Project Gantt Chart in Excel: Simple, Flexible, and Free Template

Introduction

Every project needs a clear timeline. Stakeholders want to know when tasks start, how they connect, and when the project will finish. The most common way to visualize this is through a Gantt Chart.

While there are advanced software tools, Excel remains one of the most practical solutions: simple, flexible, and available to almost everyone. To make things easier, we are sharing a free Gantt template in Excel that you can adapt to your own projects.

Tasks vs Timeline: The Key Difference

• Tasks are the activities that need to be completed.

• Timeline is the visual plan showing when those tasks start and finish.

In a Gantt chart, tasks and timeline are combined so you can easily see dependencies, durations, and progress at a glance.

Gantt Chart Basics

A Gantt chart shows:

• Task name

• Start and end dates

• Dependencies between tasks

• Progress status

This makes it clear what needs to be done, in what order, and by when.

Why Excel Works for Gantt

Excel is not a dedicated project management tool, but it works surprisingly well for scheduling:

• Accessibility: almost everyone has it.

• Flexibility: adaptable to any project size.

• Simplicity: no need for licenses or training.

Our template combines these benefits with useful features like automatic date calculations and dependencies.

How Tasks and Timeline Work Together

Tasks become meaningful only when placed on a timeline. For example:

• Task: “Install electrical cabinets”

• Timeline: Start 01/10, Duration 5 days, dependent on “Cable routing”

The Gantt chart shows visually how one activity depends on another, and how delays affect the overall project.

Free Excel Templates

We created a Gantt template ready to use in real projects.

It includes automatic calculations, dependency tracking, and a visual timeline.

gantt.xlsx

Download XLSX • 1.80MB

How to Use It

• Enter your task name, start date, and duration.

• Define the working calendar: choose if your project includes weekends, or if Saturday and Sunday should be excluded. This makes the timeline more realistic.

• Add predecessors where needed to link tasks.

• The template will auto-calculate end dates and display the timeline.

• Update it regularly to keep your project plan current.

  
  

Conclusion

A Gantt chart is more than a schedule, it is a way to bring clarity and alignment to a project. With a simple Excel template, you can manage complexity, communicate progress, and keep everyone on the same page.

At Casaltech, we believe that transparency and structure turn uncertainty into value. Try our free template and see how it can simplify your next project.

Try our free templates today and adapt them to your next project. Templates provided by Casaltech, inspired by project management best practices, not official PMI® materials.