planning phase as it helps determine the project’s costs, resources and duration. Both general contractors and subcontractors can use this budget template when bidding for a new construction job. The consistency that this template provides makes the data easier to understand. It acts as a communication tool between the contractor and general contractor, helping to resolve differences between what needs to be done and how much it will cost to execute those tasks. Use ProjectManager to Get More Than Budget Templates Can Give While our free templates are a great way to help you estimate your project costs and even make a budget, you’re not going to want to run a project on templates. Templates just can’t do what a project requires. You’ll always have to stop what you’re doing to manually update the template and they’re not a great collaboration tool. That’s why project management software was developed, to give project teams greater control over what they do and do it more efficiently. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that helps you not only create a budget but has the tools to track costs. Monitor Labor Costs With Timesheets One of the budgetary costs that can quickly get out of control is your labor costs. When projects get delayed, your crew is on the job site longer than you expected or the team is working more days than were initially scheduled. This is all going to impact your budget. One way to make sure your team is keeping to the project plan is with our secure timesheets. Not only do they streamline and add security to the payroll process, they track the hours each team member is spending on their tasks. You can then use this to see if they’re keeping up or falling behind and reallocate resources accordingly to stay on track /wp-content/uploads/2023/04/reassign-hours-timesheet.webp Track Progress With Real-Time Dashboards Another way to make sure you’re staying on budget is to monitor your project. This is part of the monitor and control phase, which occurs with executing the project. Our real-time dashboards allow you to get a high-level view of the project’s progress and performance whenever you want. Just toggle over to the dashboard and it automatically collects live data and displays it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show metrics, such as cost, time, workload and more. Best of all, there’s no lengthy and complicated setup required as with lightweight alternatives. Our dashboard is ready when you are. /wp-content/uploads/2023/11/tab-dashboards.png When you want more detail than our dashboard can provide, use our customizable reports. They can be generated in a couple of keystrokes and filtered to show only the data you want to see. There are status reports and portfolio status reports if you’re managing a program or portfolio. There are also timesheets, variance and more reports, all of which can be saved in a variety of formats that can then be delivered to stakeholders to keep them updated. ProjectManager is online project management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and get notified by email or in-app alerts whenever there are changes or updates. Our software helps teams collaborate better and is used by companies as diverse as Avis, Nestle and Siemens to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 18 Budget Templates for Business & Project Budgeting appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Another day, another update to Google's NotebookLM, the versatile AI tool that functions like a personal assistant focused only on you and your needs. The latest update is for visual learners: You can turn your source materials into helpful infographics that give you a clear picture—literally—of what the PDFs, websites, videos, or other materials you're studying or organizing are about. How to use the new NotebookLM infographics featureTo use the new feature, open any of your NotebookLM Notebooks (the name given to folders full of specific materials you've uploaded) and navigate to the panel on the right side. It's the same panel where you find the other offerings like the video creator and flashcard maker. As with those tools, you just tap the associated button to generate the corresponding product, making sure the sources from your left panel that you want to include are all checked off. I tried it out this morning, first using the NotebookLM account associated with my personal Chrome profile and what I'm studying in my private life, then using the one I have set up for work, which has a tester notebook full of materials about how to study for the SAT. (I am strict about using different Chrome profiles for various parts of my life and am now up to seven.) In my personal account, the button was labeled BETA—and it acted like it. After two failed attempts, NotebookLM could not produce an infographic based on my materials. In my work account, though, the beta label was missing and it performed the function just fine, spitting this out: Credit: Google This is rolling out in full functionality to accounts at different times, obviously, but I was glad to see one of mine had easy access because I thought the infographic was solid. Who the infographics feature is helpful forI don't consider myself a visual learner and primarily use NotebookLM to refine ideas or generate educational audio clips I can listen to while I clean the house, so I wasn't expecting to like this. I don't like the mind map creator within NotebookLM at all, for instance; flowcharts just aren't how I learn best, and that's fine. But the infographic was concise, engaging, and just detailed enough to keep me interested and looking at it. It's unlikely I'll use this to study or refine my work often, but I can absolutely see how it would be useful to someone who learns more visually, especially if all the lines and boxes of a mind map can get too convoluted to be useful. View the full article

Some bad news for Americans with student loans. The The President administration’s Department of Education announced on Tuesday that millions of borrowers who are enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan may soon need to select a new repayment plan, part of a settlement with the state of Missouri. If approved, the move could force millions of Americans to repay their federal student loans, ending the current pause in payments and interest aimed at student debt relief, a holdover from the Biden administration. What is Saving on a Valuable Education plan, or SAVE? SAVE is a popular federal student loan income-driven repayment plan (IDR), which caps, or puts a maximum limit, “on how much borrowers must may monthly federal student loan bills at a portion of their income, and it forgives remaining debt after a set number of payments, according to Nerd Wallet. Why is SAVE ending now? SAVE has been in legal limbo since February 2025, when the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided the Biden administration was not authorized to establish the SAVE program. President Donald The President’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which he signed into law this summer, did not renew student loan forgiveness, which is set to expire at the end of this year, which means student loans are eligible to be taxed, once again. As Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC), previously told Fast Company: “There are two things that student loan borrowers need to know: There are changes in the way student debt is taxed, and the other is Congress didn’t extend tax-free student loan forgiveness.” More than 7.6 million student loan borrowers are in SAVE forbearance, according to Education Department as reported by CNBC. Previously interest-free, SAVE borrower accounts resumed accruing taxes on August 1, according to Nerd Wallet. View the full article

