Tableau is an analytics platform that allows organizations to visualize their data on powerful yet user-friendly data analysis charts and diagrams powered by machine learning, natural language processing and predictive analytics.
While Tableau doesn’t have project management features, you can still use it to make a Gantt chart. In this blog, we’ll learn how to make a Gantt chart in Tableau and explore its key features and limitations.
Does Tableau Have a Gantt Chart?
Tableau doesn’t have a built-in Gantt chart feature, so you’ll need to manually set up its stacked bar charts to make one. The result will be a Gantt chart diagram that shows your project schedule and basic details such as project task names, duration and due dates.
Unfortunately, if you make a Gantt chart in Tableau, you won’t be able to use any of the project management features you’d find in more powerful Gantt chart software. For example, you won’t be able to assign tasks to your team members, link task dependencies, track costs, allocate resources or monitor project progress.
If you need a Gantt chart that allows you to do that and much more, you should try ProjectManager. ProjectManager’s Gantt chart allows you to plan, schedule and track your projects from start to end and sync with a variety of project management tools such as kanban boards, project dashboards, timesheets, workload charts and much more.
What Can You Use a Tableau Gantt Chart For?
Gantt charts in Tableau are basic at best. They outline the duration of events or activities in any given project, helping project managers see the project schedule and stay on track throughout various phases. However, the lack of true project management features is a significant hole in its usability, and there’s no time tracking, critical path or resource allocation, to name a few.
For example, if someone besides the project manager prefers to look at the data from a different view, it will be difficult to do so. All formulas have to be set up by hand which leaves room for human error. This isn’t ideal when the success of the project is on the line. Plus, sharing files with stakeholders is tricky and time consuming.
Tableau Gantt Chart Key Features
Knowing how to make a Gantt chart in Tableau can help you turn data sets, spreadsheets and task lists into data-driven project schedules for your organization. It could be a good alternative for project managers who just need to visualize the duration and due dates of project tasks on a timeline but don’t need a Gantt chart to manage the project’s day-to-day execution. Here are some benefits of using a Tableau Gantt chart.
Map data from large data set into a project timeline using stacked bar charts
Create accurate and realistic Gantt charts and avoid human error
Import data from a variety of file formats such as CSV, JSON, XML, Excel files, among many others
Tableau Gantt Chart Example
If you’re still set on using Tableau, we’ve outlined what a Tableau Gantt chart looks like. As you can see, it’s a typical Gantt chart that lists project tasks on the left side and uses a stacked bar chart on the right to represent project tasks on a timeline. Upon closer inspection of each task, this Gantt chart also shows the due dates and total duration of these tasks.
Disadvantages of Making a Gantt Chart In Tableau
Tableau simply doesn’t have the features you need from Gantt chart software. All you can do is use its stacked bar chart to mimic a Gantt chart, but it’s clear that this is just a mere data visualization chart and not the project planning, scheduling or tracking tool that a Gantt chart should be. Having said this, here are some of the key disadvantages of making a Gantt chart in Tableau.
Can’t be used for cost tracking, resource allocation or critical path analysis
Making a Gantt chart in Tableau is time-consuming and requires you to manually set up lots of things such as formulas
While Tableau claims to be a user-friendly analytics platform, its user interface is still hard to use and navigate for most people, especially those new to this type of software
Due to its total lack of project management features, Tableau can’t be considered Gantt chart software
Files can only be saved as a Tableau Workbook file format (.twb), which makes it hard to export data into other software and share files with team members
The Best Tableau Gantt Chart Alternative
In some cases, creating a Gantt chart in Tableau can be helpful, but it pales in comparison to Gantt chart software. With ProjectManager, you get online project and portfolio software that offers a suite of tools to plan and manage every stage of your project. With best-in-class Gantt charts that track all four types of dependencies, built-in resource management, real-time collaboration and so much more, you’ll quickly see why this is preferred over Tableau’s weak features. If needed, you can always import your Tableau data into ProjectManager for a closer look at key metrics.
Use ProjectManager’s Gantt chart to set a baseline, identify the critical path, oversee resources and track costs. In a few clicks, assign tasks to your team members, set priority and recurrence and collaborate with your team. Use unlimited file storage to keep track of all documents and share files from wherever you’re working. Try it free for 30 days.
Let’s explore some other reasons that make ProjectManager a much better Gantt chart tool than Tableau.
