Share schedule and task details with a Visio Gantt chart

A Gantt chart helps you schedule your project tasks and then helps you track your progress. To communicate detailed task and schedule information to managers or other team members, you can create a Gantt chart in Microsoft Visio. You can also use a Gantt chart to manage the project's schedule at the task level.

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Set up a Gantt chart

1. In the Categories list, click the Schedule category.

2. Click Gantt Chart, and then click Create.

3. In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, set up the dates for the timescale:

   • Click the Date tab, and then choose the options that you want.
     Major units are the longest unit of time (such as years or months) that you want to use in the chart, and Minor units are the smallest (such as days or hours).

   • On the Format tab, click the shapes and labels that you want to use on the task bars, milestones, and summary bars, and then click OK.
     If you aren't sure what formatting to choose, just accept the default choices. You can change the formatting later.

Add data to a Gantt chart

Tasks

Each task in a Gantt chart occupies a row in the chart frame. When you type task names in cells in the Task Name column, task durations are represented as task bars in the area under the timescale.

Goal	Action to take
Change a task name	Click the cell in the Task Name column that contains the task, and then type a new name.
Set or change task duration	Click the cell in the Gantt chart frame that contains the date or duration that you want to change, and then type the new information. Type a duration as follows: 1h for 1 hour 1d for 1 day 1w for 1 week 1m for 1 month
Add new task rows	Drag a Row shape from the Shapes window and drop it on the chart where you want the new row.
Add percent complete indicators to tasks	Select the column to the left of where you want a percent complete column to appear. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Insert. Under Column type, click % Complete, and then click OK. As you make progress on a task, type the percentage of the task completed in the new column. A percent complete indicator appears in the task bar.
Delete a task	Select any cell in the row that represents the task you want to delete, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Delete.

Milestones

Because a milestone represents a significant event in a schedule rather than a task, set its duration to zero.

Goal	Action to take
Add a new milestone	Drag a Milestone shape from the Shapes window and drop it on the chart where you want to create a new milestone row. Right-click the cell in the Start column of the row representing the milestone, and then click Edit Date on the shortcut menu. Set the date and click OK. The date in the Finish column changes to match the date in the Start column, and the Duration is set to zero (0).
Convert an existing task to a milestone	Type a duration of zero (0) in the Duration column of the row representing the task that you want to convert to a milestone.
Change the way a milestone marker looks	Right-click the milestone marker, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. Choose the options that you want, and then click OK.
Delete a milestone	Select any cell in the row that represents the milestone that you want to delete, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Delete.

Summary tasks

You can use a summary task when you want to combine several subordinate tasks under one umbrella task.

Goal	Action to take
Create subordinate tasks under a summary task	A summary task is a normal task row. It summarizes the subordinate tasks that are indented below it. To create subordinate tasks: Select a cell containing a task name. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you click. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Indent. The indented task is now subordinate to the summary task above it.
Set the duration for a summary task	In the row for the first subordinate task, click the cell in the Start column, and then type the start date for that task. For the same subordinate task, click the cell in the Finish column, and then type the end date for that task. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each subordinate task. The summary task duration fills in automatically after you add the task duration information for all the subordinate tasks.
Promote (Outdent) a task	Right-click the name of the task that you want to promote, and then, on the shortcut menu, click Outdent.
Change the way a summary task bar looks	Right-click the time bar of a summary task that you want to change, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. Under Summary bars, select the symbols that you want for the start and end of the bars, and then click OK.

Dependencies (Linked tasks)

When you make one task in your Gantt chart dependent upon another, an arrow connects the two task bars. If you change a date or duration of the task that another task is dependent upon, the dependent task dates change also.

Goal	Action to take
Set dependencies between tasks	Select the name cells of the tasks and milestones you want to link. To select multiple tasks, hold down Ctrl while you select. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Link.
Break dependencies between tasks	Select the tasks with dependencies that you want to break by clicking in the cells containing the task names. To select multiple tasks, hold down Ctrl while you select. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Unlink.
Change the style of dependency arrows	With the Gantt chart open, right-click the drawing page, and then click S Type Connectors.

