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5 best software with Gantt chart

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The Gantt chart software is used extremely frequently in project management. It allows for creating a schedule for a project and putting it on a timeline: as a result, we can see the exact timeframes of each task, stage, or the entire project for that matter. Gantt is a visual tool considerably streamlining project management. At present, the charts are enriched with such elements as milestones, rigid dependencies or links, resource management, or critical paths.

Gantt Chart Project Management

The Gantt chart is a tool that presents the schedule of an entire project in visual terms. It is an immensely effective tool for project management, as it shows the structure and project progress on a timeline. The Gantt chart benefit is a full and transparent schedule that helps manage work better, control the course of the project tasks and quickly introduce any amendments when necessary.

What is a Gantt Chart?

A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that shows how a project is progressing over time. Gantt charts are widely used in project and task management to track the status of tasks and identify potential bottlenecks. Gantt charts can be created using spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, or specialized online Gantt chart software. When creating a Gantt chart, each task is represented by a bar, and the length of the bar indicates the duration of the task. Tasks are typically grouped by task type, and the Gantt chart can also show dependencies between tasks. Gantt charts software is a valuable tool for project managers, as they provide a clear overview of the project timeline and allow potential problems to be identified quickly.

Who is the Gantt chart named after

The Gantt chart’s history is colorful and is reflected in the name given to it by its inventor. An American, Henry Gantt is recognized as the visual project schedule’s Gantt Chart creator. In 1910, Gantt developed this technique for a Bethlehem Steel facility and published it in Engineering Magazine. Following the history, Karol Adamiecki was the first visual project presentation pioneer, who developed the first tool of its kind back in 1896 but he published his research after Gantt in 1931.

Gantt Chart in Project Management

After its invention, the Gantt method has revolutionized project management and offered a much more transparent and visual approach to handling them so that they are completed on schedule.

The Gantt chart was one of the solutions that were needed when projects grew more and more complicated and advanced. The Gantt chart software became one of these new solutions. Project managers and those who carried out tasks on projects fell in love with project visualization on a timeline.

The chart was completed more than a century ago, and the entire process is still in its prime, and not one project manager could think of completing a difficult project without it.

What is the best way to make a Gantt chart?

We have several options in this area. To begin, let’s look at the paper technique, which was the first method to use a timetable in business – and it predates the internet by centuries!

Remember that the chart was not utilized to visualize technology in 1910 but as a new and innovative technique to depict the whole project. Actions completed in a project were previously recorded on pieces of paper, and the Gantt chart simply provided a different perspective on them.

In this situation, a piece of paper with a variety of colors and a range of activities is more than enough to get started. This may be an excellent choice in some cases, such as the expected timetable. The most effective Gantt chart tools are dedicated applications that allow for more efficient project and task management. We utilize the existing technology that we currently have.

Excel Gantt chart template

There are many different ways to create a Gantt chart, but one of the most popular methods is to use an Excel template. Excel templates for Gantt charts are widely available online and can be easily customized to suit the specific needs of your project. Using an Excel template is a great way to get started with creating your Gantt chart, and can help to make the project planning process smoother and more efficient. If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to create a Gantt chart, a Gantt chart in excel is a great option.

Gantt charts are a popular project and task management tool and for good reason. They help to visualize the timeline of a project and can be used to track progress and identify potential bottlenecks. Excel is a versatile tool that can be used to create Gantt charts, and there are many simple Gantt chart templates available online.

However, Gantt chart software can make the process even easier, by providing features such as automatic scheduling and the ability to share charts with team members. Whichever approach you choose, Gantt charts can be a valuable addition to your project management toolkit.

Gantt Charts In Google Sheets

Gantt charts are a valuable tool for project and task management, and with Google Sheets, they’re free and easy to create. With a Gantt chart tool, you can track the start and end dates of your project, as well as milestones and tasks. To create a Gantt chart in Google Sheets, simply go to the File menu and select “Make a copy.” Then, enter your project data into the template. You can add as much or as little detail as you like, but be sure to include the start and end dates for each task. Once you have your data entered, you can begin to format your Gantt chart. Change the color of the bars to represent different project phases of the project, or add numbers to show the percentage completed for each task. You can also add conditional formatting rules to highlight tasks that are due soon or overdue. With a Gantt chart in Google Sheets, you can easily keep track of your project’s progress and ensure that it stays on schedule.

