Wall planners - a guide

Why use a wall planner?

A wall planner is a large chart or grid similar to a calendar, with empty slots for recording important data over a period of time. Wall planners provide a visual summary of key information so that it can be accessed in a hurry.

An office manager might put up a planner to record staff holidays or manage a project, for example. Employees can see at a glance when their colleagues are on vacation, or check on deadlines for their work.

Wall planners serve many different purposes in various work settings. Whether you are building a skyscraper, planning a university dissertation, or organising a big charity event, a wall planner can help you chart your progress. Most people find it reduces stress to have a visual memory aid.

Wall planners are frequently designed to record a year’s data, but they sometimes cover a month for short term projects, or two years for long-range planning.

Choosing a wall planner

Here are a few more points to consider:

• The price varies enormously depending on specifications. A simple laminated chart bonded between two sheets of clear, hard-wearing plastic can cost as little as £5, while a sophisticated performance-planning board with a lightweight aluminium frame and a magnetic surface could cost between £200 and £600. Top of the range mounted products usually come with high-quality accessories (such as magnetic nameplates and coloured strips) included in the price
• Most wall planners have a landscape orientation, but a limited number of portrait-style planners are also available
• Academic planners are available for charting the school or college year. There are also fiscal planners to record financial information and European year planners which include both EU and UK bank holidays to assist businesses.