A Gantt chart is an Excel bar chart that depicts a project schedule by showing task start and end dates, duration, and dependencies. It is a popular project management application for visualizing project schedules, tracking progress, and managing tasks. Gantt charts depict the project timeline visually, allowing project managers and team members to grasp the project’s status and detect potential concerns immediately.
Excel is a powerful spreadsheet application that may be used to generate Gantt charts. Excel’s built-in chart capabilities and its date and time functions can be used to generate a Gantt chart that displays project activities and their durations. In this article, we will discuss two crucial methods that can be used to create a Gantt chart in Excel. Read on to understand these methods.
Method 1: Using the Insert Tab
The Insert tab in Excel contains various tools for adding charts and graphs to your worksheet. It plays magic in adding a Gantt chart to your spreadsheet. Let’s discuss some of the typical steps you need to follow when creating a Gantt chart using this method:
1. Open Excel Application
Open the Excel spreadsheet. To begin a new document, double-click the Excel Icon and press CTRL + N.
2. Enter the dataset
Enter the dataset of your Gantt chart on the empty spreadsheet cells. Create a table listing all project tasks, their start dates, durations, and end dates. The table should have columns for task names, start dates, durations, and end dates. Alternatively, you can only have a table of start dates and durations. See the example below.
3. Highlight your dataset
Select the dataset you want to convert to a Gantt chart. Highlight even the headers of your dataset.
4. Go to the Insert Tab
Then, click the Insert Tab on the Excel ribbon. Then navigate to the Charts section. You’ll find a variety of chart kinds in the Charts section, including column, line, pie, bar, scatter, and so on.
5. Click the Bar Chart Button
In the chart section, locate and click the Bar chart icon button. From the drop-down menu, choose the Stacked Bar Chart. A stacked bar chart displays the data using horizontal or vertical bars, where each bar represents a category, and the height of each segment within the bar represents the value of a sub-category. In other words, each bar in a stacked bar chart comprises multiple segments representing different values.
The chart will be generated with the task names along the vertical axis and the time scale along the horizontal axis.
6. Edit the Blue section of the Bar
Double-click on the blue section on the chart to open the Format Data series on the Right side of the screen. Alternatively, right-click on the blue section and choose the Format Data Series option.
In the Data Series pane, click the Fill icon and expand the Fill button. From the Fill menu, toggle on the No Fill button.
That is all.
Method 2: Using the Analysis Option
Under this, you can use two other methods:
a) Using the Right-click Feature
The right-click feature in Excel is a powerful tool that can save you time and effort while working with large datasets or complex worksheets. Excel’s right-click feature is a context-sensitive menu that appears when you right-click on a spreadsheet’s cell, chart element, or other objects. It lets you quickly and easily conduct various actions on the selected object.
Here are the steps to use this feature to add a Gantt chart to your document.
1. Open Excel Application
Open the Excel spreadsheet. To begin a new document, double-click the Excel Icon and press CTRL + N.
2. Enter the dataset
Enter the dataset of your Gantt chart on the empty spreadsheet cells. Make sure you have at least two columns of datasets. Create a table listing all project tasks, their start dates, durations, and end dates. The table should have columns for task names, start dates, durations, and end dates.
3. Highlight your dataset
Select the dataset you want to convert to a Gantt chart. Highlight even the headers of your dataset.
4. Right-click on the selected dataset
On the Right-click menu, choose the Quick Analysis button. Excel’s Quick Analysis feature is a tool that allows you to evaluate and visually present your data quickly. It is designed to help users who are inexperienced with more advanced Excel functions conduct basic analytical and formatting tasks.
In the Analysis box, click on the Chart Tab. Then, select the More option.
In the Insert Chart dialogue box, click on the All charts tab. Then, choose and click the Bar button on the screen’s left pane. Finally, choose the Stacked Bar.
The chart will be generated with the task names along the vertical axis and the time scale along the horizontal axis.
