How to Make a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets?
The Gantt chart helps us see the deatils of projects on a graph, in particular, monitoring the progress of the project. It bears great importance for project managers. For those who make projects, it is important to follow the delivery date.
What is Gantt Chart Used For?
A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the operation of a project. It gives information about the start date, and duration of the project, and also the sequence of the projects. In our table, the task includes the start date and duration. Now let's take a step-by-step look at how it was created.
How to Make a Gantt Chart?
To create a Gantt chart, we first need to create a bar (stacked bar chart), which can be done either from the toolbar or from the menu. The most important point for both of them is to attention to the selection of cells belonging to the data we want to be graphic. Since we want to know which data belongs to what on the chart, we need to include the titles.
How to Make a Gantt Chart Using Menu
- Choose the data we want to be graphic (including the titles)
- Menu->Insert->Chart
How to Make a Gantt Chart Using Toolbar
- Choose the data we want to be graphic (including the titles)
- Click on the “insert chart icon” on the toolbar
After we click the 'insert chart icon', creating (inserting) a chart will appear automatically. You can change the chart type by double-clicking the chart, from the chart editor. (Stacked bar chart was the type of Gantt chart that works for us better.)
The stacked bar chart is created! Now it is time to convert it to a Gantt chart.
Customize Gantt Charts in Google Sheets
The stacked bar chart we created should be converted to a Gantt chart by using the chart editor. We will prepare our graphic using setup and customize.
How to Convert the Numbers to Date Format on the Horizontal Axis of the Chart?
- Double-click on the horizontal axis.
- Click the chart editor
- Customize –> Horizontal axis
- Number Format- >Date and Time
We converted the numbers on the horizontal axis to date format. Now it is time to set the dates.
How to Update the Date Formed on The Horizontal Axis?
- Enter a date in a blank cell.
- Convert date to number. (Menu-format-number-number)->Copy this number
- Double-click on the chart (chart editor)
- Customize-> horizontal axis
- Paste the number you copied to the minimum value.
Converting and Editing a Stacked Bar Chart to a Gantt Chart
It is time to locate the dates where we want. Let's convert this chart to a gantt chart. We just need to see the durations. That way we're not dealing with the blue part. To see only the red parts;
- Double click the chart
- Chart editor->Customise->Series
- Blue area opacity- >%0
The Gantt chart is ready!
Now let's edit the Gantt chart.
Editing a Gantt Chart
Remove the lines appearing in the chart
- Double-click the chart.
- Chart editor-Customise-Gridlines and ticks-major gridlines
Show dates in the chart
- Double-click the chart-> Chart editor
- Customise-Series->Data labels
Durations of the tasks are shown above. You can change those into dates following these steps:
- Choose data labels
- Choose number format from the pop-up window
The graph will change as we change the data (let's change the format of the task duration).
Done! You can change other details of the chart from the Chart editor (colour setting, font, chart sizes, etc.).
Please find detailed information about this in the article "How to make a graph in google sheets?".
