Formatting Gantt Bars
I am referring here to the horizontal boxes that represent the task within the Gantt Chart View. You will have noticed already that different types of tasks looked different.
For example, critical tasks (once the Critical Task checkbox is selected) are coloured red, and summary task bars are black with downward pointing arrow symbols at each end.
Task bars can be individually formatted. This might be helpful if a particular task has unique characteristics and needs to stand out from other bars. An example here might be to colour or shape all the task bars that an individual or organization has responsibility to carry out.
You can also set up and format the style of certain types of task bars. For example, you could change the style, shape and colour of all non-critical tasks.
Finally, you can also apply a totally new style that controls all of the formatting task bars for the entire Gantt Chart view.
I shall now describe how to carry out formatting task bars for the above three situations:
Formatting Gantt bars options
There are several elements that can be changed for task bars:
- You can change the shape that appears at the start and end points of the bar. You can also change the shape is type and colour.
- The middle section of task bars can have its shape changed, its pattern altered, and a different colour selected.
- You can choose and modify text that may appear around and inside the task bars. The 5 choices are the text that appears to the left, right, above, below, or inside the bar. All five choices may be selected if wished, but beware of cluttering up the view!
- When a task is underway you make track progress on it by showing a progress bar within the task bars. You can also format the shape, pattern, and colour of the progress bar.
Like all things, take care not to overdo the Formatting of your task bars, and remember that the objective here is to improve communication.
Formatting an individual set of task bars
Select the Gantt Chart View, and identifying an individual bar that you wish to format.
Use your mouse to overlay anywhere within the bar shape and click on your right hand mouse button, and choose the Format Bar… option in the text box menu.
Here is the dialog box that appears with various choices:
Make sure that the Bar Shape tab is selected. I have already selected some of the shapes and colours to show how easy it is to perform formatting of task bars here:
Note the shape choices of task bars:
- The left hand (start) shape can have its shape, and colour changed.
- The right hand (end) shape can have its shape, and colour changed.
- The middle part of the bar can have its shape, pattern and colour changed.
Select the Bar Text tab.
By selecting the various parameters to be shown at different locations in and around the bar you can customize the bar text.
Here is an example using the left hand text to display % complete, with Cost at the top, work at the bottom, and the resource name on the right.
Change the ‘formula’ for the styles of various task bars:
First, to add it to the bar styles list, select the Format tab, and check the Critical Tasks checkbox. This will show critical tasks as the default red colour.
This time place your mouse pointer anywhere within a blank space on the Gantt Chart view and again, right-click your mouse button, and this time chose the Bar Styles option:
Okay, so it’s a more detailed screen for task bars and their formatting, but it’s not as complicated as you think….
Note that the bottom portion looks just the same as the previous dialog box for task bars, and that is no accident. You merely select the type of bar style that you want to customize in the top portion of this dialog box, and use the bottom part to customize the shape and pattern, etc. for your task bars as before.
If, in the task bars example above, I select the Milestone shape row, then the bottom part will allow me to customize that.
Be Clear. This dialog Box (Bar Styles), will show your changes every time that new shape is requested.
For example, suppose I changed the Milestone shape to a red square, every time you set a task’s duration to zero, the red square shape will be shown to represent a milestone:
So the sequence is easy:
- Choose a row name in the upper part
- Design and customize its shape, colour, etc. in the bottom part.
- Note that as before, in the lower part you have a Text and Bars tab so that you can customize the text that appears around the shape of your new task bars.
In the above example I have set the start variance to the left and the finish date to the right of the red customized milestone. I’m not recommending you make all your milestones red squares by the way, it was just an easy example to demonstrate customizing to you!
Finally, you have the option to take some pre-defined customized task bars…
Task Bars – Restyling Your Gantt Chart
Select the Format tab in the Toolbar, and choose whichever colour option you prefer in the Scheduling Styles pull-down menu. It will automatically do all the formatting in the Bar Styles dialog box for you.
How easy is that!
You can now master the look and feel of your Gantt Chart View and its task bars!
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I Hope you found my Gantt View Formatting Task Bars article useful!
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