How to use Planly Class Act

Your template lives in your own Google Drive, so the first step is making your personal copy.

1. Open the PDF from your Etsy purchase (Etsy → You → Purchases and reviews → Download files).
2. Click the “Make my copy” button. If you're asked, sign in to your Google account.
3. Google shows a “Copy document” screen. Click the blue “Make a copy” button.
4. Your copy opens. Rename it if you like (click the title in the top-left), e.g. “Fall 2027 Planner”.

Classes and professors you type here appear in the dropdowns on almost every other tab, so start here.

1. Open SETUP. Under CLASSES, type each class name (e.g. “BIO 101”, “Calculus II”).
2. Under PROFESSOR/INSTRUCTOR, type the name of each instructor.
3. Check the GRADE list (A+ to F). Change it if your school uses a different scale.
4. Review PRIORITY (High, Medium, Low) and STATUS (Started, Not Started, In Progress, Cancelled, Skipped, Hold).

Enter each class once (with its time and how often it meets) and the timetable builds itself.

1. Open CLASS SCHEDULE. Choose a CLASS NAME and PROFESSOR from the dropdowns.
2. Type the LOCATION (building and room).
3. Pick a START TIME and END TIME from the dropdowns (they go in 15-minute steps).
4. Enter the START DATE, the first day this class meets. DAY fills in automatically.
5. Choose CLASS REPEAT: Once, Weekly or Bi Weekly.

Planly Class Act · Class schedule

SCHEDULE turns your class list into a week-by-week timetable and warns you if anything clashes.

1. Open SCHEDULE. Set YEAR, MONTH and START DAY in the SCHEDULE PLANNER settings.
2. Choose a START HOUR so the grid begins when your day does (e.g. 7:00 or 8:00).
3. Pick the week you want to see (Week 1 to Week 6) from the dropdown.
4. In CLASS COLOR CODING, choose a class next to each color to color-code your timetable.
5. Watch for the OL marker: it flags a start date and hour overlap or a class overlap, so you can fix the times on CLASS SCHEDULE.

Go through each syllabus once and enter every graded deadline. This feeds your calendar and dashboard.

1. Open PROJECT / ASSIGNMENT / EXAM. Choose the CLASS NAME and the type in ASSIGNMENT / EXAM / PROJECT.
2. Add a DESCRIPTION, then choose a PRIORITY and STATUS.
3. Enter the DATE and TIME it's due. DAYS LEFT counts down automatically.
4. Use NOTES for topics, chapters or submission details, and add the WEIGHT (how much it counts toward your grade).
5. When it's done, tick DONE. Once you get it back, choose the GRADE.
6. Use the FILTER DATA panel to show only certain items by COMPLETED TASK, CLASS NAME, CATEGORY, PRIORITY, STATUS, DATES BETWEEN, DAYS LEFT, GRADE or WEIGHT. OVERALL PROGRESS shows how much is done.

For everything that isn't graded: buy a lab coat, email your advisor, renew a library book.

1. Open TO-DO LIST and type a TASK NAME.
2. Choose a STATUS and PRIORITY, and enter a DUE DATE. DAYS LEFT updates on its own.
3. Add a NOTE if you need one.
4. Tick DONE when it's finished. TASK DUE TODAY shows what needs doing today.
5. Use the TO-DO LIST FILTER to view by COMPLETED TASK, STATUS, DAYS LEFT, PRIORITY or a START DATE range (FROM: / TO:).

The calendar pulls in your to-dos, projects, exams and assignments, and lets you add one-off deadlines.

1. Open CALENDAR. Choose the month and a START DAY (Sunday or Monday).
2. Under ADD PUNCTUAL DEADLINES, add one-off dates like registration or a scholarship deadline: DEADLINE NAME, CLASS NAME and DUE DATE.
3. Use the LEGEND to tell items apart: To-do, Project, Exam, Assignment and Punctual each have their own icon.
4. Use DO NOT SHOW THE FOLLOWING: to hide categories you don't need right now.

The finance tracker is a full budget for the period you choose: a month, a semester or the school year.

1. Open FINANCE TRACKER. Set the BUDGET PERIOD (start date to end date) and type your CURRENCY SYMBOL.
2. Enter your STARTING BALANCE in the BUDGET SUMMARY.
3. List your INCOME sources (job, allowance, financial aid) with the EXPECTED amount.
4. Fill in BILLS and SUBSCRIPTIONS (category, due date and budget), EXPENSES (groceries, books, transport…), DEBTS and SAVINGS.
5. Check the BUDGET SUMMARY: AMOUNT LEFT shows what's unassigned after income, expenses & bills, debt payments and savings.

Each transaction updates the REAL column next to your plan, so you always know where you stand.

1. Scroll to TRANSACTION TRACKER on FINANCE TRACKER.
2. Enter the DATE and AMOUNT of each purchase, payment or paycheck.
3. Choose the BUDGET NAME it belongs to and CATEGORY fills in automatically.
4. Add a short DESCRIPTION if it helps.
5. Review WHERE DOES MY MONEY GO? and WHEN DO I SPEND MY MONEY? to see your spending patterns.

Three simple tabs round out your semester.

1. ATTENDANCE: set the YEAR and MONTH, choose each CLASS NAME, then pick a mark for each day: ✅ present, ❌ absent, ⚠️ late or *️⃣ no classes. The PRESENT, ABSENT, LATE and NO CLASSES totals count themselves.
2. READING LIST: choose the CLASS NAME, then add the BOOK TITLE/ARTICLE, AUTHOR, DUE DATE and PERSONAL NOTES.
3. CONTACTS: add each NAME, ROLE/POSITION, EMAIL and PHONE NUMBER. Use the FILTER at the top to show only one role, like professors or classmates.

Once your tabs are filled in, the dashboard is your home screen. You don't type here except for the deadline filters.

1. DUE TODAY lists everything due today across your calendar.
2. UPCOMING DEADLINE shows what's coming next with DUE ON and DESCRIPTION. Use FILTER UPCOMING DEADLINE to set a From:/To: date range and a CATEGORY.
3. CLASS OVERVIEW summarizes your classes.
4. FINANCE OVERVIEW shows income & starting balance, savings, bills, subscriptions, expenses and debts.
5. ATTENDANCE SUMMARY totals your present, absent, late and no-class days.

Planly Class Act · Dashboard

A few minutes each week keeps the whole planner accurate.

1. Add new assignments and exams as soon as they're announced.
2. Tick DONE and enter grades as work comes back.
3. Switch the month on ATTENDANCE and CALENDAR at the start of each month.
4. When a new budget period starts, update BUDGET PERIOD and STARTING BALANCE on FINANCE TRACKER.