How to make a Gantt chart in Google Sheets

Various tools and utility apps have improved work on contemporary Android tablets. With the right combination of tools, you can do most of your work without relying on a traditional laptop or PC. One of these tools is the Gantt chart. In a nutshell, it tracks and displays your progress across multiple projects.

It is possible to get it as an app for your device or create one yourself. However, many high-end tools and apps are expensive and aren’t necessary for your personal purposes. We show you how to create a Gantt chart in Google Sheets without investing a penny. But first, let’s find out what a Gantt chart is.

What’s a Gantt chart?

A Gantt chart is a project management and productivity chart that helps you simultaneously track the progress of one or more projects. Using a stacked graph chart, the Gantt chart displays the start and end dates for projects in an easy-to-read form. Its versatility lets corporations and individuals track tasks across various disciplines.

The Gantt chart gets its name from Henry Gantt, a project management consultant, who popularized this chart in the early 20th century. But, Gantt’s popularized version wasn’t the first. A Polish engineer named Karol Adamiecki invented it in the 1890s.

While the Gantt chart has evolved over the centuries, its core concepts remain the same. We show you how to make one.

How to create a Gantt chart in Google Sheets?

Google Sheets is a tool for creating spreadsheets and collaborating, and it’s free. It might lack some of the advanced features found in dedicated apps and tools. But other than that, it’s perfectly fine for creating a Gantt chart. Here’s how to do it.

Create columns in Google Sheets

Start by creating columns in Google Sheets. These columns represent various data in your final Gantt chart.

1. Open Google Sheets.
2. Create five columns: enter Name in cell A1, Start Date in cell B1, End Date in cell C1, Start on Day in cell D1, and Duration in cell E1.
3. Format each column accordingly. Highlight the column you want to format and click Format at the top.

   

4. Choose an appropriate format for each column. For the Name, choose Text format. For the Start Date and End Date, choose Date format. For the Start on Day and Duration, choose Number format.

   

Enter data into each column

Now that you have your columns, it’s time to fill them with data.

1. Enter task names under the Name column.
2. Enter the starting date for each task under Start Date.
3. Enter the ending date for each task under End Date.

In our example, dates are formatted as MM/DD/YYYY. Make sure to enter the dates in the format that Google Sheets understands, as this is important in correctly calculating the Start on Day and Duration.

Enter formulas to calculate the Start on Day and Duration

When you have your data, you’ll enter specific formulas to calculate cells for Start on Day and Duration.

1. Enter the following formula under Start on Day: =int(B2)-($B$2). Auto-fill the formula in the rest of the cells when Google Sheets prompts you to do so.

   

2. Under Duration, enter the following formula: =C2-B2. You’re prompted to autofill the remaining cells.

   

All that remains now is to add a stacked bar graph to your chart.

Add a Stacked bar graph to your Google Sheets chart

Now that you have all the data and calculations ready, you’ll need a graph to visualize that information.

1. Click Insert at the top of the sheet, and choose Chart. A menu pops up on the right.

   

2. Choose a Stacked bar graph and drag and drop it in a convenient spot.

   

To make the stacked bar graph look like a Gantt chart.

1. Double click any of the Start on Day segments on your chart. A menu pops up on the right.
2. Under Serieschange Fill Color and Line Color to white.

   

After following this guide, your finished Gantt chart should look similar to the one in the screenshot above.

Track your progress with a Gantt chart

Creating a Gantt chart in Google Sheets takes time and patience. It’s not as straightforward as with a dedicated template, but it’s doable. All it takes now is to download the app or open Google Sheets in your favorite web browserand you’ll have your own Gantt chart in no time.