How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel (Step-by-Step for Project Management)

A Gantt chart is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to visualize a project timeline. Whether you’re managing a school project, construction plan, marketing campaign, or software sprint, Excel lets you build a professional Gantt chart—without buying expensive tools.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to make a Gantt chart in Excel step by step, including versions with dates, progress bars, dependencies, conditional formatting, and even how to do it on Mac.

What Is a Gantt Chart in Excel?

A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart that shows:

• Tasks on the vertical axis
• Time (dates or days) on the horizontal axis
• Duration and progress of each task

Excel doesn’t include a built-in Gantt chart template—but you can easily create one using bar charts or conditional formatting.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel Step by Step (Basic Method)

Step 1: Create Your Task Table

Enter your data like this:

Step 2: Insert a Stacked Bar Chart

1. Select Start Date and Duration
2. Click Insert → Bar Chart → Stacked Bar
3. Excel will create a basic stacked bar chart

Step 3: Hide the Start Date Bars

1. Click the Start Date bars
2. Right-click → Format Data Series
3. Set Fill → No Fill

🎯 You now have a clean Gantt chart layout.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel with Start and End Date

Instead of duration, calculate it automatically:

= End Date – Start Date

This makes your chart dynamic—if dates change, the chart updates instantly.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel with Dates (Timeline View)

1. Format the horizontal axis
2. Set Minimum to your earliest start date
3. Set Major unit to 1 (daily) or 7 (weekly)
4. Apply date formatting

This is ideal for project management timelines.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel Using Conditional Formatting

This method avoids charts entirely.

Steps:

1. List tasks in Column A
2. Add start and end dates
3. Create date headers across Row 1
4. Select the grid area
5. Go to Home → Conditional Formatting → New Rule
6. Use this formula:

=AND($B2<=D$1,$C2>=D$1)

7. Choose a fill color

✅ Perfect for printable schedules and dashboards.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel with Progress Bar

Add a Progress (%) column:

Then:

• Add a second stacked bar
• Format progress bars with a darker color
• Overlay them on the main duration bar

This visually shows task completion.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel with Dependencies

Excel doesn’t support dependencies natively, but you can:

• Use formulas to calculate start dates based on previous tasks
• Apply arrows manually using Insert → Shapes
• Color-code dependent tasks

For advanced dependency tracking, Excel still works well for small to medium projects.

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel for Project Management

Excel Gantt charts are ideal for:

• Freelancers
• Students
• Small teams
• Budget-friendly planning

💲 No paid software required—just Microsoft Excel (Windows or Mac).

How to Make a Gantt Chart in Excel on Mac

The steps on macOS are nearly identical:

• Use Insert → Bar Chart
• Format axes via Chart Design
• Conditional formatting works the same

Excel for Mac fully supports Gantt charts.

Common Gantt Chart Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using merged cells
❌ Forgetting to fix axis dates
❌ Hard-coding durations
❌ Overloading with too many colors

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Short FAQs (Optimized for AI Overviews)

Can Excel create a Gantt chart?

Yes, using stacked bar charts or conditional formatting.

Is Excel good for project management?

Yes, especially for small and medium-sized projects.

Does Excel have a Gantt chart template?

No default template, but it’s easy to build manually.

Can I make a Gantt chart on Excel Mac?

Yes, Excel for Mac fully supports Gantt charts.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to make a Gantt chart in Excel gives you a powerful project-planning tool without spending money on premium software. From simple timelines to progress-tracked project plans, Excel handles it all—efficiently and professionally.

Once you master it, managing deadlines becomes much easier. 🚀