Gantt chart templates are instruments for challenge scheduling. They’re additionally a workaround as they supply a path that avoids the simpler Gantt chart that’s included in most challenge administration software program.
Nonetheless, not everybody is able to improve. That’s why we provide free challenge administration templates that assist throughout each section of a challenge, throughout a number of industries. Beneath is a collection of free Gantt chart templates for challenge scheduling.
Earlier than we get to that, let’s focus on why it’s higher to a minimum of discover the usage of a challenge administration instrument when making a challenge timeline. ProjectManager is award-winning challenge and portfolio administration software program with strong Gantt charts that do greater than any template can hope to do.
Gantt charts arrange duties on a timeline, break the challenge into phases, add milestones and rather more. All of which may be executed on a template. Our Gantt charts go additional. They’ll hyperlink all 4 kinds of job dependencies to keep away from delays and value overruns, filter for the crucial path to determine important duties that have to be accomplished to ship the challenge efficiently and set a baseline to trace progress in actual time. Templates can’t do any of that. Get began with ProjectManager immediately without cost.
Why Use Gantt Chart Templates?
That mentioned, there are explanation why individuals nonetheless use a Gantt chart template, whether or not made by Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets or one other software program product. Utilizing one presents a number of benefits for challenge administration. For instance, they arrive with predefined layouts, decreasing the time spent designing the chart from scratch.
Utilizing a template ensures that every one tasks are managed the identical approach, making it simpler for groups to observe and perceive the challenge schedule. Additionally they cut back the danger of lacking essential components or errors when making a Gantt chart, which might happen if ranging from a clean sheet.
Templates usually embrace a well-designed and visually interesting format, making the Gantt chart look extra skilled when shared with stakeholders or shoppers. A correctly formatted one communicates challenge timelines in a visually partaking approach, serving to everybody concerned perceive the challenge movement.
A very powerful motive is {that a} Gantt chart template breaks down the challenge into smaller, manageable duties, making it simpler to plan, assign sources and set lifelike deadlines. Additionally they permit challenge managers to trace progress over time and see which duties are on schedule and people who could be delayed.
Greatest Free Gantt Chart Templates
We’ll get to why challenge administration software program is superior to templates in a while, however, as promised, first we’ll record one of the best free Gantt chart templates. A challenge schedule is a part of the bigger challenge plan and the stack bar chart of a Gantt chart is how challenge managers arrange their job record. Use any of the next free templates to create challenge timelines and ship tasks on time.
The primary free template differs from the others on our record as a result of this building challenge schedule opens up in ProjectManager. Don’t fear, it doesn’t value a factor. Our software program has a 30-day free trial, no bank card required. Customers have their challenge open in one among our highly effective Gantt charts, however it additionally provides one entry to a number of challenge views, together with kanban boards, job lists and calendars. Meaning as soon as the challenge schedule is ready within the Gantt chart, assigned group members can execute their duties with extra acceptable instruments. All views replace concurrently, conserving everybody on the identical web page and giving challenge managers insights into progress and efficiency.
However again to the Gantt chart, it will probably hold monitor of challenge deliverables and schedule and allocate sources, each human and nonhuman. It additionally tracks challenge prices. We’ve already talked about the way it can hyperlink job dependencies, filter for the crucial path and set a baseline to trace challenge variance in actual time. Customers may see an inventory of challenge actions in a piece breakdown construction (WBS) column. The Gantt chart is customizable with color-coded duties and rather more. Since our software program is on-line, the Gantt chart can also be a collaborative instrument, assigning duties, sharing information and staying linked with different group members, anytime and anyplace by commenting on the job stage.
For individuals who got here right here strictly to obtain a free Gantt chart template, right here is one in-built Microsoft Excel. It’s a easy Gantt chart, however can do a lot of what extra superior challenge administration instruments can do. The template is made up of two sides. On the left, there’s a standard spreadsheet. That is the place all of the challenge duties are listed. The columns seize the beginning and finish dates and the length of every job. There’s even a column to notice the precedence of the duty. The final column tracks the work by displaying the proportion full for that job to assist customers hold to the challenge schedule.
As customers fill in that pertinent data, the fitting facet of the Gantt chart routinely populates with the visible timeline. This stacked bar chart is made up of all of the duties within the column on the left facet of the template. Every job is represented by a job bar on a time-based chart. The duty bar is so long as the anticipated length of the duty. Customers can customise this challenge timeline by including colour to make it simple to tell apart between challenge phases.
Microsoft Excel is just one instrument able to making a Gantt chart. This free Gantt chart template for Google Sheets has a bonus over Microsoft because it’s extra collaborative. That’s as a result of that is on-line software program. One more reason to decide on Google over Microsoft is that the instrument is free. Subsequently, it’s higher on one’s pockets and at fostering collaboration. Google Sheets permits customers to collaborate in actual time with out having to obtain any information as they must with Microsoft Excel.
To make use of this free Gantt chart template for Google Sheets, simply click on on the hyperlink. The Gantt chart template might be in view-only mode. Customers ought to then make a duplicate of their very own to allow them to edit and share the doc. They’ll additionally set the Gantt chart to be shared with particular members of the challenge group, giving every their very own permission, similar to view just for stakeholders, whereas lively group members can have editable privileges.
