Configuring a project timeline

While working with a project timeline, you can use the controls on the Format tab of the Ribbon to configure the timeline, changing its appearance and the appearance of tasks within it.

To display the timeline configuration tools:

If the timeline pane is not currently displayed, on the View tab, in the Show group, click Timeline to display it.
Click in the timeline pane.
Click the Format tab of the Ribbon.

The Format tab comprises the following controls, split into a number of different groups, as described below.

Controls in the Style group

Timeline Appearance	Click this control to display the Timeline Appearance dialog, which you can use to: Specify the font, style, size and colour of the text in the project timeline. Specify the colour of the dropline that indicates the current date in the project timeline. Specify the colour in which to display the word 'Today' at the top of the dropline that indicates the current date. Specify the colour of the border that appears around the scroll area. Select a calendar with which to fold away non-working time.
Date Format	Click this dropdown control to specify the format in which to display dates in the project timeline.
Background Colour	Click this dropdown control to select a background colour for the task that is currently selected in the timeline. Adding tasks to a project timeline
Font Colour	Click this dropdown control to select a colour in which to display text for the task that is currently selected in the timeline. Adding tasks to a project timeline

Controls in the Show/Hide group

Timeline Date Range	Click this control to display the Timeline Date Range dialog, which you can use to specify the date range that should be covered by the project timeline. Creating a project timeline
Multiple Rows	Select this check box to display tasks that overlap each other on separate rows in the timeline, or clear the check box to display tasks on a single row even if they overlap each other. Displaying tasks on multiple rows can make the timeline more readable, but means that it takes up more space. In the following illustration, two overlapping tasks are displayed on the same row: In the following illustration, the two overlapping tasks are displayed on multiple rows: Adding tasks to a project timeline
Task Progress	Select this check box to indicate the percentage complete of each task in the timeline by applying shading to the top half of the tasks, or clear the check box to omit the progress indicator from tasks in the timeline. Progress is indicated on tasks when they are displayed as bars, but not when they are displayed as callouts. In the following illustration, the 'Initiation' task is shown to be 100% complete and the 'Planning' task is shown to be 50% complete: Adding tasks to a project timeline
Today Marker	Select this check box to display a dropline indicating today's date in the timeline, or clear the check box to omit the dropline from the timeline. If you display a task as a callout, the callout can overlap the today marker at the top of the dropline. You may want to hide the today marker when exporting or printing the timeline. Creating a project timeline
Scroll Area	Select this check box to display an area bordered by a coloured box (blue by default) that indicates the time period that is shown in the currently active view, or clear the check box to omit the scroll area from the timeline. Using the timeline scroll area

Controls in the Current Selection group

Display as Bar	Click this control to display the task that is currently selected in the timeline in the form of a bar, as illustrated below: Adding tasks to a project timeline
Display as Callout	Click this control to display the task that is currently selected in the timeline in the form of a callout, as illustrated below: If you display a task as a callout, progress is not displayed against it, even if you select the Task Progress check box. Adding tasks to a project timeline
Remove from Timeline	Click this control to remove the task that is currently selected in the timeline from the timeline. Adding tasks to a project timeline
Go To Task	Click this control to find and select the task that is currently selected in the timeline in the views that are currently open; if the task is not present in any currently open views, a new view containing the task is opened. Locating a project timeline task in the bar chart
Properties	Click this control to display the Bar and Task Properties dialog and show the properties of the task that is currently selected in the timeline.

Controls in the Export group

Export Timeline

Click this dropdown control to export the timeline to the Windows Clipboard, from where you can paste it into another application, or to print it.

Exporting and printing a project timeline