Create a project and build its schedule

By the end of this workflow you have a new project with its tasks, their durations and the links between them, and a Gantt chart that shows the critical path.

Who does this#

Project managers and schedulers: anyone who is an Editor or an Admin in the company or group the project will live in. Field accounts can't create projects. See Who can see and do what.

Before you start#

• Decide where the project lives. If you belong to more than one company or group, Ganttry asks.
• If your company keeps project templates, know which one fits. A company admin sets them up (see Set up your company).
• Have the project's start date and a rough list of its phases and tasks.

Steps#

1. 1
   Open the New project dialog. Press + New project on Home or on Projects, or choose File ▾ → New project in the editor. The New project dialog opens (see Creating a project). Nothing is created until you press Create project.
2. 2
   Pick where it lives. If you belong to more than one company or group, choose one in Company or group. It starts on the company the scope control at the top shows, unless your role there is Field.
3. 3
   Pick a start. Under START FROM, choose Blank project, or a project type. A type selects its default project template for you, and you can pick another template of that type.
4. 4
   Fill in the details. Under PROJECT DETAILS, type the Project name and the Project start date, and check the Working calendar. The WHAT THIS PROJECT STARTS WITH band shows what your company's settings and the template will add.
5. 5
   Create it. Press Create project. The editor opens on the new project. If you started from a template, its tasks are already there, dated from the start date you typed.

6. 6
   Add tasks. Click a cell in the Task Name column and type. Enter saves the cell and moves down a row. The Task button in the toolbar inserts a new row under the one you have selected.
7. 7
   Give each task a duration. In the Duration column type working days: 5, 5d, 2w, or hours such as 36h. A duration of 0 makes a milestone.
8. 8
   Group tasks into phases. Put a phase name on its own row, select the tasks under it and press Indent (or Tab). The phase row becomes a summary task that rolls up its tasks' dates. Outdent (Shift+Tab) moves a task back out.
9. 9
   Link the tasks. In the Predecessors column type the row number of the task that comes first: 12 means after task 12 finishes. 12SS starts together with task 12, and 12FS+3d waits three working days after it. You can also select two rows and press Link, or drag from just past the end of one bar onto another bar in the chart. The Successors column fills in by itself. See link types and lag.

10. 10
    Watch the dates. Ganttry works out every start and finish from the durations, the links and the working calendar, and the bars move as you type. Fit shows the whole project in the chart.
11. 11
    Find the critical path. Press Critical in the toolbar. The tasks that decide the finish date turn red. To include tasks that are nearly critical, set Critical total float (working days) in Project settings (click the project's name in the top row).

Good to know#

• Typing a date pins the task. Typing into a task's Start cell holds it to that date or later, even if its predecessors finish sooner. Empty the cell to let the links decide again. Right-click a task and choose Constraint & deadline… for the other kinds of pin. Scheduling explains them.
• Saving is automatic. There is no Save button to remember. To keep the plan as it is now under a name, choose Save a version… from the save chip's menu. Find and restore an earlier version shows how to go back.
• Undo. Ctrl+Z undoes, up to 100 steps.
• Leaving the grid with the keyboard. Tab indents in the grid, so press Esc, then Tab, to move on. Alt+Shift+− and Alt+Shift+= collapse and expand the selected phases.
• Hidden columns. Float, late dates and several others are hidden to start with. Right-click any column header and choose Add or show columns… to show them.
• Changed your mind? Closing the New project dialog after typing asks Discard this new project?: Keep editing goes back, Discard throws the draft away.
• On a phone the editor shows the grid on its own; the pane toggle in the top row swaps to the chart and back.
• In the demo every new project starts blank, because templates come with a company account.