Gantt Chart Template
A ClickUp Gantt chart template with four standard project phases (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Closeout), pre-configured finish-to-start dependencies between phases, milestone markers at each phase gate, resource assignment fields, workload view, and a baseline snapshot for tracking schedule variance.
What This Includes
- Four phase groups: Initiation, Planning, Execution, and Closeout with sample tasks in each
- Gantt view with drag-and-drop scheduling and finish-to-start dependency arrows between phases
- Milestone tasks at each phase gate and at the final delivery date
- Assignee field and workload view for identifying resource overallocation by week
- Percentage complete overlay on each task bar for progress tracking
- Baseline comparison layer showing variance between approved plan and current schedule
- Critical path highlighting to identify which tasks have zero float
- Estimated duration field separate from calendar dates for duration-first planning
Who This Is For
PMs who need a structured starting point rather than a blank workspace, with phase structure and dependency logic already in place.
Teams transitioning from spreadsheet-based scheduling who want a working example of dependency structure and milestone placement before building their own.
Consultants and agency PMs who need to share a clean project schedule with clients quickly after a project kickoff.
How to Use This Template
Copy the Template to Your Workspace
Click Use Template to add it to your ClickUp Space or Folder. All views (Gantt, List, and Workload) import automatically. The sample tasks and dependencies are preserved so you can see the structure before replacing them with your own content.
Rename Phases and Replace Sample Tasks
Rename the four phase groups to match your project’s actual phases. Delete the sample tasks and add your real tasks within each phase group. Keep tasks specific and sized between two and ten business days wherever possible. Tasks that will take longer should be broken into sub-tasks.
Set Task Start Dates and Durations
Set the project start date on the first task in the Initiation phase. Use the Duration field to enter the expected number of working days for each task. ClickUp will calculate end dates automatically. Review the Gantt view after setting durations to confirm the phase sequence looks correct before adding dependencies.
Review and Adjust Dependencies
The template includes finish-to-start dependencies between phases. Review these and add task-level dependencies within each phase where tasks must be sequenced. In Gantt view, hover over a task bar until the dependency dot appears, then drag it to the task that depends on it. ClickUp automatically moves downstream tasks when you change a predecessor date.
Assign Team Members and Check the Workload View
Assign each task to the responsible team member using the Assignee field. After all assignments are made, open the Workload view to check for overallocation: weeks where any one person has more tasks than they can realistically complete. Adjust task dates within available float to resolve overallocation before the project begins.
Set the Baseline After Plan Approval
Once the project plan is approved by the sponsor or client, set the baseline in ClickUp’s Gantt settings. The baseline freezes the current schedule so you can track variance against the approved plan throughout the project. Update task progress weekly and review baseline variance at each status meeting.
A Gantt chart is only as useful as the task structure underneath it. This template provides the phase structure and dependency scaffold that most projects need, so the first thirty minutes of project setup goes into adapting a working plan rather than building chart infrastructure from scratch. The template is designed for general project use: rename the phases, swap in your tasks, and the dependency logic guides the rest.
For a deeper explanation of how Gantt charts work and how to interpret the critical path and baseline features, see the Gantt Chart overview.
Common Questions About Gantt Chart Template
How do I adjust the template for a project that does not have four phases?
Delete the phase groups you do not need and rename the remaining ones. Add additional phase groups if your project has more than four stages. The dependency structure between phases is pre-configured but can be removed or added at any point: hover over a dependency arrow and delete it, or draw new arrows between any tasks in Gantt view. The template’s structure is a starting point, not a constraint.
Can I use this template for both simple and complex projects?
Yes. For simple projects (ten to twenty tasks), keep only the phases that apply, delete the rest, and use the milestone markers as the primary communication tool. For complex projects (fifty or more tasks), add sub-tasks within each phase, enable the critical path highlighting, and use the Workload view to manage resource constraints across the full project timeline.
What is the baseline feature and when should I set it?
The baseline is a snapshot of your project schedule taken at the moment the plan is formally approved. It records the original start date, end date, and duration of every task. As the project progresses and dates shift, the baseline stays fixed, allowing you to compare the current schedule to the original plan. Set the baseline immediately after stakeholder sign-off and before any work begins. If you set it too late, some tasks will already be in progress and the baseline will not accurately represent the approved plan.