Gantt Buttons, Controls, and Fields

These tables describe the buttons, fields and controls in Gantt:

Tip:

For some actions, you can right-click the project or a task, and then select the action from the menu. If you select multiple tasks, the items in the menu change to be relevant to the selection.

Gantt Buttons and Controls

Button Field or Control

Name

Description
Add Task Creates a new project task.
Delete Tasks Deletes the selected project tasks.
Filter Tasks

Opens and closes the filters panel. Applying filters enables you to reduce the number of tasks displayed in Gantt.

The button shows the number of active filters.

Outdent Outdents the selected tasks and changes their parent. When you make changes to the hierarchy, the start and end dates of related tasks, such as parent tasks are updated to reflect the changes.
Indent Indents the selected tasks and changes their parent. When you make changes to the hierarchy, the start and end dates of related tasks, such as parent tasks are updated to reflect the changes.
Undo Undoes changes made in Gantt, up to the last save.
Redo Redoes previous undo actions.
Expand All Expands all tasks in the task grid.
Collapse All Collapses all tasks in the task grid to the top-level parent tasks.
Button to open Task Editor Task Assignments Opens the Task Editor, where you can edit details, manage dependencies, and add notes for single project tasks. You can also assign resources and roles to one or more project tasks. See Task Editor Tabs, Buttons and Fields.
Create Assignments

Enables you to create assignments (default), unheld and held resource requests, based on the estimated hours, assigned resources and associated roles and milestones of the project tasksClosed A unit of work or collection of work associated with a project. and project task assignments.

Tip:

To hide this button or any of the options displayed when you click the down arrow, an administrator can deselect the relevant settings in the Gantt Global Settings custom setting. For more information, see Configuring Gantt Custom Settings.

Resolve dependencies button Resolve Dependencies

Resets any dependencies that are invalid as a result of:

  • Creating tasks using Project Task Gantt or the standard Salesforce interface.
  • Changing the date of dependent tasks in Gantt.
View Details

Opens the selected tasks or project in a new browser tab.

You can multi-select ten items, and each item opens in a new browser tab.

Graphic showing the current match number and total number of matches Find

Enables you to locate all instances of specific characters in the visible data in the task grid.

Found matches are highlighted. You can cycle through the results by pressing Enter, Shift+Enter, or using theButton to go to next match. or Button to go to next match. arrows.

This field is not case-sensitive.

Critical Path button Critical Path

Shows and hides the critical path of the project in the Gantt chart. Tasks that end on or after the project end date and any dependent tasks are highlighted.

Changing the end date or duration of any task in the critical path could affect the end of the project.

Tip: When using critical path, we recommend that you select "Adjust this project's end date automatically" in the Preferences dialog.
Additional Time Zone

When you select Hours in the Gantt Zoom Level field, this picklist is displayed.

This enables you to plan project tasks in a time zone that is different from either the project's time zone, if set, or your Salesforce user time zone.

The selected time zone is displayed below the primary time zone in the Gantt chart.

Zoom levels picklist

Gantt Zoom Level

Changes the chart view in increments between hours and years. The default view is Days.

When you select Hours, the Additional Time Zone picklist is displayed.

The zoom level affects printing. For more information about printing, see Printing Gantt Charts.

Project Time Zone

This field is linked to the project's Time Zone field, if set. All project task start and end times use this time zone.

If a project time zone is not set, your Salesforce user time zone is used and displayed in the Gantt chart, but not displayed in this field.

Save

Saves your current project task settings. The button is disabled if there are no changes to save.

Note: If you have navigated away from Gantt without saving, a confirmation message is displayed. However, this message is not displayed if you are using Gantt in Classic on Safari, or when using Lightning header navigation on any browser.
Reload Reloads data from your org without saving changes made in Gantt since your last save.
Return to Project Opens the project record.
Project Milestones Project Milestones

Opens the Project Milestones dialog, which enables you to create and edit milestones, and synchronize project tasks with them.

Tip:

To hide this button, an administrator can deselect Show Project Milestones Button in the Gantt Global Settings custom setting. The custom setting also prevents you from double-clicking on a milestone to update it. For more information, see Configuring Gantt Custom Settings.

Print

Opens the Print Setup page, which contains settings for printing the project plan. For more information, see Gantt Print Setup.

The option in the drop-down opens the Print Help page. For more information, see Printing Gantt Charts.

Preferences button Preferences

Opens a dialog that contains options to control the behavior of Gantt. Your preferences relate only to the project on which they are set and are maintained between Gantt sessions. For more information, see Gantt Preferences.