It’s “where are you now?” month at Ask a Manager, and all December I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Here are five updates from past letter-writers. There will be more posts than usual this week, so keep checking back throughout the day. 1. My boss is a jerk — how do I deal with her? (first update) I’m the person who wrote in years ago about my jerk boss (and, if I recall correctly, I initially balked when you called her a jerk!). I had previously provided an update about taking a new job and how grateful I was for your advice and the support of the community. As a quick update, I’m still at that new company and over the years, I have been promoted to a director-level role in my department and now manage junior employees. There have been lots of ups and downs at the company and I won’t stay here forever but ultimately, I have grown just so, so much since leaving the last job and I remain grateful to y’all for the support. I’ve actually been having trouble with one of the company’s owners who is — and I can now say this with confidence — a jerk. Ahead of another Monday spent in conflict with her, I spent some time this weekend diving through workplace blogs, searching for some inspiration to steel myself for the week ahead. And perhaps unsurprisingly, I quickly came across my letters to you from 2020. What a blast from the past! I read through my letters, viscerally recalling the stress I was under each day about projects that haven’t meaningfully mattered to me in years, and read through your responses and each and every comment from the community. While I won’t go into the meat of my current issues here, I did want to reach out to share again that this community really has meant so much to me. I didn’t intend to search for my original letter to you today but, upon finding it, I discovered that much of the core feedback is still true. I am still in control of how I react to poor leadership, how I value my work, and how much humor I can find in some situations. In many ways, my life now looks completely different than it did five years ago (I’m married, been promoted, moved across the state, etc.). But today, standing again in muck flooded by jerk leadership, I remembered I have waded through this before and I did so with such smart, empathetic, and supportive folk alongside. I have continued to follow along with the site and the many folks who write in. Thanks to everyone for keeping this community thriving. And Alison, thank you again for sharing your guidance to an early career woman stuck in the muck; your advice still rings true to me now years later. 2. Missing work for a tennis tournament (#4 at the link) My teenage tennis player son worked at a tennis club, almost exclusively with other tennis-playing teens. Their unpleasant boss was unwilling to accommodate their high school tennis season and tournaments that all these employees had every spring, very predictably. We appreciated that commenters took his tournaments seriously, like my son did! My son chose to resign, and he was able to start up somewhere else immediately. The situation at the club devolved and more teens quit. However, I’ve noticed there are fewer part-time job opportunities for teens these days, so I imagine the hiring pool is pretty large. I wonder how many spring tennis seasons it will take to give this manager a clue! The biggest takeaway is what my son has been able to learn from this. He says his new manager is respectful and organized. In contrast to the tennis club manager, who once made my son find a sub while he was home actively throwing up, this manager has reasonable expectations. I’d felt the parental impulse to tell him not to quit, to learn to deal with a tricky employer. But in that environment, who would he learn professional norms from? It is easy for both parents and employers to not listen to teens, nor take their concerns seriously. Thanks so much for responding to us. I hope my son keeps reading your blog! 3. I ran into an employee topless at the beach I took your advice. After two additional weeks of awkwardness, I actually asked her if she was embarrassed. I originally tried being aggressively normal and that worked to a small degree, but I felt like she was only interacting when forced to interact. I asked her if she was embarrassed about our run in and she actually said she was a little bit. I told her not to be embarrassed at all and that we have all done thing in our life that we wouldn’t want our boss being present for. I told her not to worry and that I didn’t think any less of her. I asked her to start going back to normal and she quickly did. 4. My manager wants us to do a “mental health check” weekly Shortly after I wrote to you, my boss stopped asking for the mental health checks. In fact, we don’t even have that weekly team meeting is often anymore. Probably one out of every four weeks. They get canceled a lot. So I’m guessing that maybe somebody else said something as well directly to her or that her manager said something as well because they did stop. She never mentions anything like mental health like that anymore. Happy to say, while there are other issues with our team, that is no longer one of them. 5. Can I drop out of a leadership program that’s the opposite of what I want? One thing I forgot to include in my letter is that I work for a very large company. There were about 700 nominees in the program and no monitoring of our level of participation. So, I ended up just not going nor doing anything. The program meetings were all on zoom and frequently in conflict with my actual job meetings, so I felt justified in blowing them off … but no one even noticed. And, my manager has forgotten about the program entirely. It ended this month with a whimper, and that’s that. All that stress and anxiety over what turned out to be nothing. Thank you very much for your advice and to the commenters who weighed in as well. The post updates: my boss is a jerk, missing work for a tennis tournament, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article