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How to Make a Gantt Chart in PowerPoint

Build one yourself or use a PowerPoint add-in

By Daniel Anglin Seitz Daniel Anglin Seitz Writer University of Vermont, Emerson College Dan Seitz is a tech writer with 10 years of experience writing about apps, gaming, and more. His work has appeared on Uproxx.com and other outlets. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 19, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Powerpoint Word Excel Outlook

What to Know

Creating a Gantt chart in PowerPoint is done by editing a stacked bar chart in the slide and making one set of bars invisible.You can save the slide as a template and reuse it, by editing the data under Insert > Chart > Edit Data.
In this article, we’ll lay out how to design one using the tools available in PowerPoint, and briefly discuss other options.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in PowerPoint

A Gantt chart is named after Henry Gantt and lays out visually the time it'll take to complete the sections of a task. Here's how to build one in PowerPoint.
Open a blank slide in PowerPoint, then choose Insert > Chart. In the open menu, choose Bar > Stacked Chart. A sample chart with a table to add data will automatically be generated in the slide. Give each phase of your project a row, and name the columns Starting Date, End Date, and Duration. Leave Duration blank for now. The chart will load with the data for the top bar at the bottom, which can be confusing. It will automatically update when you change a row, so you can check your work and make sure your rows are in the correct order. Highlight the Start Date and End Date columns, then right-click and select Format Cells. Select Date from the category and the format you prefer in the window that opens. Notice you can also set the format to “time.” Use this instead if you need a Gantt chart for a single day.

Add the starting and ending date for each task. The chart won’t reflect the change in your data yet, so don’t worry that all the bars seem to be the same. Type the formula =$C2-$B2 into the first cell under “Duration” and press Tab. Then use the small square in the bottom right corner (the “fill handle”) and drag that down until you’ve reached the last phase in your chart. The duration will automatically fill in. Click on your chart in the slide, choose the Filter icon, uncheck “End Date,” and click Apply. This option staggers the bars instead of keeping them even. Choose the “start date” bars. If you select one, it will highlight all. Right-click, choose Fill and select No Fill. If you’d like to color-code each task, double-click on the bar, and you’ll open the formatting menu for that individual piece.

This option renders those bars invisible. The finished Gantt chart.

Should I Build Gantt Charts Manually or Use an Add-In

Keep in mind while this process can be somewhat time-consuming, there are several add-ins for Microsoft Office that will automate constructing these; you fill in the needed data, and they do the rest. That said, most add-ins we found were subscriptions, instead of software, with some running as high as $149 a year. Unless you’re making these charts regularly or are designing more complex ones, you’re probably better off formatting them. A more viable option is to go through this process once, save the results, and then copy the slide and edit the data whenever you need a new chart. To do this, go to File > Save A Copy and give it a different name. Then go to Chart > Edit Data and revise your information as needed. FAQ How do I make a Gantt chart in Excel? Excel does not have a Gantt chart function, but you can customize one by using a stacked bar chart to show the start and finish dates of tasks. To do this, select your data and go to Insert > Insert Bar Chart > Stacked Bar chart. To make the stacked bar chart look like a Gantt chart, click the first data series and go to Format > Shape Fill > No Fill. How do I make a Gantt chart in Google Sheets? To make a Gantt chart in Google Sheets, you'll build a project schedule, create a calculation table, and then generate the Gantt chart. To generate the Gantt chart, select all cells in the calculation table and go to Insert > Chart; you'll see a new chart called Start Day and Total Duration. Position it below the tables, select it, choose Edit Chart, and then select Stacked bar chart. Go to Customize > Series > Apply to All Series > Start Day. Choose Color > None. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use Google Sheets How to Put a Spreadsheet in Google Slides How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation How to Make a Timeline on Google Slides How to Make a Schedule in Excel How to Copy a PowerPoint Design Template to Another Presentation How to Create Exploding Pie Charts in Excel How to Create a Pie Chart on a PowerPoint Slide 14 Free PowerPoint Game Templates for the Classroom How to Insert a Copyright Symbol or Emoji on a PowerPoint Slide How to Make an Image Background Transparent in PowerPoint PPTX File (What It Is and How to Open One) How to Create an 8 Column Chart in Excel How to Create a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets How to Create a Timeline in PowerPoint How to Make a Graph in Google Sheets Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies