Gantt Charts – Everything You Need to Know in 2024

Do you want to learn about Gantt charts and understand how to use them?

A Gantt chart is a powerful tool that helps you plan projects and track their progress. 

Founded by engineer Henry Gantt, his now-famous charts were used to build the Hoover Dam and most of the U.S. highway system in the 1950s.

If Henry could harness the power of water and connect thousands of cities with his charts, just imagine what you could do with Gantt charts of your own.

In this article, we’ll explain what Gantt charts are, why you need one, and also highlight a powerful Gantt chart tool that will make it really easy for you to make them.

Let’s get started.

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What Is a Gantt Chart?

A Gantt chart is a bar chart that highlights a project’s progress along a timeline. Gantt charts can also show important project milestones and how tasks are dependent on one another. 

Learn the differences between Gantt and timeline here

Gantt charts are an essential part of project management because they also allow you to track the status of project tasks. 

When the Gantt chart was first conceptualized, it was just a stacked bar chart that was filled as the project timeline progressed. They were very rigid and difficult to work with!

With time, they evolved into much more. Once SCRUM and Agile project management came in, Gantt chart software had to up their game.

It’s why you have powerful project management tools like ClickUp that can do much more with your Gantt charts. No need to use an old-school, rigid Excel Gantt chart template anymore!

A simple Gantt chart usually looks like a horizontally stacked bar chart. 

These Gantt chart examples allow you to visualize:

  • Your project timeline
  • What a project’s tasks are
  • Who’s working on these tasks
  • The task start time and end time
  • The order in which the tasks should be completed
  • How these project tasks overlap and link together

Bonus: Learn how to create a Gantt chart in Google Docs 😊

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Who Uses Gantt Charts?

Project managers, team leads, CEOs, and anyone who needs an overview of their project’s progress can easily operate a Gantt chart!

According to ProjectManager’s Global Trends in Project Management 2022, Gantt charts are still the most preferred format of project management, topping the list at 36% of project managers surveyed. Additionally, 60% of respondents used a Gantt chart for 50-100% of their projects.

Rachel Jennette, PMP certified Project Manager at Slingshot uses Gantt charts to see a breakdown of work tasks over time and for showing overall timelines.

“The Gantt view is perfect to use when showing the overall vision of the project, as it ties details with high level overview. I also find it’s very useful for many types of project meetings, to show why things need to be done at a certain deadline and also what is dependent on those things happening. “

Long ago, only formally trained project managers used Gantt charts. 

Why?

They were rigid and impractical. 

Barely anyone understood how to use them.

However, over time, Gantt charts became easier to use.

Now, they’re as easy to operate like Kanban boards! Modern Gantt charts come with a scroll bar, a drop-down list, advanced filters – you name it!

The result? 

You have a simple Gantt chart that anyone can use!

Anyone who needs an overview of your project’s progress can easily operate a Gantt chart

Here are a few other people who use Gantt charts today:

  • Marketing managers: can use it to track their marketing campaigns
  • CEOs / CTOs: can use it to monitor the project timeline for all the company 
  • Scheduling managers: can use it to plan out schedules for multiple teams
  • Team leaders: can use it to ensure that the entire team is utilizing resources correctly
  • Contractors and engineers: can use it to group various stages in construction projects

Check out our list of best construction project management software.

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How Do You Read a Gantt Chart?

Here’s a look at a Gantt chart example.

gantt chart view in clickup

A. Task details (Y axis):

On the Y axis of this Gantt chart, you can see each task name. It also displays related data like:

  • Expectations:What the outcome of the task should be
  • Team Members: The people who are responsible for the task
  • Dependencies: Tasks that can start only after a preceding task is finished

B. Task progress (X axis):

On the X axis, you can see the tasks visualized across a calendar. 

It displays data such as:

  • Task Time: The duration of the task
  • Sequence: Which tasks need to be completed first
  • Progress: What stage of the project the team reached
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How Do You Create Gantt Charts?

Anton Strelets, Product Manager at Lawrina sums it up.

“Gantt is about calendar planing and dependencies. I need to know the answers to 4 questions:

  • when this scope will be finished?
  • who is working on that feature?
  • does this feature depend on something of someone?
  • do I need to hire someone in the nearest period of time?”

Bonus: check out some Gantt charts for product managers.

So, here are the step-by-step instructions you need to help answer these questions and build a Gantt chart for your team.

Step 1: Identify crucial tasks

Start by creating a list of tasks that need to be done. 

You can do this by using your work breakdown structure to break up project tasks into smaller chunks.

Then you should categorize them based on the process.

For each task, note down the estimated start date and how long the task will take to complete.

Here’s an example of this:

TaskLengthEstimated Start Date
A. Create a UI style guide3 days12/3/20
B. Add drop-down menu options1 day14/3/20
C. Create transparent and opaque action buttons1 day15/3/20
D. Create widget background2 days16/3/20
E. Quality Check UI prototype design2 days17/3/20

Strelet, who works with programmers, in-house employees, and freelancers, says it’s imperative to know how many total hours and how many days something will take, as well as factor in things going wrong.

“For example, a freelancer might need 10 hours to finish some work. But he works from home in the evening, and every day he can spend just 3-4 hours on the project. So he will need 3-4 days to accomplish it. That’s why, I take 4 days + 1 day for testing/bug fixing. It means, that I will pay for 10 hours, but I will see result at the end of the week. “

Step 2: Determine task relationships

While mapping a project plan, some activities may follow a sequence. 

For example:

  • A few tasks may need to be completed before you start the next one
  • Or some other tasks can’t be completed until the preceding processes have ended

These tasks are called ‘lineartasks.

Jennette sometimes uses Gantt charts for app and software development and emphasizes the need to show the phases of a project.

“When we move from development to testing, it’s important to understand how much time will be needed in testing, in order to make sure the testers are available and the developers have it done and ready for them.”

Note:

In Gantt charts, there are three primary relationships between linear asks:

  • Finish to Start (FS): FS tasks can’t start before a previous (and related) task is finished. 
  • Start to Start (SS): SS tasks can’t start until a preceding task starts. 
  • Finish to Finish (FF): FF tasks can’t end before a preceding task ends.

However, linear tasks aren’t the only kind of relationship in a Gantt chart.

There are those tasks that happen at the same time. 

These are called parallel tasks.

Identify which of your project’s activities are parallel and which are linear.

Understand which tasks are dependent on others, and note down the relationship between them. 

This will help you efficiently organize and schedule tasks on your Gantt chart.

And with ClickUp’s recent case studies finding that American workers would forfeit 10% of their salary for an easier work life, it’s a no-brainer how important ease of workflow and organization truly is!

Step 3: Input tasks into a Gantt chart software

You can start creating Gantt charts by hand, or you can create one using online Gantt chart software.

Microsoft Excel has a wide variety of free Gantt chart templates available online. All you need to do is input any task, subtask, or recurring task into the sheet, and Excel takes care of the rest!

There are also tons of paid and free Gantt tools available online that can help your team access the charts from anywhere. 

Note: Using a dedicated Gantt chart tool instead of Excel is always a better option as you get far more functionality and control over your project managerment charts.

Step 4: Track project progress

As your project moves forward, your Gantt chart will evolve.

Update your Gantt chart timeline every time a task is completed. This will ensure that your team members are aware of the project’s progress.

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Why Gantt Charts Are Essential for Project Management

So just what are the benefits of Gantt Charts?

Gantt charts help you:

  • Use one view for everything
  • Understand your project schedule
  • Break down projects into smaller chunks
  • See task dependencies
  • Easily reschedule tasks

Here’s a quick look at why you need Gantt charts:

1. One view for everything

Online Gantt chart tools like ClickUp give you a bird’s eye view of the entire project. You can view task dependencies, task duration, see your work breakdown structure, format data series, and more! 

It’s a super-convenient way to get a snapshot of everything related to a project. With a powerful Gantt chart maker, you can see where everything fits and identify issues without switching between multiple tabs or pages.

2. Seeing your dependencies

Gantt chart dependencies are an essential aspect of project management. Most tasks rely on earlier ones. If one task is delayed, it’s going to have a domino effect on all the other tasks depending on it. 

Losing track of your dependencies can spell disaster for your project. 

Modern Gantt charts let you set and view task dependencies to keep things running smoothly. If something’s being held up, you can take swift action to stop it from causing any further issues. 

3. Understand schedules

As a Gantt chart functions like a calendar, you can easily find openings in your project timeline for additional activities

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Open your Gantt chart
  2. Find openings in your schedule
  3. Inform your team of new tasks they can do in these available time slots

Modern Gantt charts are also great scheduling tools. 