One other standard Microsoft software program is PowerPoint and, sure, it may be used to make a Gantt chart. However why hassle going by way of the labor of making a Gantt chart in PowerPoint when it’s simpler to only obtain one? However for these do-it-yourselfers, the hyperlink supplies a step-by-step tutorial on how one can create a Gantt chart in PowerPoint. For the remainder of us, there’s a hyperlink to obtain a template to get began with a challenge schedule immediately.
Gantt chart templates for PowerPoint are standard as a result of many individuals use this software program at work and are conversant in it. Subsequently, groups can create easy Gantt charts which can be simple for everybody to know. After all, whether or not one is constructed or a template downloaded, a PowerPoint file, similar to an Excel file (or Microsoft Challenge file, for that matter) may be imported into ProjectManager. There, customers may have all of the bells and whistles {that a} template doesn’t. They’ll export these modifications again to PowerPoint in the event that they need to.
Sure, Microsoft Phrase can be used to create Gantt chart templates. No, Phrase isn’t a challenge administration instrument, however it’s a acquainted one. Generally familiarity trumps a extra feature-rich instrument. If that’s the case, then obtain this free Gantt chart template for Phrase. There’s additionally a bit within the weblog with instructions on how one can make Gantt chart templates in Phrase. It’s time-consuming and a bit difficult, however it helps customers perceive all of the ins and outs of the instrument.
Once more, for many who don’t need to undergo the ordeal of making a Gantt chart someplace that isn’t designed for such a challenge administration instrument, there’s a free obtain for a Gantt chart in Phrase. Whereas it’s not advisable to handle tasks in Phrase, even when the software program may be became Gantt chart templates, we thought it will be good to a minimum of have one for many who need to use it.
Some individuals merely desire software program they use day by day. Many have transitioned from Microsoft Excel and Phrase to Google’s suite of on-line and free productiveness instruments. Google has executed an excellent job of seamlessly integrating all their apps, from Google Drive to Google Meet. If one’s enterprise is already wedded to this world, why change? Obtain a free Gantt chart for Google Docs. It’s not ideally suited, however it’ll work in addition to making one in Phrase, perhaps even higher because it’s a web-based, collaborative instrument.
There are additionally instructions to make Gantt chart templates in Google Docs for many who desire to do it their approach fairly than obtain a accomplished one. It’s not easy and it’ll take time, like creating any Gantt chart templates from scratch, however our thorough plans, full with screenshots for every step, make it potential for anybody, no matter their experience in Google Docs, to make working Gantt chart templates.
We couldn’t finish with out sharing Google’s model of Microsoft PowerPoint. That’s proper, there are free Gantt chart templates that may be created in Google Slides. This software program, which is designed for making shows, can also be on-line and, subsequently, collaborative. Gantt chart templates like these are nice to make use of when presenting to stakeholders in challenge conferences or proposals.
As with the opposite Gantt chart templates for Google, open up the template, make a duplicate and begin modifying with one’s personal challenge knowledge. These Gantt charts may not be as helpful as those in challenge administration software program, however they appear good. They’re colourful and clear, making them simple to know and nice for skilled shows.
ProjectManager Has Higher Gantt Charts and Extra Options
Whereas free Gantt chart templates are helpful, they are going to finally frustrate customers. Even those that don’t undergo the hassle of constructing their very own will discover too many limitations. Sure, they will do the fundamentals, however delivering profitable tasks requires greater than the naked minimal. Challenge managers are going to need all of the options they will get to herald tasks on time, inside price range and assembly high quality requirements. That’s why they select ProjectManager, award-winning challenge and portfolio administration software program with a number of the greatest Gantt charts out there available on the market.
Handle Sources to Keep Productive
Gantt charts can schedule sources and associated prices, however as soon as the challenge is executed there are different options to make sure these sources are working as deliberate. First, when onboarding group members, challenge managers can set their availability, together with, PTO, trip and world holidays, in addition to their expertise, to make assigning them to duties simpler. There’s a color-coded workload chart to see who’s overallocated or underutilized. Challenge managers can then steadiness their group’s workload from that chart to maintain everybody working at capability and avoiding burnout. There’s additionally a group web page that reveals both each day or weekly exercise, which may be filtered by progress, precedence and extra.
Observe Progress, Efficiency and Price in Actual Time
Then there may be progress, efficiency and value. These challenge metrics want monitoring to make sure they align with the challenge plan. As soon as the baseline is ready on the Gantt chart, the software program consistently updates in actual time. Challenge managers can get a high-level overview with reside dashboards that present time, value, workload and extra on easy-to-read graphs and charts for one or a number of tasks. Customizable experiences get deeper into the small print or may be filtered for a abstract to share with stakeholders and hold them up to date. Safe timesheets streamline payroll, however in addition they supply a window into how far every group member has gone in finishing their work and what it prices. That manages labor prices and retains the challenge on price range.
Associated Gantt Chart Content material
There’s extra to Gantt charts than Gantt chart templates. For these inquisitive about exploring deeper, observe the hyperlinks under to a handful of our more moderen items on the instrument.
ProjectManager is on-line Gantt chart software program that connects groups whether or not they’re within the workplace or out within the subject. They’ll share information, remark on the job stage and keep up to date with electronic mail and in-app notifications. Be a part of groups at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software program to ship profitable tasks. Get began with ProjectManager immediately without cost.
