Managing Project Tasks from Gantt on a Project Record

You can do the following in Gantt on a project record without opening Gantt and leaving the record:

• Create, modify and delete project tasks and their dependencies.
• Create a project task hierarchy.
• View which work calendar is associated with a project task.

• View project task assignments and the resources or resource roles assigned, including external resources. Avatars enable you to see at a glance who is assigned to a task:

  • Avatars show the profile image of the user referenced in the Salesforce User field of the resource's contact record, provided you have the required permissions.
  • A is shown if there are more assigned resources than can be displayed.
  • If an avatar is not available for an assigned resource or if the resource is an external resource, the resource's initials are displayed.
  • If there is no resource assigned but there is a role assignment, the initials of the role are displayed. For example, if the role is project manager, PM is displayed.
  • If you hover over an avatar or any initials, the relevant resource names or roles are displayed.

If editing has not been disabled by an administrator and you have the relevant field permissions, you can update any supported field types on project tasks. For more information, see Editing Fields on Project Tasks and Changing Start and End Dates on Project Tasks.

Note:

Gantt is read-only if the user does not have read permission on either the Project object's End Date or Adjust End Date fields.

Tip:

To reload the data displayed, click . This is useful if, for example, project tasks or project task assignments were created or updated after you loaded the project record page, or if you have made a change in a different tab. If there are changes made to the project tasks or any other records on Gantt, you receive a message to reload the chart.

Adding and Deleting Project Tasks

You can add and delete project tasks using a toolbar button or the contextual menu.

Adding Project Tasks

To add project tasks or subtasks, do one of the following:

• Select a task, then click on the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut. A task is added at the next lowest point at the same level. If you haven't selected a task, the new task is added at the bottom of the hierarchy.

• Right-click a task or subtask, select Add Task from the contextual menu, then select one of the following options:

  • Above: adds a task at the same level above the selected task.
  • Below: adds a task at the same level below the selected task.
  • Subtask: add a task at an indented level below the selected task.
  • Successor: adds a task at the same level above the selected task with a dependency.
  • Predecessor: adds a task at the same level below the selected task with a dependency.

By default, project tasks use the project's work calendar, but if the project has no work calendar, project tasks use the 24/7 work calendar.

If you select a different work calendar, the project task's duration and details are displayed when you hover over the task in the Gantt chart view. Example: The project tasks start and end date would include a start time of 9 AM and an end time of 5 PM in its hover details on the Gantt chart.

The first project task is created on the project start date unless the project start date is in the past, then the first project task starts on the current date. Other project tasks are created on the start date of the project task immediately above them, unless that date is in the past, when the new project task is created on the current date.

All new project tasks have an initial duration of one day.

Deleting Project Tasks

To delete project tasks or subtasks, do one of the following:

• Select one or more tasks, then click on the toolbar.
• Select one or more tasks, then right-click and click Delete from the contextual menu.

Note:

Adding or deleting a project task automatically updates the Hours Remaining and Estimated Time to Completion field of its related parent tasks.

Editing Project Tasks

Editing the Work Calendar on a Project Task

To edit the work calendar associated with a project task:

1. Click the relevant cell in the Work Calendar column of the Gantt grid.
2. Select the relevant work calendar from the drop-down list. Only the work calendars associated with this project are available for selection.
3. Click Save. Your changes are displayed in the Gantt grid and the corresponding project task record is updated.

Notes:

If the Work Calendar column is not displayed in the Gantt grid, contact your administrator.

If a project task does not have an associated work calendar, the 24/7 work calendar is displayed by default.

Editing Duration on a Project Task

To add or edit the duration on a project task:

1. Double-click the relevant cell in the Gantt grid. When you hover over a cell, indicates it is editable and indicates it is not editable.
2. Type in the duration you want to give to a task. The edited cell is highlighted when you click away from it in the grid.
3. Review your changes.
4. [Optional] Click in the toolbar to revert the data to the last saved state and discard all of the changes indicated by the highlighted cells.
5. Click Save. Your changes are displayed on the Gantt chart, and the corresponding project task records are updated.

Notes:

• Duration field supports both hours and days.
• Work calendar updates automatically adjust duration.
• Sub-task duration changes are reflected in the parent task if applicable.

Editing Fields on Project Tasks

To add or edit text on a project task:

1. Double-click the relevant cell in the Gantt grid. When you hover over a cell, indicates it is editable and indicates it is not editable.
2. Type in your text or overtype existing text. The edited cell is highlighted when you click away from it in the grid.
3. [Optional] Update text on other project tasks.
4. [Optional] Edit any additional fields.
5. Review your changes.
6. [Optional] Click in the toolbar to revert the data to the last saved state and discard all of the changes indicated by the highlighted cells.
7. Click Save. Your changes are displayed on the Gantt chart and the corresponding project task records are updated.

