Create a Gantt chart in minutes with this free Gantt chart template for either Excel or ProjectManager. It’s a great way to visually track your project tasks and see the duration of the overall project. Once you schedule your tasks on our free Gantt chart template for Excel, you’ll never go back to an old-fashioned task list.
When you open the Gantt chart template in ProjectManager, you’ll be able to manage your project with not just a Gantt chart, but with five different views: Gantt, kanban board, task list, calendar and sheet. Plus, you’ll be able to collaborate on those tasks with your team in real time and track progress in the software with live dashboards and instant status reports. Get started for free with ProjectManager and build a dynamic Gantt chart in minutes.
What Is a Gantt Chart Template?
A Gantt chart template is a visual project management tool that helps project managers visualize the tasks that make up a project schedule. Gantt chart templates are usually made up of a spreadsheet that’s used to list tasks and a stacked bar chart, which represents the project timeline.
How Does This Gantt Chart Excel Template Work?
This free template helps project managers easily create a Gantt chart. Simply add tasks and due dates and our template will automatically create a stacked bar chart.
However, if you’re looking for more advanced features such as identifying task dependencies, assigning tasks to team members or finding the critical path, you should try ProjectManager’s Gantt chart template.
With our in-product template, you can compare your project plan and project schedule versus your actual progress. It’s also a means to view project milestones, baselines and critical activities.
Who Should Use a Gantt Chart Excel Template?
This Gantt chart Excel template is a tool to organize tasks and create a project schedule. This is under the purview of the project manager. However, while the project manager owns this process, they’ll seek help from the project management team members to make sure they’re prioritizing the right tasks and determining task dependencies correctly. Your team is your best resource to help you understand how each task interacts with the next.
Finally, stakeholders will want to see the Gantt chart template. They’re invested in the successful outcome of the project and want to be kept abreast of progress.
The Excel Gantt chart is simple to use for any user and acts as a point of comparison to your actual progress. When presenting to the stakeholders you can show them the project schedule and how it aligns with the actual progress. Again, if you’re a project manager or team leader looking for more advanced project management features, try ProjectManager’s in-product Gantt chart.
How to Use This Free Gantt Chart Template for Excel
Gantt charts can be complicated for novices, but Gantt chart templates make them simple and effective especially when they’re part of your larger project management software.
First, let’s explain how you can use this free Gantt chart Excel template as a standalone project management document to help you track your project’s schedule.
1. Fill Out Your Gantt Chart Task List
The Gantt chart isn’t drastically different from a task list. The first thing you should prepare before using your Excel Gantt chart template is a task-by-task breakdown of the project. Once you’ve identified your project tasks, you can begin listing those in column B.
2. Add Start and End Dates to the Gantt Template
Add due dates for those tasks using columns C and D. The data that you enter in these cells will be used to automatically calculate the duration of each task in column E. Simply add a start date and end date to your tasks and let the Excel formula do the rest.
3. Create a Stacked Bar Chart
Our free Gantt chart template for Excel automatically creates a stacked bar chart for you on the right side based on the task data you entered in columns B, C and D.
The horizontal axis shows the project timeline, the vertical axis lists tasks and each bar on the stacked bar chart represents the task duration. This is where the Gantt chart template stops being a task list and turns into a visual aid for managing your project.
4. Update Changes Manually to Your Excel Gantt Chart Template
Yes, our Excel Gantt chart template is an upgrade from a simple task list, but it’s still a static spreadsheet that’s limited to desktop use. If you want to update the template, you have to manually add more tasks to the data grid, update dates and fumble around with clunky Microsoft Excel.
Take your free Gantt chart template for Excel to the next level and import it into ProjectManager, our award-winning project management software. ProjectManager turns your template into a dynamic online Gantt chart with simple, drag-and-drop functionality.
Why Use an Excel Gantt Chart Template?
There are many different types of Gantt chart templates, some static and others more dynamic. This Gantt chart template for Excel is a static version. We’ll explain what it can do below.
Key Advantages of a Gantt Chart Template for Excel
You can list all your tasks on the Gantt chart, no matter how many you have in your project plan. Then you can set the duration, which means the start and finish dates. This data puts the tasks on the timeline, with a duration bar linking the start to the finish. To indicate the project phases, you can color-code the tasks. In a nutshell, this free template allows you to create a basic project schedule.