Add columns

Goal	Action to take
Rename an existing column	Click the heading of the column that you want to rename, and then type a new name.
Add a new predesigned data column	Select the heading of the column to the left of where you want the new column to appear. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Insert. In the Column Type list, click the column name that corresponds to the type of data that you want to add, and then click OK.
Add a new data column that you design yourself	Select the heading of the column to the left of where you want the new column to appear. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Insert. In the Column Type list, click one of the user-defined columns that corresponds to the format that the data will be in (for example, User Defined Decimal, User Defined Text, or User Defined Time), and then click OK. Type a new name for the column. Note:  If you add more than one text column, click a different user-defined text option each time. For example, click User Defined Text 1 for the first column, User Defined Text 2 for the second column, and so on.
Delete (hide) a data column	Select the heading of the column that you want to delete (hide). On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Hide. Note:  When you delete, or hide, a column from the chart, the data from the column is preserved in a file. To show the column again later, right-click a column heading, and then click Insert Column. From the list, select the column that you want to show again, and then click OK.
Move a data column	Click the heading of the column that you want to move. Drag the column to a new location. Do one of the following: To move a column to the left of another column, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the left of the midpoint of the other column. To move a column to the right of another column, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the right of the midpoint of the other column. To move a column to the right of the timescale region, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the right of the midpoint of the timescale region.

Timescale

The timescale is a scale of major and minor time units that extends from the date that your project begins to the date that it ends. You can define the time units for the timescale, its start and end dates, and the days that you consider to be nonworking days.

Goal	Action to take
Change start or end date, or both	On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Manage group, click Chart Options. In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, under Timescale range, set the date range.
Change time units	On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Manage group, click Chart Options. In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, under Time units, select the Major units and Minor units that you want, and then click OK.
Set nonworking days	On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Manage group, click Configure Working Time. In the Configure Working Time dialog box, select the options that you want for Working days and Working time, and then click OK.
Scroll to a particular task or milestone	Select the task or milestone that you want to scroll to by clicking in the cell that contains the task name. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Scroll To Task.
Scroll to a particular date	To scroll to the end of the timescale, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Go to Finish. To scroll one minor unit to the left, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Next. To scroll one minor unit to the right, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Previous. To scroll to the beginning of the timescale, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Go to Start.
Change the width of the timescale region	Select the timescale column. Drag the selection handle on the right side of the column in either direction until the region is the width that you want.
Display more time units	Click the solid line surrounding the Gantt chart frame to select the frame. Drag the selection handle at the right-center of the frame toward the right. Note:  When you extend the timescale to display more time units, you also change the end date associated with your project.

What do you want to do?

Use a Gantt chart as a communication tool

Set up a Gantt chart

Add data to a Gantt chart

Print a large Gantt chart

Use a Gantt chart as a communication tool

In a Gantt chart, graphical elements such as bars and arrows represent tasks and the dependencies between them so you can track how the changes in one task affect the others.

You can also group several subordinate tasks under one summary task and add descriptions, required resources, and completion percentages to each task.

Tasks are displayed as bars on a timescale.

You can quickly produce a visually appealing annotated schedule for a presentation by applying a color scheme and adding text labels to a Gantt chart.

If you start a schedule for a complex project as a Visio Gantt chart, you can easily export the schedule data to Microsoft Project 2010, and then use Project to plan and manage the project in detail.

Product	Use when
Visio	You want to prepare a visually appealing annotated schedule for a presentation. You want to define the basic tasks in a schedule in the early stages of a project. Your schedule includes fewer than 30 tasks.
Project	You want to use a full-featured project management tool for planning and scheduling a project. Your schedule includes dozens of tasks. You need to assign multiple resources to tasks or connect schedules for different projects.

Top of Page

Set up a Gantt chart

1. On the File tab, click New.

2. Under Choose a Template, click Schedule, and then double-click Gantt Chart.

3. In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, set up the dates for the timescale. You can also choose how you want to format the task bars, milestones, and other chart elements:

   • Click the Date tab, and then choose the options that you want.
     

     Note: Major units are the longest unit of time (such as years or months) that you want to use in the chart, and Minor units are the smallest (such as days or hours).

   • On the Format tab, click the shapes and labels that you want to use on the task bars, milestones, and summary bars, and then click OK.
     

Note:  If you aren't sure what formatting to choose, just accept the default choices. You can change the formatting later.

A chart frame up close

After you set up a Gantt chart, a generic chart frame appears.

The frame is like a blank canvas on which you can paint the details of your schedule:

• In the Task Name column, click a cell, and then type to replace the generic text with a specific task name. You can add more tasks as your project progresses.

