Free Gantt Chart with Dependencies Templates

Smartsheet Contributor Diana Ramos

August 4, 2020

Choose from a variety of the top Gantt chart templates with dependencies. Below, you’ll find free, customizable templates for Excel, Google Sheets, and PowerPoint.

Included on this page, you’ll find an Excel Gantt chart with dependencies, a Google Sheets Gantt template, and a chart for multiple product releases. You’ll also find information on dependency types and creating a Gantt chart in Excel.

Excel Gantt Chart Template with Dependencies

Excel Gantt Chart Template with Dependencies

This comprehensive template includes a work breakdown structure (WBS), descriptions of project phases and tasks, dependencies, and milestones. Assign an owner and track progress for each task. The Gantt chart provides a visual representation of task timelines, with milestones clearly marked. This template includes an example Gantt chart along with a blank version for your project data.

Download Gantt Chart Template with Dependencies - Excel
 

Google Sheets Gantt Template with Dependencies

Google Sheet Gantt Chart Template with Dependencies

Manage projects and share progress with stakeholders with this Google Sheets version of the Excel Gantt template above. The template includes all of the same details — a breakdown of tasks, assigned owners, task dependencies, and duration — along with the visual Gantt chart. Plan and track project milestones as you move toward meeting final objectives.

Download Google Sheets Gantt Template with Dependencies — Google Sheets

For more Gantt chart templates, including an example Scrum project management template with burndown chart, see this complete Google Sheets Gantt chart collection.

PowerPoint Gantt Chart with Dependencies Template

Gantt Chart with Dependencies PowerPoint

Create a PowerPoint Gantt chart for any project you want to share with stakeholders. Use connecting arrows in the template to highlight dependencies between project tasks, and represent current or completed tasks with different colors or partial shading on the bar chart. This template is ideal for displaying a list of tasks, start and end dates, and the duration for each task as part of a presentation.

Download PowerPoint Gantt Chart with Dependencies — PowerPoint

Agile Gantt Chart Template

Agile Gantt Chart Template

This Agile Gantt chart template is divided into individual sprints to display features, story points, task owners, and status. Easily track overall progress and view dependencies within each sprint. The Gantt chart provides a snapshot of project planning, which you can update as the team completes each sprint and modifies tasks. An additional comments section supports planning and communication among team members. This template provides the flexibility of an Agile approach with the organization of a Gantt chart. 

Download Agile Gantt Chart Template

Excel | Smartsheet

Release Plan Gantt Chart Template

Release Plan Gantt Chart Template

Use this template to manage release planning, from initial research stages to feature development, quality assurance, promotion, and final launch. This Excel template provides a spreadsheet for compiling project data, including timelines for all project activities and current progress for each task. The Gantt chart provides a visual overview of release stages and dependencies between tasks. Edit the template to include each step in your release plan.

Download Release Plan Gantt Chart Template

Excel | Smartsheet

Multiple Product Gantt Chart with Dependencies

Multiple Product Gantt Chart with Dependencies

Track multiple product releases and mark dependencies between them. Use this basic Gantt chart to show the time frame for each release. This template is a useful tool for organizing a product portfolio, visualizing deadlines, and tracking release status. Customize the template by adjusting the color scheme or adding columns for additional data.

Download Multiple Product Gantt Chart with Dependencies

 Excel | Smartsheet

Understanding Dependency Types

You can use a Gantt chart to represent a few different types of dependencies:

  • Finish-to-Start (FS): This is the most common type of dependency used in a project plan, and refers to dependencies in which the predecessor task must be completed before the successor task can begin. Essentially, the start of the successor task is dependent on the completion of the predecessor task.
  • Finish-to-Finish (FF): This dependency indicates that tasks may be carried out simultaneously, but that the successor task cannot be completed until the predecessor is complete. For example, if you start inspecting a building while one component is still in progress, you can’t inspect that component until it is complete.
  • Start-to-Start (SS): In this case, the successor task cannot start until the predecessor task starts. The tasks may or may not start simultaneously.
  • Start-to-Finish (SF): Used in rare cases, this dependency indicates that one task cannot be finished until another task begins. The predecessor activity must start before the successor activity can be completed.

Most activities have a finish-to-start relationship, which helps to simplify the visual representation of dependencies in Gantt charts.

How to Create a Gantt Chart in Excel

To get instructions for creating your own template, see “How to Create a Simple Gantt Chart in Any Version of Excel.” You’ll find a clear tutorial with screenshots to illustrate the process. You’ll also learn more about when, why, and how to use a Gantt chart, as well as the pros and cons of this project management tool, with this in-depth guide to Gantt Charts.

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