Key Disadvantages of a Gantt Chart Template for Excel
Not all tasks are the same. Some can’t start or finish until another task has started or finished. This is called task dependency. Keep in mind that the Gantt chart Excel template can’t link dependent tasks. You won’t be able to assign tasks to your team from this free template, and when they start to work on the project, their updates won’t reflect on the template in real time. You’ll have to manually add that data.
This roadblock, however, can be solved by importing your Excel Gantt chart template into ProjectManager. ProjectManager has an online Gantt chart that updates in real time and allows you to assign tasks to your team members, link task dependencies, set project milestones and identify the critical path. In addition, you can use the suite of robust project management tools that ProjectManager has to offer.
Other Free Excel Project Management Templates
The Gantt chart is one of the most used tools in a project manager’s toolbox for a reason. It’s a great way to organize and manage your tasks, build your project plan and create a schedule. To help you get the most out of your Gantt chart template, we have a page on our website devoted to free project management templates you can download. The following are a few you’ll find helpful.
WBS Template
Our free Gantt chart template for Excel helps you organize your tasks, but how do you collect them? To find every step you must take to reach your final project deliverable, use a work breakdown structure template. It’s a tool to visualize every deliverable or task in your project and shows you the total scope of the work that must be done. This step is taken before the Gantt, so make sure to be thorough.
Project Plan Template
Creating a project schedule with your Gantt chart template for Excel is part of the process of the overall project plan, which consists of the tasks and resources that you’ll need to successfully conclude the project. Our project plan template outlines all those pieces to make sure you have a complete picture when you’re done.
Project Budget Template
The project budget comes directly from the tasks. It speaks to the amount of money you have to supply resources to reach your final deliverable. Some Gantt chart templates allow you to add resource costs directly to the chart, so using this template will help you to estimate the costs associated with executing the project. You’ll need this information to track your costs during the project.
How to Import Your Excel Gantt Chart Template Into ProjectManager
To import your free Gantt chart template for Excel into ProjectManager, you first need to transfer the data in your Gantt chart to the Gantt view of a project, which can seamlessly import and export MS Project, Excel and CSV files. Once you’re in the Gantt view for your project, simply click the import button in the main navigation and choose the file you wish to import. From there, map the columns you want to retain, click import and your Excel template will be imported into the software.
How to Edit Your Gantt Chart Excel Template in ProjectManager
Once you import your Gantt chart template for Excel into ProjectManager, the real fun begins. What was once a static document is now a powerful interactive tool that can be used for collaborating with your team members.
ProjectManager is online project management software, so all tasks are stored remotely and can be easily shared with other team members wherever they are. That means that there’s task-level collaboration and file sharing with just a click of a button.
ProjectManager allows project managers to edit the Gantt chart online, so everybody on the team can see those changes in real time. When a deadline changes for a task, you can simply drag and drop the task timeline to reflect that change in your schedule. Things will change over the course of your project’s lifecycle, and you’re going to want an easy way to adjust your project schedule without having to waste time creating a new Gantt chart.
There are also the aforementioned task dependencies, which can complicate a schedule and potentially block team members. With ProjectManager, online Gantt charts have a feature where you can automate task dependencies so that when one task is delayed or completed, it adjusts the other tasks dependent on it. You can also automate emails to notify you and your team members when these tasks are completed. All of this combined with integrated reporting features take Gantt chart templates to the next level in ProjectManager.
Gantt Chart Tutorial Video
For more information on how to create and manage a Gantt chart, watch the video below. Jennifer Bridges, PMP, gives you a number of crucial tips that can help you get the most out of your Gantt chart template.
Gantt Chart Templates FAQs
Is There a Gantt Chart Template in Excel?
No, Microsoft Excel doesn’t offer a pre-built Gantt chart template. However, you can use ProjectManager’s Gantt chart template for Excel. Simply fill out the task list and automatically generate your Gantt chart. Plus, it’s a free download!
Is There a Gantt Chart Template in Word?
