Microsoft KB Archive/73281

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Excel: Creating Gantt Charts

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Q73281

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.01, 2.1, 2.10c, 2.10d, 3.0, 3.0a, 4.0, 4.0a, 4.0c, 5.0, 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.0, 3.0a, 4.0, 5.0, 5.0a

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SUMMARY
You can use Microsoft Excel to create Gantt Charts showing task status for project planning and control. This article gives an example and shows the steps necessary to generate the charts.

Example
To use this example, follow these steps:

  Open a new worksheet in Microsoft Excel and enter the following values:

     A1:             B1: START       C1: DAYS        D1: DAYS A2: TASK       B2: DATE        C2: COMPLETED   D2: REMAINING A3: TASK-1     B3: 1/1/91      C3: 150         D3: 15 A4: TASK-2     B4: 5/1/91      C4: 21          D4: 31 A5: TASK-3     B5: 7/1/91      C5: 0           D5: 114 A6: TASK-4     B6: 10/1/91     C6: 0           D6: 4 A7: TASK-5     B7: 10/15/91    C7: 0           D7: 31 A8: TASK-6     B8: 11/1/91     C8: 0           D8: 2  Select cell B2 and format with the month/day/year format you want to use for the chart. In Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0, select cells A2:D8, point to Chart on the Insert menu, and click As New Sheet. This starts the Chart Wizard. In the Chart Wizard, do the following:

 In step 1, click Next. In step 2, click Bar. In step 3, click the third bar chart. In step 4, change First Column for Category X-Axis labels to &quot;1&quot;, In step 5, click Finish.</li></ol>

In Microsoft Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 only, select cells A2:D8 and press F11 to create a chart.</li> In Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, click Bar on the Gallery menu, and select the third chart type.

The third bar chart should be a stacked bar chart.</li> In Excel 5.0 and 7.0, the first data series is usually blue. Select the first series and click Selected Data Series on the Format menu (or double-click the first series). Click the Patterns Tab and set both the Border and Area to none.

In Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, the first data series in a chart is usually red. Select this series and click Patterns on the Format menu. Set the patterns for both the border and area to None.</li> In Excel 5.0 and 7.0, select the Y-axis (horizontal axis) and click Selected Axis on the Format menu, and then click the Scale tab.

If you are using Microsoft Excel for Windows or OS/2, set the minimum to 33,200, set the maximum to 33,600, set major unit to 31, and set minor unit to 1. If you are using Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, set the minimum to 31,777, set the maximum to 32,120, set major unit to 31, and set minor unit to 1.

The minimum and maximum numbers represent serial numbers for dates. The minimum serial number should be a date somewhat near the minimum date in column B of the original data.

In Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, select the Y-axis (horizontal axis) and click Scale on the Format menu.

NOTE: In a bar chart the traditional X- and Y-axes are reversed; the X-axis is vertical and the Y-axis is horizontal.</li> In Excel 5.0 and 7.0, select the X-axis and click Selected Axis on the Format menu. Click the Scale tab.

Verify that the Value Y-Axis Crosses Between Categories check box and that the Categories in Reverse Order check box is selected.

In Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, select the X-axis (vertical axis) and click Scale on the Format menu.</li> In Excel 5.0 and 7.0, click Gridlines on the Insert menu and verify that the Major Gridlines check box is selected for the Y-axis.

In Excel 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0, click Gridlines on the Chart menu and verify that the Major Gridlines check box is selected for the Y-axis.</li></ol>

The Gantt Chart should now be displayed on the screen. Additional formatting can be added as needed.