Advanced Gantt Chart Features
As we hinted at, ProjectManager has one of the best Gantt chart tools any project management software can offer. Besides creating an interactive, online project schedule that allows you to collaborate with your team online, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart allows you to allocate resources, estimate project costs, link four types of task dependencies, identify the critical path of your projects and much more.
Multiple Project Management Tools
One of the main advantages of ProjectManager’s Gantt chart is that it syncs automatically with other project management tools like kanban boards, project calendars, project dashboards, timesheets and workload management charts, so you can manage all the different areas of your project.
Collaborate With Your Team Online
One of the biggest drawbacks of Tableau’s Gantt chart is that it’s a desktop-based solution that doesn’t work for teams that need to collaborate online. ProjectManager on the other hand, is an online project management solution with unlimited file storage and team collaboration features like messaging and file sharing.
ProjectManager also has email notifications that alert you when someone makes changes to tasks or projects you’re in, or whenever you’re mentioned in a message so you’re always updated on your team’s progress.
If you’re still interested in creating a Gantt chart in Tableau, read on as we outline each step you need to make one from scratch. However, if you’re new to Tableau and you’re having a hard time adapting to this tool, you can also use our Gantt chart template for Excel, which will help you create a similar project schedule.
Gantt Chart Template
This free Gantt chart template for Excel can automatically create a Gantt chart for you based on a list of project tasks and their due dates. Simply enter that data and this free Gantt chart template for Excel will automatically calculate the duration of each task and generate a stacked bar chart to depict the project schedule.
How to Make a Gantt Chart in Tableau
To make a Gantt chart in Tableau, you’ll need to have a project or business data set, which can be anything from an Excel spreadsheet with a few project tasks and due dates, to large data sets with hundreds of tasks. If you don’t have a data set, you can download our construction schedule template as a CSV or Excel file. Let’s get started with the process of making a Gantt chart.
1. Import a Data Source File
The first step when making a Gantt chart in Tableau is to upload data into the software. For this example, we’ll use data from our construction schedule template, which we’ve downloaded as an Excel file. To get started, click the option that allows Tableau to import a “Microsoft Excel” file. Then select the file you’d like to import from your computer.
2. Select Your Data
Once you import your file into Tableau, you’ll land on the “Data Source” screen. Here you can preview your data set, select the data you’d like to import and remove unnecessary columns if needed.
In this case, we’re exporting a file that contains project scheduling data for a construction project that can be used to make a Gantt chart, such as the list of project tasks that need to be completed, their due dates and duration. It also contains other details you might choose to display in your Gantt chart such as task costs, resource requirements, task dependencies and more. Once you’re happy with your data, you can switch to the Sheet view.
3. Add Data to Populate Your Gantt Chart
Now that you’ve imported data into Tableau, you’re ready to make a Gantt chart using the Sheet view. On the left side of your screen, there’s a list of variables from your data set. Now you can simply drag and drop them into the columns and rows fields to automatically generate a Gantt chart in Tableau.
First drag and drop the “Planned Start Date” from the list of data variables to the “Columns” field as shown in the image below.
Once you add this variable, click on it and select “Exact date,” which is the correct date format for making a Gantt chart.
Next drag and drop the “Task Name” variable into the “Rows” field. Once you do so, Tableau’s stacked bar chart will begin to look like a Gantt chart, but there still are some steps that you’ll need to complete.
Now click the drop-down menu under “Marks” and select the Gantt chart.
4. Calculate the Duration of Tasks
Now let’s configure the Gantt chart to show the duration of project tasks with the size of each bar. To do this, follow the steps below.
Open the data visualization drop-down menu and click “Create Calculated Field…”
Name the calculated field and add a formula to it. In this case, we’ll use the “DATEDIFF” formula, which will calculate the difference between two dates. Begin by typing “DATEDIFF” and then select it from the formula menu.
Now fill in the formula variables by typing “(‘day’, [Planned Start Date], [Planned Finish Date])” as shown in the Tableau Gantt chart example below.
Once you add this formula and click “OK,” this custom-calculated field will appear with the rest of the data variables on the left side of your screen. Now drag and drop it into the size icon.
This adjusts the size of the Gantt chart task bars to show the duration of each task so that it accurately depicts the construction project schedule.
5. Add Additional Details About Your Tasks to Your Tableau Gantt Chart
For the last step, drag and drop the “Planned Finish Date” and “Planned Duration” variables in the Details box so this information shows as you hover over the Gantt chart bars.
