Standard fields include the most commonly used fields for any type of project. By default, in GanttPRO Gantt chart creator online, you will only have Assigned and Status fields for an empty project. And different sets of fields for imported projects and projects based on templates.
Depending on the assigned project rights, some users may have certain limitations to work with Standard fields:
- Project Owner and Project Admin have full access. They can add, hide and edit data in any Standard field.
- Project Editor can also add, hide and edit data in any Standard field, except for Costs and Actual costs fields.
- Advanced Members and Limited members can only add attachments and edit status, progress, and time log fields for the tasks that are assigned to them.
- Commentators are only allowed to view Standard fields.
- Enterprise users can have Custom rights that include either full or limited access to Standard fields based on their needs.
How to add standard fields
To add a new field, go to a Gantt chart or List view and click on the "+" icon in the upper right corner above the list of tasks in your project grid.
You will see the whole list of available Standard fields. This list includes both fields that will be added to the table and signs that will be displayed on a project grid / in the list of tasks.
Note that some fields will let you manage certain Task settings straight from the project grid. Those are: Start date and time, End date and time, Assigned to, Progress, Status, Priority, Task type, Duration, Estimation, and Time log.
How to hide standard fields
There are two ways to hide a Standard field:
- Сlick on the “X” button near the field name.
- Сlick on the "+" icon in the upper right corner above the list of tasks in your project grid and uncheck the box for the field you want to hide.
Standard fields types
Here is the list of all available Standard fields and their descriptions:
- Resource overload
- Work breakdown structure
- Comments
- Attachments
- Assigned
- Start/end date + time
- Creation date/creator
- Duration
- Estimation
- Progress
- Time log
- Budget
- Actual cost
- Status
- Priority
- Predecessor
Resource overload
Check this box to quickly see when your resources have an excessive workload which is estimated based on their actual working hours and tasks assigned to them. It will be displayed as a sign of a red person near the task name 1.
Work Breakdown Structure
A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a hierarchical structure of the project plan decomposed into stages and smaller chunks of work.
WBS helps to organize work that needs to be done into manageable sections. Check the box if you want to enable the option. Each task will be given a number according to the hierarchy of tasks 2.
Comments
Check this box 1 to open comments straight from the task list and quickly add a comment.
In case you add a Standard field with Comments, every task with a comment will have a corresponding icon 2 on a project grid near the task name. You can click on this icon to open the comment.
For the tasks without comments, you can hover over the task name and see the corresponding icon. Click on it to leave a comment for the task.
If you don't need this option, you can always turn it off in the Standard fields menu, unchecking the box for Comments.
Note that you can also see all the comments for the ongoing projects in one place in the Communication hub.
Attachments
Check this box 1 to have quick access to task attachments straight from the task list.
In case you add this Standard field, every task attachment will be displayed as a paperclip icon 2 on a project grid near the task name. You can click on this icon and it will bring you straight to the attached file.
For the tasks without attachments, you can hover over the task name and see the corresponding icon. Click on it to attach a file to the task.
If you don't need this option, you can always turn it off in the Standard fields menu, unchecking the box for Attachments.
Note that you can also see all the attachments to the ongoing projects in one place and open them at the bottom of the app window 1 or add more files 2 directly to the task.
Assigned
Check this box to instantly see who the task is assigned to. This can either be team members or virtual resources, or both. It will be displayed near the task name as the assignee's picture or initials.
In this field, you can also assign and remove resources from a task, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Assigned field of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you assign tasks in Task settings.
Start date/ End date + time
Check this box to add a field with start date, end date, and/or time. Just as with any other field, it’s a quick way to check another task detail, especially when dates are important.
In this field, you can also manage the dates straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Start date and time or End date and time fields of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you set dates in Task settings.
Creation date/ Creator
Check these boxes to have an instant overview of when the task was created and by whom, correspondingly. These fields may be particularly useful for managerial control.
Duration
Check this box to monitor in one place the time frame that has been established for each project task to be completed.
In this field, you can also set duration straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Duration field of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you set duration in Task settings.
Estimation
Check this box to monitor in one place the time that has been allocated to complete each task.
In this field, you can also define estimation straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Estimation field of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you set estimation values in Task settings.
Progress
Check this box to see the level of task completeness. This value changes automatically while the task is progressing and in accordance with task status.
However, you can also introduce values manually straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Progress field of the corresponding task and set the value. Remember that task’s Progress is correlated with its Status. Thus, when you change values in one field, the other adjusts.
Check the details here.
Time log
Check this box to instantly see the time that a team member spends on a task and to log time for the tasks you are assigned to.
In this field, you can also log time and open a timer straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Time log field of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you log time in Task settings.
Budget
Check this box to view task costs. If Auto budget calculation is enabled, you will see automatic calculations based on the resources’ costs. If Manual budget calculation is selected, you can enter, modify, and delete costs manually as needed.
Learn more about budget management in this section.
Actual cost
The costs displayed in this field depend on the selected budget calculation mode. In Auto budget calculation mode, you will see the actual cost of the task calculated based on the logged time for a team member or the progress for a virtual resource. In Manual budget calculation mode, you have the flexibility to manually enter, modify, and delete actual costs as needed.
Learn more about actual costs here.
Status
Check this box to see the level of task completeness. Unlike the Progress field, the Status field indicates the stage the task is on right at this moment.
In this field, you can also change status straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Status field of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you set status in Task settings. Do not forget about the correlation of Status with Progress.
Priority
Check this box to have a quick overview of the task's importance.
In this field, you can also change priorities straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Priority field of the corresponding task. The configuration is the same as when you set priorities in Task settings.
Predecessor
Check this box to see the dependencies in the task list. The Predecessor field shows the preceding task with which the dependency is set using the WBS numbers of tasks.
In this field, you can also change dependencies straight from the list of tasks, in addition to Task settings.
Just click on the Predecessor field of the corresponding task and introduce the WBS number of the dependent task. Alternatively, go to Task settings to add dependencies or create dependencies on a Gantt chart.