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How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel

This article explains how to make a Gantt chart in Excel. A Gantt chart is a type of chart that shows the schedule and progress of a project. It displays the start and end dates of the tasks, as well as the dependencies and milestones. It is useful when you want to plan, manage, and track your project activities.

To make a Gantt chart in Excel, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Prepare your data in a table with four columns: Task Name, Start Date, End Date, and Duration. The duration is the number of days required to complete the task. You can calculate it by subtracting the start date from the end date. For example, if you have a project with five tasks, your table might look like this:
    2. Task Name Start Date End Date Duration
    Task 1 1/1/2022 1/5/2022 4
    Task 2 1/6/2022 1/10/2022 4
    Task 3 1/11/2022 1/15/2022 4
    Task 4 1/16/2022 1/20/2022 4
    Task 5 1/21/2022 1/25/2022 4
  2. Create a stacked bar chart based on your data. Select your data and go to the Insert tab on the ribbon. Click on the Bar icon in the Charts group and choose Stacked Bar from the drop-down menu. A blank chart will appear on your worksheet.
  3. Format your chart to make it look like a Gantt chart. Right-click on the horizontal axis and select Format Axis from the context menu. In the Format Axis pane, check the box for Categories in Reverse Order to change the order of the tasks. Then, right-click on one of the bars and select Format Data Series from the context menu. In the Format Data Series pane, change the Gap Width to 0% to remove the spaces between the bars. Next, right-click on one of the bars that represent the start dates and select Fill > No Fill from the context menu. This will hide the start dates and only show the durations of the tasks.
  4. Add any additional details or customizations to your chart. You can use the Chart Design and Format tabs on the ribbon to change the title, legend, colors, styles, or effects of your chart. You can also add milestones, dependencies, or labels to your chart if you want.

This is how you can make a Gantt chart in Excel. A Gantt chart can help you to visualize and communicate your project schedule and status. However, you should be aware that creating and updating a Gantt chart in Excel can be time-consuming and error-prone.