Project planning software for people who would rather get on with the project
We are the independent software company behind Gantt Excel, Desktop Plan and ExcelCal. Each one does a single job well, has a free version that does real work, and is paid for once.
Gantt Excel
Desktop Plan
ExcelCal
Three tools, one way of working
Plan in the spreadsheet you already know, in a fast Windows app, or on a printed calendar on the wall.
Microsoft Excel · Windows and MacGantt Excel
A Gantt chart that builds and reschedules itself inside Microsoft Excel.
- Type tasks into a grid and the chart draws itself. Change a date and everything after it moves.
- Dependencies, the critical path, resources, costs and baselines, all inside one workbook.
- Seven views from hourly to yearly, in eleven languages.
Windows 10 and 11Desktop Plan
Gantt chart software for Windows. Type your tasks and how long each one takes, and it keeps every date in step.
- Link tasks by dragging one bar onto the next. When a task runs late, the ones after it move on their own.
- Baselines, the critical path, people, rates and a budget, with a dashboard inside every plan.
- Your plans stay on your PC. Share them through Google Drive, OneDrive or a network folder.
ExcelCal
Printable calendars made from an Excel template, with your holidays and events already on them.
- Add or import holidays, events and milestones, and choose which ones show.
- Give each person their own calendar with their own workdays and days off.
- Pick a colour theme, then print or export to PDF or XLSX.
The same three promises in every product
Try it on real work first
Every product has a free version that opens, schedules and prints. It is not a demo that stops after a week, so you can use it on an actual project before you decide.
Pay once
A licence is one payment. There is no monthly fee, no account to create and nothing that stops working when a card expires.
Your files stay yours
Plans and calendars are files on your own computer. We never see your projects, and you can open them years from now.
Started with one spreadsheet
Essential Plugins was founded by Pradeep D’Souza. In 2016 he noticed that when people start a project, the first thing they open is Excel, and that the only way to get a schedule that actually moves was to buy and learn a heavy project management application. So he built the scheduling engine inside Excel instead. That became Gantt Excel.
ExcelCal and Desktop Plan came from the same idea: start from how people already work, and do the tedious part for them.
Frequently asked questions
Is Essential Plugins the company behind Gantt Excel?
Yes. Essential Plugins makes and sells Gantt Excel, Desktop Plan and ExcelCal. Each product has its own website, where you can download it, buy a licence and get help.
Where do I get help with a product?
The quickest route is the product’s own support page: Gantt Excel support or Desktop Plan support. For ExcelCal, or anything else, contact us here.
Do your products need a subscription?
No. Gantt Excel Pro, Desktop Plan Pro and ExcelCal Pro are each a one-time payment, and the licence does not expire. Desktop Plan Pro includes 12 months of new versions; after that, renewing for more updates is optional.
Talk to us
A question about a licence, an order, or working with us? Send us a message and a person will reply.