• Initially, the dates in the Start and Finish columns reflect the start date that you specified for the project. To change the date, click a cell, and then type.

• The Duration column updates automatically as you type new start and finish dates. You can also type one of the dates and the duration to indicate the length of a task.

• In the Timescale (the area labeled 2000 with months shown below), Major units are on top, and Minor units are on the bottom. The timescale starts and ends with the start and finish dates that you specified. As you add task start and end dates or durations, task bars appear in the area below the timescale, and the area expands.

Tip: To record additional data about each task, you can add more columns. For example, you can add a Resource column so your Gantt chart reflects who is responsible for each task.

Top of Page

Add data to a Gantt chart

You can fill the frame with data that reflects the details of your project schedule. You can add and refine the following schedule elements:

Tasks

Milestones

Summary tasks

Dependencies (Linked tasks)

Data columns

Timescale

Tasks

Each task in a Gantt chart occupies a row in the chart frame. When you type task names in cells in the Task Name column, task durations are represented as task bars in the area under the timescale.

Goal	Action to take
Change a task name	Click the cell in the Task Name column that contains the task, and then type a new name.
Set or change task duration	Click the cell in the Gantt chart frame that contains the date or duration that you want to change, and then type the new information. Note:  Type a duration as follows: 1h for 1 hour 1d for 1 day 1w for 1 week 1m for 1 month
Add new tasks at the bottom of the Gantt chart	Select the Gantt chart frame by clicking the solid line that surrounds the chart. To create a new task row, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click New.
Add a new task between two existing tasks	Select any cell in the row that you want a new task row to appear above, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click New.
Add percent complete indicators to tasks	Select the shaded portion at the top of the column to the left of where you want a percent complete column to appear, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Insert. Under Column type, click % Complete, and then click OK. As you make progress on a task, type the percentage of the task completed in the new column. A percent complete indicator appears in the task bar.
Delete a task	Select any cell in the row that represents the task you want to delete, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Delete.

Milestones

Because a milestone represents a significant event in a schedule rather than a task, set its duration to zero.

Goal	Action to take
Add a new milestone	Drag a Milestone shape from the Gantt Chart Shapes stencil onto the Gantt chart frame, and drop it between the cells containing the task names for the tasks that you want the milestone to follow and precede. Right-click the cell in the Start column of the row representing the milestone, and then click Edit Date on the shortcut menu. Type the date that you want, and then click OK. The date in the Finish column changes to match the date in the Start column, and the Duration is set to zero (0).
Convert an existing task to a milestone	Type a duration of zero (0) in the Duration column of the row representing the task that you want to convert to a milestone.
Change the way a milestone marker looks	Right-click the milestone marker, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. Choose the options that you want, and then click OK.
Delete a milestone	Select any cell in the row that represents the milestone that you want to delete, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Delete.

Summary tasks

You can use a summary task when you want to combine several subordinate tasks under one umbrella task.

Goal	Action to take
Create a summary task with subordinate tasks	Add a summary task and subordinate tasks or milestones to the Gantt chart. To select a subordinate task, select a cell containing the task name. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you click. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Indent.
Set the duration for a summary task	In the row for the first subordinate task, click the cell in the Start column, and then type the start date for that task. For the same subordinate task, click the cell in the Finish column, and then type the end date for that task. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each subordinate task. Note:  The summary task duration fills in automatically after you add the task duration information for all the subordinate tasks.
Demote (Indent) a task	Select the name of the task that you want to demote, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Indent.
Promote (Outdent) a task	Right-click the name of the task that you want to promote, and then on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Oudent.
Change the way a summary task bar looks	Right-click the task bar of a summary task that you want to change, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. Under Summary bars, select the symbols that you want for the start and end of the bars, and then click OK.

Dependencies (Linked tasks)

When you make one task in your Gantt chart dependent upon another, an arrow connects the two task bars. If you change a date or duration of the task that another task is dependent upon, the dependent task dates change also.

Goal	Action to take
Set dependencies between tasks	Select the tasks and milestones between which you want to set dependencies by clicking in the cells containing the task names. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you select. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Link.
Break dependencies between tasks	Select the tasks with dependencies that you want to break by clicking in the cells containing the task names. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you select. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Tasks group, click Unlink.
Change the style of dependency arrows	With the Gantt chart open, right-click the drawing page, and then click S Type Connectors.

