What does “Tracking Gantt” functionality do?

The Tracking Gantt view displays task information in two panels:

1. Panel 1 - displays the task information as a sheet and includes details about start and finish task dates, resources assigned to them or % complete. The following columns are usually referred: Id, Indicators, Name, Duration, Start, Finish, Predecessors, Resource Names, Percent Complete.
2. Panel 2 - displays the Gantt bar representation of the tasks, chart showing a baseline and scheduled Gantt bars for each task.

When should I use the Tracking Gantt view?

Use the Tracking Gantt view to: 

• View tasks graphically while still having access to detailed information about the tasks. (Tracking Gantt view)  
• View tasks as rolled-up bars or milestones on their respective summary task bars, enabling you to see your whole project without losing sight of the tasks. (Bar, Milestone, and Milestone Date Rollup views)  
• See how tasks progress across time and evaluate the slack and slippage between tasks. You can track progress by comparing planned and actual start and finish dates, and by checking the completion percentage of each task. 
• Review changes made to tasks during levelling and the effects of resource leveling on task completion. 

• See how tasks progress across time. Review progress by comparing planned (baseline) dates and actual start and finish dates, and by checking the progress of each task. 
• See the baselines the project manager saved for the project.  

How do I use the Tracking Gantt view?

In order to use the Tracking Gantt view, go to menu View - click on the Gantt Chart arrow - Tracking Gantt.

How do I customize the Tracking Gantt view?

To customize the Tracking Gantt view, you can change:  

• Layout options - options for drawing the links between tasks, date format, bar height, etc.  
• Bar styles - the styles for drawing the bars and displaying information about bars in the particular view  

• Text styles - the font styles for the various texts in the view  
• Bar formatting - the specific formatting of a particular bar in the chart, in case the project manager intentionally changed the format to make the task stand-out from the others by its visual presentation  
• Row, Column, and Cell Font formatting - the specific font formatting of a particular row, column, or cell in the sheet portion of the view, in case the project manager intentionally applied a different format to highlight the particular task, field, or value  
• Progress Lines formatting - the progress lines activated for the view and formatting options related to them  
• Timescale formatting - the formatting of the different timescale tiers, as well as the calendar and presentation of the working and non-working days  

• Gridlines formatting    - the formatting of the different gridlines for the sheet and chart portions of the view  
• Drawings - the different drawings and text boxes placed on the chart by the project manager, in order to place additional information for the tasks or emphasize a certain phase in the plan.  

You are also able to customize the Tracking Gantt views, using one of the following opportunities:  

• Change the different Layout options for the active Tracking Gantt view.  
• Display, hide, or change the appearance of the timescale tiers.  

• Display, hide, or change the appearance of nonworking time.  
• Create a combination view for the Tracking Gantt view to display additional information about the tasks or about the resources assigned to those tasks in a different view.  

How are the Gantt bars drawn in Tracking Gantt view? 

The Tracking Gantt displays blue bars for common Tasks, black rhombuses for Milestones, blue bars connected with suspension dots for Task Splits, black bars for Summary Tasks. The background displays the Project's calendar time span.   

How is the deadline displayed in Tracking Gantt view? 

A deadline indicates the target date when the user wants a task to be completed. The deadline is displayed in Tracking Gantt as a green arrow.  

How are the task dependencies displayed in Tracking Gantt view? 

The Gantt panel display links that show the predecessor or the successor relation between tasks.  

Can I add bar texts in Tracking Gantt view?

A various project information (such as duration, constraint type, finish etc.) can be used for the bar texts in order to describe a task. The position of the bar texts can be left, right, top, bottom and inside. To add a bar text, double click on that specific bar and in Bar Text tab select the information you want to be displayed.  

How do I apply a different table in Tracking Gantt view?

The sheet portion displays categories of information about the tasks, arranged in tables. The default table for Tracking Gantt view is the Entry table. You can also select any of the Tracking Gantt tables to display information. To do this, please go to Project – Table.  

How do I apply a filter in Tracking Gantt view?

The Tracking Gantt view can use any of the task filters to display only the tasks you want to see. When you select a filter, both the sheet and chart portions of the Tracking Gantt display the information as defined by that filter's criteria. The default filter is the All Tasks filter. To apply another filter, go to Project – Filter.  

How do I group tasks in Tracking Gantt view? 

To group tasks in Tracking Gantt view, go to Project – Group.  

How do I sort tasks in Tracking Gantt view?

To sort tasks in Tracking Gantt view, go to Project – Sort.  

How do I zoom in or zoom out in Tracking Gantt view? 

You can apply a zoom in/zoom out in Tracking Gantt view by going to the Project menu - Zoom. In this way, you can zoom out to get a bigger picture of your project’s tasks by displaying Years and Months and you can zoom in to see the exact start and finish dates for your project’s tasks by changing the timescale to Weeks and Days.

Is there any way to set a default view?

To set a view by default, the Editor needs to save the file with that specific view being opened.

Step by step on how to use the Tracking Gantt view:

1. Go to menu View -click on the Gantt Chart arrow -Tracking Gantt or in View Bar click on Tracking Gantt button.  

2. You will notice that the Tracking Gantt view is applied.   

Note: The sheet portion displays categories of information about the tasks, arranged in tables. The default table for Tracking Gantt view is the Entry table. You can also select any of the Tracking Gantt tables to display information. To do this, please go to Project – Table. 

3. Use any of the task filters to display only the tasks you want to see. When you select a filter, both the sheet and chart portions of the Tracking Gantt display the information as defined by that filter's criteria. The default filter is the All Tasks filter. To apply another filter, go to Project – Filter. 

4. Apply different sort criteria to the resources and assignments from the Tracking Gantt view. 

5. The timeline units for the right portion of the Tracking Gantt view are displayed at the top of the chart. By default, displays two units of time. You can adjust these time units to display up to three units of time, and you can change it so that different time units are displayed.  

For example, you can zoom out to get a bigger picture of your project's tasks by displaying Years and Months.  

Or you can zoom in to see the exact start and finish dates for your project's tasks by changing the timescale to Weeks and Days.  

Use the task list 

You can list each of your project's tasks in the grid portion on the left side of the Tracking Gantt view, and then organize them into a hierarchy of summary tasks and subtasks. You can also link tasks together, to show task dependencies.  

Allowed actions:  

• Create and insert a new task (single or recurring)  
• Outline tasks into subtasks and summary tasks  
• Create task dependencies (links) within your project  
• Create and link tasks  
• Text Style customization  
• Entry Table customization – insert or hide column changes can be saved just on Entry table.  

Use the chart 

In addition to the grid portion of the view, the Tracking Gantt view also provides an illustrated version of your task list, with Gantt bars that show the duration of your project's tasks across a timeline. This part of the Tracking Gantt view is called the chart. For each task, the associated Gantt bar begins at the start date, and ends at the finish date. If you have linked tasks together, the Gantt bars are connected on the chart with link lines.  

Change colors and add text 

You can:  

• Change the color, shape, or pattern of Gantt bars.  
• Create a new type of Gantt bar, such as one that shows available slack or delayed tasks.  
• Add text to Gantt bars.  
• Display task names for individual Gantt bars on a summary task bar.  
• Change the height of Gantt bars.  
• Change the appearance of link lines between Gantt bars.