[email protected] +1.303.779.0344

Home How-To

Creating a Deadline Report in MS Project Using OnePager Pro

How to create a Gantt chart or timeline that shows key project deadlines

When you present projects to your team, or to management, it's important to understand where the deadlines are so that the project can stay on track. Drawing deadlines onto a Gantt chart or timeline takes a lot of time, but there is an easier way.

15-Day
Free Trial

OnePager Pro is presentation software for Microsoft Project. OnePager creates project reports, timelines, and Gantt charts that can track each key deadline in the project visually, so it's easy for everyone to understand. You can download a free trial of OnePager Pro and follow along with the steps below to see how it works:

  1. Start with your Microsoft Project file. Notice that deadlines have been specified in the "Deadline" column:
    Microsoft Project plan with deadlines. If you only want to show certain tasks or milestones, put a "Yes" next to them in the "Flag 20" column before launching OnePager Pro.
  2. Double-click the OnePager Pro icon on your desktop. From the Start screen that pops up, choose New.
    OnePager Pro Start screen.
  3. Choose your Microsoft Project plan as the source file for your OnePager Gantt chart.
    OnePager Pro source file selection.
  4. When the import wizard (below) appears, give your report a name and a status/snapshot date:
    OnePager Pro's easy import wizard creates Gantt charts and timelines in seconds.
  5. Click the Create new chart button to create your initial Gantt chart:
    Gantt chart created in OnePager Pro using a Microsoft Project plan. This initial view shows a taskbar for the duration (start to finish) of each selected task in the project. You can change this taskbar to a different symbol, depending on your requirements. This view doesn't show the deadlines from Microsoft Project yet, so we'll want to do that next.
  6. To configure deadline markers, go to OnePager Pro's Home tab and click the Chart Properties button:
    All of OnePager Pro's editing features are right at your fingertips.
  7. In the Chart Properties form, go to the Task Bars tab and check the Deadline Markers box. This will enable deadline markers for your view.
    Show deadlines in your Gantt chart.
  8. If you want to customize the way your deadlines appear, click the Deadline Properties button (shown above), which will launch additional configuration options:
    Change the way deadlines appear in your project plan. In this example, deadlines are marked with a black arrow, which is connected by a dotted line to the main task. Missed deadlines will automatically be colored red. You also have the option to show the precise deadline date text, though we won't do that in this example.
  9. Click OK twice to return to the OnePager Pro editor, where your view will be updated to show deadlines. Notice that one of the deadlines is red because it has been missed!
    Project tracking: OnePager Pro Gantt chart showing a missed deadline, imported from Microsoft Project.

OnePager Pro is the easiest way to track project deadlines on a timeline or Gantt chart without having to be an expert in Microsoft Project, or drawing project reports by hand in PowerPoint.

Get started today by downloading a free trial.

15-Day
Free Trial