What\u2019s a timeline?<\/h2>\n
A timeline is any kind of tool, feature, or diagram that helps the project team understand a project schedule from start to finish.<\/p>\nThere are so many details involved when you’re working on a project. A timeline can help you structure those details by date and time so that you never drop the ball.<\/span><\/a>\n Here\u2019s an example of a timeline Gantt chart in <\/strong>monday.com’s project management software<\/a><\/strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n Using a timeline can increase project success in a few key ways:<\/strong><\/p>\n Here are some ways project managers use timelines to increase efficiency:<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s dig into measuring and analyzing data to understand problems, as it\u2019s a biggie.<\/p>\n Imagine that an IT company hired you as a PM to see why their tickets were taking so long in the queue. Their customers are angry, their employees can\u2019t seem to solve the tickets correctly or in a decent time, and you\u2019re in charge of finding out why.<\/p>\n You decide to create a scatter diagram timeline from the moment this issue first started\u00a0\u2014 let\u2019s say 30 days ago\u00a0\u2014 until now.<\/p>\n You measure these variables: tickets that have been sent in during that date range versus what happened during each ticket resolution phase.<\/p>\n You also create a second timeline to measure the relationship between the ticket resolution and the employee who solved the ticket.<\/p>\n At the end of the analysis, you notice that a lot of escalated tickets were sent to new employees who didn\u2019t have enough experience to handle them.<\/p>\n You can now form a recommendation to only send escalated tickets to experienced employees. You could also recommend that employees enter a training program to improve their resolution skills.<\/p>\n And finally, if the training is a bust, you may need to recommend hiring new staff.<\/p>\n From there, you could offer to create new timelines to track whether your recommendations are working.<\/p>\n Keep in mind, this is just ONE example.<\/p>\n You can do just about anything you want with a timeline. The point is: use it to make your job easier, better, and less stressful. Use it to solve problems, use it to save time, use it to cut costs \u2014 as long as it brings value to the project, you won\u2019t regret it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Get started<\/a><\/p>\n An infographic is pretty much a fancy way to say chart or diagram. You can display your timeline in so many cool ways.<\/p>\n Here are just a few examples:<\/p>\n Pros: <\/strong><\/p>\n A calendar view lets you view tasks for the whole month, which can help you understand the schedule better. Most people have some experience working a calendar, so this kind of timeline can feel really intuitive.<\/p>\n Cons: <\/strong><\/p>\n You\u2019re limited on space and task lines so you\u2019ll need to condense the information or have another view option available to see task lists in greater detail.<\/p>\n How to create one:<\/strong><\/p>\n Gather up your tasks and schedule them in a calendar. Or, use one of our boards, input your information, and choose the calendar view style.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pros: <\/strong><\/p>\n A timeline view lets you view tasks in chronological order, which can help you understand project scheduling phases better. This kind of linear layout can make it nearly impossible to miss a project stage.<\/p>\n Cons: <\/strong><\/p>\n It can be harder to see how the project scope fits into the overall schedule because the focus is on each phase. Make sure you have another view option available so your team can easily grasp the whole project schedule instead of just phase by phase.<\/p>\n How to create one:<\/strong><\/p>\n Gather up your tasks and schedule them in a linear format, then choose your timeline creator tool. Or, use one of our boards, input your information, and choose the timeline view style.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pros: <\/strong><\/p>\n A table view lets you view tons of information about your tasks. This view style uses data columns to keep everything organized.<\/p>\n For example, you can create a \u2018World Clock\u2019 column if your team is spread out all over the world, or a \u2018Priority\u2019 column to keep all your highest priorities in line.<\/p>\n If you need to fit a lot of information in your timeline, this one\u2019s a great fit.<\/p>\n Cons: <\/strong><\/p>\n It can be hard to see key details if there\u2019s too much information. This can feel overwhelming at times, so make sure you have a way to break it up into more detailed views to help you manage.<\/p>\n How to create one:<\/strong><\/p>\n Gather up your tasks and schedule. Decide what kinds of columns you need. Then, create a table using a creator tool. Or, use one of our boards and input your information. Our boards automatically come with a \u2018Main Table.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One thing we\u2019re really proud of at monday.com is our multiple view options.<\/p>\n With these options, you only need to put your information in our system once and then add whatever view style you want to see it in.<\/p>\n This saves loads of time, so you don’t have to create chart after chart using the same pile of information. This is especially important when managing multiple projects.<\/p>\n Get started<\/a><\/p>\n At this point, you\u2019ve learned quite a bit about what timelines are and what kind of infographics you can make with them. Now, let\u2019s create an optimized timeline together step-by-step.<\/p>\n Okay, so first thing\u2019s first, head over to grab your Project Timeline template<\/a>. Just click the button that says \u2018use project timeline template.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When you\u2019re all set, you\u2019ll see the template applied to a monday.com board.<\/p>\n This board includes 3 groups: a \u2018Start Here\u2019 group, a \u2018Project 1\u2019 group, and a \u2018Project 2\u2019 group.<\/p>\n Each group comes with a set of \u2018pulses\u2019 underneath, which are really just customizable information slates, so don\u2019t let the name throw you off.<\/p>\n For example, in the Project 1 group, there are 5 ready-made pulses like \u2018Phase 1 – Research\u2019 and \u2018Phase 2 – Planning.