Notes:

• Provided an administrator has not disabled editing, you can edit a project task if you have Edit permission for the field you are editing and sharing access for the corresponding project task record. To obtain permissions and sharing access, contact your administrator.
• Although you can edit custom text fields and simple text fields like the Task Name, Description, and Notes fields, you cannot edit fields that are populated by PSA, for example the Assigned Resources field.
• You can add checkbox, lookup, picklist, and double type custom fields to your Project Gantt, and these fields are editable directly on the component.
• Actual Hours, and Override Estimated Hours fields are double-type fields that are read-only.
• You can view and edit the Estimated Time to Completion field only if you have Read permission for Actual Hours, Estimated Hours, Override Estimated Hours, and Timecard Hours. Automatic roll-ups are calculated for any related parent tasks and fields.
• If you reload without saving, the Unsaved Changes window opens, indicating that you need to click Continue Editing, Discard and Continue, or Save and Continue as required.
• Any modifications to a project task, such as addition, deletion, indentation, or outdentation, automatically updates the Hours Remaining and Estimated Time to Completion field of its related parent tasks.
• Formula field columns recalculate live in the grid as you edit related fields. Cost and Hours values update immediately, including on tasks you have added but not yet saved, and on parent tasks where the values roll up. You do not need to save the task or refresh the page to see the new values. Formula fields you do not have read access to are excluded. Date formula fields are also excluded: they are not recalculated live and remain read-only, because they are calculated in your Salesforce user time zone and cannot be recalculated accurately in the time zone shown in Gantt on a project record.

Changing Start and End Dates on Project Tasks

The following rules apply when changing project task start and end dates:

• You cannot move any tasks if editing has been disabled by an administrator.
• You can move both parent tasks and child tasks. When you move a parent task, all of its child tasks move with it. For more information, see Moving Parent Tasks and Their Child Tasks.
• A parent task's start and end dates span its earliest and latest child tasks. If you move a child task to a date that is earlier than the parent task's start date or later than the parent task's end date, the parent task automatically extends to cover the child task's new date.
• A parent task's length is set by its child tasks, so you can move a parent task but you cannot resize one.
• Dependencies between tasks determine when tasks are scheduled, and the lag set on a dependency is always observed. Tasks move in both directions: if a predecessor task finishes earlier, is shortened, or is deleted, its successor tasks move earlier to take up the time. You can move a successor task to start before its predecessor task finishes, which records negative lag on the dependency and overlaps the two tasks. For more information on dependencies between tasks, see Managing Dependencies Between Project Tasks.

You can change project task start and end dates from Gantt on a project record in the following ways:

• By dragging a task bar horizontally on the Gantt chart, keeping the length of the task the same.
• By dragging the right edge of a child task bar horizontally to a different end date on the Gantt chart, extending or contracting its length. To change the start date of a child task, drag it to your chosen start date first, then drag the right edge of the task horizontally and release it when it reaches the required end date.
• By changing the dates displayed in the Start Date and End Date columns on the corresponding task's row in the Gantt grid. On a parent task, you can change the Start Date but not the End Date.

Moving Parent Tasks and Their Child Tasks

You can move a parent task to reschedule all of the tasks beneath it in one action. When you drag a parent task on the Gantt chart, or change its start date in the Gantt grid, every task beneath it, at every level of the hierarchy, is rescheduled and keeps its duration. This is useful when a phase of your project slips and you want to reschedule it without editing each task individually.

Each task that moves lands on working time according to its own work calendar. Tasks that have already started move with the other tasks beneath the parent task.

Moving a parent task to an earlier date behaves in the same way as moving it to a later date, and you can undo or redo the move in one action.

If child tasks are connected by a dependency, the spacing set by the dependency, including any lag, is preserved when you move the parent task. If child tasks are separated only by unused time, and are not connected by a dependency, they move to start as early as possible under the parent task, so the gap between them is not preserved. To keep a specific gap between tasks when you move a parent task, connect the tasks with a dependency and set the required lag. For more information, see Using Lag for Project Scheduling.

If a move is not allowed because the task you want to move is a dependent task, move the task that is blocking the move to an earlier date and then try moving the dependent task again. For more information on dependent tasks, see Managing Dependencies Between Project Tasks.

Updating Start and End Dates by Dragging Tasks on the Gantt Chart

To change the start or end date of a task by dragging it on the Gantt chart:

1. Drag the task horizontally on the chart to your chosen start date without changing its length.
2. [Optional] Increase or decrease the length of the task by dragging the right edge of the task horizontally and releasing it when it reaches the required end date.
3. [Optional] Drag other child tasks to change their start and end dates.
4. Review your changes.
5. [Optional] Click to return the Gantt chart to its last saved state and discard all of the changes you have made. Changes are indicated by highlighted cells in the Start Date and End Date columns in the Gantt grid.
6. Click Save.

