This article was originally published on 16/12/2019
Gantt charts are project management tools that can help users plan and schedule projects. In this article, we can help you plan and manage tasks in your project with our free example of a Gantt chart template.
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Busy schedules and the high tempo surrounding business projects can tempt companies into carrying out these projects without planning. However, projects can be more complicated than initially expected, and unforeseen challenges can always arise. 70% of organisations have at least one failed project behind them, so planning is important to prevent sudden surprises and to ensure that things run smoothly. If businesses need a simple solution to their project planning woes, then Gantt charts are the answer.
What are Gantt Charts?
A Gantt chart is a stacked bar chart that outlines the tasks you need to finalise a project. The project tasks lie on the vertical axis, and the timelines representing how long the task will last are on the horizontal axis.
How are Gantt charts useful for project management?
If you are working on a project, you cannot avoid project planning. For project managers, planning is crucial for the successful implementation of projects. This applies to both small and large projects because even smaller projects have complex tasks, involve risks and require the coordination of several project participants.
While they may seem basic, even a simple version of a Gantt chart has enormous advantages. A Gantt chart is used for seeing at a glance when something is supposed to happen, making it easier to deal with dependencies between different tasks. So, if there is a task that cannot be completed until a previous task is finalised and the latter suffers a delay, the effects of this delay can be quickly assessed and scheduled.
Another advantage of Gantt charts is that they can be created and updated quickly and easily. In short, they are one of the most effective methods of displaying activities on a time-related basis. Gantt chart templates can provide you with a simple tool for project planning that can make a positive impact with little time invested.
Can I see a free example of a Gantt chart in Excel?
We may point out how easy and useful Gantt charts are, but rather than take our word for it, you can see it yourself. To support your company in project management, we have created a free Excel Gantt chart template for you to download and use. This plan-of-action template is more realistic to real-world scenarios than some other easy Gantt chart templates in excel that are often too basic to be of real use.
In our example of a Gantt chart, you can track who is responsible for certain tasks and which has already been completed to a specific percentage. While it may take a few seconds to grasp at first glance, when reviewed, this free Gantt chart template can give you clear information on what is happening and when.
How can I use the Gantt chart template?
Gantt chart examples in excel can come in different forms and sizes. With our template, the idea is for your company can try out the planning tool before deciding whether to invest in project management software or not. The Gantt chart Excel template contains explanations on how to fill in the individual fields, as well as formulas that generate your chart after date entry.
Download our free Gantt-Chart Excel template
How our Gantt chart in Excel template works
To create a Gantt chart, you first need a detailed project plan. A project plan consists of a series of related tasks that have to be completed in a certain order. The basic idea behind Gantt charts is first to name tasks and subtasks and then determine the time needed for them. Let’s look at this Gantt chart example:
If you want to paint a room, you can’t start before you have removed all the furniture from the room. However, you could start your work by mixing the colours while a friend takes out all the furniture. So, what steps can you take?
1. Create a project structure
The first step on the way to a project plan is, therefore, the creation of a project structure plan – a technique for subdividing aspects of the project into individual tasks. For example, “buying paint colours” and “mixing paint colours” belong to the partial aspect of “paint colours”.
2. Define the task sequences
In addition to the individual tasks, the sequences in which the tasks must be completed also need to be defined. For example, you must first purchase the colours before you mix them. Once entered, the Gantt chart immediately shows whether tasks run in parallel or one after the other.
3. Monitor the timings and register any changes in individual tasks
After you have noted down the duration and start date of the individual activities, our template creates bars in the Gantt chart. The duration determines the length of the bars in the calendar. In addition, the end dates of the activities are calculated automatically.
Is there any Gantt chart software available?
Along with our Excel Gantt chart template, special Gantt chart software can also be used as a project management tool. Companies can use the free Excel template to gain insights into the planning tool. This instrument can be used for your personal project planning and can help you understand how Gantt charts work.
However, special software solutions provide advantages that Excel may not have. For example, specialised software is easier to use and can present data more clearly. You also save a lot of time as you no longer have to perform manual inputs and updates, especially if the software can seamlessly transfer important data from other systems via interfaces.
Companies can also invest in complete project management software. In addition to planning instruments such as the Gantt chart, these tools offer functions such as time recording, task management, project collaboration and more.
Test different solutions to find out which one best suits your needs. But no matter which solution you ultimately choose, the Gantt chart will almost certainly become a central building block of your project management process.
Download our free example of a Gantt chart Excel template here
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