No, Microsoft Word doesn’t offer Gantt chart templates. While there are workarounds you can try to create a Gantt chart in Word, the process is overly time-consuming and inefficient if you need to manage a project. Instead, we suggest using ProjectManager’s Gantt chart.
Is There a Gantt Chart Template in PowerPoint?
Yes, Microsoft PowerPoint does have some Gantt chart templates. However, these are merely functional for a presentation and aren’t designed to manage projects. You’ll get just enough features to create a basic project timeline.
Related Content
Besides our free Gantt chart template for Excel, we have much more to offer to project managers. ProjectManager is a project management hub, a place where like-minded professionals can gather and discuss topics of interest. Our regular blog and video posts address ongoing issues for project managers, including subjects like Gantt charts and how to get the most out of them. Here are a few of those articles.
- The Ultimate Guide to Gantt Charts
- Gantt Chart Software
- Gantt Chart Dependencies: Understanding Task Dependency Types
- Gantt Chart vs. PERT Chart vs. Network Diagram: What Are the Differences?
- 5 Tools to Make a Gantt Chart on Mac
- Gantt Chart Google Sheets Templates
- How to Create a Project Management Schedule
Try ProjectManager Free for 30 Days
Gantt charts are easier and more efficient when used within ProjectManager’s online software. If you’re looking for a software solution, see how it works for you and your projects by taking a free 30-day trial of the software.
FAQs
Is there a Gantt chart template in Word? ›
Go to the Insert tab and select Chart from the Illustration section. In the All Charts window that pops up, select the Bar category and choose Stacked Bar as the type of graphic to use for your Gantt chart.
Is there a Gantt chart template in Excel? ›Regrettably, Microsoft Excel does not have a built-in Gantt chart template as an option. However, you can quickly create a Gantt chart in Excel by using the bar graph functionality and a bit of formatting.
Does Office 365 have a Gantt chart? ›With Microsoft Office 365 Gantt Chart App, you can have all tasks and subtasks in a single view, easily create and complete tasks, assign resources, and edit timeframes and completion percentages with just a few clicks.
Which Microsoft app makes a Gantt chart? ›Microsoft Project has a Gantt Chart View feature that automatically turns task lists into Gantt charts.
How to do Gantt chart in Word or Excel? ›- Open a new Word document and change the layout. ...
- Insert a stacked bar chart into your document. ...
- Include project schedule data into the graph. ...
- Format your graph to look like a Gantt chart. ...
- Customize your Gantt chart.
Use the Gantt Chart Wizard to end up with the chart you want. Before you start, you'll need to add the Gantt Chart Wizard to the Project ribbon. Click File > Options > Customize Ribbon. In the right column, click the tab you want to add the Gantt Chart Wizard to (for example, View), and then click New Group.
Can Microsoft Project create Gantt chart? ›The Gantt Chart view is the most commonly used view in Project. It lists the tasks in your project, and illustrates their relationship to one another and the schedule using Gantt bars. The Gantt Chart view is the default view for new projects. Note: To access the Gantt Chart view, on the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
How do I create a whole Gantt chart in Excel? ›Click the View tab. In the Task Views group or Resource Views group, click the view that you want to use. If you do not see the view that you want, on the Task Views group, click Gantt Chart, and then click More Views.
What is the difference between a Gantt chart and Microsoft Project? ›In addition to planning and scheduling projects, the Gantt chart tool also makes monitoring progress against a baseline a breeze. Built for the waterfall approach to project management, Microsoft Project works wonders for linear projects, whereby teams need to complete one task before they can proceed to the next one.
Do project managers still use Gantt charts? ›Today, Gantt charts are still one of the most widely used project management tools.
Can you do a Gantt chart in PowerPoint? ›
There are several Gantt chart templates in Microsoft PowerPoint. You can find them going to File > New > Office, then typing “Gantt chart” in the search box. You'll get 5 templates that you can manually customize and use.
Can you automate a Gantt chart in Excel? ›Create Professional-looking Gantt Charts in Excel
Our Free Gantt Chart Template is completely automated and is super easy to use. If you use Microsoft Excel, you can create a Gantt Chart with almost no learning curve by downloading Gantt Excel.
