Free Gantt chart template for Excel and Google Sheets
A spreadsheet Gantt chart for projects where the order of work decides the deadline. You enter a project start date, then a start and a length in days for each task, and the chart shades the weeks each task covers.
The .xlsx file opens in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc and Google Sheets (File, then Import). No macros.
What is in the template
- A project start date that drives a 16-week timeline header.
- Task, phase, owner, start, length in days, end date and percent done for up to 30 tasks.
- End dates calculated from start and length, so you only enter two numbers per task.
- Bars drawn by conditional formatting, with no macros or add-ins.
- Eight example tasks from kickoff to handover that you can overwrite.
How to use it
- Set the project start in cell B3. The week headers update from it.
- Replace the example tasks with your own, grouped by phase.
- Enter each start as a date, or as "=$B$3+10" to keep it relative to the project start.
- Enter the length in days. The end date and the bar fill in.
- Update percent done in your weekly review and move dates when the plan changes.
When a spreadsheet Gantt chart is enough
A spreadsheet works well for a single project with a few dozen tasks and one person keeping the plan current. It is easy to share, needs no new account and prints on one page.
It does not move dependent tasks for you. If task B cannot start until task A finishes and A slips, you change B's start by hand. Once a plan has many linked tasks, or several people edit it, a tool with dependencies and automatic rescheduling saves that work. Our Gantt comparison lists where each tool's Gantt view and dependencies start.
Common questions
Does the template work in Google Sheets?
Yes. In Google Sheets, choose File, then Import, and upload the .xlsx file. The formulas and the conditional formatting that draws the bars carry over.
Can I show days instead of weeks?
Not without editing the formatting rule. Each column covers one week, and a bar fills every week a task touches. For day-level detail, keep the dates in the task list as your reference, or use a Gantt tool with a daily zoom.
Does it handle task dependencies?
Not automatically. You can link a start to another task's end with a formula such as =F6+1, which moves the task when the earlier one moves. For many links, a dedicated tool is easier to maintain.