📊 Research Timeline Planner with Gantt Chart

An Excel-based tool for planning and tracking multi-year research projects with visual timelines.

Perfect for PhD students, postdocs, research teams, and anyone managing complex academic research with multiple milestones and deliverables.

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_{Animated demo showing the Research Timeline Planner in action with automatic Gantt chart updates}

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📥 How to Download

Option 1: Direct Download (Easiest) ⭐

1. Click on the file name: Research_Timeline_Planner_V101.xlsx
2. Click the "Download" button (or "Download raw file" button in the top right)
3. Save the file to your computer
4. Open with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice

Option 2: Download Entire Repository

1. Click the green "Code" button at the top of this page
2. Select "Download ZIP"
3. Extract the ZIP file on your computer
4. Open the Excel file from the extracted folder

✅ Compatibility

• ✅ Best experience: Microsoft Excel 2016 or later
• ⚠️ Google Sheets: Works, but conditional formatting may have limited functionality
• ⚠️ LibreOffice Calc: Compatible, but some color formatting may differ
• 💡 Tip: Enable content/formulas if prompted when opening

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📋 Table of Contents

• Use Cases
• Key Features
• Getting Started
• Column Descriptions
• Customization Guide
• Technical Details
• Troubleshooting
• Version History
• License

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🎯 Use Cases

This tool is designed for researchers at all career stages who need to plan and track complex, multi-year projects with interconnected milestones and deliverables.

👨‍🎓 PhD/Masters Students

• Candidature planning: Track confirmation, mid-candidature, and pre-submission milestones
• Thesis chapter timelines: Coordinate literature review, data collection, analysis, and writing
• Multi-study research programs: Manage multiple studies (pilot, main study, follow-ups)
• Comprehensive exam preparation: Plan reading, writing, and defense timelines
• Publication tracking: Monitor paper submission and revision cycles

🔬 Postdoctoral Researchers

• Grant deliverable tracking: Ensure you meet funding body requirements on time
• Multi-project coordination: Balance multiple research streams and collaborations
• Paper submission timelines: Plan strategic submission to high-impact journals
• Fellowship milestone planning: Track progress toward tenure or permanent positions
• Lab transition planning: Coordinate equipment, hiring, and project startup

👥 Research Teams

• Collaborative project management: Coordinate work across multiple team members
• Multi-study coordination: Track overlapping studies and shared resources
• Grant reporting deadlines: Never miss a progress report or ethics renewal
• Lab milestone tracking: Visualize team priorities and dependencies

👩‍🏫 Research Supervisors

• Student progress monitoring: Track multiple students simultaneously
• Lab activity planning: Coordinate equipment use, space, and resources
• Group milestone coordination: Align individual projects with lab goals
• Succession planning: Plan for student graduations and new recruits

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✨ Key Features

🎨 Visual Gantt Chart

Timeline updates when you change start/end dates. No manual drawing required.

📂 Hierarchical Structure

Organize your work into Projects → Milestones → Subtasks for clear planning.

🚦 Color-Coded Status Tracking

• Status dropdown: Confirmed (🟢 Green) / Tentative (🟡 Yellow) / At Risk (🔴 Red)
• Progress dropdown: Not Started (⚫ Grey) / In Progress (🟡 Yellow) / Complete (🟢 Green)

📅 Extended Timeline Range

Pre-configured for Oct 2024 - Dec 2032 (99 months), easily extensible to any date range.

🔒 Frozen Panes

Scroll through long timelines while keeping project names visible.

✅ Date Validation

Uses real Excel dates (MMM-YY format) with smart formulas for reliable month-based comparison.

🔧 Smart Formulas

Uses EOMONTH function for accurate month-based Gantt chart logic.

📖 Instructions

Includes instruction sheet with customization tips and troubleshooting.

🎯 Pre-Populated Example

Comes with a complete PhD confirmation example you can adapt or replace.

