Gantt Chart Template
A Gantt chart shows a whole project at a glance: what happens when, who owns it and how far along it is. In this template you only type the tasks, owners, start and end dates and percent complete. The weekly timeline fills itself in with conditional formatting, so there are no bars to draw or charts to fix.
It also counts work days for each task, calculates overall progress weighted by task length and shows the planned finish date. Change the project start date and the whole timeline shifts.
What's included
- Timeline of 16 weeks that draws itself from your start and end dates
- Progress shading inside each bar and a highlight for the current week
- Work days per task calculated automatically, excluding weekends
- Overall progress weighted by task duration and planned finish date
- Status drop-down with color coding for not started, in progress, done and blocked
How to use it
- Enter the project name and start date at the top.
- List each task with its owner, start date and end date.
- Update the Done percentage as work progresses.
- Set the status of each task to see blocked work at a glance.
- Share the file or print the sheet in landscape for status meetings.
How to plan a realistic project
Break work into tasks of one to two weeks. Long tasks hide delays, while very short ones make the plan hard to maintain.
Add a buffer before key milestones and remember US holidays such as Thanksgiving and the end-of-year break, when progress usually slows down.
Review the chart in a short weekly meeting. Update the percentage done and the status, and look at any red Blocked tasks first.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Gantt chart template free?
Yes. You can use it for personal, school or commercial projects without paying or signing up.
Can I make the timeline longer?
Yes. Copy the last week column and paste it to the right as many times as you need. The header dates and bars continue automatically.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. The bars are made with conditional formatting, which Google Sheets supports, so the chart looks the same after you upload it.
Can I add task dependencies?
Yes. To link two tasks, set a start date formula such as the previous task's end date plus one day. When the first task moves, the next one moves too.
