Instrument Cable Schedule Template
An instrument cable schedule with every column needed for procurement and installation. The sheet totals the cable length by type and adds your wastage allowance for ordering.
Download
- How to Use sheet with steps
- Template sheet, blank and ready
- Example sheet, filled in
- 8 built in formulas
- A4 landscape print setup
- Works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice
Preview of the Filled Example
This is the Example sheet from the download, so you can see exactly how the completed instrument cable schedule looks.
Cable schedule
| Cable number | From | To | Cable type | Pairs / cores | Size (mm²) | Screen | Length (m) | Gland size | Route / tray | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IC 1101 | PT 1101 | JB 11 | Single pair, overall screened, armoured | 1P | 1.5 | Overall | 35 | M20 Ex d | T 11 A | Closed | |
| IC 2101 | TT 2101 | JB 11 | Single pair, overall screened, armoured | 1P | 1.5 | Overall | 48 | M20 Ex d | T 11 B | Closed | |
| IC 3101 | FT 3101 | JB 12 | Single pair, overall screened, armoured | 1P | 1.5 | Overall | 22 | M20 Ex d | T 12 A | Open | |
| MP 11 01 | JB 11 | Marshalling MC 1 | 12 pair, individual and overall screened, armoured | 12P | 1 | Individual + overall | 180 | M40 Ex d | Main rack R1 | Closed | |
| MP 12 01 | JB 12 | Marshalling MC 1 | 12 pair, individual and overall screened, armoured | 12P | 1 | Individual + overall | 210 | M40 Ex d | Main rack R1 | Open | |
| PC 4101 | XV 4101 SOV | JB 41 | 3 core, armoured | 3C | 1.5 | None | 18 | M20 Ex d | T 41 A | Open |
About the Instrument Cable Schedule
The cable schedule tells the installation team which cable to pull, from where, to where and by which route, and tells procurement how much cable of each type to buy. It is one of the most frequently used documents on site during construction.
How to fill in this template
- Give every cable a unique number that matches the cable tag at both ends.
- Fill From and To with the instrument, junction box or panel tag.
- Specify the cable type, pairs or cores, size and screen so procurement can order correctly.
- Enter the estimated route length; after pulling, update with the actual length.
- Use Status to track installation progress and the totals to order cable with wastage.
What the formulas do
- Total length = SUM of lengths.
- Order quantity = ROUNDUP(total × (1 + wastage % ÷ 100)).
- Installed and pending counts use the Status column.
Related tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cable schedule?
A list of every cable with its number, start and end points, type, size, length, glands and route.
What wastage allowance should I use?
Typically 5 to 10 % for instrument cables, more for short runs with many terminations.
Should screens be earthed at both ends?
Instrument cable screens are normally earthed at one end only, in the control room, to avoid earth loops.
Learn more on the blog
Instrument cable schedule: 10 essential columns done right
A practical guide on instrumentationblog.in that explains the procedure behind this template and how engineers apply it on real plants.
Read Full Article