Note: Set the “Planned Finish Date” as an exact date variable by clicking its drop-down menu and selecting “Exact date.”
Congratulations, you’ve created a Gantt chart in Tableau. Now you can add extra details to your project schedule, such as costs, resources and assignees.
Advantages of a Tableau Gantt Chart
Even though it’s not a best-in-class option, there are some advantages to using a Tableau Gantt chart.
The process of creating a Gantt chart is easy and only requires you to import a data set and choose what information you’d like to display
In addition to the stacked bar charts you can use to make a Gantt chart in Tableau, there are dozens of data visualization diagrams and charts to analyze business or project data
Simple alternative for project managers who only need to see timelines and due dates
However, as stated above, this basic Gantt chart lacks resource management, cost tracking, project budgeting, risk planning and other important project management features. On top of that, this is a desktop-based Gantt chart so you won’t be able to collaborate with your team members online.
Therefore, Tableau Gantt charts can only be used for making a project schedule but they shouldn’t be used to manage the execution phase of your project due to their limited functionality. If you need a robust Gantt chart tool you can use to manage all aspects of your project, try ProjectManager. Let’s review what makes ProjectManager a much superior Gantt chart tool than Tableau.
In Summary: ProjectManager Has a Better Gantt Chart Than Tableau
As discussed above, Tableau can only help you visualize data sets into more digestible charts and diagrams, like a Gantt chart. But unfortunately, Tableau isn’t a Gantt chart tool you can use to actively manage your projects because you won’t be able to assign work to your team members, track project costs, or track the completion of tasks in real time like you would with ProjectManager.
Related Gantt Chart Software Content
Choosing the right Gantt chart software for your team can be challenging if you don’t know what to look for when comparing alternatives. That’s why we’ve created dozens of blogs explaining what are the key features of a Gantt chart, different methods you can use to create one, the best software providers and more to help you make an informed decision.
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ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere in between. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
Tableau是一个分析平台,允许组织在强大且用户友好的数据分析图表和图表上可视化其数据,这些图表和图表由机器学习、自然语言处理和预测分析提供支持。
虽然Tableau没有项目管理功能,但您仍然可以使用它来制作图表。在本博客中,我们将学习如何在Tableau中制作图表,并探索其主要功能和限制。
Tableau是否有图表?
Tableau没有内置的条形图功能,因此您需要手动设置堆叠条形图。结果将是一个显示项目进度和基本细节(如项目任务名称、工期和到期日)的图表。
不幸的是,如果您在Tableau中制作一个工程图,您将无法使用功能更强大的工程图软件中的任何项目管理功能。例如,您将无法向团队成员分配任务、链接任务相关性、跟踪成本、分配资源或监控项目进度。
如果你需要一个能让你做到这一点的图表,你应该试试ProjectManager。ProjectManager的工作量图表允许您从头到尾计划、安排和跟踪项目,并与各种项目管理工具同步,如看板、项目仪表板、时间表、工作量图表等。
您可以使用Tableau图表做什么?
