Communications, Group work: Gantt Chart
(Drafted May/June 2025)
There are many simple ways to create a Gantt chart. I could have drawn one manually in Adobe Illustrator or used a pre-made template. However, it was important to me that the chart functioned as an interactive working tool that my group could actively use and update.
Excel felt like the most appropriate option. It allows data to be edited as a project evolves, with changes automatically reflected in the chart itself, making it a living document rather than a static image. It was also important to me to properly understand how Gantt charts work, as they are a key document within many construction and project management roles.
Throughout the LinkedIn course, I edited the formulas to suit the data from the group. Normally, I would look up formulas on Google, treating formulas like following a cake recipe. This time, I used ChatGPT instead. It made the process faster and easier, especially when troubleshooting.
To build this understanding, I completed a LinkedIn Learning course on Excel for project management. As I had never created a Gantt chart before, this felt like the ideal opportunity to learn the fundamentals. While the course chapters were relatively short, working alongside the examples made them far more time-consuming and valuable.
Throughout the course, I adapted and edited formulas to suit the group’s project data. In the past, I might have searched for formulas online and followed them mechanically, like a recipe. This time, I used ChatGPT to help troubleshoot and refine formulas. This significantly sped up the process and helped me better understand why certain formulas worked.
AI is a contemporary train, and the tracks are being built whether we like it or not. However, like many tools, it also has the potential to be used responsibly. Climate scientists are already using AI to analyse and map environmental data in faster and more sophisticated ways. In this sense, AI could support more harmonious ways of working with nature rather than against it.
AI also reflects humanity itself. It learns from human behaviour, values, and bias. While humans are imperfect, collective actions (such as search behaviour influencing algorithms) show that technology can amplify public response and awareness. In this way, AI becomes a mirror rather than an independent force.
Excel has been one of the most valuable tools I learned to use during my senior school education. As a dyslexic and dyspraxic teenager living independently for the first time, it helped me manage my personal finances. Since then, it has continued to be instrumental in the administrative roles I have held. Supporting younger colleagues as they learned Excel themselves was a surprisingly heart-warming moment, made even more nostalgic by sharing notes over WhatsApp (a far cry from the MySpace messages of my teens).
[https://uk.pinterest.com/KyrasSketchbook/gantt-charts/]
[https://timelessstudioltd.wixsite.com/timeless-studios-ltd]
Referances
*Excludes AI chat for privacy reasons.
Goldmeier, J. (2024, July 29). Excel for Project Management. Linkedin.com; LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com. https://www.linkedin.com/learning-login/share?account=42447028&forceAccount=false&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Flearning%2Fexcel-for-project-management%3Ftrk%3Dshare_ent_url%26shareId%3DSreEQQQrQZWaWnxkVlbkbw%253D%253D. e-learning Course.
Leila Gharani. (2019). Do’s & Don’ts of Excel Spreadsheet Design (with Examples) [Tutorial video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LjXpCcibks. Group work - Gantt Chart.
Leila Gharani. (2024). Make Beautiful Excel Charts Like The Economist (file included) [Tutorial video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8NWRR0Fdg. Group work - Gantt Chart.
UN Environment Programme. (2024, September 21). AI Has an Environmental problem. Here’s What the World Can Do about that. UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environmental-problem-heres-what-world-can-do-about. Fact-checking: environmental AI issues.
University of Portsmouth Library. (2025). University of Portsmouth Library - Referencing. Port.ac.uk. https://library.port.ac.uk/ref/page838.html#t838. AI Referancing for Gant Chart.
Appendix A - Chat GPT
AI Chat: Excel Formula Exploration
You said:
why isn't this formular working in excel =(TODAY>[@[End date]])+([@Status]<>"Complete")
ChatGPT said:
Your formula in Excel has a few issues related to syntax and logical evaluation. Let's break it down:
Issues in the Formula:
TODAY> is incorrect syntax
TODAY() is a function and needs parentheses.
It returns the current date but should be compared correctly: TODAY()>[@[End date]]
Logical operations in a summation
+ in =(TODAY()>[@[End date]])+([@Status]<>"Complete") is used for arithmetic addition.
