A project tracker becomes difficult to trust when one person writes “Finished,” another writes “Done,” and a third writes “Sent.” Those labels might describe the same milestone, or three different ones.

A small dropdown list can make updates more consistent. This suggested workflow is for freelancers and small teams using Google Sheets. It is a documentation-based guide, not a hands-on product test.

Quick answer

Define each status before creating the dropdown. Select the working cells, choose Insert → Dropdown and enter the agreed choices. Keep one status per row, record blockers separately and link “Approved” to a decision the reviewer has already made. Check unexpected entries and file sharing before handing over the tracker.

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Define the decisions your tracker needs

Section 1 of 4

Before choosing colours, agree what each status means. For a fictional website project, start with:

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Define the decisions your tracker needs

Before choosing colours, agree what each status means. For a fictional website project, start with:

  • Not started: work has not begun.
  • In progress: someone is working on it.
  • Ready for review: the draft is available for checking.
  • Changes requested: the reviewer has identified work still needed.
  • Approved: the named reviewer has approved this version.

Keep Blocked in a separate column if it describes a problem rather than a stage. A task can be in progress and blocked at the same time. Agree who maintains the definitions and discusses requests for a new label.

Add the dropdown to the working rows

On desktop, select the cells in the status column, excluding the heading. Choose Insert → Dropdown, enter the agreed labels and click Done. Google also offers Dropdown from a range if you maintain the choices in designated cells. Google's dropdown instructions.

For this tracker, leave Allow multiple selections off. A cell marked both “In progress” and “Approved” would be harder to interpret. This is a workflow recommendation, not a claim that Sheets cannot support multiple selections.

Decide how exceptions should work

Google's desktop guide says values outside the list are rejected unless you change the rule to permit them with a warning. Under Advanced options → If the data is invalid, Show a warning allows other values. Validation guidance.

For a shared status column, retain rejection and add a notes field. Discuss the meaning of a proposed status before adding it. Otherwise, your dropdown can become another collection of inconsistent labels.

Give approval a traceable home

Add columns for the reviewer, review date and a link to the approval message or document. Selecting Approved should record a decision that already happened. It should not replace obtaining that decision.

A people smart chip can identify the reviewer, but mentioning someone does not give them access to the spreadsheet. Check sharing separately. Google's smart-chip guidance.

Use this fictional sample to check whether stage, blocker and approval evidence stay separate:

TaskStatusBlockerReviewerApproval evidence
Draft homepageIn progressWaiting for approved logoNot assignedNone
Check contact pageChanges requestedNoneMayaReview comments, not approval
Finalise service copyApprovedNoneMayaLink to approval for this version and review date

The table is an editorial example, not generated Sheets output or a record of a real client project. Replace the names and evidence with your own records; do not invent approval links.

Test before handing it over

Try three sample rows: an ordinary task, a task needing changes and an approved task. Enter an unexpected label and check the response. Ask a teammate to explain the difference between the statuses without coaching.

Tracker handover checks

  • Status ruleunresolved

    Check one agreed status per working row and exclude the heading. This proposed check has not been performed here.

  • Unexpected labelsunresolved

    Try a value outside the list and confirm rejection, not an unnoticed warning.

  • Blockers and notesunresolved

    Confirm that each has a separate field rather than overloading the status.

  • Approval recordunresolved

    Inspect the named reviewer and evidence for the relevant approved version.

  • File accessunresolved

    Check the intended reader and editor permissions before handover.

If two labels need a long explanation to distinguish them, simplify the list. For reviewing a subset of tasks afterward, see our Google Sheets filter views guide. Filtering and status definitions solve different problems; neither substitutes for checking file permissions.

Questions before using the tracker

Does selecting Approved obtain client approval?

No. Record approval after the named reviewer has made that decision. Keep the date and a link to the relevant version or message.

Can people enter a status outside the list?

Google's guide says unmatched values are rejected unless you choose Show a warning. This workflow recommends rejection plus a separate notes column.

Should Blocked be another workflow stage?

Use a separate blocker field when a task can be blocked at the same time as being in progress or awaiting review. This is a team workflow choice, not a Google requirement.

Documentation checked on 2 November 2026. No hands-on Sheets test, accuracy result or time-saving guarantee is claimed.