Managing time has always been one of the biggest issues that managers face, but there is a solution – digital planners. Some of them include repeat tasks, alarms, color-coding of activities, making the process of organizing and monitoring progress a piece of cake, even if you only start your path as a manager.
With free digital planners, it becomes easy for managers to discern what is important and needs to be done by prioritizing urgent activities, organizing a shared calendar, and even a time frame for advancing important strategies while offering a concise outlook about daily agendas.
xTiles offers you the best digital planners for your managerial struggle, no matter what type of a team you have to manage. Here is our selection of the best planners to help you with your ever-going attempt to keep everything under control.
Additionally, you may check our Template Marketplace to find something more advanced if basic templates can’t serve you with your tasks.
Understanding the benefits of effective digital planning for managers
Goals must be planned to achieve effectiveness in a managerial capacity and team performance. It’s a golden standard of getting tasks done on time and in good quality. A person can be very organized naturally, yet it might be not enough to keep a team of 5, 10, or more people on a track.
Due to the fact that the work of managers involves rationing their time, goals and schedules, there is a necessity in having a well-thought planning framework to avoid constant stress of unknown and burnout. Digital planners become a lifesaver for any working and or/active individual aimed at making their days as smooth running as is possible.
There are a lot of advantages in using digital planners that a physical paper planner can’t offer due to all the limits they have. These web-based applications that often come for free, available across platforms including iPads, smartphones and computers, enable managers to incorporate their working schedule weekly pages, their list of activities, their project calendar, and even their personal planners into one coherent space.
An undated digital planner offers flexibility and freedom in comparison to a paper one that has dated pages and the same space for each day to plan your activities. The ability to customize your digital planner to match your planning style and workflow is another huge advantage that makes the managing process easier and leaves more room for actual work. Also, since they allow as many corrections as needed, it is easy to change anything whenever it is necessary.
As a manager, you have to create comfortable conditions for your team to do their job. xTiles free digital planners can help immensely because the access to your xTiles planner might be shared with the teams, keeping everyone on the same page, assigning and tracking the progress of the tasks in real-time. This coordination helps to avoid situations where different team members are pulling in different directions and promotes that all individuals are moving in the right direction delivering maximum results.
Furthermore, digital planners do not have issues with mobility or accessibility like traditional planners do. With an office, remote, or a mobile planner, the planner is with you always meaning that one never misses that important date or task. Having cloud synchronization means that if something happens to your main device, you will still have your data intact and usable on other devices.
Essential features of an effective digital planner for managers
A digital planner for managers serves multiple purposes. Some of these planners can cover all of the needs, while sometimes a manager may need to combine a couple of them to get the best results. If you don’t know what to look for when choosing your planners, here is a list of what features they should possess to be effective for your unique tasks.
Task organization
The best digital planners offer intuitive to-do lists and task categorization, enabling managers to effortlessly sort tasks based on priorities and deadlines. This way nor you, nor your teammates experience stress while looking for their tasks and responsibilities. Also, this way there will be less excuses like “I didn’t know I had to do this or that.”
With customized planners and multiple layouts, managers can create personalized systems that align with their unique workflows, ensuring optimal productivity and transparency for everyone on the team.
Priority setting
Managing means setting priorities wisely. It is crucial for the managers to be able to determine what priorities should be given. Many advanced digital planners allow users to tag or color the important tasks, which must be accomplished right away.
Such visual cues enable the managers to be abreast with other important issues, reducing distractions and improving on the chances of the crucial issues to be dealt with as required.
Schedule management
Digital planners excel at schedule management. With integrated weekly and daily pages, as well as monthly calendars, managers can maintain a comprehensive view of their commitments, meetings, and deadlines. Intuitive scheduling tools and reminders ensure that important events are never missed, promoting a seamless daily routine.