However, TODAY()>[@[End date]] and [@Status]<>"Complete" return Boolean values (TRUE or FALSE), which Excel internally treats as 1 and 0. This usually works for calculations, but you may want to ensure it's being interpreted correctly.
Suggested Fix:
Try using an explicit OR() function for clarity:
=OR(TODAY()>[@[End date]], [@Status]<>"Complete")
Explanation:
TODAY()>[@[End date]] → Checks if today's date is past the "End date."
[@Status]<>"Complete" → Checks if the "Status" is not "Complete."
OR(...) ensures that if either condition is TRUE, the formula returns TRUE.
Would you like additional help troubleshooting this? 😊
You said:
how do I make this formula show the whole date not just the year ? =YEAR(MIN(ProjectSchedule[Start date]))
ChatGPT said:
Your formula =YEAR(MIN(ProjectSchedule[Start date])) extracts only the year from the earliest (minimum) start date in the ProjectSchedule[Start date] column. If you want to display the full date, you should remove the YEAR function and just use MIN by itself:
Corrected Formula:
=MIN(ProjectSchedule[Start date])
Explanation:
MIN(ProjectSchedule[Start date]) finds the earliest date in the Start date column and returns it as a full date (including day, month, and year).
The date format depends on your cell formatting in Excel.
Formatting the Cell (if needed):
If the result only shows a number or just the year, you might need to format the cell as a date:
Select the cell where you entered the formula.
Go to the Home tab.
Click on Number Format (dropdown in the "Number" group).
Select Short Date or Long Date.
Let me know if you need more adjustments! 😊
You said:
How many weeks inbetween 11 february 2025 and 30th of April 25 (including the 2 weeks that the dates fall in)
ChatGPT said:
To calculate the number of weeks including the weeks that the dates fall in, follow these steps:
Find the start and end dates:
11th February 2025 (Tuesday)
30th April 2025 (Wednesday)
Determine the total weeks spanned:
The number of days between 11th February 2025 and 30th April 2025 is 78 days.
Convert days to weeks:
78 days ÷ 7 days per week = 11.14 weeks
This means the period spans across 11 full weeks.
Include both weeks that the dates fall in:
The first week (starting 10th-16th February)
The last week (ending 30th April, which is in the week of 28th April - 4th May)
So, we count one extra week at the start and one extra at the end.
Final Answer: 12 weeks
Would you like me to lay it out in a different way? 😊
You said:
Actuly 11 feb 25 - 29 april 25
ChatGPT said:
Let's break it down properly for 11th February 2025 to 29th April 2025, ensuring we count the weeks correctly.
Step 1: Calculate the total days
Start date: 11th February 2025 (Tuesday)
End date: 29th April 2025 (Tuesday)
Total days = 29 April - 11 February = 77 days
Step 2: Convert days to weeks
77 days ÷ 7 days per week = 11 full weeks
Step 3: Include the partial weeks
Week 1: The first week that 11th February falls in (starting 10th February)
Final week: The week that 29th April falls in (ending 4th May)
Since we're including both the starting and ending weeks, we add 1 extra week to the 11 counted.
Final Answer: 12 weeks
Let me know if you need a different breakdown! 😊
You said:
How do I make a sequance formular in excel , to number the 12 weeks in 1 row
ChatGPT said:
To create a sequence formula in Excel to number the 12 weeks in one row, you can use the SEQUENCE function.
Formula:
=SEQUENCE(1,12,1,1)
Explanation:
1 → Number of rows (since you want it in one row).
12 → Number of columns (12 weeks).
1 → Starting number (week 1).
1 → Increment by 1 each time.
Steps to Use It:
Select the first cell where you want the sequence (e.g., A1).
Type =SEQUENCE(1,12,1,1).
Press Enter, and it will auto-fill the next 11 columns with numbers 1 to 12 in a row.
Would you like the weeks to be displayed as "Week 1, Week 2, ..." instead? 😊
You said:
I would, but I would also like the spreadsheet to work out the 12 weeks
ChatGPT said:
You can achieve this by using the SEQUENCE function to generate 12 weeks and combining it with the TEXT function to format them as "Week 1", "Week 2", etc.
