RACI matrix template
A RACI matrix (also called a RACI chart or responsibility assignment matrix) lists the tasks or decisions in a project or process down the side and the roles across the top, and marks each cell R, A, C or I: who is Responsible for doing the work, who is Accountable for the result, who is Consulted before it's done and who is Informed afterwards. This free Excel template has a drop-down in every cell and a check column that flags any row without exactly one A.
Running a company of 30 to 200 people? Documents like this are now worth money.
It earns its keep wherever work crosses teams: a project that pulls in several departments, a process with handoffs, or a decision that two managers both think is theirs (or that neither does).
What's in the template
The download has three sheets: the blank RACI matrix with six role columns and 40 rows, an example, and a read-me. Every role cell has a drop-down of R, A, C and I, and the Check column works out whether the row has exactly one A. Type your own role names over the headings.
From the Example sheet, a fictional 50-person company replacing its office phone system:
| Stage | Task or decision | Sponsor | Project lead | Finance | Operations | IT | Supplier | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan | Approve the budget | A | R | C | I | C | OK | |
| Plan | Choose the new phone supplier | A | R | C | C | C | OK | |
| Build | Design the call routing: which calls go to which team | I | C | A | C | R | OK | |
| Build | Move the existing numbers to the new provider | A | I | C | R | OK | ||
| Build | Set up handsets, headsets and the mobile app | I | C | A | R | OK | ||
| Launch | Train staff on the new system | A | C | R | R | OK | ||
| Launch | Decide the switch-over date | A | A | C | C | C | Check: needs one A | |
| Close | Cancel the old phone contract | I | C | A | R | OK |
In the workbook, OK turns green and "Check: needs one A" turns red. A Notes column (not shown here) holds anything a single letter can't say, such as who trains whom.
What R, A, C and I mean
| Letter | Means | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| R: Responsible | Does the work | At least one per row; several is fine |
| A: Accountable | Owns the result and signs it off; answers for it if it goes wrong | Exactly one per row |
| C: Consulted | Gives input before the work is done or the decision is made; a two-way conversation | Only those whose input could change the outcome |
| I: Informed | Told about the outcome; one-way | Those who need to act on it, or would be caught out without it |
If the person who owns a result also does the work, mark them A: the template allows one letter per cell, and the A covers both.
How to fill it in
- List the work down the side, starting each row with a verb: "Approve the budget", "Choose the supplier", "Train staff". Give decisions rows of their own, because they cause the most confusion.
- Put roles across the top, not names, typing them over the six headings. Roles survive people changing jobs.
- Fill in the As first, row by row. Ask who the managing director would call if this went wrong. That person is the A.
- Add the Rs, then the Cs and Is. Be sparing with C: every C is a conversation that has to happen before the work can move.
- Check each row. The template flags any row without exactly one A. Also make sure someone is doing the work, and that nobody is consulted on everything.
- Read down each column. A role with an A on most rows is a bottleneck; a role with nothing but Is may not need to be on the matrix at all.
- Agree it with everyone named, then share it alongside the project plan, so new joiners can see who decides what.
Reading the example
The example sheet is for a fictional 50-person company swapping its office phone system for a cloud one. Three of its choices are worth copying:
- The A isn't always the most senior person. Operations owns the call routing, because the customer service team knows which calls should go where; the sponsor is only informed.
- Several Rs are fine. Training has two: the supplier trains the team leaders and IT trains everyone else.
- Decisions get their own rows. "Decide the switch-over date" has two As, so the check flags it. In a real matrix you would settle who decides before moving on.
Common mistakes
- Two As on one row, which in practice means nobody is accountable. The check column catches it.
- An A without authority: making someone accountable for a result they can't control or fund.
- Consulting everyone. A long row of Cs slows every task down; most people only need an I.
- Names instead of roles, so the matrix is out of date the first time someone leaves.
- Rows that are too broad. "Run the project" has no useful answer; "approve supplier invoices" has one.
- Agreeing it once and filing it. Bring it out when someone joins or a decision stalls, and update it when roles change.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between responsible and accountable?
Responsible means doing the work; accountable means owning the outcome. Several people can be responsible for a task, but only one should be accountable for it.
Can one person be both R and A?
Yes, and on small teams it's common. In this template, mark them A, which covers doing the work too, and add a note if it helps.
Is a RACI matrix the same as an org chart?
No. An org chart shows who reports to whom. A RACI matrix shows who does what on particular tasks and decisions, which often cuts across reporting lines. It sits well next to a project charter, which names the sponsor who is ultimately accountable.
Are there other versions of RACI?
Yes. RASCI, for example, adds S for people who support the responsible person, such as by providing resources. To use it here, add S to each role column's drop-down list (Data, then Data Validation).