Gantt Chart

Select the Gantt Chart template from the Project Planning category under New Document on the dashboard.

The default Gantt Chart template will open with a single project and a few placeholder tasks. Everything will have the default start date of the day you create the file.

You can begin by editing the tasks already on the page and then using the SmartPanel to add more tasks, add milestones, and adjust start and due dates.

Edit Task Names

To edit tasks, click in the cell and type to replace the placeholder name. Edit start and end dates the same way.

Add a New Task

The SmartPanel to the left of your workspace makes it easy to add new tasks with just a click of a button. The new task will be added immediately below the currently selected one with a start date the day after the current task ends.

Add Dependency

If you have a task that can't begin until another is completed, you'll want to add a dependency. To do this, hold down Ctrl and select the bar representing the task that you need completed and the bar representing the task that depends on this completion and hit Add Dependency in the SmartPanel.

You can see that it automatically resets the starting point of the dependent task and adds a line connecting them. Continue on with your estimates and due dates, adding dependencies where necessary.

To read the full tutorial on making a Gantt chart with SmartDraw visit our Gantt chart how to guide:

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