Formula for "Week 1", "Week 2", ... in One Row:
="Week "&SEQUENCE(1,12,1,1)
How It Works:
SEQUENCE(1,12,1,1) generates numbers 1 to 12 in a single row.
"Week "& adds the word "Week" in front of each number.
Formula to Calculate 12 Weeks from a Start Date:
If you want Excel to generate actual dates for each week, starting from a specific date (e.g., 11th February 2025), use:
=TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,DATE(2025,2,11),7),"dd-mmm-yyyy")
How It Works:
DATE(2025,2,11) sets 11th Feb 2025 as the start date.
SEQUENCE(1,12,DATE(2025,2,11),7) creates 12 dates, each 7 days apart (i.e., weekly intervals).
TEXT(...,"dd-mmm-yyyy") formats them as day-month-year (e.g., 11-Feb-2025).
Final Output (Example in Excel Cells):
A B C D ...
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 ...
11-Feb-2025 18-Feb-2025 25-Feb-2025 4-Mar-2025 ...
Would you like to adjust the format further? 😊
You said:
can you tell me a formula for excel to work out the number of weeks between two dates
ChatGPT said:
Yes! To calculate the number of weeks between two dates in Excel, you can use this formula:
Basic Formula (Full Weeks Only)
=INT((B1-A1)/7)
Explanation:
B1 = End Date
A1 = Start Date
(B1-A1)/7 → Calculates the number of weeks
INT(...) → Rounds down to the nearest whole number
Formula Including Partial Weeks
If you want to count partial weeks as a full week, use:
=CEILING((B1-A1)/7,1)
Explanation:
CEILING(...,1) rounds up to the next whole number if there's a partial week.
Formula Including Start & End Weeks
If you want to count the weeks including the start and end week, use:
=ROUNDUP((B1-A1)/7,0) + 1
Explanation:
ROUNDUP(...,0) ensures that even a single day into a new week counts as an extra week.
+1 ensures that the first week is counted.
Example Calculation
Start Date (A1) End Date (B1) Formula Output (Weeks)
11-Feb-2025 29-Apr-2025 12 weeks
Would you like to customize this further? 😊
You said:
how do I make this=TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,DATE(2025,2,11),7),"dd-mmm-yyyy") like this =TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,DATE(C2),7),"dd-mmm-yyyy")
ChatGPT said:
You're close! However, the issue with your formula is that DATE(C2) is incorrect because DATE() requires three arguments: year, month, and day (i.e., DATE(year, month, day)).
Correct Formula Using a Date in C2:
=TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,C2,7),"dd-mmm-yyyy")
Explanation:
C2 should contain the start date (e.g., 11-Feb-2025).
SEQUENCE(1,12,C2,7) generates 12 weekly dates starting from the date in C2.
TEXT(...,"dd-mmm-yyyy") formats the dates (e.g., 11-Feb-2025, 18-Feb-2025, etc.).
Important Notes:
Ensure C2 contains a valid date (e.g., 11-Feb-2025).
If C2 contains text instead of a date, Excel may not recognize it properly.
Would you like any additional formatting or modifications? 😊
You said:
how can I link the 12 weeks to the sequence formula
ChatGPT said:
To link the "Week 1, Week 2, ..." labels with the 12-week sequence, you can use the SEQUENCE function to generate both:
Final Formula:
= "Week " & SEQUENCE(1,12) & " - " & TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,C2,7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
How It Works:
"Week " & SEQUENCE(1,12) → Generates "Week 1, Week 2, ..."
TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,C2,7), "dd-mmm-yyyy") → Generates weekly dates starting from C2.
& " - " & → Joins the week number with the date.
Example Output (Starting from C2 = 11-Feb-2025)
A B C ...
Week 1 - 11-Feb-2025 Week 2 - 18-Feb-2025 Week 3 - 25-Feb-2025 ...
Week 4 - 04-Mar-2025 Week 5 - 11-Mar-2025 Week 6 - 18-Mar-2025 ...
