Gantt Chart

The Gantt chart displays work items as horizontal bars on a timeline. Each bar spans from the item's start date to its due date, giving you a visual representation of duration, sequencing, and overlap. Dependencies between items are shown as arrows connecting bars. The Gantt chart is the primary layout for project managers and team leads who need to plan schedules, identify conflicts, and communicate timelines to stakeholders.

When to use the Gantt chart

• You are planning a project with interdependent tasks that must be sequenced.
• You need to visualize how long each task takes and when it overlaps with other work.
• You want to identify scheduling conflicts and critical path items.
• You need to communicate a timeline to stakeholders or clients.
• You are managing a release with hard deadlines and multiple teams.

For date-based views without duration, use Calendar. For flow-based management, use Kanban.

Timeline bars

Each work item with both a start date and a due date is rendered as a horizontal bar:

Bar element	Meaning
Left edge	Start date
Right edge	Due date
Bar width	Duration (number of days between start and due date)
Bar color	Determined by state, priority, or label (configurable)
Bar label	Work item identifier and title
Progress fill	Percentage of sub-items completed (if applicable)

Items without dates

Date situation	Rendering
Both start and due date set	Full bar spanning the date range
Only due date set	A thin marker on the due date (no bar width)
Only start date set	A thin marker on the start date
Neither date set	The item appears in the left sidebar list but has no bar on the timeline

TIP

For the Gantt chart to be most useful, set both start and due dates on your work items. Use the Spreadsheet layout to quickly assign dates in bulk, then switch to the Gantt chart to visualize the result.

Duration and date management

Drag to resize

Change a work item's duration by dragging the edges of its bar:

1. Hover over the left edge of a bar until the cursor changes to a resize handle.
2. Drag left to start earlier or right to start later. The start date updates immediately.
3. Repeat with the right edge to change the due date.

Drag to move

Move an entire bar to shift both dates while preserving the duration:

1. Click and hold the center of a bar.
2. Drag left or right to move the entire date range.
3. Release to confirm. Both start date and due date update by the same offset.

Edit dates precisely

For exact date entry:

1. Click on a bar to select it.
2. Open the detail pane or double-click the bar.
3. Edit the start date and due date fields directly using the date picker.

Dependencies

Dependencies represent sequencing constraints between work items. When task B depends on task A, an arrow connects A's bar to B's bar.

Add a dependency

1. Hover over the right edge of the predecessor bar until a small connector dot appears.
2. Click and drag from the dot to the dependent (successor) bar.
3. Release on the successor bar to create the dependency arrow.

Alternatively:

1. Open a work item's detail view.
2. Navigate to the Relations section.
3. Add a Blocked by or Blocking relation.
4. The Gantt chart renders the relation as a dependency arrow.

Dependency types

Relation	Arrow direction	Meaning
Blocking	From current item to the dependent item	The dependent item cannot start until this one finishes
Blocked by	From the blocker to the current item	This item cannot start until the blocker finishes

Dependency visualization

Visual cue	Meaning
Grey arrow	Normal dependency; no scheduling conflict
Red arrow	Conflict — the successor's start date is before the predecessor's due date
Dashed arrow	The predecessor has no due date, so the constraint is incomplete

WARNING

SetGet displays dependency conflicts visually but does not automatically reschedule items. You are responsible for adjusting dates when a conflict arrow appears. This gives you full control over the schedule.

Zoom levels

The Gantt chart supports multiple zoom levels to match your planning horizon:

Zoom level	Time unit per column	Best for
Day	1 day	Detailed daily planning for the current week
Week	1 week	Sprint-level planning (2-4 week range)
Month	1 month	Quarterly planning and roadmap views
Quarter	3 months	Annual planning and long-range roadmaps

Change zoom level

1. Use the zoom control buttons in the toolbar (+ to zoom in, - to zoom out).
2. Or select a specific zoom level from the zoom dropdown.

