Top Gantt Chart Tools to Use in Project Management

Gantt Chart Tool is a project management tool that helps in visualizing project plans. To direct and achieve the project goals within the given time, the project management tools are of great importance. Gantt Chart Tool monitors and keeps track of project information in an organized manner.

A Gantt Chart project management tool summarises the data visually. It represents all the details of the projects and forms a clear understanding of the project's plan, timeline, and resources. It is a great tool for task management in simple or complex projects.

Gantt Chart Dependencies

The management of a project with numerous tasks is challenging. Gantt Chart dependencies, which are also called work dependencies, visualize how the tasks in a project are linked and assist you in deciding which task is of first preference for better project implementation.

Gantt Chart Tool Types

Gantt Charts have four types as per task dependencies:

Finish to start (FS)

Finish-to-start dependency is the most usual and logical dependency chart in a project. Here the project activity follows the natural flow from one task to another task. For example, Task A activity must be finished before the execution of Task B activity.

Finish to finish (FF)

The successor task in an activity cannot be completed until the predecessor task activity also ends. For example, Task B can only complete its activity once Task A finishes its activity.

Start to Finish (SF)

In project management, start-to-finish dependencies are infrequent. The secondary task cannot be finished until the first activity has started. However, the secondary activity can finish at any moment after the first activity has started. For example, Task B must start its activity before Task A finishes its activity.

Start to start (SS)

In this type of Gantt Chart dependency, the activity of the successor can only start once the predecessor's activity in the Gantt Chart has started. For example, Task B cannot start its activity before task A starts its activity.

Gantt Chart Software  

Gantt Chart software for project management is widely available on the market.

Instagantt

It is the best Gantt Chart software which provides an easy, drag-and-drop option to schedule tasks and processes each and every detail of the project.

Instagantt features

- Multiple projects and workspace

- Dependencies and deadlines

- Drag and drop

- Subtasks and tasks

- Critical path

- Timeline

- Custom view and custom fields

- Approximate cost and the actual cost

- Gantt Chart and workload overview

- Team collaboration feature: Task assignment and notification

- Export and share option

Instagantt schedules and manages the progress of the project, and it’s also the best place to collaborate with the team on the project. It makes it easy to update and keeps everyone informed about their work.

TeamGantt

TeamGantt features are useful for project scheduling. The visible management of tasks makes users efficiently handle projects. It is a good option for tasks, timelines, and team engagement.

TeamGantt Features

- Drag and Drop functionality

- Guest permission

- Multiple projects viewed in one Gantt Chart

- Baselines

ProofHub

ProofHub brings several tools together to make the task of project management easy and convenient. Project planning, visualization of tasks, and modification of schedules is easy in ProofHub’s built-in Gantt Chart. It is a great tool for managers to keep them ahead in project task management. Features like drag and drop allow changing task duration on a Gantt Chart. It also allows placing dependencies between different tasks.

ProofHub Features

- Timesheets

- Multiple calendar views

- File and document sharing

- Markup tools for reviewing and suggesting edits

- Bookmark projects, tasks, and discussions

ProofHub provides a variety of features along with chat tools and markup options. The software is designed to get all project management work done. The only disadvantage of the ProofHub is its loading speed.

Wrike

Wrike Gantt Chart comes with an organizational design. The chart is very easy to understand and consists of the table view, assignees, task name, and start and end date.

This Gantt Chart software is known for its workload view, which allows the user to view performance and responsibility. The communication feature allows members of the team to regulate required changes within a project.

Wrike Features

- Critical path

- Folder hierarchy

- Collaborative team editing

In general, Wrike has a lot of features and options which work on different plans. The downside of Wrike is that it consists of many different plans, which can make it difficult to choose the right plan for your project.

Smartsheet

Smartsheets are online spreadsheets where people can keep their information. It offers useful templates where information can be added to a pre-build project management template as per requirement.

It enables us to look into project tasks and different parts of the projects that connect to individual task expenses, dependencies, and whole project information.

The best thing about Smartsheets is that they have lots of customization options. It has an automation option that can work anytime and anywhere in the process of the program.

The downside of the Smartsheet is that it doesn’t have an auto-save option and also doesn’t have real-time updates. Hence, it won’t update if more than one person is working on the same thing at the same time.

Smartsheet Features

- Spreadsheet templates

- Predecessor tasks

- Programmed workflows

In general, the software gives ease of keeping information, but it doesn’t carry all the features that are expected from a Gantt Chatt.

GanttPRO

GanttPRO is the most popular option in the Gantt Chart tool, and it is known for its easy, focused, and quick work.

Users can create projects and workspaces with GanttPRO. The feature of the drag-and-drop option makes it easy to add tasks and schedules to the project.

The drawback with GanttPro is that dashboards are not having reporting tool or customization options.

GanttPro Features

- Drag & drop

- Workload tracking and management module

- Merging dependencies

- Subtask and task

Overall, the best thing about GanttPRO is that it is an inexpensive tool with a great design.

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Projects are developed and traded by Microsoft. It is the most trusted option for large projects. If any project demands lots of features and control, you can find it in Microsoft projects.

In terms of monitoring the capital, resources, and timeline of large projects they are of great use but for a team that requires small project execution and tacking, it might be tough to use.

Microsoft Project Features

- Attachments

- Lists

- Schedule development

- Progress tracking

- Budget analysis

- Advanced Reporting

- Templates

- Resource assignment

Microsoft Project gives a lot of features and very detailed options. It is a great system for users who want to track everything in their projects. The absence of flexibility that an online Gantt Chart provides to manage a project and the high cost is another drawback.

ClickUp

Click-up software is an elegant Gantt chart option. It permits its users to manage dependencies, order tasks, and schedule the project timeline. The best part of the software is it has a swift interface that allows users to create tasks, list, and follow the overall project process. The system is low cost and gives plenty of different options. It also has live representatives that can provide 24/7 support to its users.

ClickUp Features

- Multiple views

- Dark mode

- Task tray

- Assigned comments

- Notepad

- Integrations

- Notifications

In general, this system consists of lots of features that can help in tracking all the activities of the daily task of the project.

Gantt Chart Tool Advantages

- To understand different types of activities

- To know when to start and when to end the activities

- To know the timeline of the activities

- To evaluate the cost of the activities and the entire project is expected to cost

- To understand the current status of the project

- To evaluate the time span of the entire project

- To understand discover and resolve any difficulty related to the project

Conclusion

Gantt Chart tools are project management tools that give the complete status of the project. To well understand the task assignment, project duration, resources, and team assignment Gantt Chart is of great use.

There is various Gantt Chart software that can be used in various project according to team and project requirement. Instagantt is the most efficient and easy software with drag and drop option to schedule and assign tasks.

To get a better understanding of Gantt Charts and other important Project Management tools, enroll in the PMP certification program offered by Sprintzeal.