Can I display multiple time lines on a chart?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I am doing a chart that displays scheduled project timelines and costs. I
would like to add a second series shows the actual dates when items were
delivered and paid for while still showing the original scheduled dates. Is
that possible?
 
Yes, this is possible, but it's going to take a little more work. I'm
assuming you're using a stacked bar Gantt chart approach similar to the
one here:

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=343
http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/GanttChart.html

For each row in the original data source, you will now need three: one
for the budget, one for the actual, and a blank to provide spacing
between budget-actual pairs.

You can use the same Start column for both Schedule (Baseline/Budget,
whatever) and Actual. Use one column for elapsed Schedule and another
for elapsed Actual.

Create your stacked bar chart, with an invisible bar for "Start" (both
actual and visible bars for "Schedule" and "Actual". Using separate
series for these two makes it easier to format different colors for
actual and planned. Double click on one of the bars, and on the Options
tab, change Gap Width to 0.

You could get fancy and have two Actual columns, one for finishing on
time and one for finishing late. Formulas make sure only one of the two
had a non-zero value. This way, you could color code for on time or
late. (In some companies I've known, two columns would be redundant, as
nothing was ever on time!)

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
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