What Is Gantt Chart Software?

Gantt chart software is a type of project management software that’s used to schedule projects and track their progress using Gantt charts and other complementary project planning, scheduling, monitoring and reporting features. This software can either be cloud based or stored in your PC.

Gantt chart software is commonly used in the project planning phase of project management to schedule tasks, but it’s actually useful throughout the life cycle of a project. It was designed to automate processes of a static Gantt chart, which previously were made on paper or spreadsheets.

Best Gantt Chart Software Features

Just because it’s called Gantt chart software, it doesn’t mean that it should only be equipped with Gantt charts and nothing else. Here’s a quick overview of some of the project management features you should look out for when choosing a Gantt chart software.

• Project Scheduling: At a minimum, Gantt chart software should help you create a project schedule showing the order in which project tasks must be completed and their duration on a visual project timeline.
• Project Planning: Besides Gantt charts, you’ll also need project planning tools such as task lists, kanban boards, project calendars and project dashboards.
• Project Budgeting: You need to be able to track the costs of your project with tools like timesheets and dashboards so you can monitor your project budget.
• Team Management: Gantt chart software should let you assign tasks to your team members, monitor their progress and offer collaboration features such as messaging and file sharing.
• Task Management: Any Gantt chart tool should let you add a priority level to your project tasks, create milestones and link task dependencies.
• Critical Path Analysis: Gantt chart software should also allow you to identify the critical path, which shows those tasks that are essential to getting the project done on time.
• Workload Tracking: Throughout the project, you’ll assign tasks to your team members, so it’s important to have workload management tools to know who’s under or overallocated.
• Project Reporting: Project dashboards and status reports are essential to keep your project stakeholders informed.

Using Gantt chart software offers other advantages, but first and foremost it disproves the belief that Gantt charts are hard to use. It’s true that making a Gantt chart on paper or even on an Excel spreadsheet is difficult and editing the Gantt chart is even worse, but those hurdles have been cleared with the advent of Gantt chart software.

2025 Best Gantt Chart Software Rankings

By now, you’re ready to hear about the best Gantt chart software. We’ve narrowed it down to a top 16 in order of preference, with the leader starting things off.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is award-winning Gantt chart software with features that expand upon that tool and offer task management, resource management and risk management. It has multiple project views that share live project data, real-time dashboards, reporting and other essential time-tracking features. It’s powerful and expansive project management software that helps project managers and their teams plan, manage and track projects in real time. And there’s even a free 30-day trial you can take to try out the Gantt features for yourself.

Best Gantt Chart Software

While every product here has a good Gantt chart, ProjectManager leaves the competition in the dust. First off, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart is easy to set up. You can import any kind of spreadsheet, even Microsoft Project files (we’ll explain why you’d want to do that in the next segment). There are even industry-related templates to get you started quickly. Once you add the start dates and end dates, the project timeline automatically populates. You can then add milestones, color-code phases, add resources, costs and more.

But what makes ProjectManager’s Gantt chart software special is that it links all four types of task dependencies, which is a must to avoid costly delays. You can also filter for the critical path. That means no time–consuming calculations. It’s done in an instant. Now you can see the tasks that are critical to delivering your project. Best of all, you can set a baseline once you’ve completed the project plan. This feeds the real-time dashboard, reports and more to allow users to track their actual effort against their planned effort. That’s how you stay on schedule and keep to your budget.

Real-Time Tracking

Let’s take a look at the real-time dashboard. Other Gantt chart software products might have it, but they usually require time-consuming configuration or expensive plugins. ProjectManager’s dashboard is ready when you are, capturing live data and displaying it on easy-to-read graphs and charts. There are also secure timesheets that give project managers a live view of how far their team is in completing their tasks. Plus, customizable reporting tools can be filtered to show the data you want to see for project and portfolio status, workload, timesheets, variance and more. Then shared in a variety of formats with stakeholders.

Robust Resource Management Features

ProjectManager’s Gantt chart software is great for planning and managing resources. From nonhuman costs to easy onboarding of labor, accounting for availability and more. There’s a color-coded workload chart that makes it easy to see who on the team is overallocated. You can then reallocate resources right from that page, balancing your team’s workload to keep them working at capacity and productive, but avoiding burnout.

ProjectManager tops this list because its Gantt chart software is superior to the competition. The fact that it builds on that with multiple project views, such as kanban boards, task lists and calendars, a collaborative platform and the flexibility that makes it ideal for construction, manufacturing, IT, professional service and really any industry only sweetens the deal. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Project Management

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

• Multiple project planning views such as kanban boards, task lists, project calendars and spreadsheets
• Real-time project dashboards for cost, progress and workload tracking.
• Secure timesheets
• Robust project reporting functionality
• Has a free 30-day trial
• Has a mobile project management app available for Android and iOS

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

• Limited customization
• Few native integrations
• No free plan

ProjectManager Pricing

• Team: $14/user/month
• Business: $26/user/month
• Enterprise: Contact sales

ProjectManager Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.1/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “ProjectManager works very well with both large and small-scale projects. Being able to use this with anything from a project involving only two members of staff, to hundreds, has been invaluable.” Peter W – from Capterra
• “We used to manage our projects, resources, and reporting in different systems. Enter ProjectManager. We have consolidated systems and work more efficiently.” Jeffrey M – from Capterra
• “Having the full scope of activities and who is responsible to do it, plus the time tracking is excellent.” Flavio M – from G2
• “It has an excellent accounting system capable of calculating the time that a person has used to develop a task that was assigned to him, I like being able to collaborate with all my colleagues in the Finance sector through ProjectManager.” Jesus C – from G2
• “The UI of the application is user-friendly, and it helps to identify what we are looking for with minimal effort.” Pavan H – from G2

2. Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is the gorilla in the Gantt chart software room so it deserves attention. Many larger organizations use it to manage their projects. It seems designed for complexity, which is both a plus and a minus about this Gantt chart software. However, you can’t deny Microsoft its power, with seamless integrations with Teams, Office and more. Plus, it’s got a full suite of project tools, from Gantt charts to dashboards.

Related: Microsoft Project Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives

It’s also built to do what’s needed in project management. That is, it’s a planning, tracking and management tool. It has an organized view of your tasks and timelines and can allocate resources and report on the project, but these features aren’t intuitively designed. You’ll need to factor in a lot of time before you can even start working on your Gantt chart to figure out how to use it properly.

Of course, lots of Gantt chart software has some learning curve to deal with, but Microsoft Project adds more roadblocks. It’s expensive. That alone is going to drive away the majority of potential customers. Then there’s the issue of compatibility. If not everyone on the team is using the same software, MS Project doesn’t make it easy to share. Add to the limits in customization and buyer beware.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Microsoft Users

Microsoft Project Pros & Key Features

• Offers a variety of project management views to plan, schedule and track projects
• Robust enough for project, program and project portfolio management.
• Built-in project management reports
• Has a free 1-month trial

Microsoft Project Cons & Limitations

• Both the desktop and online versions are expensive, especially for larger teams
• Steep learning curve and overwhelming user interface for beginners
• Microsoft Project files have a unique format which makes them hard to use and share with people that don’t have a Microsoft Project license
• Doesn’t have a mobile app
• No free plan

Microsoft Project Pricing

• Planner Plan 1: $10/user/month
• Planner and Project Plan 3: $30/user/month
• Planner and Project Plan 5: $55/user/month

Microsoft Project Reviews

• G2 review: 4/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Microsoft project has really helped to improve my productivity and project planning overall.” Jamie G – from Capterra
• “I love the automatically generated gantt charts and the timeline feature.” Eric B – from G2

3. ClickUp

ClickUp is Gantt chart software that helps users manage tasks, workflows, collaborate and streamlines processes with automation. There’s a great deal of customization, which is both positive and negative. It gives you more control but it’s also a bit overwhelming. If you want to take advantage of this, you’ll be spending a lot of time setting up instead of working. However, it’s a great collaboration tool. You can send emails on the app, chat and edit Google Docs together.

What’s really going to stop people from adopting this Gantt chart software is its limited project time management features. While there are some rudimentary time-tracking features, such as deadlines and time spent on tasks, it’s a far cry from other Gantt chart software. A Gantt chart needs powerful time tracking to help you keep to your project plan. Then there’s the steep learning curve. We alluded to it above, with all the customization options available, but it goes beyond that. If you don’t have the hours necessary to learn ClickUp, you might want to keep looking.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Collaboration Features

ClickUp Pros & Key Features

• Multiple task and work management views
• Has a mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free plan

ClickUp Cons & Limitations

• User interface is cluttered
• Gantt charts can only be exported as PDFs, which makes it hard to export data to other software like Excel or Google Sheets
• Gantt charts don’t show the critical path and don’t allow project managers to track costs at the task level
• Doesn’t have a free trial

ClickUp Pricing

• Free plan: $0/user/month
• Unlimited: $7/user/month
• Business: $12/user/month

ClickUp Reviews

• G2 review: 4.7/5
• Capterra review: 4.6/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Good for operational tasks and customer support.” Hovhannes G – from G2
• “ClickUp sits right in the middle between typical task management tools and business platforms.” Pawel M – from Capterra

4. Wrike

Wrike is Gantt chart software that’s broad enough to deliver project and product management features, proofing and publishing as well as risk management. It tends to be used by marketers, digital agencies and those working in professional services. They like its simple but effective collaborative features, such as built-in chat. It’s best for monitoring workloads and activities, plus it can track the progress of the project. Agencies like the billing and invoicing capabilities.

It’s lower on our Gantt chart software list primarily because the Gantt chart and other features aren’t intuitive. Even worse, you can’t view projects, only tasks on its kanban board. If you like lists, though, this is for you. Gantt charts, not so much. For example, you can’t track all four task dependencies on its Gantt chart. Also, if you’re managing multiple projects, you’ll not like the lack of portfolio reporting. There’s also no option to pay monthly, the cost is divided into 12 to show how much you’ll pay monthly but you have to sign up for a year.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Workflow Management

Wrike Pros & Key Features

• Workflow automation features
• Easy to understand project dashboards
• Has a 14-day free trial
• Has a mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free plan

Wrike Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts lack critical path analysis features
• The software is hard to navigate
• Onboarding employees can be hard due to its non intuitive user interface

Wrike Pricing

• Free plan: $0/user/month
• Professional plan: $10.00/user/month
• Business plan: $24.80/user/month

Wrike Reviews

• G2 review: 4.2/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Wrike has become essential in my day and keeps me organized and on top of my tasks.” Paige T – from G2
• “Productivity has been enhanced by removing essential but repetitive chores.” Denise S – from G2

5. Monday.com

Monday.com is Gantt chart software that bills itself as a project management, workflow and automation and collaborative tool. It’s made an aggressive push to a general market and appeals to users who like a spreadsheet view. It has integrations you can pick from or build your own. Users like its colorful interface and how the software helps to visualize work. It’s also priced for a general market with very competitive subscription tiers.

Related: Monday.com Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart With Monday.com

However, if you’re a business that needs project management software, Monday.com is going to fall short. Even if you’re using it for less dynamic projects, the onboarding and training are not great and support is hard to reach. In terms of Gantt chart software, its Gantt chart is especially problematic. For example, you have to manually add task dependencies. It’s really a task management, not a project management tool.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Creative Teams

Monday.com Pros & Key Features

• Simple, minimalistic user interface
• Project portfolio reports and dashboards to track progress, resources and costs across projects
• Has a free 14-day trial
• Has a mobile app available for Android and iOS
• Free plan

Monday.com Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts are overly simplistic and lack important features such as cost tracking
• Limited project reporting capabilities
• Customizable views require manual setup

Monday.com Pricing

• Free plan: $0/user/month
• Basic: $9/user/month
• Standard: $12/user/month
• Pro: $19/user/month

Monday.com Reviews

• G2 review: 4.7/5
• Capterra review: 4.6/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “We used to have a mess of excel sheets and emails but now everything’s in one place.” Laura A – from G2
• “It is overall a great product but it requires a lot of setup initially to take advantage of all its functions and features.” Ana D – from Capterra

6. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is collaborative software that has some Gantt chart software features but is mostly a super-powered spreadsheet. It emphasizes the sharing of data with teams. It has a lot of templates and forms to help you get started as well as training tools. There are workflow automation tools that create efficiencies. There’s also a high level of customization, which many users will appreciate. If you want a Gantt chart, you’re going to have to create one yourself and it’s not going to satisfy users looking for Gantt chart software.

That should be a clue that this isn’t project management software and is barely Gantt chart software. But it’s popular, which is why it’s included, if at the bottom of our rankings. There’s a lack of project portfolio management features, resource management and capacity planning are expensive add-ons only available for top-tier subscriptions. The dashboard is cumbersome and, if you’re an enterprise customer, you’ll find the tool lacking. It’s not bad as a supplement to other tools, but why pay all that money for only a partial solution?

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Spreadsheets and Pre-built Project Templates

Smartsheet Pros & Key Features

• Allows to export Gantt charts as Excel, Google Sheets and other file formats
• Offers multiple project management tools such as kanban boards, spreadsheets and Gantt charts
• Has a 30-day free trial
• Has a mobile project management app available for Android and iOS

Smartsheet Cons & Limitations

• The spreadsheet-like Gantt charts aren’t visually appealing and are hard to use
• Not ideal for managing multiple projects, as you’ll need a separate spreadsheet for each project
• Limited spreadsheet project reports

Smartsheet Pricing

• Pro plan: $9/user/month
• Business plan: $19/user/month, 3-user limit, making it $75/month

Smartsheet Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Smartsheet has allowed me to take my to-do list and run with it in a way that I didn’t think would be possible.” Victoria W – from G2
• “I like that Smartsheet has a lot of different functions. It can be used for project management, inventory or event planning.” Lauren M – from Capterra

7. Ganttic

Ganttic offers a twist on a traditional Gantt. With its resource-centric Gantt charts, users are able to see who or is doing what and when. Offering a high-level overview of their entire resource pool, WBS, and project portfolio, the cloud-based tool is suitable for managers of mid-sized teams or large enterprises. It’s used mostly in industries such as engineering, construction, production, and design – fields where managers need to see the workloads, manage skills, and optimize utilization for equipment, people, and vehicles. Color coding, drag-and-drop scheduling, custom data fields, and automated reports are just a few other features that come standard with the tool.

Ganttic is a comfortable middle ground for those fed up with spreadsheet scheduling and those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of an expensive ERP. And while this makes it a perfect tool for resource management, there are some project management features that some users may find are lacking. Luckily, Ganttic was built with flexibility and modern workflows in mind. Offering native Calendar integrations, as well as robust opportunities for importing your existing spreadsheets or building your own custom workflow with its built-in API or Zapier connections.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Resource Management Features

Ganttic Pros & Key Features

• Resource utilization and capacity planning tools
• Online Gantt chart software
• Has a free 14-day trial
• Has a mobile app
• Free plan

Ganttic Cons & Limitations

• Limited customization features
• Missing project portfolio roadmaps, dashboards and other PPM tools, so it’s not ideal for managing multiple projects, programs or portfolios.
• Outdated user interface

Ganttic Pricing

• Up to 10 resources: $0 per month per resource
• Up to 20 resources: $25 per month per resource
• Up to 50 resources: $59 per month per resource
• Up to 150 resources: $149 per month per resource
• Up to 250 resources: $229 per month per resource
• Up to 500 resources: $379 per month per resource
• Up to 1000 resources: $599 per month per resource
• Up to 1500 resources: $790 per month per resource

Ganttic Reviews

• G2 review: 4 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.3 / 5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Our planning and resource management is made easy with the adoption of Ganttic.” Thomas K – from G2
• “Love how quick I can move from project to project.” Nathan R – from Capterra

8. Instagantt

Instagantt bills itself as a simple online Gantt chart software. It’s an affordable option that helps you create projects, manage tasks and set task dependencies. For a little extra money, you can access more features, such as a kanban board view, workload management, dashboards and reporting. In terms of Gantt charts, which is where it puts all its attention, you can schedule milestones, build timelines and create tasks and subtasks. Asana users will like it because it integrates with this project management software.

But when you put all your eggs in one basket, you’re asking for trouble. One thing is that it’s not great for updating stakeholders and you can’t export views to a PDF. While it integrates with Asana, InstaGantt is woefully behind in integrations with the more commonly used third-party tools. Also, the fact that users need to team up with another project management software to get a full suite of features to manage their projects feels like too much effort and cost when there are software solutions that offer it all under one roof.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Beginner Project Managers

Instagantt Pros & Key Features

• Visually appealing user interface and simple project management tools
• Built-in Gantt chart templates
• Has a free 7-day trial

Instagantt Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts fail to show all the information that’s needed to create detailed project schedules
• Kanban boards merely show a task status, don’t show task assignees and lack messaging or file sharing features
• Project dashboards and reports are not robust enough for project managers or project management offices (PMOs)
• Doesn’t have a mobile app, but a mobile-optimized view
• No free plan

Instagantt Pricing

• Individual Plan: $12 month
• Team Plan: $24/user/month

Instagantt Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.3 / 5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “It links with Asana, that’s a pretty nice feature.” Alex V – from G2
• “Automatic creation of Gantt charts, able to share with multiple users.” Lucia F – from Capterra

9. TeamGantt

TeamGantt is intuitive Gantt chart software for beginners and those who are tasked with the management of small projects or businesses. Gantt charts can be complicated, especially for those who aren’t used to working with them. Here the interactive Gantt charts are easy to use, which is further helped by the fact that the software offers strong tutorial content. They hold your hand but still have features such as automatic dependencies, so it’s not a bare-bones tool.

But beginners quickly become more experts and expect their Gantt chart software to follow suit. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. For example, there are no budgeting or invoicing tools, which are going to send users to other software to fill the holes. While there are reporting features, they’re underwhelming. Compared to other Gantt chart software these reports are basic and not very useful. The Gantt chart is good, but the software rests its reputation on that tool. Users who want project management software will have to look elsewhere.

