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Internal Communications Editorial Planning

A filled-in, three-page intranet site for coordinating internal communications: it explains the planning rhythm, how to prepare a slot request, and the checks to make before publishing. Use Communications Hub and Calendar for live dates, owners, availability, and status.

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Every employee gets a seat — priced per employee in Communications & Intranet, quoted with this template ready.

Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.

Built for: Multi-location employers · Healthcare organizations · Retail and frontline operations · Manufacturing

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Overview

Internal Communications Editorial Planning is a filled-in, three-page intranet site that helps colleagues coordinate messages without turning a static page into a second editorial calendar. Its fictional Northstar example introduces the planning practice, shows how to prepare a slot request, and provides practical checks for purpose, audience, timing, channel, ownership, and changes. The navigation links these three reader tasks so a planner can move from orientation to preparation and reference.

Use the site when communications planners, campaign owners, reviewers, and publishers need shared guidance before coordinating work in a live planning app. The Requesting a Slot page prompts people to explain what employees need to know or do, who needs the message, the preferred timing and constraints, and who owns decisions or follow-up. Planning Rules reminds users to check current activity and coordinate overlaps. The pages explicitly direct readers to Communications Hub and Calendar for current dates, availability, status, owners, and handoffs.

This template does not contain live calendar data, define a submission route, set request lead times, assign organizational owners, or specify approval requirements. Before rollout, confirm the app’s configured request and help routes and replace the fictional organization context with approved information. Do not use this site as the source of truth for a campaign schedule or copy live dates into its guidance pages. If your need is a working calendar, request form, or approval process, configure that separately; this site explains how to plan around it.

Standards & compliance context

Treat the template as planning guidance rather than evidence of legal compliance or approval; apply the communications and recordkeeping rules relevant to your organization and locations.
Check that each channel and message format is accessible to its intended audience, including employees with different roles, locations, shifts, and access needs.
Use clear headings, descriptive navigation labels, and readable page content to support WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility practices for intranet pages.
Keep the current owner, status, and change record in the configured planning app where your internal governance process requires them; this site does not create an audit trail.

General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.

What's inside this template

How We Plan Communications

Plan the message. Match the moment.
A practical guide for Northstar colleagues who plan, review, or publish internal communications. Northstar is a fictional, multi-location employer with office and frontline teams. Use this page to understand the practice; open Communications Hub and Calendar for the live work.
Why we plan together
The practice, in brief A shared editorial rhythm helps teams coordinate messages, spot competing demands on employees’ attention, and choose a channel that fits the audience and the work. It gives campaign owners and publishers a common point to discuss purpose, timing, and handoffs. This site explains how to plan; it is not the schedule. Current dates, availability, status, owners, and publishing details belong in Communications Hub and Calendar .
The editorial rhythm
A repeatable conversation—not a second schedule Use these stages to frame the work. Check Communications Hub and Calendar for the current timing, assigned owners, and status. Start with the brief State the communication’s purpose, intended audience, useful action or information, and responsible owner. Consider timing and channel Check the live calendar for relevant activity and discuss which channel can reach the intended audience appropriately. Confirm the handoff Coordinate the next action and current status with the people listed in Communications Hub and Calendar. Publish and keep the plan current Follow the agreed publishing handoff, then update the live planning record when timing, ownership, or status changes.
Coming up
Do the live planning in Communications Hub and Calendar
Open the app for current plans and availability. This guide does not contain live calendar data or a separate request route. Check the current schedule and status. Coordinate a slot request and its handoff. Keep changes in the live planning record.
Choose your next step
Use the companion pages for practical guidance. Requesting a Slot Prepare the information to discuss in Communications Hub and Calendar. Planning Rules Apply shared checks for purpose, audience, timing, and channel fit.