Updating Start and End Dates by Changing Task Dates in the Gantt Grid

On a parent task, you can change the start date but not the end date, because a parent task's end date is derived from its child tasks. When you change a parent task's start date, the tasks beneath it are rescheduled and keep their durations, in the same way as when you drag the parent task on the Gantt chart. For more information, see Moving Parent Tasks and Their Child Tasks.

To change the start date or end date of a task by amending the dates in the Start Date & Time and End Date & Time columns in the Gantt grid:

1. Double-click the cell in the grid you want to update and select a date from the calendar. Updated cells are highlighted to indicate unsaved changes.
2. [Optional] Update other cells in the Start Date and End Date columns, as required.
3. Review your changes. You can view the bars representing the tasks in the Gantt chart to see the effect.
4. [Optional] Click to return the Gantt chart to its last saved state and discard all of the changes you have made.
5. Click Save.

Notes:

• If the Start Date & Time and End Date & Time columns are not displayed in the Gantt grid, contact your administrator.
• If is displayed in the Start Date & Time and End Date & Time columns in the Gantt grid and you cannot drag project tasks on the Gantt chart, it means you do not have the required permissions to change task start and end dates.
• If a project task has an associated work calendar that contains non-working days and you try to move a task to a non-working day, the task will automatically jump to the next available working day. You can change the work calendar associated with a task by selecting an alternative work calendar from the Work Calendar column in the Gantt grid. For tasks without an associated work calendar, the 24/7 work calendar is displayed by default. For more information, see Editing the Work Calendar on a Project Task.
• If you change the Start Date & Time or End Date & Time fields on a project task record and save, the update is reflected in the Gantt chart on a project record on reload.
• If any errors occur when saving changes, is displayed on the affected rows. To view details of the errors, click . Errors take precedence over any over allocation warnings, therefore if is displayed, there might still be over allocated resources on that same row. If this is the case, the icon becomes visible when you resolve the error.
• Selecting the Adjust End Date field automatically sets the project end date to the latest project task end date, maintaining alignment with the project's actual duration.

View the assignment or resource request associated with a project task assignment in the Assignment or Resource Request field.

Replicating Cell Values

You can copy a cell's value to other task rows without editing each row individually. When you select an editable cell or a range of cells, a fill handle is displayed in the bottom-right corner of the selection. Drag the handle up or down the Gantt grid to copy the value or values to the rows you drag over. Dragging horizontally does not copy values.

To copy a repeating pattern, select two or more cells before you drag, and the values are extended following the same pattern. Blank cells are copied as blank.

You can also replicate a task's assigned resources. Drag the fill handle on the Assigned Resources column to copy the resources and their allocation to the tasks you drag over, replacing any resources already on those tasks. Dragging from an empty cell removes the resources from the tasks you drag over. You can replicate assigned resources only if you have permission to manage resources.

Notes:

• Read-only columns, such as WBS and Alerts, do not display a fill handle.
• You cannot copy values to the Predecessors and Successors columns.
• You cannot copy values to the Synchronize Milestone and Task column.
• Parent tasks are skipped when you replicate dates, duration, or assigned resources, because these values are rolled up from their child tasks.

Filtering Project Tasks

You can use the filter panel to focus on the project tasks you want to view:

1. Click to open the filter panel.
2. Specify the filters you want to apply to the project tasks displayed in Gantt on a project record.
3. Click Apply.
4. [Optional] Click Reset to revert to the default filter values.
5. [Optional] Click to close the filter panel.

Notes:

• You must be assigned Read permission for all project task assignment fields on the filter panel. The default project task assignment fields are hidden if permission is not assigned.
• Times are not taken into account by the filter, only dates are filtered for all date time fields.
• You cannot filter the Work Calendar column in Gantt on a project record.
• To filter project tasks based on the Record Type field, ensure that the record type is created for the Project Task object. Additionally, you need to create a field set and add record type field to it. After this, the record type is visible on the filter panel.

The Resource Role and External Resource fields are available for multi-selection. In the Resource Role field, you can select multiple resource roles to filter by. In the External Resource Field, you can select multiple external resources attached to the current project's Project Task Assignments when filtering.

Saving Filter Sets

To save your filter selections in a new filter set:

1. Select the required filters.
2. Click Save As in the filter panel menu.
3. Enter a name for your filter set.
4. Select the required sharing settings for your filter set.
5. Click Save.

