A Gantt chart is a visible instrument that helps venture managers plan and schedule initiatives. It’s mainly a stacked bar chart that breaks down the venture’s duties and locations them on a timeline in chronological order.
There are a number of instruments that can be utilized to create a Gantt chart, similar to Excel, Google Sheets and venture administration software program. On this weblog, we’ll discover the professionals and cons of making a Gantt chart in Google Sheets.
We’ll additionally present you the best way to make a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets in six easy steps or, when you desire, you possibly can merely use our free Google Sheets Gantt chart template.
Why Make a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets?
Google Sheets is Google’s model of a spreadsheet which makes it a competitor of Microsoft Excel. The main distinction between the 2 is that Google’s software program is a cloud-based free instrument that’s a lot better suited to workforce collaboration.
Whereas Excel Gantt chart templates are common, sharing them amongst your workforce members is time-consuming as Excel information should be downloaded and shared each time somebody makes adjustments to the Gantt chart.
Google Sheet Gantt charts however, enable workforce members to collaborate in real-time with out having to obtain any information. This implies all of your workforce members can entry the identical Gantt chart, go away feedback and make adjustments to it on the similar time.
Associated: Project Management Templates for Google Sheets
Nevertheless, whereas a Google Sheets Gantt chart is best than Excel in relation to collaboration, it nonetheless falls brief when in comparison with venture administration software program like ProjectManager. ProjectManager provides totally featured Gantt charts that permit you to allocate sources, observe initiatives in real-time, discover the important path and way more.
Having mentioned that, let’s discover the professionals and cons of constructing a Gantt chart In Google Sheets in additional depth.
Google Sheet Gantt Chart: Execs & Cons
Making a Gantt chart in Google Sheets is a superb free different to Excel or more robust project management software. There are some downsides, nevertheless, which may probably make Google Sheets a less-than-ideal answer in your wants.
Listed below are a few of the benefits and drawbacks of making a Gantt chart in Google Sheets:
Execs of Making a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets
- It’s free.
- The software program is straightforward to make use of and may study rapidly.
- Your work is well shareable via hyperlinks. There’s no must obtain information.
- A Google Sheet Gantt chart is totally built-in with different Google merchandise.
- Your workforce members can collaborate in actual time, which isn’t potential with an Excel Gantt chart.
Cons of Making a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets
- Google Sheets isn’t a Gantt chart maker or a venture administration instrument.
- It’s not nice with complicated initiatives.
- You possibly can’t set milestones on a Gantt chart in Google sheets.
- You’re not capable of hyperlink dependent duties in your Gantt chart.
- A Google sheet received’t allow you to manage resources and costs.
- You received’t be capable of assign duties on a central platform.
- It’s a must to manually replace your sheet to indicate progress.
Making a Gantt chart on Google Sheets is ok when you’re managing a easy venture and already utilizing different Google instruments. Nevertheless, when you’re managing a extra sophisticated venture or simply wish to have built-in options to track, monitor and report in your progress and efficiency, you’ll have to make use of an actual Gantt chart instrument.
Gantt Chart Template for Google Sheets
We’ve created a free Gantt chart template for Google Sheets that will help you plan and schedule initiatives along with your workforce. When you click on on the hyperlink, you’ll entry the template in a view-only mode.
Then, you’ll must make a replica of your personal so you possibly can edit and share. You possibly can then choose who to share the Gantt chart Google Sheets template with and the permissions for every workforce member. You possibly can share it as a view-only or as an editable Google Sheets spreadsheet.
Learn how to Make a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets
Like some other Gantt chart, a Google Sheets Gantt chart has two fundamental elements: a desk during which you’ll record your duties, their period and due dates and a stacked bar chart, which is a visible illustration of the project schedule.
Listed below are the steps you’ll must comply with to make a Gantt chart in Google Sheets. The ultimate consequence ought to appear like the free Google Sheets Gantt chart template referenced above.
1. Listing Your Duties & Due Dates
The very first thing that you just’ll must do to create your Gantt chart in Google Sheets is to create three columns. Begin by itemizing your venture duties within the first column together with their begin date and finish date to outline your project timeline. Be certain that to comply with the format beneath (month/day/yr).
2. Create a “Begin on Day” Column
Now, kind “begin on day” because the title for the column that may go beside the top (date) column as proven beneath. Then, enter the formulation “=B2-$B$2.” This column might be vital when creating the stacked bar chart of your Gantt chart.
When you enter the formulation on the primary row, Google Sheets will counsel you autofill the remainder of the column.
3. Calculate the Length of Every Process
Create a column to calculate the period of every activity. To take action, repeat the method from step two, kind period because the column title, after which enter the formulation “=C2-B2.”
Google Sheets will once more counsel you utilize the autofill function to populate the remainder of the column. That is the final column you’ll must make your Gantt chart in Google Sheets.