Verdict: Best Mobile-friendly Gantt Chart Software

TeamGantt Pros & Key Features

• Collaboration features such as file sharing and messaging
• Lets you compare planned and actual timelines
• Has a free 30-day trial
• Has a mobile app

TeamGantt Cons & Limitations

• Missing project management tools when compared with most Gantt chart software
• There are no kanban boards
• Limited project reporting features
• No free plan

TeamGantt Pricing

• Pro: $49/user/month

TeamGantt Reviews

• G2 review: 4.8 / 5
• Capterra review: 4.6 / 5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “I like the simplicity of the functionality since it allows me to easily and quickly set up new projects thus saving much time.” Sarah D – from G2
• “It really does what it says on the tin! It’s quick and easy to create and move tasks around. The interface is intuitive.” Lola R – from Capterra

10. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is online Gantt chart software for project planning, tracking work and team collaboration. The fact that they offer a free edition, though with limited features and only for three users, is attractive. If you find the software working for you, then the pricing structure is reasonable. It offers the standard features one expects with Gantt chart software. It’s also pretty easy to navigate, which users who have been scratching their heads with complicated software like Microsoft Project will definitely appreciate.

But users might find this Gantt chart software a bit bland. It hits the basics but doesn’t go the extra mile to make the software more competitive. It’s not easy to find tasks and the tool’s search function could use an upgrade. Same with bug reporting. Users have complained about the dashboard functionality, but the biggest complaint is the steep learning curve. Many Gantt chart software products are hard to learn, which is a hurdle users are often not willing to clear.

Verdict: Best Low-cost Gantt Chart Software

Zoho Projects Pros & Key Features

• Invoicing and budgeting features
• Multiple project dashboards and reports
• Has a free 10-day trial
• Has a mobile app
• Free plan

Zoho Projects Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts don’t show information such as percent complete, assignee and other information compared with other Gantt chart software in this list
• Limited dashboard functionality
• There’s no time logging at the task level, which affects how timesheets work

Zoho Projects Pricing

• Free plan: $0/user/month
• Premium: $4/user/month, billed annually
• Enterprise: $9/user/month, billed annually

Zoho Projects Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “What I like most is how it integrates perfectly with the entire Zoho ecosystem.” Emy L – from G2
• “While the UI and the setup were slightly complicated, Zoho Projects helps you track your projects efficiently.” Shria G – from Capterra

11. GanttPRO

GanttPRO is a simple way to plan with Gantt chart software. It enables users to work alone or create a workspace with Gantt charts that are shared with your team. It’s especially useful for small teams. It’s easy to use and well-designed, with a lot of features that teams will want. It also has kanban boards for those who don’t want to only work on Gantt charts. Add to that a competitive price and you can see why it made it to our list.

However, there’s a reason it lands in the middle of our listing. One is that there are no customizable reporting tools. You can’t even customize its dashboard. If you’re looking to do billing or invoicing, you’re out of luck. There are no such features. You might be able to live with that if you integrate with some of your favorite third-party apps, but that’s not likely. While there’s some integration, it’s very light and is one of the biggest areas that could use improvement on the tool.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Sharing Files

GanttPRO Pros & Key Features

• Files can be downloaded in a variety of formats, which makes it easy to view, share and edit them using other software
• Cost and budget tracking features
• Has a free 14-day free trial
• Has a mobile app available on iOS and Android

GanttPRO Cons & Limitations

• Time tracking features can be improved, there are no timesheets
• Limited project reporting features, no project health reports
• Lack of integrations
• Doesn’t have a free plan

GanttPRO Pricing

• Core: $7.00/user/month
• Advanced: $10.00/user/month
• Business: $17.00/user/month
• Enterprise: Contact sales

GanttPRO Reviews

• G2 review: 4.8/5
• Capterra review: 4.8/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “I especially enjoy the collaboration feature where I can invite colleagues to edit tasks and timelines in the live document. I have moved from using Google Sheets.” Glen K – from Capterra
• “GantPro software offers a seamless project management experience with its intuitive interface and robust features.” Dixie F – from Capterra

12. Proofhub

Proofhub is a Gantt chart software for marketing, sales and creative teams. It caters to these types of teams with tools such as file proofing, file versioning and collaboration. This Gantt chart software offers other tools such as kanban boards and project calendars, which allow teams to switch from the Gantt view to other project planning views. In addition to these, Proofhub offers time tracking tools such as timesheets and timers to monitor costs and team performance. This mix of features make this option not only a Gantt chart software, but a decent project management solution overall.

However, while it does have an interesting feature set, some of its tools need further development to be more competitive in comparison to other Gantt chart software in this list. For example, its workflow feature is merely a flow chart that shows a very basic representation of tasks and processes and its time, task and resource utilization reports lack detail. Its biggest omission is the lack of cost tracking and budgeting tools.  All-in-all, Proofhub does a good job at helping marketing, sales and creative teams manage their tasks and workflows, but lacks some features that are needed for managing larger, more complex projects.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Proofing, Approvals and Collaboration

Proofhub Pros & Key Features

• Fosters collaboration with messaging and file sharing
• Has Gantt charts, kanban boards and project calendars
• Has a 14-day free trial
• Has a mobile app for Android and iOS

Proofhub Cons & Limitations

• Gantt charts have a limited functionality, missing cost tracking and project budgeting features
• Missing important project management tools, such as workload management charts or project dashboards
• Flat pricing isn’t ideal for most teams
• No free plan

Proofhub Pricing

• ProofHub has a flat pricing fee of $89 per month or $45 with limited features, billed annually

ProofHub Reviews

• G2 review: 4.6/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “The best thing I like about ProofHub is the way it organizes tasks and the detailed information each task captures.” Jagadeep S – from G2
• “There are areas that need to be improved and more user customization would benefit this platform greatly.” David F – from Capterra

13. Asana

Asana is a project and work management software that’s mostly used by marketing and IT teams to manage their daily tasks and workflows. Asana offers a variety of project management tools including timelines, kanban boards, task lists and calendars. It pairs these features with reporting dashboards and workflow automation tools, which are focused on streamlining every-day processes and helping teams be more productive. It has recently launched AI tools which help team leaders save time while using the software.

Related: Asana Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives

While Asana does a good job in terms of being a task-oriented project management solution, it should work on improving its Gantt charts. Asana’s Gantt charts feel like a lightweight alternative to other Gantt chart software in this list, mainly because they lack the level of detail that project managers need. They merely help project managers create a basic Gantt chart with task dependencies but omit important information such as percent of completion, task costs, planned vs. actual comparisons, among other important details. So, Asana can help you with task and workflow management, but if you’re interested in Gantt charts, it might not be the best choice for you and your team.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Task Management

Asana Pros & Key Features

• Workflow automation features
• Has a free 14-day free trial
• Has a free plan
• Has a mobile app available on iOS and Android

Asana Cons & Limitations

• Gantt chart lacks features such as critical path analysis and cost tracking
• Workload management tools are limited
• Timeline and Gantt chart features are not robust enough for project management

Asana Pricing

• Free plan: $0/user/month
• Starter: $10.99/user/month
• Advanced: $24.99/user/month

Asana Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Asana is very easy to use, intuitive for my team members who don’t have tech backgrounds but need to start and contribute right away.” Sara G – from G2
• “Overall, I had great success staying organized with this project management tool.” Mary B – from Capterra

14. Chisel

Chisel emerges as a standout product management tool for creating and managing Gantt charts and for good reasons. Its user-friendly interface simplifies the process, making it accessible to beginners and experienced project managers. What sets Chisel apart is its timeline view, providing a clear overview of tasks and their respective timeframes, ultimately resulting in a well-structured Gantt chart.

It comes at no cost, making it a budget-friendly option for efficient project management. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, Chisel’s simplicity and effectiveness make it a top pick for Gantt chart enthusiasts.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Agile Product Backlog Management

Chisel Pros & Key Features

• Lets manage work by user stories and epics
• Good for agile teams

Chisel Cons & Limitations

• Gantt chart is more of a timeline tool than a traditional Gantt chart for project management
• There are no project management reports or dashboards
• Doesn’t have a mobile app

Chisel Pricing

• Starter: $7 per maker per month

Chisel Reviews

• G2 review: 4.7/5
• Capterra review: Not enough reviews, less than 50

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Chisel AI idea summarizations and classification have changed our way of working.” Abdul M – from Capterra
• “Chisel has provided us the framework to calculate prioritization score of various features along with giving visibility on team alignment for these scores.” Kapil B – from Capterra

15. Primavera P6

Primavera P6 is a project management tool that is also Gantt chart software. It’s used in large-scale industries like construction, engineering and energy. It has scheduling features, including Gantt charts that can create complex schedules with task dependencies, resource allocation and project timelines. These Gantt charts are highly customizable. Users can adjust its layout, task labels, colors and display options. Gantt charts can also be created for different stakeholders, from a high-level overview to more derailed, task-level views.

On the downside, this Gantt chart software can be difficult to learn, especially for beginners. It will require training and time to fully understand its functionality. The user interface can feel overwhelming and cluttered for users accustomed to simpler project management tools. It’s also costly when compared to other software on this list. This is especially true for small-to-medium sized teams or organizations on tight budgets. The tool requires substantial computer power and storage when handling large-scale projects. This could be an issue for companies without robust IT infrastructure. While it offers some collaboration features, it is not as intuitive in terms of real-time collaboration and team communication compared to newer, cloud-based project management tools.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Large-Scale Industries

Primavera P6 Key Features & Benefits

• Customizable Gantt charts
• Multiple Gantt chart views
• Allocates resources
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Primavera P6 Cons & Limitations

• Steep learning curve
• Limited collaboration tools
• Cluttered user interface
• Heavy system requirements
• Expensive, especially for small teams
• No free plan

Primavera P6 Pricing

• You may acquire a desktop license or pay a monthly subscription for the online service for any of these and other versions of Primavera.
• Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management: $2,750
• Primavera P6 Progress Reporter: $950
• Primavera P6 Professional Project Management: $2,500

Primavera Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Oracle Primavera Cloud is very user-friendly, has amazing management and scheduling tools which allows good coordination between the team and also saves money and time.” Bruno L. – from Capterra
• “Accurate calculation and output data is perfect” Sameh H. – from Capterra

16. Airtable

Airtable is known for its flexibility and being a user-friendly tool that combines spreadsheets with databases. But is it a Gantt chart software? Yes, it has Gantt charts, which are available to Pro and Enterprise users. Those Gantt charts can visualize dependencies, be customized and filter, group and color coordinate information. This is all on a collaborative platform that allows multiple team members to work on the same project simultaneously. Their changes are synced in real time. Gantt charts also have drag-and-drop functionality to adjust timelines, which makes scheduling and rescheduling quick and easy.

However, as a project management software it has limited advanced features. Its Gantt charts are great for smaller-to-medium sized projects, but it lacks the same level of resource management, cost tracking and reporting capabilities as other tools on this list. While the Gantt chart is customizable, it’s only to a degree. There is no critical path analysis, for example. It’s also not the best fit for large projects with many tasks. As projects grow, the interface can become cluttered and performance degrades. The software doesn’t have native time-tracking features, which means teams will need third-party apps, which add to the cost. There’s also a lack of robust resource management, such as workload management, resource leveling and detailed resource allocation.

Verdict: Best User-Friendly Gantt Chart Software for Sales and CRM Teams

Airtable Pros & Key Features

• User-friendly interface
• Real-time collaboration
• Customizable Gantt charts
• Drag-and-drop functionality
• Free plan

Airtable Cons & Limitations

• Limited advanced project management features
• No critical path analysis
• Not ideal for large projects
• No native time tracking
• Lack of resource management features

Airtable Pricing

• Free: $0/user/month
• Team: $20 per seat/monthly (billed annually)
• Business: $45 per seat/monthly (billed annually)
• Enterprise: contact sales

Airtable Reviews

• G2 review: 4.6/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “A lot of templates to start with. Highly customizable.” Jean D. – from Capterra
• “When you got a table up and running it was super effective” Matt H. – from Capterra

17. Paymo

Paymo is good Gantt chart software because it combines task management, time tracking and visual project planning into a user-friendly interface that’s especially suited for small to mid-sized teams. Its Gantt chart feature allows users to create project timelines, set task dependencies and manage milestones with drag-and-drop functionality. Integration with timesheets and resource scheduling gives teams a clear view of who’s working on what and when, supporting efficient project execution and better workload balance.

However, Paymo falls short for larger or more complex projects due to its limited scalability and less robust reporting and customization options compared to enterprise-level tools. While it offers a clean and functional Gantt chart, it lacks more advanced features like portfolio Gantt views or real-time data syncing across multiple project layers. Users managing multiple projects or requiring in-depth analytics might find Paymo’s capabilities restrictive, making it better suited for freelancers or smaller teams rather than enterprise project environments.

Verdict: Best Gantt Software for Freelancers

Paymo Pros & Key Features

• Combines task, time and visual project planning
• Drag and drop functionality
• Offers a free plan
• Free 15-day trial
• Mobile project management for Android and iOS

Paymo Cons & Limitations

• Poor choice for larger, more complex projects
• Limited reporting and customization
• No portfolio Gantt view

Paymo Pricing

• Free plan: $0 user/month
• Starter plan: $5.90/user/month paid annually
• Small Office plan: $10.90/user/month paid annually
• Business plan: $16.90/user/month paid annually

Paymo Reviews

• G2 review: 4.6/5
• Capterra review: 4.8/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Paymo has all the capabilities that allows me to save time by automating project and task management procedures.” Larry R – from G2
• “I like the way Paymo has been designed. With its straightforward menu sidebar, it’s easy to access everything your business needs quickly and easily.” Jamie Lee J – from G2

18. GanttProject

GanttProject’s pros lie in its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. As a free, open-source desktop application, it provides essential Gantt chart features for users who need straightforward project scheduling without the complexity of enterprise software. Users can easily create tasks, define dependencies, set baselines and export to PDF or PNG formats. Its offline functionality is ideal for users in secure or disconnected environments, and it’s cross-platform compatible, supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux.

But, GanttProject has significant limitations compared to modern, cloud-based project management tools. It lacks real-time collaboration, integrations with other productivity apps and advanced features like dashboards, resource availability charts or time tracking. Since it’s a standalone program, sharing updates with team members requires manual file distribution, which can hinder team coordination. For larger teams or dynamic project environments, GanttProject’s static, offline model can quickly become a bottleneck.

Verdict: Best Gantt Chart Software for Open Source

GanttProject Pros & Key Features

• Free
• Straightforward without complex features
• Offline functionality

GanttProject Cons & Limitations

• Lacks real-time collaboration
• No dashboards, resource availability charts or time tracking
• Not ideal for larger teams

GanttProject Pricing

• Free

GanttProject Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.2/5

Highlighted Customer Reviews

• “Its simplicity to use, makes it easy for me to create a schedule and track it.” – Chidera E., from G2
• “It’s a good software for planning and project management. I always use it. It’s simple and works properly.” – Ezechiel D., from Capterra

Related Gantt Chart Content

If you’re still on the fence, we have a ton of free content on our site that can help you understand how Gantt charts work and why they’re such an important part of project management. Here are some articles to help you make a decision about which Gantt chart software is right for you.

• Free Gantt Chart Template for Excel
• Canva Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Power BI Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Microsoft Planner Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Planner
• Trello Gantt Charts: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Trello
• Tableau Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Notion Gantt Chart: Key Features, Pros and Cons
• Jira Gantt Chart: How to Make Gantt Charts Using Jira
• Confluence Gantt Chart: How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives

You’ve Seen the List of Gantt Chart Software. Which Is the Best of the Best?

It’s important to pick the Gantt chart software that fits your needs. You’ll want one that’s easy to use and doesn’t require a complicated and time-consuming setup. It should easily link all four types of task dependencies, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to help you track project variance.

Then that Gantt chart should seamlessly connect with other project views and tools, such as dashboards and reporting. It should be cloud-based to allow teams to collaborate and give you real-time data to make more informed decisions. Look for that Gantt chart software that does all that and you’ll never look for another Gantt chart software again.

ProjectManager is award-winning Gantt chart software that links all four dependencies, filters for the critical path and sets a baseline to track progress in real time. Our Gantt chart is one of the multiple project views that all update together to keep you on the same page. There are also built-in task management, risk management and resource management features. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver success. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 18 Best Gantt Chart Software of 2025 (Free & Paid) appeared first on ProjectManager.

The most popular tool to schedule projects is the Gantt chart, which lets you create a visual timeline for your project. Finding the critical path on a Gantt chart helps you achieve your project goals faster and more efficiently. But before we learn how to identify the critical path in a Gantt chart, let’s start by defining what’s critical path in project management.

What Is the Critical Path?

The concept of critical path comes from the critical path method, a project planning and scheduling technique that uses a network diagram to represent project tasks, their expected start and end dates, duration and the order in which they’re meant to be completed.

One of the fundamental principles of the critical path method is that all projects consist of multiple, parallel sequences of tasks, known as paths, which are shown in a critical path diagram. The critical path of a project is the longest sequence of dependent tasks or activities and the amount of time it takes to complete them from beginning to end.

For example, in the critical path chart below, there are two task sequences (A,C,E) and (B,D,F). The (A,C,E) task sequence is longer in duration as these tasks take 37 days to be completed while tasks (B,D,F) take only 23, so the critical path of this project consists of tasks A, C and E.

This critical path diagram template for Excel also shows the early start (ES), early finish (EF), late start (LS), late finish (LS) and slack values for each project task all of which are needed to calculate the critical path of a project.

However, while using a critical path diagram is an accurate method, it can be time consuming and prone to human error, so that’s why most project managers use Gantt chart software like ProjectManager, as it automatically identifies the critical path of a project.

ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management software that has multiple project views and allows anyone, anywhere to work how they want. ProjectManager’s online Gantt chart can link task dependencies, set milestones, allocate resources and make interactive project schedules. Get started with ProjectManager for free today.

What Is a Gantt Chart?

A Gantt chart is a bar chart that visualizes the project schedule from start to finish. The Gantt diagram has been a staple of scheduling and a fundamental feature of project management software.

The Gantt chart is divided into two parts. On the left side is a spreadsheet that lists the tasks, start and end dates, priority and more depending on the type being used. On the right side is the bar chart that reflects the information collected on the left side.

Get your free

Critical Path Template

Use this free Critical Path Template to manage your projects better.

Get the template

A Gantt chart is used during the planning stage of the project after all the tasks have been identified using a work breakdown structure (WBS). It’s commonplace to create the schedule on the Gantt with an early start time approach, which means each task starts right after the other ends, which helps maximize floating tasks or float time.

How to Display the Critical Path on a Gantt Chart

The critical path and Gantt charts fit hand-to-glove in project scheduling because the critical path outlines the sequence of tasks that could delay your project. To do so means you need to follow these four steps.

Now let’s dive into the process of using ProjectManager’s Gantt chart to show the critical path of a project.

1. List Project Tasks

Projec tasks are small sets of work that lead to your final deliverable. All the tasks required to complete your project must be listed in your project schedule. As noted above, this can be done with a WBS, which has the final deliverable on top and the tasks that lead there branching downwards. This provides you with a thorough list of tasks, activities and deliverables needed to complete the project.

To make a list of project tasks in ProjectManager, simply open the Gantt chart view and begin adding task names. You can also indent any dependent tasks or subtasks if needed.

As noted above, a work breakdown structure helps identify project tasks and group them into sequences or work packages. This provides you with a thorough list of tasks, activities and deliverables needed to complete the project.

ProjectManager’s Gantt chart has a WBS column, which indicates the hierarchy of tasks and which of them are dependent on each other and belong to the same task sequence. For example, according to the work breakdown structure numerals, the task “Final review” (1.3) is nested under “Design and Planning” (1).

2. Set Duration and Due Dates for Project Task

The duration is the time it takes to complete each of the tasks you collected in step one. Adding these together will give you the full project duration. There are many ways to estimate time. This includes looking up historical data for projects that are similar to the one you are currently managing to meeting with your team, stakeholders and experts to get their opinions.

There are many ways to estimate time. This includes looking up historical data for projects that are similar to the one you are currently managing to meeting with your team, stakeholders and experts to get their opinions.

ProjectManager’s Gantt chart has columns to enter the duration and planned start and end dates for project tasks. It also has fields to enter the actual duration, start and end dates and of tasks so that users can compare their estimates against the actual performance of their project.

3. Identify and Link Task Dependencies

There are four types of task dependencies on a Gantt chart: finish-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-start and start-to-finish. Advanced Gantt chart software like ProjectManager makes it easy to link task dependencies together in a few clicks. To do so, simply select a task, right-click it and then select “Link tasks.” A pop up will appear, which will let you choose one of the types of task dependencies and will show the lag or slack of each task.

Being able to identify dependencies in your project can help you to avoid bottlenecks as you can plan ahead and allocate resources (people, materials, equipment, etc.) as needed to keep the project on schedule.

Once you set task dependencies using ProjectManager’s Gantt chart, the project timeline will use arrows to link dependent tasks as shown in the image below.

4. Calculate the Float of Tasks and Identify the Critical Path

In project management, the term slack, lag or float refers to the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the project’s overall completion date. This happens in projects in which there are longer task sequences that provide “wiggle room” for the completion of shorter task sequences.

Tasks in the critical path don’t have slack or lag, which allows project managers to identify them using a critical path diagram and CPM calculations. However, this is not needed when using ProjectManager, as the software automatically calculates the slack of each task and highlights the critical path tasks.

With ProjectManager, all you need to do to find the critical path in a Gantt chart is to simply list project tasks, enter their duration and due dates, link task dependencies together and then filter for critical path tasks with one click.

Step 5. Add Project Milestones

While they’re not necessary to identify the critical path in a Gantt chart, project milestones help further visualize the elements that make up the critical path of the project.

Project milestones are important dates that indicate the end of one project phase and the beginning of the next. You can also add the deliverable items to the Gantt chart. Then, find the longest path of sequence tasks or set of links from start to the project completion and that’s your critical path.

Benefits of Identifying the Critical Path in a Gantt Chart

There are many advantages from using Gantt chart software like ProjectManager instead of manually implementing the critical path method to identify the critical path of projects. Here are some of them.

• Automatically calculates task durations and dependencies without manual diagramming.
• Adjusts the critical path instantly when timelines or tasks change.
• Displays the critical path clearly in a more interactive format than a traditional CPM network diagram.
• Minimizes human error in sequencing and duration calculations.
• Easily model “what-if” scenarios to see impact on project timelines by simply adjusting the project scheduling data.
• Some Gantt chart software like ProjectManager integrates resource allocation, project budgeting, cost tracking and other important features with critical path analysis.
• Allows teams to view and update the critical path in one shared platform.

Free Critical Path Gantt Chart Template

If you want to try that on your own, ProjectManager has dozens of free templates that help with every aspect of project management. Try the free Gantt chart template.

If you choose to use the free ProjectManager in-app template, you’ll be connected to a powerful project management software that helps you organize your work and execute it more efficiently.

More Free Related Project Management Templates for Excel

If you’re not ready to start identifying the critical path of your projects in a Gantt chart, you can still use one of our free project management templates for Excel, Word, Google Sheets or Google Docs.

Critical Path Template

This critical path template is ideal for making a task list, identifying task dependencies, indicating the duration of tasks and calculating their expected start and end dates.

Gantt Chart Template

While not as robust as Gantt chart software, this Gantt chart template for Excel allows project managers to create a project schedule and visualize it using a bar chart timeline that’s automatically generated in Excel based on project tasks’ due dates and duration.

ProjectManager’s Gantt Chart Automatically Calculates the Critical Path

Using the IT project plan free in ProjectManager has many advantages to a standalone template that takes time to update and is cut off from the rest of your project management tools. Our interactive Gantt chart does everything a Gantt chart is famous for, from organizing tasks, setting milestones, linking dependencies and viewing your entire project on a visual timeline.

Lay Out Your Entire Project on Gantt Charts

As mentioned above, once you have your schedule in the Gantt chart, just filter for the critical path. That’s it. There are no complicated equations or calculations necessary. Once you have your schedule and budget completed in the Gantt, you can then set a baseline. This captures your plan and uses it to compare to your actual progress and tracks your progress in real time.

Work With Your Team

ProjectManager turns your Gantt chart a collaborative platform. You can attach files and documents on individual tasks. Assigned team members can add comments and communicate with others on the team no matter where they are. Even if someone on the project team isn’t assigned to the task, just tag them and they’re brought into the chat. Email notifications and in-app alerts keep you always updated.

Track Progress in Real-Time

You can further track the progress of your project on the real-time dashboard, which is fully integrated with the Gantt chart. When tasks are updated, the dashboard captures that data and makes the calculations automatically. Then displays the results in easy-to-read graphs and charts showing time, cost, workload and more. You don’t have to spend your valuable time configuring our live dashboard like with inferior software. It’s up and ready to go when you are.

Related Gantt Chart Content

We have created dozens of blogs, templates and guides about project management. Here’s some related content related to Gantt charts.

• Best Gantt Chart Software (Free & Paid)
• Gantt Chart vs. PERT Chart vs. Network Diagram: What Are the Differences?
• Gantt Chart Dependencies: Understanding Task Dependency Types
• How to Make a Gantt Chart In Excel Step-By-Step
• How to Make a Gantt Chart in PowerPoint (Template Included)
• How to Make a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets (Template Included)

ProjectManager is awarding-winning hybrid work management software. See why over 35,000 professionals are using our tool at organizations as varied as Seimens, NASA and Nestles to connect and succeed no matter if they work in a traditional, agile or hybrid environment. Get started for free with ProjectManager today!

The post Displaying the Critical Path on a Gantt Chart (Example & Template Included) appeared first on ProjectManager.

However, not everyone is ready to upgrade. That’s why we offer free project management templates that help during every phase of a project, across multiple industries. Below is a selection of free Gantt chart templates for project scheduling.

Before we get to that, let’s discuss why it’s better to at least explore the use of a project management tool when creating a project timeline. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts that do more than any template can hope to do.

Gantt charts organize tasks on a timeline, break the project into phases, add milestones and much more. All of which can be done on a template. Our Gantt charts go further. They can link all four types of task dependencies to avoid delays and cost overruns, filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks that must be completed to deliver the project successfully and set a baseline to track progress in real time. Templates can’t do any of that. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Why Use Gantt Chart Templates?

That said, there are reasons why people still use a Gantt chart template, whether made by Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets or another software product. Using one offers several advantages for project management. For example, they come with predefined layouts, reducing the time spent designing the chart from scratch.

Using a template ensures that all projects are managed the same way, making it easier for teams to follow and understand the project schedule. They also reduce the risk of missing crucial elements or errors when creating a Gantt chart, which can occur if starting from a blank sheet.

Templates often include a well-designed and visually appealing layout, making the Gantt chart look more professional when shared with stakeholders or clients. A properly formatted one communicates project timelines in a visually engaging way, helping everyone involved understand the project flow.

The most important reason is that a Gantt chart template breaks down the project into smaller, manageable tasks, making it easier to plan, assign resources and set realistic deadlines. They also allow project managers to track progress over time and see which tasks are on schedule and those that might be delayed.

Best Free Gantt Chart Templates

We’ll get to why project management software is superior to templates later on, but, as promised, first we’ll list the best free Gantt chart templates. A project schedule is part of the larger project plan and the stack bar chart of a Gantt chart is how project managers organize their task list. Use any of the following free templates to create project timelines and deliver projects on time.

1. Free Gantt Chart Template for ProjectManager

The first free template differs from the others on our list because this construction project schedule opens up in ProjectManager. Don’t worry, it doesn’t cost a thing. Our software has a 30-day free trial, no credit card required. Users have their project open in one of our powerful Gantt charts, but it also gives one access to multiple project views, including kanban boards, task lists and calendars. That means once the project schedule is set in the Gantt chart, assigned team members can execute their tasks with more appropriate tools. All views update simultaneously, keeping everyone on the same page and giving project managers insights into progress and performance.

But back to the Gantt chart, it can keep track of project deliverables and schedule and allocate resources, both human and nonhuman. It also tracks project costs. We’ve already mentioned how it can link task dependencies, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track project variance in real time. Users can also see a list of project activities in a work breakdown structure (WBS) column. The Gantt chart is customizable with color-coded tasks and much more. Since our software is online, the Gantt chart is also a collaborative tool, assigning tasks, sharing files and staying connected with other team members, anytime and anywhere by commenting at the task level.

2. Free Gantt Chart Template for Excel

For those who came here strictly to download a free Gantt chart template, here is one built in Microsoft Excel. It’s a simple Gantt chart, but can do much of what more advanced project management tools can do. The template is made up of two sides. On the left, there’s a traditional spreadsheet. This is where all the project tasks are listed. The columns capture the start and end dates and the duration of each task. There’s even a column to note the priority of the task. The last column tracks the work by showing the percentage complete for that task to help users keep to the project schedule.

As users fill in that pertinent information, the right side of the Gantt chart automatically populates with the visual timeline. This stacked bar chart is made up of all the tasks in the column on the left side of the template. Each task is represented by a task bar on a time-based chart. The task bar is as long as the expected duration of the task. Users can customize this project timeline by adding color to make it easy to distinguish between project phases.

3. Free Gantt Chart Template for Google Sheets

Microsoft Excel is only one tool capable of creating a Gantt chart. This free Gantt chart template for Google Sheets has an advantage over Microsoft as it’s more collaborative. That’s because this is online software. Another reason to choose Google over Microsoft is that the tool is free. Therefore, it’s better on one’s wallet and at fostering collaboration. Google Sheets allows users to collaborate in real time without having to download any files as they would have to with Microsoft Excel.

To use this free Gantt chart template for Google Sheets, just click on the link. The Gantt chart template will be in view-only mode. Users should then make a copy of their own so they can edit and share the document. They can also set the Gantt chart to be shared with specific members of the project team, giving each their own permission, such as view only for stakeholders, while active team members can have editable privileges.

4. Free Gantt Chart Template for PowerPoint

Another popular Microsoft software is PowerPoint and, yes, it can be used to make a Gantt chart. But why bother going through the labor of creating a Gantt chart in PowerPoint when it’s easier to just download one? But for those do-it-yourselfers, the link provides a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a Gantt chart in PowerPoint. For the rest of us, there’s a link to download a template to get started with a project schedule right away.

Gantt chart templates for PowerPoint are popular because many people use this software at work and are familiar with it. Therefore, teams can create simple Gantt charts that are easy for everyone to understand. Of course, whether one is built or a template downloaded, a PowerPoint file, just like an Excel file (or Microsoft Project file, for that matter) can be imported into ProjectManager. There, users will have all the bells and whistles that a template doesn’t. They can export those changes back to PowerPoint if they want to.

5. Free Gantt Chart Template for Word

Yes, Microsoft Word can also be used to create Gantt chart templates. No, Word isn’t a project management tool, but it is a familiar one. Sometimes familiarity trumps a more feature-rich tool. If that’s the case, then download this free Gantt chart template for Word. There’s also a section in the blog with directions on how to make Gantt chart templates in Word. It’s time-consuming and a bit complicated, but it helps users understand all the ins and outs of the tool.

Again, for those who don’t want to go through the ordeal of creating a Gantt chart somewhere that isn’t designed for such a project management tool, there’s a free download for a Gantt chart in Word. While it’s not recommended to manage projects in Word, even when the software can be turned into Gantt chart templates, we thought it would be nice to at least have one for those who want to use it.

6. Free Gantt Chart Template for Google Docs

Some people simply prefer software they use every day. Many have transitioned from Microsoft Excel and Word to Google’s suite of online and free productivity tools. Google has done a great job of seamlessly integrating all their apps, from Google Drive to Google Meet. If one’s business is already wedded to this world, why change? Download a free Gantt chart for Google Docs. It’s not ideal, but it’ll work as well as making one in Word, maybe even better as it’s an online, collaborative tool.

There are also directions to make Gantt chart templates in Google Docs for those who prefer to do it their way rather than download a completed one. It’s not simple and it’ll take time, like creating any Gantt chart templates from scratch, but our thorough plans, complete with screenshots for each step, make it possible for anyone, regardless of their expertise in Google Docs, to make working Gantt chart templates.

7. Free Gantt Chart Template for Google Slides

We couldn’t end without sharing Google’s version of Microsoft PowerPoint. That’s right, there are free Gantt chart templates that can be created in Google Slides. This software, which is designed for making presentations, is also online and, therefore, collaborative. Gantt chart templates like these are great to use when presenting to stakeholders in project meetings or proposals.

As with the other Gantt chart templates for Google, open up the template, make a copy and start editing with one’s own project data. These Gantt charts might not be as useful as the ones in project management software, but they look good. They are colorful and clear, making them easy to understand and great for professional presentations.

ProjectManager Has Better Gantt Charts and More Features

While free Gantt chart templates are useful, they will eventually frustrate users. Even those who don’t go through the effort of building their own will find too many limitations. Yes, they can do the basics, but delivering successful projects calls for more than the bare minimum. Project managers are going to want all the features they can get to bring in projects on time, within budget and meeting quality standards. That’s why they choose ProjectManager, award-winning project and portfolio management software with some of the best Gantt charts available on the market.

Manage Resources to Stay Productive

Gantt charts can schedule resources and related costs, but once the project is executed there are other features to ensure those resources are working as planned. First, when onboarding team members, project managers can set their availability, including, PTO, vacation and global holidays, as well as their skills, to make assigning them to tasks easier. There’s a color-coded workload chart to see who is overallocated or underutilized. Project managers can then balance their team’s workload from that chart to keep everyone working at capacity and avoiding burnout. There’s also a team page that shows either daily or weekly activity, which can be filtered by progress, priority and more.

Track Progress, Performance and Cost in Real Time

Then there is progress, performance and cost. These project metrics need monitoring to ensure they align with the project plan. Once the baseline is set on the Gantt chart, the software constantly updates in real time. Project managers can get a high-level overview with live dashboards that show time, cost, workload and more on easy-to-read graphs and charts for one or multiple projects. Customizable reports get deeper into the details or can be filtered for a summary to share with stakeholders and keep them updated. Secure timesheets streamline payroll, but they also offer a window into how far each team member has gone in completing their work and what it costs. That manages labor costs and keeps the project on budget.

Related Gantt Chart Content

There’s more to Gantt charts than Gantt chart templates. For those interested in exploring deeper, follow the links below to a handful of our more recent pieces on the tool.

• A Gantt Chart Guide with Definitions & Examples
• Best Gantt Chart Software (Free & Paid)
• How to Make a Gantt Chart: Steps, Tools & Tips
• 5 Best Tools for Creating a Simple Gantt Chart
• Why Use a Gantt Chart in Construction Project Management

ProjectManager is online Gantt chart software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Free Gantt Chart Templates for Excel, Google Sheets & More appeared first on ProjectManager.

We review the best project timeline software, listing pros, cons, pricing and more to help customers make an informed decision. Use this guide to help find the right project timeline software for your projects.

What Is Project Timeline Software?

Project timeline software is designed to help project managers, teams and stakeholders visually plan, track and manage the project schedule. It provides a timeline view of tasks, milestones, deadlines, dependencies and progress to ensure projects stay on track and meet its objectives within the allotted time.