Tableau中的图表充其量只是基本的。它们概述了任何给定项目中事件或活动的持续时间,帮助项目经理查看项目时间表并在各个阶段保持正常。然而,缺乏真正的项目管理功能是其可用性的一个重大漏洞,没有时间跟踪,关键路径或资源分配,仅举几例。
例如,如果除了项目经理之外的其他人更喜欢从不同的角度查看数据,那么就很难做到这一点。所有的公式都必须手工设置,这为人为错误留下了空间。当项目的成功处于危险之中时,这并不理想。此外,与利益相关者共享文件既棘手又耗时。
Tableau图表主要功能
了解如何在Tableau中制作电子表格,可以帮助您将数据集、电子表格和任务列表转化为组织的数据驱动型项目时间表。对于那些只需要在时间轴上可视化项目任务的持续时间和到期日,但不需要图表来管理项目的日常执行的项目经理来说,它可能是一个很好的选择。以下是使用Tableau统计图表的一些好处。
使用堆叠条形图将大型数据集中的数据映射到项目时间轴
创建准确和现实的图表,避免人为错误
从各种文件格式导入数据,如CSV、JSON、XML、Excel文件等
Tableau图表示例
如果您仍打算使用Tableau,我们已经概述了Tableau图表的外观。正如您所看到的,这是一个典型的条形图,在左侧列出项目任务,在右侧使用堆叠条形图来表示时间轴上的项目任务。在仔细检查每项任务后,此图表还显示了这些任务的截止日期和总持续时间。
在Tableau中制作图表的缺点
Tableau根本不具备您需要的图表软件功能。你所能做的就是使用它的堆叠条形图来模仿一个图表,但很明显,这只是一个纯粹的数据可视化图表,而不是项目规划,调度或跟踪工具,一个图表应该是。话虽如此,以下是在Tableau中制作图表的一些主要缺点。
不能用于成本跟踪、资源分配或关键路径分析
在Tableau中制作图表非常耗时,需要手动设置公式等许多内容
虽然Tableau声称是一个用户友好的分析平台,但其用户界面对于大多数人来说仍然很难使用和导航,特别是那些新的软件
由于完全缺乏项目管理功能,Tableau不能被视为图表软件
文件只能保存为Tableau Workbook文件格式(.twb),这使得很难将数据导出到其他软件中并与团队成员共享文件
最佳Tableau图表替代方案
在某些情况下,在Tableau中创建电子海图可能会有所帮助,但与电子海图软件相比就相形见绌了。通过ProjectManager,您可以获得在线项目和投资组合软件,该软件提供了一套工具来规划和管理项目的每个阶段。借助一流的统计图表(可跟踪所有四种类型的依赖关系、内置资源管理、实时协作等),您将很快了解为何这一点优于Tableau的薄弱功能。如果需要,您可以随时将Tableau数据导入ProjectManager,以便更仔细地查看关键指标。
使用ProjectManager的流程图来设置基线、确定关键路径、监督资源和跟踪成本。只需点击几下,即可将任务分配给您的团队成员,设置优先级和重复性,并与您的团队协作。使用无限制的文件存储空间来跟踪所有文档并从您工作的任何地方共享文件。免费试用30天。
让我们探讨一下ProjectManager成为比Tableau更好的图表工具的其他原因。
高级图表功能
正如我们所暗示的,ProjectManager拥有任何项目管理软件所能提供的最好的图表工具之一。除了创建一个交互式的在线项目时间表,使您能够与您的团队在线协作,ProjectManager的图表还允许您分配资源,估计项目成本,链接四种类型的任务依赖关系,确定项目的关键路径等等。
多种项目管理工具
ProjectManager的项目管理图表的主要优点之一是它可以自动与其他项目管理工具同步,如看板,项目日历,项目仪表板,时间表和工作量管理图表,因此您可以管理项目的所有不同区域。
与您的团队在线协作
Tableau的Excel图表的最大缺点之一是,它是一个基于桌面的解决方案,不适用于需要在线协作的团队。另一方面,ProjectManager是一个在线项目管理解决方案,具有无限的文件存储和团队协作功能,如消息传递和文件共享。
ProjectManager还有电子邮件通知,当有人更改您所在的任务或项目时,或者当消息中提到您时,都会提醒您,以便您始终了解团队的最新进展。
如果您仍有兴趣在Tableau中创建一个图表,请继续阅读我们概述的从头开始创建图表所需的每个步骤。但是,如果您是Tableau的新手,并且很难适应此工具,您也可以使用我们的Excel图表模板,它将帮助您创建类似的项目时间表。
图表模板
这个免费的Excel电子表格模板可以根据项目任务列表及其到期日自动为您创建电子表格。只需输入这些数据,这个免费的Excel条形图模板将自动计算每个任务的持续时间,并生成一个堆叠条形图来描述项目进度。
如何在Tableau中创建图表
要在Tableau中制作工作表,您需要有一个项目或业务数据集,可以是包含几个项目任务和截止日期的Excel电子表格,也可以是包含数百个任务的大型数据集。如果您没有数据集,您可以下载CSV或Excel文件形式的施工进度模板。让我们开始制作一个图表的过程。
1.导入数据源文件
