Tutorials

Welcome to EasyGantt! This tutorial will guide you through the basics of using EasyGantt for macOS to create and manage your project schedules. EasyGantt is a powerful yet intuitive project management tool that helps you visualize your project timeline using Gantt charts. What you'll learn:

•Creating and managing projects

•Adding tasks, milestones, and groups

•Building task dependencies

•Managing resources

•Customizing your Gantt chart view

•Printing and exporting your projects

 

2. Getting Started

When you first launch EasyGantt, you'll see an empty project window. If this is your first time, you'll be prompted to set up your project settings.

Creating a New Project:

•Choose File > New (or press Command-N)

•The project settings window will appear automatically for new projects

•Enter your project title and set the start date

•Configure your working calendar (days and hours)

 

3. Creating Your First Project

Step 1: Project Settings

When you create a new project, you'll see the Project Settings window. Here you can:

•Project Title: Give your project a descriptive name

•Start Date: Set when your project begins

•End Date: Set your project's target completion date

•Working Hours: Define your workday (e.g., 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)

•Non-Working Days: Select which days of the week are non-working (typically weekends)

 

4. Understanding the Interface

 

The EasyGantt interface consists of several key areas:

 

Left Panel - Task List:

This shows all your tasks in a hierarchical outline view. You can:

•Expand and collapse groups to see nested tasks

•Click tasks to select them

•See task details like start date, end date, duration, and progress

 

Right Panel - Gantt Chart:

This is the visual timeline showing your tasks as horizontal bars. The chart displays:

•Task bars showing start and end dates

•Dependency lines connecting related tasks

•A vertical line marking today's date

•Critical path highlighting (tasks that affect project completion)

 

Inspector Panel:

When you select a task, the Inspector opens on the right side (if enabled). Here you can:

•Edit task name, dates, and duration

•Set task progress

•Add dependencies

•Assign resources

•Lock tasks to prevent changes

 

Toolbar:

The toolbar provides quick access to common actions:

•+ button: Add new tasks, milestones, or groups

•Link button: Create dependencies between tasks

•Settings button: Configure project and app settings

•Resources button: Manage project resources

•Reports button: View project reports

 

5. Adding Tasks, Milestones, and Groups

 

Adding a Task:

Tasks are the basic building blocks of your project. To add a task:

•Click the + button in the toolbar and select "Add Task"

•Or use the menu: Edit > Add Task (or press the keyboard shortcut)

•Or right-click in the task list and choose "Add Task"

•A new task will appear at the current view position

•Double-click the task name to rename it

 

Adding a Milestone:

Milestones mark important dates or achievements in your project:

•Click the + button and select "Add Milestone"

•Milestones appear as diamond shapes on the Gantt chart

•They have zero duration by default

•Use them to mark project phases, reviews, or completion dates

 

Adding a Group:

Groups help you organize related tasks:

•Click the + button and select "Add Group of Tasks"

•Groups appear as containers that can hold multiple tasks

•You can nest groups within other groups

•Tasks within a group must stay within the group's time frame

•Group progress is automatically calculated from its sub-tasks

 

Editing Tasks:

To modify a task:

•Select the task in the task list or on the Gantt chart

•The Inspector panel will show task details

•Edit the task name, dates, duration, or progress

•Changes are saved automatically

 

6. Working with the Gantt Chart

 

Navigating the Chart:

•Scroll horizontally to move through time

•Scroll vertically to see more tasks

•Use the zoom controls to change the time scale (Days, Weeks, Months, Years)

•Drag the timeline to pan through different time periods

 

Moving Tasks:

You can easily adjust task timing:

•Click and drag a task bar horizontally to change its start date

•The task will snap to working days (skipping weekends if configured)

•Hold Shift while dragging to move more precisely

 

Resizing Tasks:

To change a task's duration:

•Hover over the right edge of a task bar

•Click and drag to extend or shorten the task

•The duration updates automatically

 

Creating Tasks Directly on the Chart:

•Click and drag on an empty area of the Gantt chart

•A new task will be created at that location and time

•Release to set the task duration

 

Viewing Options:

Control the chart display:

•Show/Hide labels: Toggle task names on bars

•Show/Hide grid: Toggle background grid lines

•Show/Hide critical path: Highlight tasks that affect project completion

•Show/Hide dependencies: Display lines connecting dependent tasks

 

7. Managing Task Dependencies

 

Dependencies define relationships between tasks. For example, "Task B cannot start until Task A finishes."