You can also click Save in the filter panel menu to save filter selections to an existing filter set.

Your filter set is saved and displayed in the Saved Filters drop-down list in the filter panel. To set the default of your saved filter, click and select Set as Default.

Sharing settings can be set individually for each saved filter set. When saving or editing, select one of the following options:

• Only I can see this filter, making it a private filter set.
• All users can see this filter, making it a public filter set.

When you open the Saved Filters option, all filter sets are displayed under the Public or Private category, based on their sharing settings. When filter sets are set to Only I can see this filter, other users cannot edit, delete, share, or save your filter sets. These options are hidden from other users.

To remove the default state from your filter set, click and select Remove Default.

Editing Filter Sets

To edit your filter sets in the filter panel:

1. Select your required filter set from the Saved Filters drop-down list.
2. Click , and then click Edit.
3. [Optional] Rename your filter set and click Save.
4. Edit the selected filters in the filter panel, as required.
5. Click , and then click Save.

Your filter set is updated.

Deleting Filter Sets

To delete a saved filter in the filter panel:

1. Select your required filter selection from the Saved Filters drop-down list.
2. Click , and then click Delete.
3. Click Delete to confirm.

The visibility of the Apply, Clear, and Reset filter buttons changes, based on the actions performed in the filter panel:

• When the filter panel is empty, no header buttons are displayed.
• When you edit filter values, the Apply and Clear buttons display.
• After you apply changes to the filters, only the Clear button display.
• The Apply and Clear buttons display when a non-default filter set is selected under saved filters.
• When a default filter set is selected under saved filters, only the Clear button display.
• When you select a default filter set and edit more filter values, the Apply, Clear, and Reset buttons display.

The subtitle text for Gantt on a project record also updates according to the filters applied.

Identifying Over Allocated Resources

From Gantt on a project record, you can see immediately when a project task has over allocated resources so that you can take action to reduce potential delivery risks on the current project. To show or hide details of overallocation, click in the toolbar. If is not available, contact your administrator.

Warning:

If there are too many schedules and schedule exceptions for Gantt to load for the current project, a message is displayed and you cannot use the overallocation feature. In these circumstances, click to hide overallocation on this project. You might still be able to view overallocation details on other projects that include fewer schedules and schedule exceptions.

Overallocation is indicated in the following ways:

• Days or date ranges when resources are over allocated are shaded in gray with a red outline on the Gantt timeline. Hovering over the header at the top of the shading displays a tooltip listing the resources who are over allocated during that day or date range.
• is displayed in a row containing a project task with resources assigned who are over allocated during that task. If you click , a list of the over allocated resources is displayed.

Note:

If any errors occur when saving changes, is displayed on the affected rows. To view details of the errors, click . Errors take precedence over any over allocation warnings, therefore if is displayed, there might still be over allocated resources on that same row. If this is the case, the icon becomes visible when you resolve the error.

Using the Impact Details Panel

Over allocated resources can also be viewed in the Impact Details panel by clicking . If the Impact Details panel or Check Impacts button are not displayed, contact your administrator.

When making staffing or scheduling changes, click Check Impacts, to ensure resources are not being over allocated by your changes. Impacted resources and project tasks are displayed in the Impact Details panel by project task, in order of total overallocation hours. The most severely impacted project task by total overallocation hours is displayed at the top, and labeled with Highest Over Allocated Hours.

In each project task section in the Impact Details panel, the over allocated hours is displayed as a number and as a percentage. There is also a bar visually displaying the resource's scheduled hours and how many hours they are over allocated. Hovering over provides information on how utilization is calculated.

The Impact Details panel also displays the over allocated resources assigned to the project tasks, and their avatar if added. The Impact panel also displays the date range of overallocation when overallocation occurs over several dates. When overallocation occurs on a single date, only that date is displayed.

Making Changes to Project Tasks and Project Task Assignments

New, unsaved project tasks are not included in the overallocation calculation when checking impacts. New, unsaved project tasks must be saved to be included. Additionally, clearing the assignment or resource request on a project task assignment (PTA) excludes the hours previously scheduled against the PTA from the overallocation calculation when checking impacts.

Once changes are saved, the allocation calculation factors in the following changes to project tasks:

• Changes made to the following fields on existing or removed project tasks:

  • Start dates
  • End Dates
  • Project duration
  • Work Calendar
  • Estimated Hours

• The following changes to project task assignments (PTAs), or added or removed PTAs, on existing tasks:

  • Changes to the resource, including removal
  • Changes to the allocation hours
  • Changes to the allocation percentage
  • Changes to the assignment or resource request, including removal

Note:

The Impact Details panel displays a maximum of 100 project tasks and 50 resources per project task. Over allocated project tasks and resources beyond these limits are not displayed.

