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Use a SmartArt graphic to create a timeline showing target dates for an assignment or project.

Create a timeline

Create a timeline

  1. On the Insert tab, click SmartArt.

    The SmartArt button on the Insert tab in PowerPoint.

  2. In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic gallery, click Process, and then double-click a timeline layout.

    Tip: There are two timeline SmartArt graphics: Basic timeline and Circle Accent Timeline, but you can also use almost any process-related SmartArt graphic.

    In the SmartArt dialog, the Process category includes two specific timeline graphics, plus other process graphics that can also be used to represent a timeline.

  3. Click [Text], and then type or paste your text in the SmartArt graphic.

    Note: You can also open the Text Pane and type your text there. If you do not see the Text Pane, on the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, click Text Pane.

Add more dates to your timeline

  1. Click a shape in the timeline.

    Click the last date point

  2. On the SmartArt Design tab, do one of the following:

    • To add an earlier date, click Add Shape, and then click Add Shape Before.

    • To add a later date, click Add Shape, and then click Add Shape After.

      The Add Shape menu allows you to specify where you want to insert another shape in your SmartArt graphic.

  3. In the new date box, type the date that you want.

Move a date in your timeline

  1. On the timeline, click the date you want to move.

    Select the timeline date

  2. On the SmartArt Design tab, do one of the following:

    • To move a date sooner than the selected date, click Move Up.

    • To move a date later than the selected date, click Move Down.

      The Move Up and Move Down options help you accurately position each shape in the SmartArt graphic.

Change to a different timeline layout

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic timeline.

  2. On the SmartArt Design tab, in the Layouts group, click More More button .

    On the SmartArt Design tab of the ribbon, use the Layout gallery to select a different design for your graphic.

    Note: To view only the timeline and process-related layouts, at the bottom of the layouts list, click More Layouts, and then click Process.

  3. Pick a timeline or process-related SmartArt graphic, like the following:

    • To show progression in a timeline, select Accent Process.

      Accent Process

    • To create a timeline with pictures or photos, click Continuous Picture List. The circular shapes are designed to contain pictures.

      Continuous Picture List

Change the colors of your timeline

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic timeline.

  2. On the SmartArt Design tab, select Change Colors.

    On the SmartArt Design tab, use Change Colors to select a different color for your graphic.

    Note: If you don't see the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, make sure you’ve selected the timeline.

  3. Click the color combination that you want.

Tip: Place your pointer over any combination to see a preview of how the colors look in your timeline.

Apply a SmartArt style

A SmartArt style applies a combination of effects, such as line style, bevel, or 3-D perspective, in one click, to give your timeline a professionally polished look.

  1. Click the timeline.

  2. On the SmartArt Design tab, click the style you want.

    On the SmartArt Design tab, you can use SmartArt Styles to select a shape, color, and effects for your graphic.

    Tip: For more styles, click More More button, in the lower right corner of the Styles box.

See Also

Create a timeline

  1. On the Insert tab, click SmartArt.

    Click SmartArt

  2. In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic gallery, click Process, and then double-click a timeline layout.

    Tip: There are two timeline SmartArt graphics: Basic timeline and Circle Accent Timeline, but you can also use almost any process-related SmartArt graphic.

    SmartArt Graphic timelines

  3. Click [Text], and then type or paste your text in the SmartArt graphic.

    Note: You can also open the Text Pane and type your text there. If you do not see the Text Pane, on the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, click Text Pane.

Add more dates to your timeline

  1. Click a shape in the timeline.

    Click the last date point

  2. On the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, do one of the following:

    • To add an earlier date, click Add Shape, and then click Add Shape Before.

    • To add a later date, click Add Shape, and then click Add Shape After.

      On the Design tab, click Add Shape.

  3. In the new date box, type the date that you want.

Move a date in your timeline

  1. On the timeline, click the date you want to move.

    Select the timeline date

  2. On the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, do one of the following:

    • To move a date sooner than the selected date, click Move Up.

    • To move a date later than the selected date, click Move Down.

      Move date up or down

Change to a different timeline layout

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic timeline.

  2. On the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, in the Layouts group, click More More button .

    Click to see more layouts

    Note: To view only the timeline and process-related layouts, at the bottom of the layouts list, click More Layouts, and then click Process.

  3. Pick a timeline or process-related SmartArt graphic, like the following:

    • To show progression in a timeline, click Accent Process.

      Accent Process

    • To create a timeline with pictures or photos, click Continuous Picture List. The circular shapes are designed to contain pictures.

      Continuous Picture List

Change the colors of your timeline

  1. Click the SmartArt graphic timeline.

  2. On the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, click Change Colors.

    Change colors of your timeline

    Note: If you don't see the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, make sure you’ve selected the timeline.

  3. Click the color combination that you want.

Tip: Place your pointer over any combination to see a preview of how the colors look in your timeline.

Apply a SmartArt style

A SmartArt style applies a combination of effects, such as line style, bevel, or 3-D perspective, in one click, to give your timeline a professionally polished look.

  1. Click the timeline.

  2. On the SmartArt ToolsDesign tab, click the style you want.

    Choose a new style

    Tip: For more styles, click More More button, in the lower right corner of the Styles box.

See Also

Create a timeline 

  1. On the Insert tab, click Smart Art.

  2. Pick a timeline layout from the gallery that appears, such as this Basic Timeline in the List section.

    On the slide, a text editor opens next to the graphic so you can easily add words to the graphic.

  3. In the text editor, enter the dates and descriptions, and then press Enter.

  4. Optionally, you can make a sub-item in the bulleted list by clicking the bullet with the text you want to use for a sub-item, and on the Smart Art tab, clicking Demote.

    Promote or demote

Change the color or style of a timeline

You can change the color or style of the timeline graphic. You can also choose a different graphic layout entirely.

  1. Select the timeline.

  2. Select the SmartArt tab of the Ribbon, and then select either Change Colors or Styles to see a menu of available options for the timeline graphic. Click the style or color you want to select it.

    Change the style, color, or layout

  3. You can also try changing the layout by opening the layout gallery to the left of Change Colors. Some of the options in the List and Process sections of the gallery are suitable for timelines.

Resize the timeline

You can change the size of the graphic so it fits better on your slide.

  1. Select the timeline.

  2. Point at one of the corner sizing handles until you see the two-headed arrow, and then click and drag to resize the timeline.

See Also

Create a SmartArt graphic

Get Microsoft timeline templates

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