5. Edit the Blue section of the Bar
Double-click on the blue section on the chart to open the Format Data series on the Right side of the screen. Alternatively, right-click on the blue section and choose the Format Data Series option.
In the Data Series pane, click the Fill icon and expand the Fill button. From the Fill menu, toggle on the No Fill button.
That is all.
b) Using Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are essential for anyone who uses a computer regularly, especially those who work with software applications such as Excel. They help you complete tasks faster and more efficiently than a mouse or touchpad. This can save you time and increase your overall productivity.
Here are the steps to follow while using this method to generate a Gantt chart:
1. Open Excel Application
Open the Excel spreadsheet. To begin a new document, double-click the Excel Icon and press CTRL + N.
2. Enter the dataset
Enter the dataset of your Gantt chart on the empty spreadsheet cells. Make sure you have at least two columns of datasets. Create a table listing all project tasks, their start dates, durations, and end dates. The table should have columns for task names, start dates, durations, and end dates.
3. Highlight your dataset
Select the dataset you want to convert to a Gantt chart. Highlight even the headers of your dataset.
4. Press CTRL + Q keys
After you’ve selected the dataset, use CTRL + Q on your keyboard to bring up the Quick Analysis Dialogue box.
5. Choose the Chart Tab
In the Analysis box, click on the Chart Tab. Then, select the More option. In the Insert Chart dialogue box, click on the All charts tab. Then, choose and click the Bar button on the screen’s left pane. Finally, choose the Stacked Bar.
The chart will be generated with the task names along the vertical axis and the time scale along the horizontal axis. Chart.
5. Edit the Blue section of the Bar
Double-click on the blue section on the chart to open the Format Data series on the Right side of the screen. Alternatively, right-click on the blue section and choose the Format Data Series option.
In the Data Series pane, click the Fill icon and expand the Fill button. From the Fill menu, toggle on the No Fill button.
That is all.
Similar Read: How to Create a Waterfall Graph in Excel- With Examples
Customizing the Gantt chart In Excel
Customizing the Gantt chart in Excel is important because it allows you to tailor it to meet your needs and requirements. It allows you to adjust Gantt’s appearance to suit your needs better. Let’s discuss some ways of customizing your Excel Gantt chart.
1. Change Chart Type: You can change the Gantt chart to a different chart type, such as a stacked bar chart or a line chart. To do so, click on the generated chart and then click on the Design Tab. In the Chart Styles section, choose the Chart type that fits you best. Alternatively, right-click on your chart and choose the Change Chart Type option.
2. Adding Gridlines: You can add or remove gridlines in your Gantt chart. Go to the Chart Tools tab in the Excel ribbon and click the Design tab. In the Chart Layout group, click the Add Chart Element button. Then, hover the cursor in the Gridlines button, and choose the gridline you want to add or remove.
3. Customize the Axis: To do so, click on the generated chart and then the Format Tab. In the Current Selection section, choose the Format Selection button. Locate the drop-down button below the Format Plot Area section, and choose the axis you wish to customize. A customizing pane will open on the right side of your screen.
4. Changing Shape Styles of bars: Excel allows users to change the Gantt chart’s Shape and style. To do so, click on the bar you want to customize. Then, click on the Format Tab. Choose the Shape you want to apply to your bar in the Shape Style section.
5. Changing Bar Color: Changing the colors of bars in Excel charts, including Gantt charts, can be important. Using different colors for different bars can help you draw attention to important information, such as critical tasks or milestones. This can make the chart more engaging and easier to read.
To do so, click on the generated chart and then click on the Format Tab. Choose the Shape Fill drop-down button in the Shape Style section. Then, choose the color you want to use on your bars.
6. Adding Milestones: Milestones are useful for highlighting significant events or deadlines that may be critical to the success of your project. By adding milestones to your Gantt chart, you can help ensure that everyone involved in the project is aware of these important dates. You can add milestones, which indicate significant events or deadlines, by adding a new series to the chart and then formatting it as a shape or marker.
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