Google Gantt charts illustrate the start, end, and duration of tasks within a project, as well as any dependencies a task may have. Google Gantt charts are rendered in the browser using SVG. Like all Google charts, Gantt charts display tooltips when the user hovers over the data.
Is there a free Gantt chart? ›Office Timeline
This tool is a free online Gantt chart tool that helps create visual project timelines and charts for your presentation slides.
- Step 1: Set up your project details. ...
- Step 2: Add tasks to your project. ...
- Step 3: Schedule your tasks. ...
- Step 4: Add important project milestones. ...
- Step 5: Add dependencies to the tasks that need them.
Gantt is the last name of Henry Gantt who introduced the first chronological chart as a project management system. As it often happens, the name since then is widely used to describe such kind of charts. Gannt, or Gantt chart, in its simple form, is a horizontal bar chart that shows a project plan on a timeline.
How do I make a Gantt chart for free? ›- Launch Canva - Open Canva and search for "Gantt Chart" to start your design project.
- Choose a Gantt chart template - Pick a Gantt chart design from our collection of templates. ...
- Add your activities - List the tasks and processes involved in your project.
- Click on the Insert tab on the overhead task pane.
- Select Insert a SmartArt Graphic tool.
- Under this, choose the Process option.
- Find the Basic Timeline chart type and click on it.
- Edit the text in the text pane to reflect your project timeline.
Use this Excel gantt chart to simplify complex projects into an easy-to-follow plan and track the status of tasks as work progresses. This free template is also useful for keeping track of project deadlines, milestones, and hours worked.
What is a Gantt chart free template? ›A Gantt chart template is a visual project management tool that helps project managers visualize the tasks that make up a project schedule. Gantt chart templates are usually made up of a spreadsheet that's used to list tasks and a stacked bar chart, which represents the project timeline.
Can I use MS Project for free? ›
Contrary to most of the project management tools in the market which offer free plans to users, Microsoft Project does not have any free features for its users. All the plans are paid and begin from $7 per user/month.
When should a Gantt chart not be used? ›Don't use your Gantt chart for an initial project plan
What major tasks are involved with your project. Roughly how long those tasks should take. The general order those tasks should flow in.
- List your project data into a table with the following columns: Task description, Start date, End date, Duration.
- Add a Stacked Bar Chart to your Excel spreadsheet using the Chart menu under the Insert tab.
- Add the start and end dates of your tasks to your stacked bar chart.
The new Timeline View in Google Sheets lets you easily turn any spreadsheet into a Gantt chart.
How do you make an automatic Gantt chart in sheets? ›- Insert basic data. Create a new Google Sheet document. ...
- Calculate task durations. Copy-paste the same table a few rows below the original table. ...
- Generate a stacked bar chart. ...
- Format the chart. ...
- Customize the Google Sheet Gantt chart. ...
- Adding dependencies to your Gantt chart.
The Kanban board is an optimal solution for teams with a flexible workflow. Like Gantt charts, they allow you to track the progress of tasks from start to finish, but the visual simplicity of moving cards makes kanban boards easy to understand and effective for communicating with co-workers.
Why project managers use Excel instead of MS Project? ›It is an excellent software for spreadsheet creation, calculation, and data visualization. Some of the reasons why people use Excel for project management is because Office is a popular application and is widely used by companies, institutions, and many other organizations.
Is Gantt chart same as timeline? ›The main difference between a timeline and a Gantt chart is that a timeline contains events visualized on a single line while a Gantt chart is a 2-dimensional chart of a sequence of tasks and their dependencies. Timelines give stakeholders a high-level overview of a project's start, end, and important milestones.
What is the disadvantage of Gantt chart? ›- Without software, it is hard to prepare and update the work schedule in a short period of time.
- It is not easy to see all the activities in a complex project.
- Inserting activities and establishing activity relationships may be time-consuming in large and complex projects.
With the Gantt chart, dependencies are visualized with arrows between the dependent tasks. This quickly shows which tasks depend on each other and what has to be finished first. With the Kanban board, on the other hand, there is no visualization of dependencies on the task board itself.
How detailed should a Gantt chart be? ›
- The project start date.
- The name or description of each project task.
- Resources assigned to each task.
- A start and end date for every task.
