Formatting a Gantt Chart

[JeffW]

MS Project newbie here...

Can I format my Gantt chart to show a 3 week period where Project
Manager will not be available? What I would like is to show all up and
down the chart (for all tasks), the time frame from 9/21 to 10/9 to be a
different color (gray or something) indicating no PM will be available
at that time. Is there a way to do that?

Hopefully I have correctly attached this simple example from MS Word
showing what I would like to do...

9480

Thanks in advance for any help.


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[Rob Schneider]

Project doesn't have that graphics capability built-in. What I would do
is use the camera icon to create a GIF file of the Gantt chart, and then
with a graphics program do it. There are lots that can do it. I guess
what I would do as a first choice is use PowerPoint, insert the GIF
image, and then put a partially transparent rectangle on top of the bit
where the PM is not available.

--rms

 

[JeffW]

I found that I could insert a text box or even a rectangle in there an
order them behind the bars... but it's not flexible enough to chang
with the Gantt views (it stays the same size no matter if my view is
week or the full chart). I've seen someone do this before... mayb
someone else will have an idea.

Thanks for your help.

J

 

[JulieS]

Hello JeffW,

A method that has worked for some folks in the past:
Create a new calendar (Tools > Change Working time) that is a copy
of your project calendar, except make the period of time from Sept
21 through Oct 9 non-working. Save and close the calendar.

Return to your Gantt chart and right click in the background to show
the shortcut menu. Choose Nonworking time from the shortcut menu
and set your custom calendar as the background. You can select a
different color than gray for the nonworking time.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[JeffW]

That worked great... perfect!!! Thanks...

Any idea how to watermark some kind of text in there saying something
like "No Project Managers Available"?

Thanks again for your help.

JW

 

[Rob Schneider]

I wasn't thinking of doing this inside Project ... I was thinking (to
keep it simple) take a "picture" of the Gantt Chart, with the camera
icon, and save to a GIF file. Add a translucent rectangle (plus
whatever else you want) to that image file (outside of Project) with a
graphics program.

The other approach suggested by Julie is also good. Not sure how you
can do much more, though, e.g. adding text.

I've just found in the past it was easiest to manipulate graphics in an
graphics program. Also something I could hand off to someone who knows
all about that to make something "pretty" for the publication.

--rms

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jeff,

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.

To your new question: you could add a text box using the text box
tool on the drawing toolbar, but sorry, no watermark.

Julie