How to Make a Gantt Chart in Google Sheets

1. On the Google Drive homepage, click the + New button.
   
2. Highlight Google Sheets from the dropdown, and click Blank Spreadsheet.
   

You’ll need to make two tables. The first table will serve as a template for the calculations you create in the second table.

1. For the first table, label the columns as follows:

• Column A: Task Name
• Column B: Start Date
• Column C: Duration

Then label the cells as follows:

• Cell A2: Task #1 
• Cell A3: Task #2 
  
  Continue until you have enough rows for each project task you want to appear on the Gantt chart. For example, if your project has four tasks, the table should have four rows in addition to the header row.

2. Add corresponding start and end dates (in days) for each task.
   

3. Create the second table two to three rows below from the first one.In this example, we’re starting the second table in row 8. Label the cells as follows:

• Cell A8: Task Name 
• Cell B8: Start on Day 
• Cell C8: Duration
  
  Pro Tip: The tasks in the Task Name column in the second table should be identical to those in the Task Name column in the first table. Copy and paste this information in the column below Task Name for the second table.

4. Next, we need to figure out the start day for each task so that the bars accurately display the start date and duration.
   To determine the Start on Day value, find the difference between each task’s start date and that of the first task. In cell B9, input this formula: 
   =int(B2)-int($B$2)
   Press Enter on your keyboard. The value will auto-populate in the cell.
   

5. For all the tasks in the Start on Day column, apply the same formula:
   =int(B2)-int($B$2)
   Click cell B9, and click and drag the small blue box in the bottom-right corner of the cell until you reach the last project task. 
   

6. Calculate the duration of each task. In the first cell of the Duration column (C9), input this formula: 
   =(INT(C4)-INT($B$4))-(INT(B4)-INT($B$4)) 
   Press Enter on the keyboard. The value will auto-populate in the cell.
   
   Pro Tip: The cell numbers might differ (e.g., C4 might be C10) depending on where you place project data in the sheet, but every other part of the formula should remain the same.
   

7. For all tasks in the Duration column, apply the same formula:
   =(INT(C4)-INT($B$4))-(INT(B4)-INT($B$4)) 
   Click on cell C9, and click and drag the small blue box that appears in the bottom-right corner of the cell until you reach the last project task.
   

1. Highlight the second table. 
2. Click Insert on the menu, then click Chart. 
   A stacked bar chart appears on the page.
   
   

1. Click on any Start on Day bar in the chart. This should highlight all the Start on Day bars.
2. Configure the chart.
   In the Chart editor panel on the right, click the Customize tab. Click Series, then click the dropdown menu and Start on Day. Click the Color button, then click None. The chart should now resemble a Gantt chart.
   
   

1. Click on the chart.  
2. Click the Customize tab in the Chart editor panel, then click Legend.
   
3. Click the Position dropdown menu, then click None.
   

1. Determine which tasks are dependent and the tasks they depend on. 
2. In the first table, click the cell of the dependent task (i.e., the task that cannot be started until a previous task is complete). 
3. In the Start Date cell of the dependent task, type in this formula: 
   =max(B2)+1
   
   Pro Tip: The values in this formula should be the tasks that must be completed before a dependent task can start. The +1 signifies this task can only start the day after the other tasks in the formula are completed.
   
4. The resulting value in the dependent cell should be the date after the other tasks in the formula are projected to be completed.
   

With some projects, tasks need to happen simultaneously based on a predetermined timeline. Follow these steps to set up a system for tracking dependent tasks that happen concurrently with previous tasks.

1. Determine which task(s) can run simultaneously.
2. Click the cell of the dependent task (in our example, cell B4) that you want to start on the same day as a previous task (in our example, cell B2).
3. In the cell of the dependent task, type in this formula:
   =min(B2)
   
   Pro Tip: The values in this formula should be the tasks that you want to start at the same time as the dependent task. In this example, the task in cells B2 and B4 should be scheduled at the same time as the dependent task.
   
4. The resulting value in the dependent cell should be the start date of the other tasks in the formula. In this case, Task #1 and Task #3 will show the same Start Date.