Project Management Gantt Charts

Project and task management Gantt charts are an essential tool for project managers. They help to visualize project timelines and track project progress. In a Gantt chart, each task is represented by bar charts. The length of the bar chart corresponds to the duration of the task. Tasks can be further divided into subtasks, and dependencies can be indicated by linking bars together. Modern Gantt charts are an essential project planning tool, and they can help project managers to avoid overlap and ensure that all tasks are completed on time. By visualizing project timelines, Gantt charts can also help project managers to identify potential bottlenecks and make adjustments to the project plan accordingly.

Gantt Chart in IC Project Management Software

Let’s have a look at IC Project, a Gantt chart software. A new project must be added to this program via its fundamental phases or single activities. We don’t have to worry about the schedule development procedure itself. The program generates the Gantt chart automatically.

When a project and timetable are already prepared in the IC Project, we may observe its structure (stages + activities or even tiny parts of the project) as well as a complete timeline on the right side.

What does a Gantt chart show?

The program color marks the structural parts of the project. For instance, a green horizontal bar chart is an entire project, blue bars are stages and grey blocks are task groups. All project-related processes are put on a timeline, which allows instantaneous control of whether the entire project is being done on time.

It’s worth noting that the timetable is flexible. What exactly does it imply? It’s a huge benefit of technology: we may alter the deadlines on the Gantt chart ourselves. For example, if we want to set separate deadlines for phases, we can do so right now on the chart.

If, however, there’s a need for change, it can also be done on the chart and all changes will be updated for the entire project. It’s a great asset as we can see what the timeline of the project is in real-time. As in many other aspects of our lives, technology is the key to success – also in the case of creating Gantt charts.

How to make a Gantt chart?

1. Add a project and set the deadline

If we use dedicated software, there are certain procedures to follow for a project to be added. Start from the project name, start date, and end dates for the Gantt chart to begin with.

2. Create a project structure

What is the definition of a project structure? It may be divided into single tasks, task groups, and even phases depending on the stage of development. The project manager retains the authority to decide whether they are stages or activities. Remember that those smaller components will be plotted on the Gantt chart.

3. Adapt the deadline for smaller tasks in a project

Start and finish dates are established for each project and every tiny task. This is precisely what all project- and task-based techniques recommend. You must modify deadlines to suit the sectors depending on how you break down your project. As a result, you’ll get an in-depth representation of the overall project’s timeline.

4. Set dependencies

What are dependencies, and how do they work? They’re connections between actions in your project, as well as between tasks or stages.

By using technological connections, you will automate the process where delaying one action will affect the rest of the deadlines in the project. If you make the actions dependent on each other properly, changing the deadline of one action will automatically change the other deadlines.

This is a key function of the Gantt chart for every efficient project manager. Dependencies can indicate connections for informational purposes, but with a tool like IC Project, you will update the project’s further course automatically.

5. Define milestones for your project

A milestone is an event with no duration which signals an important point in a project. It’s usually an informational point which is a very important message for project leaders. A milestone has its specific time, it can represent a client’s decision or a checkpoint.

6. Control the deadlines and make quick changes!

The Gantt chart is a tool that allows you to control all deadlines in a project in an effective way. If there is a need for change, you will make it in the chart. This makes things very much easier when managing complex projects in real-time.

5 best software with Gantt chart

IC Project the best Gantt Chart Software

IC Project z wykresem Gantta

IC Project is a functional program for project management. It also offers maximum ease and transparency of use. It is quite a complex solution: apart from a high number of the project- and task-related functions, it features a lot of additional modules, which allow you to organize the work of your entire enterprise in one place.

With IC Project, you can use two types of project for project management – the ordinary one, which is faster and agile, intended for task-based work as well as the advanced one, where you get a deep project- and task-related structure and advanced functions which allow you to control all financial matters in the given project or work on the Gantt chart. As regards tasks, you can manage them with intuitive Kanban boards.

The Gantt chart in IC Project is available at three levels:

• In the general project view – thanks to this, looking at the timeline you will see all your projects in the time context – a schedule of the work of your entire enterprise, so to speak.
• Inside every project – this is the most functional Gantt chart: with it, you will create the entire schedule for a project and you will control and react to any changes or delays in real-time.
• In the task board – do you want to manage your tasks with the Gantt chart? There you go. IC Project allows you to switch to Gantt from each task board.

In IC Project, you can personalize each of your projects – using the full structure, you will divide groups of tasks of individual tasks into stages and you will see the overall results of that division on the Gantt chart. You can manage the components of your projects in the timeline view – you move them in time, extend, shorten or spread them, there is full freedom here. As a result, you can create an entire schedule for the given project literally in several dozen seconds and intuitively adapt it to your deadlines.

