How to Use the Gantt Chart in CrmLeaf
All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Availability: All editions. Core feature - no add-on required.
Overview
The Gantt chart shows a project's work as bars on a timeline, with links between items that depend on each other. Use it when you need to see sequence and slippage rather than a list of open items. It also lets you reschedule work by dragging a bar instead of editing dates in a form.
How It Works
Each item in the project renders as a bar positioned by its dates. Dragging a bar changes those dates, and dependency links show which items follow which.
Open project → Open Gantt → Read the sequence → Drag to reschedule → Link dependencies
- Bars are draggable, so dates can be changed directly on the chart.
- Dependency links connect items so you can see what a delay affects.
- The chart reads the project's existing dates and stays in step with the task and milestone records.
- Changes made on the chart are changes to the underlying records.
Who Can Use This Feature?
User
- Open the Gantt chart for a project you can access.
- Read the sequence, durations and dependency links.
- Drag a bar to reschedule an item and link items that depend on one another.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator. You can only change items your role permits you to edit.
Prerequisites
- The project exists and is visible under your permission scope.
- The project has tasks and milestones with dates, because items without dates cannot be positioned.
- Your role permits editing tasks if you intend to reschedule by dragging.
For Users
Step 1: Open the project
Open the project whose schedule you want to review, then switch to its Gantt view. The work appears as bars on a timeline in date order.
Step 2: Read the schedule
Check the sequence and the overlaps. Look for items that finish after a milestone they are meant to deliver, and for long gaps where nothing is scheduled.
Step 3: Reschedule by dragging
Drag a bar to move an item, or resize it to change its duration. The dates on the underlying record change with it, so tell the assignee when you move their work.
Step 4: Link dependencies
Create a dependency link between two items where one cannot start until the other is done. The links make the knock-on effect of a delay visible.
Expected Result
The project's work appears as a dated timeline with dependency links. Dragging a bar updates the item's dates on the underlying record, and the sequence of the project is visible at a glance.
Why This Matters for Service Organisations
On a client engagement, the schedule is a commitment. A slipped dependency does not just move a task; it moves a deliverable the client is expecting and, where billing follows deliverables, the date the firm gets paid. The Gantt chart is where that sequence is visible, so a delivery lead can see what a delay actually costs before telling the client about it.
How It Supports Professional Services
- Dependency links show which later work and which milestone a slipped item puts at risk, which is the conversation a client engagement runs on.
- Because milestones are also billing points, reading the chart against milestone dates shows where a delay is likely to move revenue as well as delivery.
- Dragging a bar edits the real dates on the real records, so a re-planned engagement stays consistent with the task list consultants work from.
- What a user may move follows their permission scope, so a consultant can read the engagement schedule without being able to reschedule it.
Typical Service Workflow
Engagement → Schedule → Delivery → Milestone → Billing
The chart sits at the schedule and re-plan step. It reads and writes the project's own dates, so it is a live view rather than a planning sandbox; assessing whether the team has the capacity to absorb a moved date is a separate exercise, drawing on the Resource Utilization views where that module is enabled.
Other Product-Type Use Cases
Construction and solar accounts use the same chart for build and installation sequencing, where a dependency is a physical predecessor rather than a review cycle, and internal teams use it for any dated programme of work.
Related PSA Capabilities
- How to Manage Subtasks and Task Dependencies — where the dependencies the chart draws are defined.
- How to Create and Complete Project Milestones — the deliverable dates a slip is measured against.
- How to Use Resource Utilization Views — whether the team can absorb a rescheduled engagement.
- How to Use the Project Roadmap — execution performance rather than sequence.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Dragging a bar changes real dates on real records. It is not a planning sandbox.
- Items without dates cannot be drawn on the chart. Add dates to anything you want to see.
- What you can move depends on your permission scope, so a colleague may be able to reschedule items you cannot.
Common Scenarios
Example: absorbing a delay. A supplier slips by a week. The project manager drags the affected bar, and the dependency links show which later items and which milestone are now at risk.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| The chart is empty. | The project has no items, or its items have no dates. | Add tasks and milestones with dates. |
| A bar cannot be dragged. | Your role does not permit editing that item. | Ask an Administrator to review your permission scope, or ask the item's owner to move it. |
| A dependency cannot be created. | One item is missing dates, or you cannot edit it. | Complete the dates and confirm your edit permission. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does moving a bar move dependent items automatically?
Dependency links show the relationship between items. Confirm with your Administrator whether dependent dates shift automatically in your account.
Can clients see the Gantt chart?
Client visibility of project work is controlled by the project's client visibility toggles.
Is the Gantt chart an add-on?
No. It is part of the core Projects capability. The Project Roadmap is a separate paid module.
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