Data columns

A project schedule is built from task-specific data. The accumulation of task start dates and durations determines the finish date for the project. In a Visio Gantt chart, you store task data in data columns.

If you want to record and display additional task data in a Gantt chart, you can add new columns. For example, you may want to add a column for task notes in which you can describe complex or unique tasks, a column for resources to list the people responsible for completing each task, or a column for percent complete to track what percentage of each task is completed.

By default, when you create a new Gantt chart, the chart contains Task Name, Start, Finish, and Duration columns. You can rearrange the existing columns, add new columns, and delete columns that you no longer need.

Goal	Action to take
Rename an existing column	Click the heading of the column that you want to rename, and then type a new name.
Add a new predesigned data column	Select the heading of the column to the left of where you want the new column to appear. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Insert. In the Column Type list, click the column name that corresponds to the type of data that you want to add, and then click OK.
Add a new data column that you design yourself	Select the heading of the column to the left of where you want the new column to appear. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Insert. In the Column Type list, click one of the user-defined columns that corresponds to the format that the data will be in (for example, User Defined Decimal, User Defined Text, or User Defined Time), and then click OK. Type a new name for the column. Note:  If you add more than one text column, click a different user-defined text option each time. For example, click User Defined Text 1 for the first column, User Defined Text 2 for the second column, and so on.
Delete (hide) a data column	Select the heading of the column that you want to delete (hide). On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Columns group, click Hide. Note:  When you delete, or hide, a column from the chart, the data from the column is preserved in a file. To show the column again later, right-click a column heading, and then click Insert Column. From the list, select the column that you want to show again, and then click OK.
Move a data column	Click the heading of the column that you want to move. Drag the column to a new location. Do one of the following: To move a column to the left of another column, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the left of the midpoint of the other column. To move a column to the right of another column, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the right of the midpoint of the other column. To move a column to the right of the timescale region, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the right of the midpoint of the timescale region. Note: If the timescale region is long, you may have to zoom out to move the column past the region's midpoint. To zoom out, on the View menu, point to Zoom, and then click the zoom level that you want.

Timescale

The timescale is a scale of major and minor time units that extends from the date that your project begins to the date that it ends. You can define the time units for the timescale, its start and end dates, and the days that you consider to be nonworking days.

You can scroll to a particular date or task on the timescale, and you can change the width of the timescale region and display more dates.

Goal	Action to take
Change start or end date, or both	On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Manage group, click Chart Options. In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, under Timescale range, change the click the date that you want to change.
Change time units	On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Manage group, click Chart Options. In the Gantt Chart Options dialog box, under Time units, select the Major units and Minor units that you want, and then click OK.
Set nonworking days	On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Manage group, click Configure Working Time. In the Configure Working Time dialog box, select the options that you want for Working days and Working time, and then click OK.
Scroll to a particular task or milestone	Select the task or milestone that you want to scroll to by clicking in the cell that contains the task name. On the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Scroll To Task.
Scroll to a particular date	To scroll to the end of the timescale, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Go to Finish. To scroll one minor unit to the left, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Next. To scroll one minor unit to the right, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Previous. To scroll to the beginning of the timescale, on the Gantt Chart tab, in the Navigation group, click Go to Start.
Change the width of the timescale region	Click once in the gray area at the top of the timescale region, and then click again to select the timescale column. Drag the blue selection handle on the right side of the column in either direction until the region is the width that you want.
Display more time units	Click the solid line surrounding the Gantt chart frame to select the frame. Drag the blue selection handle at the right-center of the frame toward the right. Note:  When you extend the timescale to display more time units, you also change the end date associated with your project.

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Print a large Gantt chart

Unless you are creating a schedule for a small project, your Gantt chart is likely to extend beyond the boundaries of one standard printer page. The following table describes some printing problems that you may encounter and steps that you can take before you print that will help you get the results that you expect.

