Venture managers usually use Gantt charts to stipulate the duties required to finish a venture. These helpful instruments permit venture groups to stay organized and environment friendly whereas finishing necessary duties. Should you’re a venture supervisor or need to pursue these roles, it might profit you to know tips on how to make a Gantt chart in Microsoft Phrase.

On this article, we outline Gantt charts, focus on when to make use of them and supply 5 steps to create one in Phrase.

What’s a Gantt chart?

A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar graph that visually represents the duties of a venture on a timeline. Venture managers create these charts to find out how lengthy a venture would possibly take to finish. A Gantt chart outlines every activity concerned in a venture, together with when every activity begins and when it ends. Venture managers place every activity or exercise on a special line, which permits these professionals to visualise when actions overlap. Some Gantt charts additionally listing which group members are main every activity, which will increase general group accountability and transparency.

When would possibly you employ a Gantt chart?

Sometimes, professionals use Gantt charts to make sure efficient venture administration. For instance, for those who’re producing an merchandise or managing an occasion, you may create a Gantt chart to divide the venture into manageable duties. One other use of this chart may very well be to plan the duties of a number of tasks concurrently. If you wish to define a transparent illustration of which group member must be finishing every activity, you may create an efficient Gantt chart. If achieved correctly, these charts usually foster collaboration and group.

Find out how to make a Gantt chart in Phrase

Listed here are 5 steps you’ll be able to observe to make a Gantt chart in Phrase:

1. Open a brand new Phrase doc and alter the format

Step one to making a Gantt chart is to open Microsoft Phrase and create a brand new doc. On the “Dwelling” web page, choose a “Clean doc.” Within the toolbar menu, choose the “Structure” tab, which is between the “Design” and “References” tabs. Click on on the “Orientation” possibility, which is on the left aspect of the display. Selecting this prompts a small drop-down menu that means that you can change the path of the doc. Click on the “Panorama” button to make your doc lie horizontally. A Gantt chart is of course horizontal, which is why it is necessary to vary the format of the web page.

2. Insert a stacked bar chart into your doc

As soon as you have modified the format of the doc, click on the “Insert” tab on the toolbar menu, which is close to the highest left aspect of the display. Select the “Chart” drop-down menu from the “Illustration” part. This prompts a brand new window that gives you many chart choices to pick out. Within the left aspect column, discover the “Bar” tab, which is close to the center of the column and has a picture of a horizontal bar graph subsequent to it. Choose the “Stacked Bar” possibility and press the “OK” button on the backside proper nook of the window to insert it into your doc.

3. Embody venture schedule information into the graph

After you have added your graph into your doc, you’ll be able to embody your venture schedule information in it. Inserting a graph into Phrase opens a Microsoft Excel desk. Take away the placeholder information so as to add your individual venture data. Listed here are some ideas you’ll be able to think about to incorporate and format related data into your Gantt chart:

Decide your venture’s duties

Earlier than you add information to your chart, it might be helpful to find out your venture’s duties. This could make sure that you embody each element of your venture with out repeating gadgets. Contemplate making an inventory of those duties and asking your group members to learn and revise it. When you finalize your listing, add every activity to the A column of the Excel sheet, beginning in row 2. Phrase mechanically inserts your duties into the chart as you add them to the Excel sheet, and this kinds the Y-axis of your graph.

Rename the B, C and D columns

After you listing your duties, rename the B, C and D columns. At first, they’re titled “Sequence 1,” “Sequence 2” and “Sequence 3.” As a substitute, you’ll be able to kind “Begin Date,” “Finish Date” and “Length (days)” into their respective cells. The sequence defines the bars that seem on the chart.

Add every activity’s begin and finish dates

Subsequent, you’ll be able to add the beginning and finish dates for every activity within the Excel sheet. These can both be normal estimates for those who’re nonetheless to start with phases of your venture, however for those who’ve already begun your venture, you’ll be able to add the precise dates on which you began and completed every activity. For instance, for those who title your first activity “develop the venture” in cell A2, you’ll be able to put its begin day in cell B2 and its finish date in cell C2. It is necessary to make sure that your dates are within the right cell.

Calculate the length of every activity

Subsequent, think about filling the “Length” column by calculating the variety of days it took to finish every activity. You possibly can accomplish this manually by subtracting the beginning date from the top date. A neater possibility is typing the Excel system “=$C2−$B2” in cell D2. When you insert the system, click on on cell D2 and drag your mouse to fill the remainder of the “Length” column, which applies the system to the cells you highlighted.

Take away the “Finish Date” sequence

Now that you’ve got your length, you’ll be able to take away the “Finish Date” sequence as a result of it is now not needed on your Gantt chart. To perform this, choose the “Chart Filters” button, which is the funnel icon to the fitting of the chart. This makes a window seem with a number of setting choices. Click on the “Finish Date” field within the “Sequence” part to uncheck it after which choose “Apply” to avoid wasting your modifications.

4. Format your graph to seem like a Gantt chart

When you take away the “Finish Date” sequence, you’ll be able to format your graph to make it seem like a Gantt chart. First, make the “Begin Date” bars clear so solely the “Length” bars stay on the graph. These signify your completely different duties. Choose any bar that represents the “Begin Date” by viewing the legend on the backside of the graph to find out which bar is the “Begin Date” sequence. Proper-click on the proper bar to make a toolbar seem and press the “Fill” possibility. Beneath the “Normal Shade” part, test the “No Fill” field so that they’re clear on the chart.

5. Customise your Gantt chart

Lastly, you’ll be able to customise your Gantt chart to make sure readability and visible attraction. Contemplate making every activity a separate shade to distinguish them on the graph. To perform this, right-click on every bar, press the “Fill” tab and select a brand new shade. You too can edit the title of your Gantt chart by clicking on the “Chart Title” textual content field and typing a brand new identify. If most well-liked, you’ll be able to take away the legend by clicking on it and urgent the “Delete” key.

Ideas for creating efficient Gantt charts

Listed here are some ideas you’ll be able to observe for making efficient Gantt charts:

Use a software program program: Should you desire to make use of a template as a substitute of constructing your Gantt chart manually, think about using a software program program. This lets you obtain templates on Phrase that you may edit with your individual information.
Add a border to your duties: To make your duties extra readable, attempt to create a border round them. You possibly can obtain this by discovering the “Chart Instruments Format” tab on the toolbar and deciding on “Form Results” so as to add a border to every bar.
Use contrasting colours: Contemplate contrasting the colours of your bars to make the graph extra readable. For instance, making one bar inexperienced and one bar yellow could be simpler to learn than making them two comparable shades of the identical shade.
Flip the Y-Axis: If you wish to flip the order of your duties on the Y-axis, double-click on the duties to the left of the chart. The “Format Axis” window opens, the place you’ll be able to test the “Classes in reverse order” field, which is on the backside of the menu.