♾️ Infinitely Extensible

Add unlimited projects, milestones, and tasks. Extend timeline beyond 2032 by copying columns.

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🚀 Getting Started

Step 1: Open the File

Download Research_Timeline_Planner_V101.xlsx and open in your preferred spreadsheet application (Excel recommended).

Step 2: Review the Example

The template includes a pre-populated PhD timeline example showing:

• Confirmation milestone with 8 subtasks
• Example Delphi study with complete research workflow
• Other PhD milestones (mid-candidature, pre-submission)

Step 3: Customize for Your Project

Option A: Adapt the Example

• Replace example project names with your own
• Update dates to match your timeline
• Modify tasks to reflect your research plan

Option B: Start Fresh

• Clear the example rows (keep header row)
• Add your projects, milestones, and tasks
• Enter start and end dates

Step 4: Track Progress

As your research progresses:

1. Update Status dropdown to reflect confidence level
2. Update Progress dropdown when tasks begin or complete
3. Add new tasks as needed
4. Adjust dates if timelines shift

Step 5: Use for Communication

• Take screenshots for supervisor meetings
• Export as PDF for grant applications
• Share with collaborators for coordination

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📊 Column Descriptions

Column	Name	Purpose	Format/Options
A	Project/Milestone/Task	Hierarchical name of activity	Text (use indentation for subtasks)
B	Start Date	When activity begins	MMM-YY (e.g., Jan-25)
C	Finish Date	When activity completes	MMM-YY (e.g., Mar-25)
D	Dependencies	What must be completed first	Text (reference other tasks)
E	Risks	Potential delays or challenges	Text (be specific)
F	Outputs	Deliverables, publications, approvals	Text (what you'll produce)
G	Status	Risk/confidence level	Dropdown: Confirmed 🟢 / Tentative 🟡 / At Risk 🔴
H	Progress	Completion state	Dropdown: Not Started ⚫ / In Progress 🟡 / Complete 🟢
I+	Timeline	Automatic Gantt chart visualization	Auto-generated (don't edit manually)

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🎨 Customization Guide

Extending the Timeline Beyond 2032

1. Select the last column in the Gantt chart area (currently Dec-32)
2. Copy the column (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
3. Paste into the next column to the right
4. Update the date in the header row (e.g., Jan-33)
5. Repeat as many times as needed
6. All formulas will automatically adjust

Customizing Dropdown Values and Colors

Status Dropdown:

1. Select any cell in the Status column (Column G)
2. Go to Data → Data Validation
3. Modify the list values (default: Confirmed, Tentative, At Risk)
4. To change colors: Home → Conditional Formatting → Manage Rules
5. Edit the rule for each status value

Progress Dropdown:

1. Same process as Status dropdown
2. Default values: Not Started, In Progress, Complete
3. Modify conditional formatting rules to change colors

Adding New Dropdown Options

Want to track additional information? Create a new dropdown:

1. Insert a new column where desired
2. Data → Data Validation → List
3. Enter your values separated by commas
4. (Optional) Add conditional formatting for color coding

Changing the Date Range

To start your timeline at a different date:

1. Update the first column header (Column I) to your start month
2. Update subsequent column headers sequentially
3. Gantt formulas will automatically adapt

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🔧 Technical Details

Click to expand technical information

Gantt Chart Formula Structure

The Gantt chart uses a formula that compares each month column against the task's start and end dates:

=IF(AND($B2<>"", $C2<>"", EOMONTH(I$1,0)>=EOMONTH($B2,0), EOMONTH(I$1,0)<=EOMONTH($C2,0)), 1, "")

How it works:

• EOMONTH(I$1,0) converts column header date to end-of-month
• EOMONTH($B2,0) converts start date to end-of-month
• EOMONTH($C2,0) converts finish date to end-of-month
• Compares by month (ignores day of month)
• Returns 1 if current column month is within task date range
• Returns blank otherwise

