Building a creator delivery tracker

Build the tracker around deliverables. Give every promised post or file its own row: owner, dates, current state, and a reference to the exact version under review. A creator may owe several assets with different deadlines; a single row marked “creator complete” can hide an unfinished item.

Make each row answer a question

Start from the accepted scope. Record deliverable ID, creator, asset and format, publishing account, brand owner, brand input date, draft due date, feedback due date, publication window and completion evidence. Link to the accepted agreement; the tracker does not change it.

Use a named time zone when contributors work across Australian states or overseas. Show a genuine publication window as a window, not a false single deadline.

Use states that lead to action

A compact set is booked, waiting for brand input, in production, draft received, changes requested, approved, scheduled, published and closed. Add on hold when release has stopped. For each waiting state, define the next owner and write the blocker in words; colour alone will not tell someone what to do.

Keep approved separate from published. Approval belongs to a specified draft and caption under the conditions known at review. Publication needs a final release decision and evidence that the post appeared. Store the live URL and time; do not mark a scheduled item complete.

Preserve changes and review the next decision

When a date or asset changes, retain the original commitment and record the proposed and accepted replacement, the reason and who agreed it. Update the tracker after the change is agreed. A cell edit alone does not show that both sides accepted new work, timing or price.

For example, in a hypothetical campaign with one video and two story frames, the video may be ready for review while a story waits for a product fact from the brand. Separate rows show that distinction. The example describes a tracker use, not a campaign result.

At each review, ask which brand inputs are due, which publication windows are at risk and which approved items still await release. After publication, attach the final asset reference, URL and agreed handover evidence. The tracker is useful when a new team member can identify the next action without reconstructing the message thread.

Key Metrics for Creator Tracking