Help Displays the help page for Gantt.
Full Screen

Toggles Gantt to maximize the browser or minimizes Gantt to fit the Salesforce window.

Note: This functionality is only available in Classic.

Task Grid Fields

Field or Control

Description

WBS

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) number. Identifies the hierarchy of the project tasks within a project. This is generated automatically from an existing project hierarchy, and updated automatically as you change the hierarchy. WBS enables you to report on project tasks and their data.

Click this cell to select multiple rows when moving, cutting or copying data.

Tip: The first time that you open Gantt for a project that contains tasks, the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) column might not reflect your existing hierarchy. We recommend that you save the project before you make any changes.

Drag the control for a task to move one or more task rows within the task grid. When moving multiple rows, click the WBS cells before dragging this control in any of the selected rows.

When you move multiple tasks, their hierarchy is flattened to the level of the highest task.

Project Task Name

You can enter any name up to a maximum of 80 characters.

Start Date

The date when the project or task will start.

You can change the start date of tasks by editing this field, or by moving or stretching the task bar in the Gantt chart.

Note: You cannot edit the start date of a project.
End Date

The date when the project or task will end.

You can change the end date of tasks by editing this field, or by moving or stretching the task bar in the Gantt chart.

Note: You cannot edit the end date of a parent task or project.
Duration

The duration of the task. Non-working time, such as Saturdays and Sundays is currently included in the duration.

The default duration is one day. Valid units are days or hours, which you can enter as d, day or days, and h, hour or hours.

Estimated Hours

The estimated hours for the project task.

You can only edit the estimated hours for child tasks. Hours for child tasks are rolled up to their parent task, and the total hours are rolled up to the project.

If the task has been defined with an allocation type of Equal Split, double-clicking this field opens Task Assignment Manager.

Note: To remove an existing entry, enter zero in the field.
Note: In view-only mode, if you do not have read access to this field on the Project Task object, this column and the following totals are not displayed in Task Assignment Manager:
  • Allocation Hours
  • Allocation Percent
  • Estimated Hours
Actual Hours

A read-only field for the hours saved, submitted or approved on timecards for a task.

Hours for child tasks are rolled up to their parent task, and the total hours are rolled up to the project.

Timecard Actual Hours

A read-only field for the time completed against a timecard for a project task, where the timecard status matches any of those defined in the Timecard Statuses field in the Task Management Settings custom setting.
Assigned Resources

Assigned resources or roles for the project task. Double-click the cell to open Task Assignment Manager.

Note: In view-only mode, if you do not have read access to this field on the Project Task object, this column and the following columns are not displayed in Task Assignment Manager:
  • Resource Name
  • Role
Work Calendar

The work calendar used to schedule the start and end times of project tasks, including non-working days, such as weekends and holidays:

  • If a project has an associated work calendar, this is used and shown in the field.
  • If the project does not have an associated work calendar, the 24/7 calendar is used and shown in the field.
  • For tasks, you can also select a different work calendar from the drop-down list in the field. The list displays up to 500 work calendars, but you can start to type in the field to find the work calendar you want.
Blocked [Optional] If selected, indicates that something is preventing the task from being completed.
Notes Double-click the field for a project task to open the Notes tab in Task Editor. Enter plain text notes for the task, such as status updates. You cannot enter rich text, graphics or links.
Estimated Time to Completion (Task)

[Optional] Enter estimates of the hours remaining until a task is complete, including zero. Or you can leave the field blank.

The ETC of each parent task is an addition of the following values from each of its child tasks:

  • The ETC
  • If ETC is blank, the value for the task is calculated as

    Estimated Hours - Actual Hours

ETCs of parent tasks are rolled up to higher parent tasks, and these values are rolled up to the project's ETC.

Hours Remaining

[Optional] A read-only field that contains the following values:

  • If the Estimated Time To Completion (Task) field contains a value, this field equals that value.
  • If ETC is blank, this field is calculated as

    Estimated Hours - Actual Hours

Percent Complete (Hours)

[Optional] A read-only field that contains the following values:

  • If the Estimated Time To Completion (Task) field contains a value, this field is calculated as

    Actual Hours / (Actual Hours + ETC) x 100

    Note: If Actual Hours = zero, this field is also zero.
  • If ETC is blank, this field is calculated as

    Estimated Hours / Actual Hours x 100

    Note: If Estimated Hours is zero, this field is also zero.
Projected Hours

[Optional] A read-only field that contains the following values:

  • If the Estimated Time To Completion (Task) field contains a value, this field is calculated as

    Actual Hours + ETC

  • If ETC is blank, this field equals the Estimated Hours value.
Percent Complete (Points)

[Optional] When you change this value, the Points Complete and Points Remaining fields are changed relative to this percentage.