This type of software has many benefits. It visually displays project tasks over time, offering a clear view of the entire project. This allows stakeholders to easily track progress and for project managers to identify potential delays or issues before they become critical. It also improves team communication.

The software helps allocate resources, whether human or nonhuman, by allowing project managers to see who’s working on what, ensuring that no one is overburdened or underutilized. This also helps avoid resource bottlenecks. It can also help with risk management by identifying risks early. There’s also the benefit of using the tool to monitor progress.

What Features Make the Best Project Timeline Software?

Before reviewing project timeline software products, it makes sense to understand the key features they should have to be effective. The following is a list of those features that customers need to be aware of when looking for the right software.

• Project Scheduling: Allows users to define tasks, assign them to team members and set up deadlines when managing projects.
• Dependencies: Visualizes the relationship between tasks, showing which tasks must be completed before others can start.
• Gantt Charts: Most project timeline software includes Gantt charts, visually representing the project timeline with tasks displayed as bars along a horizontal time scale.
• Milestone: Marks key points or events in the project timeline to indicate significant achievements or deadlines.
• Resource Allocation: Helps manage human and nonhuman resources and their availability over time.
• Critical Path Analysis: Helps to determine the critical path of a project timeline to help estimate the project’s duration and shows which tasks have slack and which don’t.
• Time Tracking: Provides features for tracking the completion of status of tasks, such as timesheets, helping to monitor progress against deadlines.
• Collaboration: Many tools allow team members to collaborate in real-time, making updates, commenting and sharing documents.
• Customizable Views: Depending on the software, users can customize the timeline view to focus on specific details like tasks, deadlines, resources or milestones.

2025 Best Project Timeline Software Rankings

There are a lot of project timeline software products on the market. The tyranny of choice could almost make a customer throw their hands up and just randomly pick one. That would be a mistake. There are good, bad and ugly tools out there. We’ve done the dirty work and below are the best of the best in descending order.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is award-winning project timeline software and much more, which places it atop our best-of list. It’s collaborative, with real-time email and in-app notifications, document management, global search and version control, plus unlimited file storage. That should be a given in any software like this, but we’ve hardly started to heap our praises on this product.

The software has multiple project views, which means that when projects are scheduled on timelines the team can execute them across kanban boards to visualize workload or task lists that can have attachments, prioritize, tag and more. There’s also a calendar view for stakeholders to get a monthly overview of progress. Plus, there’s a free 30-day trial to try it out.

Schedule With Gantt Charts

Now, let’s get to the meat of this product. Unlike many other project timeline software products, this one has one of the best Gantt charts we’ve ever used. It does everything a timeline can do, from organizing tasks, adding milestones, assigning resources and cost tracking, but has more advanced features.

For example, this Gantt chart can link all four types of task dependencies. Many other timelines have dependencies, but only one or two. ProjectManager has them all to help avoid delays and cost overruns. There’s also a filter that shows the critical path without having to go through the lengthy and complicated calculations by hand. On top of that, once the schedule is done, users can set a baseline to track the plan against actual progress in real time.

Monitor and Balance Resources

The Gantt chart schedules human and nonhuman resources. Other tools track those resources to keep them productive. First, during the onboarding process, project managers can set the team’s availability, including PTO, vacation and global holidays, as well as skill sets, which helps when making assignments. Once that’s done, there’s a color-coded workload chart showing who is overallocated or underutilized. Workload can be balanced from this page to keep everyone working at capacity and avoiding burnout.

There’s also a team page, which collects all the team members and their assignments, progress on tasks and more, across one or multiple projects. The team page can show a daily view or a weekly view. It can be further filtered to highlight progress, priority and more, which provides valuable insights into resource allocation and utilization.

Track Progress, Performance and Costs in Real Time

This Gantt chart tracks progress by shading in the task bar as the task is being completed. However, other tools provide more detailed information. For a high-level overview, real-time project and portfolio dashboards collect live data and display key performance indicators (KPIs) on easy-to-read graphs and charts showing time, cost, workload and more.

When project managers want more data, they can use customizable reports. There are status and portfolio status reports, plus, reports on variance, workload, timesheets and more. These reports can be quickly created and filtered to show only the data users want to view and can be shared with stakeholders to keep them updated. Then there are the secure timesheets that streamline payroll, but also give project managers a window into labor costs to help keep projects from going over budget. They also track the time team members are spending on their work.

Other features that moved ProjectManager to the top of our list include risk management tools to identify risks, including a risk matrix to measure impact and likelihood, which also tracks issues until they’re resolved. There are custom and automated workflows to reduce repetitive tasks so teams can focus on more important work. Task approval settings ensure those deliverables maintain quality standards. There’s even a mobile app for Android and iOS that allows users to log hours anywhere and at any time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

• Online Gantt charts
• Resource planning, scheduling and tracking tools
• Dependencies management
• Critical path analysis
• Time tracking
• Mac-friendly
• Free trial
• Mobile app for Android and iOS

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

• Limited customization features
• No free plan

ProjectManager Pricing

• Team: $13/user/month
• Business: $24/user/month
• Enterprise: Contact sales for a custom quote

ProjectManager Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.1/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “ProjectManager works very well with both large and small-scale projects. Being able to use this with anything from a project involving only two members of staff, to hundreds, has been invaluable.” Peter W – from Capterra
• “We used to manage our projects, resources, and reporting in different systems. Enter ProjectManager. We have consolidated systems and work more efficiently.” Jeffrey M – from Capterra
• “Having the full scope of activities and who is responsible to do it, plus the time tracking is excellent.” Flavio M – from G2
• “It has an excellent accounting system capable of calculating the time that a person has used to develop a task that was assigned to him. I like being able to collaborate with all my colleagues in the Finance sector through ProjectManager.” Jesus C – from G2
• “The UI of the application is user-friendly, and it helps to identify what we are looking for with minimal effort.” Pavan H – from G2

2. Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is project timeline software. It has Gantt charts that visualize tasks over time, with task dependencies, critical path analysis and resource management features. It’s a popular tool with larger organizations and a good fit for those who want software that seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products. There is also detailed reporting that allows users to generate reports on project progress, resource utilization and timeline performance.

Related: Best Microsoft Project Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

Using Microsoft Project means carrying some uncomfortable baggage. It’s notoriously complex and the interface can feel overwhelming, especially for those unfamiliar with the tool. Then there’s the high cost of using the tool. It’s prohibitively expensive for smaller businesses and larger ones have to deal with the mounting licensing fees as they add users to the software. For collaboration, users have to purchase Project for the Web or Project Online, adding to the expense.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for Integration With MS Tools

Microsoft Project Key Features & Benefits

• Ideal for those familiar with Microsoft solutions
• Gantt charts with task dependencies, critical path analysis
• Free plan and free trial
• Mobile app for Android and iOS

Microsoft Project Cons & Limitations

• Complicated to learn and overwhelming interface
• Depends on integrations and paid add-ons, for collaboration
• Expensive, especially adding more licenses
• Mobile app has only basic functionality

Microsoft Project Pricing

• Standard: $5/user/month (billed annually)
• Premium: $10/user/month (billed annually)
• Enterprise: $17.50/user/month (billed annually)

Microsoft Project Reviews

• G2 review: 4/5
• Capterra review: 4.4/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “It’s a powerful tool for managing complex projects, offering detailed features like task scheduling, resource allocation, and progress tracking.” Mazhar A – from Capterra
• “I love the automatically generated gantt charts and the timeline feature.” Eric B – from G2

3. Monday.com

Monday.com is a popular project timeline software due to its user-friendly interface. Users can create Gantt chart-like view to track project progress. The timeline view specifically gives a clear visual representation of tasks, deadlines and milestones. This is also a highly collaborative tool where teams can share real-time updates, comment on tasks and discuss project details. There are also automation features to simplify repetitive tasks and resource management tools.

Related: Best Monday.com Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

Monday.com might look nice, but users will pay for that pleasant design. It can prove an expensive choice, especially for smaller teams or startups. There is a free version, but advanced features, such as the timeline, are locked behind premium pricing plans. A pretty interface doesn’t mean ease of use. There’s a learning curve to learn the various features and customization options. There’s also limited advanced reporting beyond basic project tracking.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for User-Friendly Interface

Monday.com Key Features & Benefits:

• User-friendly interface
• Gantt chart-like tool
• Free trial and free plan
• Mobile app for Android and iOS

Monday.com Cons & Limitations:

• Steep learning curve
• Expensive, especially for small teams and startups
• Lacks advanced project reporting features
• Free version lacks advanced project management features

Monday.com Pricing

• Free: $0/user/month (maximum of 2 users)
• Basic: $12/user/month, billed monthly
• Standard: $14/user/month, billed monthly
• Pro: $24/user/month, billed monthly

Monday.com Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “I truly recommend using Monday to small to medium scale enterprises because of its ease of use.” Vikas G – from G2
• “I really like the monday work management interface.” Luiz Fernando J – from G2

4. Asana

Asana is another popular project timeline software with a timeline feature. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate. The timeline is basically a Gantt chart, though without advanced features. It can, however, track task dependencies. This is a collaborative platform, as with most of the tools reviewed on this list, and offers real-time updates. But the tool is mostly a task management software, with task prioritization and milestone tracking.

Related: Best Asana Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

The issue with its Gantt chart is that there is no critical path analysis, cost management and resource tracking features, which will be a hard pass for some customers. While having a free version is a plus, the lack of advanced features makes it less attractive. Like other tools lower on this list, it has limited reporting capabilities, such as custom dashboards. More troublesome is that there is no time tracking built in. That will require third-party apps, which add costs and might put this out of reach for many customers.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for Task Management

Asana Pros & Key Features

• Friendly user interface and easy-to-use tools
• Timeline with milestones and dependencies
• Mobile project management app for Android and iOS
• Free trial

Asana Cons & Limitations

• Timeline lacks critical path, cost management and resource tracking features
• Free version lacks advanced features
• No built-in time tracking
• Limited reporting capabilities

Asana Pricing

• Premium plan: $13.49/user/month, billed monthly
• Business plan: $30.49/user/month, billed monthly

Asana Reviews

• G2 review: 4.3/5
• Capterra review: 4.5/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “I can create tasks, set their dates, routines, collaborate with my teammates, see their tasks, private my tasks, and so much more.” Shivam K – from G2
• “The dashboard view is the main benefit; it helped me organize the work into stages and gave me a clear picture of how far along the team was.” Carrie C – from G2

5. GanttPRO

GanttPRO is project timeline software with an intuitive Gantt chart interface to easily visualize and track project timelines, tasks and milestones. It creates task dependencies and features a critical path view. The tool is also collaborative. Users can add comments, attach files and tag team members. It provides progress tracking, which helps monitor the project’s overall health. There are also robust export options so users can turn Gantt charts into PDFs, Excel files and PNG files.

Users have complained about the cost of this project timeline software. There is a free trial, but the paid plans are expensive compared to others on this list. There’s also a free plan but with limited features. Another problem is the lack of integrations. It works with Google Drive and Dropbox, but not nearly as many others as customers would expect. Then there’s the steep learning curve that might not be worth considering these limitations. More troublesome is the lack of task prioritization and the absence of time management features.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for Small Teams

GanttPRO Pros & Key Features

• Download files in a variety of formats
• Tracks timelines, tasks and milestones
• Progress tracking
• Has a free 14-day free trial

GanttPRO Cons & Limitations

• Free plan is limited
• Lack of integrations
• No task prioritization
• No time management features

GanttPRO Pricing

• Basic: $9.99/user/month, billed monthly
• Pro: $15.99/user/month, billed monthly
• Business: $24.99/user/month, billed monthly
• Enterprise: Contact sales

GanttPRO Reviews

• G2 review: 4.8/5
• Capterra review: 4.8/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “The ease of moving your projects along the timeline to accommodate changes in priorities as time passes is the most invaluable feature in my opinion.” Andree C. – from Capterra
• “Milestones, timelines etc are relatively straightforward to set up, and it looks good.” Josephine L. – from Capterra

6. Notion

Notion is used for note-taking, documentation and task management, but it can also be a project timeline software. It is customizable and allows users to build workflows and create custom templates, databases and layouts. It calls itself an all-in-one workspace, combining notes, tasks, calendars and project timelines. It enables real-time collaboration, adding comments, mentions and sharing content.

It is not, however, a dedicated project management tool. It can handle project timelines but lacks Gantt charts, detailed reporting or deep task dependency management. The timeline feature isn’t advanced. It’s based on databases, so it can create simple timelines, but doesn’t feature advanced capabilities. There’s no built-in time tracking, which will require the purchase of third-party tools. There are some automations, but they also require third-party integrations.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for Notetaking

Notion Pros & Key Features

• Task management
• Notetaking
• Database creation
• Real-time collaboration

Notion Cons & Limitations

• Limited advanced project management features
• No built-in time tracking
• Automation requires third-party software
• No Gantt charts

Notion Pricing

• Free Plan: $0/user/month
• Plus: $12/user/month, billed monthly
• Business: $18/user/month, billed monthly
• Enterprise: Contact sales

Notion Reviews

• G2 reviews: 4.7/5
• Capterra reviews: 4.7/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “It is versatile and user-friendly. I like it as a note-taking and planning tool.” Haocheng L. – from Capterra
• “Ease of use and cross-compatibility with other software like Asana, etc.” Laura S. – from Capterra

7. ClickUp

ClickUp is versatile project timeline software that helps with task management, collaboration and tracking projects. Its timeline view helps visualize tasks and deadliness across a project. It’s not an exclusively timeline-focused software, it does have multiple project views, task dependencies and is highly customizable. Built-in time tracking allows users to log time spent on tasks while automation helps streamline workflow.

Related: Best ClickUp Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

Due to its range of features, this software can be difficult for new users to get a handle on, with a steep learning curve that might require training and time to master. It’s not great with larger projects as users have complained of performance issues, especially when working with many dependencies. The timeline is also limited and unavailable to users of lower tiers. The free version has limited functionality.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for Team Collaboration

ClickUp Key Features & Benefits:

• Document editing and whiteboards for brainstorming with teams
• Multiple project scheduling views, including timeline
• Mobile app for Android and iOS
• Free plan and free trial

ClickUp Cons & Limitations:

• Not project management software
• Steep learning curve
• Performance issues with larger projects
• Timeline not available in lower tiers

ClickUp Pricing

• Free: $0 user/month
• Unlimited: $10/user/month, billed monthly
• Business: $19/user/month, billed monthly
• Enterprise: Contact sales

ClickUp Reviews

• G2 review: 4.7/5
• Capterra review: 4.7/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Good for operational tasks and customer support.” Hovhannes G – from G2
• “Overall, my experience with ClickUp has been highly positive. It has streamlined project management tasks and improved team collaboration significantly.” Paula L – from Capterra

8. Wrike

Wrike is another popular project timeline software. It has Gantt charts that allow users to map out tasks, milestones and deadlines. The software links task dependencies, shows the critical path and tracks progress, which makes it useful for complex projects. Real-time collaboration lets teams comment, share files and more. Customizable dashboards and reports track key metrics. There are also task and resource management capabilities.

Related: Best Wrike Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked

Wrike’s price might scare off customers. It can be expensive, especially for teams that need advanced features like Gantt charts, reporting and time tracking. The free version, as one might expect, is limited. The interface looks cluttered, which might turn some customers off. There’s also a steep learning curve for the advanced features. The permissions systems can be complex and difficult to manage. Plus, it lacks built-in communication tools.

Verdict: Best Project Timeline Software for Complex Projects

Wrike Pros & Key Features

• Maps out tasks, milestones and deadlines
• Has task dependency features
• 14-day free trial
• Mobile app available for Android and iOS

Wrike Cons & Limitations

• Expensive
• Limited free version
• Cluttered interface
• Lacks built-in communication tools

Wrike Pricing

• Professional plan: $10.00/user/month
• Business plan: $24.80/user/month

Wrike Reviews

• G2 review: 4.4/5
• Capterra review: 4.1/5

Highlighted User Reviews

• “Wrike has become essential in my day and keeps me organized and on top of my tasks.” Paige T – from G2
• “Productivity has been enhanced by removing essential but repetitive chores.” Denise S – from G2

Related Project Timeline Content

Project timeline software is only part of the larger topic of project timeline management. For those interested in learning more about timelines, such as how to create one in a variety of formats, check out the handful of links below.

• Project Timeline Maker: How to Make a Project Timeline Online
• 10 Must-Have Timeline Templates
• How to Create a Timeline in Excel (Free Templates Included)
• How to Make a Timeline in PowerPoint (Template Included)
• Free Google Sheets Timeline Template: Create Plans Online

ProjectManager is online project timeline software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or on the job site. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post 8 Best Project Timeline Software of 2025 (Free + Paid) appeared first on ProjectManager.

If you’re not using a Gantt chart to schedule your tasks and see your entire project on a visual timeline, then you’re at a disadvantage. While complicated to create and edit on paper, a Gantt chart in Excel is easier to use. Let’s go into why to use a Gantt chart in Excel, how to make one and where to download a free Gantt chart template in Excel.

Why Should You Make a Gantt Chart In Excel?

A Gantt chart is an essential tool in project management, especially for projects that use traditional methodologies, such as waterfall. That’s because the Gantt chart for Excel details the structure of a project that moves forward linearly, phase by phase.

Get your free

Gantt Chart Template

Use this free Gantt Chart Template to manage your projects better.

Get the template

The Gantt chart for Excel organizes tasks, including their start dates and end dates. This duration is then reflected on the timeline as a bar. You can even track the progress of those tasks by shading that bar according to what percentage of the task has been completed.

When Should You Make a Gantt Chart in Excel?

Gantt charts are an essential tool throughout the project, but especially during the project planning phase. It’s ideal to make an Excel Gantt chart while planning the project, using it to make the project schedule. The tool will continue to be used throughout the project to help project managers monitor data.