\u2019<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what your board should look like at this point:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Okay, let\u2019s start using this board. First, let\u2019s focus on the first group called \u2018Start Here.\u2019<\/p>\n Click on the \u2018Hi there\u2019 pulse and write a welcome message to the project group. Be sure to include anything they need to know, like how to use the board, what the project goals are, what the project scope is, and what the deadline is.<\/p>\n Everyone on the project team needs to know what\u2019s expected of them.<\/p>\n Feel free to jazz up your welcome message with a GIF, emoji, @mention, or add a file like a project description<\/a>, PowerPoint presentation, or a social media content plan.<\/p>\n This is also a great spot to continue to add project updates so that you don\u2019t have to send a million emails.<\/p>\n You’ll also find an activity log here.<\/p>\n If you want to set up alerts to notify your team, you can set up automations so they can see any new updates by email.<\/p>\n Before we start editing the project phases in each project, we\u2019re going to add a \u2018Text\u2019 column so we can write a description next to each phase.<\/p>\n To add the text column, click on the \u2018+\u2019 sign to the far right of the group and choose \u2018text.\u2019 If you need to add large amounts of text, choose the \u2018Long Text\u2019 column in the \u2018More columns\u2019 section.<\/p>\n Note: When you click on the \u2018+\u2019 sign, it turns into an \u2018x.\u2019<\/p>\n Get started<\/a><\/p>\n Alright, let\u2019s fill it in:<\/p>\n First, take a look at the columns you already have. There\u2019s a ‘Lead’ column, a ‘Status’ column, a ‘Timeline’ column, a ‘Work days’ column, a ‘Dependency’ column, and we added a ‘Text’ column.<\/p>\n Decide if you need to add another column like a \u2018Files\u2019 column to keep project files in the right place, or a \u2018Location\u2019 column to see multiple project locations on a map.<\/p>\n Then, take a look at the project phases. Are there any you need to edit? Are there any you need to delete? Are there any you need to add?<\/p>\n Hint:<\/strong>\u00a0just click add at the bottom of a group to add a new project phase.<\/p>\n Here are the current project phases on the board under Project 1 and Project 2:<\/p>\n If you need to start a conversation about a certain phase, just click on the chat bubble icon next to it.<\/p>\n Need to add more projects? No problem, just click the \u2018New Item\u2019 button at the top left of the board and choose \u2018New group of items.\u2019 Then name your project and get to it!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here\u2019s the list of columns, how to approach them, and how to fill them in:<\/strong><\/p>\n Use this method to fill in all project phases until the board is set-up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Get started<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reminder:<\/strong>\u00a0you can also choose the \u2018Long Text\u2019 column if you want to add large amounts of text. To get there, just click on the \u2018+\u2019 to the far right of the group, click \u2018More columns,\u2019 and that\u2019ll lead you to the Column Center. You can also add a \u2018File\u2019 column or a \u2018Link\u2019 column to add any relevant documents.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And then you\u2019re done.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve filled in the board completely, column by column, phase by phase, and now your entire team has an optimized timeline.<\/p>\n Remember, you can view this board in over 8 different styles, like Kanban, Gantt, Timeline, and more.<\/p>\n Want to see timelines across multiple boards? Add our Timeline widget<\/a>.<\/p>\n You should use monday.com for your timeline planning needs because:<\/strong><\/p>\n You can use timelines in a variety of ways to add a strategic schedule to any project.<\/p>\n Once your timelines are set-up, you can enjoy the stress-relieving benefits while you let them work for you. Everyone knows what to do and when to do it. Your clients are happy, your boss is happy, even your mama is happy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Go, team!<\/p>\n Get started with monday.com today and see how our timeline features can add value to your next project.<\/p>\n Get started<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" No project can afford to go without a timeline. If you don\u2019t have a timeline, how will you know how to schedule project activities? How will you know if you’re on track to meet project deadlines? Not having a timeline could lead to losing control over the project, which is …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":30305,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"pages\/cornerstone-primary.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"How to create a project timeline: A step-by-step guide","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Stop missing deadlines. Learn how to create a project timeline in 5 simple steps with our expert guide. Use monday.com's templates and AI to build and manage your timeline in minutes.","monday_item_id":18059536860,"monday_board_id":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[13904],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-project-management"],"acf":{"lobby_image":false,"post_thumbnail_title":"","hide_post_info":false,"hide_bottom_cta":false,"hide_from_blog":false,"cluster":"","banner_url":"","main_text_banner":"","sub_title_banner":"","sub_title_banner_second":"","banner_button_text":"","below_banner_line":"","display_dates":"default","landing_page_layout":false,"sidebar_color_banner":"","custom_tags":false,"featured_image_link":"","faqs":[{"faq_title":"FAQs","faq_shortcode":"FAQ_tag","faq":[{"question":"What's the difference between a project schedule and a project timeline?","answer":" A project timeline and a project schedule are closely related and often used interchangeably. However, a schedule tends to be more detailed, with specific task assignments and resource allocations. A timeline provides a higher-level visual overview of key dates, milestones, and phases from start to finish.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"What's the difference between a project plan and a timeline?","answer":" A project plan is your comprehensive roadmap covering goals, deliverables, resources, budget, and risks. A timeline is one component of that plan, focusing specifically on the \"when\" by visualizing your project's schedule with tasks, milestones, and deadlines.