For additional information on how tasks are displayed in Gantt on a project record, including color-coding, see Gantt Chart Controls.

Searching for a Project Task

To search for a project task using the Search field in the toolbar, start typing characters from anywhere in the project task name. PSA searches the tasks on the current project and narrows down the search results as you type. If you can't find a project task, check your filters as they might be filtering out the task you are looking for.

Notes:

If you click Export after searching, only the tasks returned in the search results are exported.

Lines indicating dependencies between project tasks are only displayed if both project tasks are returned in the search results. For more information on dependencies, see Managing Dependencies Between Project Tasks.

Parent tasks are always displayed to provide context for child tasks returned in a search.

Synchronizing Milestones and Project Tasks

You can synchronize milestones and project tasks by selecting the Synchronize Milestones and Tasks checkbox in Gantt.

Selecting this field makes the Milestone field mandatory, and ensures milestone target dates are updated in-line with project task end dates. When project task end dates are updated, the target date of the milestone updates to match.

Additionally, removing a milestone from a project task outside of Gantt automatically deselects the Synchronize Milestones and Tasks field, and removes the milestone from Gantt on a project record once the grid is reloaded.

Note:

It is not possible to synchronize a milestone to more than one project task.

Undoing and Redoing Actions in Gantt

To undo or redo actions on the Gantt on a project record:

• Click from the toolbar to undo the changes made in Gantt, up to the last save.
• Click from the toolbar to redo the previous undo actions.

You can also use keyboard shortcuts to undo or redo the changes in Gantt:

• Select CTRL or CMD + Z to undo.
• Select CTRL or CMD + Shift + Z to redo.

Using Lag for Project Scheduling

Gantt on a project record supports the use of lag, to provide accurate project schedules with realistic time delays. Lag enables you to set a time duration between project tasks, on the Predecessor and Successor columns in the grid.

To enter a lag duration in Gantt on a project record:

1. Go to the row in the grid containing the project task to add a lag duration for.
2. In the Predecessor or Successor column, select the project task to create a dependency for. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) number is entered in the column,
3. Enter the project lag duration in the same column, next to the WBS number of the dependent task. This is formatted using + to indicate adding time. For example, "1.1+3d" indicates a dependency to the project task with a WBS number of 1.1, and 3 days of lag after the initial project task is completed.
4. Click Save.

You have added lag durations between your dependent project tasks in Gantt on a project record.

Adjusting Lag by Moving Tasks

As well as entering lag in the grid, you can adjust the lag between dependent project tasks by moving them on the Gantt chart:

• Moving a predecessor task moves its successor tasks with it, and the lag between them is unchanged. This applies in both directions, so moving a predecessor task earlier moves its successor tasks earlier too.
• Moving a successor task later increases the lag between it and its predecessor, and moving a successor task earlier reduces the lag. If you move a successor task before its predecessor, negative lag is recorded and the two tasks can overlap.

Moving a task and entering lag in the grid produces the same result. For example, dragging a successor task three days later and entering a lag of three days both set the lag on the dependency to three days. This means you can overlap two tasks either by dragging the successor task earlier or by entering a negative lag value.

Changing a task's dates in the grid has the same effect as dragging it on the chart. If a successor task has more than one predecessor, the lag is updated on each of its dependencies.

Notes:

• Lag calculations respect work calendars, and automatically adjust based on the hours of work calendars.
• You can only enter lag durations in hours and days, represented by "h" and "d" respectively.
• Negative lag overlaps a successor task with its predecessor. You can enter a negative lag value in the grid, or drag the successor task to start before its predecessor.
• Lag is recorded in whole hours or days. If a dependency's lag is in hours and the successor task's duration is in days, the lag is recorded in days.
• You cannot record lag in hours when the duration of the successor task is measured in days.

Working in the Project Time Zone

Gantt on a project record displays project task dates and times in the project's time zone. This means everyone who plans the project sees the same dates and times, even when they work in different time zones from each other or from the project. The project time zone is taken from the Time Zone field on the project. If the project does not have a time zone set, Gantt uses your Salesforce user time zone instead.

When you edit and save project task dates and times, or export the data, Gantt uses the same time zone, so the values you see, save, and export remain consistent.

To help you keep track of which time zone is in use:

• The toolbar displays the time zone in use as subtext, for example, Project Time Zone: America/New_York.
• When the project's time zone is different from your Salesforce user time zone, the Record Details panel displays a banner to tell you that the time zone shown in Gantt differs from the time zone shown in the panel.

Note:

Your administrator must add the Time Zone field to your Project page layouts for you to set a time zone for a project. Gantt supports only Salesforce-supported time zones. For more information about using time zones when scheduling across regions, see Using Time Zones in Gantt.

