Gantt Chart - How to Create and Use It - Project Management Templates

Sep 11, 2026

A project management guide explaining what a Gantt chart is and how it represents task start and end times. It covers structuring work with WBS, building simple charts in Excel or Google Sheets using templates, and defining task dependencies with spreadsheet formulas. It also outlines approaches for CPM and critical-task visibility using predecessor WBS numbers, discusses limits of basic charts, and compares options such as Microsoft Project and dedicated Gantt tools, including template availability and workflow features in GanttPRO.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

Gantt charts overview

WBS and task breakdown

Creating Gantt charts in Excel or Google Sheets

Templates and row-based tasks

Dependencies with formulas

Critical Path Method (CPM) with Gantt charts

Predecessor-based start calculations

Critical tasks and available slack/float

Software and template options

Microsoft Project and alternatives

GanttPRO workflow features

A Gantt chart is a project management tool that originated with Henry Gantt in the early 1900s. It's a type of bar chart that shows start and end times for each task in a project schedule. A work breakdown structure (WBS) categorizes tasks, with main deliverables and sub-tasks breaking down into detailed tasks. If you use Excel or Google Sheets, you can create a Gantt chart easily using Vertex42's free template. This template includes the core functionality to create a simple Gantt chart quickly and easily. Each row represents a separate task, and all you need to do is define the start date and duration of each task. You can also add dependencies between tasks by using Excel formulas. For example, you can use formulas like `=end_date + 1` or `=WORKDAY(end_date,1)` to define dependencies. However, these formulas only show the dependencies when viewed in a spreadsheet, not visually on the chart itself. To create more complex project management activities, specialized software like Microsoft Project may be necessary. However, for simple Gantt charts, Excel and its templates can be a useful tool with basic skills and knowledge of how to use it. To implement the Critical Path Method (CPM) on a Gantt Chart, one approach is to list the WBS number of the Predecessor task in another column. In software like Gantt Chart Pro and Microsoft Project, formulas can be used to calculate start dates based on user input. A formula to get started with this is: Start a Task the next day after a Predecessor task =INDEX(range_of_end_dates,MATCH(predecessor_wbs,wbs_range,0)) . Some Gantt charts are designed to show critical tasks and available slack time for each task, especially when every task must be done in sequence. However, if some tasks can be done in parallel with available slack time, resources can be freed up for more critical tasks. Currently, there's limited availability of templates using the CPM algorithm to display critical tasks and available float time, like the CPM Template shown. Gantt charts often don't require fully defined task dependencies between tasks, which is why simple project schedules may not include dependency information beyond start and end dates. Commercial Gantt chart software options abound, including SmartSheet.com, ProjectManager.com, Microsoft: Microsoft Project (although pricey), Simple Project Schedule by vertex42.com, PeltierTech.com, and CPM / PERT Spreadsheet by vertex42.com. Lastly, if you haven't found your ideal template yet, creating it in GanttPRO can be done within minutes. Transform your workflow with GanttPRO! This powerful tool helps you manage dependent tasks, track project progress, and calculate remaining work. Plus, save your perfect schedule as a template for future projects and share it with your team. Discover dozens of professional templates designed for various industries-software development, marketing, construction, manufacturing, retail, event planning, and more. Simply choose the one that suits your needs and start planning instantly. Customize them to fit your project's unique requirements or save them as templates for future use. GanttPRO is perfect for teamwork! Assign tasks, describe requirements, create comment threads, attach files, log time for tasks, and manage resource workload. With just one robust Gantt chart tool, you'll have everything you need for successful team collaboration. Export your charts in popular formats like PDF and PNG to include them in presentations or print them quickly-they'll always be at hand. Don't miss out on the benefits! "GanttPRO saved me a lot of time initially with its preconfigured templates. I love how easy and clean it is, with an intuitive UI. The customizations are amazing!" -Valentine Zavadskiy, Co-Founder of Rubyroid Labs How to make a gantt chart for project management. Project management gantt chart template free download. Gantt chart template examples. How to use a gantt chart for project management. Gantt chart template free. Project

FAQs

What does a Gantt chart show in project management?

A Gantt chart is a bar chart that shows the start and end times of each task in a project schedule.

How can you create a simple Gantt chart using Excel or Google Sheets?

Use a free Gantt template and fill in each task’s start date and duration. Each row represents a separate task.

How do you model dependencies and CPM-style logic in a Gantt chart?

Dependencies can be expressed with spreadsheet formulas (e.g., calculating based on end dates). For CPM-style work, one approach is listing the predecessor task’s WBS number in another column and using it to compute start dates.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Aria Callaghan