In Microsoft Project, you can display task bar labels on your Gantt chart. You can set the position labels left, right, top, bottom, or inside a task bar. Each task label position is set to display one label. However, when we apply a little ingenuity we can display multiple fields in each label.
Microsoft Project supports labelling tasks with project information. You may have multiple labels positioned around the task bar. But each task bar position is limited to one label. This restriction makes it more difficult to display multiple project information elements in a single position.
Typically, we want multiple project information components displayed on the right side of the task bar. Again, when we execute some creativity we are able display multiple fields in a single task bar label position.
This Microsoft Project article demonstrates how to display multiple fields in a single task bar label position on the Gantt chart.
We have in Figure 1 our demonstration project.
Figure 1
This is a piping repair and improvement project. Currently, our Gantt chart task bars have no labels. We want to display multiple project information parts on the right side of the Gantt chart bars. This project information includes the task name, task calendar, and task % complete.
You will note that the cure concrete task has a different task calendar from the rest of the project schedule. We also have progressed the schedule two weeks. We want this project related information to appear directly on the Gantt chart for easy viewing and analysis.
We begin by selecting the project tab, properties ribbon group, and custom fields icon, Figure 2.
Figure 2
The field type is Text. In the custom fields dialog we rename field Text1, Task Label, Figure 3.
Figure 3
In Figure 4 we choose the formula toggle.
Figure 4
Our intent is to concatenate our project information text elements together using a formula.
In Figure 5 we select Field | Text | Name to include a task name field in our task label.
Figure 5
Continuing we include the ampersand symbol and select task calendar to concatenate a comma and task calendar to our formula, Figure 6.
Figure 6
Again, we insert an ampersand and choose % complete to concatenate the % complete field to our formula, Figure 7.
Figure 7
Finally, we add another ampersand to include the % symbol in our formula. The completed formula is in Figure 8.
Figure 8
Now that we have our multiple field label we need to assign it to our Gantt chart task bars. We choose format tab, bar styles ribbon group, format, and bar styles, Figure 9.
Figure 9
In Figure 10 we select Task in the bar styles dialog and in the bottom details assign Task Label to the task bar right position.
Figure 10
We repeat this assignment for the critical bars, Figure 11.
Figure 11
Our final schedule displaying multiple fields for the task bar right position label is in Figure 12.
Figure 12
Summary
Microsoft Project displays one label per task bar position on the Gantt chart. Using some inventiveness in Microsoft Project it is possible to concatenate and assign multiple project information elements to one label. Thus, Microsoft Project is able to display multiple fields in a single Gantt chart task bar label. This text field concatenation technique provides schedulers more robust capabilities for displaying project information on the Gantt chart.