How to Use Gantt Chart
The Gantt Chart, the core feature of Ploto, allows you to visually manage your project's tasks and schedules. With intuitive drag-and-drop operations, you can easily change durations and move tasks.
1. Basic Operations
Here are the most fundamental operations for the Gantt Chart. You can intuitively build your schedule using mouse actions.
Adding and Switching Projects (Multi-Tab)
In Ploto, you can manage multiple projects simultaneously within a single file. Click the 'List' button on the far left sidebar to open the panel, then click the '+' button in the Project section to add a new project. Added projects will appear as 'tabs' at the top of the screen. Simply click a tab to instantly switch between different Gantt charts.
Adding and Deleting Tasks
Click the '+' button at the top of the task list (grid) on the left, or at the right end of each row, to add a new task. To delete a task, right-click the task name and select 'Delete' from the menu, or select the task and press the Delete key.
Configuring the Grid Header Row (Columns, Sorting, Width)
The header row of the task list (grid) on the left side of the Gantt chart is where the display settings for the table live. It is easy to overlook, but setting it up gives you a schedule that shows only the information you actually need.
1. Choose which columns to show (double-click the header row)
Double-click the header row to open the 'Grid Column Settings' dialog. Tick the columns you want in the table from Start Date, End Date, Duration, Progress, Assignee, Kanban, Tags, ToDo and Priority (Task Name is always shown and cannot be turned off). Drag the grip on the left of each entry to reorder the columns as well. These settings are saved per view, so the same layout is waiting for you the next time you open the file.
2. Sort the rows (click a header)
Each click on a header cycles through 'ascending → descending → original order'. Six columns can be sorted: Task Name, Start Date, End Date, Duration, Progress and Priority. Sorting only changes the display — the manual order you built by dragging is kept internally, and a third click always brings it back, so you can freely compare tasks by due date or by progress.
3. Adjust the column width (drag the header border)
Drag the border between two headers to change a column's width. Use it when task names are too long to read, or when you want to narrow the table to give the chart more room. Column widths are saved per view as well.
Adjusting Duration (Drag & Drop)
Drag the left or right edge of a task bar (blue bar) on the chart to change the start or end date. Drag the center of the bar to move the entire schedule left or right while maintaining the duration (number of days).
Setting Dependencies (Links)
You can define sequential relationships (predecessor/successor) between tasks. Drag the circular dot at the edge of a task bar and connect it to another task bar to create a link (dependency). Double-click the link line to delete it.
Updating Progress
Drag the small slider inside the task bar left or right to change the progress rate (0% to 100%). The progress is visually represented by the darker fill inside the bar.
Task Details Settings (Details, ToDo, Memo)
Double-click a task or click the details button to open the 'Details Panel' on the right side of the screen. This panel contains three tabs where you can edit basic parameters, manage ToDos, and write formatted notes.
1. Details Tab (Basic Info Settings)
Configure various basic items related to the task, such as task name, progress rate, priority, duration, and start date/time.
2. ToDo Tab (Task Breakdowns)
Enter a detailed checklist (ToDo list) associated with the task. You can assign an individual due date and assignee to each ToDo item.
3. Memo Tab (Formatted Notes)
Write detailed notes or instructions for the task. Rich-text formatting such as bold, italics, and lists is supported.
2. Advanced Features
Features designed to make your project management more detailed and robust.
Holiday & Company Off-day Settings
In addition to standard weekends, you can register public holidays or unique company-specific holidays in the calendar. Days designated as holidays are grayed out on the chart and automatically excluded from active duration calculations, allowing you to create plans based on actual working days. *The function to import national holidays in bulk is a premium (Pro) feature (manual addition/editing is available for free).
Health Alert Line
Automatically evaluates task health based on current progress and today's date. Lines for 'Overdue (Red)', 'Delayed Start (Yellow)', and 'On Track (Green)' are automatically displayed on the left edge of the task bar, letting you identify tasks that require immediate attention.
Undo / Redo
Don't worry if you make a mistake. Just like in Excel, you can use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + Z (Undo) and Ctrl + Y (Redo) to revert or re-apply your recent actions step-by-step.