Viewing Project Tasks

To bring a project task into view on the Gantt chart, click the project task name on the relevant row. If you hover over a project task, a tooltip is displayed containing the task name and the start and end dates.

Child tasks are displayed underneath their parent tasks on the Gantt chart. The start and end dates of parent tasks reflect the details within the child tasks. For more information on how the tasks are displayed, including the color-coding, see Gantt Chart Controls.

If a work calendar A calendar that defines the working days, hours and public holidays for a resource, region, practice or group. is associated with the project or a project task, any non-working time is shaded gray on the Gantt chart. The work calendar associated with a task is displayed in the Work Calendar column in the Gantt grid and can be edited from there if required. If the work calendar column is not visible, contact your administrator. For more information about work calendars and holidays, see About Time Periods, Work Calendars, and Holidays and Using Work Calendars in Gantt.

If is selected in the toolbar, days or date ranges when resources are over allocated are shaded in gray with a red outline on the Gantt timeline. For more information, see .

Warning:

If the time zone used by your operating system is different from your Salesforce user time zone, the dates and times on the project tasks might be inaccurate.

Viewing Record Details

To view more information about a project task from the Gantt chart on a project record, do one of the following:

• Select the task and click .
• Double-click the project task's bar on the Gantt chart.

The information is displayed on the Task tab in a Record Details panel. The fields on the Task tab are controlled by your administrator. Any details you don't have permission to view are omitted.

To view details of resources that are related to the currently selected task, you can switch from the Task tab to the Resources tab in the Record Details panel. Alternatively, you can double-click a resource's avatar or initials that are displayed in the Assigned Resources column to open the Resources tab in the Record Details panel. You cannot view details of external resources or a resource's role.

You can also view the information associated with the assigned milestone in the Milestone tab.

The following fields are displayed by default in the Milestone tab:

• Name
• Status
• Target Date

Tip:

If there are multiple resources assigned to a task, you can delete the currently selected resource from the Search Contacts field on the Resources tab, click the Search Contacts field, and select another resource from the list to view their details.

For information on permissions, see Permissions for the Project Gantt Lightning Component.

For more information about the Record Details panel, see Viewing Record Details.

Adding Comments to Project Tasks in the Gantt on a Project Record

You can use the Comments panel to view and track discussions for specific project tasks without leaving the Gantt on a project record.

1. Select the project task and click on the toolbar to open a dedicated comments panel to manage comments directly on project tasks.
2. Enter the comment in the text input area within the comment panel and click Comment.
3. [Optional] Click to edit the added comments.
4. [Optional] Click to delete the added comments.
5. Click Back to navigate to the list of all comments.
6. To view specific comments in a thread, select the required comment from the comments panel list.
7. Click to close the comments panel.

Note:

By default, you can view only your own comments in the comments panel, although you can view other users' comments if they are shared with you.

Customizing Gantt on a Project Record

Changing the Gantt Chart Calendar View

The default view available is Months but you can change it to Days, Weeks, Quarters, or Years. The option you select is retained between browser sessions.

To center the view on the current date, click Today.

Dragging and Dropping Project Tasks

You can move and organize project tasks by dragging and dropping them in the left-handGantt grid. You can also move multiple tasks by selecting them and dragging and dropping. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) numbers update accordingly when moving one or multiple project tasks.

Note:

You must be assigned edit permissions at the field level to drag and drop project tasks in the Gantt grid. Contact your administrator for more information.

Expanding or Contracting the Gantt Chart

To expand or contract the Gantt chart:

• Click to expand the Gantt chart to full view.
• Click to return it to its original size.

Expanding or Collapsing Project Tasks

To expand or collapse all the project tasks displayed on the Gantt chart:

• Click to expand all the project tasks.
• Click to collapse all the project tasks.

Gantt on a project record remembers which parent project tasks you individually expand or collapse in the grid. When you return to the project record, tasks retain their expanded or collapsed state.

Gantt automatically saves your settings as you expand or collapse parent project tasks.

Notes:

• Expanding and collapsing is saved in your local storage. If you sign in from a different browser or device, parent project tasks display expanded by default.
• Newly created parent project tasks display expanded by default.
• If you delete or move a previously collapsed parent project task within the hierarchy, Gantt ignores the saved state for that task.

Indenting or Outdenting Project Tasks

To indent or outdent project tasks displayed in Gantt on a project record:

• Click from the toolbar or contextual menu to indent the selected project task.
• Click from the toolbar or contextual menu to outdent the selected project task.

You can also use keyboard shortcuts to indent or outdent project tasks:

• Select CTRL or CMD + I to indent.
• Select CTRL or CMD + U to outdent.

