---
sourceDocument: Zurich Strategic Portfolio Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/it-business-management

 Release :

    - zurich

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Zurich Strategic Portfolio Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itbm

bundleId :

    - itbm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Gantt chart

# Gantt chart {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Zurich
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

A Gantt chart on the planning console is a visual representation of a project timeline
that shows start and end dates of tasks, and the dependencies between tasks.

Use Gantt charts to add and delete tasks, change task dates and dependencies, and assess the
progress of the overall project.

## The critical path

The critical path is highlighted in red on the Gantt chart to differentiate critical path tasks from standard tasks in blue. Not all tasks are part of the critical path, only those tasks that directly affect the finish date. Use the critical path to determine which tasks are driving the finish date. If schedule adjustments are necessary, consider making resource or other changes to those tasks on the critical path.

The tasks that
are not part of the critical path and can therefore be delayed are commonly called
slack or float tasks. The Gantt chart shows the
slack/float tasks by default, but calculations that deal with these tasks, such as how long they
can be delayed without impacting the project, is not available.

## Milestones

A milestone is a project task with a duration of 0. Use milestones to indicate important dates in a project. If necessary, create dependencies between tasks and milestones so that a task does not start until a milestone has been reached.

## Color coding

The colors of the task bars on the Gantt chart are based on the percent complete and state of the task. The default color coding available for project and tasks is shown: {#c_GanttChart__table_o5w_ysm_2s__entry__2}

| Color | Explanation |
|-|-|
| Light blue bar | Task is pending or open. |
| Dark blue bar (full or partial) | The percentage complete is between 1% and 100%. The dark blue section indicates the percentage complete. The task can be in the Work in Progress state or Completed state. |
[Table 1. Color coding of project tasks]

{#c_GanttChart__table_o5w_ysm_2s}  
Note:  
The colors of the task bars on the Gantt chart can be configured from [program](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/K6zuGmu4jV6RZkRFPn~Kww "When you access the program workbench, it displays a list of all the programs.") workbench.

## SDLC phases

Icons appear next to tasks to indicate what phase they belong to.{#c_GanttChart__phase_icons__entry__2}

| Icon | Phase |
|-|-|
| Agile phase icon | Agile phase. |
| Testing phase icon | Testing phase. |
[Table 2. Phase icons]

{#c_GanttChart__phase_icons}  
Note:  
Tasks in the waterfall phase do not display an icon.
* **[Gantt chart options](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/nj4rcSVVduxM43Tc0fvYLQ)**   
  Use the Gantt chart to quickly change task attributes, such as start and end time, rather than opening every Task form and modifying field values one by one.

**Related concepts**   

* [Client side planning console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/dTXJ6BcC8UZYuWEH9y~iDg "During calculation of project schedule in the planning console, it is possible to build your project structure quickly on the client side (browser) without having to save details in the server for each interaction. It prevents any time lags that occur after you perform any actions in the planning console, and improves the scheduling performance.")
* [Custom columns in the planning console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/FJO4l8h~dBw_JFuOyz5xIQ "In addition to the regular columns that are provided in the base system, as the PPS admin, you can configure which columns appear in the planning console.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Open the project planning console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/~ZA14tvEMU~puG3rDntocg "Access the planning console to perform the planning for the project.")
* [Create a parent-child relationship on the planning console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ZIZDOgs~HqZwXOowZZ57Qg "The WBS section of the planning console allows you to create parent-child relationships for new tasks or move around existing tasks in a new parent-child relationship. The position of a task in the hierarchy and the level of indentation determine the parent-child relationship it has with the tasks above or below it.")
* [Create a dependency from the planning console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/k9p_f8DaF8JSBRO2M9923A "Create a dependency between two tasks on the planning console.")  
**Related reference**   

* [Planning console tasks](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/WdfT~OzJZxqTKM~_9kRr6A "You can perform several tasks on the planning console that you can perform on lists and forms, such as creating project tasks and copying projects. You can also perform several tasks unique to the console.")
* [Predecessor dependencies in the planning console](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/U51QdPGuta_im6Uv6lyudA "In the WBS section of the planning console, you can create dependencies between tasks by specifying a series of values.")