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"How do you show dependencies on a project timeline?","answer":" You can show dependencies by linking tasks together, indicating that one task cannot start until another is finished. In project timeline software like monday.com, you can easily set dependencies in the Timeline or Gantt view. This creates a visual link between tasks, and if one task's date changes, the dependent tasks can automatically adjust.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"Can a project timeline change?","answer":" Yes, a project timeline should be a flexible, living document. It's common for timelines to change due to unexpected delays, shifting priorities, or new information. The key is to use a tool that makes it easy to update the timeline and communicate those changes to the entire team and all stakeholders in real-time.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"What is the best software for creating a project timeline?","answer":" The best software is one that is flexible, easy to use, and supports collaboration. monday.com is an excellent choice because it offers multiple ways to visualize your timeline (like Gantt and Timeline views), powerful automations, real-time updates, and seamless integrations. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy for anyone on the team to build, manage, and track project timelines.<\/p>\n"},{"question":"How do you create a project timeline in monday.com?","answer":" Creating a project timeline in monday.com is simple. You can start with a pre-built project timeline template, list all your tasks, assign owners and deadlines, and then add a Timeline Column to visualize your schedule. From there, you can set dependencies, track progress with status columns, and view everything in a Gantt chart for a complete overview.<\/p>\n"}]}],"activate_cta_banner":false,"use_customized_cta":false,"custom_schema_code":"","sections":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content_1","blocks":[{"main_heading":"","content_block":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","content":" A project timeline is a visual tool that shows your project\u2019s schedule from start to finish. It outlines the sequence of tasks, their start and end dates, and how long each will take. Without a clear timeline, projects can quickly become disorganized, leading to missed tasks and slipping deadlines.<\/p>\n This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the essential components of a timeline to a step-by-step process for creating your own. We\u2019ll even show you how to use monday.com to build and manage your timeline effectively.<\/p>\n TL;DR:<\/strong> A project timeline is a visual map of your project\u2019s tasks, deadlines, and dependencies. Creating one involves defining your scope, breaking down tasks, estimating time, visualizing the schedule with tools like Gantt charts, and sharing it with your team for alignment.<\/p>\n"}]},{"main_heading":"What is a project timeline?","content_block":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","content":" A project timeline is any tool, feature, or diagram that helps your team understand the project schedule from its starting point to the finish line. It visualizes a project\u2019s schedule<\/a>, displaying the different task sequences, start and end dates, and duration. A project plan timeline also includes milestones, task dependencies, or other information required to track a project\u2019s progress<\/a>.<\/p>\n To conceptualize how you might use a project timeline, consider the timeline a construction company needs to use when building a new house. An effective timeline would include the completion dates for each project step, such as obtaining building permits, laying the foundation, installing the roof, and finishing the interior design. In this case, a timeline ensures the house is built on time and within budget.<\/p>\n"}]},{"main_heading":"Why is a project timeline essential for success?","content_block":[{"acf_fc_layout":"text","content":" Project timelines maintain structure and organization throughout a project\u2019s lifecycle. Without one, key tasks can be missed and deadlines can slip away. Here are the key benefits of mapping out your project timeline:<\/p>\n A successful project timeline should include the following elements:<\/p>\n There are several types of project timelines you can use. The one you choose will depend on your project\u2019s requirements and your team\u2019s preferences for visualizing work. Here\u2019s a quick comparison of common types:<\/p>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-6.png\" "\\"Timeline")
<\/p>\nHow does a timeline increase project success?<\/h2>\n
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How do project managers use timelines?<\/h2>\n
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What are timeline infographics and how do you make them?<\/h2>\n
Example 1: create a timeline calendar<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-6.png\" "\\"Calendar")
<\/p>\nExample 2: create a classic timeline<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-5.png\" "\\"The")
<\/p>\nExample 3: create a table timeline<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4-3.png\" "\\"The")
<\/p>\nHow to use our project timeline template:<\/h2>\n
Step #1: grab your template<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-2.png\" "\\"Project")
<\/p>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-2.png\" "\\"Project")
<\/p>\nStep #2: create a welcome message<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-2.png\" "\\"Project")
<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
Step #3: set-up your projects<\/h3>\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-1.png\" "\\"The")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-1.png\" "\\"Adding")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10.png\" "\\"Lead")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11.png\" "\\"Status")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12.png\" "\\"Timeline")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/13.png\" "\\"Work")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14.png\" "\\"Automations")
<\/p>\n\n
![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.monday.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/15.png\" "\\"Column")
<\/p>\nWhy monday.com?<\/h2>\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\n
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