Free Template · Excel · Updated March 2026
Free Gantt Chart Template
Excel Download
Turn your task list into a visual project schedule. This Excel Gantt chart uses conditional formatting to automatically draw bars across a 12-week timeline — enter a start week and duration, and the bar appears. Milestones, dependencies, phase groupings and percentage complete all included.
12-week timeline
Weekly columns across a 12-week horizon. Extend to 26 or 52 weeks by copying the column format — the conditional formatting extends automatically.
40 task rows
Phase headers, task rows and milestone rows — colour-coded by row type with auto-formatting bars on entry.
Milestone markers
Diamond-shaped milestone markers auto-appear when duration is set to 0 — visually distinct from task bars.
Gantt Chart Template
Free Excel template — instant download
Format
Excel (.xlsx)
Task rows
40 rows (phases + tasks)
Timeline
12-week default
Bars
Conditional-format auto-bars
Compatible
Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice
Price
Free — no signup needed
No email required. Instant Excel download.
01 — What's Included
Template Layout — Columns and How the Bars Work
The Gantt chart is a single Excel sheet with task data in the first seven columns and the 12-week timeline grid starting at column H. Bars are generated automatically using conditional formatting — no manual cell colouring needed.
| Column | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Task ID | Pre-filled T-01 through T-40. Phase header rows use P-1, P-2 etc. Links to the WBS and resource plan. |
| B | Task / Phase Name | Phase headers are bold and shaded. Task rows are indented. Milestone rows are italicised. All three row types auto-format via conditional formatting on the Type column. |
| C | Type | Drop-down: Phase / Task / Milestone. Controls row formatting and bar style. Milestone rows generate a diamond marker (zero-duration bar) instead of a filled bar. |
| D | Owner | Named person responsible for this task. One name only — matching the Resource Plan. |
| E | Start Week | The week number (1–52) when the task starts. The conditional formatting formula uses this to position the bar start. |
| F | Duration (weeks) | How many weeks the task takes. Set to 0 for milestones — this triggers the diamond marker instead of a bar. The formula: bar fills cells where column week number ≥ Start Week AND < Start Week + Duration. |
| G | % Complete | Progress to date as a percentage. The bar uses a two-colour split: completed portion in green, remaining in violet. Updates visually as you change the percentage. |
| H | Predecessor | The Task ID of the task this one depends on (e.g. "T-03"). Tracked as a reference column rather than a drawn arrow — keeps the visual clean in Excel. |
| I–AT | Week 1–12 grid | Each cell is 28px wide. The conditional formatting formula checks: if this cell's column week number falls within the task's start-to-end range, fill violet (task) or green (completed portion). Week headers show W1–W12 with the calendar date beneath. |
Example — 12-Week Project Schedule
| Task | Owner | W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 | W12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Initiation | |||||||||||||
| Project Charter | PM | ||||||||||||
| ◆ Charter Approved | |||||||||||||
| 2.0 Planning | |||||||||||||
| Risk Register | PM | ||||||||||||
| Resource Plan | PM | ||||||||||||
| 3.0 Execution | |||||||||||||
Also try the free online Gantt Chart Maker: For a fully interactive, shareable Gantt chart with drag-and-drop editing, try the free Gantt Chart Maker tool — no Excel required. The Excel template is better for sharing in Word documents and governance packs; the online tool is better for day-to-day schedule management.
02 — Dependencies
Task Dependencies — The Four Types
The Predecessor column in the template tracks which task must be completed before this one can start. Understanding dependency types prevents the most common scheduling mistakes — particularly tasks that appear to run in parallel when they actually cannot.
FS
Finish-to-Start
Task B cannot start until Task A is finished. The most common dependency type — represents work that must be completed sequentially.
"Design must finish before Development can start."
Most common — use by default
SS
Start-to-Start
Task B cannot start until Task A has started. They can run in parallel, but B cannot begin before A. Use when work must begin together but B takes less time.
"Testing can start once Development has started (not before)."