Alternative: Separate Weeks & Dates into Two Rows
If you want weeks in one row and dates in another, use:
Row 1 (Weeks):
= "Week " & SEQUENCE(1,12)
Row 2 (Dates):
= TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,12,C2,7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
Let me know if you need further adjustments! 😊
You said:
how can i make this work =TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,E4,C2,7),"dd-mmm-yyyy")
ChatGPT said:
Your formula is almost correct, but let's ensure the references are properly set up:
Corrected Formula:
=TEXT(SEQUENCE(1, E4, C2, 7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
How It Works:
SEQUENCE(1, E4, C2, 7):
1 → Generates 1 row (since you want results in a row).
E4 → The number of weeks (make sure E4 contains a valid number, e.g., 12).
C2 → The start date (make sure C2 contains a valid date).
7 → Increments each value by 7 days (weekly intervals).
TEXT(..., "dd-mmm-yyyy"): Formats the generated dates in "dd-mmm-yyyy" format.
Possible Issues & Fixes
Check if E4 contains a valid number (e.g., 12).
If E4 is empty or contains text, the formula may not work correctly.
Ensure C2 contains a valid date (e.g., 11-Feb-2025).
If C2 has text instead of a date, Excel won’t recognize it properly.
Example
C2 (Start Date) E4 (Weeks) Formula Output
11-Feb-2025 12 11-Feb-2025, 18-Feb-2025, 25-Feb-2025, ...
Would you like to combine weeks and dates?
If you want "Week 1 - 11-Feb-2025", "Week 2 - 18-Feb-2025", use:
="Week "& SEQUENCE(1,E4) & " - " & TEXT(SEQUENCE(1,E4,C2,7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
Let me know if you need any modifications! 😊
You said:
E4="Week " & SEQUENCE(1,(ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1))
ChatGPT said:
Your formula E4="Week " & SEQUENCE(1,(ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1)) is attempting to generate "Week 1, Week 2, ..." dynamically based on the number of weeks between two dates (C2 and C3). However, it needs to be correctly structured.
Fixed Formula for Week Labels
="Week " & SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1)
How It Works:
C3 - C2 → Finds the number of days between C2 (start date) and C3 (end date).
(C3-C2)/7 → Converts days into weeks.
ROUNDUP(...,0) → Ensures that partial weeks are counted as full weeks.
+1 → Includes the starting week in the count.
SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1) → Generates a sequence of numbers from 1 to the total number of weeks.
"Week " & ... → Formats it as "Week 1", "Week 2", ...
Final Formula to Combine Weeks & Dates
If you also want to display the corresponding week dates, use:
="Week " & SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1) & " - " & TEXT(SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1, C2, 7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
Example Output
Week Labels
Week 1 - 11-Feb-2025
Week 2 - 18-Feb-2025
Week 3 - 25-Feb-2025
...
Would you like further customizations? 😊
You said:
im using excel, I am using this formula to work out if a date (in cel E5) falls between or within a start (R6) and end (S6) of a task. If it dose fall within that date the cell should say 1, or 0 if not =IFS(
AND(E$5 >= $R6, E$5 <=$S6), 1,
TRUE, 0
)
ChatGPT said:
Your formula is almost perfect and logically sound! It's already doing the right thing: checking if the date in E5 falls between R6 (start date) and S6 (end date), returning 1 if it does, and 0 if not.
✅ Working Formula:
=IFS(
AND(E$5 >= $R6, E$5 <= $S6), 1,
TRUE, 0
)
Explanation:
AND(E$5 >= $R6, E$5 <= $S6) → Checks if the date in E5 falls on or after start date (R6) and on or before end date (S6).
Returns 1 if true.
Returns 0 otherwise.
🔽 Simpler Alternative Using IF:
Since you only have one condition, you can also simplify the formula with a basic IF:
=IF(AND(E$5 >= $R6, E$5 <= $S6), 1, 0)
This works exactly the same and may be easier to read.
Optional Enhancement:
If you'd like it to be more flexible, for example, to ignore blanks or errors, you could add:
=IF(AND(ISNUMBER(E$5), E$5 >= $R6, E$5 <= $S6), 1, 0)
This ensures the formula works only when E5 contains a valid date.