Problem	Solution	Action to take
Only part of the Gantt chart is printed.	Make sure the whole chart fits on a drawing page.	On the Design tab, in the Page Setup group, click Page Setup dialog box launcher. In the Page Setup dialog box, click the Page Size tab, under Print zoom, select Fit to. Next to Fit to, type "1" in the sheet(s) across box and type "1" in the sheet(s) down box. Click Apply and then click OK.
The printed page and drawing page orientations are not the same.	Change the printer page orientation.	On the Design tab, in the Page Setup group, click Orientation, and then click the orientation that you want.
You don't know how many pages the chart will be printed across.	Preview how the drawing will be printed before you print it.	On the File tab, click Print, and then click Print Preview.
You don't know where the page breaks will occur.	Turn on page breaks to see how many pages the chart will tile across.	On the View tab, in the Show group, select Page Breaks. Gray lines on the chart indicate where the page breaks will occur.
The breaks between the printed pages occur at awkward positions.	Change the margin settings to control the overlap between pages. The larger the margins, the larger the overlap between pages.	On the Design tab, in the Page Setup group, click Page Setup dialog box launcher. On the Print Setup tab, under Printer paper, click Setup. Type the margin settings that you want, and then click OK two times.

Top of Page

What do you want to do?

Use a Gantt chart as a communication tool

Set up a Gantt chart

Add data to a Gantt chart

Print a large Gantt chart

Use a Gantt chart as a communication tool

In a Gantt chart, graphical elements such as bars and arrows represent tasks and the dependencies between them so you can track how the changes in one task affect the others.

You can also group several subordinate tasks under one summary task and add descriptions, required resources, and completion percentages to each task.

Tasks are displayed as bars on a timescale.

You can quickly produce a visually appealing annotated schedule for a presentation by applying a color scheme and adding text labels to a Gantt chart.

If you start a schedule for a complex project as a Visio Gantt chart, you can easily export the schedule data to Microsoft Office Project, and then use Office Project to plan and manage the project in detail. For more information about exporting Gantt charts from Office Visio, see Help in Microsoft Office Visio.

Product	Use when
Office Visio	You want to prepare a visually appealing annotated schedule for a presentation. You want to define the basic tasks in a schedule in the early stages of a project. Your schedule includes fewer than 30 tasks.
Office Project	You want to use a full-featured project management tool for planning and scheduling a project. Your schedule includes dozens of tasks. You need to assign multiple resources to tasks or connect schedules for different projects.

Top of Page

Set up a Gantt chart

First set up the basic chart frame and the dates for the timescale. You can also choose how you want to format the task bars, milestones, and other chart elements.

Later you can change the dates, add or delete tasks and milestones, and create dependencies between tasks. You can also apply a color scheme and add a title and legend.

1. In Visio, on the File menu, point to New, point to Schedule, and then click Gantt Chart.

2. Click the Date tab, and then choose the options that you want.

   Major units are the longest unit of time (such as years or months) that you want to use in the chart, and Minor units are the smallest (such as days or hours).

3. On the Format tab, click the shapes and labels that you want to use on the task bars, milestones, and summary bars, and then click OK.

If you aren't sure what formatting to choose, just accept the default choices. You can change the formatting later.

A chart frame up close

After you set up a Gantt chart, a generic chart frame appears.

The frame is like a blank canvas on which you can paint the details of your schedule:

• In the Task Name column, click a cell, and then type to replace the generic text with a specific task name. You can add more tasks as your project progresses.

• Initially, the dates in the Start and Finish columns reflect the start date that you specified for the project. To change the date, click a cell, and then type.

• The Duration column updates automatically as you type new start and finish dates. You can also type one of the dates and the duration to indicate the length of a task.

• In the Timescale (the area labeled 2000 with months shown below), Major units are on top, and Minor units are on the bottom. The timescale starts and ends with the start and finish dates that you specified. As you add task start and end dates or durations, task bars appear in the area below the timescale, and the area expands.

To record additional data about each task, you can add more columns. For example, you can add a Resource column so your Gantt chart reflects who is responsible for each task.

Top of Page

Add data to a Gantt chart

You can fill the frame with data that reflects the details of your project schedule. You can add and refine the following schedule elements:

Tasks

Milestones

Summary tasks

Dependencies (Linked tasks)

Data columns

Timescale

Tasks

Each task in a Gantt chart occupies a row in the chart frame. When you type task names in cells in the Task Name column, task durations are represented as task bars in the area under the timescale.

