How to Show Working Hours on a Microsoft Project Gantt Chart
Question details
The user needs to clearly display and differentiate working hours from non-working periods on a Microsoft Project Gantt chart for easier interpretation of task durations.
- Product
- Microsoft Project
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Interpreting task durations and timelines on a Gantt chart.
- Observed behavior
- Non-working hours are displayed by default, which makes the chart wider and task bars appear continuously colored, obscuring actual working periods.
Ensure your project base calendar is properly configured with your organization's specific working hours and non-working days before formatting the Gantt chart timescale.
Emphasize Non-Working Time Over Task Bars
While you cannot completely hide non-working hours, you can bring the non-working time shading to the front to clearly highlight working periods.
By default, Microsoft Project draws task bars over non-working time, making them look continuous. Changing the display order allows the gray non-working bands to visually break up the task bars, highlighting exactly when the working hours occur.
Double-click the time scale area at the top of your Gantt chart view.
Click on the 'Non-working time' tab in the Timescale dialog box.
Select the option 'Draw in front of task bars' and click OK to apply the changes.
Reduce the Visual Width of the Time Scale
Adjust the time scale labels and period count to condense the chart and minimize the visual impact of non-working time.
Create Clear Gantt Charts with WPS Office Templates
Microsoft Project can be complex and expensive for everyday project tracking. WPS Office provides a highly compatible, free alternative with ready-made Gantt chart templates in WPS Spreadsheet, allowing you to easily map out working hours and project timelines without the steep learning curve.
- 1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free and open the Spreadsheet application.
- 2. Find a Template: Search for 'Gantt Chart' in the built-in template library.
- 3. Customize Your Timeline: Input your tasks, working hours, and start dates to automatically generate a clear visual timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I completely hide non-working weekends in a Microsoft Project Gantt chart?
No, non-working time cannot be completely removed or hidden from the timescale in standard Gantt chart views. However, you can format it to draw in front of task bars to heavily emphasize your working hours.
Why do my task bars look continuous over non-working days?
By default, task bars are drawn over the background shading of non-working days. You can change this by double-clicking the timescale, navigating to the Non-working time tab, and selecting 'Draw in front of task bars'.
How do I change the default working hours for my project?
To adjust the actual working hours and days, go to the Project tab on the ribbon, click 'Change Working Time', and modify the default work weeks or add specific exceptions.