Requesting a Slot

Requesting a communications slot
Use the live planning app Requests and current availability are handled in Communications Hub and Calendar , not on this page. Open the app to find the current route and coordinate with the listed owner. The exact submission route and any required approval should be confirmed in your organization’s app setup. Before you start, gather the information below so the planning conversation can focus on audience, timing, and next steps.
Prepare a useful request
A concise brief helps the team assess fit Describe the purpose Say what employees need to know or do, and why the message is needed. Name the intended audience Identify the roles, teams, locations, or shifts the message is meant to serve. Do not assume one channel reaches everyone. Suggest timing and explain constraints Share a preferred window and any reason it matters. Check the live calendar rather than relying on a date copied elsewhere. Consider channel and ownership Suggest a channel if you have a reason it fits, and identify the role or team responsible for decisions and follow-up. Coordinate in the app Open Communications Hub and Calendar, use its configured request or coordination route, and check the live record for the next handoff.
Submit or coordinate through the app
Communications Hub and Calendar is the place to check the current route and availability. If the route or ownership is unclear, ask the communications planning team through your established internal help channel; this template does not define a new contact. Use the request route configured in the app. Check the live schedule before treating a preferred time as available. Follow the owner and handoff shown in the app.
Common questions
How far ahead should I request a slot? Check the guidance in Communications Hub and Calendar. This explainer does not set a lead time; confirm the current expectation in the app before promising a date. What if my preferred time is unavailable? Use the app to review current availability and coordinate an alternative with the listed owner. Revisit the audience need and timing constraint before choosing another slot. What if the plan changes after I request a slot? Update or coordinate the change through the route in Communications Hub and Calendar so the live status and handoff remain clear.
Related guidance
How We Plan Communications Understand the shared editorial rhythm. Planning Rules Check the principles to apply before publication.

Planning Rules

Planning rules
Use the live app as the source for current plans Keep the current schedule, status, ownership, and handoff in Communications Hub and Calendar. Before publishing, make the purpose clear, consider who needs the message, check timing, and choose a channel that fits the audience and the work.
Checks for every planned message
Practical principles for a useful, coordinated plan Purpose before placement Be clear about the employee need before selecting a slot or channel. State the information or action employees need. Keep supporting detail proportionate to that purpose. Audience before reach Plan for the people who need the message, including differences in role, location, or shift where relevant. Name the intended audience in the brief. Check whether the proposed channel is accessible to that audience. Check timing in the live plan Coordinate around current communications activity rather than relying on copied dates or an offline list. Review the current calendar before confirming timing. Coordinate overlaps when they may compete for the same audience’s attention. Make ownership and change visible Keep the next action and responsible role clear in the app. Confirm who owns the next handoff in the live record. Use Communications Hub and Calendar to coordinate changes to timing or status.
When plans need attention
Two messages may reach the same audience at once. What should I do? Check the current plan in Communications Hub and Calendar and coordinate with the listed owners. Consider whether timing or channel can be adjusted to make both messages easier to act on. A published plan needs to change. Where should the change go? Use the route in Communications Hub and Calendar to coordinate the change and keep the live status current. Do not treat a copy of the schedule on another page as authoritative. I am unsure who owns the next step. Who decides? Check the owner and handoff recorded in Communications Hub and Calendar. If those details are missing or unclear, use the communications team’s established internal help route; this guide does not assign an owner.
Check the live plan before you act
Communications Hub and Calendar holds the current schedule and coordination details. Verify current timing and status. Coordinate changes and potential overlaps with the listed owners. Use this page for principles, not live planning data.

How to use this template

Clone the site and replace the fictional Northstar context with confirmed organizational wording while preserving the distinction between guidance and live planning data.
Verify Communications Hub and Calendar, its configured request route, and the established internal help channel before publishing links or telling readers where to coordinate.
Ask each campaign owner to prepare the message purpose, intended audience, preferred timing and constraints, proposed channel, and responsible role before discussing a slot.
Have planners check the live calendar for current availability and overlapping communications, then coordinate the next handoff with the owner shown in the app.
After a timing, ownership, or status change, update the live planning record through its configured route and review the guidance pages when the process or app setup changes.

Best practices

Keep current dates, availability, owners, and publishing status in the live planning app rather than copying them into the guidance site.
Require a brief to state what employees need to know or do before selecting a channel or requesting a slot.
Name the intended roles, teams, locations, or shifts, and check that the proposed channel can reach that audience.
Check the live calendar before describing a preferred date as available or promising a publication time.
Coordinate messages that may compete for the same audience, and record agreed timing or status changes in the live plan.
Confirm the actual request route, approval expectations, and help channel with the app owner instead of inferring them from the template.
Use descriptive page headings and readable, accessible content so colleagues can scan the guidance and navigate to the relevant task.

What this template typically catches

Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:

A copied schedule on an intranet page is mistaken for current availability even though dates have changed.

A slot request names a publication date but does not explain the employee need or intended action.