What Should Be Included in an Excel Gantt Chart?

A Gantt chart for Excel consists of two main elements. On the left-hand side is a normal-looking spreadsheet, commonly referred to as the Gantt chart task list or project table. Here, you can list your tasks, due dates and resources needed including the costs related to that line item. The Gantt chart for Excel spreadsheet can capture a large volume of valuable project information.

Here are some of the key elements that an Excel Gantt chart task list or project table should include:

• List of project tasks
• Start and end dates
• Task duration
• Priority level of each task
• Percentage of completion
• Task owner
• Required resources
• Estimated cost

The timeline side of the Gantt chart for Excel can pinpoint milestones. These are usually diamond-shaped icons that indicate important project dates, such as the end of one phase and the beginning of another or a deliverable, etc. You can even indicate tasks that are dependent on another task in order for them to start or finish.

As useful as a Gantt chart for Excel can be, there are limitations. Even a digital Gantt chart requires manually updating data, which takes time away from the project. There has been another evolution as Gantt charts on paper moved to Gantt charts for Excel and, now, Gantt charts as part of a larger project management software solution.

ProjectManager is award-winning project management software with powerful Gantt charts that go beyond the limitations of Gantt charts for Excel. Define project phases, link tasks, build a WBS, filter for the critical path and set a baseline, which allows you to track actual progress against planned progress. Everything is online, too, so you can collaborate with your team and see data populate in real time. It’s easy to import an Excel file to make your Gantt in minutes. Get started with ProjectManager today for free and build a better Gantt chart.

How to Make a Gantt Chart In Excel

Making a Gantt chart in Excel is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process because Microsoft Excel doesn’t have built-in features for making Gantt charts like ProjectManager. However, you can still manually create Excel Gantt charts if you’re an advanced Excel user, as complex Excel formulas and formatting is required to shape a spreadsheet into a Gantt chart from scratch. Here’s a quick overview of what this process looks like.

1. Make a Project Task List

Make a table with four columns as shown in the image to list your project tasks. Then, add a formula to calculate the duration of each task by subtracting the end date from the start date. This is the duration value.

2. Make a Stacked Bar Chart

Make a standard stacked bar chart with data from your project table. The first thing you’ll need to do is to select the “Start (Date)” column and then click on insert and select the stacked bar chart from the graph menu, as shown in the image below.

3. Add Data to Your Excel Gantt Chart

Right-click the stacked bar chart and then click on “select data” from the dropdown list.

Then click “Add” under “Legend Entries (Series)” and use the data selection tool to grab values from the “Duration (Days)” column. Select only the “Duration (Days)” cell to set it as the “Series name.”

Then select the rest of the column as the “Series Values.”

4. Edit the Horizontal Axis of Your Excel Gantt Chart

Right-click your stacked bar chart again and click on “Select Data,” but this time, click on “Edit,” under “Horizontal (category) Axis Labels.

Next, select all values from the “Task Name” column.

After you’ve taken these steps, your stacked bar chart should look like this.

5. Format Your Excel Gantt Chart

To turn this stacked bar chart into a Gantt chart timeline, you’ll need to format this stacked bar chart to show the task bars like a Gantt chart. To do so, follow these two steps:

Right-click the blue bars, go to format data series and then remove the fill color.

Now right-click the task names, go to the format axis and then check the “categories in reverse order” checkbox.

6. Assign Tasks to Your Team Members

Once the Gantt chart timeline is formatted properly, it’s time to add another column to assign tasks to team members to ensure tasks are executed by the appropriate team member. This streamlined schedule will act as a reference point for them throughout the project and enable them to plan for what work they’ll need to complete at various points throughout the project.

7. Allocate Resources and Estimate Costs

Resource allocation and cost estimation come next. This is an essential step when making a Gantt chart in Excel because it helps prevent overallocation; individuals won’t be overworked and feel burned out. If a resource is underutilized, it can be reallocated to more critical tasks. By assigning costs with each task, it’s also easier to create a more realistic project budget.

8. Add More Details to the Project Task List

The purpose of an Excel Gantt chart is to act as a reference for how the project schedule is evolving so you might want to include details such as the priority level and the percentage of completion for each task. It makes it easy to see at a glance how the project is progressing and alerts the project manager if action needs to be taken.

9. Customize the Appearance of the Excel Gantt Chart

The appearance of the Gantt chart is fully customizable, too. Feel free to color-code it to represent different project stages or assignees. You can also add your brand logo, brand colors or other touches that will make this asset even more appealing to your team and to stakeholders who will be viewing it.

And that’s how you make a Gantt chart in Excel. However, if you’d like to save some time, you can use our Gantt chart template for making an Excel Gantt chart in minutes.

Gantt Chart Excel Template

Yes, building a Gantt chart for Excel from scratch is a lot of work. But it’s worth it. Still, there are workarounds. For example, ProjectManager has a free Gantt chart template for Excel that you can download and use right now. Our free Gantt chart for Excel is formatted so you can just add your tasks and start and end dates and they’ll automatically populate the timeline to the right. Download your free Gantt chart template for Excel now and save yourself the time and effort of building one from scratch.

Advantages of an Excel Gantt Chart

We’ve already mentioned some of the advantages of using a Gantt chart for Excel, but there are many more. The most obvious advantage is that a project manager can see everything that’s going on in the project, but also it improves communication with stakeholders and the project team. Managers know who’s working on what, when it’s due and whether it’s on track.

A Gantt chart for Excel also helps with avoiding resource overload. You can plan your resources efficiently and make sure you have what you need when you need it. Using task dependencies makes it easier to avoid overlapping activities, which can cause bottlenecks that impact your schedule. This also improves time management, which is important for keeping to your project schedule.

You can also build better communication with your team and that’ll lead to improved productivity. The work is transparent on a Gantt chart for Excel, which helps teams collaborate. And, if you’re working on more than one project at a time, you can view all those projects on a Gantt chart for Excel to better share resources and get the most value out of the portfolio or program.

Disadvantages of an Excel Gantt Chart

All that doesn’t mean Gantt charts for Excel are without their problems. As you can see from the how-to tutorial above, building a Gantt chart in Excel can be difficult. There’s a lot you have to manually add and the more complex the project, the more arduous the task of creating a Gantt chart in Excel. That doesn’t even speak to having to edit the Gantt chart in Excel, which is almost like starting from scratch.

You can try to add formulas to build the bar chart part of the Gantt chart, but Excel isn’t really built for this type of work. It’ll involve coding beyond a simple formula to populate the bar chart from the spreadsheet. While you can get templates that do this, they still require manually inputting the data. Suddenly, the cost in terms of time is trumping whatever savings you might suggest you’re getting from not investing in project management software.

The advantages of using a Gantt chart are undisputable, however, a Gantt chart for Excel puts the brakes on the efficiency of the tool to the point many will shy away from using it. That’d be a mistake. Gantt charts don’t have to live in Excel spreadsheets. When part of a project management software they are easy to create, edit and share with the team.

ProjectManager Is Better Than Making a Gantt Chart In Excel

Once you get tired of manually updating your templates, which are always behind the project you’re tracking, then you’ll want to upgrade to project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project management software that delivers real-time data to make more insightful decisions. Our Gantt charts leave Gantt charts for Excel in the dust, automatically updating with live data so you’re seeing the actual project’s progress and performance, not a snapshot of yesterday’s news.

Fully Featured Gantt Chart View

Gantt charts are incredibly useful in Excel, but Excel versions don’t have the same features as award-winning project management software. ProjectManager’s Gantt chart is incredibly powerful as it can link all four types of task dependencies. We also have features such as critical path analysis, the ability to compare planned versus actual costs and live data integrations with timesheets, reports and dashboards. Unlike an Excel Gantt chart, ours updates in real time with the most recent data.

Work on Multiple Project Planning Tools

But the Gantt chart is only one of the multiple project views you get with our software. Gantt charts are great for managers, but teams usually don’t need all that data. They want to focus on their tasks, which is exactly what they can do with robust task lists. Or they can manage their backlog and collaborate with kanban boards that visualize workflow and give managers visibility into the process so they can spot bottlenecks early and reallocate resources quickly to keep production moving forward. The calendar view is great for stakeholders who want to make sure milestones are being met. All views update simultaneously so everyone is always on the same page.

Track With Real-time Project Dashboards

You can use the free dashboard template for Excel, but why waste all that time setting it up and manually inputting the data? Our real-time dashboard works automatically and captures live data, which is then displayed in easy-to-read graphs and charts that show project metrics such as time, cost and more. Other project management tools have dashboards, but just like an Excel spreadsheet, you’ll have to spend a lot of time configuring them. Ours is ready to give you a high-level overview of the project whenever you want. Just toggle over and it’s ready.

Our software also has risk management features to identify project risks when planning and then track and resolve issues as they arise in the project. Resource management tools make it easy to set the availability of your team to streamline assignments and then monitor their work to balance workload and keep them productive. There’s automated workflow and task approvals and so much more than a Gant chart for Excel can’t even dream of.

More Free Project Management Templates for Excel

Of course, everyone loves free templates. If you’re not ready to upgrade to project management software, ProjectManager has dozens of free project management templates for Excel and Word that you can download right now. We have free templates for every phase of your project. Here are a few that work well with the Gantt chart for Excel.

Project Budget Template

To help make more accurate estimates when budgeting a project, use our free project budget template for Excel. Our free budget template for Excel lists all your tasks, the accompanying labor and material costs and even has columns to track your actual costs against your budget.

Project Plan Template

Before you can fill in your Gantt chart for Excel you have to have created a thorough project plan. Use our free project plan template for Word to write everything from your project scope, milestones and tasks to budget, risk and change management.

Project Dashboard Template

A Gantt chart for Excel can help you plan and even track your work to an extent. But when you need an instant high-level overview use our free dashboard template for Excel. It converts raw data into charts showing costs, workload and much more.

Related Gantt Chart and Excel Content

• Best Gantt Chart Software
• How to Make a Gantt Chart in 5 Steps
• How to Make a Gantt Chart in PowerPoint
• Five Gantt Chart Alternatives
• Easy Ways to Make a Gantt Chart with Google Sheets (Plus Templates)
• 25 Must-Have Project Management Excel Templates and Spreadsheets
• Microsoft Planner Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Planner

ProjectManager is online project management software that connects teams whether they’re in the next office, at the job site or anywhere in between. We foster collaboration by making it easy to share files, comment at the task level and much more. Join teams from Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel Step-By-Step (Template Included) appeared first on ProjectManager.

Each of these alternatives has unique pros and cons depending on the industry, business size and the level of functionality expected from a Gantt chart tool, which is why it’s important to understand Gantt chart software to know which Gantt chart features are the most useful for the project and its team.

In this blog, we’ll go over the main pros and cons of making a Confluence Gantt chart, as well as some alternatives that can be used. We recently reviewed the best Gantt chart software alternatives and highlighted their key features, pricing and other important details to consider when choosing a tool for a project team.

What Is Confluence?

Confluence is a team collaboration and productivity tool that allows remote team members to work together online. For example, users can make, store and manage documents online in real time, establish a communication channel for sharing announcements and documents at the enterprise and team levels and brainstorm using whiteboards, posts, data visualization tools and messaging features.

Does Confluence Have a Gantt Chart?

Confluence gets teams together so they can work more productively. Does it use a Gantt chart? Gantt charts are essential project management tools that schedule work and share that work with the whole team. Managers can track their progress as well as get an overview of the entire project on a timeline.

That sounds like a good productivity tool. But a Gantt chart is more than that. It’s an advanced scheduling feature that links dependencies that can delay progress and lead to cost overruns that threaten the budget. Many can do more, such as filtering for the critical path, which identifies those tasks that must be completed to deliver a successful project.

A Confluence Gantt chart would do a lot for teams collaborating on project work, assigning them tasks and giving managers transparency into their work. Sounds like an important tool that Confluence should have. But does it?

Short Answer: No, Confluence Doesn’t Have a Gantt Chart

No, Confluence doesn’t have a built-in Gantt chart feature. It has a timeline tool that looks like a Gantt chart at first glance because it uses a bar chart to map tasks on a timeline. However, on closer inspection it’s clear it’s not a Gantt chart. First, it lacks a table, spreadsheet or grid to show project task details as every Gantt chart does. On top of that, it lacks basic Gantt chart functions, such as visualizing task progress, identifying critical path activities or mapping task dependencies.

Long Answer: Confluence’s Gantt Chart Alternatives Lack Key Project Management Features

Confluence has a timeline tool, which is sort of like a workaround for a Gantt chart. It’s a bar chart, but a Gantt chart is not just a simple bar chart. Gantt charts are made up of two distinct halves. We mentioned the visual timeline, but there’s also a spreadsheet where start and end dates, duration and must more are collected. That data automatically populates the timeline. Confluence doesn’t have this table.

It cannot also visualize complex task dependencies, detailed task progress tracking, critical path identification and robust features for managing large project complexities. It’s a timeline, yes, but a far cry from a fully functional Gantt chart. To access more powerful Gantt chart functionality, users need to install third-party plugins or integrate with dedicated project management tools.

ProjectManager, an award-winning project and portfolio management software, has a robust Gantt chart tool for managing projects that makes interactive project schedules, balances team member’s workload, tracks task progress and costs, links four types of task dependencies and identifies the critical path of your projects. These and other features make ProjectManager’s Gantt chart an ideal solution for managing projects across industries. Get started with ProjectManager for free today.

How to Make a Confluence Gantt Chart Better With ProjectManager

If you’re stuck using Confluence but want to experience the full capabilities of what a Gantt chart can do, there’s a helpful workaround. You can save your Confluence project as an Excel or CSV file. From there, you can import that data into ProjectManager and use the Gantt chart the way it should be used. First, make sure to start a free 30-day trial.

1. Export & Import Your Confluence Project

Choose the Confluence project that you want to export and save it as a CSV or Excel file. From there, it’s ready to import. Once you start your ProjectManager trial, navigate to the Gantt chart view and click the import button. Click “Select File” and find the project you want to import.

2. Select Options

At this point, decide if you want to add the Confluence data to a new or existing project. If you’re adding the data to an existing project, decide whether you want to keep the existing data or delete it.

3. Choose What Data to Import

You can either import all data from your Confluence file or only the task list. Select which data you want to import and click next.

4. Success!

When you see the “Success!” window pop up, you’re finished. The Confluence file has been imported and you’re now ready to use a fully-fledged Gantt chart in ProjectManager.

How to Create a Gantt Chart in Confluence

While Confluence doesn’t have a Gantt chart, there are two alternative solutions or workarounds to make a Gantt chart using Confluence. One is embedding a Gantt chart from Jira. The second is getting a Gantt chart app from the Confluence app marketplace.

Method 1: Jira, a project management tool that’s also made by Atlassian, makes it easy to use with Confluence. Jira has two tools that can make a Gantt chart: timelines and plans.

Import the Jira Gantt chart into Confluence to share it with team members. The main advantage of this method is that Jira timelines can be embedded in a Confluence workspace.

Method 2: There are various free and paid Confluence marketplace apps and integrations to make a basic Gantt chart. Each has its pros and cons, but generally, the main advantage of these apps is that they’re simple to use and are specifically designed for making Gantt charts, unlike Confluence or Jira.

However, none of these methods will make a fully-fledged Gantt chart, which leaves many users looking for an alternative for making a Confluence Gantt chart. Find out why by making a Gantt chart in ProjectManager. Better understand what a real Gantt chart can do when seamlessly integrated with essential project management tools.

How to Make a Gantt Chart With ProjectManager

ProjectManager’s Gantt chart offers advanced project management features, but it’s still an easy-to-use tool thanks to its intuitive user interface. It’s an ideal solution for both beginning and experienced project management software users. That’s because it’s a versatile tool for managing projects: planning, scheduling and tracking tasks, workflows or business processes, all in real time.

Get started by taking ProjectManager’s 30-day free trial. Then follow these steps to make a Gantt chart.

1. Make a New Project

Click the New icon and then select Project. A window will pop up.

Select whether to make a Gantt chart from scratch by listing project tasks and entering their details manually or by importing an Excel, CSV or Microsoft Project file to use its data to populate the Gantt chart.

2. Choose the Gantt Chart View and Enter Project Data

Select the Gantt chart by clicking the icon shown in the image below. On the left side, there’s a grid or spreadsheet with columns to enter details about project tasks, such as task names, estimated duration, due dates, assignee, costs and much more.

The information entered in these columns will automatically populate the visual timeline on the right side. This Gantt chart timeline will show such details as who’s responsible for each task, its percentage of completion, project milestones and task dependencies. In addition, it will highlight the critical path for the project schedule.

3. Assign Tasks to Team Members and Collaborate Online

Once the project tasks have been mapped on the Gantt chart, they can be assigned to team members. In addition, ProjectManager has timesheets, workload management charts and other time management features to help track the work hours of each team member, their labor costs and current availability.

ProjectManager has unlimited file storage to hold all project documentation, which can be shared with the project team. To further collaboration, kanban boards can share messages and files in real time at the task level. Teams are always up to date on changes and updates with email notifications and in-app alerts.

4. Track Project Progress, Schedule, Resources & Costs

Real-time dashboards automatically collect live data from the Gantt chart and display project metrics, such as time, cost, workload and more, in easy-to-read graphs and charts for a high-level overview of progress. Customizable reports get more detailed information on project and portfolio status, workload, timesheets, variance and more.

Resource management tools, such as the color-coded workload chart and team page show resource allocation and can balance workload to keep teams working at capacity and increase productivity.

Top 3 Confluence Gantt Chart Integrations, Key Features, Prices and Ratings

While not as robust as ProjectManager, there are Confluence Gant chart integrations. Here’s a quick overview of the top three Confluence Gantt chart integrations and their current price and ratings in the Confluence apps marketplace.

