Why MS Project views don't make good slides
Microsoft Project is built to manage a schedule, not to present one. Copy Picture gives you a static image that blurs when it's resized and can't be edited. The Timeline view is tidy but thin, and a full Gantt view of a real project is unreadable on a projected slide.
So most project managers end up rebuilding the chart in PowerPoint by hand — and rebuilding it again after every update. GanttSnap reads the schedule file directly and draws the slide for you, so the chart always matches the plan.
How to turn an MS Project schedule into a PowerPoint Gantt chart
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Save the schedule as XML
In Microsoft Project, go to File → Save As and choose XML Format (*.xml) as the file type. Your .mpp file stays as it is.
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Import it into GanttSnap
Open GanttSnap in PowerPoint and load the XML file. Tasks, structure, dependencies and progress are read automatically.
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Pick a template
Choose the view that fits your audience — an executive summary for the board, a detailed schedule report for the team, or a milestone plan for the client.
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Draw, then fine-tune
GanttSnap draws the slide in seconds. Arrange tasks into swimlanes, adjust colours and labels, and redraw whenever you like.
What comes across from your MS Project file
Tasks and milestones
Bars for tasks, diamonds for milestones, with names and dates labelled.
Structure as swimlanes
Your WBS becomes colour-coded swimlane groups on the slide.
Dependencies
Links between tasks drawn as connector lines.
Critical path
Critical tasks highlighted in red so the audience sees what drives the finish date.
Progress
Percent complete shown on every bar.
Native PowerPoint shapes, not a picture
Every bar, label and milestone GanttSnap draws is an ordinary PowerPoint shape. Recolour a phase, reword a label or add a callout exactly as you would with anything else on the slide — and it stays sharp at any size.
When the plan changes, save a fresh XML and draw again. Redrawing replaces only GanttSnap's own shapes, so your titles, notes and other slide content stay where you put them.
Frequently asked questions
Can GanttSnap open .mpp files directly?
No — GanttSnap reads MS Project's XML format. Saving as XML takes one step (File → Save As → XML Format) and leaves your .mpp file untouched.
Do I need MS Project installed to use GanttSnap?
Only to save the XML file. Anyone with PowerPoint and GanttSnap can then turn that file into a slide.
Can I use GanttSnap without the Advanced plan?
Yes. Excel import is available on every plan, including the free Starter plan for up to 10 activities, so you can export your tasks to Excel and start from there.
Is my schedule uploaded anywhere?
No. The XML file is read inside the add-in on your own machine; your schedule data is not sent to GanttSnap's servers.
How much does it cost?
MS Project XML import is part of the Advanced plan at €59 per year, together with Primavera P6 import, critical path, baseline comparison and the DCMA 14-point analysis.