The Gantt chart in IC Project includes a lot of more advanced functions, for instance, the creation of rigid relationships between the components of your project. If the deadlines for the given stage in your project depend on another one, you can link it all and form any dependencies at many levels. In addition, you can add milestones to the chart or determine a critical path, which the system will calculate automatically using its algorithm. If you want, you can also manage your resources in Gantt and download the entire schedule in a file.

To sum up, IC Project is a very interesting tool for project management – dedicated to both small and large enterprises as they can adapt it to their own needs. The software is exceptionally flexible. It allows you to effectively work at the task level, but it also offers a lot for advanced project management. The entire tool is expressed in a transparent and intuitive interface.

The price for 50 users and full functionality: is 99 EUR/month

TeamGantt a Gantt chart software 


TeamGantt - wykres Gantta

TeamGantt is a complex project management system based on the Gantt chart for the most part. This is a solution offering various views of the Gantt chart as well as basic project management functions – e.g. communication channel for the team, a built-in calendar, simple task management, or a work time reporting option.

The system looks quite functional and it is presented interestingly. However, the first steps of the user are not the easiest ones, for sure. That said, do notice that the help section contains a lot of guides, which should help get to know the possibilities of the program. Similarly to IC Project, the Gantt chart in TeamGantt is presented in a variety of ways – if you want, you can use the chart to see all your projects in one view or manage an individual project only. You can simply manage your deadlines – you divide your project and traditionally move its components over the timeline, which changes the deadlines automatically.

In addition, here you can manage the workforce dedicated to specific components and the availability of your team in general. All this, of course, can be done on the Gantt chart. You can also take advantage of rigid relationships thanks to which you can create dependencies between individual components of the given project.

A huge advantage of TeamGantt is that it offers you project status management, thanks to which you will always see the stage of work your team is currently at. What is more, the entire reporting module lets you generate interesting reports using the data inputted into the system. It is worth mentioning the advanced feature that is the comparison of history with the current project status – you will see the actual deviations from the assumed plan.

In conclusion, TeamGantt is a very interesting solution, which undoubtedly offers a huge dose of functionality. The entire system is based on the Gantt chart, which allows you to use a timeline to view not only projects but also how much your team is occupied. This is a big plus when you manage human resources. At the very start, the system is not that easy to use, but the available training videos should help the user make the first steps in the software. A large minus is the fact that the program is available in English only and that it is… very expensive.

The price for 50 users and full functionality: 762.50 USD/month

InstaGantt a Gantt chart software 

InstaGantt - widok wykres Gantta

InstaGantt is yet another project management program featuring the Gantt chart. As the name suggests, this is a solution that is straight out based on the chart. The system has some interesting features, but it seems to us that it is a tool dedicated to tasks more than projects. The Gantt chart looks very nice and transparent, it allows – obviously – to use the drag & drop method to manage task deadlines as well as create the entire project plan and time dependencies. You can also plot a critical path on the chart. The entire result can be downloaded to a PDF.

A huge advantage is the possibility to manage employee engagement, which is demonstrated on a timeline. You can easily see when a then given employee has a task to do and when he/she is free and can be given another one. This is a very useful view when you think of resource management. However, InstaGantt involves not only the Gantt chart but also some other additional options. For instance task management on a Kanban board. The methodology, known and like all around the world, is applied in this tool as well. As regards communication, the tool does not offer much: only a system of comments on tasks.

Projects and finances are two aspects that always go hand in hand. In InstaGantt, you can estimate costs and set the hourly rate for your employees – this will allow you to manage project budgets and profitability to a basic degree. A simple module for managing the risk in the given project forms an extra advantage of the program: this is a rare solution in the project management department.

InstaGantt is an interesting solution and it has some advanced features, but it is not a system that will work in a larger enterprise that would like to manage projects professionally. This is a program that is rather dedicated to task management in different and transparent forms. Unfortunately, InstaGantt is virtually devoid of any support – the only contact channel is… e-mail. It is difficult to implement such a system without the assistance of the supplier. The entire program is available in English only. The price is not the lowest, but it is acceptable.

The price for 50 users and full functionality: is 250 USD/month

TeamHood a Gantt chart software 

TeamHood - wykres Gantta

TeamHood is a system for managing projects with the Gantt chart. This is a solution offering a lot of additional functions, for instance, task-based work, team communication, work time reporting, or many parameters of the Agile methodology.