1. Smartsheet for Confluence

This integration allows users to access some of Smartsheet’s project management tools in the Confluence workspace, such as Gantt charts, worksheets, dashboards and calendars.

Price: $12 per month
Free Trial: 30-day free trial
Rating/User Reviews: 4/4

2. Table Filter, Charts & Spreadsheets for Confluence by Stiltsoft Europe OÜ

This app offers basic data visualization tools that turn Confluence tables into Gantt charts. By listing tasks, their start and finish dates, this Confluence Gantt chart integration will automatically make a Gantt chart based on that information.

Price: $27 per month
Free Trial: 30-day free trial
Rating/User Reviews: 3.9/4

3. Mermaid Charts & Diagrams for Confluence by weweave UG

Mermaid Charts & Diagrams make various diagrams, including Gantt charts, to visualize the data from the Confluence pages.

Price: $9.20 per month
Free Trial: 30-day free trial
Rating/User Reviews: 3.7/4

Free Gantt Chart Template for Excel

This free Gantt chart template for Excel is a great alternative to the Confluence Gantt chart apps described above. It automatically generates a Gantt chart for projects based on a list of tasks, their due dates and estimated duration. Simply fill out the columns and then customize the Gantt chart as needed.

However, for the best Gantt chart experience for project managers and their teams, use ProjectManager.

Why ProjectManager Is the Best Confluence Gantt Chart Alternative

We’ve already mentioned some advantages of using ProjectManager’s Gantt chart. However, ProjectManager offers many other project management tools and features besides Gantt charts. Here are some main reasons that make ProjectManager the best Confluence Gantt chart alternative.

Multiple Project Management Tools

Gantt charts are only one of multiple project views, all updated simultaneously so everyone is always working on the most current project data. There is the visual workflow of kanban boards, project calendars, task lists and a sheet view, which is like a Gantt chart without the timeline. Managers, teams and stakeholders can choose the tool that best serves their needs. For example, kanban boards give a more detailed view of each of the tasks in the Gantt chart. Users can edit task details and collaborate with the team as well. Any changes made in any of the project tools are reflected across all views.

Online Team Collaboration Features

Like Confluence, ProjectManager has team collaboration features; There’s document management with unlimited file storage, which allows team members to access files anywhere and at any time. There are also built-in messaging and file sharing features, email notifications to stay updated on changes and the project team can tag one another. Team management features include dashboards, workload charts and the team page to monitor the activity of all team members and track their progress, workload and labor costs on secure timesheets.

Advanced Gantt Chart Software Features

ProjectManager Gantt charts give users advanced features that most Gantt chart tools lack, such as identifying the critical path, linking all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays, work breakdown structure hierarchy levels, comparing cost estimates vs. actual project costs and more.

Disadvantages of Creating a Confluence Gantt Chart Using Jira

As we’ve hinted at, the main disadvantage of using Jira to make a Gantt chart that can be shared in a Confluence workspace is that it simply doesn’t have a Gantt chart tool. Instead, it has a task list and a timeline view, which can be used to make the two main elements of a Gantt chart, a table or grid with project tasks and a stacked bar chart that works as a project timeline.

Additionally, these tools have some Gantt chart features such as basic task dependency mapping and progress tracking. However, these tools are designed to make a product roadmap for software development teams, so they’re not the best alternative for those looking for a Gantt chart tool for task or project management.

On top of these drawbacks, having access to Jira’s timeline and plans requires a monthly fee of $12.50 per user.

Disadvantages of Creating a Gantt Chart Using Confluence Marketplace Apps

While Confluence is a great tool for managing project documents and streamlining your team communication, it’s not Gantt chart software. To make things worse, its integrations are very limited in terms of project management functionality.

Unfortunately, most Confluence Gantt chart integrations only visualize data in a Gantt chart format. They lack advanced features such as resource allocation, cost tracking, schedule baselining, critical path management and many more.

Most of these apps aren’t free. That means paying for multiple Confluence integrations to get the same functionality that a single Gantt chart software like ProjectManager can provide.

But these methods can’t compete with the project management functionality provided by software equipped with fully featured Gantt charts, such as ProjectManager. On top of that, ProjectManager integrates with Jira, which allows data to flow between ProjectManager, Jira and Confluence.

Related Gantt Chart Content

We’ve reviewed the best Gantt chart software alternatives to help understand what are the key features to consider when choosing a tool for the project team. Here are some of them.

• Jira Gantt Chart: How to Make Gantt Charts Using Jira
• Microsoft Project Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Microsoft Planner Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Planner
• Monday.com Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart With Monday.com
• Trello Gantt Charts: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Trello
• Power BI Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Asana Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Tableau Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Notion Gantt Chart: Key Features, Pros and Cons

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams in the office, out in the field and anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our tool to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Confluence Gantt Chart: How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives appeared first on ProjectManager.

Does Power BI have a Gantt chart or can users cobble together one and will it have all the advanced features that project managers and their teams need to successfully deliver projects? We’ll answer those questions and more as we take a closer look at Power BI and Gantt charts.

What Is Power BI?

Microsoft Power BI is a data analysis software that allows you to use various tools such as spreadsheets, pie charts, stacked bars and other types of diagrams to visualize project or business data, including the Power BI Gantt chart.

Power BI allows you to import data from a variety of file formats and sources such as Microsoft Excel, SAP, Oracle, Google Analytics and other software and applications, which makes it a versatile tool that most organizations can use for data analysis.

Power BI can help you better analyze the data your business or project generates so you can make better decisions. But is Power BI good for project management? To answer that, let’s first review the Power BI Gantt chart, which is one of its key project management features.

Does Power BI Have a Gantt Chart?

The question of whether Power BI has a Gantt chart is an important one, but why? Gantt charts are an essential planning and scheduling tool across projects. It houses data across the entire project in one easily accessible location that the whole team can access.

Beyond being a visual tool, Gantt charts can link dependencies to avoid delays and set milestones to help with tracking. Gantt charts help organize tasks, resources, costs and more. Project managers use Gantt charts to break projects into phases and make them more manageable. So, is there a Gantt chart in Power BI?

Short Answer: Yes, Power BI Has a Gantt Chart

Power BI doesn’t have a built-in Gantt chart feature but you can still use it to create a Gantt chart by installing the “Gantt” custom visual by Microsoft, a free app that allows Power BI to map out data using Gantt charts. You can get this app from Power BI’s AppSource, an online store in which you can find apps, add-ons and extensions for Power BI.

Installing this custom Power BI visual is an easy process that won’t require you to leave Power BI. We’ll explain how to get this custom Power BI visual, add it to your report and use it to create a Gantt chart in more detail below.

Long Answer: Power BI’s Makeshift Gantt Charts Lack Key Project Management Features

The Power BI Gantt chart extension allows you to create a basic Gantt chart that can help you visualize your project schedule and track your team’s progress. However, the Power BI Gantt chart doesn’t have any project management features, which makes it a limited tool. It’ll only allow you to create a view-only Gantt chart based on the data that’s manually entered by users but can’t be edited.

For example, the Power BI Gantt chart won’t let you adjust your project schedule by dragging and dropping tasks or adjust their duration by manually increasing their size. There aren’t advanced project planning features such as linking the four types of task dependencies, identifying the critical path, tracking project costs or syncing with other related project management tools like kanban boards, task lists, timesheets or dashboards.

On the other hand, ProjectManager‘s Gantt chart doesn’t require any manual setup and has all the project management features you need to plan, schedule and track your projects. Assign tasks to your team members, create a project schedule, track resource utilization and monitor project costs.

The best part is that ProjectManager’s Gantt chart syncs with its other project management tools like timesheets, kanban boards, workload charts and project calendars. So if you’re looking for a Gantt chart tool that can help you manage your projects and collaborate with your teams online, ProjectManager is a better alternative than a Power BI Gantt chart. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

How to Make a Power BI Gantt Chart Better With ProjectManager

ProjectManager’s robust Gantt chart allows you to link the four types of task dependencies, identify the critical path of your project, monitor resource allocation and track task costs. Additionally, it allows you to assign tasks to your team members, set task priority levels and due dates and collaborate with your team by sharing messages and files. Try it free for 30 days.

1. Export & Import Your Power BI Project

Choose the project from Power BI that you want to export and save it as an Excel or CSV file. It’s now ready to import into ProjectManager. In ProjectManager, toggle to the Gantt chart view and click on the import button. Click “Select File” and find your Power BI project.

2. Add to New or Existing Project

You’ll need to decide if you want this data to be added to a new or existing project. If you’re adding it to an existing project, be sure to note whether to keep the existing data or delete it.

3. Choose What Data to Import

Then, you’ll be able to choose if you want to import all of your data from the Power BI file or only the task list. Select the option you want to import.

4. Success! Create an In-depth Power BI Gantt Chart

When the “Success!” window pops up, the process is finished. Your Power BI file has been imported and now you’re ready to use a real Gantt chart in ProjectManager.

Power BI Gantt Chart Key Features

The Power BI Gantt chart shows simple information about your project tasks, including their name, due dates, duration, percent of completion and project resources assigned to them. Here are all the customizable data fields that allow you to decide which data you’d like to display on your Power BI Gantt chart: task name, parent task, task duration, due dates, task percentage of completion, project resources for each task and project milestones.

Let’s take a closer look at a Power BI Gantt chart example to better understand what’s included in a Power BI Gantt chart.

Power BI Gantt Chart Example

This Power BI Gantt chart example shows a construction schedule. In this image, we can see the timeline showing project dates at the top, the left column showing task names and finally the stacked bar charts representing each project task. Additionally, you can see how the color fill on each bar is formatted to represent the percentage of completion of each task. If you’d like to know more about a task, simply hover over it with your pointer and the Power BI Gantt chart will display the project task information you’ve entered.

Disadvantages of a Power BI Gantt Chart

Power BI Gantt charts can only display a project schedule based on the data you provide, but they won’t allow you to make any changes once they’re created. This means they’re only a representation of data, but not a functional Gantt chart for planning, scheduling or tracking projects.

• Isn’t project management software but data visualization software which explains its lack of project management features
• Changes to your project schedule require creating a new report by loading data and autogenerating a new Gantt chart
• No critical path analysis, task dependency mapping, workload management or project cost-tracking tools

PowerBI Gantt Chart Alternative: ProjectManager Integrates with PowerBI

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that offers tools that help you plan, schedule and track your projects from start to end. It’s a powerful platform that’ll help you manage key areas of your projects such as resource management, project scheduling, cost tracking, task management and more. Best of all, it integrates with PowerBI, so you can connect your project data for in-depth analysis.

You can filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track planned vs. actual effort in real time. On top of that, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart user interface is intuitive and shows detailed information about your project. Now, let’s review other reasons that make ProjectManager the best alternative to Power BI Gantt charts.

Use Multiple Project Management Tools

Besides having a more powerful Gantt chart tool than Power BI, ProjectManager offers a variety of project management tools including kanban boards, dashboards, timesheets, kanban boards and more. All of these tools sync with each other to offer a complete project management solution, unlike Power BI, which is data management software.

Track Project Costs and Resources

ProjectManager allows you to track the resources that’ll be used on each of your projects as well as their costs. Use any of its project management tools to list project tasks, along with their resources and costs and the software will add them and show your total project cost and resource availability in real-time dashboards and reports.

ProjectManager Integrates With Power BI

And, as we said, if you’re interested in Gantt charts but still want to use Power BI, this ProjectManager integration is the perfect solution for you. It combines all the data analysis functionality of Power BI with the project management software you need to manage your projects successfully.

How to Make a Power BI Gantt Chart From Scratch

Power BI facilitates the process of creating a Gantt chart based on data about your project tasks. Here’s how you can make a Power BI Gantt chart from scratch in three simple steps.

1. Load Project Data Into Power BI

The first step to creating a Power BI Gantt chart is to provide information about your project tasks such as task names, start and end dates, task durations, percent complete and who they’re assigned to. With this information, Power BI will automatically create a Gantt chart. To do so, click the spreadsheet icon on the left side of your screen and then click “Enter data” as shown in the image below.

Now, Power BI will ask you to create a table with the information that you’d like to show in your Power BI Gantt chart. For this example, we’ve entered the following data:

• Task name
• Start and end dates
• Task duration (in days)
• Percentage of completion
• Task assignee

You might enter this data manually in Power BI, or you can also copy and paste a table from Microsoft Excel. Once you’ve entered the data you need for your Power BI Gantt chart, you may click “Load.”

Here’s how the table view should look once you’ve completed the steps above. Now, let’s go back to the report view by clicking the report icon that’s highlighted in the screenshot below.

2. Get the Gantt Power BI Visual

Now that you’ve collected the data that’s necessary for making your Power BI Gantt chart, let’s create one. To do so, you’ll need to get the Gantt Power BI visual, an app you can get through Power BI’s built-in app store. This allows you to add different types of tools to the software.

On the right side, click on the three dots as shown in the image below, then select “Get more visuals.”

This will open Power BI’s library of visuals. Use the search bar to look for the Power BI Gantt chart visual and then select it. Make sure it’s the visual published by the Microsoft Corporation.

Power BI will let you know that your new visual has been successfully added to your report and a new icon will appear on the right side of your screen.

3. Insert Your Power BI Gantt Chart and Add Data to It

Click the Gantt icon, and a blank Gantt chart field will appear on the left as shown below. Now, you’ll need to use the “Data” column on the right side of your screen, which contains the data from the table that was previously added to Power BI. You’ll need to drag and drop the items in the “Data” column to their corresponding field in the “Visualizations” column, as pointed by the arrows in the image below.

Congratulations, you’ve created a Power BI Gantt chart that shows your project tasks, their due dates, percentage of completion and who they’re assigned to on a timeline. You can now use this Gantt chart to track your team’s progress and make sure your project is delivered on time.

Advantages of a Power BI Gantt Chart

While it might not be designed for project management, there are still some advantages to using a Power BI Gantt chart. Its main advantage is that it automates the process of creating a Gantt chart. You’ll just need to get the project data outlined above and upload it into Power BI.

• Ideal for those getting started with Gantt charts but are comfortable with spreadsheets and other Power BI data analysis tools
• Compatible with other Microsoft products that can help you manage projects such as Microsoft Project and Microsoft Planner
• Easy to understand by both project managers and team members

More Power BI Gantt Chart Alternatives

Let’s learn about some of the best Power BI Gantt chart alternatives, so you can get a better idea of what a fully-featured Gantt chart from a project management software can do for your business or project.

1. Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project offers a variety of project management tools like Gantt charts, network diagrams, project calendars, resource tracking sheets and more. Microsoft Project it’s the most widely used popular project management software, mainly due to its large trajectory of over 40 years in the market, which led to its widespread implementation across organizations.

Microsoft Project Gantt charts are a good alternative for making a project schedule because they allow you to link task dependencies, identify critical path activities, track the completion of tasks, estimate the total duration of projects and establish project baselines. You can also track the utilization of project resources and their related costs.

However, the main disadvantage of Microsoft Project is that it’s expensive. There are different versions of the software, Project Standard 2021 for $679 or Project Professional 2021 for $1,129 for a one-time purchase. Additionally, most users complain about the steep learning curve they have to go through to use the software. Luckily, many Microsoft Project alternatives offer the same project management features at a lower cost.

2. Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner offers a lightweight version of a Gantt chart, called a project timeline. Like a Power BI Gantt chart, its project planning and scheduling features are limited compared to more robust Gantt chart software alternatives.

However, unlike a Power BI Gantt chart, Microsoft Planner allows you to edit your Gantt chart tasks by dragging and dropping them to change their due dates, or expanding their size to increase their duration. Using Microsoft Planner, you can also add project tasks to your team members, link task dependencies set a priority for each task and track their percent complete.

The main disadvantage of Microsoft Planner Gantt charts is that they can’t track critical information about your tasks such as resources and costs, because the software lacks project budgeting and tracking features. A Microsoft Planner Gantt chart only allows you to create a basic project schedule and track tasks’ due dates but not much more than that because Planner is a light version of Microsoft Project.

Related Power BI Gantt Chart Content

Choosing the right project management software for your team can be challenging. That’s why we’ve created blogs and guides to help you better understand what you should look for. Here are some blogs that are related to Gantt charts and Microsoft project management solutions.

• What Is Power BI? Uses, Features and Pricing
• Microsoft Project Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Best Microsoft Project Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked
• Microsoft Planner Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Planner
• Best Gantt Chart Software
• Best Microsoft Project Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked
• Microsoft Planner vs. Project: In-Depth Software Comparison

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that helps you plan, manage and track projects in real time with multiple project views, including robust Gantt charts. Teams can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who are using our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Power BI Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives appeared first on ProjectManager.

While Notion has project management features, is there a Notion Gantt chart? We’ll get to that in a moment. Gantt charts are essential project planning and scheduling tools that can manage and track resources and costs.

What Is Notion?

Notion is software that bills itself as an all-in-one productivity and collaboration tool that’s also used in project management. It’s a versatile tool that allows teams to create customized workflows or organize tasks, projects, notes, documents, databases and more.

While it isn’t specifically designed for project management it can meet various project management needs. For example, it has task management features that allow users to assign tasks, set due dates and track progress.

It also has kanban boards and a calendar view. The latter can be used to schedule and view tasks or project milestones. But its strong suit is users can document meetings, ideas, strategies and project details all in one place, which can help keep track of requirements, decisions and team communication.

Does Notion Have a Gantt Chart?

The big question, of course, is whether the software has Gantt charts. There are software products that are designed for project management and still lack Gantt charts. They tend to lean on kanban boards or task lists.

While this is fine for small projects or ones that are being done in an agile environment, traditional project management is hard to manage without the use of Gantt charts. These tools visualize the project on a timeline, organize tasks and break the larger project into more manageable phases.

