Have you been spending hours updating project schedules and struggling to create a clean timeline? We have designed a simple Excel template to help you create clear visual timelines on a calendar that include project phases, tasks, milestones, and assignees.
While most planners make you choose between simplicity and detail, this template is different. This template not only provides a visual timeline but also features task tracking and automated calculations.
Sounds interesting? Let’s explore its key features:
To create a timeline, you have to add the following information about your project in the table:
Phases: Write down the phases of your project. For a software development project, these can be requirement gathering, UI/UX design, development, etc.
Task and Description: The task column can be used to divide each phase into various tasks. Then you can write a brief description of the task in the adjacent description column.
Start Date and End Date: For each task, write the start and end dates.
Remarks: In this column, you can mention any status updates or important notes.
The template calculates the exact number of days for each task when you enter the Start Date and End Date, and creates a timeline calendar.
Visual Timeline (Without Milestones)
Once you have filled in the information in the table, a visual timeline is automatically created.
Each task’s horizontal bar represents the number of days and is directly linked to the timeline chart.
With this timeline, you get a clear view of task sequencing, overlaps, and project flow.
Now, if you want to add more information to your project timeline, then this template offers the possibility of adding Milestone information in a separate table under the main table.
Here you can add three core details to mark milestones on the timeline:
- Milestone Name
- Date: The date should be the same across the milestone’s two rows.
- Value: You can assign any number to the milestone to plot the milestone on the timeline. The first value should always be set to 0. The other value can be any number appropriate to make sure that there is no visual clutter.
Once you have added this information, milestones will be automatically plotted on your timeline.
This project timeline template will bring visual clarity and structure to your project management. Three formats are available for this template: Excel, Google Sheets, and ODS.
Besides being easy to use, it is also fully customizable. You can customize the colors, add extra columns, or tweak headers to suit your project.
Go ahead and download it today to track your project’s progress with a clear timeline!
