Gantt chart

The Gantt chart is a component that helps you plan and schedule tasks within your project, and track the progress over time.

Configuration

  1. In Data model editor, create the following tables:

    • "Task", with the fields "Name" (Text), "Start time" and "End time" (Date time), "Parent task" (Relation to itself), "Parent index" and "Percentage done" (Number) and "Manually scheduled" (Checkbox).

    • "Dependency", with the fields "From" and "To" (Relation to Task), "Type" and "Lag" (Number), "Lag unit" (Text).

  2. In Form designer, create a form where the Gantt component can be dropped, then select the Task table as Datasource. Optionally, set the Limited by and the Limitation field properties in case this chart is associated with a section within the form. Set all the Custom properties according to the fields you created in step 1.

Functionality

To add a Task, click on the Create new icon and double-click it to rename it.

To edit a Task, right-click on the record or on the bar:

  • Add a new Task below or above the selected one, which may be independent, or with dependency End-to-Start called Successor (below) / Predecessor (above), or add a Milestone or a Subtask (child record).

    The dependency makes reference to the connection of time between Tasks/Milestones; for instance, Task1(predecessor) needs to end so Task2(selected) can start, and once the latter ends, Task3(sucessor) will start).

  • Delete, indent (i.e., make it a subtask of the above one), or outdent the selected Task.

  • Edit the Task. This will open the Information box where Complete, Duration, Start and End dates can be set, as well as a Predecessor and a Successor. Also, the Manually scheduled checkbox can be set here, useful to set the Start date as fixed, so the Enable automatic scheduling function won’t rearrange it.

Regarding Bars:

  • Move it sidewise to quickly change Start and End dates.

  • Hover over it to see key information.

  • Double-click it to open the Information box.

  • Create a Successor/Predecessor dependency by dragging the circle control at any edge of the selected Bar to the wished destination Bar’s circle control.

Other settings at the toolbar of the Gantt component:

  • Use the Refresh icon to reflect saved changes or to revert unsaved ones.

  • The Expand/Collapse icons helps you to show or hide subtasks.

  • The Enable automatic scheduling icon gives you a hint on how to organize your tasks by distributing tasks one after another in terms of time.

Be aware that the Start and End time you previously set for your Task might be overwritten with this automatic scheduling.

If there are tasks you wish to secure from being moved, use the Manual scheduled checkbox available in the Information box when editing the Task.

We recommend to use Manual scheduled only for main Tasks, but not for indented tasks (i.e., subtasks). This way, if you move the Task through time, and then you click on the Enable automatic scheduling icon, all subtasks will come along accordingly.