Conditional Formatting

Gantt Chart Bars:

• Cells containing 1 are filled with color
• Number format ;;; hides the value (shows color only)

Status Column:

• Confirmed → Green fill
• Tentative → Yellow fill
• At Risk → Red fill

Progress Column:

• Not Started → Grey fill
• In Progress → Yellow fill
• Complete → Green fill

Data Validation

Dropdowns use Data Validation with:

• List source type
• Custom input message to guide users
• Error alert to prevent invalid entries

Frozen Panes

• Rows 1-2 frozen (headers always visible)
• Columns A-H frozen (task details always visible)
• Allows scrolling through long timelines while maintaining context

Copy-Paste Friendly

All formulas use proper cell references:

• $ symbols anchor columns/rows correctly
• Dragging or copying rows automatically adjusts formulas
• New tasks inherit formatting and formulas from above

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❓ Troubleshooting

Problem: Gantt chart bars not showing

Solutions:

1. ✅ Check that Start Date (Column B) and Finish Date (Column C) are filled
2. ✅ Verify dates are in MMM-YY format (e.g., Jan-25, not January 2025)
3. ✅ Ensure Finish Date is same month or later than Start Date
4. ✅ Check that the column header dates span your task's date range
5. ✅ Verify conditional formatting rules are active (Home → Conditional Formatting)

Problem: Dropdown colors not changing

Solutions:

1. ✅ Check Conditional Formatting rules (Home → Conditional Formatting → Manage Rules)
2. ✅ Ensure dropdown values exactly match the rule criteria (case-sensitive)
3. ✅ If using Google Sheets: Some formatting may not transfer perfectly
4. ✅ Re-apply conditional formatting rules if necessary

Problem: Dates not formatting correctly

Solutions:

1. ✅ Type dates as 1/2025 and let Excel auto-format to Jan-25
2. ✅ Avoid typing as plain text like "January 2025"
3. ✅ Use Excel's Format Cells → Custom → mmm-yy for manual formatting
4. ✅ Ensure column is formatted as Date, not Text

Problem: Timeline doesn't extend far enough

Solution:

1. ✅ Copy the last column in the Gantt area
2. ✅ Paste to the right as many times as needed
3. ✅ Update each header to the next sequential month
4. ✅ Formulas auto-adjust for the new columns

Problem: Want to add more rows

Solution:

1. ✅ Insert row anywhere in the task list
2. ✅ Copy formulas from row above (select row, Ctrl+C, paste)
3. ✅ Conditional formatting and data validation automatically extend

Problem: File won't open or looks broken

Solutions:

1. ✅ Make sure you're using Excel 2016 or later (or Google Sheets/LibreOffice)
2. ✅ Enable macros/content if prompted (file has no macros, so this is safe)
3. ✅ Try downloading again - file may have corrupted during download
4. ✅ Check file size - should be ~30-40 KB

Problem: Need help with advanced customization

Solution:

1. 📧 Open an issue on GitHub with your question
2. 📖 Review the Instructions sheet within the Excel file

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📝 Version History

Current Version: v1.0.1 (October 2025)

v1.0.1 - October 2025

• Enhanced timeline visualization with improved Gantt chart
• Better support for long project names
• Improved formula efficiency
• Updated example projects

v1.0.0 - September 2025

• Initial release with core features
• Gantt chart visualization
• Status and progress tracking
• Pre-populated PhD example

Note: Previous versions (v1.0.0) are available in the Archived/ folder for reference.

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📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

You are free to:

• ✅ Use commercially
• ✅ Modify and adapt
• ✅ Distribute
• ✅ Use privately

See LICENSE for full details.

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🌟 Found This Useful?

If this tool helped your research planning, consider:

• ⭐ Starring this repository on GitHub
• 🔗 Sharing with colleagues and students
• 💬 Providing feedback via GitHub issues
• 🤝 Contributing improvements back to the project