Free Gantt Chart Templates

What is a Microsoft Project Template?

When looking at the projects in which they’re involved, Microsoft Project users tend to fall into one of two camps. Either they’re engaged in projects which have similarities, or they conduct projects in which every job is different.

We find, overwhelmingly, that the majority of Microsoft Project users fall into the first category – those whose projects tend to have a similar aspect to them.

A good example is residential home construction. While some homes may be single storey, 2 storey or more, there are common aspects to a home construction project that will apply regardless of the number of storeys or bedrooms.

Depending on a builder’s method of documenting the process there may be a Site preparation phase, followed be a Slab phase, followed by a Frames and roof trusses phase, and so forth. The details may change depending on the size and specifications of the job, but the underlying process remains largely the same.

Need help building a template?

We know that the hardest part of using Microsoft Project well is making a good start on your projects. ProjectTMA can shortcut the process by creating correctly-structured templates for your projects.

Consider a Microsoft Project template as a pre-fabricated model of your typical project in the form of a Gantt chart.

Looking at our home construction example, we can create a construction template that contains all the phases and tasks associated with the building of a generic 2 storey home (if that represents the majority of dwellings you construct) and which you can then modify and reuse at the commencement of each project.

The benefit to you is that you won’t need to create a new Microsoft Project file from the ground up each time you commence a new project.

We’ll do this by working with you to translate your projects into Microsoft Project format. At the same time, if you wish, you’ll learn how to build a work breakdown structure and link the tasks to correctly show the flow of the project. At the end, you’ll have a Microsoft Project Gantt chart that can be used as a forward-looking management tool rather than just a static picture.

This means you’ll then be able to modify the templates to reflect the most current iteration of your projects.

Consider our Microsoft Project templates as a short-cut, enabling you to begin using this powerful software without the hassle of a trial-and-error approach.