FF
Finish-to-Finish
Task B cannot finish until Task A has finished. They can run in parallel, but B must complete with or after A. Common for review and approval chains.
"Documentation cannot finish until Development finishes."
SF
Start-to-Finish
Task B cannot finish until Task A has started. The rarest dependency type — used in just-in-time scheduling scenarios.
"Old system can be decommissioned only after new system goes live."
Critical path and dependencies: Once your Gantt chart is complete, the longest sequence of dependent tasks from start to finish defines the critical path — any delay on a critical path task delays the whole project. Use the free Critical Path Calculator to identify which tasks in your schedule are on the critical path and therefore need the closest monitoring.
03 — How to Build It
Building Your Gantt Chart — Step by Step
1
Start from the WBS
Copy your work packages from the WBS template into the Task Name column — grouped by phase. Your Gantt chart should include every work package in the WBS. If a task is in the WBS but not the Gantt, it is not scheduled. If it is in the Gantt but not the WBS, it is not in scope.
2
Estimate durations — conservatively
Use three-point estimation (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) for uncertain tasks: PERT estimate = (O + 4M + P) ÷ 6. For tasks with historical data, use actuals from past projects. Add 10–20% schedule contingency at the phase level — not hidden inside individual task estimates.
3
Map dependencies before setting start dates
Fill in the Predecessor column for every task before entering start weeks. Let dependencies drive start dates — do not place tasks based on gut feel and then assign a predecessor to match. The predecessor determines the start date; the start date does not determine the predecessor.
4
Assign owners from the Resource Plan
Cross-check the Owner column against the Resource Plan allocation grid. If the same person is assigned to five tasks in Week 3 and their resource plan allocation is 50%, they cannot deliver five full tasks that week. The Gantt and Resource Plan must be consistent — any conflict discovered here needs to be resolved before the schedule is baselined.
5
Add milestones at phase gates and key decisions
Set milestone rows (Type = Milestone, Duration = 0) at the end of each phase, at key decision points (go/no-go gates), at any external dependency dates (regulatory submission, client review), and at contractual delivery dates. Milestones are the events a sponsor and steering committee will track — everything else is the PM's business.
6
Update % Complete each reporting period
Update the % Complete column at each reporting period using your agreed measurement technique. The bar splits automatically — green (done) and violet (remaining) — giving a visual progress indicator. The same % Complete values feed the EV column in the EVM Tracker if you are using earned value management.
04 — FAQ
Gantt Chart — 4 Common Questions
A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart showing a project schedule — tasks on the vertical axis, time on the horizontal axis. Each task is a bar whose length equals its duration. Gantt charts show which tasks are simultaneous, which are sequential, where milestones fall and how much of each task is complete. They are the most widely used schedule visualisation tool in project management and are tested on the PMP exam in the context of schedule development and control.
A complete Gantt chart should include: task names and IDs; task owner; start date/week and duration; task dependencies (which tasks must finish before others can start); milestone markers for key deliverables or decision points; percentage complete for progress tracking; and a today line or status date marker. Optional: colour coding by phase, critical path highlighting, and resource assignments. This template includes all the essentials in a clean Excel format.
A project schedule is the full planning document — WBS, task durations, resource assignments, costs, dependencies and risk. A Gantt chart is a visual representation of the time dimension of that schedule. The Gantt communicates timing and sequencing to stakeholders who need to understand the plan without the full detail. Most PM tools generate a Gantt view from the underlying schedule data. For a schedule that includes critical path analysis, use the Critical Path Calculator alongside this template.
Dependencies are shown either with arrow connectors between bars (in dedicated PM tools) or with a Predecessor column listing the Task ID of the preceding task (in Excel Gantt charts). The most common type is Finish-to-Start (FS) — Task B cannot start until Task A finishes. The template tracks dependencies in the Predecessor column rather than drawing arrows, which keeps the visual clean in Excel. The four dependency types are FS, SS (Start-to-Start), FF (Finish-to-Finish) and SF (Start-to-Finish) — FS covers around 90% of real project dependencies.
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