Overview
Staying on schedule is one of the hardest parts of running a construction project. Dates shift, sequences change, and before long the original plan has nothing to do with what's actually happening on site. The Schedules module gives you a living Gantt chart built directly inside your project, one that reflects real progress and makes it immediately clear when something has slipped.
Schedules in Structur are visual and interactive. You add items, set start and end dates, and the bars appear on a timeline. You can drag bars to reschedule, connect items by dragging a dot from one bar to another to create dependencies, and group related items by phase or trade to keep the schedule organized. A progress slider on each item lets you track completion as work moves forward.
One of the most useful features is the baseline. Once your schedule is set, you lock it in with a single click. From that point on, a shadow appears beneath each bar showing the original planned position. When items shift, you can see at a glance how many days ahead or behind you are compared to the original plan.
This guide walks you through creating a schedule, building it out, managing dependencies, using the baseline, and saving your work as a reusable template.
Understanding Schedules
What It Does
The Schedules module allows you and your team to:
Create named schedules tied to a specific project, with a default progress bar color and optional description
Start from scratch or from a template to save time on projects that follow a similar workflow
Add schedule items with a name, start date, end date, duration, progress percentage, color, assignees, and vendors
Organize items into groups by phase, trade, or any other category, each with its own color
Set predecessors and successors by dragging a dot from one bar to another to link items visually on the Gantt
Drag bars to reschedule items directly on the Gantt without opening the detail panel
Track progress on each item with a slider that updates the % column in real time
Set a baseline to lock in the original planned schedule and see drift as a shadow below each bar
Toggle the left column on or off to focus on the Gantt view
Switch between Day, Week, and Month views to zoom in or out on the timeline
Duplicate a schedule to create a copy on the same or a different project
Save a schedule as a template for reuse on future projects
When to Use It
Schedules are most valuable when you want to:
Map out the full sequence of work before a project kicks off
Communicate project timelines clearly to clients, subcontractors, and your team
Track which phases are on track, behind, or complete at a glance
Lock in a baseline and measure actual progress against the original plan
Build a repeatable workflow by saving your best schedules as templates
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Open the Schedules Module
Click Projects in the left sidebar and open the project you want to work in
Click Schedules in the module top bar
If no schedules exist yet, you'll see an empty state with a New Schedule button in the center.
2. Create a New Schedule
Click New Schedule in the top right corner
The Create New Schedule modal opens with two options:
Start From Scratch Build a new schedule from the ground up. Fill in the Name, set a Default Progress Bar Color, confirm the Select a project dropdown, and add an optional Description. Click Create.
Choose a Template Start from a previously saved template to skip rebuilding a schedule you've used before. Select the template, update the name and project if needed, and click Create.
3. Add Schedule Items
Once the schedule opens, add items using either method:
From the bottom toolbar:
Click New Schedule Item at the bottom left of the screen
Type the item name and press Enter to save it and open a new line for the next item
Continue adding items until your list is complete
Inline in the left column:
Click the Type schedule it... placeholder row at the bottom of the list
Type the item name directly
Directly in the chart:
If you have a new item created in the left panel but it doesn't have start / end date yet, you can click in the start date within the chart and then do another click in the end date.
Each new item appears as a bar on the Gantt chart once start and end dates are set.
4. Edit a Schedule Item
Click any item on the left column or on the Gantt bar to open the detail panel on the right.
Fill in or update the following fields:
Name - the description of the schedule item
Group - assign the item to a group (see Step 5)
Start date - when the item begins
End date - when the item is due to finish
Duration (days) - calculates automatically from start and end dates
Progress - drag the slider to update the completion percentage
Color - set a custom color for this item's bar
Assignees - assign team members responsible for this item
Vendors - assign vendors or subcontractors tied to this item
Predecessors - items that must finish before this one can start
Successors - items that follow this one in sequence
Click Save when done.
Note: You can also drag bars directly on the Gantt to reschedule items without opening the detail panel.
5. Organize Items into Groups
Groups let you cluster related items by phase, trade, or scope area and color-code them for easy scanning.
Click New Group in the bottom toolbar
The New Group panel opens on the right
Enter a Group Name and select a Color
Click Save Changes
To assign an item to a group, open the item's detail panel and select the group from the Group dropdown.
6. Set Dependencies
Dependencies connect schedule items so the sequence of work is visible on the Gantt.
To link items by dragging:
Hover over a bar on the Gantt until the dot appears at the end of the bar
Click and drag the dot to another bar
A dashed line appears connecting the two items, showing the dependency relationship
To set predecessors or successors in the detail panel:
Open the item's detail panel
Under Dependencies, add items in the Predecessors or Successors fields
Note: Setting a predecessor means this item cannot logically start until the predecessor is finished. Structur reflects this dependency visually with a connecting line on the Gantt.