Without a Gantt chart, waterfall methodology is pretty much impossible. Therefore, let’s take a look at Notion and see if it has a Gantt chart.

Short Answer: No, Notion Doesn’t Have Gantt Charts

The short answer is no, Notion doesn’t have a Gantt chart. However, you can use Notion’s task list and project timeline to create a Gantt chart. Additionally, Notion has other basic project management features such as project calendars, kanban boards and sprint boards to help you manage your team’s workload.

But even building a Notion Gantt chart isn’t ideal. A Notion Gantt chart doesn’t have the robust features that project managers, teams and stakeholders expect from their Gantt charts. After doing all the work to create a Notion Gantt chart only to find out how limited it is will be frustrating.

Long Answer: Notion Gantt Charts Lack Key Features for Project Management

It’s not ideal to build a Gantt chart under the best of circumstances and this is doubly true in Notion. That’s because a Gantt chart built into this software is lacking in the powerful features that project managers and their teams need. Why create a limited Gantt chart that will only frustrate users when other software products have robust ones built in?

One of the main advantages of using a Gantt chart is that it links dependent tasks. Notion can create relationships between tasks through linked databases or properties, but there is no easy way to visualize these dependencies in a timeline or drag-and-drop interface.

In most Gantt chart software, users can drag and drop tasks along a timeline to adjust stand and end dates, durations and dependencies. In Notion, users have to manually update dates and adjust the timeline if a task changes or if there are delays. There’s also no resource management, built-in milestones or critical path, plus a lack of reporting is the final nail in the coffin.

If you need Gantt chart software for managing projects with all the powerful features you need from a Gantt chart, use ProjectManager instead. ProjectManager’s Gantt charts have planning, scheduling and tracking features that Notion’s Gantt chart doesn’t, including the ability to link all four types of task dependencies. Users can filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track project variance in real time. On top of that, it offers other project management tools like timesheets, workload management charts, real-time project dashboards and more. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

How to Make a Notion Gantt Chart Better With ProjectManager

ProjectManager offers a best-in-class Gantt chart that allows users to set a baseline, find the critical path and oversee resources in one place. Use it to track all four types of dependencies, set priorities and tag team members to collaborate in real time. No matter where you’re working, it’s easy to share files and documents to keep your project moving.

If you’re using Notion, but want a Gantt chart that manages all aspects of a project, then download the data from Notion’s project timelines and task lists as CSV files and import them into ProjectManager.  Now you can use all of ProjectManager’s advanced project management features. Simply start a free trial of ProjectManager and follow these steps.

1. Use the Import Button on the Gantt Chart

Once you’ve downloaded the CSV files for your Notion Gantt chart, log into ProjectManager and go to the Gantt chart view. Then click on the import button, as shown in the image below.

2. Select the CSV File You Want to Import

As soon as you click the import button, a pop-up will appear. Now click “Select File” and import your CSV file.

3. Choose the CSV File Import Options

You may import the information from your CSV files into ProjectManager to create a new project or add tasks to an existing project.

4. Select the Data to Populate the Gantt Chart

Select what data to import from the CSV files and display on your Gantt chart. Fortunately, you can visualize all the information from your Notion timelines and task lists using ProjectManager’s Gantt chart and track many other aspects of your project such as resource utilization, costs and the critical path activities of your project.

5. Your Notion Gantt Chart Is Ready to Edit in ProjectManager

If you see a new window that says “Success,” that means you’ve successfully imported the Notion Gantt chart CSV file you can continue to edit your Gantt chart in ProjectManager.

What Can a Notion Gantt Chart Be Used For?

Even though Notion Gantt charts have some drawbacks that make them a limited tool for project management, they can still be used for many purposes, like these examples.

• Making a product roadmap that shows the various stages of product development
• Creating a basic project timeline to estimate the total duration of your projects
• Assigning work to your team members and monitoring their performance
• Planning, scheduling and tracking short-term projects

Let’s review the key features of a Notion Gantt chart to better understand its capabilities and limitations when it comes to managing projects.

Notion Gantt Chart Key Features

A Notion Gantt chart allows you to create a project schedule, assign tasks to your team members and track their progress, which makes it useful for implementing action plans for your organization. Here’s a quick overview of its key features.

• Task dependencies: Notion Gantt charts can only identify finish-to-start task dependencies. Identifying task dependencies is important when creating an accurate and realistic project schedule. However, Notion can’t link start-to-finish, start-to-start or finish-to-finish, which can cause issues when executing projects.
• Percentage of completion: Notion Gantt charts show the percentage of completion for each task in the visual project timeline.
• Task prioritization: You can use a Notion Gantt chart to set a priority level for all project tasks.

Notion Gantt Chart Example

Let’s now take a look at a Notion Gantt chart example. This particular example is a roadmap template that shows the activities across product areas over the upcoming months. To start, let’s look at Notion’s project timeline tool. As you can see in the image below, it shows project task names, their due dates, duration, percentage of completion and arrows to indicate task dependencies.

By clicking these project timeline bars, you can see additional information for each task, such as their priority level, status, and subtasks. Now, let’s review the other half of a Notion Gantt chart. By default, Notion’s task lists show your task names, status, assignee, due date and priority, but you can add other columns.

Cons of a Notion Gantt Chart

A Notion Gantt chart can be used for making basic project schedules but lacks the advanced project management features needed for managing all areas of a project. Here are some of them.

• Resource management: A Notion Gantt chart has no resource management features, which is one of the main disadvantages. While tasks can be assigned to team members, a Notion Gantt chart doesn’t allow for the allocation of any other type of resources to project tasks or track resource utilization as the project is executed.
• Cost tracking: Similarly, Notion Gantt charts don’t have any cost management capabilities. This means it only tracks the percentage of completion of tasks but won’t be able to track the costs of resources such as people, materials and equipment.
• Database-dependent Gantt chart: The process of making a Gantt chart in Notion requires the creation of a dataset, which is then automatically turned into a Gantt chart by the tool. While it may facilitate the process, it generates a Gantt chart with limited functionality, which makes Notion feel more like a data visualization tool rather than a project management software.
• Critical path method (CPM): A Notion Gantt chart doesn’t have critical path analysis features which are very important for project scheduling. The critical path of a project is the longest sequence of tasks that need to be delivered on time, or else project completion will be delayed. Having a Gantt chart with CPM features will help you better understand what tasks need to be prioritized to complete your projects on time.

The Best Notion Gantt Chart Alternative

As explained, Notion has project timelines and task lists that can be used to emulate the experience of using a Gantt chart. For example, these tools allow you to assign tasks to your team members or create basic project schedules, but shouldn’t be used for planning or managing the execution of projects due to their lack of advanced project management features such as cost, resource or risk tracking.

Let’s look into some other reasons why you should use ProjectManager for your Gantt charts instead.

Manage Resources and Monitor Project Costs

ProjectManager’s Gantt chart view allows you to allocate project resources for all your project tasks, estimate their costs and then compare your project cost estimates with the actual resource utilization and costs of your project. Besides this built-in resource management feature, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart automatically syncs with real-time dashboards, timesheets and workload management charts so you can accurately track project costs and monitor how project resources are spent.

Multiple Project Management Views

Gantt charts are just one of the project management views that ProjectManager offers. You can also manage your projects using kanban boards, project calendars and task lists to schedule projects and manage your team’s workload. These tools can help you view your projects from different perspectives and allow your teams to work with different project management methodologies and styles such as waterfall or agile.

Pros of a Notion Gantt Chart

While a Notion Gantt chart has many limitations for managing projects, there are some benefits to using the software’s timeline feature.

• View projects easily
• Identify the degree of completion
• See the status of the work
• Find out who owns the work
• Link finish-to-start dependencies

However, as we noted, the limitations of the Notion Gantt chart far outweigh the benefits. Notion’s Gantt chart isn’t a true Gantt chart and has minimal capabilities that most project managers won’t find sufficient. If you’re looking for a best-in-class Gantt chart that has all the in-depth features you need to plan and manage your project, try ProjectManager.

Related Gantt Chart Content

We’ve created dozens of blogs, templates and guides to help you make Gantt charts for planning, scheduling and tracking your projects. Here are some Gantt chart-related pages that you might find useful.

• Best Gantt chart Software: Free & Paid Alternatives
• Gantt Chart Template for Excel
• Gantt Chart vs. Kanban Board: Pros, Cons, Similarities & Differences
• Gantt Chart vs. PERT Chart vs. Network Diagram: What Are the Differences?

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams in the office, out in the field and anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who are using our tool to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. 

The post Notion Gantt Chart: Key Features, Pros and Cons appeared first on ProjectManager.

Tableau is an analytical tool, but does it have a Gantt chart? Can one be built? How good is its Gantt chart? These are just some of the questions we answer in the following blog. Anyone curious about using Tableau for project management needs to read further to see if it’s the project management solution for them.

What Is Tableau?

Tableau is an analytics platform that allows organizations to visualize their data on powerful yet user-friendly data analysis charts and diagrams powered by machine learning, natural language processing and predictive analytics. It has interactive, shareable dashboards and reports.

This app is widely used by businesses, data analysts and other professionals to make sense of complex data, uncover insights and drive decision-making. There are a variety of Tableau products, from desktop to online.

This easy-to-use powerful data analytics tool isn’t designed with project management features. However, it can be used by project managers to analyze and visualize project data. It can even be used to make a Gantt chart. In this blog, we’ll learn how to make a Gantt chart in Tableau and explore its key features and limitations.

Does Tableau Have a Gantt Chart?

Gantt charts are a type of bar chart used in project management to represent the timeline of a project. It is divided into two parts, one is a spreadsheet that collects project data, such as start and finish dates, milestones and dependencies. The other is a visual timeline that shows the entire project on one screen.

In a Gantt chart, each task is represented by a horizontal bar, with the length of the bar indicating the duration of the task. The position of the bar on the timeline shows when it starts and ends. Gantt charts can be used to track project progress, visualize task dependencies, plan resource allocation and identify potential delays.

While Tableau isn’t a project management software, it can be used to help with managing projects, as we’ve already stated. But does it have this all-important tool? Let’s take a look at what Tableau can and can’t do regarding a Gantt chart.

Short Answer: No, Tableau Doesn’t Have Gantt Charts

No, Tableau doesn’t have a built-in Gantt chart feature, so you’ll need to manually set up its stacked bar charts to make one. The result will be a Gantt chart diagram that shows your project schedule and basic details such as project task names, duration and due dates.

Long Answer: Tableau Gantt Charts Lack Key Features for Project Management

Okay, so Tableau can make a Gantt chart, but is that a fully functional tool or just a poor workaround? First, and already a problem, is that unlike Gantt chart software that has Gantt charts ready and waiting for use, this one must be manually set up. This is time-consuming and may require a certain level of expertise in the software.

Another ding on this product is that it doesn’t natively support task dependencies. This must be managed manually, which is cumbersome in larger projects. Task dependencies are essential to identify those tasks that can’t start or be completed until another has started or been completed. Having a limited Gantt chart that doesn’t do this automatically is frustrating.

While Tableau can visualize tasks, it doesn’t provide built-in features like critical path analysis or milestone tracking. Add to that the lack of drag-and-drop functionality to reschedule tasks, meaning more manual duties for users, and anyone who hoped Tableau’s built Gantt chart would be helpful is sure to be disappointed.

If you need a Gantt chart that allows you to do that and much more, you should try ProjectManager. ProjectManager’s Gantt chart allows you to plan, schedule and track your projects from start to end and sync with a variety of project management tools such as kanban boards, project dashboards, timesheets, workload charts and much more. But more than that, all four types of task dependencies can be linked to avoid costly delays. The critical path can be found easily by filtering the Gantt chart, which shows essential tasks that must be completed to deliver a successful project. Once the project is scheduled, set a baseline to track progress in real time to never miss a deadline. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

How to Make a Tableau Gantt Chart Better With ProjectManager

In some cases, creating a Gantt chart in Tableau can be helpful, but it pales in comparison to Gantt chart software. With ProjectManager, you get online project and portfolio software that offers a suite of tools to plan and manage every stage of your project. With best-in-class Gantt charts that track all four types of dependencies, built-in resource management, real-time collaboration and so much more, you’ll quickly see why this is preferred over Tableau’s weak features. If needed, you can always import your Tableau data into ProjectManager for a closer look at key metrics.

Use ProjectManager’s Gantt chart to set a baseline, identify the critical path, oversee resources and track costs. In a few clicks, assign tasks to your team members, set priority and recurrence and collaborate with your team. Use unlimited file storage to keep track of all documents and share files from wherever you’re working. Try it free for 30 days.

1. Export & Import Your Tableau Project

Choose the project from Tableau that you want to export and save it as an Excel or CSV file. It is now ready to import into ProjectManager. In ProjectManager, toggle to the Gantt chart where you’ll see an import button.  Click “Select file” and find your Tableau project.

2. Add Data to a New or Existing Project

Now that your Tableau file is uploaded to ProjectManager, decide if you want to add the data to a new project or if you prefer to add it to an existing project. If you’re adding to an existing project, be sure to determine whether to keep the existing data or delete it.

3. Choose What Data to Import

Then, determine if you want to import all of the data from your Tableau file or only the task list. Select the option you want and click next.

4. Create a Thorough Tableau Gantt Chart!

When the “Success!” popup appears, the process is complete. The Tableau file has been imported and you can now use a real Gantt chart in ProjectManager. Now, you’ll be able to see what a true Gantt chart can accomplish as it’s packed with features and keeps you connected to the rest of your team.

What Can You Use a Tableau Gantt Chart For?

Gantt charts in Tableau are basic at best. They outline the duration of events or activities in any given project, helping project managers see the project schedule and stay on track throughout various phases. However, the lack of true project management features is a significant hole in its usability, and there’s no time tracking, critical path or resource allocation, to name a few.

For example, if someone besides the project manager prefers to look at the data from a different view, it will be difficult to do so. All formulas have to be set up by hand which leaves room for human error. This isn’t ideal when the success of the project is on the line. Plus, sharing files with stakeholders is tricky and time-consuming.

Tableau Gantt Chart Key Features

Knowing how to make a Gantt chart in Tableau can help you turn data sets, spreadsheets and task lists into data-driven project schedules for your organization. It could be a good alternative for project managers who just need to visualize the duration and due dates of project tasks on a timeline but don’t need a Gantt chart to manage the project’s day-to-day execution. Here are some benefits of using a Tableau Gantt chart.

• Map data from large data set into a project timeline using stacked bar charts
• Create accurate and realistic Gantt charts and avoid human error
• Import data from a variety of file formats such as CSV, JSON, XML and Excel files, among many others

Tableau Gantt Chart Example

If you’re still set on using Tableau, we’ve outlined what a Tableau Gantt chart looks like. As you can see, it’s a typical Gantt chart that lists project tasks on the left side and uses a stacked bar chart on the right to represent project tasks on a timeline. Upon closer inspection of each task, this Gantt chart also shows the due dates and total duration of these tasks.

Disadvantages of Making a Gantt Chart In Tableau

Tableau simply doesn’t have the features you need from Gantt chart software. All you can do is use its stacked bar chart to mimic a Gantt chart, but it’s clear that this is just a mere data visualization chart and not the project planning, scheduling or tracking tool that a Gantt chart should be. Having said this, here are some of the key disadvantages of making a Gantt chart in Tableau.

• Can’t be used for cost tracking, resource allocation or critical path analysis
• Making a Gantt chart in Tableau is time-consuming and requires you to manually set up lots of things such as formulas
• While Tableau claims to be a user-friendly analytics platform, its user interface is still hard to use and navigate for most people, especially those new to this type of software
• Due to its total lack of project management features, Tableau can’t be considered Gantt chart software
• Files can only be saved as a Tableau Workbook file format (.twb), which makes it hard to export data into other software and share files with team members

The Best Tableau Gantt Chart Alternative

Let’s explore some other reasons that make ProjectManager a much better Gantt chart tool than Tableau.

Advanced Gantt Chart Features

As we hinted at, ProjectManager has one of the best Gantt chart tools any project management software can offer. Besides creating an interactive, online project schedule that allows you to collaborate with your team online, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart allows you to allocate resources, estimate project costs, link four types of task dependencies, identify the critical path of your projects and much more.

Multiple Project Management Tools

One of the main advantages of ProjectManager’s Gantt chart is that it syncs automatically with other project management tools like kanban boards, project calendars, project dashboards, timesheets and workload management charts, so you can manage all the different areas of your project.

Collaborate With Your Team Online

One of the biggest drawbacks of Tableau’s Gantt chart is that it’s a desktop-based solution that doesn’t work for teams that need to collaborate online. ProjectManager on the other hand, is an online project management solution with unlimited file storage and team collaboration features like messaging and file sharing.

ProjectManager also has email notifications that alert you when someone makes changes to tasks or projects you’re in, or whenever you’re mentioned in a message so you’re always updated on your team’s progress.

If you’re still interested in creating a Gantt chart in Tableau, read on as we outline each step you need to make one from scratch. However, if you’re new to Tableau and you’re having a hard time adapting to this tool, you can also use our Gantt chart template for Excel, which will help you create a similar project schedule.

Gantt Chart Template

This free Gantt chart template for Excel can automatically create a Gantt chart for you based on a list of project tasks and their due dates. Simply enter that data and this free Gantt chart template for Excel will automatically calculate the duration of each task and generate a stacked bar chart to depict the project schedule.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Tableau

To make a Gantt chart in Tableau, you’ll need to have a project or business data set, which can be anything from an Excel spreadsheet with a few project tasks and due dates, to large data sets with hundreds of tasks. If you don’t have a data set, you can download our construction schedule template as a CSV or Excel file. Let’s get started with the process of making a Gantt chart.

