Free online project planner. Enter the project, resources and tasks, then export a file that Microsoft Project opens with tasks, links and resources ready.
1Project
Working days are Monday to Friday, 8 hours a day.
2Resources
Tip: paste several names separated by commas and press Add. Rates go to MS Project’s Std. Rate, Ovt. Rate and Cost/Use fields; MS Project then calculates task costs.
Leave
Leave becomes non-working time on the resource’s calendar in MS Project, so their tasks stretch around it. You can also set leave on a task row in the Leave column (date + working days) for that task’s resource.
3Tasks
ID
Task name
Resource
Start
End
Days
Predecessors
Successors
Milestone
Leave
Cost
Actions
How to write predecessors
Type the ID of the task that must come first. Separate several with commas.
3 = task 3 must finish before this starts (Finish-to-Start)
3SS = start together · 3FF = finish together · 3SF = start-to-finish
3FS+2 = 2 working days after task 3 finishes · 4SS+1w = 1 week after task 4 starts · 5FS-1 = overlap by 1 day
Successors fill in automatically. Click + Sub-task on a row to add a task under it (the row becomes a phase), or use ⇥ / ⇤ to indent and outdent.
4Timeline preview
Build a project plan online and open it in Microsoft Project
Setting up a new schedule in MS Project usually means typing every task, then linking predecessors one dialog at a time. Project Plan Builder keeps the input to what a project manager actually decides: the project name, the resources, and a start and end date for each task. Predecessors are typed straight into a field, successors are worked out for you, and one click exports a Microsoft Project XML (MSPDI) file that opens as a fully linked schedule.
It is free, open source and runs entirely in your browser. There is no account, and your plan is saved locally as you work.
How to make a project plan in four steps
Project: name the project and pick a start date and a target end date.
Resources: add people or teams, with standard and overtime rates, cost per use and leave.
Tasks: start from a template (standard project lifecycle or managed services transition) or a blank plan, then add tasks, sub-tasks, milestones and predecessors.
Export: download the plan for MS Project (.xml) or as a PDF report with the task list, resources and Gantt chart.
Features
Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Start, Finish-to-Finish and Start-to-Finish dependencies with lag or lead in days or weeks.
Phases and sub-tasks, milestones, and a live Gantt timeline preview.
Resource rates and planned cost, exported to MS Project's Std. Rate, Ovt. Rate and Cost/Use fields.
Resource leave that becomes non-working time on the resource's calendar in MS Project.
Checks for dependency loops, unreadable predecessors and tasks that end before they start.
Import a plan saved from MS Project as XML and keep editing it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Project Plan Builder free?
Yes. It is free and open source, needs no account, and runs entirely in your browser.
How do I open the plan in Microsoft Project?
Click Download for MS Project (.xml). In MS Project choose File → Open, set the file type to XML, pick the file, then save it as .mpp.
Can I create a project plan without Microsoft Project?
Yes. Build the plan here, preview it on the Gantt timeline and download a PDF report to share with people who do not use MS Project.
Can I edit an existing MS Project plan?
Yes. Save the plan from MS Project as XML (File → Save As → XML), then use Import plan (.xml) to keep editing it here.
Where is my data stored?
Only in your browser's local storage. Nothing is sent to a server.