Scroll the timeline

• Use horizontal scroll (mouse wheel with Shift, or trackpad horizontal gesture) to move forward and backward in time.
• Click the Today button to center the view on the current date.
• A vertical red line marks today's date on the timeline.

Milestones

Milestones are special markers on the timeline that represent significant dates or checkpoints without duration.

Display milestones

Work items with zero duration (start date equals due date) are rendered as diamond-shaped milestone markers instead of bars.

Use milestones effectively

Milestone type	Example
Deadline	"Client demo — March 15"
Release date	"v2.4 Release"
Review gate	"Design review complete"
External dependency	"API access granted by partner"

Create a work item, set both start and due date to the same day, and it automatically appears as a milestone on the Gantt chart.

Critical path

The critical path is the longest sequence of dependent tasks that determines the earliest possible completion date for the project. Any delay on a critical path item delays the entire project.

Identify the critical path

1. Ensure dependencies are set between related work items.
2. Enable Show Critical Path in the Gantt toolbar.
3. Critical path items are highlighted with a distinct color (typically red or bold outline).

Interpret the critical path

Observation	Action
Critical path is longer than the deadline allows	Reduce scope, add resources, or extend the deadline
A non-critical item moves to the critical path	Its slack has been consumed; monitor it closely
Multiple parallel paths are near-critical	Small delays on any path could shift the critical path

TIP

Review the critical path weekly. As tasks complete ahead of or behind schedule, the critical path may shift. Items that were not critical can become critical if they fall behind.

Grouping on the Gantt chart

The left sidebar of the Gantt chart lists work items organized by the current grouping:

Group by	Sidebar sections
State	Items grouped under each workflow state
Priority	Items grouped under each priority level
Assignee	Items grouped under each team member
Module	Items grouped under each module
Cycle	Items grouped under each cycle
None	All items in a flat list

Set the grouping from Display Options > Group by. The timeline bars align with their corresponding row in the sidebar.

Color coding

Configure bar colors to convey additional information at a glance:

Color by	Effect
State	Bars colored by workflow state
Priority	Bars colored by priority level
Label	Bars take the color of their first label

Set color coding from Display Options.

Filtering

All standard filters apply to the Gantt chart. Useful filter combinations:

Filter	Purpose
Module = Backend	See only backend tasks on the timeline
Cycle = Sprint 14	Focus on the current sprint's timeline
Assignee = Design Team	See the design team's schedule
State != Done, Cancelled	Hide completed work to focus on remaining timeline

Keyboard shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
+ / -	Zoom in / zoom out
Left / Right	Scroll the timeline
T	Center on today
Enter	Open the selected item's detail pane
Up / Down	Navigate between items in the sidebar list

Performance considerations

The Gantt chart renders timeline bars, dependency arrows, and date grid lines. For large projects:

• Filter to the current cycle or module to reduce the number of visible items.
• Use a wider zoom level (Month or Quarter) for overview, then zoom into Day or Week for specific ranges.
• Collapse sidebar groups you are not actively reviewing.

Troubleshooting

Bars are not appearing

Work items need at least one date (start or due) to appear on the timeline. Items with neither date show in the sidebar but have no bar. Use the Spreadsheet layout to assign dates in bulk.

Dependency arrows point the wrong way

Check the relation type. Blocking means the current item blocks another; Blocked by means the current item is blocked. Open the work item detail and verify the relation is set in the correct direction.

The today line is not visible

Scroll or click Today to center the view on the current date. If you are zoomed to Quarter level, the today line may appear as a thin vertical line between wide columns.

Related pages

• Views Overview — Save Gantt configurations as reusable views.
• Calendar Layout — See items by due date on a calendar grid.
• List Layout — Text-based list for quick scanning.
• Spreadsheet Layout — Assign dates in bulk before using the Gantt chart.
• Display Options — Configure grouping, color coding, and display properties.
• Filters — Narrow down which items appear on the timeline.
• Work Items Overview — Set start dates, due dates, and relations on work items.
• Cycles — Time-boxed iterations that organize work on the Gantt chart.
• Modules — Feature groups that provide structure on the timeline.