1. Import a Data Source File

The first step when making a Gantt chart in Tableau is to upload data into the software. For this example, we’ll use data from our construction schedule template, which we’ve downloaded as an Excel file. To get started, click the option that allows Tableau to import a “Microsoft Excel” file. Then select the file you’d like to import from your computer.

2. Select Your Data

Once you import your file into Tableau, you’ll land on the “Data Source” screen. Here you can preview your data set, select the data you’d like to import and remove unnecessary columns if needed.

In this case, we’re exporting a file that contains project scheduling data for a construction project that can be used to make a Gantt chart, such as the list of project tasks that need to be completed, their due dates and duration. It also contains other details you might choose to display in your Gantt chart such as task costs, resource requirements, task dependencies and more. Once you’re happy with your data, you can switch to the Sheet view.

3. Add Data to Populate Your Gantt Chart

Now that you’ve imported data into Tableau, you’re ready to make a Gantt chart using the Sheet view. On the left side of your screen, there’s a list of variables from your data set. Now you can simply drag and drop them into the columns and rows fields to automatically generate a Gantt chart in Tableau.

First drag and drop the “Planned Start Date” from the list of data variables to the “Columns” field as shown in the image below.

Once you add this variable, click on it and select “Exact date,” which is the correct date format for making a Gantt chart.

Next drag and drop the “Task Name” variable into the “Rows” field. Once you do so, Tableau’s stacked bar chart will begin to look like a Gantt chart, but there still are some steps that you’ll need to complete.

Now click the drop-down menu under “Marks” and select the Gantt chart.

4. Calculate the Duration of Tasks

Now let’s configure the Gantt chart to show the duration of project tasks with the size of each bar. To do this, follow the steps below.

Open the data visualization drop-down menu and click “Create Calculated Field…”

Name the calculated field and add a formula to it. In this case, we’ll use the “DATEDIFF” formula, which will calculate the difference between two dates. Begin by typing “DATEDIFF” and then select it from the formula menu.

Now fill in the formula variables by typing “(‘day’, [Planned Start Date], [Planned Finish Date])” as shown in the Tableau Gantt chart example below.

Once you add this formula and click “OK,” this custom-calculated field will appear with the rest of the data variables on the left side of your screen. Now drag and drop it into the size icon.

This adjusts the size of the Gantt chart task bars to show the duration of each task so that it accurately depicts the construction project schedule.

5. Add Additional Details About Your Tasks to Your Tableau Gantt Chart

For the last step, drag and drop the “Planned Finish Date” and “Planned Duration” variables in the Details box so this information shows as you hover over the Gantt chart bars.

Note: Set the “Planned Finish Date” as an exact date variable by clicking its drop-down menu and selecting “Exact date.”

Congratulations, you’ve created a Gantt chart in Tableau. Now you can add extra details to your project schedule, such as costs, resources and assignees.

Advantages of a Tableau Gantt Chart

Even though it’s not a best-in-class option, there are some advantages to using a Tableau Gantt chart.

• The process of creating a Gantt chart is easy and only requires you to import a data set and choose what information you’d like to display
• In addition to the stacked bar charts you can use to make a Gantt chart in Tableau, there are dozens of data visualization diagrams and charts to analyze business or project data
• Simple alternative for project managers who only need to see timelines and due dates

However, as stated above, this basic Gantt chart lacks resource management, cost tracking, project budgeting, risk planning and other important project management features. On top of that, this is a desktop-based Gantt chart so you won’t be able to collaborate with your team members online.

Therefore, Tableau Gantt charts can only be used for making a project schedule but they shouldn’t be used to manage the execution phase of your project due to their limited functionality. If you need a robust Gantt chart tool you can use to manage all aspects of your project, try ProjectManager. Let’s review what makes ProjectManager a much superior Gantt chart tool than Tableau.

In Summary: ProjectManager Has a Better Gantt Chart Than Tableau

As discussed above, Tableau can only help you visualize data sets into more digestible charts and diagrams, like a Gantt chart. But unfortunately, Tableau isn’t a Gantt chart tool you can use to actively manage your projects because you won’t be able to assign work to your team members, track project costs, or track the completion of tasks in real time like you would with ProjectManager.

Related Gantt Chart Software Content

Choosing the right Gantt chart software for your team can be challenging if you don’t know what to look for when comparing alternatives. That’s why we’ve created dozens of blogs explaining what are the key features of a Gantt chart, different methods you can use to create one, the best software providers and more to help you make an informed decision.

• Best Gantt Chart Software: Free & Paid Options Ranked
• How to Make a Gantt Chart In Excel Step-By-Step
• Power BI Gantt Chart: A How-To Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Microsoft Project Gantt Chart: A How-To Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Asana Gantt Chart: A How-To Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives
• Microsoft Planner Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Planner

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Tableau Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives appeared first on ProjectManager.

However, some never get the chance to use Gantt charts for Microsoft Project because of the steep price and learning curve. Let’s look at Microsoft Project’s Gantt chart and see what is worthwhile and what is lacking in the essential project management tool. We’ll highlight key features, show you how to build a Microsoft Project Gantt chart and identify some of the pitfalls of the Gantt chart for Microsoft Project.

What Is Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Project project management software is designed to assist project managers in planning, organizing and managing various aspects of a project, including tasks, resources, timelines and budgets. It can create, assign and track tasks, and manage deadlines. It also has resource management features to assign teams, equipment, etc., to tasks, track resource allocation and manage workload.

This software has many features, which adds to its complexity and can have a steep learning curve, especially for those who aren’t familiar with project management software. It’s also notoriously expensive as more licenses are required by team members. Still, this product is popular with those management traditional projects, unless they’re using Apple products, which aren’t compatible with MS Project.

There are several versions of Microsoft Project available, such as desktop applications like Microsoft Project Professional and cloud-based versions such as Project for the Web and Project Online. An advantage of using Microsoft Project is that it seamlessly integrates with other MS 365 tools. It can be used in construction, IT, engineering and marketing.

Does Microsoft Project Have a Gantt Chart?

Microsoft Project is a powerful project management tool. Having a Gantt chart is a fundamental part of waterfall methodology. It’s an essential scheduling tool that organizes tasks and breaks the project down into manageable phases. It then shows the entire project on a timeline.

While Gantt charts are associated with projects that move from one phase to the next, they can also be useful in other contexts. For example, when projects involve cross-functional teams some of these teams might work in a more agile environment. Managers might schedule work on Gantt charts, but they need to share those assignments with teams that work in different methodologies.

Related: Best Gantt Chart Software Rankings

Regardless of the methodology in which a project is managed, Gantt charts are powerful tools. Most can link task dependencies, which avoids delays and cost overruns. Some can do critical path analysis, which is a very helpful scheduling technique. Others set a baseline to track actual progress against planned progress. Well, does Microsoft Project have a Gantt chart?

Short Answer: Yes, Microsoft Project Has Gantt Charts

Yes, Microsoft Project has a Gantt chart. It creates and tracks tasks, sets up dependencies and visualizes resource assignment to tasks. This Gantt chart can help schedule large and small projects for small and large teams.

Long Answer: Microsoft Project’s Gantt Charts Lack Key Features for Project Management

The first problem users will encounter with Microsoft Project’s Gantt chart is its complexity. This is especially true for beginners or new users, who will have to train or clear a steep learning curve to set one up. Once users get a handle on the tool, they’ll find a limitation harder to get used to: its lack of collaboration. It’s not as collaborative as cloud-based software and can’t be used by anyone on the team who works on Apple products.

Even those who can get used to those shortcomings will probably balk at the price. It’s a premium product with higher costs compared to other project management tools. This will put it out of reach for small organizations with limited financial resources. Even larger companies might not be able to deal with the extra expense, especially as they buy more and more licenses.

ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has Gantt charts that link all four types of task dependencies to avoid costly delays. They can filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track project variance in real time. Our Gantt charts update automatically and can be shared easily with your project team, even Apple users. Microsoft Project is not known for its collaboration or ease of use. Our software is easier to use, fosters collaboration, including a mobile app, and is not as expensive as Microsoft Project. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

How to Make a Microsoft Project Gantt Chart Better With ProjectManager

Microsoft Project is hard to use, doesn’t foster team collaboration and can’t track costs or resources. That’s a big problem, especially if you want to deliver your project within its budget. Microsoft has a lot of problems that might not be worth the price of admission. If you’re looking for the best Microsoft Project alternative, use ProjectManager for a better project management software experience.

You can easily import Gantt charts from Microsoft Project to ProjectManager and vice versa. Simply save your Microsoft Project Gantt chart as an MPP file and you’ll be able to open and edit it in ProjectManager and use all its advanced project management features such as workload and resource allocation charts, timesheets, kanban boards, project calendars and much more. To do so, simply start a free trial of ProjectManager.

ProjectManager is online project management software with the same and even more features than the desktop and online versions of Microsoft Project. ProjectManager’s Gantt charts are ideal for planning, scheduling and tracking your projects. They’ll allow you to use the same features as a Microsoft Project Gantt chart at a fraction of the cost.

1. Use the Import Button on the Gantt Chart

Start your MPP file import with one click. Go to the Gantt chart view in the top menu of your Gantt chart.

2. Select Which MPP File You Want to Import

Follow the prompt on the popup window and select the Microsoft Project file you want to import. After you’ve imported your MPP file, you can view and edit the project plan file on your Mac.

3. Choose Your MPP File Import Options

Pick from the options shown on the new popup menu, such as importing the MPP file to a new or existing project.

4. Import All Data or Just the Task List

Select from the next popup menu whether to import all the data on the MPP file or just the tasks.

5. Close the Success Prompt

If you see a new window that says “Success,” that means you’ve successfully imported the MPP file.

6. Your Microsoft Project Gantt Chart Is Ready to Edit in ProjectManager

See the MPP file as it now appears in ProjectManager. You can view it in the Microsoft Project Gantt chart, as seen below, where task dependencies can be linked, milestones set, etc., or use one of the other multiple views such as kanban boards, project calendars and real-time dashboards.

Key Features and Pros of Microsoft Project Gantt Charts

Microsoft Project is still valuable as a project management tool. It integrates with other MS products, such as Office 365, SharePoint and Skype. Let’s take a moment to look at the pros of the software and some of the key features of the Gantt chart for Microsoft Project.

• Task Dependency Mapping: Links tasks that are dependent on one another, meaning they can’t start or finish without the other having started or finished.
• Critical Path Analysis: Identifies the tasks that must be completed to deliver the project.
• Project Milestone Tracking: Project tracking tool that helps track key steps, achievements or deliverables in a project schedule.
• Track Task Percentage of Completion: Tracks the progress the team is making in executing their tasks.

Cons of Making a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Project

Making a Gantt chart in Microsoft Project isn’t without its disadvantages. While the Gantt chart feature itself is robust, the project management software in which it resides has problems. Here are some of the issues you’ll find working in a Microsoft Project Gantt chart environment.

You’ve probably heard of the steep price for MS Project and those costs only increase as you pay for more licenses. If you’re working with a larger team, Microsoft Gantt charts are just going to be too expensive for them to be viable project management tools. That’s just one disadvantage. There are more.

• Steep Learning Curve: MS Project is complicated. Even seasoned pros have difficulty getting a handle on it without hours of training and trial and error.
• Difficult User Interface: Microsoft Project is hard to navigate. There’s poor visualization, which makes the project management tool that much harder to use, especially compared to Gantt chart software with a more modern user interface.
• MPP Files are Hard to Share: If you use Mac products, you’re out of luck, and even PC users can’t collaborate on MS Project. Yes, you could use SharePoint, but that’s another cost and even then, the system is clunky.
• No Cost or Resource Tracking Features: Projects are expensive and costs must be closely monitored to make sure you don’t overspend the budget. Microsoft Project’s Gantt charts can’t add the associated resources and how much it’s going to cost.

For these and other reasons, many Microsoft Project alternatives have been developed over the years. These are project management software equipped with the same features as Microsoft Project, such as Gantt charts, resource management tools, project calendars and more.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Project

Now that we understand the importance of a Gantt chart tool in project management, the next step is to learn how to make one in Microsoft Project. You’d start with a task list for your project and then create a new project file in Microsoft Project. Then follow these three steps to create a Microsoft Project Gantt chart.

1. Add Project Tasks, Durations and Due Dates

On the left side of the Gantt chart is a spreadsheet. Here, you’ll want to add all your project tasks on one line at a time. In the next column, you’ll add the start date. In the column after that, add the end date. This will create the duration for each task and it will populate the project timeline as a bar from the start date to the end date.

2. Link Task Dependencies

Task dependencies need to be linked or else they can be overlooked, which is going to negatively impact your project schedule. You can link dependent tasks on the Gantt chart by holding down the Ctrl key and selecting the two tasks you want to link.

3. Mark Milestones in the Project Timeline

You can add milestones to your MS Project Gantt chart by clicking view, then, in the task views group, click Gantt chart. Now you can type the milestone name and pick the task you want to turn into a milestone. Then you can add its duration.

4. Identify the Critical Path

Now that you’ve created a Gantt chart, you can identify the critical path of your project by clicking “Gantt chart format” on the top menu and then marking the critical tasks checkbox as shown in the image below. Once you do so, the Microsoft Project Gantt chart will highlight the critical path tasks on the right side.

5. Set a Project Schedule Baseline

A project baseline is an estimate of the time, scope or cost of a project. In this case, a Microsoft Project Gantt chart can help you create a project schedule baseline that establishes the estimated time your project should take. You can then use the schedule baseline to compare the actual progress of your project against what you had planned on your Gantt chart.

6. Track Percent Complete

Tracking the progress of your team once the project execution phase starts is critical for the success of your projects. That’s why the Microsoft Project Gantt chart has a column where you and your team members can specify the percentage completion of each task. This is shown in each bar of the Microsoft Project Gantt chart.

In the MS Project Gantt chart example below, the percent complete of the task that’s selected has been set to 45%. Therefore, the bar that represents that task on the Microsoft Project Gantt chart is filled halfway in dark blue. You might edit the formatting to change the color of your stacked bar.

Microsoft Project Gantt Chart Example

This Microsoft Project Gantt chart example shows a Gantt chart that was created for construction project management. On the left, there’s a list of tasks and information about them such as their duration, due dates, task dependencies and percentage of completion. On the right, there’s the stacked bar chart that shows each of those tasks on a timeline.

You can see the names of the team members to whom you’ve assigned the tasks. Additionally, as we pointed out earlier, each of the Microsoft Project Gantt chart bars shows the percentage of completion of each task with the fill color, which shows the progress each team member makes on each task.

Use the Microsoft Project Gantt Chart Wizard

MS Project has something called the Gantt Chart Wizard, a Gantt chart maker that’s designed to help users build Gantt charts automatically without any manual setup. To use it, you’ll need to follow these steps:

First, you have to add the Gantt Chart Wizard to the Project Ribbon by clicking File on the top menu, then click “Options.” Once the Options window opens, click the “Customize ribbon” button on the left side, then select Macros and click “New Group.” Then rename the new group you’ve created. We’ve called it “Gantt chart wizard” for this Microsoft Project Gantt chart example.

Now click the drop-down menu and select “All Commands” and find the command called Gantt chart wizard, then click “Add.”

Then click the Gantt Chart Wizard icon on your Quick Access Toolbar. This will bring up a welcome screen.

The Microsoft Project Gantt chart will allow you to customize the information you want to display, like critical path tasks, resources, project baselines and task dependencies. Simply follow the steps that are shown in the Gantt chart wizard windows like the one below.

Congratulations! You’ve created a Microsoft Project Gantt chart using the wizard feature. This feature will help you save time and create project schedules easily.

ProjectManager Has Better Gantt Charts Than Microsoft Project

ProjectManager gives you superior Gantt charts than Microsoft Project at a competitive price that won’t bust the bank. Our software is more intuitive and visual than MS Project and user-friendly. If you’re stuck with Microsoft Project Gantt charts, you can import MPP files in our software, make the changes you need to and collaborate with the project team. Then, export those changes in the MPP file back to MS Project.

But there’s a better solution: use our cloud-based project portfolio management software. We even have a mobile app, which Microsoft Project doesn’t, and multiple project views, from kanban boards and task lists to sheet and calendar views, all of which update simultaneously in real time.

Superior Cost and Resource Tracking Gantt Chart Features

Our Gantt chart view helps you keep track of project costs by setting a baseline, which captures your project cost and then compares those planned costs to your actual costs in real time. You can see if you’re overspending and take action to prevent going over your budget.

You can set the availability of your resources, including PTO, vacation and global holidays, which makes it easier to make assignments and then track their progress across your project or portfolio of projects. Use our color-coded workload chart to balance your team’s workload to keep them working at capacity.

Real-Time Project Tracking Dashboards

Once you set the baseline in the Gantt chart you can then compare your planned effort against your actual effort in real time across the app. For example, toggle over to our real-time dashboard, which automatically collects live data and displays it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and much more.

Unlike lightweight alternatives, our dashboard doesn’t require a lengthy and complicated setup. If you need more details, use our reporting features. It’s easy to generate a status or portfolio report, variance, timesheet, workload report and many more. All are customizable, so you can filter only the data you want to see, and they can be easily shared to keep stakeholders informed.

Related Microsoft Project Content

If you’re still on the fence about Microsoft Project Gantt charts, we have more MS Project articles for you to read. Learn about Microsoft Project, find the best Microsoft Project alternatives and much more. Follow the links below.

• Microsoft Project: Plans, Training and How to Download
• Best Gantt Chart Software: Free & Paid Options Ranked
• What Is Microsoft Project? Uses, Features and Pricing
• Microsoft Project Online: Pros, Cons and Free Alternatives
• Microsoft Planner Gantt Chart: How to Make a Gantt Chart in Microsoft Planner

ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

The post Microsoft Project Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide With Pros, Cons & Alternatives appeared first on ProjectManager.