Tutorial · 8 min read · Updated June 2026

How to build a college assignment tracker in Google Sheets

A clean, copy-pasteable tutorial for building an assignment tracker in Google Sheets — with the columns, formulas, and conditional formatting that actually hold up across a 15-week semester. Plus, when it's worth skipping the manual setup entirely.

TL;DR

Set up 8 columns, freeze the header, add 2 dropdowns, paste 2 conditional-formatting formulas, and add a Days Left formula. Budget 30–45 minutes per semester to type every assignment from every syllabus. Or skip all of it with Sylly →

Step 1 — Create the spreadsheet

Open sheets.new and rename the file to Assignment Tracker — Fall 2026. Renaming each semester keeps old data archived without breaking your formulas.

Step 2 — Add the columns

In row 1, add these headers across columns A–H:

A: Course   B: Assignment   C: Type   D: Due Date
E: Est. Hours   F: Status   G: Priority   H: Notes

Bold row 1 (Ctrl/Cmd + B), then go to View → Freeze → 1 row so the header stays visible when you scroll.

Step 3 — Add dropdowns for Status and Priority

Select column F, then Data → Data validation → Add rule. Choose Dropdown and add: Not started, In progress, Done. Repeat on column G with Low, Medium, High. Dropdowns prevent typos that break filters later.

Step 4 — Set up a date column and 'Days Left' formula

Select column D → Format → Number → Date. Then in cell I1 add a header Days Left and in I2 paste:

=IF(F2="Done", "", D2-TODAY())

Drag the formula down. You now see exactly how many days each assignment has left — negative numbers mean overdue.

Step 5 — Highlight overdue and done rows

Select rows 2–500, then Format → Conditional formatting → Add rule → Custom formula is.

// Overdue (red)
=AND($D2<TODAY(), $F2<>"Done")

// Done (green)
=$F2="Done"

Pick a soft red and soft green so the sheet doesn't look like a fire alarm.

Step 6 — Sort by Due Date with a filter view

Click any cell in your data, then Data → Create a filter view. Sort by Due Date (A → Z). The next thing due is always on top, and you can still hand the sheet to a classmate without messing up their view.

Optional: a weekly load view

On a second tab, paste:

=QUERY(Sheet1!A:I, "select A, B, D, G where D >= date '"&TEXT(TODAY(),"yyyy-mm-dd")&"' and D <= date '"&TEXT(TODAY()+7,"yyyy-mm-dd")&"' order by D")

That shows everything due in the next 7 days. Pin the tab and check it Sunday night.

Where the Sheets approach falls apart

You have to read every syllabus and type every assignment by hand — 30–45 min per semester, more if you take 5 classes.
Recurring lectures and labs don't auto-repeat. You either skip them or copy-paste 30 rows per class.
No Google Calendar sync without a separate Apps Script.
If a professor reschedules an exam, you have to find and edit the row manually.

Skip the setup. Drop in your syllabus.

Sylly reads your syllabus PDFs and builds the same tracker — with color-coded classes, a weekly planner, and one-click Google Calendar sync. No formulas, no dropdowns, no copy-paste.

FAQ

Is Google Sheets a good assignment tracker for college?

Sheets is free, flexible, and works on any device. The trade-off is the manual entry — you have to copy every assignment from every syllabus by hand at the start of each semester.

What columns should a college assignment tracker have?

At a minimum: Course, Assignment, Type, Due Date, Status, and Priority. Power users add Estimated Hours, Days Left (formula), and Notes.

How do I highlight overdue assignments in Google Sheets?

Use Format → Conditional formatting with a custom formula like =AND($D2<TODAY(), $F2<>"Done") and apply a red background.

Is there a faster alternative to a Google Sheets tracker?

Yes — Sylly turns every syllabus PDF into a tracked, color-coded semester plan automatically, with one-click Google Calendar sync. No manual data entry.

← Back to Sylly