4. Insert a Chart
Now, choose all of the values in column “A.” Then maintain the “Management” key in your Home windows PC keyboard or the “Command” key when you’re utilizing a Mac. Whilst you press on that key, choose all values in columns “D” and “E” as effectively.
Then, whereas the columns are chosen, click on “Insert” on the high of your display as proven beneath, after which click on “Chart.”
5. Choose the Stacked Bar Chart
When you full step 4, a chart will seem in your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Nevertheless, this isn’t the proper kind of chart you’ll must create a Google Sheets Gantt chart. Now click on on the “Chart kind” dropdown menu on the proper aspect of your display.
Scroll down via the chart choices and choose the stacked bar chart. That is the kind of chart used for making a Google Sheets Gantt chart.
6. Format the Stacked Bar Chart
When you full step 5, your chart ought to appear like the picture beneath.
Chances are you’ll wish to hold the chart title and legend, however for this Google Sheets Gantt chart, we’ve determined to take away the title and legend. If you want to take action, merely double-click them after which as soon as they’re chosen press the “delete” key in your keyboard.
Now double-click your stacked bar chart and click on “customise” on the proper aspect of your display. Then choose “Gridlines and ticks” to format the horizontal axis values.
These values measure your venture timeline in days. Arrange your Gantt chart as proven beneath to set a scale that works for you. On this case, we’ve chosen “step” because the “main spacing kind” and an interval of 5 days for the horizontal axis.
Now, double-click the blue bars. As soon as they’re all chosen, a menu will seem on the proper. On that menu, click on fill colour and choose theme colour white as proven within the picture beneath. This can make the blue bars disappear to make your stacked bar chart appear like a Gantt chart.
Congratulations! You’ve created a Google Sheets Gantt chart.
Now, you may wish to change the colour of every particular person bar of your Gantt chart to higher distinguish every activity. If you want to take action, merely double-click a purple bar. This can choose all of your Google Sheets Gantt chart bars. Then click on as soon as once more to pick out a person bar and select a singular fill colour for every.
ProjectManager’s Gantt View Is Higher than Google Sheets’ Gantt Charts
Google Sheets isn’t Gantt chart software program and can solely get you thus far. You possibly can’t hyperlink dependencies, set milestones, assign your workforce from the Gantt, monitor their progress and simply share and collaborate to the extent which you could with ProjectManager.
If you happen to discover that you just’ve run right into a wall, it’s time to strive ProjectManager and see what a Gantt chart instrument can do with out supplying you with a headache. Our award-winning venture administration software program organizes all of your duties, your workforce and your venture for higher effectivity.
Our venture administration software program provides a robust Gantt chart maker that was designed for venture managers and has options that make it a a lot superior different to Excel and Google Gantt chart templates.
Opening Your Gantt Charts for Google Sheets in ProjectManager
Google spreadsheets weren’t designed for making Gantt charts. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a Gantt chart that’s straightforward to make, replace and works with all of the options you have to handle your venture, you want venture administration software program. ProjectManager is award-winning venture administration software program that has interactive Gantt charts that will help you plan and schedule your venture.
Making a Gantt chart in our instrument is straightforward and free for 30 days once you take our trial. It’s way more dynamic than what a Google spreadsheet provides. To comply with alongside, try ProjectManager for free by clicking here, and when you prefer it, there are three tiers to subscribe to after your 30-day trial is over.
Let’s learn to create a Gantt chart with ProjectManager step-by-step.
1. Import Your Google Sheet Gantt Chart
Export your Google Sheet Gantt chart as an Excel spreadsheet and import it into our instrument. You can even use one among our industry-specific templates, or simply add duties to the Gantt chart instrument manually. These options make it straightforward to make a Gantt chart in minutes.
2. Add Process Length to the Gantt Chart
Set the beginning and finish dates for every of the duties they usually’ll populate the Gantt timeline. The beginning and finish dates are linked by a color-coded period bar, which signifies progress by its shading. The % full column permits workforce members to replace their activity status and permits venture managers to trace progress with the bar graph in actual time.
3. Hyperlink Process Dependencies & Set Milestones on the Timeline
Join venture duties which can be dependent on other tasks to start out or finish to keep away from bottlenecks. Then break the venture into extra manageable phases, or word vital dates by setting milestones.
4. Assign Work and Share With Stakeholders
Begin assigning duties to your workforce so that they know precisely what they should work on. Plus, as they full their duties, progress is up to date in actual time on the % full column so you possibly can observe your schedule. Save your Gantt as a PDF and e mail it to project stakeholders to maintain them within the loop or you possibly can print out a replica to make use of in displays. You now have a completely functioning Gantt chart!
Be a part of the 1000’s of groups that already succeeded with our instrument. See why NASA, Financial institution of America and Ralph Lauren have chosen to make use of us when managing their initiatives. Don’t trouble with Google or Excel, add that file and get productive. Take our free 30-day trial as we speak.