- The duration (length) of every task.
- The relationship between tasks.
- The project end date.
Gantt Chart Pro is an application for Microsoft Teams that illustrates a project schedule on a bar chart. It also shows the dependency relationships between tasks and the current schedule status.
How do you make a simple Gantt chart in PowerPoint? ›Open the Gantt chart template in PowerPoint. Go to the second slide of the presentation, which houses the Gantt chart. Enter all project tasks in the first column. Move task bars along the chart to show when each task should start and end.
How do I create a project timeline in PowerPoint? ›- On the Insert tab, click Smart Art.
- Pick a timeline layout from the gallery that appears, such as this Basic Timeline in the List section. ...
- In the text editor, enter the dates and descriptions, and then press Enter.
You don't have to have dates for the Gantt chart. You need to put the field that will define the starting point on one axis, since you said there are multiple project, probably something like projectID on the other axis. Then you need to change mark type from the drop down to Gantt.
What is the difference between Gantt chart and flowchart? ›Flowcharts and Gantt charts are both effective tools to plan projects. However, when it comes to project execution, both have different uses and applications. For a complex plan with a longer duration, a Gantt chart is better, and for short term and smaller projects, a flow chart can do the trick on its own.
How do I link tasks in a Gantt chart in Excel? ›- On the View menu, choose Gantt Chart.
- In the Task Name field, select two or more tasks you want to link, in the order you want to link them. To select nonadjacent tasks, hold down CTRL and select the tasks you want to link. ...
- Choose Link Tasks .
- Add a resource. To turn plans made in Google Calendar into Gantt charts, you have to have a resource to schedule tasks for. ...
- Set up Google Calendar sync. Watch the video on syncing Google Calendar with Ganttic. ...
- Schedule events in Google Calendar. That's it!
Gantter™ is one of the best CPM project management tools in the Google Chrome Web Store that has all the power of leading desktop project management and project scheduling desktop software products like MS Project™ and with all the advantages of the cloud. It can even read and write MS Project™ (. MPP files).
Can Microsoft Planner create Gantt charts? ›The Microsoft Planner is also a project handling and a great collaboration tool, so the Gantt Chart can also be made in the Microsoft Planner. Plus, the application provides many features and tools to organize your data efficiently.
Where can I find a Gantt chart template? ›
- Simple Gantt Template by ClickUp.
- Blog Management Gantt Chart Template by ClickUp.
- Gantt Timeline Template by ClickUp.
- Building Web Pages Gantt Chart Template by ClickUp.
- Construction Management Gantt Chart Template by ClickUp.
On the Projects tab, click New, and then choose Enterprise Project, or choose an enterprise project template that is specific for your organization.
How do I create a Gantt project in Excel? ›- List your project schedule in an Excel table. ...
- Begin making your Excel Gantt by setting it up as a Stacked Bar Chart. ...
- Add the start dates of your tasks to the Gantt chart. ...
- Add the durations of your tasks to the Gantt chart. ...
- Add the descriptions of your tasks to the Gantt chart.
You can view your Outlook data as a Gantt chart if you sync your project management tool with Outlook.
Does Google have a Gantt chart template? ›You can find a Gantt chart template in Google Sheets if you follow these steps: Access Google Sheets at docs.google.com/spreadsheets; Click on Template gallery on the right to search for the template you need; Scroll down to the Project management section and click on Gantt chart.
Is there a Google Gantt chart? ›Google Gantt charts illustrate the start, end, and duration of tasks within a project, as well as any dependencies a task may have. Google Gantt charts are rendered in the browser using SVG. Like all Google charts, Gantt charts display tooltips when the user hovers over the data.
Where can I find free templates for Word? ›You can download free, pre-built document templates with useful and creative themes from Office when you click File > New in your Office app. Templates can include calendars, business cards, letters, cards, brochures, newsletters, resumes, and much more.
How do I get templates on Microsoft Word? ›You can find Word templates for most kinds of documents on Office.com. If you have an Internet connection, click the File tab, click New, and then click the template category that you want. You can also you can create your own templates.
Does Word 365 have templates? ›Bring your ideas to life with more customizable templates and new creative options when you subscribe to Microsoft 365.