Collaboration tools
The leadership requires seamless collaboration. Top digital planners should ideally include access to a shared calendar or tasks assigned and their status to make the information transparent to all members. These collaborative features enable managers to delegate responsibilities, track progress, and ensure that everyone is working towards common goals.
Customization options
Every manager has unique preferences and workflow style deriving from their experiences, and digital planners cater to this diversity with customizable templates, layouts, and settings. From adjusting visual elements to tailoring the organization of tasks and schedules, these customization options empower managers to create a personalized planning workspace that aligns with their individual styles and needs.
List of xTiles digital planner templates for managers
xTiles offers a comprehensive suite of free digital planners that cater to the diverse needs of managers, empowering them to streamline their and their teams workflows, prioritize effectively, and foster productivity. Customized planners and undated planners help managers to tailor their planning experience to align seamlessly with their unique styles and preferences and their teams’ needs.
You can use xTiles planners on Windows, iOs, or an Android device. They offer flexibility and compatibility across various iPad models, including the iPad mini. This versatility allows managers to access and utilize their planners on multiple devices if needed, ensuring a consistent and cohesive experience. You can work from the office, remotely, or on-the-go, but you will be able to easily navigate your planners, jot down notes, assign tasks, and stay on top of your top priorities.
xTiles templates offer easy navigation because we recognize the multifaceted nature of a manager’s role and all the challenges they might face in their everyday work. This enables managers to integrate easily, work, and plan effectively by having a task manager, a project tracker and collaboration tools in one united workspace.
When such tools and resources are placed in an ecosystem, there is little need to constantly switch between apps and websites to find what they need The idea is to keep everything in one system so the manager can do what they were hired to do, which is to manage, motivate, and inspire the employees to achieve great things.
Furthermore, xTiles templates are available as free planners, making them accessible to managers across various industries and organizations. This accessibility ensures that effective planning and organization are not limited by a budget, empowering small companies, independent contractors, startups, etc. to incorporate a culture of planning in their workflows.
xTiles Yearly Planner Template
The xTiles Yearly Planner Template is a fully customizable digital planner with 4 key pages: Results of the Year, Goals Dashboard, Goals of the Year, and Small Steps. The Results page allows tracking progress, grateful reflections, and habit development. The Goals Dashboard categorizes goals across life areas like health and career. The Goals page outlines main objectives for the year, while Small Steps has monthly sections for detailed goal tracking. The Results page promotes self-reflection on the leadership, team achievements, and areas for improvement.
For managers, this template is invaluable. The Goals Dashboard aligns individual and team goals for unified vision. Small Steps enables effective project management by breaking down tasks into actionable monthly milestones. Also, they can use this planner with their teams, encouraging each member to work on their personal and professional development.
Customizability allows tailoring the template to specific managerial needs and styles for a personalized planning experience. If you find some elements or sections excessive, you can delete them, or if you lack something, you’re free to add it, organizing everything through drag-and-drop.
xTiles Weekly Planner Templat
The xTiles Weekly Planner Template is a traditional digital planner page designed to help users efficiently organize their weekly activities and tasks. As a free undated planner, it offers a versatile and customizable solution for personal planners to structure their schedules according to their unique needs and preferences.
This weekly planner template presents a clear overview of the week, allowing users to plan their time better by visualizing the big picture of what needs to be accomplished. With dedicated sections for each day, users can easily jot down their tasks, notes, and thoughts, ensuring that all essential information is conveniently organized in one place.
Additionally, the customizable nature of this digital planner allows managers to tailor the layout to their specific workflows, incorporating sections for delegating tasks, tracking progress, or noting follow-up actions.
xTiles Monthly Planner Template
The xTiles Monthly Planner is a versatile, digital planner that offers more features in terms of functionality and design. Like any other xTiles template, it enables the creation of sub-weekly and daily tasks under each week, which makes it easy to expand on the details of ones schedule while not overwhelming the Reader with too many sections or icons.
