This video to demonstrate an easy way to make Gant chart using GRAPH tole in Microsoft Excel.
Graph tole is an excellent approach to create Gant chart for Large time scale e.g. for an year or more, the timeline is adjusted/fitted automatically according the available space to best fit in the paper and ultimately on printout.
This is one of the best way to make it suitable for presentation and for higher-management prompt review and approvals.
Stake bar graph type is used to create the basic Gant chart with the Plan date and duration, later-on the error bar is used to highlight the Milestone on the graph.
After creating the Gant chart in an WORKING SHEET the date and the graph are copied to another sheet for final tuning as ultimate product, which is used to print out.
The Axis of time line will be adjusted by dividing the total duration with the no. of months to be inserted in the Major Units in FORMAT AXIS dialog box.
External objects e.g. "Test-Box" etc... can be put on the graph which selecting the graph, this way this external object will act as an integral part of the chart and will move with the cart as an single object.
Finally use the Color scheme to define Major WBS and Timeline to have resembelance with the scheduling softwares.
I hope that it will increase you knowledge to somehow and will be useful for your future work.