Why is getting things done so difficult today?
Project teams stay busy with planned meetings and regular emails throughout their working days. However, being busy and productive is not the same thing.
Recent research from McKinsey shares that more than half of executives are planning significant changes in how they work and interact in the post-pandemic normal.
It is essential to cut the information overload and decrease pointless interactions by innovating simple and creative solutions that reduce busywork and increase project productivity.
Streamlining your project scheduling is one of the most effective ways to increase project productivity. From designing a daily schedule to planning a large-scale company event or executive travel plans, scheduling tools such as premade itinerary templates can be a lifesaver.
If you’re wondering how to create an itinerary, this article will help you get started. We’ve curated our best tips on itinerary templates, including how to create one and how effective itineraries can lead to project success.
What is an itinerary template?
An itinerary template is an editable document that contains schedule details about an event, trip, or travel plan.
While itineraries can have multiple uses, they are majorly used to organize executive travel plans, business conferences, and daily scheduling.
A sample itinerary template would be preformatted with headings and sections that can be easily customized by the user based on their requirements.
But why should you create and use an itinerary template? Let’s dive deeper and see how itinerary templates can be indispensable for project management.
How is an itinerary template useful for project managers?
Planning itineraries is part of every project manager’s to-do list. Project managers may travel to meet key stakeholders or create a meeting calendar with daily schedules for their team.
Here’s how itinerary templates can help:
Elevate user accessibility and experience
No one wants to create an itinerary that is confusing for its end users. Neither would it be prudent to create one that is only accessible from a laptop. What if the team is traveling or has no laptop access?
In this situation, having a simple and effective itinerary that’s accessible across multiple devices helps create a seamless user experience for the end users. They can access it using the device of their choice – smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
Save time
A great itinerary template can get project work done faster while reducing the scheduling time required from a project manager’s calendar.
Project teams don’t need to create an itinerary from scratch for every new trip, meeting, or event. They can save time with a specific format: a document with preformatted fonts and content sections.
You also don’t need to remember the correct formula or adjust the font and formatting for each new business travel itinerary. Simply open your project management template, add the specific event or project information, and it’s good to go.
Create a unified space for all information
Avoid delivering a disjointed user experience by providing all itinerary elements in one document.
Getting all the trip, meeting, or travel information regarding the project in one travel itinerary template makes life easier for all stakeholders.
Highlight any missing information
When we write any document using a template, it prompts us to fill in all the information in the in-built sections that are contained inside it.
For example, if you write a letter using a premade template, you’ll notice the specific areas where the recipient’s name, address, and date need to be added.
So, when you are done writing the letter and give a quick glance at it, it’ll be easy to notice the blank sections if they haven’t been filled in already.
Provide a reusable outline
Every project manager needs to create a wide range of project documents, including itineraries.
Starting your itinerary with a reusable template makes the ‘blank page syndrome’ disappear.
When you stare at a blank page, writing a single word can be difficult. The sheer lack of creativity or inability to visualize what to write can feel intimidating. However, a prewritten format in an itinerary template has the potential to get the words flowing while taking away unnecessary stress.
Since the document is already formatted, it becomes easier to enter all the vital itinerary-related information in the different areas. Even if you save only a few minutes, that efficiency can quickly add up and help you regain up to an hour of your busy week.
What should an itinerary template include?
Itineraries for different situations will contain varying information. For example, travel itineraries would look different from a meeting itinerary or one created for a company event.
However, most itinerary templates contain some common information, such as:
Editable times and dates
This section includes the exact dates for which the itinerary is being created. It should also include start and end times, clearly highlighting the duration of the specific event. It should be easy to read and follow.
Location details
You should include the planned location or address here. Be sure to use zip codes and clear maps to avoid confusion.
Travel details
It’s helpful to provide details on how the attendees can get to your location, including a travel schedule, written directions, maps, public transport information, and more. For companies that expense travel costs, you can include details on how to do so here.
Schedule details
The schedule will include all the activities and tasks that make up the itinerary and also list the names of the team members who are responsible for them.
Related information
All other event-specific information would also be outlined in the itinerary to make it complete and comprehensive.
Itinerary template examples
There are different types of itinerary templates, so it is crucial to plan every moment perfectly by using the right itinerary template to go with your specific business needs. You can create reusable schedules easily with the customizable templates below:
Travel itinerary template
This trip itinerary template helps plan upcoming trips better and contains all trip-relevant information such as duration, destination, and daily plans in one place. It is a customized itinerary that can be also used for personal travel.
Daily work schedule template
Utilize this daily work schedule template to organize your time and tasks for each working day of the week. Outline the to-do list of daily tasks to be done with the estimated times each would take to complete.
Business trip itinerary template
Use this business trip itinerary template to plan executive business travel. Organize travel arrangements, pickup and drop-off timings, and transport details in this useful template.
Event itinerary template
This event itinerary template contains all the key information you need for the upcoming event you’re planning. Include your event dates, duration, list of attendees, and speaker line-up as well as any event budget or ticket pricing information to keep all event stakeholders on the same page.
Final notes
Scheduling should be simple and easy to do.
It’s time to reduce your colossal effort and time spent scheduling meetings, events, or business travel. Create reusable itineraries that can help you set your project schedule, enable team success, and keep projects on track.
Think about it. The schedules and itineraries you create will impact team productivity, project timelines, and client satisfaction. So why leave it all to chance?
Get a free Wrike trial to see how our project scheduling software can help you level up your scheduling game and manage time more efficiently.