在Tableau中制作电子海图的第一步是将数据上传到软件中。在本例中,我们将使用来自施工进度模板的数据,该模板已作为Excel文件下载。要开始使用,请单击允许Tableau导入“Microsoft Excel”文件的选项。然后选择要从计算机导入的文件。
2.选择您的数据
将文件导入Tableau后,您将进入“数据源”屏幕。在这里,您可以预览数据集,选择要导入的数据,并根据需要删除不必要的列。
在本例中,我们导出一个文件,该文件包含可用于制作施工图的施工项目的项目进度数据,例如需要完成的项目任务列表、到期日期和工期。它还包含您可能选择显示在工作流程图中的其他详细信息,例如任务成本、资源需求、任务相关性等。一旦你对你的数据满意,你就可以切换到工作表视图。
3.添加数据以填充您的图表
现在,您已经将数据导入Tableau,可以使用工作表视图制作一个电子表格。在屏幕的左侧,有一个数据集中的变量列表。现在,您只需将它们拖放到列和行字段中,即可在Tableau中自动生成一个图表。
首先将“Planned Start Date”从数据变量列表中拖放到“Columns”字段中,如下图所示。
一旦你添加了这个变量,点击它并选择“精确日期”,这是制作一个图表的正确日期格式。
接下来,将“Task Name”变量拖放到“”字段中。完成此操作后,Tableau的堆叠条形图将开始看起来像一个条形图,但您仍需要完成一些步骤。
现在点击“标记”下的下拉菜单并选择标记图。
4.计算任务的持续时间
现在,让我们配置项目图,用每个条形图的大小显示项目任务的持续时间。要做到这一点,请遵循以下步骤。
打开数据可视化下拉菜单,然后单击“创建计算字段.”
命名计算字段并向其添加一个公式。在本例中,我们将使用“DATEDIFF”公式,该公式将计算两个日期之间的差值。首先键入“DATEDIFF”,然后从公式菜单中选择它。
现在,键入“('day',[Planned Start Date],[Planned Finish Date])”来填写公式变量,如下面的Tableau图表示例所示。
添加此公式并单击“确定”后,此自定义计算字段将与其余数据变量一起出现在屏幕左侧。现在将其拖放到大小图标中。
这将调整施工图任务条形图的大小,以显示每个任务的持续时间,从而准确地描述施工项目进度。
5.将有关任务的其他详细信息添加到Tableau图表
对于最后一步,将“Planned Finish Date”和“Planned Duration”变量拖放到Details框中,这样当您将鼠标悬停在图表条上时,这些信息就会显示出来。
注意:通过点击下拉菜单并选择“精确日期”,将“计划完成日期”设置为精确日期变量。
恭喜您,您已在Tableau中创建了一个虚拟图表。现在,您可以向项目进度添加额外的详细信息,例如成本、资源和工作分配人。
Tableau图表的优势
尽管它不是同类最佳选项,但使用Tableau统计图表还是有一些优势。
创建电子海图的过程很简单,只需要导入数据集并选择要显示的信息
除了可用于在Tableau中制作图表的堆叠条形图外,还有数十种数据可视化图表和图表可用于分析业务或项目数据
对于只需要查看时间表和截止日期的项目经理来说,
然而,如上所述,这一基本流程图缺乏资源管理、成本跟踪、项目预算编制、风险规划和其他重要的项目管理功能。最重要的是,这是一个基于桌面的图表,所以你将无法与你的团队成员在线协作。
因此,Tableau工程图只能用于制定项目进度,但由于其功能有限,不应用于管理项目的执行阶段。如果您需要一个强大的图表工具来管理项目的各个方面,请尝试ProjectManager。让我们回顾一下是什么让ProjectManager成为比Tableau更出色的图表工具。
总而言之:ProjectManager拥有比Tableau更好的图表
如上所述,Tableau只能帮助您将数据集可视化为更易于理解的图表和图表,如图表。但遗憾的是,Tableau不是一款可用于主动管理项目的图表工具,因为您无法像使用ProjectManager那样为团队成员分配工作、跟踪项目成本或实时跟踪任务完成情况。
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如果您不知道在比较备选方案时要寻找什么,那么为您的团队选择合适的图表软件可能具有挑战性。这就是为什么我们创建了几十个博客,解释了什么是一个图表的关键功能,不同的方法,你可以用来创建一个,最好的软件提供商和更多,以帮助您做出明智的决定。
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ProjectManager是一款在线项目和投资组合管理软件,无论团队是在办公室、在现场还是在任何地方,它都能将团队连接起来。他们可以共享文件,在任务级别发表评论,并通过电子邮件和应用内通知保持更新。加入安飞士、雀巢和西门子的团队,使用我们的软件交付成功的项目。立即免费开始使用ProjectManager。
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