Goal	Action to take
Change a task name	Click the cell in the Task Name column that contains the task, and then type a new name.
Set or change task duration	Click the cell in the Gantt chart frame that contains the date or duration that you want to change, and then type the new information. Type a duration as follows: 1h for 1 hour 1d for 1 day 1w for 1 week 1m for 1 month
Add new tasks at the bottom of the Gantt chart	Select the Gantt chart frame by clicking the solid line that surrounds the chart. To create new task rows, drag the green selection handle at the lower center of the frame.
Add a new task between two existing tasks	Right-click any cell in the row that you want a new task row to appear above, and then click New Task on the shortcut menu.
Add percent complete indicators to tasks	Right-click the shaded portion at the top of the column to the left of where you want a percent complete column to appear, and then click Insert Column on the shortcut menu. Under Column type, click % Complete, and then click OK. As you make progress on a task, type the percentage of the task completed in the new column. A percent complete indicator appears in the task bar.
Delete a task	Right-click any cell in the row that represents the task you want to delete, and then click Delete Task on the shortcut menu.
Change the way a task bar looks	Right-click the task bar, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. From the list, click the options you want, and then click OK.

Milestones

Because a milestone represents a significant event in a schedule rather than a task, set its duration to zero.

Goal	Action to take
Add a new milestone	Drag a Milestone shape from the Gantt Chart Shapes stencil onto the Gantt chart frame, and drop it between the cells containing the task names for the tasks that you want the milestone to follow and precede. Right-click the cell in the Start column of the row representing the milestone, and then click Edit Date on the shortcut menu. Type the date that you want, and then click OK. The date in the Finish column changes to match the date in the Start column, and the Duration is set to zero (0).
Convert an existing task to a milestone	Type a duration of zero (0) in the Duration column of the row representing the task that you want to convert to a milestone.
Change the way a milestone marker looks	Right-click the milestone marker, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. Choose the options that you want, and then click OK.
Delete a milestone	Right-click any cell in the row that represents the milestone that you want to delete, and then click Delete Task on the shortcut menu.

Summary tasks

You can use a summary task when you want to combine several subordinate tasks under one umbrella task.

Goal	Action to take
Create a summary task with subordinate tasks	Add a summary task and subordinate tasks or milestones to the Gantt chart. To select a subordinate task, click a cell containing the task name. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you click. Right-click one of the selected tasks, and then click Indent on the shortcut menu.
Set the duration for a summary task	In the row for the first subordinate task, click the cell in the Start column, and then type the start date for that task. For the same subordinate task, click the cell in the Finish column, and then type the end date for that task. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each subordinate task. The summary task duration fills in automatically after you add the task duration information for all the subordinate tasks.
Demote (Indent) a task	Right-click the name of the task that you want to demote, and then click Indent on the shortcut menu.
Promote (Outdent) a task	Right-click the name of the task that you want to promote, and then click Outdent on the shortcut menu.
Change the way a summary task bar looks	Right-click the task bar of a summary task that you want to change, and then click Task Options on the shortcut menu. Under Summary bars, select the symbols that you want for the start and end of the bars, and then click OK.

Dependencies (Linked tasks)

When you make one task in your Gantt chart dependent upon another, an arrow connects the two task bars. If you change a date or duration of the task that another task is dependent upon, the dependent task dates change also.

Goal	Action to take
Set dependencies between tasks	Select the tasks and milestones between which you want to set dependencies by clicking in the cells containing the task names. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you select. Right-click one of the selected tasks, and then click Link Tasks on the shortcut menu.
Break dependencies between tasks	Select the tasks with dependencies that you want to break by clicking in the cells containing the task names. To select multiple tasks, hold down SHIFT while you select. Right-click one of the selected tasks, and then click Unlink Tasks on the shortcut menu.
Change the style of dependency arrows	With the Gantt chart open, right-click the drawing page, and then click S Type Connectors on the shortcut menu.

Data columns

A project schedule is built from task-specific data. The accumulation of task start dates and durations determines the finish date for the project. In a Visio Gantt chart, you store task data in data columns.

If you want to record and display additional task data in a Gantt chart, you can add new columns. For example, you may want to add a column for task notes in which you can describe complex or unique tasks, a column for resources to list the people responsible for completing each task, or a column for percent complete to track what percentage of each task has been completed.

By default, when you create a new Gantt chart, the chart contains Task Name, Start, Finish, and Duration columns. You can rearrange the existing columns, add new ones, and delete columns you no longer need.