Summary:
✅ Your original formula works fine!
✅ You can simplify it with IF if you prefer.
Would you like to apply it across multiple rows/columns (e.g., for a Gantt chart-style setup)?
You said:
it still isn't working, the date in E5 comes from this equation, could the two different formulas be interfearing with each other? = TEXT(SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1, C2, 7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
ChatGPT said:
Ah! I see what's going on now!
Yes, the issue is because of the formula in E5:
=TEXT(SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1, C2, 7), "dd-mmm-yyyy")
🚩 What's the problem?
You are using the TEXT function to convert the date into text format (e.g., "11-Feb-2025").
Even though it looks like a date, Excel treats it as text, not as a true date value.
As a result, the AND(E$5 >= $R6, E$5 <= $S6) comparison won't behave correctly because it's comparing a text string to actual date values.
✅ Solution:
Option 1: Remove TEXT() from E5 Formula
Instead of formatting the date as text inside the formula, generate actual date values and format the cell to display the date nicely:
=SEQUENCE(1, ROUNDUP((C3-C2)/7,0)+1, C2, 7)
Then, format the cells:
Select the row with the formula.
Go to Home > Number Format > Short Date / Long Date.
Or use Custom Format: dd-mmm-yyyy.
This way, Excel stores the value as a real date, so your IF or IFS formulas will correctly recognize and compare dates.
Option 2: Convert Text Back to Date (Not Recommended)
If you must keep the TEXT() function, you'd have to convert the text back to a date when comparing:
=IF(AND(DATEVALUE(E$5) >= $R6, DATEVALUE(E$5) <= $S6), 1, 0)
But this is less efficient, because:
DATEVALUE needs to parse the text every time.
Extra step, potential for errors if the text is not formatted exactly right.
🔥 Best Practice Recommendation:
→ Remove TEXT() from the SEQUENCE formula!
That will fix the date comparison issue cleanly.
Summary:
Problem: TEXT() turns dates into text, breaking date comparisons.
Solution: Remove TEXT() → Use SEQUENCE alone → Format the cells for display.
Would you like me to rewrite the full formula setup for you to make it clean and linked? 😊
You said:
Why is option 2 not recomended
ChatGPT said:
Great question! Option 2 will technically work, but here’s why it's generally not recommended — especially when you have a dynamic, structured spreadsheet:
🚩 Why Option 2 (using DATEVALUE) is Less Ideal:
1. Performance Overhead:
Every time Excel recalculates, it has to repeatedly convert the text back into a date using DATEVALUE().
This isn’t noticeable in a small sheet, but in large sheets (like a Gantt chart with many tasks and weeks), it can slow things down unnecessarily.
2. Potential for Errors:
DATEVALUE() depends on the text always matching a valid date format that Excel can recognize based on your regional settings.
If the date text isn't in a format Excel recognizes, you could get #VALUE! errors.
For example, "11-Feb-2025" might work fine in some locales but fail in others (e.g., if the day/month order differs).
3. Data Type Consistency:
Ideally, you want your date cells to store actual date values (numbers).
Mixing text-formatted dates and date-formatted dates adds unnecessary complexity.
It becomes easy to accidentally reference the wrong data type, especially when adding more formulas (e.g., sorting, conditional formatting, filtering).
✅ Why Option 1 (remove TEXT()) is Better:
Cleaner data: The date is stored as a true date serial number, so Excel knows it's a date.
Simpler formulas: No need to wrap comparisons in DATEVALUE().
Easier to format: You can control how the date looks without affecting how it’s stored.
Fewer errors, better scalability.
When is Option 2 Okay?
Quick fixes in a very small dataset where performance isn’t an issue.
If you're copying/pasting values and need to force Excel to interpret text as a date.
But as a general design principle, it’s better to avoid unnecessary conversions.
Conclusion:
Technically, Option 2 will work, but Option 1 is much cleaner, safer, and scalable.
Would you like me to help you set up a fully working example without needing DATEVALUE? 😊