By just pointing at a particular week, a user will be able to utilize an expanded window to display the various tasks to be accomplished, meetings as well as notes in detailed manner making the plan easy to use for the month that has been selected. The nested structure facilitates an optimal planning and an orderly distribution of tasks.
Also, it is possible to create a planner that consists of dedicated daily and monthly pages to be able to see a big picture and work on smaller steps at the same moment.
For managers, this planner can be a valuable tool for balancing their professional and personal responsibilities. By utilizing the monthly calendar feature, managers can effectively coordinate team meetings, project deadlines, and important events, ensuring seamless collaboration and timely execution of tasks.
xTiles UI/UX Project Plan Template
The UI/UX Project Plan Template from xTiles is a comprehensive free digital planner designed to streamline the management of user interface and user experience projects. This customizable planner provides a structured overview to help managers effectively establish project scope, allocate resources, set milestones, manage risks, and facilitate successful communication and collaboration within the team and stakeholders.
For managers overseeing UI/UX projects, this digital planner serves as a invaluable tool for project planning and execution. The template’s dedicated sections enable managers to clearly define project objectives, map out task dependencies, and assign responsibilities to team members. Additionally, the customizable nature of the planner allows managers to tailor the layout and components to fit their specific project requirements and methodologies.
By leveraging the UI/UX Project Plan template, managers can easily track progress, identify potential risks or roadblocks, and make informed decisions to keep the project on track. The planner’s collaboration features foster transparent communication, ensuring that all stakeholders remain aligned and informed throughout the project lifecycle.
Overall, this planner empowers managers to take control of their digital planning processes, streamlining project management and facilitating successful delivery of user-centric designs and experiences.
xTiles SWOT Analysis Template
The xTiles SWOT Analysis Template is a free planner that offers a structured approach to conducting a comprehensive SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. This time-tested and popular template provides a quick and efficient way for managers to evaluate the internal and external factors that can impact their business, projects, or products.
Presented in a visually appealing and gorgeous planner format, the SWOT Analysis template, allows managers to break down their analysis into manageable sections.
For managers, this template serves as a valuable tool for strategic planning and decision-making. By thoroughly assessing their organization’s strengths and weaknesses, managers can leverage their competitive advantages and address areas that require improvement. Additionally, the analysis of opportunities and threats enables managers to anticipate market trends, mitigate risks, and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
The SWOT Analysis template can be easily shared, facilitating collaboration and communication among team members and stakeholders. This feature ensures that everyone involved has access to the same information, promoting alignment and informed decision-making processes.
xTiles Website Brief Template
The xTiles Website Brief Template is a versatile digital planner designed to streamline the process of gathering and documenting client requirements for website development projects. This customizable planner serves as a valuable tool for developers, marketers, and managers to establish effective communication and align expectations from the outset.
The Website Brief Template offers a structured approach to stay organized and ensure a smooth project workflow for managers overseeing website projects. The template guides managers through a comprehensive questionnaire, capturing critical information such as the client’s goals, target audience, desired features, design preferences, etc. By thoroughly understanding the client’s needs and expectations upfront, managers can minimize misunderstandings and make informed decisions throughout the project lifecycle.
The customized planner allows managers to tailor the template to their specific project requirements, adding or removing sections as needed. This flexibility enables managers to adapt the brief to different project scopes, ensuring that no critical detail is overlooked.
Read more on how to create a Project Brief in our blog post.
xTiles Meeting Notes Template
The xTiles Meeting Minutes Template is a versatile digital planner designed to help managers stay organized and efficiently document the proceedings of business meetings. This planner provides a structured approach to capturing essential details, action items, and follow-up tasks, ensuring that no critical information is slipping through fingers while you’re heading to another topic or question during your meeting.
The Meeting Minutes Template is especially valuable for managers as it serves as a tool for streamlining meeting productivity and fostering accountability. The template’s intuitive layout includes sections for recording the agenda, attendees, main discussion points, and assigned tasks, ensuring that all relevant information is documented in a clear and concise manner.
