Additionally, Lucidchart’s platform is built for creating a wide variety of diagrams and visuals, while Word is designed to create mainly text-based documents. While Word has a few SmartArt graphics to choose from, Lucidchart’s template gallery houses a more extensive selection of timeline templates designed for further customization.
Now that you’re familiar with how to create a timeline in Word and in Lucidchart, you’ll need to decide which platform is best equipped to quickly and easily create, edit, and share your timeline chart. Certain features and capabilities may not be available across all versions. Keep in mind that your timeline may turn out differently depending on which version of Word you’re using. From there, you can reposition your timeline arrow or change or resize your milestone markers using the options found in the SmartArt Tools Format tab. Tailor individual itemsĬhange the color, gradient, or texture of individual elements of your timeline by right-clicking the object you want to edit. To change your timeline chart’s overall appearance, select a style from the SmartArt Styles section in the Design tab. You can change the overall appearance of your Word timeline by customizing the color theme in the “Change Color” dropdown menu. Enter each of your dates in the text pane-they will be updated automatically in your timeline.
The simplest way to enter your timeline data is to open the text pane found on either side of your timeline. Position the timeline where desired, making sure to leave space on both the top and bottom of your timeline for milestone data. Select “Basic Timeline” to proceed.Ī basic timeline will generate on your document. Then, select Insert > SmartArt > Process, where you’ll find several options for your timeline. To make your Word timeline, first change your document’s orientation from portrait to landscape. Want to try your hand at making a timeline directly in a Microsoft Word document? Follow these five simple steps to make your timeline chart using Word’s SmartArt tools.
Insert your timeline chart in WordĬonnect your Lucidchart account, select your timeline from your existing diagrams, and click “Insert” to add your timeline directly into your Word document. From the add-in, you’ll also be able to access the Lucidchart canvas to make any changes to your document-just remember to re-insert your diagram afterward (it just takes one click!).įor a complete walkthrough of how to install the Microsoft Word add-in and how to insert your timeline, check out this video! How to make a timeline in Word directly
The add-in will appear in Word as a right-hand sidebar. From there, you’ll need to search for Lucidchart and click “Add” to install. You can add Lucidchart from the Microsoft Store or from Microsoft Word by selecting Insert > Office Add-ins. Install the Lucidchart add-in for Microsoft Word Timeline (Click on image to modify online) Example Campaign Event Plan (Click on image to modify online)Ĭreate a timeline from scratch, or adjust the dates on the template to fit your project.
To upgrade your subscription and access this shape library, see our pricing page. Open a new document in Lucidchart or use one of our Word timeline templates, shown below.įor Lucidchart Pro, Team, and Enterprise accounts, we offer more functionality for timelines. It’s free-and you can use it to create a ton of other visuals outside of timelines, too.
If you haven’t used Lucidchart before, sign up for an account. Follow along with the steps below to get started.
With Lucidchart and its Microsoft Office integration, you can easily create a polished, professional timeline and then add it into your Word document. How to make a timeline in Word using Lucidchart Learn how to make a timeline in Word, both directly and in Lucidchart. Lucidchart is a timeline maker for easily generating timelines and other visuals, and because it integrates with many popular apps, you can then place your timeline alongside other important documentation. Or perhaps you are writing a report on the American Revolution, and you want to highlight important dates, such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Yorktown.Ī timeline can create clarity in the middle of lengthy word documents, but it can be tough to know how to create a timeline in programs like Microsoft Word. Maybe you want to point out when each team will begin their tasks as part of project documentation. Maybe you want to include a timeline with proposals to show a prospective customer how long it will take to implement and roll out your solution. But how often do you need to pair your timeline with other documentation? Timelines allow you to show past events and future plans in a visual, scannable way.