Microsoft Energy BI is a superb analytical instrument and that alone is a profit for anybody managing a undertaking. Nonetheless, undertaking administration is greater than producing reviews and monitoring dashboards. Challenge managers want Gantt charts to schedule work, hyperlink dependencies, add assets and prices and observe progress to ship these tasks on time and inside finances.
Does Energy BI have a Gantt chart or can customers cobble collectively one and can it have all of the superior options that undertaking managers and their groups have to efficiently ship tasks? We’ll reply these questions and extra as we take a better have a look at Energy BI and Gantt charts.
What Is Energy BI?
Microsoft Energy BI is a knowledge evaluation software program that lets you use varied instruments resembling spreadsheets, pie charts, stacked bars and different forms of diagrams to visualise undertaking or enterprise knowledge, together with the Energy BI Gantt chart.
Energy BI lets you import knowledge from a wide range of file codecs and sources resembling Microsoft Excel, SAP, Oracle, Google Analytics and different software program and purposes, which makes it a flexible instrument that almost all organizations can use for knowledge evaluation.
Energy BI may help you higher analyze the information what you are promoting or undertaking generates so you may make higher choices. However is Energy BI good for undertaking administration? To reply that, let’s first overview the Energy BI Gantt chart, which is one in all its key undertaking administration options.
Does Energy BI Have a Gantt Chart?
The query of whether or not Energy BI has a Gantt chart is a vital one, however why? Gantt charts are a vital planning and scheduling instrument throughout tasks. It homes knowledge throughout the whole undertaking in a single simply accessible location that the entire group can entry.
Past being a visible instrument, Gantt charts can hyperlink dependencies to keep away from delays and set milestones to assist with monitoring. Gantt charts assist arrange duties, assets, prices and extra. Challenge managers use Gantt charts to interrupt tasks into phases and make them extra manageable. So, is there a Gantt chart in Energy BI?
Brief Reply: Sure, Energy BI Has a Gantt Chart
Energy BI doesn’t have a built-in Gantt chart function however you may nonetheless use it to create a Gantt chart by putting in the “Gantt” customized visible by Microsoft, a free app that enables Energy BI to map out knowledge utilizing Gantt charts. You will get this app from Energy BI’s AppSource, a web-based retailer wherein you will discover apps, add-ons and extensions for Energy BI.
Putting in this practice Energy BI visible is a straightforward course of that gained’t require you to go away Energy BI. We’ll clarify get this practice Energy BI visible, add it to your report and use it to create a Gantt chart in additional element beneath.
Lengthy Reply: Energy BI’s Makeshift Gantt Charts Lack Key Challenge Administration Options
The Energy BI Gantt chart extension lets you create a fundamental Gantt chart that may enable you to visualize your undertaking schedule and observe your group’s progress. Nonetheless, the Energy BI Gantt chart doesn’t have any undertaking administration options, which makes it a restricted instrument. It’ll solely permit you to create a view-only Gantt chart primarily based on the information that’s manually entered by customers however can’t be edited.
For instance, the Energy BI Gantt chart gained’t allow you to regulate your undertaking schedule by dragging and dropping duties or regulate their length by manually rising their dimension. There aren’t superior undertaking planning options resembling linking the 4 forms of process dependencies, figuring out the essential path, monitoring undertaking prices or syncing with different associated undertaking administration instruments like kanban boards, process lists, timesheets or dashboards.
Then again, ProjectManager‘s Gantt chart doesn’t require any handbook setup and has all of the undertaking administration options it’s worthwhile to plan, schedule and observe your tasks. Assign duties to your group members, create a undertaking schedule, observe useful resource utilization and monitor undertaking prices.
One of the best half is that ProjectManager’s Gantt chart syncs with its different undertaking administration instruments like timesheets, kanban boards, workload charts and undertaking calendars. So if you happen to’re in search of a Gantt chart instrument that may enable you to handle your tasks and collaborate together with your groups on-line, ProjectManager is a greater different than a Energy BI Gantt chart. Get began with ProjectManager at this time without spending a dime.
The best way to Make a Energy BI Gantt Chart Higher With ProjectManager
ProjectManager’s strong Gantt chart lets you hyperlink the 4 forms of process dependencies, establish the essential path of your undertaking, monitor useful resource allocation and observe process prices. Moreover, it lets you assign duties to your group members, set process precedence ranges and due dates and collaborate together with your group by sharing messages and information. Attempt it free for 30 days.
1. Export & Import Your Energy BI Challenge
Select the undertaking from Energy BI that you simply need to export and reserve it as an Excel or CSV file. It’s now able to import into ProjectManager. In ProjectManager, toggle to the Gantt chart view and click on on the import button. Click on “Choose File” and discover your Energy BI undertaking.
2. Add to New or Current Challenge
You’ll have to determine in order for you this knowledge to be added to a brand new or present undertaking. If you happen to’re including it to an present undertaking, you should definitely word whether or not to maintain the prevailing knowledge or delete it.
