Andrew Stepanov/June 23, 2017/6 minutes
Software developers enjoy using JIRA software for their projects. It has a lot of advantages for creating and planning all steps of product development. But at the same time, there are some issues that this powerful software lacks. The first that comes to my mind is Gantt charts.
This article is the continuation of JIRA related materials. Recently the issue was about best JIRA plugins. Now I will talk about Gantt charts for JIRA.
What are the best Gantt chart plugins for Atlassian JIRA?
Gantt charts proved to be efficient tools in project management. Thanks to horizontal lines along a timeline, managers or anyone dealing with plans can easily visualize everything from task adding and their assignments to calculation of resources’ costs.
The thing is, and I already mentioned it, that JIRA itself does not have these useful diagrams. This is where other software developers take the stage. It is them who try to simplify work process in a project with additional integrations. Thus JIRA Gantt chart plugins appear. Atlassian marketplace offers solutions. Let’s figure out which ones are the best Gantt chart plugins.
1. WBS Gantt-Chart for JIRA
Find this JIRA Gantt chart on Atlassian marketplace
Number of installs: 876 as of June, 21, 2017.
Deployment: server.
This is rather powerful tool allows doing many actions a classic Gantt chart offers. It significantly simplifies project management with the following features: tasks and their assignees, start and end dates, duration and progress; dependencies between them, drag-and-drop function, project resource management, critical path and some others.
WBS Gantt-Chart for JIRA advantages
As it is seen, many good features are widely presented in this JIRA Gantt chart plugin. Also you can export your chart in Excel what is definitely a plus for many managers.
There is also a possibility to create Gantt chart templates for managing similar projects or tasks in the future.
Among all solid features users point out nice interface, quick and informative support, least bugs in comparison with some other JIRA Gantt chart plugins.
WBS Gantt-Chart for JIRA disadvantages
The add-on is generally highly rated by users. Some bugs are named, but they are not crucial and are taken into backlog by developers.
Pricing: $10 for 10 users; $400 for 25 users.
2. BigGantt
Find this JIRA Gantt chart on Atlassian marketplace
Number of installs: 2545 as of June, 21, 2017.
Deployment: Server and cloud.
If you need to manage projects with the help of Gantt chart integrated into JIRA, this plugin will be your handler on this uneasy way. Easy to understand, good visualization, good for Waterfall project management methodology and Agile. With BigGantt you will never lose a picture of your project.
BigGantt advantages
Choosing this Gantt chart JIRA plugin, you get many useful features: customized timeline to follow tasks progress and deadlines, auto-scheduling, project and tasks dependencies, critical path, drag-and-drop interface, export to MS Project and Excel; different mode options – wide, normal and compact.
BigGantt disadvantages
In order to do some action, for example, print a chart, you have to have another plugin by the same developer – BigPicture. Also, it doesn’t support PDF and PNG formats.
Some updates crash the work done, so one has to rebuild charts again. Also there are troubles with browsers when one deals with large charts (300-400 tasks and more).
Pricing
Cloud: $5 for 10 users; $15 for 25 users.
Server: $10 for 10 users; $400 for 25 users.
3. BigPicture
Find this JIRA Gantt chart on Atlassian marketplace
Number of installs: 2671 as of June, 21, 2017.
Deployment: Server.
This Gantt chart plugin was developed and supported by the same engineers that developed BigGantt. So here you will find the same good Gantt chart. But in general, this JIRA plugin has richer functionality and is related to Project portfolio management. Plan, build and manage multiple projects, customize the view, create cross-program dependencies and manage cross-project work.
BigPicture advantages
Here, as in case with BigGantt, you will get all useful for your work features of a Gantt chart: you can create tasks, organize (sort, group) and manage them with drag-and-drop function. Moreover, other additional features are included: export and Gantt chart import to Excel and MS Project; Agile program roadmap, risk management, powerful filter options and some others.
BigPicture disadvantages
No possibility to manage resources’ costs. There is only one option to add working hours – the whole numbers (6, 7, 8, etc.). So if you have, say, 7.5 working hours, it won’t work well for you.
There are some bugs in recent updates, for example, with installation.
Pricing: $10 for 10 users; $500 for 25 users.
4. Gantt-Chart for JIRA
Find this JIRA Gantt chart on Atlassian marketplace
Number of installs: 1883 as of June, 21, 2017.
Deployment: Server.
Overview all your tasks and filter them in a favorite way – this JIRA Gantt chart plugin displays only what you need with no superfluities. For agile teams managers can display charts based on sprints.
Pretty long ago, in 2010, Gantt-Chart for JIRA was picked as one of the «coolest plugins» and was ranked 4-th out of 15 best plugins.
Gantt-Chart for JIRA advantages
The JIRA plugin organizes your issues in multi-level hierarchies with parent tasks, subtasks, etc. Each user can configure columns. I would say, these features pretty common, but all in all, are good.
But one of the main advantages of this Gantt chart in JIRA is support. It is quick, detailed and really helpful. Updates are also frequent with constant improvements.
Gantt-Chart for JIRA disadvantages
Purely subjective opinions, but some people consider this add-on more difficult to understand and work in than in some other plugins described above.
Pricing: $50 for 10 users; $500 for 25 users.
Other
5. PDF View Plugin for JIRA (PDF Exporter)
Find this plugin on Atlassian marketplace
Number of installs: 1751 as of June, 21, 2017.
Deployment: Server.
This great JIRA plugin does not help in project management to create and build plans. It serves for other purposes. With its help you can export anything you want from JIRA: dashboards, timesheets, invoices, notes and, what is important for us, Gantt charts.
PDF view plugin advantages
Wide export options to pdf. Export your Gantt chart anytime you want and present it offline to anyone involved in your project be it your boss, stakeholder or a team member.
Users have the option to decide what information to export to pdf as well as design their layouts, add colors, company’s logo, etc. You make your document look beautiful.
Other advantages are directly connected with pdf. You can print it on any platform, anytime, everywhere. Share, print, email, report your Gantt chart anytime you want.
PDF view plugin disadvantages
This add-on is highly rated among users. If you find something wrong, please, write in comments below.
Pricing: $10 for 10 users; $290 for 25 users.
GanttPRO Gantt chart software integration with JIRA
We at GanttPRO would like everyone who works in JIRA, but needs to manage tasks with the help of Gantt charts, have smooth and pleasant work process within one tool. That’s why we set this uneasy important goal – to provide great integration of our Gantt chart with JIRA.
Follow all news about GanttPRO & JIRA integration on Atlassian Marketplace. There you find information about all releases, functionality, and other features.
To get most out of integration, make sure you have both GanttPRO and JIRA accounts.