7. Set a Baseline
The baseline locks in your original planned schedule so you can track drift over time.
Click Set Baseline in the top bar
The button updates to show Baseline Set and a Clear Baseline option appears
A shadow appears just below each bar on the Gantt, showing the original planned position
When items are dragged or rescheduled, the shadow stays in place. The gap between the bar and its shadow shows exactly how many days ahead or behind schedule the item is.
To remove the baseline, click Clear Baseline.
8. Track Progress
As work moves forward, update each item's progress to keep the schedule accurate.
Click the item on the left column or on its Gantt bar to open the detail panel
Drag the Progress slider to the current completion percentage
Click Save
The % column in the left panel updates in real time, giving anyone who opens the schedule an immediate read on where each item stands.
9. Change the View
Use the view controls in the top right to adjust how the timeline displays:
Day - shows a detailed day-by-day view, best for short-duration schedules
Week - shows a week-by-week view, best for most projects
Month - shows a high-level monthly view, best for long projects or client presentations
Show Left Column toggle - hide the description column to focus on the Gantt bars
10. Duplicate a Schedule
Click the duplicate icon in the top right
The Duplicate Schedule modal confirms the action
Click Duplicate
A copy of the schedule is created with "(Copy)" appended to the name. Use this to test changes without affecting the original, or to apply a similar schedule to another project.
11. Save a Schedule as a Template
Once you've built a schedule worth reusing, save it as a template.
Click the template icon in the top right
The Manage Templates panel opens
Click Convert to Template
The schedule is saved as a reusable template. On future projects, select Choose a Template when creating a new schedule to start from it instead of building from scratch.
12. Edit Schedule Settings
Click the gear icon in the top right
The Schedule Settings modal opens
Update the Name, Default Progress Bar Color, Select a project, or Description as needed
Click Save
To delete the schedule entirely, click Delete in the Schedule Settings modal.
Best Practices
Build your schedule before the project kicks off - getting your timeline in place at the start sets expectations with clients and your team from day one.
Set a baseline as soon as the schedule is approved - once the plan is locked, the baseline gives you a permanent reference point to measure against as the project evolves.
Use groups to organize by phase or trade - a color-coded schedule broken into logical phases is much easier to read and share with clients than a flat list of items.
Connect dependencies visually - dragging dots to link bars is faster than typing predecessors manually and makes the sequence of work immediately clear on the Gantt.
Update progress regularly - a schedule is only useful if it reflects real-world status. Make it a habit to update progress at least weekly.
Save your best schedules as templates - every time you complete a well-structured schedule, convert it into a template so you don't rebuild the same structure from scratch on the next job.
Use the baseline to have honest conversations - when a project runs behind, the shadow makes the gap visible and specific, which makes it easier to communicate the impact and course-correct.
Common Questions
Q: Can a project have more than one schedule?
A: Yes. You can create multiple schedules within a single project. This is useful for separating phases, tracking different scopes of work, or maintaining distinct timelines for different parts of the job.
Q: What is the baseline and why should I use it?
A: The baseline locks in your original planned schedule by placing a shadow beneath each bar. As items are rescheduled or dragged, the shadow stays in its original position so you can see exactly how many days ahead or behind schedule each item is at any point during the project.
Q: How do I create a dependency between two items?
A: Hover over a Gantt bar until the dot appears at the end of the bar, then drag it to another bar to connect them. You can also set predecessors and successors directly in the item's detail panel under the Dependencies section.
Q: Can I assign schedule items to team members or vendors?
A: Yes. Open the item's detail panel and use the Assignees field to assign team members and the Vendors field to assign subcontractors or vendors tied to that item.
Q: How do I reuse a schedule I've already built?
A: Click the template icon in the top right and click Convert to Template. On future projects, select Choose a Template when creating a new schedule to start from it instead of building from scratch.
Q: Can I reschedule items without opening the detail panel?
A: Yes. Drag any bar directly on the Gantt to move it to new dates. The start date, end date, and duration update automatically.
Q: What does the Duration field do?
A: Duration calculates automatically from the start and end dates you set. It shows the number of calendar days the item spans and updates any time you change the dates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
Build your schedule mid-project when it's too late to set expectations | Create the schedule before work begins so timelines are clear from the start |
Skip setting a baseline after the schedule is approved | Set the baseline immediately so you have a reference point to measure drift against |
Leave all items at 0% progress throughout the project | Update progress regularly so the schedule reflects actual site conditions |
List tasks without connecting dependencies | Drag dots between bars to show the true sequence of work visually |
Create a solid schedule and never save it as a template | Convert completed schedules to templates so future projects start with a head start |
Use vague item names like "Phase 1" or "Work" | Write descriptive item names so everyone knows exactly what each task involves |
Leave the baseline set after major scope changes | Clear the baseline and reset it when the project plan changes significantly |