Microsoft Excel as a Gantt Charter

Microsoft Excel is, perhaps, the most commonly used Windows-based spreadsheet program. If it's possible to produce a Gantt chart using Lotus 1-2-3, (See Lotus 1-2-3 ) then it should certainly be possible to do something similar in Excel.

The following Visual Basic "script" will produce a simple Gantt chart. It isn't any more elegant than the one produced with Lotus 1-2-3, just more colorful.

Excel : Gantt Chart

Sub gantt_chart()
    Dim rge As Variant
    Dim mn As Variant
    Dim shtname As Variant
    'defines the variables
         rge = Selection.Address()
        'get the cell address
        mn = Selection.Offset(1, 1)

        'return the min value for the scale
        Title = InputBox("Please enter the title")
        'Asks the user for title
        shtname = ActiveSheet.Name
        'retains the name of current sheet
        Application.ScreenUpdating=False
        'Turns screen updating off
        Charts.Add
        'Create a paper model chart
        ActiveChart.ChartWizard Source:=Sheets(shtname).Range(rge), _
            Gallery:=xlBar, Format:=3, PlotBy:=xlColumns, CategoryLabels _
            :=1, SeriesLabels:=1, HasLegend:=1, Title:=Title, _
            CategoryTitle:="", ValueTitle:="", _

            ExtraTitle:=""
        ' Basic chart definition
        ActiveChart.Legend.Delete
        'deletes the legend
        ActiveChart.SeriesCollection(1).Select
        'activates series 1
        With Selection.Border
            .Weight = xlThin
            .LineStyle = xlNone
        End With
        'definition for the border for series 1
        Selection.InvertIfNegative = False
        'turns Invert if negative to false
        Selection.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNone
        'indicates that the area is set to none
        ActiveChart.PlotArea.Select

        'select the chart plot area
        ActiveChart.Axes(xlCategory).Select
        'select axis(1)
        With ActiveChart.Axes(xlCategory)
            .ReversePlotOrder = True
            .TickLabelSpacing = 1
            .TickMarkSpacing = 1
            .AxisBetweenCategories = True
        End With
        'axis 1 definition
        ActiveChart.Axes(xlValue).Select
        'select axis(2)
        With ActiveChart.Axes(xlValue)
            .MinimumScale = mn
            .MaximumScaleIsAuto = True
            .MinorUnitIsAuto = True
            .MajorUnitIsAuto = True

            .Crosses = xlAutomatic
            .ReversePlotOrder = False
            .ScaleType = False
            .HasMajorGridlines = True
            .HasMinorGridlines = False
        End With
        ' Axis(2) definition
 End Sub

Example of How to Use The Macro

1. Open a new worksheet and enter the following values:

     A1:            B1: START        C1: DAYS          D1: DAYS
     A2: TASK       B2: DATE         C2: COMPLETED     D2: REMAINING
     A3: TASK-1     B3: 1/1/91       C3: 150           D3: 15

     A4: TASK-2     B4: 5/1/91       C4: 21            D4: 31
     A5: TASK-3     B5: 7/1/91       C5: 0             D5: 114
     A6: TASK-4     B6: 10/1/91      C6: 0             D6: 4
     A7: TASK-5     B7: 10/15/91     C7: 0             D7: 31
     A8: TASK-6     B8: 11/1/91      C8: 0             D8: 2

2. Select cell A2 and format it with the month/day/year format you want to use on the chart.

3. Highlight A2:D8. To activate the macro, choose Macro from the Tools menu, and select the gantt_chart macro.

4. Enter the chart title when prompted.

The Gantt Chart should now be displayed on the screen. Additional formatting can be added as needed.

The above VB program was written by the programmers at Microsoft. They add the following disclaimer and copyright.

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic procedures for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This Visual Basic procedure is provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that it can be used in all situations.

REFERENCES "User s Guide," version 5.0, chapters 15, 17, 18 Copyright 1993 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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