Route Territory Balancing Spreadsheet for Excel — Free Template for 2026

1. Review the planning assumptions

Begin on Settings and update the mint assumption cells in B5:B13. Confirm average driving speed, fleet fuel efficiency, fuel cost per gallon, labor cost per hour, non-fuel vehicle cost per mile, and the remaining planning thresholds. The included sample assumptions are 28 mph, 12.5 mpg, $3.45 per gallon, $28.50 per labor hour, and $0.22 per mile. Replace them when they do not match local planning conditions. Cell B15 reports OK or Review assumptions.

2. Define each territory and its capacity

On Territory Capacity, use rows 5 through 104 for up to 100 prepared territory records. Enter territory and route names, primary and backup drivers, home base, service days per week, regular hours per day, capacity factor, maximum weekly miles, maximum weekly stops, status, and notes. Weekly Available Hours is calculated as service days multiplied by regular hours and the capacity factor. Capacity Check flags duplicate territory or route values and required inputs that need review.

3. Enter service-area workload estimates

Workload Plan provides 200 prepared rows from 5 through 204. Use the mint input cells for Cluster ID, Service Area, Primary ZIP, Assigned Territory, Service Pattern, Weekly Stops, Average Miles per Stop, Average Service Minutes per Stop, Fixed Weekly Hours, Priority, Effective Date, and Notes. Route Code and Lead Driver are looked up from Territory Capacity. The calculated output cells return Weekly Miles, Estimated Gallons, Drive Hours, Service Hours, Total Workload Hours, Estimated Weekly Cost, Stops per Workload Hour, and Data Check.

Populated examples such as WP-001 and WP-002 show the intended structure. Blank rows within the prepared range are available for operating entries. Keep the formulas in calculated columns E, F, and N through U intact.

4. Check the territory summary

Use the Dashboard after capacity and workload entries are complete. It summarizes the first 10 Territory Capacity slots and reports total stops, miles, gallons, workload hours, available hours, utilization, and estimated weekly cost. Review overloaded and underloaded counts, unassigned workload rows, data issues, target gap hours, and balance status before considering territory changes.

Workload and cost estimates begin with the values on Settings. Average driving speed converts weekly miles into drive hours, while fleet fuel efficiency converts miles into estimated gallons. Labor, fuel, and non-fuel vehicle rates support the estimated weekly cost calculation.

The sheet also stores the service-pattern, priority, capacity-status, and driver lists used by dropdowns elsewhere in the file. Settings values are planning assumptions rather than measured trip results, so a blended route speed should include expected operating conditions instead of highway speed alone.

Each Workload Plan row represents one service area or stop cluster. Weekly Miles equals Weekly Stops multiplied by Average Miles per Stop. The instructions in the sheet specify that the mileage estimate should include expected depot and deadhead travel.

Drive Hours are based on weekly miles and the average driving speed from Settings. Service Hours use stops and average service minutes, while Total Workload Hours add drive time, service time, and fixed weekly hours. Estimated Weekly Cost combines labor cost, fuel cost, and non-fuel vehicle cost. Stops per Workload Hour provides a planning productivity measure.

Territory Capacity records who owns each route and how much weekly time is available after applying the capacity factor. Maximum weekly miles and stops provide additional operating limits for the territory summary.

On the Dashboard, Overall Utilization divides total workload hours by total available hours. Each displayed territory also receives Utilization Status, Miles/Stops Status, and Balance Status outputs. Variance vs. Average shows how a territory's workload hours compare with the average of territories carrying positive workload.

Target Gap Hours uses positive values for hours above the target workload and negative values for spare hours below the target workload.

The Workload Plan Data Check identifies duplicate Cluster IDs and rows with missing or invalid required inputs. It also reports a review condition when an assigned territory cannot be found in Territory Capacity. The capacity check identifies duplicate territory or route values and incomplete capacity records.

The Dashboard combines non-OK workload checks, non-OK capacity checks, and the Settings assumption check into its Data Issues total. Its Unassigned Workload Rows figure counts populated workload records without an assigned territory. These checks help locate spreadsheet input problems; they are not operational, safety, or regulatory approvals.