As any other xTiles template, this one can be fully and easily customized. Managers can tailor the template to suit their specific meeting requirements, adding or removing sections whenever they need it. This flexibility allows for seamless adaptation to different meeting formats, whether they are project status updates, team brainstorming sessions, or client presentations.
Furthermore, the digital nature of the planner allows for seamless sharing and collaboration, ensuring that meeting minutes are accessible to all relevant stakeholders. This transparency fosters open communication and keeps everyone informed (even those who couldn’t attend the meeting), reducing the likelihood of miscommunications or misunderstandings.
Read more on meetings organization for big companies and teams in our blog post about all-hands meetings.
xTiles Project Canvas Template
The xTiles Project Canvas Template is a comprehensive digital planner that provides managers with a holistic approach to project planning and execution. This customizable template serves as a visual canvas, allowing managers to document and organize all essential project details in a centralized location.
For managers responsible for complex projects, the Project Canvas Template offers a structured framework to stay organized. The template’s layout includes dedicated sections for defining project participants, activities, goals, risks, and limitations. Once again, managers can tailor the template to suit their specific requirements, adding or removing sections as needed.
The digital nature of the planner allows for real-time updates and seamless sharing, fostering transparency and accountability throughout the project lifecycle. Managers can track progress, assign tasks, and maintain a historical record of project milestones and decisions.
xTiles Kanban Board Template
Every manager knows what a Kanban board is. However, not every manager has found their one and only Kanban board to assign tasks, set deadlines, communicate, track, etc.
The xTiles Kanban Board Template provides a traditional visual representation of your team’s workflow, allowing you to track the progress of tasks and projects efficiently with unique xTiles features, like nested elements, switching between different views, properties, etc. The xTiles Kanban Board promotes transparency and accountability within your team, while also allowing you to optimize your team’s efficiency.
Read more about the Kanban methodology and how it differs from Scrum in our blog post.
Summing up
Effective planning and organization are paramount to success no matter what you do. xTiles comprehensive suite of digital planners offers a powerful solution for managers seeking to streamline their workflows, prioritize tasks, and foster collaboration within their teams.
Collaboration and communication are fundamental to effective leadership, and xTiles planners excel in this domain. Our templates facilitate clear communication with teams, clients, and stakeholders, ensuring that everyone remains aligned and accountable.
With their flexibility, device compatibility, and customization options, xTiles planners empower managers to take control of their schedules, prioritize effectively, and unlock their full potential as leaders in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Don’t let ineffective planning and disorganization hinder your managerial success. Embrace the power of xTiles’ digital planners and cultivate a culture of productivity, efficiency, and collaboration within your teams.
xTiles provides a range of customizable tools tailored to the unique needs of managers and their projects. Choose one from this article, or visit our Template Gallery to find something more suitable for you.
FAQ
How can digital planners help managers streamline their workflows?
Digital planners help managers streamline their workflows by providing a centralized platform for task management, scheduling, and collaboration. They enable managers to organize tasks based on priorities, set clear deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and track progress seamlessly, ensuring efficient execution of projects and optimal resource allocation.
How can managers integrate digital planning into their existing workflow?
Managers can seamlessly integrate digital planning by leveraging xTiles’ versatile templates and customization options to align the planners with their existing processes, making a smooth transition from traditional to digital planning methods.
How does xTiles stand out as a digital planner for managers?
xTiles stands out with its comprehensive suite of manager-centric planners, offering features like task prioritization, team collaboration tools, and compatibility across devices, ensuring a cohesive and productive digital planning experience tailored to managerial needs.
What is the best free digital planner?
xTiles offers a wide range of feature-rich, free digital planners designed specifically for managers, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a robust yet cost-effective solution to streamline their planning processes and enhance team productivity.
How to download xTiles planner?
Login into xTiles, choose the planner you would like to use and press the “Use the free template button.” It will be added to your workspace immediately.