The program does not have a very much user-friendly and transparent interface, but it looks functional. When you manage to reach the functions, of course. In TeamHood, you can divide every project into tasks and subtasks – the entire project you will view on the Gantt chart. You will find here the basic functions, for instance, deadline management on a timeline using the drag & drop method, creating dependencies and links, and controlling progress and completion status on the Gantt chart. All this allows you to create a project schedule efficiently.

Tasks are managed with Kanban boards, which are connected with the traditional task-related possibilities to use. As regards team communication, the tool offers only task-based work with comments, a notification system, or shared work on files and documents – this is rather not much as these are mere basics of every system of that sort.

Please note that TeamHood lets you control employee engagement, which is certainly shown on the timeline. This is where we see an accumulated view of tasks assigned to individual employees as translated into the Gantt chart. In addition, the system features work time reporting and time report generation. Agile parameters include many interesting views, which you can use to see what stage of work you are currently at or what has already been completed and what not. All this is presented on pie or bar charts, which is a convenient visual form.

TeamHood is a tool that may be desired functionally, but the interface leaves much to be desired. The software is also a bit rough: in all likelihood, it is only being developed right now and it might be that it becomes an important market player in project management systems. As for now, it is available in English, German and Lithuanian. The price does not cause any delight as well – in this price bracket you can find a lot of better solutions in a convenient visual form.

The price for 50 users and full functionality: is 450 USD/month

GanttPro a Gantt chart software 

Gantt Pro, wykres Gantta, program do zarządzania projektami

GanttPro is a software management program based on the Gantt chart. It is perfect for planning and supervising projects in the visual form and for managing the engagement of your team. As regards the Gantt chart itself, this is one of the most functional systems on the market – it offers a lot of features to use and is a recognized system appreciated by many a foreign enterprise. It is well worth having a closer look at it.

In short, the program lets you efficiently manage designs using the Gantt chart and offers you possibilities to manage tasks or combine project teams. It also allows you to manage project budgets in a simple way or measure work time. The Gantt chart in this solution includes a lot of features. It allows to plan the entire project and set it deadline-wise with drag & drop. In addition, the tasks presented on the Gantt chart include such parameters as:

• Status
• Priority
• Duration
• Planned duration
• Cost
• Progress
• Assigned individuals

GanttPro offers you a project portfolio view, also on the Gantt chart. This allows you to look at all projects in your enterprise globally and take proper action while in this view if you notice any minor or major deficiencies. Project planning involves Gantt as well – you can use milestones, defined columns, dependencies, and links as well as adequate filters. You can export the entire project to different file formats and – interestingly – share it with third parties via a public link.

Certainly, GanttPro simply must offer the option to plot a critical path, measure work time or manage files and documents. All this is available. The calendar for the given project is an interesting solution, where the project as a whole is presented on a calendar – this is one of the extra options to use, which makes GanttPro stand out against its competitors.

To summarise, GanttPro is a complex project management system that is based on the Gantt chart for the most part. If you like the visual presentation of your projects and need a lot of functions on the chart, GanttPro can be the solution for you. The beginnings in GanttPro are not easy: you have to get used to a slightly different method of work – this is not a typical tool for project management, it was designed differently. The price is not too high, but it is not too low.

The price for 50 users and full functionality: is 300 USD/month

Selecting a tool for project management is not an easy task. You always have to consider a lot of important issues – of course, functionality, needs of your enterprise, and ease of use are what you should focus on. The task is even more difficult if you would like to have an advanced Gantt chart. While in the selection process, think about what proportions to keep. Should the Gantt chart be an added advantage for your team in project planning and supervision or should the entire system be based on this Gantt chart software? 

In a nutshell, what are the advantages of a Gantt chart?

The Gantt chart is a very powerful project management tool. It’s a must-have for project-based work. There are many methods to make project schedules, from the conventional, paper method to the most effective tools for project management.

In IC Project Management Software, every project comes with an automatically created Gantt chart which will show a properly structured project in a different and transparent view. If you want to carry out a project schedule according to plan, the Gantt chart will be your best bet hands down.

It will allow you to easily adapt to deadlines in the stage of your project, control the course of all work and quickly respond to any changes. Switch to the Gantt chart project management in ICP and get to know its possibilities.

An inseparable part of project management in the 21st century, aided with such advanced technology, is the proper software that will facilitate your project- and task-related work. Currently, there are many systems available on the market– each one of them is different and streamlines different processes. The key to success is to find the one that proves perfect for the structure of your enterprise. Today, we will focus on project management software featuring the Gantt chart. We have prepared a dedicated compilation where we compare and contrast different programs in terms of their functionality, ease of use, and the possibilities of the Gantt chart.

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