# Build a Gantt chart

> Lay out tasks or projects on a timeline, one bar per row from its start date to its end date.

Analyze · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-28

A Gantt chart shows when things happen and how long they take. Each row is a task, project or person, and its bar runs from a start date to an end date. Pick Gantt from the chart type selector.

## Fill the shelves

| Shelf | What it holds |
| --- | --- |
| Start Date | A date field for when each bar begins. |
| End Date | A date field for when each bar ends. |
| Category | The tasks or categories, one row each. |
| Color | Optional. Colors the bars by a field, such as status or owner. |
| Tooltip | Optional. Extra fields to show on hover. |

1. Pick Gantt from the chart type selector.
2. Drag your start date to Start Date and your end date to End Date.
3. Drag the task or project field to Category.
4. Drag a status or owner field to Color to group the bars visually.

> **Note:** A Gantt chart needs two date fields. It doesn't use Number of Records, so nothing is added for you.

## Format a Gantt chart

Open the format pane and find Gantt options. Both are on by default.

- Show today line draws a line at today's date.
- Show milestones draws a diamond for any row whose start and end are the same date.

## Build one from the chat

Ask the Analyst pane, or the Storyteller pane on a dashboard, for a timeline of your tasks. It only builds a Gantt chart when your data has two date columns it can use as a start and an end.

### Related

- [Build a chart](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/chart-builder)
- [Format a chart](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/format-a-chart)
- [Chart types](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/chart-types)
- [Reference lines and bands](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/reference-lines-and-bands)

Source: https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/gantt-charts