How to Make a RACI Matrix in Excel (with Checks)
A RACI matrix shows who does the work, who owns it, who is asked and who is told, for every task. Build one in Excel for an online shop project, then add formulas that catch tasks with no owner or two owners.
Try it yourself
Copy this table into a blank sheet, then follow the steps below.
Paste at cell A1:
| Task | Business analyst | Product owner | Developer | Tester | A count | R count | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gather requirements | R | A | C | I | |||
| Write user stories | R | A | C | C | |||
| Build checkout | C | A | R | I | |||
| Test checkout | C | I | C | R | |||
| Release to customers | I | A | A | C |
Step by step
- RACI matrix. Who does the work, and who signs it off? A racy matrix answers that for every task, so nobody drops the ball and nobody argues later. Let's build one in Excel, with checks.
- The matrix. Here's an online shop project. Tasks go down the side. Roles go across the top. Each cell holds one letter.
- R and A. R means responsible: the person who does the work. A means accountable: the one person who owns the result and signs it off. Here the analyst gathers requirements, and the product owner owns them.
- C and I. C means consulted: asked before, a two way talk. I means informed: told after, one way. The developer is asked, and the tester is kept in the loop.
- Header row. Make the header row bold with a light fill, so the roles stand out from the letters.
- Count the A's. Now the checks. Every task needs exactly one accountable person. Equals count if, B two to E two, comma, the letter A in quotes. Drag the fill handle down. Test checkout has zero. Release to customers has two. Both are a problem.
F2
=COUNTIF(B2:E2,"A") - Count the R's. Every task also needs at least one person doing the work. Same formula, but count the letter R. Fill it down. Release to customers has nobody responsible. Someone owns it twice, but nobody does it.
G2
=COUNTIF(B2:E2,"R") - One check. Now one check. If the A count is not one, show fix A. If there is no R, show fix R. Otherwise, show okay. Fill it down. Two tasks need fixing. The rest are okay.
H2
=IF(F2<>1,"Fix A",IF(G2=0,"Fix R","OK")) - Colour the problems. Select the checks. Conditional Formatting, Text That Contains, fix, in light red. Now the problems jump out.
- Colour the owners. Select the letters. Highlight Cells Rules, Equal To, the letter A, in bold yellow. Now you see every owner at a glance.
- Fix the gaps. Now fix them. Testing needs an owner. The product owner signs off the testing, so type A here. The check turns to okay. For the release, the developer does the work, so change their A to R. One owner, one doer. Every task now says okay.
C5
AD6
R - 3 RACI rules. So, three rules. Exactly one A on every task. At least one R. And keep the C's and I's short, or every meeting gets too big.