Points [Optional] Points used to estimate relative sizes of user stories in agile projects. Enter a number equal to, or greater than zero.
Points Complete

[Optional] When you change this value, the Points Remaining and Percent Complete (Points) fields are changed relative to this number.

Points Remaining

[Optional] A read-only field that is calculated as

Points - Points Complete

Task Grid Controls

Control

Description

Collapsed project hierarchy containing parent tasks and child tasks.
Expanded project hierarchy displaying parent tasks and child tasks.
A project task without child tasks.
Collapsed parent project task that contains child tasks. Click to expand.
Expanded parent project task that contains child tasks. Click to collapse.
A project task synchronized with a milestone.

Cell replication handle. Drag this handle upwards or downwards to replicate the contents of one or more selected cells.

For date or numerical cells, you can create a sequence by selecting two vertical cells with sequential values, and then dragging the handle to one or more cells.

For example, select two date cells that contain consecutive dates and drag the handle to the cell below. The cell contains the next date in the sequence.

Gantt Chart Controls

Control Description
Shows the duration of a project or a parent project task that contains child tasks.
Shows the duration of the project task. You can drag the bar to another date, or change only the start date and end date by dragging the control at the end of the bar

To edit a task, double-click the task bar to open Task Editor, where you can update the details of the task, including dependencies and task assignments.

Graphic of parent project task relationship handle

Graphic of Project task relationship handle

Relationship handles, available on parent or child project tasks.

If you want a project task to be dependent on another project task, you can add a link between the task bars in the Gantt chart. For example, you might want a task to start only when another task has finished.

You can add dependencies between tasks, or between parent tasks and another parent's children. You cannot add dependencies between a parent task and its own children.

A dependency link between tasks.

Double-click this to open the Dependency Editor, where you can change the type of dependency and the lagClosed This term is either a delay or an overlap between tasks in a dependency relationship. According to the dependency type, lag is added (or subtracted when a negative value) to the start or end time of the successor task. between the project tasks, or delete the link. See Dependency Editor Buttons and Fields.

A checkpointClosed A zero duration task record, which is used to represent an event in the project such as a key decision, completion of a work package, completion of a deliverable or end of a phase. Checkpoint tasks have no relationship with PSA milestones., which is a zero-hour task that represents a key decision or stage in a project.

A project task synchronized with a milestone. This can be shown as a zero hour task, a task with a duration, or a parent task.
  Indicates the current time.

Task Editor Tabs, Buttons and Fields

General Tab

Use the fields on the General tab to enter general details of the selected task. The start and end dates reflect the selected work calendar. To view the task's start and end date in another time zone, open the Time Zone Comparison panel and select a time zone.

Mandatory fields are marked with a red asterisk (*).

Task Assignments Tab

The Task Assignments tab enables you to assign resources and roles to one or more project tasks.

Button or Field

Name

Description
Add Task Add Add resources or roles to the selected project tasks.
Delete tasks Delete Delete the selected project task assignments.
View Details

For the selected resource, this enables you to open:

  • The project task assignment page. This is the default.
  • The resource's contact page.
  • The assignment or resource request page identified in the Resourcing Link field.

Each page opens in a new browser tab.

Allocation Types

Select an allocation type to use for the task:

  • Equal Split [default]: The task allocation is split equally between the resources or roles that you select.
  • Hours: Enter the number of hours to be allocated to each resource or role on the task. When you create an assignment or resource request, these hours are shown in the Planned Hours field.
  • %: Enter the percentage split of each resource or role on the task. When you create an assignment or resource request, the hours are calculated and shown in the Planned Hours field.
Resource Name  

A drop-down list of internal resources, with type ahead. Provided the Assigned to this project and Held on this project options are deselected, you can type unrecognized names, which are then defined as external resources. The list displays up to 500 resources.

Role   A drop-down list of relevant roles for the task.
Resourcing Link  

The name of the assignment or resource request for the resource:

  • If there is only one, it will be selected automatically.
  • If there is more than one, select one from the drop-down list.
  • If a resource request is linked to an assignment, only the assignment is displayed.
  • For external resources, this field shows "External".
  • If the resource is not linked to any assignments or held resource requests, the field shows "No links".
[Allocation Type] Allocation  

Displays the percentage or hours allocation of resources or roles to a project task.

Changes to allocations are reflected in any assignments and unheld or held resource requests.

Note: This field is not displayed for the Equal Split allocation type.
Estimated  

The hours currently in the Estimated Hours field in the task grid.