3. Select What Knowledge to Import
Then, you’ll have the ability to select if you wish to import all your knowledge from the Energy BI file or solely the duty listing. Choose the choice you need to import.
4. Success! Create an In-depth Energy BI Gantt Chart
When the “Success!” window pops up, the method is completed. Your Energy BI file has been imported and now you’re prepared to make use of an actual Gantt chart in ProjectManager.
Energy BI Gantt Chart Key Options
The Energy BI Gantt chart exhibits easy details about your undertaking duties, together with their title, due dates, length, p.c of completion and undertaking assets assigned to them. Listed here are all of the customizable knowledge fields that permit you to determine which knowledge you’d prefer to show in your Energy BI Gantt chart: process title, dad or mum process, process length, due dates, process proportion of completion, undertaking assets for every process and undertaking milestones.
Let’s take a better have a look at a Energy BI Gantt chart instance to higher perceive what’s included in a Energy BI Gantt chart.
Energy BI Gantt Chart Instance
This Energy BI Gantt chart instance exhibits a development schedule. On this picture, we will see the timeline exhibiting undertaking dates on the high, the left column exhibiting process names and eventually the stacked bar charts representing every undertaking process. Moreover, you may see how the colour fill on every bar is formatted to symbolize the share of completion of every process. If you happen to’d prefer to know extra a few process, merely hover over it together with your pointer and the Energy BI Gantt chart will show the undertaking process data you’ve entered.
Disadvantages of a Energy BI Gantt Chart
Energy BI Gantt charts can solely show a undertaking schedule primarily based on the information you present, however they gained’t permit you to make any modifications as soon as they’re created. This implies they’re solely a illustration of knowledge, however not a useful Gantt chart for planning, scheduling or monitoring tasks.
- Isn’t undertaking administration software program however knowledge visualization software program which explains its lack of undertaking administration options
- Adjustments to your undertaking schedule require creating a brand new report by loading knowledge and autogenerating a brand new Gantt chart
- No essential path evaluation, process dependency mapping, workload administration or undertaking cost-tracking instruments
PowerBI Gantt Chart Various: ProjectManager Integrates with PowerBI
ProjectManager is on-line undertaking and portfolio administration software program that gives instruments that enable you to plan, schedule and observe your tasks from begin to finish. It’s a robust platform that’ll enable you to handle key areas of your tasks resembling useful resource administration, undertaking scheduling, price monitoring, process administration and extra. Better of all, it integrates with PowerBI, so you may join your undertaking knowledge for in-depth evaluation.
You may filter for the essential path and set a baseline to trace deliberate vs. precise effort in actual time. On high of that, ProjectManager’s Gantt chart consumer interface is intuitive and exhibits detailed details about your undertaking. Now, let’s overview different causes that make ProjectManager the very best different to Energy BI Gantt charts.
Use A number of Challenge Administration Instruments
Moreover having a extra highly effective Gantt chart instrument than Energy BI, ProjectManager gives a wide range of undertaking administration instruments together with kanban boards, dashboards, timesheets, kanban boards and extra. All of those instruments sync with one another to supply an entire undertaking administration resolution, in contrast to Energy BI, which is knowledge administration software program.
Monitor Challenge Prices and Assets
ProjectManager lets you observe the assets that’ll be used on every of your tasks in addition to their prices. Use any of its undertaking administration instruments to listing undertaking duties, together with their assets and prices and the software program will add them and present your whole undertaking price and useful resource availability in real-time dashboards and reviews.
ProjectManager Integrates With Energy BI
And, as we mentioned, if you happen to’re taken with Gantt charts however nonetheless need to use Energy BI, this ProjectManager integration is the proper resolution for you. It combines all the information evaluation performance of Energy BI with the undertaking administration software program it’s worthwhile to handle your tasks efficiently.
The best way to Make a Energy BI Gantt Chart From Scratch
Energy BI facilitates the method of making a Gantt chart primarily based on knowledge about your undertaking duties. Right here’s how one can make a Energy BI Gantt chart from scratch in three easy steps.
1. Load Challenge Knowledge Into Energy BI
Step one to making a Energy BI Gantt chart is to supply details about your undertaking duties resembling process names, begin and finish dates, process durations, p.c full and who they’re assigned to. With this data, Energy BI will mechanically create a Gantt chart. To take action, click on the spreadsheet icon on the left aspect of your display after which click on “Enter knowledge” as proven within the picture beneath.
Now, Energy BI will ask you to create a desk with the data that you simply’d like to point out in your Energy BI Gantt chart. For this instance, we’ve entered the next knowledge:
- Activity title
- Begin and finish dates
- Activity length (in days)
- Share of completion
- Activity assignee
You may enter this knowledge manually in Energy BI, or it’s also possible to copy and paste a desk from Microsoft Excel. When you’ve entered the information you want in your Energy BI Gantt chart, chances are you’ll click on “Load.”
Right here’s how the desk view ought to look when you’ve accomplished the steps above. Now, let’s return to the report view by clicking the report icon that’s highlighted within the screenshot beneath.
