Gantt chart

The basics of the Gantt chart

Scoro’s Gantt chart is a great tool for outlining your project in the planning phase and keeping track of real-time progress from start to finish.

You can find the Gantt chart in the Tasks section of the project view.

When planning the project, set the order of project phases in a logical timeline and add different tasks under each phase. Easily set task dependencies to make sure essential tasks are done before work on the next assignments should begin. Add milestones to set clear goals for each step of the project.

1. Start by creating a new project.
2. You can add phases and milestones while adding a new project
   • If you don’t add any phases or milestones to your project at this stage, you can easily do it on the Gantt chart once the project has been saved
3. There are two options to choose from:
   • Add phases and, later on, add tasks that need to be finished during each phase and easily drag and drop them into the right order
   • Add milestones for different goals you need to reach along the way.
4. Add a title for each phase (and a date for a milestone)
   • When adding tasks under the phases (acting as umbrellas for the tasks), the phase start and end dates are dynamic and will change according to the task dates
   • You can leave the date fields empty here, as they will depend on the task dates

You can change the order of the phases and milestones by dragging and dropping them in this view or make changes to them on the Gantt chart later on. Click Save.

Note! All tasks or task bundles added under the project before adding any phases can easily be moved under the correct phase by dragging and dropping on the left-hand menu of the chart.

To change the phase for multiple tasks at the same time,

• Go to the Tasks module, where you’ll find a list of all tasks
• Filter the list accordingly and select the relevant tasks (by ticking them)
• In the additional filters bar, click on Link with project and then Select phase to choose the project phase you'd like to move the tasks to

All tasks can be found in the List within the Tasks section in the project view.

Done tasks and past events are shown under Past activities and work reports. You can also see both planned and done tasks in the task list; filter the list view accordingly.

To add activities under an existing phase on the Gantt chart, click the + Add task button (or the + Name button on the left-hand menu) and select the option Add task.

If you didn’t add project phases while creating the project, you can do it now via the Add phase button and then add the relevant tasks under each phase.

To quickly add several tasks in a row, add a name to the task and press Enter to save. Press Enter again to add another task.

The same works with a double click. In this case, your preferred task duration is taken into account. Go to Settings > My Settings > Calendar and tasks to change your default task duration.

Don’t forget to save the changes made on the chart.

If something goes wrong, you can always Undo or Redo to revert to the previous state.

Before saving the chart, you can also cancel all the changes you have made if needed (maybe to visualize what the changes would look like).

New tasks can additionally be added to the List within the Tasks section. This option is convenient if you want to fill out more data for the task immediately or link a task bundle to the project.

Once the project is saved, all added phases and milestones are visible on the Gantt chart.

The 'diamonds' on the project bar indicate the project's estimated start and end date. This gives you a good comparison of the actual project progress once work on the project has started.

The red line on the chart indicates today's date.

The task progress bar visually indicates how the task is progressing against the planned time. The progress line turns red once you exceed the planned hours. Hover over the task name to quickly see the exact breakdown of estimated time vs. done time vs. overtime so far.

• Estimated - planned duration of the task
• Done - all time entries that are marked as done
• To-do - all scheduled time entries that are not yet marked as done
• Overtime - all time entries (past/future, done/not done) that exceed the task's planned duration
• Overscheduled - only the time entries that are not marked done, out of the time entries that exceed the task's planned duration

Tasks and their dependencies

Add task dependencies for tasks under each phase to define their order of completion – which assignments should be finished before something else can be started, for example.

Types of dependencies:

• Finish to Start - Task A must be finished before B can be started
• Start to Start - Task A must be started before task B can start
• Finish to Finish - Task A must be finished before task B can be finished
• Start to Finish - Task A must be started before task B can be finished

To add dependencies, click on the handle on the first task (either at the start or end) and drag it to the other task (either at the start or end).

To delete an already saved dependency, double-click on the dependency line, then click Yes on the confirmation popup.

If something takes longer to finish or plans change, their due dates are automatically updated when adjusting tasks on the chart (moving them or dragging them longer/shorter).

All dependent tasks and scheduled time entries are then rescheduled, considering your team’s actual utilization and looking for the next available time slots in their schedule.

As a phase acts as an umbrella for the tasks under it, when moving the whole phase, all related (not done) tasks and time entries are moved along with it.

Dependencies in task list and task view

In addition to effortlessly adding dependencies in the Gantt chart, the same can be done in the task list (as well as specific task detailed view).

All task dependencies can be displayed in the task list by just changing the View and selecting Dependencies from the Data columns dropdown list.

If needed, you can add new dependencies by clicking on the Predecessor (the preceding task) or Successor (the following task) icon on the task line and selecting a suitable task from the dropdown list.

After selecting the task, you can choose the type of dependency and a buffer time between the tasks.

If this task already has any predecessors or successors, they’re shown below the dropdown. Hover over the relevant task and click on the pencil icon to modify the task dependency or on the x to remove it.

Dependencies can also be added and modified in the task detailed view.

Buffer time between dependent tasks

Buffer time can be added in days, and this number can be either positive (e.g., 5, meaning the next task should be started 5 days after the first one is finished) or negative (e.g., -3, meaning the next task can be started 3 days before the first one is finished).

