Can I make time lines in MS Project?

[Doublej]

I am trying to build a master chart that has a list of unrelated items each
with a start and end date.

I would like each item to appear as a rectangular bar with a text
description equal to the task name inside the bar and the ability to color
each rectangle so I can create a legend for
the activates (i.e. finance = green, HR=blue, facilities=orange)

Can I do this in MS Project? If so how? I can use a Gantt chart to get the
rectangular bars with the proper start and end dates but they will have
neither the task names (didn't find that as one of the text label choices)
nor could I figure out how to make the rectangles different colors.


Thanks for the advice.

 

[John]

I am trying to build a master chart that has a list of unrelated items each
with a start and end date.

I would like each item to appear as a rectangular bar with a text
description equal to the task name inside the bar and the ability to color
each rectangle so I can create a legend for
the activates (i.e. finance = green, HR=blue, facilities=orange)

Can I do this in MS Project? If so how? I can use a Gantt chart to get the
rectangular bars with the proper start and end dates but they will have
neither the task names (didn't find that as one of the text label choices)
nor could I figure out how to make the rectangles different colors.


Thanks for the advice.

Doublej,
It sounds like you are trying to use Project more as a graphics
application than a schedule application and Project isn't all that great
with its graphics capability. Nonetheless, you should be able to do what
you want with Project.

1. To put the Task Name inside the Gantt bar, (just remember that there
is limited space), go to Format/Bar Styles and hit the "text" tab in the
lower half of the Bar Styles window. Designate "Name" for the inside text

2. Use a spare flag (i.e. Flag1, Flag2, etc.) to identify each bar that
you want in a particular color. Then go to Format/Bar Styles and in the
upper half of the Bar Styles window, create as many rectangular bars as
there are separate colors. It doesn't really matter what you put in the
bar "Name" field but for convenience you might call them "Bar color 1",
Bar color 2", etc. For each bar enter "Normal,Flagx" (where "x" is the
designated spare flag for that color) in the "Show For...Tasks" field.

3. If you want a legend, use the Drawing toolbar to add a text box to
the Gantt bar side of the view (i.e. right side of screen).

That should basically give you what you want, unless I misunderstood
something.

John
Project MVP