2. Get the Gantt Energy BI Visible
Now that you simply’ve collected the information that’s essential for making your Energy BI Gantt chart, let’s create one. To take action, you’ll have to get the Gantt Energy BI visible, an app you will get by means of Energy BI’s built-in app retailer. This lets you add several types of instruments to the software program.
On the correct aspect, click on on the three dots as proven within the picture beneath, then choose “Get extra visuals.”
This can open Energy BI’s library of visuals. Use the search bar to search for the Energy BI Gantt chart visible after which choose it. Ensure that it’s the visible printed by the Microsoft Company.
Energy BI will let you realize that your new visible has been efficiently added to your report and a brand new icon will seem on the correct aspect of your display.
3. Insert Your Energy BI Gantt Chart and Add Knowledge to It
Click on the Gantt icon, and a clean Gantt chart discipline will seem on the left as proven beneath. Now, you’ll want to make use of the “Knowledge” column on the correct aspect of your display, which comprises the information from the desk that was beforehand added to Energy BI. You’ll want to tug and drop the gadgets within the “Knowledge” column to their corresponding discipline within the “Visualizations” column, as pointed by the arrows within the picture beneath.
Congratulations, you’ve created a Energy BI Gantt chart that exhibits your undertaking duties, their due dates, proportion of completion and who they’re assigned to on a timeline. Now you can use this Gantt chart to trace your group’s progress and ensure your undertaking is delivered on time.
Benefits of a Energy BI Gantt Chart
Whereas it may not be designed for undertaking administration, there are nonetheless some benefits to utilizing a Energy BI Gantt chart. Its major benefit is that it automates the method of making a Gantt chart. You’ll simply have to get the undertaking knowledge outlined above and add it into Energy BI.
- Splendid for these getting began with Gantt charts however are comfy with spreadsheets and different Energy BI knowledge evaluation instruments
- Suitable with different Microsoft merchandise that may enable you to handle tasks resembling Microsoft Challenge and Microsoft Planner
- Straightforward to know by each undertaking managers and group members
Extra Energy BI Gantt Chart Alternate options
Let’s study among the greatest Energy BI Gantt chart alternate options, so you will get a greater thought of what a fully-featured Gantt chart from a undertaking administration software program can do for what you are promoting or undertaking.
1. Microsoft Challenge
Microsoft Challenge gives a wide range of undertaking administration instruments like Gantt charts, community diagrams, undertaking calendars, useful resource monitoring sheets and extra. Microsoft Challenge it’s probably the most broadly used in style undertaking administration software program, primarily resulting from its massive trajectory of over 40 years out there, which led to its widespread implementation throughout organizations.
Microsoft Challenge Gantt charts are a great different for making a undertaking schedule as a result of they permit you to hyperlink process dependencies, establish essential path actions, observe the completion of duties, estimate the overall length of tasks and set up undertaking baselines. It’s also possible to observe the utilization of undertaking assets and their associated prices.
Nonetheless, the primary drawback of Microsoft Challenge is that it’s costly. There are totally different variations of the software program, Challenge Commonplace 2021 for $679 or Challenge Skilled 2021 for $1,129 for a one-time buy. Moreover, most customers complain concerning the steep studying curve they should undergo to make use of the software program. Fortunately, many Microsoft Challenge alternate options provide the identical undertaking administration options at a decrease price.
2. Microsoft Planner
Microsoft Planner gives a light-weight model of a Gantt chart, known as a undertaking timeline. Like a Energy BI Gantt chart, its undertaking planning and scheduling options are restricted in comparison with extra strong Gantt chart software program alternate options.
Nonetheless, in contrast to a Energy BI Gantt chart, Microsoft Planner lets you edit your Gantt chart duties by dragging and dropping them to alter their due dates, or increasing their dimension to extend their length. Utilizing Microsoft Planner, it’s also possible to add undertaking duties to your group members, hyperlink process dependencies set a precedence for every process and observe their p.c full.
The primary drawback of Microsoft Planner Gantt charts is that they will’t observe essential details about your duties resembling assets and prices, as a result of the software program lacks undertaking budgeting and monitoring options. A Microsoft Planner Gantt chart solely lets you create a fundamental undertaking schedule and observe duties’ due dates however not way more than that as a result of Planner is a light-weight model of Microsoft Challenge.
Associated Energy BI Gantt Chart Content material
Selecting the best undertaking administration software program in your group may be difficult. That’s why we’ve created blogs and guides that can assist you higher perceive what you need to search for. Listed here are some blogs which are associated to Gantt charts and Microsoft undertaking administration options.
ProjectManager is award-winning undertaking and portfolio administration software program that helps you intend, handle and observe tasks in actual time with a number of undertaking views, together with strong Gantt charts. Groups can share information, remark on the process stage and keep up to date with e mail and in-app notifications. Be part of groups at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who’re utilizing our software program to ship profitable tasks. Get began with ProjectManager at this time without spending a dime.