Goal	Action to take
Rename an existing column	Click the heading of the column that you want to rename, and then type a new name.
Add a new predesigned data column	Right-click the heading of the column to the left of where you want the new column to appear, and then click Insert Column on the shortcut menu. In the Column Type list, click the column name that corresponds to the type of data that you want to add, and then click OK.
Add a new data column that you design yourself	Right-click the heading of the column to the left of where you want the new column to appear, and then Click Insert Column on the shortcut menu. In the Column Type list, click one of the user-defined columns that corresponds to the format that the data will be in (for example, User Defined Decimal, User Defined Text, or User Defined Time), and then click OK. Type a new name for the column. Note:  If you add more than one text column, click a different user-defined text option each time. For example, click User Defined Text 1 for the first column, User Defined Text 2 for the second column, and so on.
Delete (hide) a data column	Right-click the heading of the column that you want to delete (hide), and then click Hide Column on the shortcut menu. Note:  When you delete, or hide, a column from the chart, the data from the column is preserved in a file. To show the column again later, right-click a column heading, and then click Insert Column on the shortcut menu. From the list, select the column that you want to show again, and then click OK.
Move a data column	Click the heading of the column that you want to move. Drag the column to a new location. Do one of the following: To move a column to the left of another column, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the left of the midpoint of the other column. To move a column to the right of another column, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the right of the midpoint of the other column. To move a column to the right of the timescale region, position the midpoint of the column that you are moving to the right of the midpoint of the timescale region. Note: If the timescale region is long, you may have to zoom out to move the column past the region's midpoint. To zoom out, on the View menu, point to Zoom, and then click the zoom level that you want.

Timescale

The timescale is a scale of major and minor time units that extends from the date that your project begins to the date that it ends. You can define the time units for the timescale, its start and end dates, and the days that you consider to be nonworking days.

You can scroll to a particular date or task on the timescale, and you can change the width of the timescale region and display more dates.

Goal	Action to take
Change start or end date, or both	In your Gantt chart, right-click anywhere in the timescale, and then click Date Options on the shortcut menu. Under Timescale range, select a new start or end date or time, and then click OK.
Change time units	In your Gantt chart, right-click anywhere in the timescale, and then click Date Options on the shortcut menu. Under Time units, select the Major units and Minor units that you want, and then click OK.
Set nonworking days	In your Gantt chart, right-click anywhere in the timescale, and then click Configure Working Time on the shortcut menu. Select the options that you want for Working days and Working time, and then click OK.
Scroll to a particular task or milestone	Select the task or milestone that you want to scroll to by clicking in the cell containing the task name. On the Gantt Chart toolbar, click the Scroll To Task button. Note:  If you don't see the Gantt Chart toolbar, on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Gantt Chart.
Scroll to a particular date	In your Gantt chart, right-click anywhere in the timescale, and then click one of the following on the shortcut menu: Scroll to Finish Date, to scroll to the end of the timescale. Scroll One Unit Left, to scroll one minor unit to the left. Scroll One Unit Right, to scroll one minor unit to the right. Scroll to Start Date, to scroll to the beginning of the timescale.
Change the width of the timescale region	Click once in the gray area at the top of the timescale region, and then click again to select the timescale column. Drag the green selection handle on the right side of the column in either direction until the region is the width that you want.
Display more time units	Click the solid line surrounding the Gantt chart frame to select the frame. Drag the green selection handle at the right-center of the frame toward the right. Note:  When you extend the timescale to display more time units, you also change the end date associated with your project.

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Print a large Gantt chart

Unless you are creating a schedule for a small project, your Gantt chart is likely to extend beyond the boundaries of one standard printer page. The following table describes some printing problems you may encounter and steps you can take before you print that will help you get the results you expect.

Problem	Sol ution	Action to take
Only part of the Gantt chart is printed.	Make sure the entire chart fits on a drawing page.	On the File menu, click Page Setup. Click the Page Size tab, click Size to fit drawing contents, and then click OK.
The printed page and drawing page orientations are not the same.	Change the printer page orientation.	On the File menu, click Page Setup. Click the Print Setup tab, click the orientation you want, and then click OK.
You don't know how many pages the chart will be printed across.	Preview how the drawing will be printed before you print it.	On the File menu, click Print Preview.
You don't know where the page breaks will occur.	Turn on page breaks to see how many pages the chart will tile across.	On the View menu, click Page Breaks. Gray lines on the chart indicate where the page breaks will occur.
The breaks between the printed pages occur at awkward places.	Change the margin settings to control the overlap between pages. The larger the margins, the larger the overlap between pages.	On the File menu, click Page Setup. On the Print Setup tab, click Setup. Type the margin settings that you want, and then click OK twice.

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