Free download · Excel (.xlsx)
Free Skills Matrix Template
Download a free Excel skills matrix template for mapping what your team can do — and pair it with expiry tracking for the qualifications that lapse. A skills matrix is not the same as a training matrix.
- Workers against skills, with competency levels
- Gap analysis across the team
- A separate sheet for role requirements
- Works alongside expiry tracking for cards and certificates
No email required. Free to use, including commercially.
training-matrix-template.xlsx
| Row number | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name | Role | CSCS | IPAF | PASMA | First Aid | Asbestos |
| 2 | Ahmed Khan | HVAC Engineer | 12/08/2028 | 25/08/2026 | 03/02/2028 | 19/09/2027 | — |
| 3 | John Smith | Site Supervisor | 04/06/2029 | 22/01/2028 | 18/09/2026 | 18/09/2026 | 11/11/2027 |
| 4 | Sarah Jones | Electrician | 28/10/2028 | 16/05/2028 | 16/05/2028 | 02/12/2027 | 09/07/2028 |
| 5 | Peter Brown | General Operative | 06/08/2026 | 14/04/2028 | — | — | 21/01/2028 |
| 6 | Grace Okafor | Electrician | 17/03/2029 | 27/09/2026 | 08/08/2028 | 23/06/2028 | 05/05/2028 |
Skills matrix or training matrix?
The two get used interchangeably, but they answer different questions and mixing them into one sheet is what makes both harder to maintain.
| Skills matrix | Training matrix | |
|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | What can this person do, and how well? | What does this person hold, and when does it expire? |
| Cell contents | A competency level — none, learning, competent, can train others | A date, or a record of a card or certificate |
| Changes because | Someone develops or loses a capability | A certificate is renewed or lapses |
| Goes wrong when | Assessment is subjective or out of date | A date passes and nobody notices |
Most contractors need both, and the useful split is simple: keep capability in a skills matrix that you review periodically, and keep anything with an expiry date in a training matrix that something is actively watching.
How to build a skills matrix
- List your workers down one side and the skills your work actually requires across the top.
- Agree a scale, and keep it short. Four levels is usually enough: not trained, learning, competent, can train others.
- Define what each level means in practice, or the ratings will drift between whoever fills them in.
- Rate honestly. A matrix that says everyone is competent at everything tells you nothing.
- Look at the columns, not the rows — a skill only one person holds is a single point of failure.
- Review it on a schedule, because unlike an expiry date, nothing will tell you a rating has gone stale.
The part a spreadsheet can’t do
A skills matrix works well in Excel, because ratings change slowly and only when someone decides they have. Expiry dates are different — they change on their own, on a schedule nobody is watching. That is the part worth moving out of a spreadsheet.
Questions people ask before signing up
What is a training matrix?
A training matrix is a grid of workers against the training, qualifications and cards their roles require. Each cell shows whether that person holds that requirement and when it expires. It is the quickest way to see where the gaps are across a workforce.
Is the training matrix template really free?
Yes. Download the Excel file and use it however you like, including commercially. There is no obligation to try the software.
Can I import my existing Excel training matrix?
Yes. Upload an Excel or CSV file, map the columns to workers, roles, qualifications and expiry dates, then preview the result. Nothing is created until you confirm the import.
Is this an LMS?
No. The product tracks workforce qualifications, evidence and expiry dates. It does not deliver e-learning courses or assessments.
Can I get reminders before certificates expire?
Yes. The system monitors expiry dates and sends reminders in advance. You choose how far ahead reminders are sent and who receives them.
Outgrown your spreadsheet?
Upload the same file and turn it into a live matrix with automatic expiry reminders.
14-day free trial. No card required.