A relationship tracker spreadsheet gives you one place to remember people, review your last conversation, and choose a thoughtful next step.
You can build this template in Google Sheets or Excel using the column headings and formulas below. Start with a small circle of friends, former colleagues, mentors, or referral partners. Add more people when the weekly review feels useful.
If you are new to the idea, read what a relationship tracker does before deciding what to record.
Dextr is our first pick on Apple devices for maintaining relationship context after a conversation. Use its contact and relationship views to remember the people involved, with Pro Journal Entries for dated notes and reminders for the next action.
This guide is published by Dextr. The recommendation reflects the workflow described here.
Create the template
Open a blank spreadsheet. Put the following headings in row 1, with each heading in its own column from A through L:
- A: Name
- B: Relationship
- C: How we met
- D: Last conversation
- E: Last contact
- F: Interval (days)
- G: Next check-in
- H: Days since
- I: Status
- J: Next action
- K: Introduced by
- L: Context
For a quicker start, copy this comma-separated header line into a plain text file, save it with a .csv extension, and import it into Sheets or Excel. It contains the same twelve columns:
Name,Relationship,How we met,Last conversation,Last contact,Interval (days),Next check-in,Days since,Status,Next action,Introduced by,ContextEnter one person per row. Format columns E and G as dates, and F and H as whole numbers. Freeze the header row and add a filter so you can review the people you want to contact.
Add the date formulas
The following formulas assume the first person is in row 2. They use English function names and comma separators. Some spreadsheet locales require semicolons instead of commas.
In G2, calculate the next check-in from the last-contact date and your chosen interval:
=IF(A2="","",IF(E2="","",IF(F2="","",E2+F2)))In H2, calculate the number of days since the last recorded contact:
=IF(A2="","",IF(E2="","",TODAY()-E2))In I2, display a status that identifies missing information, future dates, and people ready for a check-in:
=IF(A2="","",IF(E2="","Add date",IF(E2>TODAY(),"Check date",IF(F2="","Add interval",IF(F2<=0,"Check interval",IF(G2<=TODAY(),"Ready to reconnect","Later"))))))Copy G2:I2 down alongside the rows you plan to use. The row references change for each person. Leave formula columns alone when updating your contact details.
These formulas provide a review list when you open the spreadsheet. They do not send notifications, access your messages, or update the last-contact date automatically.
What belongs in each field?
Name and relationship
Use a name you will recognize and a relationship description that helps you find the person. Friend, former colleague, mentor, and collaborator are useful starting points.
A person can occupy several roles. Choose the most useful description and put overlapping context in the Context column. Avoid adding duplicate rows for the same person.
How we met and introduced by
Record the occasion and the person who connected you, if applicable. “Jordan's workshop at the library” will probably be easier to remember than “Networking.”
Keep the introducer in its own column so you can filter for people connected through the same person.
Last conversation and context
Use Last conversation for the topic you might continue next time. Use Context for information that remains useful across conversations, such as a shared hobby or preferred way to arrange a catch-up.
A practical note might be “Planning a weekend workshop; asked for venue ideas.” It gives your next message a starting point without becoming a transcript.
Last contact and interval
Enter an actual conversation date. Leave it blank when you do not know rather than inventing a precise history.
Choose an interval that fits the relationship. Thirty days could suit a former colleague, while a different rhythm may suit a close friend. Review the choice after a few weeks.
Next action
Write something you can do: “Send the venue link,” “Ask how the move went,” or “Suggest coffee next week.”
A general interval is a prompt to reconnect. A specific promise may need a separate calendar reminder so its deadline does not get lost.
Try a fictional example
Suppose Maya is a friend you met through Jordan at a community workshop. You spoke on October 20 and want to check in after 30 days.
Enter Maya's name, Friend, the workshop context, October 20 as a real date, and 30 as the interval. The next check-in becomes November 19. Put “Ask how the workshop went” in Next action.
After a meaningful conversation on November 3, replace the last-contact date. The next check-in moves to December 3. Update the conversation topic and any new commitment.
The dates here illustrate the calculation. Replace them with your own information.
Review the spreadsheet each week
Filter Status to “Ready to reconnect.” Choose a few people you have time to contact, read their notes, and reach out through your usual channel.
When you finish, update the contact date and next action. Remove obsolete details. If the list stays too large, reduce its scope or adjust intervals.
Store the spreadsheet where you can find it, and check sharing permissions before entering personal notes. A shared professional contact list may need different information from your private friendship notes.
When an app becomes easier
A spreadsheet is flexible, but you maintain the dates, formulas, and review habit yourself. Consider an app when you want reminders beside contact profiles, a conversation history, or connections between people.
Dextr provides those relationship tools on Apple devices, with Journal Entries available in Pro. Its reminder guide explains how ongoing check-ins differ from dated tasks.
Before moving, decide which fields you actually use. This template is a standalone tracker, and it is not a claim that Dextr imports every spreadsheet column.
For help comparing approaches, see CRM versus spreadsheet.
Put the workflow into practice with Dextr
Dextr on iPhone: record the conversation
Dark-mode app examples below use fictional demonstration contacts.
On iPhone, a Pro Journal Entry preserves the conversation and the next promised resource.
Dextr on iPad: explore relationship connections
On iPad, Social Graph provides a different way to explore the relationships around the contact.
Common questions
Can I use this template for friends and work contacts?
Yes. Keep enough context to distinguish the relationships, and separate files when their privacy or sharing needs differ.
What happens when I add another person?
Add a new row and copy the formulas into columns G through I. Check that they refer to the new person's row.
Does the spreadsheet measure relationship quality?
No. Its status reflects the date and interval you entered. Use it to organize your attention, with room for the circumstances of each relationship.
Start with Dextr
Keep the context from your conversations and a reason to reconnect with Dextr. Install Dextr from the App Store.