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This free Excel template helps teams manage course catalog master. This free Course Catalog Master Excel template for 2026 helps course operations teams maintain consistent course catalog records in one workbook. Enter one course per row, select approved classifications, track hours and lifecycle dates, and review the calculated Record Check for potential data-quality issues.
A formula-driven dashboard summarizes course status, catalog alerts, overdue reviews, upcoming review work, and active contact hours. The workbook includes 250 prepared catalog rows, of which three are populated sample records.
Preview 1 — “Dashboard” sheet Click to enlarge
In practice
What this template helps you manage
✓
Create a centralized course catalog master with fields for course identity, classification, ownership, hours, duration, dates, prerequisites, descriptions, versions, and notes.
✓
Improve consistency with dropdown validation for subject area, course type, delivery mode, catalog status, owning department, and catalog level.
✓
Use the calculated Record Check column to surface applicable alerts for populated rows, including missing information, duplicate Course IDs, inconsistent dates, overdue reviews, and other catalog checks.
✓
Monitor total records, lifecycle status, review deadlines, records with alerts, and active contact hours from the Dashboard.
How to use it
How to use the workbook
Start on the Dashboard by setting the As of Date and entering a Review Window from 1 to 365 days. On the Course Catalog sheet, add or update one course per row in columns A through S, using the configured dropdowns and validation limits. Keep column T unchanged because Record Check is calculated automatically. Review each populated row for alerts and correct every applicable issue. Return to the Dashboard to assess status totals, overdue reviews, reviews due within the selected window, active contact hours, and the three summary charts. Filter the CourseCatalogTable as needed before sharing or printing. Do not enter student records, instructor personal details, or confidential notes.
Preview 2 — “Course Catalog” sheet Click to enlarge
Inside the file
Included features and controls
+Four worksheets: Dashboard, Course Catalog, Lists, and Instructions.
+A prepared CourseCatalogTable spanning A5:T255, with 250 operational data rows from rows 6 through 255.
+Three populated sample records in the supplied workbook: COM-101, DAT-120, and TEC-210.
The Course Catalog sheet provides one prepared row per course and a consistent set of fields for operational catalog management. Teams can record course identifiers and titles alongside subject area, course type, delivery mode, status, owning department, catalog level, hours, duration, lifecycle dates, prerequisites, descriptions, versions, and internal notes. The supplied range supports 250 prepared rows; three rows are populated with sample courses rather than representing a fully populated catalog.
Preview 3 — “Lists” sheet Click to enlarge
Standardize Course Catalog Data Entry
Configured validations help keep common catalog values consistent. Dropdowns cover subject areas, course types, delivery modes, catalog statuses, owning departments, and catalog levels. Additional rules constrain Course ID format, numeric ranges, valid dates, and text lengths. The Instructions sheet adds operational rules, such as requiring positive Credit Hours for credit courses, positive Contact Hours and Duration Weeks for populated records, and semicolons between multiple prerequisite Course IDs.
Review Course Record Alerts and Date Rules
Record Check is a calculated output in column T and should not be used for manual entry. For each populated row, it combines applicable alerts into a semicolon-separated result. Workbook guidance identifies checks related to missing required fields, duplicate Course IDs, course-type and credit-hour consistency, required status dates, date order, overdue reviews, and Last Updated dates later than the Dashboard As of Date. Teams can filter the catalog table by Record Check to focus on records needing attention.
Preview 4 — “Instructions” sheet Click to enlarge
Monitor Catalog Status and Review Work
The Dashboard converts catalog entries into operational summaries using formulas. Users can see total records, active courses, draft or scheduled courses, retired courses, records with alerts, overdue active-course reviews, active-course reviews due within the chosen window, and active contact hours. Additional summaries and three charts present status counts, active delivery modes, and active subject areas. Dashboard results depend on the information entered in the prepared Course Catalog range and the selected reporting settings.
Common questions
About this template
The Course Catalog has 250 prepared operational rows, covering rows 6 through 255. Three rows contain populated sample records in the supplied workbook, so prepared capacity should not be confused with the number of existing course records.
The catalog includes Course ID, Course Title, Subject Area, Course Type, Delivery Mode, Catalog Status, Owning Department, Catalog Level, Credit Hours, Contact Hours, Duration Weeks, Effective Date, Retirement Date, Review Due Date, Prerequisite Course IDs, Short Description, Catalog Version, Last Updated, Internal Notes, and a calculated Record Check.
Record Check evaluates each populated catalog row and returns a semicolon-separated list of applicable alerts. The workbook describes checks for incomplete fields, duplicate Course IDs, inconsistent dates, overdue reviews, and other catalog rules. The result remains blank when the row's input fields are empty.
Yes. Set the Dashboard As of Date and a Review Window from 1 to 365 days. The Dashboard counts active courses with a nonblank Review Due Date earlier than the As of Date and active courses with a Review Due Date from the As of Date through the end of the selected window.
The Dashboard includes three charts. They use the calculated summaries for course count by Catalog Status, active course count by Delivery Mode, and active course count by Subject Area.
The Lists sheet displays the approved values and instructs users to keep each list contiguous. However, the Course Catalog dropdown validations contain their choices directly, so editing the visible Lists sheet alone does not automatically update those validation sources. The dropdown validation sources must also be revised when approved values change.
Editorial process
Prepared and reviewed against the workbook
Course Ops Workbook Team
Workbook preparation
This functional byline identifies the team role that structures the workbook, sample data, calculations, and operating checks.
Course Ops Editorial Team
Editorial review
This functional byline identifies the team role that checks the page against the generated workbook and states its limits.