For example, ClickUp’s Calendar View lets you drag and drop tasks into slots on your Gantt Chart

ClickUp calendar view

4. Easy rescheduling

A simple Gantt chart includes estimates of how long tasks and subtasks are supposed to take. This is critical for meeting deadlines

How?

 If you’re falling behind, you’ll need to reschedule these estimates to see if you can still hit your goal.

 Luckily, Gantt charts make this process a breeze.

As you have a bird’s eye perspective of everything, you can reschedule things in a flash.

You can view the impact any front end changes will have on your end result and take action on it. 

Falling behind doesn’t mean you can’t catch up!

5. Break down projects into smaller chunks

Most projects involve tons of tasks and subtasks. You’ll need a work breakdown structure to deal with them effectively.

A Gantt chart app lets you layout these tasks and subtasks to help you easily develop a detailed activity breakdown structure. You can gauge how much time each task will take and format data series easily.

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What are the Limitations of Gantt Charts?

Gantt charts are an essential part of project management. 

However, Gantt charts can have a few limitations: bar sizes can be misleading and they can become complicated to understand over time.

Check out these Gantt chart alternatives!

1. Bar sizes can be misleading

Each bar on a Gantt chart indicates the time period over which the task would be completed.

However, it doesn’t indicate the number of hours it will take to complete the task

At first glance, a longer bar may indicate that it is a more complex task when, in fact, it is not.

Here’s an example to illustrate this issue:

A task with a long bar has to be completed over a period of 1 month. However, in actuality, the task might just take 20 hours.

Likewise, a task with a short bar might have to be completed in a week. But the task might be complicated and take around 40 hours to complete with additional resources.

If you look at your Gantt chart, you might think that the short bar task is less complex and intensive when that might not actually be the case!

ClickUp Solution:

Simple Gantt charts let you visualize your project progress, but have you ever wanted an actual figure instead?

Luckily ClickUp’s Gantt chart view gives you that!

Here’s how ClickUp’s online Gantt charts can help:

Hover the mouse over your task and ClickUp gives you a project progress percentage! It does this by dividing the completed tasks by the total number of tasks in your Gantt chart. This gives you a better idea of where you’re placed.

Gantt chart with dependencies

2. They can become complicated over time

Most projects involve multiple team members working on tons of different tasks.

Over time, the project scope might change, or a few new tasks might be assigned to your team.

When the project gets to this level, making Gantt charts can become complicated.

Here’s why:

  • Since every task is dependent on every other task, you would have to update multiple tasks and team members at a time
  • You also have to account for each member’s schedule while readjusting your timeline

While big businesses can solve this issue by hiring multiple dedicated project managers, this may be harder for businesses with limited resources. 

ClickUp Solution:

ClickUp’s Gantt chart view can simplify even the most complex Gantt charts.

Here’s how ClickUp’s online Gantt charts help:

  • If you have to edit the timeline, you would need to notify your team members. ClickUp can do this automatically for you! 

Your team instantly receives notifications whenever they have to work on a new task.

  • Some team members might unknowingly start work on a task that is dependent on another task

ClickUp prevents this from happening by blocking such dependent tasks. Your team members can only access this task until the preceding task is completed.

list of dependencies
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Why You Should Use ClickUp’s Gantt Charts 

Use Gantt chart software like ClickUp to add loads of functionality to your simple Gantt charts and make them a powerful component of your entire project management process.

Here are a few reasons why you should use ClickUp’s online Gantt charts:

1. Viewing dependencies

ClickUp’s Gantt chart view makes it ridiculously easy to create Gantt charts and visualize task dependencies

Just select two tasks on your Gantt chart and draw a line between them. 

ClickUp does the rest! 

You can now view how these individual tasks are linked in just a single click!

Gantt chart with dependencies

2. Rescheduling dependencies

The biggest issue with rescheduling individual tasks is adjusting your task dependencies.  

You need them to coincide with your entire project schedule, or you’re going to have a problem.  

Don’t worry! 

Once you have “Reschedule Dependencies” enabled, ClickUp will automatically adjust task dependencies when you drag and drop tasks around your chart!

user editing Gantt chart

3. Planned vs. actual dates

Plans can go awry. It’s part and parcel of project management.  

Maybe a client wants something changed. A test prototype is flawed. 

It doesn’t matter why plans change.

