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Gantt Chart Excel

Gantt Chart Excel

Using project management software to create Gantt charts gives you more trouble than it is worth. Instead, you should use MS Excel to create your plans, and you will have increased flexibility and speed. Here’s why.

Creating your project gantt chart is not an easy task.

Firstly, using project management software to create gantt charts requires knowledge and experience with the software.

Secondly, in order to create the gantt chart you are required to enter data, and to group the tasks in certain ways.

Finally, fitting the gantt chart on a one side of paper, or on one presentation slide, with everything legible is a challenge! The formatting is often constrained by the software, and you don’t have control over the emphasis of different project elements.

The Gantt chart can take you hours, especially if you are new to MS Project.

Getting all of this together in time for your presentation can be arduous!

This is the reason why we created an easy to use Excel template for creating project gantt charts with Microsoft Excel. You will be able to create your schedule in minutes without any need of learning how to deal with MS Project software.

Solution: Use Excel to make a Gantt rapidly

Our Gantt Chart Excel template will help you make the most beautiful gantt chart for your projects in just minutes. It’s so simple that it doesn’t require any special training or skills! Just add the template to our shopping cart, checkout securely, download, and enter the data from your project plan sheet into our spreadsheet and see how amazing it looks at once! By using our Gantt Chart Excel template, creating visually appealing schedules has never been easier. Try now – this format is used by professionals around the world!

Some Gantt FAQs

What are the problems with MS Project Gantt Charts?

1. You have to learn how to use MS Project.
2. They take a long time to create.
3. They can be complex to read.
4. You have limited control over layout and emphasis.

What makes a good Gantt Chart?

1. It has clear timeline.
2. It is easily legible, including only the important task bars.
3. It fits on one A4 side / on one slide.
4. It shows only the important milestones.

What is the fastest way to create impressive Gantt Charts?

The fastest way is to use an Excel template to create a Gantt chart. While MS Project is often used, this requires learning how to use the software, and accurate data entry.

What are the benefits of an Excel Gantt Chart?

1. You can create it with simple Excel editing tools.
2. You have full control of the visual emphasis of different project elements.
3. You can mix Agile and Waterfall sequences and approaches.
4. You do not need to enter lots of data to build the chart.

How do you mix Agile and Waterfall project management on a Gantt Plan?

Using an Excel Gantt Chart, you can show a mixture of sequential and continuous project delivery processes. Rows can be shown as continuous task bars, and you can even write “Agile iterations” and show regular breaks inside a task bar.

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Roadmap Styles

Business Documents UK has a variety of Roadmap Styles.

Roadmap Styles

Powerpoint Roadmap Styles

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Visio Roadmap Styles

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Keynote Roadmap Styles

Strategic Roadmap with PESTLE on the Keynote Roadmap Template with SWOT & PESTLE
Strategic Roadmap with PESTLE on the Keynote Roadmap Template with SWOT & PESTLE

Step-by-step Keynote Roadmap Template Example
Step-by-step Keynote Roadmap Template Example

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Define your Product Rollout Plan

The Rollout Plan Template - Powerpoint Presentation
The Rollout plan Powerpoint Presentation

Planning your Product Rollout is crucial. You need to design the workstreams, and put project controls in place to be sure your rollout stays on track.

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You can see our ready-made, tried-and-tested Rollout Plan Template here.

How to Plan your Product Rollout

Define “Success” – Your Rollout Objectives & KPIs

  1. What does success look like? – you must document this with measurable success criteria.
  2. Once you have this, you can identify some points in the rollout when you expect to be able to measure the “Performance” of the rollout.
  3. You can record these as Milestones, and as KPIs to focus the team on.

Understand your Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies

  1. In order to ensure the best possible rollout, you to understand what might affect your success negatively, and manage each of these factors.
  2. In project management terms, this is your RAID log, and includes documenting and managing your:
    1. Risks
    2. Assumptions
    3. Issues
    4. Dependencies
    5. View RAID templates here
  3. Track, mitigate and manage your RAID items through the Rollout process

Define your Phases & Timeline

  1. With the above points in mind, set your timeline for the Rollout.
  2. Base the timeline on a realistic and achievable timescale, and with your RAID items in mind.
  3. If it makes sense to the whole project, split your timeline into Phases, and name them

Define your Milestones

  1. Along with your KPI points, set milestones so that you can monitor project progress
  2. Be sure to get regular Status Updates, and ensure the wider team and stakeholders get Status Reports

Set out your Workstreams & Project Activities

  1. In Agile projects, and in larger Programmes, your team and activities should be arranged in Workstreams
  2. Each Workstream should represent a team, or a particular area of delivery; e.g. “HR”, “DEV”, “CATERING”, “FINANCE”
  3. Plan the project activities, and the KPIs out into these workstreams, along the timeline
  4. Ensure the Workstream participants have contributed, and helped form each workstream plan

Communicate your Rollout Plan!

  1. Agree the Timeline, Workstream, KPI and Activity plans with your team
  2. Create a Rollout Plan Presentation, with your team
  3. Present to all teams and stakeholders
  4. Give your team and Stakeholders Status Reports frequently throughout the Rollout

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Business Documents UK Rollout Templates

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Project Plan

Powerpoint Project Plan Template

The most effective Project Plan presentations are individually tailored for your audience – one size does not fit all. Browse these plan formats.

Project Plan Template showing a 2 year timeline, workstreams and milestones
An example Project Plan – showing 2 years timeline in a roadmap format; milestones and workstreams

Your Project Plan – Who are you showing it to?

Be very clear about your audience – you will need different project plan approaches for each scenario:

  1. For executive audiences use a Roadmap format to show project plans: Powerpoint Roadmap Template, Visio Roadmap template.
  2. For Product Manager audiences, you should use a Product format: Powerpoint Product Template, Visio Product Template.
  3. To show your product team workstreams what they are doing, use a Project Plan Template format.
  4. For your developers, you should have a release plan, showing activity per iteration.

Some Agile Release Plan Formats

 

 

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Product Plan – define your product!

SWOT PESTLE Roadmap Template (Powerpoint)

This Product Plan format communicates high level Launch Plans, Timeline, Milestones and Objectives to executive board stakeholder groups.

Powerpoint Product Plan with SWOT and PESTLE
Powerpoint Product Plan with SWOT and PESTLE – copyright business-docs.co.uk

The Powerpoint Presentation Product Plan template shown here is based on tried and tested template formats, and is designed to communicate high level product plans to Executive Board audiences.

This Product Plan template is suitable for any stakeholder group circulation.

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Product Plan – roadmap slide
  3. Product SWOT Analysis

The Product Plan Template can be downloaded now, for immediate use.

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Agile Resource Planning – build your workstreams!

Powerpoint Resource Plan Template for Agile Projects

These Agile Resource Planning formats will help you plan and communicate resource plans. Ideal for Product Development & Business Transformation.

The Powerpoint Resource Plan shows resource types, workstreams, milestones and named individuals
The Powerpoint Resource Plan shows resource types, workstreams, timeline, milestones and named individuals within each workstream.

Resource Planning document formats enable you to form and communicate your resource plans. Particularly with agile workstreams, you will want to assign a workstream team, and support them in working to the product backlog.

Agile Resource Planning

  1. Shows capacity
  2. Shows team members
  3. Shows workstream focus
  4. Shows allocation
  5. Shows key delivery milestones
  6. Shows risk status

This screenshot shows the Powerpoint Resource Plan Template.

Agile Resource Planning formats