• Lag time (positive number) indicates the buffer period before the chain's next task(s) can start
• Lead time (negative number) indicates the overlap of tasks. For example, task B can start 3 days before task A has been finished

If no specific buffer time is defined for the tasks, rescheduling the predecessor task won’t affect the dependent tasks unless there’s a conflict in task dates.

Unscheduled tasks (without a start and due date) are not shown in the chart until at least one of these dates has been set for them.

Activities included in the chart

Time entries

Time entries are visible as little dots and circles on (or on the line of) the project phase. Hover over the dot or circle to see the duration of the time entry.

The size and color indicate the progress of the time entry.

• The time entry is a circle until work has been done on it
• The circle turns into a full dot when the time entry is marked as done
• The scheduled time entry circle turns red if the entry exceeds the user’s availability.

When moving the task while rescheduling assignments, the time entries already scheduled are also rescheduled along with the task, taking the user’s actual availability into account and looking for the next available time slot in their schedule. Done time entries stay put.

Calendar events

Scoro’s Gantt chart also includes calendar events, giving the full picture of project-related activities. 

Milestones

Milestones are good for keeping track of different goals, such as the final presentation of a certain phase. Tasks cannot be linked to milestones and belong under project phases.

Note! Milestones with tasks added to your project timeline in previous Scoro versions are automatically turned into phases.

 

Navigating the Gantt chart

You can change the view of the chart using the buttons on the upper right-hand corner of the chart.

Zoom in using the + button for more detail, or zoom out with the - button to see a more high-level view of the project timeline. Select a suitable time period for more or less granularity.

By default, the chart highlights the current period. The red line indicates today, so it’s easy to comprehend how the project progresses.

Use the Zoom to fit button to get a full overview of the project and see all project-related work.

Undo/redo the previous unwanted or accidental action.

Cancel all changes made in the chart if you were testing the changes and didn’t want to save them.

Here’s a friendly reminder that all changes need to be saved on the chart to make them stick.

You can test multiple scenarios and finalize the best approach using the Save button. If your teammates have set up Triggers & Actions notifications for important Gantt updates, they will only be alerted of changes once you hit Save.

Decide whether to see minimal information for a high-level overview or go into as much detail as needed.To customize the view to your needs, tick/untick the View options for the data columns on the left-hand side and the layers for various data visible on the chart.

To add a new phase, milestone, or task, click on the + Name button at the top of the left-hand menu.

The selected new item is automatically added to the end of the list. You can easily select a suitable place for it later by dragging and dropping. The name field is automatically highlighted, so just write the title and press enter to save it.

Don’t forget to save the chart when you’re done making changes. (When adding a lot of rows, use the Add button at the bottom of the left-hand menu to add new items.)

You can add a new task under the correct phase; click on the + Add task button, start writing to add a title, and press Enter to save it.

Sharing the Gantt chart

The Gantt chart also helps you enhance collaboration with your clients by providing better visibility into your projects and timelines.

You can share snapshots of the current state of your Gantt chart with clients and other external stakeholders via a unique share link. This makes it easier for you to propose or confirm timelines, align expectations, and keep all interested parties up to date and on the same page.

To share the Gantt chart, click the Share chart button in the upper right corner. This will instantly create a snapshot of your Gantt chart and generate a unique link you can copy to a clipboard and share.

Those with the link can see the same tasks, events, and project phases as the person who generated the link has permission to see in Scoro. They can collapse and expand project phases but cannot edit any details. Internal data, such as assignees, is not visible on the snapshot.

The snapshot is static and doesn't update itself automatically when you make changes, so you have complete control over if and when you want to share further updates with the client.

Whenever you want the snapshot to reflect the latest changes and developments, simply update it manually by opening the Share chart modal again and then clicking the Update snapshot button.

You can stop sharing the snapshot at any point by clicking the Stop sharing button. If you stop sharing the chart and click the ‘Share chart’ button again, Scoro will generate a new unique link.

The snapshot will automatically expire within 180 days after it was shared if, within this period, you do not stop sharing or update the snapshot.

Keyboard navigation and shortcuts

When moving to the + Add row under the project using the arrows on the keyboard, press Enter to open the dropdown. Move with arrows between the three options, and press Enter to select the chosen item.

Start typing to add a title, and press Enter again to save it. When adding tasks this way in bulk, push Enter after naming the task and add another task.

When adding tasks quickly with keyboard shortcuts, all mandatory fields are flagged. You can later fill out all relevant information by clicking on the pencil icon on the task (to open the task, modify the view, and make changes).

You can also hold down the Ctrl (Command) key and click on the task name to open the task detailed view in a new tab. For example, this is a convenient way to get to the task to add comments or files.

Use these shortcuts on the chart to conveniently move around, view, and add data:

• Enter - Save and jump to the next row
• Shift + Enter - Open task modify view
• Tab - jump to next field
• Esc - Close popup, cancel action
• Space - Expand/collapse phase
• Shift + Click - Open the task detailed view in a new tab

Settings related to the Gantt chart

You can decide whether to plan all project-related work strictly to work days or include weekends.

To include weekends, go to Settings > Work and projects > Projects and activate the setting Include weekends in workweek. In that case, when scheduling work, task start and due dates can fall on weekends as well as workdays.