20 Free Printable Attendance Sheet Templates (Word, Excel, PDF)

Whether for a school or a business event, keeping track of attendance can be an important tool. More than just a list of names, it can gather details for marketing or keep track of lessons that absent students may have missed.

What is an Attendance List?

An attendance list can be a simple or complex document, depending on the context that which it is used. It lists the names of those who have attended a class, day at work, function, or event. Attendance lists will differ from one use to another, recording the most important details to you.

What Is an Attendance Sheet Template?

An attendance sheet template is a basic structure that you will use time and again to record the attendance. It can be adapted to add or remove fields of data before use. It means not having to create an attendance sheet or list document from scratch every time you need one.

Attendance Sheet Templates & Examples

    Attendance List Template (Word)

    Attendance List Template for Word

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    Meeting Attendance List Template (Excel)

    Meeting Attendance List Template for Excel®

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    Student Attendance List Template (Excel)

    Student Attendance List Template

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    Why An Attendance List Matters

    When it comes to work and school, attendance is a crucial key. Low attendance can impact how well a school does or how efficiently a business runs. It can help to alert those in charge of any issues relating to attendance. For example, keeping track of student attendance alerts teachers to issues with non-attending students missing specific lessons. They can then reach out to those students to offer help that allows them to stay caught up.

    Importance of Attendance in Work Ethics

    When it comes to the workplace, attendance is a key factor. It’s not only essential to keep a business running efficiently, but it also helps employees to build a strong work foundation so that they can have a successful career. Employees with good attendance ethics show that they are dedicated to the company they are working for, which allows them to be trusted with tasks that are important over time. Attendance issues can negatively impact a business:

    Disruption to Workflow

    Poor attendance in the workplace can impact work performance on many levels. It can require a manager to restructure the workflow, which can have a knock-on effect on other employees who have to take on more work. This can, in turn, lead to things being rushed and mistakes being made.

    Lowers Morale and Raises Stress

    When workloads are increased, it can cause stress for many employees. When impacted with additional work, the overload can make the employees take on that extra work tired. They struggle to stay on top of their own responsibilities, which affects efficiency and morale in the workplace. Once employees start to feel burned out, they may choose to look for work elsewhere.

    Raises Costs

    When employees keep missing work, the company may have to hire additional staff to keep up with the needs of the company. You have to take into account that they will need time to be trained, which can slow things down until they are caught up to speed.

    This is why it’s important to uphold a strong work ethic when it comes to attendance in the workplace. If you don’t, it will send out the message that attendance doesn’t matter, and there will be nothing to deter employees from taking off of work excessively.

    How to Make an Attendance List Template

    Using Excel is the best way to create an attendance list template that can be adjusted when needed. Your attendance list spreadsheet can be as simple or as complex as needed, but there are some required specifics that you should have in your template. You have columns and rows to utilize. Let’s use a school attendance list for an example:

    Create the Basic Labels

    Your first step is to label your columns:

    • Column 1 – Students’ last name
    • Column 2- Students’ first name
    • Column 3 – dates – this usually spans the school week, minus the weekend. Be sure to format the cells for dates by highlighting the cell, then right-clicking and choosing the “format Cell” option. From here, you can choose the “Number” tab and choose one of the date options given or choose custom.
    • Column 4 – Total – this is used to tally up the total number of attendees or amount of days attended, depending on what you require

    You can add additional columns to your attendance list templates, such as email addresses, mobile numbers, or specific needs of attendees. An attendance list can cover one day broken down into hours, or a whole month, broken down into weeks and days.

    Adding Lines and Color

    Adding borders and color can help you distinguish areas more quickly. To add borders, highlight the area of the sheet that contains your data, select the “Home” tab, Grid, and then “All Borders”. You can additionally add different colors for each column heading.

    Adding Up Totals

    To automatically add up the Totals column, you will need to add a formula. In the first Total slot, type =SUM. Then, using the Shift + Right Arrow keys, scroll to the end of your row and press enter. To copy this formula for all rows, highlight the last slot on that row and drag this down to the last row on your sheet. You can add formulas to tally up any row or column that you choose.

    FAQs

    Why is it important to check the attendance list during a meeting?

    By checking your attendance list, you will be not only able to keep track of who has attended but also hold accountable anyone who has not shown up. It helps to keep track of participation, especially if the meeting taking place requires votes.

    What is the purpose of attendance management?

    Attendance Management helps a company track employee hours. This can be used to help total hourly pay rates and track when employees are taking time off. It allows management to plan the workflow better when employees are going to be out of work.

    What causes attendance problems in schools?

    According to many parents, bullying is one of the biggest causes of attendance issues in school, as well as peer pressure and conflicts with teachers. There are also cases where problems in the home impact attendance for students.

    What is good attendance at school?

    Most schools consider good attendance between 95% – and 100% or under 10 days missed in a school year.

    Why is attendance important for teachers?

    As a teacher, you should be setting a good example for your students. When teachers miss days, it disrupts the curriculum of what is being learned. It requires the school to find a substitute teacher, who may not be able to pick up where the class left off. It’s almost like the students are missing a day of school as well. Teacher attendance is crucial for students and their academic achievements.

    Key Points

    Attendance is important for the workplace, schools, meetings, and events. The reasons for keeping track of attendance differ from one situation to the next. Attendance lists are created for various reasons, such as weddings, birthdays, classes, and work meetings. An attendance list can help track where there may be issues in the workplace, the classroom, or even at events. It can hold people accountable; for example, an attendee can’t complain about a policy that they were present to vote on. Attendance lists can be a very useful tool.