How to
How to make a Gantt chart
A Gantt chart puts a project on a calendar. Each task is a horizontal bar that starts on its start date and ends on its end date, one task per row, so you can see at a glance what runs in parallel, what has to wait, and when the last piece lands.
- List the tasks. Add a row for each task in the order it happens. Short names read best: "Wireframes" rather than "Create the wireframes for review".
- Give each task its dates. Type a start date, then an end date or just a number of days. A task from October 5 to October 9 lasts 5 days, because both days count.
- Or paste from Excel or Google Sheets. Select your task columns, copy, and press Paste from a spreadsheet. Headers such as Task, Start, End, Duration, Owner or Predecessors are recognized, and dates can be 2026-10-05, 10/5/2026, 5 Oct 2026 or Oct 5.
- Link the tasks that wait. In After task #, type the number of the task that must finish first. Leave the start date empty and the task starts the next day by itself; change the earlier task and everything after it moves.
- Mark milestones and progress. A task with 0 days becomes a diamond, such as a launch or a sign-off. Type a percentage in % done to fill that share of the bar.
- Export. Download a PNG for slides and status emails, an SVG to edit or print, or copy a link that reopens the whole plan.
Dependencies and the critical path
The arrows show finish-to-start links: the later task cannot begin until the earlier one is done. That is the most common kind of dependency and the one most plans need. When a task is given a start date that is earlier than the end of the task it waits for, its bar gets a dashed red outline and a note appears under the chart, so a slipped date does not go unnoticed. Follow the longest chain of linked tasks from the first bar to the last and you have the critical path: any delay on it delays the finish.
The today line
The dashed line marks today's date, taken from your device's clock each time the chart is drawn. Bars to its left should be finished; a bar that crosses it with a low percentage done is the one to ask about. Turn it off for a clean plan to print.
Days, weeks, months or quarters
The time scale is picked from the length of the project and the width of the image: days for a sprint, weeks for a quarter, months or quarters for a year or longer. Choose one yourself under Time scale if you prefer. Weekends are shaded on the day and week scales so that working time is easy to judge.
Tip
Group tasks by phase, team or owner in the Group or owner column. Each group gets its own color and a legend entry, which makes a busy plan easier to scan in a meeting.
Gantt chart or timeline?
Use a Gantt chart when tasks have a length and overlap. When you only need to show when things happened or will happen, such as the history of a product or a list of deadlines, a timeline is simpler to read.
Questions people ask
How do I make a simple Gantt chart?
List the tasks in the order they happen. Give each one a start date and either an end date or a number of days. Type or paste that list into the maker above and every task becomes a bar on a calendar, so you can see what overlaps, what comes next and when the project finishes.
Does Excel create Gantt charts?
Not as a chart type of its own. Microsoft's support guide builds one from a stacked bar chart: the start dates form the first series, which you then hide, so only the durations show as bars. It works, but dependencies and a today line take extra steps. Pasting the same columns here gives you those directly.
Can I do a Gantt chart in Google Sheets?
Yes, with a workaround. Sheets has no Gantt chart type, so the usual method is a stacked bar chart with the start series made invisible, or conditional formatting that colors a grid of date cells. Some Google Workspace plans also offer a Timeline view. You can also copy your task rows from Sheets and paste them here.
Where can I get a free Gantt chart?
This Gantt chart maker is free with no sign-up and no watermark, and it runs in your browser, so your project plan is not uploaded anywhere. Download the chart as PNG for slides and email, or as SVG to edit or print at any size. Copy link saves the whole plan in a shareable address.
Is there something better than a Gantt chart?
It depends on the question you need answered. A Gantt chart is best for dates, overlaps and tasks that wait on other tasks. For a list of key dates only, a timeline is lighter. For day to day work that moves through stages, a kanban board is simpler. Many teams keep a Gantt chart for the plan and a board for the work.
