PeopleMuster

Training matrix template

A training matrix tracks which required training each person has finished and what's due next. People go down the side, courses go across the top, and each cell holds a status code and a date. Filter for overdue cells and you have this month's chase list.

Start one when more than a handful of courses apply to more than a handful of people, or when a client asks you to prove your team is trained on something. Onboarding is the best moment: add the new joiner's row on day one, with every course their role needs already marked due.

TRAINING MATRIX
Team: [TEAM OR DEPARTMENT NAME]
Owner: [MATRIX OWNER]
Last updated: [UPDATE DATE]

STATUS KEY
C [DATE] = Completed on that date
D [DATE] = Due by that date
O = Overdue
R [DATE] = Refresher due by that date
- = Not required for this role

PART 1: WHO NEEDS WHAT
Course | Required for | Refresh every | Delivered by
[COURSE NAME] | [ROLES] | [REFRESH INTERVAL] | [TRAINER OR PROVIDER]
[COURSE NAME] | [ROLES] | [REFRESH INTERVAL] | [TRAINER OR PROVIDER]
[COURSE NAME] | [ROLES] | [REFRESH INTERVAL] | [TRAINER OR PROVIDER]
[COURSE NAME] | [ROLES] | [REFRESH INTERVAL] | [TRAINER OR PROVIDER]

PART 2: THE MATRIX
Person | Role | Start date | [COURSE 1] | [COURSE 2] | [COURSE 3] | [COURSE 4]
[PERSON NAME] | [ROLE] | [START DATE] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS]
[PERSON NAME] | [ROLE] | [START DATE] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS]
[PERSON NAME] | [ROLE] | [START DATE] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS]
[PERSON NAME] | [ROLE] | [START DATE] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS]
[PERSON NAME] | [ROLE] | [START DATE] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS] | [STATUS]

PART 3: TOTALS
Measure | [COURSE 1] | [COURSE 2] | [COURSE 3] | [COURSE 4]
People who need it | [REQUIRED COUNT] | [REQUIRED COUNT] | [REQUIRED COUNT] | [REQUIRED COUNT]
Completed | [DONE COUNT] | [DONE COUNT] | [DONE COUNT] | [DONE COUNT]
Overdue | [OVERDUE COUNT] | [OVERDUE COUNT] | [OVERDUE COUNT] | [OVERDUE COUNT]
Completion rate | [COMPLETION %] | [COMPLETION %] | [COMPLETION %] | [COMPLETION %]

PART 4: SESSIONS BOOKED
Course | Date | Trainer | People booked
[COURSE NAME] | [SESSION DATE] | [TRAINER OR PROVIDER] | [NAMES]

What to put in each blank

[COURSE NAME]
Name each course the way you'll search for it later, such as "Client data handling", and keep one column per course.
[ROLES]
List the roles that must take the course, or write "everyone". Part 2 marks a dash for every role not on this list.
[REFRESH INTERVAL]
Write how often the course repeats, such as 12 months, or "once" if it never does. Your refresher dates all come from this number.
[STATUS]
Enter a code from the key with its date, such as C 14/03 or D 30/06. Switch a D to O the day after its date passes.
[START DATE]
Enter the person's first day. Your new joiners' due dates count from here, usually within their first month.
[REQUIRED COUNT]
Count the cells in that column that aren't a dash. That's everyone who needs the course.
[COMPLETION %]
Divide completed by required and multiply by 100. Report this row to leadership; it's the one number they'll read.
[TRAINER OR PROVIDER]
Name the internal trainer or the outside provider, so you know who to book when a refresher comes due.

Before you send it

  • Use conditional colours in your sheet: green for C, amber for D inside 30 days, red for O. Your overdue list then shows itself when you open the file.
  • Record the completion date as well as the tick. A refresher can't be scheduled from a tick, and a client audit will ask for the date.
  • Keep the evidence, such as a certificate or a sign-in sheet, in one folder named by course. The matrix says it happened; the folder proves it.
  • Review Part 1 when a role changes. Your next client or tool may add a course that nobody put on the list.

PeopleMuster runs each new joiner's training as a checklist from a reusable template, with an assignee and a live count of steps resolved, such as 4 of 11.

Questions people ask about this letter

What is a training matrix?

A training matrix is a grid of people against required training, showing for each person whether each course is complete, due or overdue. You use it to spot gaps, book sessions and show a client or auditor who has been trained.

What is the difference between a training matrix and a skills matrix?

A training matrix tracks courses: has this person done it, and when is it due again? A skills matrix scores ability: how well can this person do the work? You can run both, with the training matrix feeding your skill levels over time.

How do I track training in Excel?

Put people in rows and courses in columns, then enter a status code and date in each cell. Add conditional formatting for overdue dates and a COUNTIF row per course for completion. The template above is laid out to paste straight into a sheet.

How often should a training matrix be updated?

Update it the day someone finishes a course or joins your team, and review the whole sheet once a month. A monthly look at the O cells is what turns the matrix into action.

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