Template Issues

How to Increase the Excel Project Planner Period Selector Above 60

Khadija Khan Sep 25, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to extend the maximum limit of the period selector or highlight duration in a project planner template, which is currently restricted to a maximum of 60.

How to Increase the Excel Project Planner Period Selector Above 60

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing a pre-built project planner template to accommodate longer project timelines that require more than 60 milestone periods.
Observed behavior: The template restricts the milestone plan duration period highlight and selector controls, capping the input value at 60.

Before you start

Check if the template's worksheet is locked by navigating to the Review tab and clicking 'Unprotect Sheet', as most built-in planner templates restrict edits to controls and formulas by default.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify the Form Control Properties (Spin Button or Scroll Bar)

Use this method if your template uses interactive buttons (like a spin button or scroll bar) to change the period number. You can increase the maximum limit directly in the control's properties.

Many Excel project planners utilize developer form controls to make changing periods user-friendly. These controls have hard-coded minimum and maximum values that dictate how high the number can go.

Access the Control Properties

Right-click on the period selector button (Spin Button or Scroll Bar) in your spreadsheet and select 'Format Control' from the context menu.

Locate the Maximum Value Setting

In the Format Object dialog box, navigate to the 'Control' tab.

Increase the Limit

Find the 'Maximum value' field, which is likely set to 60. Delete this number and enter your desired maximum value (e.g., 100 or 120).

Apply and Test

Click 'OK' to save the settings. Click anywhere on the sheet to deselect the control, then click the selector button to verify it now goes past 60.

Modify the Form Control Properties (Spin Button or Scroll Bar)

Developer Tab Requirement: If you cannot select the control, you may need to enable 'Design Mode' from the Developer tab in your ribbon.

Solution 2

Update the Data Validation Rule

If the period selector is a drop-down menu rather than a button, its limits are controlled by Data Validation rules.

Solution 3

Extend the Gantt Chart Grid and Formulas

Increasing the selector above 60 will only work if the visual chart actually has enough columns to display periods past 60.

Customize Templates with Ease

Easily Modify Project Planners with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet offers powerful, user-friendly tools for handling complex templates. You can effortlessly adjust form controls, edit data validation drop-downs, and expand timeline grids to completely customize any project planner to your specific needs.

1. Open Your Template: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing Project Planner file.
2. Access Controls: Navigate to the 'Data' tab to adjust Validation rules, or right-click any interactive button to format its control settings.
3. Save and Share: Save your newly customized planner as a standard format to share with your team seamlessly.

Seamlessly open and edit Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xlt) template filesIntuitive Developer tools for quickly modifying Spin Buttons and Scroll BarsAdvanced Data Validation features to easily extend drop-down listsLightweight application that runs smoothly on all devices

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Format Control' option grayed out when I right-click the selector?

The worksheet is likely protected to prevent accidental changes to the template's structure. Go to the Review tab and click 'Unprotect Sheet'. If a password was set by the template creator, you will need to enter it before making changes.

I increased the limit to 100, but the timeline visually stops at 60. Why?

The selector control and the visual timeline grid are separate elements. If the visual grid only contains 60 columns with conditional formatting, you must manually insert extra columns and drag the formatting formulas across them to display the extended timeline.

Can I remove the period limit entirely?

Technically yes, but it is not recommended for visual planners. Removing the limit on a form control or drop-down is possible by clearing the Data Validation or Control properties, but your timeline grid is physically limited by the number of columns you have built in the sheet. Inputting a number larger than your grid will break the visual highlight.

How do I check if VBA code is restricting the period limit?

If changing form controls and data validation doesn't work, a macro might be enforcing the limit. Press ALT + F11 to open the VBA Editor, look for your worksheet module in the left sidebar, and check for a 'Worksheet_Change' event that limits cell values to 60.

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