The Gantt Baseline
- 5 min read
- Feature
Managing projects is quite difficult! Any projects have some kind of deadline; thus, it’s essential to complete the project on schedule and meet any interim deadlines. With the Gantt Baseline function, you may take snapshots to keep track of your project’s progress and better understand its course. Let’s start now! 😊
Note: Only our Pro and Enterprise subscriptions have the Gantt Baseline functionality.What is a baseline?
A baseline is a project management technique describing a project’s timetable. It may be used to compare the current project progress to the initially intended timeline (after any delays or revisions). Put another way, it’s a fantastic method to visually comprehend the project’s overall development over time. A baseline should be included at the start of a project to serve as a reference point throughout the project.
How to add a baseline
When your Gantt Chart is finished, you are prepared to take a baseline picture! In the “Baselines” part of Settings, click on “Baseline” at the top of your Gantt and choose the “Add a new snapshot” option. Gray timeline bars will be seen in the baseline photo.
Note: Before taking a baseline picture, remember that snapshots cannot be modified, so make sure your Timeline/Date Columns are tailored to your preferences.The “Baselines” area of Settings contains a list of your current baselines, each labeled with the Timeline Column it represents and the date it was made. Choose any baseline snapshot and compare it quickly to the present state of your project.
Tip: The baseline supports subitems! In Settings’s “Choose Timeline columns” section, choose which subitems you wish to show. 🎉 How are timeline changes reflected?
Items are transformed into a gray snapshot when a baseline is produced, and this snapshot stays in place no matter what happens to the items’ timeline after that. Items are shown in green when a project is on schedule. Items become red along with any dependant items when a project is delayed, and the timeline bars are extended. The baseline photos will appear above the objects as a gray shadow, providing a thorough overview at a look!
Baseline settings
After adding our baseline to our Gantt, let’s examine some parameters and see how they operate.
- Color by status
The “Color by” feature is automatically deactivated while viewing a baseline, and our objects are colored according to how they stand compared to our baseline. The baseline will always be shown as a gray shadow over the object in the same place it was during the photo shoot. An item will display in green if it is on time and red if it is beyond due. To observe these components, you may always look at the color legend at the bottom of the Gantt chart. 😊
- Hide and show baseline
By selecting “Show baseline” or “Hide” from the “Baselines” section of our Settings, we can quickly switch between our baseline and Gantt chart:
- Compare baselines
Additionally, we may change between various baseline snapshots by checking and unchecking the box next to the baseline’s name. When utilizing the widget and comparing projects from other boards, this is particularly helpful if we wish to compare snapshots from various project stages:
If we don’t choose any baselines, we will see our objects’ existing positions in light gray without a baseline in dark gray to contrast them with. If we lose track of what the colors on our screen stand for, there is a legend at the bottom! Simply click “Hide” to disable baseline mode and return to your usual colored Gantt chart.
What happens to my board?
Once a baseline is introduced, other things also alter, including the Gantt Chart. Your board experiences a few adjustments as well! Let’s examine these modifications.
- The Time Column is duplicated
When a baseline is made, we effectively take a momentary picture of the time column (the timeline or the date column). This function automatically replicates the Time Column(s) on our board. It locks them in place to maintain our baseline while enabling us to make any required modifications in the future. The initial dates are always shown in one Date or Timeline Column, and the baseline pictures are reflected in another.
- Formula Column is created
Once we’ve added a baseline to our board, including a Formula Column is the next alteration that takes place. We may want to know the difference now that we have a column displaying the original date(s) and a column showing the current date(s). The days between the dates in these two columns are automatically calculated in the Formula Column
Note: The baseline on your Gantt chart will also be removed if you eliminate these two columns.For further questions, please visit our Knowledge Center. To view the Knowledge Center, click the Home Page icon in the top left of your page, then select Help Center on the right side of the Home Page. Click Knowledge Center to visit our Help Pages. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact our team by selecting the blue “Contact Us” button.