A message is planned for a broad audience without identifying differences in role, location, or shift.

Two communications compete for the same audience because the planner did not check the live calendar.

A request route, approval expectation, or lead time is assumed even though the app setup does not define it.

A changed plan leaves the live status or next handoff unclear because the record was not updated.

The next owner is missing from the live record, so a request stalls or is sent through an improvised route.

Planning guidance becomes a wall of text or a second schedule, making the live source and next action hard to find.

Common use cases

Internal communications planner at a multi-location employer

Use How We Plan Communications to introduce the shared process, then direct campaign owners to prepare requests and check timing in the live planning app. The site’s fictional Northstar context is a starting example, not evidence of a specific organization’s policy.

Frontline campaign owner in retail or manufacturing

Use Requesting a Slot to identify the roles, locations, and shifts that need a message, and explain timing constraints before coordinating in the app. The channel and schedule still need to be checked against the live plan.

Healthcare communications publisher

Use Planning Rules to check audience, channel suitability, and potential message overlap before publication. Confirm applicable local requirements and the organization’s actual approval process separately.

Communications team onboarding a new contributor

Use the three linked pages to explain the planning stages, the information needed for a request, and where current ownership and status live. Verify the configured app route and help channel before directing new colleagues to them.

Frequently asked questions

What does this editorial planning template include?

It includes pages for understanding the shared planning rhythm, preparing a communications slot request, and applying planning rules. The sample site uses a fictional employer, Northstar, to show how the guidance fits together. It is not a calendar or a record of current campaigns.

Who should use the site, and who owns each communication?

The guide is intended for colleagues who plan, review, or publish internal communications. Each message’s responsible owner should be identified in your live planning record, not assumed from this template. Configure your organization’s established help route for cases where ownership or the next handoff is unclear.

How often should the planning pages and live schedule be updated?

Use the pages as standing guidance and review them when your planning process or app route changes. Update timing, ownership, and status in Communications Hub and Calendar whenever the live plan changes. This template does not prescribe a lead time or a fixed review cadence.

Does this template meet a regulatory or accessibility requirement?

It provides planning prompts, not legal or regulatory certification. Adapt the guidance to applicable internal policies and requirements in each location where communications will be used. Make the resulting pages and messages accessible, including clear headings, readable content, and channel choices suitable for the intended audience.

What should we do if dates conflict or the planned message changes?

Check the current calendar and coordinate with the owners shown in the live record. Discuss whether timing or channel should change, then update the plan through the app’s configured route so its status and handoff remain clear. Do not rely on copied dates on an intranet page.

What should we customize before publishing this site?

Replace the fictional Northstar framing with confirmed organizational context, and verify the names and descriptions of your live planning app and internal help route. Confirm the app’s actual request process, ownership fields, and any required approvals before describing them. Keep current dates and campaign status in the live planning record.

Does the template include a calendar integration or slot-request workflow?

No connected calendar, submission form, or approval workflow is specified in the supplied site structure. The pages direct readers to Communications Hub and Calendar and explain what to prepare before coordinating there. Configure and verify the app’s live source and request route separately.

How is this different from keeping an editorial schedule in a document?

The site separates reusable guidance from operational planning: its pages explain the process, while the live app remains the source for current dates, availability, status, owners, and handoffs. This avoids treating a static copy as the schedule. If your app is not configured or maintained, the site cannot provide current planning information by itself.

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Ready to use this template?

Every employee gets a seat. Request pricing for Communications & Intranet and we quote into a workspace with Internal Communications Editorial Planning ready.

Request pricing

Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.

