Excel Timeline Templates

A timeline can be a useful way to visualize changes or events that occur over periods of time. Although there may be better tools for creating timelines, Excel can be handy, particularly when you want to perform date calculations, or take advantage of the drawing tools within Excel.

On this page you will find example spreadsheets and other references for creating timelines in Excel.

Common Uses for Timelines

• Chronologically arrange past events.
  - Innovations in science between 1800 and 2000 - World history -
• Represent a person's life history.
  - Depiction of life events along with historical time periods or local events -
• Map historic events and time periods.
  - History of the universe - Theory of evolution - Geologic time -
• Create a project schedule.
  - Deliverable dates - Task completion -

Example Timeline Spreadsheets

Example 1: Timeline Template

I discovered a way to create a timeline in Excel using an XY chart with error bars for the leader lines. I wrote up a separate article on this, which includes a downloadable timeline template. See "Create a Timeline in Excel".

Example 2: Time Period Comparisons

In geneological (family history) research, timelines are particularly useful for comparing events and people's life spans. This example spreadsheet uses stacked bar charts to compare a few different people living before and during the civil war.

Click Here to Enlarge

Download the Spreadsheet (.xls format) For Excel 97 or Later Note: This file does not contain any macros.

Example 3: - Project Timeline

Gantt charts are typically used in business and engineering to plan and schedule projects. However, if you need a special project timeline to include in a PowerPoint presentation or some other document, you might want to try creating it using the drawing tools in Excel. The spreadsheet below contains two example project schedules. They are not intended to be used as automated templates, but they might give you an idea or two. (Feel free to copy the autoshapes and formats if you think that will save you some time.)

Click Here to Enlarge

Download the Example Project Timelines (.xls format) For Excel 97 or Later Note: This file does not contain any macros.