How to create a Gantt chart when your project data is in Microsoft Planner
When your task is in Microsoft Planner and you need a Gantt chart, check out this third-party app.
Gantt charts are an important part of task management when a project has to meet a deadline. These charts track the tasks of a larger project to help people meet their deadlines. Microsoft Planner is task management software, but it does not provide Gantt chart feature. If you have Project, you can connect the two, but if you have Project, you’re probably not using Planner. Don’t despair, because you’re not between a rock and a hard place, as long as you can use Edge or Chrome.
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In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use a Chrome extension to create a Gantt chart based on Microsoft Planner project tasks. I am using Planner on Windows 10 64-bit system and Microsoft Edge with Chrome extension Apps4.Pro PlannerGantt which you can download for a 14-day free trial. The instructions should work similarly with Chrome. Planner comes with Microsoft 365.
How to install Chrome extension
Planner does not offer a Gantt chart feature, which is a bit odd for its purpose. Luckily, you can use a Chrome extension available from Chrome Web Store with Chrome or Edge.
If you’re using Edge, the store will prompt you to allow extensions from a store other than the Microsoft Store. Once you do, click Add to Chrome, visible in Picture Aand confirm the download to continue.
Picture A
How to Access Apps4.Pro PlannerGantt in Edge
You will access the extension the same way you would with any other extension. First, sign in to your Microsoft account so you have access to Planner. In Edge, click the Extensions icon and select Apps4.Pro PlannerGantt from the drop-down list, as shown in Figure BUG. The first time the extension launches, it displays a list of new features. When you finish reading the list, close the window to continue.
Figure BUG
SIZE
As you can see in Figure C, PlannerGantt automatically imports the first Planner project, which has three tasks. On the right, a simple Gantt chart shows the start date and assigned personnel. To change a project, click the Planning Center menu in the top left corner (circled in SIZE) to access other projects in Planner, as shown in Visualization.
Visualization
How to improve Planner tasks in GanttPlanner
Using the Planner Hub, you can quickly switch to another project to update. With the new project in GanttPlanner, you can add settings to make the chart more efficient. To do so, select a task and click Edit Action on the right. GanttPlanner will open a settings pane.
As you can see in Figure Esome settings have been set, based on the Planner settings. Figure F shows the result of adding the hours, 3, Susan plans to spend on the project each day, for an estimated total of 87 hours. You can update that number at any time.
GanttPlanner uses start and end dates to determine project days, 29. Click View (eye icon) and check the setting that makes sense to you, as shown in WOOD Figure.
Figure E
Figure F
WOOD Figure
Using GanttPlanner, you can add a subtask to an existing task. Click the main task and then click More (three dots) to see other tasks. Family picture shows a child added to the first task. Perhaps the volume of documents is so large that one person cannot read it all and still meet the deadline.
Family picture
You cannot print directly from GanttPlanner, but you can export charts. To do so, click Export Basic (the printer icon) and preview or export the current chart to .pdf, as shown in Figure I.
Figure I
GanttPlanner is the fastest and easiest way I know to build Gantt charts on project data in Planner. It’s a powerful set of services, and they’re easy to implement. There’s so much more to offer. GanttPlanner is available for purchase through a suite of products, and it’s much easier to use than Microsoft Project.