3 pages How We Plan Communications Requesting a Slot Planning Rules

How We Plan Communications Plan the message. Match the moment. A practical guide for Northstar colleagues who plan, review, or publish internal communications. Northstar is a fictional, multi-location employer with office and frontline teams. Use this page to understand the practice; open Communications Hub and Calendar for the live work. Why we plan together The practice, in brief A shared editorial rhythm helps teams coordinate messages, spot competing demands on employees’ attention, and choose a channel that fits the audience and the work. It gives campaign owners and publishers a common point to discuss purpose, timing, and handoffs. This site explains how to plan; it is not the schedule. Current dates, availability, status, owners, and publishing details belong in Communications Hub and Calendar . The editorial rhythm A repeatable conversation—not a second schedule Use these stages to frame the work. Check Communications Hub and Calendar for the current timing, assigned owners, and status. Start with the brief State the communication’s purpose, intended audience, useful action or information, and responsible owner. Consider timing and channel Check the live calendar for relevant activity and discuss which channel can reach the intended audience appropriately. Confirm the handoff Coordinate the next action and current status with the people listed in Communications Hub and Calendar. Publish and keep the plan current Follow the agreed publishing handoff, then update the live planning record when timing, ownership, or status changes. Coming up Do the live planning in Communications Hub and Calendar Open the app for current plans and availability. This guide does not contain live calendar data or a separate request route. Check the current schedule and status. Coordinate a slot request and its handoff. Keep changes in the live planning record. Choose your next step Use the companion pages for practical guidance. Requesting a Slot Prepare the information to discuss in Communications Hub and Calendar. Planning Rules Apply shared checks for purpose, audience, timing, and channel fit. Requesting a Slot Requesting a communications slot Use the live planning app Requests and current availability are handled in Communications Hub and Calendar , not on this page. Open the app to find the current route and coordinate with the listed owner. The exact submission route and any required approval should be confirmed in your organization’s app setup. Before you start, gather the information below so the planning conversation can focus on audience, timing, and next steps. Prepare a useful request A concise brief helps the team assess fit Describe the purpose Say what employees need to know or do, and why the message is needed. Name the intended audience Identify the roles, teams, locations, or shifts the message is meant to serve. Do not assume one channel reaches everyone. Suggest timing and explain constraints Share a preferred window and any reason it matters. Check the live calendar rather than relying on a date copied elsewhere. Consider channel and ownership Suggest a channel if you have a reason it fits, and identify the role or team responsible for decisions and follow-up. Coordinate in the app Open Communications Hub and Calendar, use its configured request or coordination route, and check the live record for the next handoff. Submit or coordinate through the app Communications Hub and Calendar is the place to check the current route and availability. If the route or ownership is unclear, ask the communications planning team through your established internal help channel; this template does not define a new contact. Use the request route configured in the app. Check the live schedule before treating a preferred time as available. Follow the owner and handoff shown in the app. Common questions How far ahead should I request a slot? Check the guidance in Communications Hub and Calendar. This explainer does not set a lead time; confirm the current expectation in the app before promising a date. What if my preferred time is unavailable? Use the app to review current availability and coordinate an alternative with the listed owner. Revisit the audience need and timing constraint before choosing another slot. What if the plan changes after I request a slot? Update or coordinate the change through the route in Communications Hub and Calendar so the live status and handoff remain clear. Related guidance How We Plan Communications Understand the shared editorial rhythm. Planning Rules Check the principles to apply before publication. Planning Rules Planning rules Use the live app as the source for current plans Keep the current schedule, status, ownership, and handoff in Communications Hub and Calendar. Before publishing, make the purpose clear, consider who needs the message, check timing, and choose a channel that fits the audience and the work. Checks for every planned message Practical principles for a useful, coordinated plan Purpose before placement Be clear about the employee need before selecting a slot or channel. State the information or action employees need. Keep supporting detail proportionate to that purpose. Audience before reach Plan for the people who need the message, including differences in role, location, or shift where relevant. Name the intended audience in the brief. Check whether the proposed channel is accessible to that audience. Check timing in the live plan Coordinate around current communications activity rather than relying on copied dates or an offline list. Review the current calendar before confirming timing. Coordinate overlaps when they may compete for the same audience’s attention. Make ownership and change visible Keep the next action and responsible role clear in the app. Confirm who owns the next handoff in the live record. Use Communications Hub and Calendar to coordinate changes to timing or status. When plans need attention Two messages may reach the same audience at once. What should I do? Check the current plan in Communications Hub and Calendar and coordinate with the listed owners. Consider whether timing or channel can be adjusted to make both messages easier to act on. A published plan needs to change. Where should the change go? Use the route in Communications Hub and Calendar to coordinate the change and keep the live status current. Do not treat a copy of the schedule on another page as authoritative. I am unsure who owns the next step. Who decides? Check the owner and handoff recorded in Communications Hub and Calendar. If those details are missing or unclear, use the communications team’s established internal help route; this guide does not assign an owner. Check the live plan before you act Communications Hub and Calendar holds the current schedule and coordination details. Verify current timing and status. Coordinate changes and potential overlaps with the listed owners. Use this page for principles, not live planning data.