Last updated: January 2026
What Is Office Timeline?
Complex project schedules don't communicate well. Gantt charts, spreadsheets, and project management exports might contain all the right data, but when you need to brief executives, update stakeholders, or present to clients, that complexity becomes a liability. Office Timeline transforms raw schedules into clear, professional timeline visuals that audiences actually understand.
The tool works as a Windows add-in for PowerPoint and as a browser-based application. Import data from Excel, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, or Wrike, select a template, and watch a polished one-slide timeline appear. What would take hours of manual formatting with drawing tools happens in minutes through guided wizards.
For project managers, consultants, PMOs, and anyone who presents project status to stakeholders, Office Timeline removes the formatting grind so you can focus on the narrative that actually matters.
Start making timelines online — Free
Key Features Explained
Professional Template Library
Start with dozens of designer-made templates organized by use case: product roadmaps, construction schedules, marketing campaigns, clinical trials, software releases. Each template includes appropriate styling for its context—corporate timelines look different from creative project plans.
Customize colors, fonts, and brand elements through simple controls. Save your own presets for reuse across presentations (Expert plan). The result: on-brand graphics without routing through design teams or learning complex software.
Swimlanes and Sub-Swimlanes
Multi-team and multi-phase projects need visual separation. Swimlanes group tasks by workstream, department, or sprint. Plus and Expert plans support unlimited lanes, including nested Sub-Swimlanes for complex hierarchies.
Hide, show, or reorder lanes with single clicks. Filter what stakeholders see based on their interests—executives might see department-level lanes while team leads see detailed task breakdowns.
Dependencies and Critical Path
Understanding why delays cascade through projects requires visualizing dependencies. Toggle on dependency lines between tasks, and Office Timeline automatically highlights the Critical Path—the sequence of tasks where any delay extends the overall timeline.
Stakeholders immediately see which tasks have flexibility and which absolutely cannot slip. Status conversations shift from "what changed" to "what do we do about it."
Start making timelines online — Free
Planned vs. Actual Tracking
Expert users can overlay baseline dates with actual progress, making schedule variance visually obvious. When a milestone slips from Week 8 to Week 10, the visual shows both the original target and current reality.
This baseline comparison transforms status meetings. Instead of explaining what changed since last review, you show it. Faster comprehension leads to faster decisions.
Data Import and Live Refresh
Office Timeline imports from the tools where project data lives: Excel spreadsheets, Microsoft Project files (.mpp), Smartsheet, Jira, and Wrike. Map columns to timeline elements, and the import wizard handles conversion.
Plus and Expert plans support refresh functionality. When source data changes, refresh the timeline slide without rebuilding from scratch. Keep presentations current with project reality as schedules evolve.
For product analytics alongside project management, see Amplitude.
Real-World Use Cases
Executive Briefings
Transform detailed Gantt charts into single-slide overviews that executives can absorb in seconds. Highlight milestones, critical path, and key dates without overwhelming detail.
Client Presentations
Consultants and agencies use Office Timeline to communicate project plans to clients professionally. Visual timelines build confidence and align expectations better than exported spreadsheets.
PMO Reporting
Program Management Offices standardize timeline visuals across projects and portfolios. Saved templates ensure consistency; bulk refresh keeps reporting current without manual updates.
Board and Investor Updates
Startups and corporate teams present roadmaps to boards and investors. Professional timeline visuals communicate progress and plans without requiring slide-design expertise.
Pricing (2026)
See official pricing for current rates.
Free — Up to 10 items per slide with no time limit. Adequate for simple timelines and testing the tool.
Lite — $108/year. Two Swimlanes, basic Excel copy-paste import. Entry point for regular use.
Plus — $199/year. Unlimited Swimlanes, Dependencies, triple timescales, full Excel import and refresh.
Expert — $249/year. All Plus features plus Planned vs. Actual tracking, custom templates, advanced integrations (Jira, Smartsheet, Wrike), premium support.
Online Premium — $149/year. Browser-based version with collaboration features and PPT/PNG download.
14-day full-feature trial and 30-day money-back guarantee. Volume discounts for teams.
Start making timelines online — Free
Pros and Cons
What We Like
Transforms complex schedules into clear one-slide visuals
Dozens of professional templates by use case
Live data refresh from project tools (Plus/Expert)
Critical path highlighting with dependencies
Planned vs. Actual baseline comparison (Expert)
Free plan with no time limit
14-day trial and 30-day money-back guarantee
What Could Be Better
Desktop add-in is Windows-only (Mac users need Online version)
Best features require Expert plan ($249/year)
Learning curve for advanced dependency and baseline features
Annual subscription only—no monthly option
Not a project management tool—just visualization
Office Timeline vs. Alternatives
vs. PowerPoint SmartArt: SmartArt is free but extremely limited for project timelines. Office Timeline offers Gantt charts, dependencies, data import, and professional templates.
vs. Lucidchart: Lucidchart is broader for diagramming (org charts, flowcharts, etc.). Office Timeline specializes in project timelines with deeper features for that specific use case.
vs. Microsoft Project: Project is for detailed project planning and tracking. Office Timeline transforms that detail into executive-friendly presentation slides—complementary tools.
vs. Vizzlo: Vizzlo offers various online chart types. Office Timeline has deeper PowerPoint integration and specialized project management data imports.
vs. Manual formatting: Building timeline slides manually in PowerPoint takes hours. Office Timeline produces professional results in minutes.
For AI-enhanced project management, see ClickUp Brain.
Tips for Best Results
Start with templates: Select templates matching your use case rather than building from scratch.
Use data import: Manual entry is tedious. Import from Excel or project tools whenever possible.
Enable refresh: If source data changes, use refresh rather than rebuilding slides.
Match audience to detail: Executive slides should have fewer items than team planning views.
Save custom templates: Once you have on-brand styling, save as template for future use.
FAQ
Does Office Timeline work on macOS?
The desktop add-in requires Windows and PowerPoint for Windows. Mac users can access the Online version through any modern browser, which includes collaboration features and export to PPT/PNG.
Can I upgrade from Lite to Plus later?
Yes. Upgrading mid-term prorates the cost difference. Your license unlocks new features for the remaining subscription period.
Is there a free version?
Yes. The Free plan has no time limit and supports timelines up to 10 items per slide—suitable for simple projects and evaluation.
What project management tools does it integrate with?
Depending on plan: Excel (all paid plans), Microsoft Project (Plus+), Smartsheet, Jira, and Wrike (Expert plan).
How secure is my data?
Office Timeline Online is SOC 2 compliant with encrypted cloud storage. Offline desktop work stays local on your machine.
Final Verdict
Whether you need a quick milestone slide or an executive program roadmap with critical-path and variance tracking, Office Timeline removes formatting friction so you can focus on communicating the narrative that matters.
The tool doesn't replace project management software—it transforms project data into stakeholder-friendly visuals. In a world where attention spans shrink quarterly, that clarity is worth the investment for anyone regularly presenting project status.
