Content Deadline & Chase Planner (Free) for Web Designers

Price: $0 (free, no email gate on our side; the store may ask for an email to deliver the file) · Version 1.0 · For freelance web & brand designers on fixed-price website projects

You need the client's copy, photos and logins before you can build. This free kit sets one content due date, tells you exactly when to chase, and shows what late content does to your launch date, in about 5 minutes.

What you get done

1. Enter your build start date, content lead days and planned launch. You get the content due date, gentle reminder date, overdue notice date and final notice date (Mon–Fri).
2. Each time you check, set the As-of date. "Next step" tells you whether to wait, send a reminder, send an overdue notice or send the final notice (fallback or pause).
3. When everything has arrived, enter the date to see the projected launch.
4. Send the kickoff email and put the short content clause in your proposal before the client signs.

Real preview (fictional example included)

Build starts Mon Nov 9, 2026, with a 3-working-day lead, so content is due Wed Nov 4. Gentle reminder Mon Nov 2, overdue notice Thu Nov 5, final notice Wed Nov 11. Launch Tue Nov 24 with 1 spare day.

As of Thu Nov 5 (1 working day late): projected launch still Tue Nov 24. Next step: send the overdue notice with the launch impact. If everything arrives Fri Nov 6 (2 days late): launch Wed Nov 25.

Files and order of use

1. 1-QUICK-START.md
2. 2-content-deadline-planner-blank.xlsx (and a filled EXAMPLE .xlsx and a values-only .csv)
3. 3-kickoff-email-and-clause.docx / .md
4. test-results.txt

What you need

Google Sheets, Excel 2010+ or LibreOffice (WORKDAY, NETWORKDAYS; no macros). Word, Google Docs or any text editor. No AI tool or paid software.

Tested

2026-11-03 KST, LibreOffice 25.2 headless: 12 planner checks plus ODS/CSV round trips all passed (example, blank file, on-time and late delivery, 0/negative inputs, very large lead). Not yet opened in Excel or Google Sheets. Holidays are not skipped.

Limits

One due date for the whole project, not per section. Not legal advice: adapt the clause to your own contract. English only. Example names and dates are fictional.

Free vs paid

This free kit handles one project-wide content deadline. To track content section by section (received/approved, a READY/NOT READY build gate, per-page readiness, a 34-section library, a client fill-in guide, all 5 chaser emails with launch options, and the full clause), see the Client Content Collection Kit ($19): https://dudgh8.gumroad.com/l/bgaabv

License and support

Free for personal and commercial use in your own business and with your clients. No resale or redistribution. Email support, with a reply within 3 business days.