Dynamic Gantt Chart Creation in Excel

Overview

To create a Gantt chart in Excel that dynamically reflects updates from an original travel assignments sheet, you can use a combination of Excel tables, formulas, and the built-in charting tools. This document outlines the steps and provides relevant formulas for achieving this.

Step 1: Set Up the Original Data

1. Ensure the Original Sheet is a Table:

   • Convert your data range to a table by selecting the data and pressing Ctrl + T. This enables dynamic range references.

2. Table Columns:

   • Ensure your table (let’s name it TravelData) has the following columns:
     • Location
     • Start Date
     • End Date
     • Selectee
     • Status

Step 2: Create the Gantt Chart Data Sheet

1. New Sheet:

   • Create a new sheet (name it GanttChart).

2. Reference the Original Data:

   • In the GanttChart sheet, you will create a summary table pulling relevant information from the original TravelData table.
   • Use the following formulas to pull data dynamically. Suppose the GanttChart starts from cell A2.

Step 3: Populate Gantt Chart Data

1. Location:

   • In cell A2:

     =TravelData[@Location]

2. Start Date:

   • In cell B2:

     =TravelData[@[Start Date]]

3. End Date:

   • In cell C2:

     =TravelData[@[End Date]]

4. Selectee:

   • In cell D2:

     =TravelData[@Selectee]

5. Status:

   • In cell E2:

     =TravelData[@Status]

6. Drag Down:

   • Drag down the formulas in columns A to E to cover the full range of your original data.

Step 4: Create the Gantt Chart

1. Select the Data:

   • Highlight the range containing your Start Dates and End Dates, along with the corresponding locations.

2. Insert Stacked Bar Chart:

   • Go to the Insert tab.
   • Choose Bar Chart -> Stacked Bar Chart.

3. Format the Chart:

   • Use the chart tools to adjust the data series:
     • The first series should correspond to the 'Start Date'.
     • The second series should represent the duration, calculated as:

       =End Date - Start Date

4. Customize Appearance:

   • Format the bars to display different colors based on the Status or other conditions, using conditional formatting or chart styles.

Dynamic Updates

• Automatic Updates:
  • Since you referenced the original TravelData table, any updates made to the table will automatically reflect in the GanttChart sheet and consequently adjust the Gantt chart as well.

Conclusion

By utilizing Excel tables and dynamic formulas, you can efficiently create a Gantt chart that updates in real-time with changes in your original travel assignment data. Consider exploring further advanced data visualization techniques through the Enterprise DNA Platform for additional analytics and reporting capabilities.