If multiple tasks are selected, indenting or outdenting will apply to all tasks available to amend.

Note:

• You must be assigned field-level permissions to manage project tasks in Gantt. Indenting and outdenting is unavailable when Gantt is in a read-only state, or when permissions are not assigned.
• Indentation or outdentation of a specific project task automatically updates the Hours Remaining and Estimated Time to Completion field of its related parent tasks.

Managing Columns in the Gantt Grid

To reorder columns in the Gantt grid, drag them into the required position.

To hide columns that contain information you don't need, right-click the column heading and select Hide column. To show a hidden column, right-click any column heading and select the column you want to show from the Columns sub-menu.

To ensure that key columns in the grid always remain in view while you are reviewing or editing information in other columns, you can move columns to a locked position in the left part of the grid. To do this, right-click the column heading and select Move column to locked. To unlock a previously locked column, right-click the column heading and select Move column to unlocked. The column containing error and warning icons is always locked in the left part of the grid and cannot be moved. The Name column is locked in the left part of the grid by default but can be unlocked and moved if required.

Notes:

Any changes you make to columns are retained whenever you use the same browser on the same device.

If required, an administrator can use a field set to add custom columns containing useful details, in addition to the Name and Assigned Resources columns that are displayed by default. For more information, see Project Gantt Lightning Component Properties.

A WBS Work Breakdown Structure column contains data generated by PSA that is based on the hierarchy of project tasks displayed in the Gantt chart. The WBS Element Number field on a project task record is not linked to this column.

Predecessor and Successor columns are displayed by default but you can hide them if required. For more information, see Managing Dependencies Between Project Tasks.

Setting Gantt Preferences

You can set your own preferences for Gantt on a project record from the Preferences panel:

1. Click in the toolbar to open the panel.
2. Select or deselect Reload on Save. When selected, Gantt on a project record reloads automatically after you click Save, so that you immediately see the effect of your changes. This preference is selected by default.
3. Click Apply to save your preferences.
4. [Optional] Click Reset to restore the default preferences.

Your preferences are retained whenever you use the same browser on the same device.

Saving Changes to Large Projects

When you save, Gantt on a project record saves your changes in batches. This means that projects with large numbers of project tasks and project task assignments save reliably. Batching happens automatically whenever you save, so there is nothing to turn on and the way you save your changes does not change.

If part of a save cannot be completed, the changes that already saved are kept and are no longer marked as unsaved. The remaining changes stay marked as unsaved, so that you can click Save again to save the rest.

Your administrator can control how many records are saved in each batch using the Save Project Task Batch Size and Save Project Task Assignment Batch Size settings. For more information, see Configuring Gantt Custom Settings.

Managing Resources on Project Tasks

You can manage resources on project tasks from the Manage Resources on a Project Task window.

For more information, see Managing Resources Assigned to a Project Task.

Project Task Issues and Risks

Risks

The Risks section is accessible in the Record Details panel by double-clicking a project task. This enables you to view all of the information associated with a project task without navigating away.

You can also add new risks in the Record Details panel by clicking and then New. This opens the Risks window, enabling you to create new risks. You can also link issues to risks and link risks to issues in these windows.

Click and View All to view all of the risks associated with your project tasks.

Issues

The Issues section is accessible in the Record Details panel by double-clicking a project task. This enables you to view all of the information associated with a project task without navigating away.

You can also add new issues in the Record Details panel by clicking and then New. This opens the Issues window, enabling you to create new issues. You can also link issues to risks and link risks to issues in these windows.

Click and View All to view all of the issues associated with your project tasks.

Viewing Project Status and Performance

You can view a project's status and performance on the Gantt chart by comparing the start and end dates of the project tasks in the baseline version with those of the project task:

1. Click and select Baseline.
2. The baseline bar appears on the Gantt chart. You can compare the project task dates in the baseline with that of the existing project task from the tooltip details displayed when you hover over the bars.

The following details are displayed in the baseline bar tooltip:

• Baseline (Version Name)
• Project Task Name
• Start Date
• End Date
• A warning if the project task has a delayed start or has overrun

The following color-coding is used on the baseline bar:

• Blue: the project task is in the neutral status and running on time.
• Green: the project task is running ahead of time.
• Orange: the project task is delayed or has overrun.

You can also compare the actual dates of the project tasks with their planned dates and analyze the status of the project task:

1. Click and select Actual Dates.
2. The actual dates bar displays on the Gantt chart. You can compare the actual dates of the project task with its planned dates from the tooltip details displayed when you hover over the bars.

