Gantt Chart in Excel (Plot and Customize)

In this article, we will learn about the Gantt chart in Excel. This is not a built-in chart in Excel but we can create such a chart following some steps. You will get the details of the procedures in this article.

The Gantt chart is useful if we want to plan or schedule projects. It helps to assess the timeline of a project as well as the associated tasks. This gives us an idea about the dependencies of the tasks and how to set the task priority.

Download Practice Workbook

You can download the practice workbook from here.

What Is a Gantt Chart?

Gantt Chart is a type of chart that contains a series of horizontal lines that represents the timeline to complete specific tasks. This gives us insight into the task completed over a period of time with respect to the initially planned time for the task.

How to Create a Gantt Chart in Excel

In this article, we will create a Gantt chart in 6 simple steps using the dataset of the following image. Here we have the task names, start and end dates of each task.

Step-01: Data Preparation

• We need to calculate the duration of the tasks first.
• Type the following formula in cell E5 and press ENTER.

• As a result, we will get the duration of the task.

• Select cell E5, and place the mouse cursor around the bottom right corner of the cell.
• As a result, an AutoFill icon will show up. Double-click on the AutoFill icon.

• As a result, the duration of all tasks will be automatically calculated.

Step-02: Inserting Stacked Bar Chart

• Now we will insert Stacked Bar Chart to create a Gantt chart.
• Select cells C4:C11, go to Insert, and select Stacked Bar Chart as shown in the following image.

• Hence, we will get a Stacked Bar Chart of the Start Date.

Step-03: Including Duration in Bar Chart

• We need to add duration to the chart.
• Right-click on the chart area and choose Select Data.

• Select Data Source window will appear.
• Click on Add as shown in the following image.

• Type Duration in the Series name.

• Select cells E5:E11 as the series values and hit ENTER.

• Edit Series window will reappear. Click OK.

• Click OK on the Select Data Source window.

• Hence duration will be added to the chart.

Step-04: Inserting Task Names in Chart

• Now we need to insert the task names in the chart.
• Right-click on the Chart Area and click on Select Data.

• Select Data Source window will appear.
• Select Start Date and click on Edit.

• Select cells B5:B11 as Axis label range.

• The Axis label range will be updated. Click on OK.

• The task names are added to the chart.

Step-05: Converting Bar Chart into a Gantt Chart

• We will now convert the Bar chart into a Gantt chart.
• Right-click on a single blue bar and click on Format Data Series.

• The Format Data Series option will appear on the right side of the worksheet.
• In Fill & Line option, select No fill.

• As a result, the blue bar will not appear in the chart.

• Now, we will correct the task names in order.
• Click on a task name to select all the task names.

• Format Axis window will appear. In the axis options, select Categories in reverse order.

• We have got a Gantt chart consequently.

Step-06: Modifying Gantt Chart

• Select the first date (cell C5) and click on More Number Formats as shown in the following image.

• Select General Category to view the General version of the date.
• We can see that the value is 45108. Click on Cancel.

• Similarly, select cell D11 and get the General version of the last date. It is 45199. Click Cancel to exit.

• Now, select the axis to modify.

• In the Axis Options, type the noted values (45108 & 45199).

• Finally, we will get the Gantt chart as shown in the following image.

Read More: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel

Pros and Cons of Creating a Gantt Chart in Excel

The advantages of using a Gantt chart are:

• We can store all the information regarding our project in a single location.
• The Gantt chart is quite simple to create. So we can track our project timeline easily.

But there is one shortcoming. The older version of Excel does not support full-fledged Gantt charts. So, you need to use a moderately newer version of Excel as a workaround for this issue. Moreover, the Gantt chart is offline-based, hence, you cannot collaborate online.

Things to Remember

While working on the Gantt chart, you should keep some facts in mind.

• Set the tasks sequentially in the dataset.
• Keep the format of the date easily understandable.
• Format the chart according to your need.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve demonstrated the details of the Gantt chart. With a little bit of practice, I hope you will be able to master the Gantt chart and use it yourself. If you face any difficulty while practicing yourself, please let me know in the comment section. Team Exceldemy will be there to solve your problem. Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I create a Gantt chart in Excel?

You can create the Gantt chart by properly preparing your dataset and inserting a stacked bar chart. You need to perform further modifications too.

2. Is there an Excel Gantt chart template?

There is no built-in Excel Gantt chart template. However, you can use the Excel file of this article as a template.

Gantt Chart Excel: Knowledge Hub

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