This is shown only for hours allocations.

Updated Estimate  

The allocated hours that will update the Estimated Hours field in the task grid.

This is shown only for hours allocations.

Allocated   The allocated percentage for the task.
Assigned to this project  

If selected, the Resource Name drop-down list contains only resources assigned to the project.

If the Held on this project checkbox is also selected, the Resource Name drop-down list contains all resources that are either assigned to or held on the project.

Held on this project  

If selected, the Resource Name drop-down list contains only resources held on the project.

If the Assigned to this project checkbox is also selected, the list contains all resources that are either assigned to or held on the project.

Dependencies Tab

The fields in the Dependencies tab enable you to edit the details of one or more dependencies linked to the selected task.

Field Description
Relationship The relationship of the dependent task to the selected task..
Project Task The name of the predecessor or successor task.
Type Finish to Start (FS)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task is complete. The successor project task cannot start until the predecessor project task is complete.
  Start to Start (SS)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task starts. The successor project task cannot start until the predecessor project task starts.
  Finish to Finish (FF)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to finish dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot finish until the first project task is complete. The successor project task cannot finish until the predecessor project task is complete.
  Start to Finish (SF)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to finish dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot finish before the first project task starts. The successor project task cannot finish before the predecessor project task starts.
Lag Lag time of a dependency between a predecessor and a successor task. The default lag value is 0 days.
Lag Units Valid units are days or hours, and you can set a negative lag.

Notes Tab

The Notes tab enables you to add free-text comments for a task. For example, you could add status updates.

Project Milestones Buttons and Fields

The Project Milestones dialog enables you to create, edit and view milestones and project tasks that they are synchronized with. Project milestones with synchronized tasks are displayed in Gantt.

Note:

If Project Milestones is not visible or you cannot double-click on a milestone to update it, check with your administrator because they can deselect Show Project Milestones Button in the Gantt Global Settings custom setting to prevent users from creating or updating milestones. For more information, see Configuring Gantt Custom Settings.

Button or Field

Name

Description
Add Task Add Adds a milestone.
Delete tasks Delete Deletes the selected milestones.
View Details

For the selected milestone, click to open the milestone's page. To open the project task's page, click the down arrow and select View Task, if available.

Each page opens in a new browser tab.

Milestone Name  

For existing milestones, the milestone name is displayed. For milestones that you've added, enter a name.

Target Date  

The target completion date of the milestone.

When you create a milestone, this shows the current date. To edit, click the field, and then select a date from the calendar.

Synchronized Task  

The task that is synchronized with the milestone.

If there is no task synchronized with the milestone, you can create a task, which is added below the selected task in the task grid.

Note: In view-only mode, if you do not have read access to the Milestone or Synchronize Milestone and Task field on the Project Task object:
  • This column is not displayed.
  • Tasks that are synchronized to milestones are colored as regular project tasks. See Gantt Chart Controls.
Desynchronize Tasks When you desynchronize a task, you break the link between the milestone and the project task. Changes to the task's end date or milestone's target date are no longer reflected in each record.
Status  

The milestone's status:

  • For existing milestones, this is populated from the milestone's record.
  • For new milestones, select a status from the picklist.
Exclude From Billing  

Select this checkbox if you want to exclude the milestone from billing calculations.

Dependency Editor Buttons and Fields

Double-click a dependency link in the Gantt chart to open this dialog, which enables you to edit the details of the selected dependency. You can also edit dependencies on the Dependencies tab in Task Editor.

Key:
R – Read-only

Button or Field

 

Description
From R The name of the predecessor project task.
To R The name of the successor project task.
Type   Finish to Start (FS)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task is complete. The successor project task cannot start until the predecessor project task is complete.
    Start to Start (SS)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to start dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot start until the first project task starts. The successor project task cannot start until the predecessor project task starts.
    Finish to Finish (FF)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a finish to finish dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot finish until the first project task is complete. The successor project task cannot finish until the predecessor project task is complete.
    Start to Finish (SF)Closed A type of dependency relationship between two project tasks. When a start to finish dependency relationship exists between two project tasks, the second project task in the relationship cannot finish before the first project task starts. The successor project task cannot finish before the predecessor project task starts.
Lag   Lag time of a dependency between a predecessor and a successor task. The default lag value is 0 days. Valid units are days or hours, and you can set a negative lag.
Apply   Applies any changes made in the editor. Pressing Enter also applies changes and closes the editor.
Cancel   Cancels any changes made in the editor and closes the editor.
Delete   Removes the dependency link and closes the editor.