This yard move dispatch spreadsheet is a free Excel template for documenting and reviewing trailer movements during 2026. It organizes requests, priorities, move types, trailers, carriers, yard locations, spotters, yard trucks, timestamps, statuses, delay reasons, and dispatcher notes.
Four sheets separate daily dispatch work from reference data and reporting: Dashboard, Move Log, Assets, and Settings. Calculated columns measure wait, cycle, and turnaround time, compare moves with priority-based targets, estimate operating cost, and flag certain record problems. This is a manual dispatch aid without a telematics connection. It updates after users enter information and Excel recalculates. It does not replace accounting, legal, tax, DOT/FMCSA, safety, or compliance advice.
In practice
What this workbook helps you do
- ✓Keeps move requests, assignments, timestamps, locations, equipment, and notes in one dispatch log.
- ✓Separates manual entry cells from formulas that calculate elapsed minutes, service results, estimated cost, and record checks.
- ✓Uses controlled lists for priorities, move types, load statuses, locations, spotters, trucks, statuses, and delay reasons.
- ✓Summarizes open work and selected-date results for dispatch reviews and shift handoffs.
Instructions
How to use the file
Set the dispatch thresholds and lists
Start on Settings. Cell B3 holds the open-wait alert in minutes, B4 holds the estimated yard truck operating cost per hour, and B11:B14 contains target turnaround minutes by priority. The supplied values include a 30-minute alert, a $52.00 hourly planning rate, and visible targets of 20 minutes for Critical, 45 for High, and 90 for Normal. Review the move types in D3:D8, load statuses in E3:E6, move statuses in F3:F8, delay reasons in G3:G12, and active flags in H3:H4.
Maintain yard resources and locations
Use Assets to enter yard trucks in A5:D104, spotters in F5:I104, and locations in K5:M104. Truck records include description, home zone, and active status. Spotter records include shift, radio call sign, and active status. Location records include type and active status. Populated examples appear near the top; blank rows remain in the prepared master-list ranges. Keep inactive resources for historical reference, but do not assign them to new moves.
Enter and update each dispatch record
On Move Log, rows 6:305 are prepared operating rows. Existing entries near the top are samples; use the remaining blank rows for operations. The Move Log input cells cover Move ID, Requested At, Priority, Move Type, Trailer Number, Carrier, Load Status, Origin Location, Destination Location, Assigned Spotter, Yard Truck, Status, Assigned At, Started At, Completed At, Delay Reason, and Dispatcher Notes. The record check expects core entries in columns A:I and L. Update assignment fields and timestamps as the move progresses rather than overwriting the blue-gray formula cells.
Review calculated results and the daily view
The calculated columns are P:T and W:X. They return Dispatch Wait Minutes, Move Cycle Minutes, Total Turnaround Minutes, Target Turnaround Minutes, Service Level Status, Estimated Move Cost, and Record Check. On Dashboard, enter a valid date in Selected Date cell B4. Excel then reports completed moves, average turnaround, service level met, estimated move cost, and completed moves by type for that date. Open-move measures are based on the current Move Log rather than only the selected date.
Inside the file
Included features
Build and Prioritize the Yard Dispatch Queue
Each request can be classified as Critical, High, Normal, or Low and assigned one of the configured move types. Available statuses are Requested, Assigned, In Progress, Held, Completed, and Canceled. Dispatchers can compare open volume with the Dashboard counts for unassigned open moves, open overdue moves, and Critical or High open work.
Assignment is still a manual decision. The spreadsheet records the selected spotter and yard truck but does not determine the best resource, send instructions, or monitor equipment position.
Standardize Trucks, Spotters, and Yard Locations
Dropdowns reduce inconsistent naming by drawing yard trucks, spotters, and origin and destination locations from Assets. Move type, load status, move status, priority, and delay reason selections come from Settings. This supports repeatable entries such as Gate-to-Dock, Dock-to-Yard, Yard Reposition, Empty Spot, or Maintenance Move.
The Record Check can identify conditions including a duplicate Move ID, missing required input, an unknown location, or an origin that equals the destination. Users must review and correct flagged records.
Measure Dispatch Wait and Yard Move Turnaround
Dispatch Wait Minutes measures from Requested At to Assigned At. For an open move without an assignment timestamp, it can continue from Requested At to Excel's current recalculation time. Move Cycle Minutes measures from Started At to Completed At, or to recalculation time for applicable open work. Total Turnaround Minutes measures from the request through completion or the current open duration.
Service Level Status compares total turnaround with the target looked up from the move's priority. Results can be Met, Missed, Open - On Track, Open - Overdue, or N/A for canceled moves.
Review Daily Output and Estimated Yard Cost
The selected-date measures show Completed Moves, Average Turnaround Minutes, Service Level Met, and Estimated Move Cost. Additional summaries count open moves by status and priority, completed moves by type, unassigned work beyond the alert, records needing correction, and held moves. Two charts visualize open moves by status and completed moves by type.
Estimated Move Cost multiplies Move Cycle Minutes by the hourly rate in Settings. It is a planning estimate only, not an accounting, payroll, billing, or invoicing value.
Common questions
About this workbook
The Move Log contains 300 prepared data rows, from row 6 through row 305. Some rows near the top contain sample dispatch records, while the remaining blank operating rows already include the calculated formulas in columns P:T and W:X. The log is formatted as a table covering A5:X305.
No. There is no telematics, GPS, yard management system, or other integration in the workbook. Locations, assignments, statuses, and timestamps must be entered manually. Time-dependent formulas use Excel's NOW function and change when Excel recalculates, not through live position updates.
Yes. The Assets instructions say to keep inactive resources for historical reference while avoiding their assignment to new moves. The master lists include an Active? field, but the dispatch dropdown ranges reference the full truck, spotter, and location ranges. Confirm active status before making a new assignment.
The priority determines the target turnaround through the Settings lookup. Total Turnaround Minutes is compared with that target. An unfinished move beyond its target receives Open - Overdue; one still within target receives Open - On Track. A completed move is classified as Met or Missed.
No. The calculation uses Move Cycle Minutes divided by 60 and multiplied by the hourly operating-cost setting. It does not include any other cost categories confirmed by the workbook. Treat the result only as an internal planning estimate, not a financial, tax, payroll, or billing record.
Editorial team
Prepared and checked with care
Casey Morgan
Fleet operations editorCasey turns dispatch, driver, vehicle, and delivery workflows into clear workbook guides.
About the editorial identities
Jordan Lee
Workbook quality editorJordan documents the automated formula, recalculation, download, and usability checks applied before publication.
About the editorial identities