You just have to keep track of it.   

With project management software like ClickUp, you can easily keep track of sudden plan changes.

ClickUp shows what your estimates for a project were vs. the actual time it’s taken you so far. You can now switch gears to get things done quickly and adjust your estimates for future tasks.

4. Group rescheduling

Ever need to reschedule an entire project’s schedule? 

With project management software like ClickUp, you can! 

Just drag and drop a project across your Gantt Chart, and it’ll automatically adjust the task start date, due date, and dependencies.

5. Milestones

ClickUp’s Gantt view includes Milestones when you activate the Milestones ClickApp! They are represented as diamond shapes to help you see all the big items that need to be completed in your project timeline.

clickup milestones


You can use Milestones to signify major breakthroughs in your project, such as a group of tasks that lead to finishing a national highway network or a hydro-powered dam. Or any important achievement in your team’s work to break out the champagne and celebrate.

In ClickUp you can even use filters and sorting for your Milestones. So add them to your Gantt view and unleash your team’s forward momentum when you reach them!

Check out our guides on Gantt Charts vs PERT Charts and PERT Chart Examples!

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Why ClickUp is Better Than an Excel Gantt Chart

Many people use a template to manage their Gantt charts in Microsoft Excel.

After all, there’s no point using a Gantt chart in PowerPoint, right?

You can download a Gantt chart template, add your project data, and even import them onto your other project management software.

However, using a template in 2021 would be like using a flip-phone now!

Here are a few reasons why you should select project management software like ClickUp to create a Gantt chart instead of an Excel template:

Excel limitation #1: No automation

You have to manually input and adjust everything in an Excel Gantt chart template.

The chart template cannot automatically adjust the task start date, due dates, and dependencies based on any changes. 

Using a Gantt chart template causes two issues:

  • You’ll be wasting time manually adjusting each value in your chart template
  • You could lose sight of some figures because of these daily changes. Miss one value and your whole workflow could get disrupted!

ClickUp advantage: Automated processes

ClickUp’s Gantt charts have tons of automation to make rescheduling a breeze. It can automatically adjust task dependencies and due dates based on any changes you make.  

Excel limitation # 2: Cannot calculate your critical path

A critical path determines which chain of tasks is critical to your project’s completion. It gives you an idea of which individual tasks can be rescheduled without impacting your project’s overall progress.

Unfortunately, a Gantt chart Excel template cannot calculate this for you. You’ll have to figure it out on your own – which isn’t easy! 

ClickUp advantage: Critical path calculations

ClickUp can easily calculate your project’s critical path

Just select the group of tasks you’d like to calculate the critical path for, and ClickUp will do the rest. It gives you an idea of what needs to be prioritized to meet your deadline.

Gantt chart critical path

Excel limitation #3: No insights

A chart template can’t give you detailed insights about your entire project and work breakdown structure.

You have access to basic graphs, but that’s it! 

Most companies would like their project Gantt charts to give them detailed insights, such as their project progress percentage.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something Microsoft Excel can do. 

ClickUp advantage: Detailed insights 

With insights like project progress percentage and planned vs. actual dates, you have concrete figures on how you’re doing. This can help you readjust your estimates or efforts to make sure you keep up with your deadlines!

Excel limitation #4: Not user-friendly

Microsoft Excel isn’t user-friendly when it comes to Gantt chart templates. 

Excel’s format axis option for Gantt charts is incredibly difficult to work with and can’t format data and graphs accurately.

If you use a Gantt chart Excel template, you’ll be forced to work with an impractical sheet that’s impossible to edit and customize! 

ClickUp advantage: Organized and customizable 

Gantt charts in ClickUp are super easy to use and understand.

ClickUp even lets you customize your project Gantt chart.

You can use a column view, hide columns, sort items, block out weekends –  it’s up to you! 

And since it’s a drag-and-drop interface, everything is just a click away! 

Each item is also color-coded for easier identification.

For example, project tasks are blue, lists are green, and projects are dark grey. 

Project tasks can also be colored based on priority such as:

Gantt chart in ClickUp
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Conclusion

Gantt charts are an integral part of modern project management

Using them with a chart software like ClickUp lets you monitor task dependencies, deadlines and format data series easily!

How do you plan on using Gantt charts

Let us know in the comment section below. 

In the meantime, why not sign up for a management tool like ClickUp’s Free Forever plan for free?

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