The following details are displayed in the actual dates bar tooltip:

• Actual Dates
• Project Task Name
• Start Date
• End Date
• A warning if the project task has a delayed start or has overrun

The following color-coding is used on the actual dates bar:

• Blue: the project task is in the neutral status and running on time.
• Green: the project task is running ahead of time.
• Orange: the project task is delayed or has overrun.

You can also select both the Baseline and Actual Dates options together to compare them with the project task.

Notes:

• If the button or the Baseline, or Actual Dates options are not visible in the Gantt toolbar, contact your administrator.
• If there is no baseline data or no actual dates available for the tasks and you select that option, the option's bar is not displayed and you get an information message.
• If the project task has an actual start date but no actual end date, then the task is in progress. You can hover over the actual dates bar to view the task status.

Viewing the Critical Path

To show or hide the critical path The longest path of planned activities to the end of the project. This shows the earliest and latest each task can start and finish without making the project longer. This is the shortest time in which the project can be completed. of the current project in Gantt, click . If the button is not available, contact your administrator.

When the critical path is displayed, tasks that end on or after the project end date and any dependent tasks are highlighted.

Notes:

• Changing the end date or duration of any task in the critical path might affect the end date of the project.
• When using the critical path, we recommend that you select Adjust This Project's End Date in Gantt Preferences.
• For more information, see Gantt Preferences and Using Critical Path in Gantt.

For more information on the critical path and dependencies, see Using Critical Path in Gantt and Managing Dependencies Between Project Tasks.

Printing Project Gantt as PDF

To print the Project Gantt as a PDF:

1. Click the Export button.
2. Select Print from the drop-down menu.
3. In your browser's print settings, choose your preferred print settings.
4. Click Print.
5. Enter the file name for your PDF.
6. Click Save.

Tips:

• For best results, it is recommended to use Landscape orientation and A4 page size in your print settings.
• To improve the readability of the printed output, try to keep the timeline small before printing.

Exporting Data as XLSX

To export Gantt chart data on a project record as XLSX:

1. Click the Export button.
2. Select Export as XLSX from the drop-down menu.

The name of the downloaded file is automatically generated by combining the project name, the current date, and the user's system time zone in hours and minutes.

Exporting Data to Microsoft Project

To export the data to a file in XML format, click Export and select Export as XML. You can then open the XML file in Microsoft Project 2013 or later. The following data is exported:

• Project details
• Project tasks
• Project task assignments and the resources or resource roles assigned, including external resources
• Project task dependencies
• Project work calendar
• Data in custom columns

Notes:

• If you have used the Search field to narrow down the tasks displayed, only the tasks returned in the search results are exported.
• Project tasks are exported with a 24/7 work calendar.
• If Export is not visible, contact your administrator.
• The name of the downloaded file is automatically generated by combining the project name, the current date, and the user's system time zone in hours and minutes.

Exporting Data in Custom Columns

Data in custom columns is mapped from Salesforce data types to Microsoft Project custom field types as shown in the table below.

Mappings Used for Custom Columns

Salesforce Data Type	Microsoft Project Custom Field Type	Notes
Address	Text
Boolean	Flag
Date	Date
Datetime	Date
Double	Number
Email	Text
Integer	Number
Location	Text
Long	Number
Lookup	Text	Lookup fields are exported using the lookup record's name. For example, a lookup to a milestone called 50% Complete would export with the value 50% Complete.
Phone	Text
Picklist	Text	Picklists are exported using the label of the picklist value. This means the same value might be exported differently depending on the label translation. Multi picklists are not currently supported.
String	Text
Textarea	Text
Time	Text
URL	Text

There is a limit to the number of custom columns you can export for each Microsoft Project custom field type.

Warning:

Any custom columns that exceed the maximum limit for each custom field type are excluded from the export. Columns that are within the limits are still exported.

Maximum Number of Fields Available Per Custom Field Type

Microsoft Project Custom Field Type	Maximum Number of Fields Available
Date	10
Flag	20
Number	20
Text	30

To view the data in an exported custom column in Microsoft Project, click the Add New Column column heading when viewing the exported data and select the relevant entry from the column selection list displayed.

Notes:

If the time zone used by your operating system is different from your Salesforce user time zone, the dates and times on the project tasks might be inaccurate.

The character limit on fields exported as text is 255.

Microsoft Project does not support exported numbers with more than 14 digits.

You can't currently export Currency and Percent data types.

Data is exported in the order shown on the grid. If you exceed the maximum number of custom columns for a Microsoft Project custom field type, you can hide any columns you don't need as hidden columns are excluded from the export. To prioritize columns, drag and drop them toward the left of the grid so they appear earlier in the export.

Custom fields are aliased in the Microsoft Project export and appear twice in the column selection list in the following formats:

• Type: Column Name (Aliased Field)
• Aliased Field: (Type: Column Name)