 

Creating Dependencies:

Method 1 - Using Linking Mode:

•Click the Link button in the toolbar (or press the keyboard shortcut)

•Click the predecessor task (the one that must happen first)

•Click the successor task (the one that depends on the first)

•A dependency line will appear connecting the tasks

•Click the Link button again to exit linking mode

 

Method 2 - Using the Inspector:

•Select a task

•Open the Inspector panel

•Find the Dependencies section

•Click "Add Dependency" and select the task it depends on

•Choose the dependency type (Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Start, etc.)

 

Dependency Types:

EasyGantt supports four dependency types:

•Finish-to-Start (FS): The successor cannot start until the predecessor finishes

•Start-to-Start (SS): Both tasks start at the same time

•Finish-to-Finish (FF): Both tasks finish at the same time

•Start-to-Finish (SF): The successor finishes when the predecessor starts

 

Editing Dependencies:

•Click on a dependency line to select it

•The Inspector will show dependency details

•You can change the dependency type or add lag time

•Lag time allows for delays (e.g., "2 days after Task A finishes")

 

Deleting Dependencies:

•Select the dependency line

•Press Delete or use the menu: Edit > Delete

•Or remove it from the Inspector panel

 

8. Resource Management

 

Resources represent people, equipment, or materials needed for your project.

 

Adding Resources:

•Click the Resources button in the toolbar

•Click the + button to add a new resource

•Enter the resource name (e.g., "John Smith" or "Photocopier")

•Select the resource type: Human, Material, or Equipment

•Optionally set cost per hour or per day

•Set maximum allocation percentage (how much of their time they can work on this project)

 

Assigning Resources to Tasks:

•Select a task

•Open the Inspector panel

•Find the Resources section

•Click "Assign Resource" and select from available resources

•Set the allocation percentage (e.g., 50% means half-time)

 

Viewing Resource Utilization:

•Click the Resources button in the toolbar

•View the resource list and their assignments

•Check for overallocations (resources assigned beyond their capacity)

 

9. Project Settings and Calendar

 

Project Settings:

Access via the Settings button in the toolbar:

•Project Information: Title, dates, and comments

•Working Calendar: Define working days and hours

•Calendar Exceptions: Add holidays or special non-working days

 

Calendar Settings:

Configure when work happens:

•Day Begin: Start time for work days (e.g., 9:00 AM)

•Day End: End time for work days (e.g., 5:00 PM)

•Non-Working Weekdays: Select which days are weekends

•Exceptions: Add specific dates that are non-working (holidays)

 

App Settings:

Access via EasyGantt > Settings:

•Display preferences (colors, labels, grid)

•Timeline scale settings

•Task list column visibility

•Default colors for tasks, milestones, and groups

 

10. Viewing and Printing

 

Changing the View:

Adjust how you see your project:

•Time Scale: Switch between Days, Weeks, Months, and Years views

•Zoom: Use zoom controls to see more or less detail

•Row Height: Adjust spacing between task rows

•Critical Path: Toggle highlighting of critical tasks

 

Printing:

To print your Gantt chart:

•Choose File > Print (or press Command-P)

•The print dialog will appear

•Preview your chart in landscape orientation

•Adjust scaling if needed

•Print

 

11. Importing and Exporting

 

Importing Projects:

EasyGantt can import Microsoft Project XML files:

•Choose File > Import > Microsoft Project XML

•Select the XML file to import

•EasyGantt will convert the project to its format

•Review and adjust as needed

 

Exporting Projects:

Export your project for use in other applications:

•Choose File > Export > Microsoft Project XML

•Choose a location and filename

•The project will be exported in XML format

 

Saving Your Project:

•Choose File > Save (Command-S) to save changes

•Choose File > Save As to save with a new name

•Projects are saved in EasyGantt format (.easygantt)

 

12. Tips and Tricks

 

Keyboard Shortcuts:

Learn these time-savers:

•Command-N: New project

•Command-S: Save

•Command-O: Open

•Command-P: Print

•Delete: Remove selected item

•Command-Z: Undo

•Command-Shift-Z: Redo

 

Organization Tips:

•Use groups to organize related tasks

•Use milestones to mark important dates

•Lock tasks that shouldn't be changed accidentally

•Use colors to categorize tasks

•Set task progress to track completion

 

Working Efficiently:

•Start with a rough outline, then refine details

•Create dependencies as you add tasks

•Use the critical path to identify bottlenecks

•Review resource allocations regularly

•Save your work frequently

 

Happy project planning!