Template Library
Definition of Done and Quality Gate Checklist
An Excel workbook for delivery quality: a written definition of done, a release gate log with pass rates, and a monthly log of the four DORA delivery metrics.
The Definition of Done tab is an Excel Table of the items a change or release must satisfy, with a category, whether the gate is automated or manual, the evidence expected, and whether it is required. The Release Gate Log records the result of each item for each release as Pass, Fail, or Waived, looks up the item description, and calculates checks, failures, waivers, and pass rate by release.
The Delivery Metrics tab logs deployments, failed deployments, median lead time, and median time to restore each month, and calculates change failure rate and deployments per week with two charts. Example items, two releases, and six months of metrics are included so you can see the formulas working before you replace them.
Download Definition of Done and Quality Gate Checklist Back to Templates
What Is Included in the Workbook
| Sheet | Purpose | What Teams Capture |
|---|---|---|
| How-To | Guidance and disclaimer | Steps, notes, and good practice |
| Definition of Done | Agreed criteria (Excel Table) | Item, applies to, category, automated or manual, evidence, required |
| Release Gate Log | Gate results (Excel Table) and summary | Release, date, item ID, result, owner, notes; item lookup, and pass rate by release |
| Delivery Metrics | Monthly DORA log and charts | Deployments, failures, lead time, restore time; change failure rate and deployments per week calculate |
Key Features Inside the Template
A Written Definition of Done
A single table of agreed items removes ambiguity about what finished means, for a change and for a release.
Gate Results by Release
Record Pass, Fail, or Waived per item, with owner and notes, and see the pass rate per release.
Four Delivery Metrics
Log deployments, failures, lead time, and restore time monthly, and see change failure rate and deployment frequency trend.
Automated and Manual Gates Distinguished
Marking each item as automated or manual shows where checks could be automated to speed feedback.
Best Use Cases
- Agreeing a definition of done with a team
- Recording release readiness checks in a lightweight way
- Tracking whether delivery speed and stability are improving together
- Preparing a delivery review with leadership
How to Use the Template Effectively
- Agree the definition of done with the team, and mark which items are automated.
- For each release, record each item's result, and investigate any Fail before release.
- Use Waived sparingly, and note the reason and the risk accepted.
- Enter the month's delivery metrics, using consistent definitions.
- Review the trend, and choose the next automation or practice to try.
Who Should Use This Template
- Engineering leads, release managers, and QA leads
- Platform and DevOps teams building pipelines
- Teams adopting continuous delivery
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Setting a coverage target as a gate and getting tests that assert nothing
- Waiving failed checks routinely, which teaches people to ignore gates
- Changing metric definitions between months, so trends are not comparable
- Comparing teams on delivery metrics instead of using them to improve each team's own system
Important Notes
Definition of Done and Quality Gate Checklist Frequently Asked Questions
How is change failure rate calculated in the workbook?
It divides failed deployments by total deployments for the month. Define a failed deployment consistently, for example a deployment that caused an outage or needed a rollback or hotfix, and apply the same definition each month.
How are deployments per week calculated?
The workbook divides the month's deployments by the number of weeks in that month, calculated as the days in the month divided by seven, so months of different lengths are comparable.
Can I add more items or months?
Yes. The Definition of Done has 30 formatted rows, the Release Gate Log 200, and Delivery Metrics 36 months. Drag the table's resize handle to add rows, and copy the formulas in the calculated columns.