> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.nextedy.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Work Items Gantt vs Plans Gantt > Nextedy GANTT provides two distinct modes for visualizing project schedules in Polarion: the **Work Items Gantt** and the **Plans Gantt**. export const LastReviewed = ({date}) => { if (!date) return null; const formatted = new Date(`${date}T00:00:00Z`).toLocaleDateString("en-US", { year: "numeric", month: "long", day: "numeric", timeZone: "UTC" }); return

Last reviewed on {formatted}

; }; ## Two Modes, Two Data Models The fundamental difference is the data source. The Work Items Gantt reads from Polarion work items directly. The Plans Gantt reads from Polarion Plans (releases, iterations, sprints) and optionally displays work items nested within those plans. Think of it this way: the Work Items Gantt is like scheduling individual deliverables on a timeline, while the Plans Gantt is like scheduling the containers (milestones, releases, sprints) that group those deliverables. diagram ## Work Items Gantt The Work Items Gantt widget (`Gantt (Work Items)`) is the primary scheduling tool. It displays Polarion work items as task bars on an interactive timeline with full support for: * **Field mappings** for start date, end date, duration, and progress via configurable `Start Field`, `End Field`, `Duration Field`, and `Progress Field` parameters * **Hierarchical display** using `Parent Role` to define which Polarion link roles establish parent-child relationships * **Dependency links** using `Dependency Role` to define which link roles create scheduling dependencies (the first selected role is used when creating new links by dragging) * **Baselines** for comparing the current schedule against historical snapshots * **Resource view** with capacity planning and multiple load calculation modes * **Working calendars** for calendar-aware scheduling The data source is a standard Polarion dataset configured via the chart parameters. You define which work items appear using queries, collections, or scope filters. | Aspect | Work Items Gantt | | ------------ | --------------------------------- | | Data source | Polarion work items | | Hierarchy | Link roles (configurable) | | Dependencies | Link roles with FS/SS/FF/SF types | | Date fields | Configurable custom fields | | Resources | Assignee field or custom field | | Baselines | Supported | ## Plans Gantt The Plans Gantt widget (`Gantt (Plans)`) renders Polarion Plans as first-class entities on the Gantt chart. Plans appear as top-level bars, and sub-plans can be loaded to multiple levels using the `Load Children` parameter. Key characteristics of the Plans Gantt: * **Plans as bars** -- Each Polarion Plan (release, iteration, sprint) appears as a task bar with its own start and end dates * **Plan hierarchy** -- Sub-plans appear as children of their parent plan. The `Load Children` parameter controls how many levels deep the hierarchy goes (0 means only top-level plans) * **Optional work items** -- The `Show Plan Work Item` section enables displaying work items within plans, with separate field mappings for `Start Field`, `End Field`, `Duration Field`, `Progress Field`, `Parent Role`, and `Dependency Role` * **Show Unplanned** -- Plans without dates can optionally appear at today's date in gray, or be hidden entirely * **Longer timescales** -- Plans typically use weekly, monthly, or yearly scales rather than the daily scale common in Work Items Gantt Plans themselves do not support typed dependency links. Only work items displayed within plans can have dependency arrows. Dependency link operations are delegated to the underlying work item relationships. ## When to Use Each Mode | Use case | Recommended mode | | ----------------------------- | ---------------- | | Sprint task scheduling | Work Items Gantt | | Resource capacity planning | Work Items Gantt | | Release and iteration roadmap | Plans Gantt | | Cross-team release planning | Plans Gantt | | Detailed dependency tracking | Work Items Gantt | | Portfolio-level overview | Plans Gantt | The Plans Gantt excels at portfolio planning where you need to see how releases, iterations, and their contained work items fit together over time. A typical hierarchy might look like: * Release (Plan) > Iteration (Plan) > Work Package (Work Item) > Task (Work Item) The `Load Children` parameter controls how deep into this hierarchy the Gantt loads. Setting it to 3 loads all four levels in this example. ## Presentation Modes Apply to Both Both chart modes support [Presentation Modes](/gantt/concepts/presentation-modes) that control how individual work item types are rendered. A work item can appear as a regular task bar (`Item`), a summary bracket (`Derived Schedule`), a diamond milestone (`Milestone`), or be automatically determined based on whether it has children (`Auto-Mode`). Users sometimes expect the Plans Gantt to display full parent-child work item hierarchies within a plan. Currently, plans can show their direct work items, but nested work item hierarchies under those items have limitations. If you need deep work item hierarchy display, use the Work Items Gantt with appropriate `Parent Role` and `Load Children` configuration. ## Combining Both Views Many teams use both modes on different Polarion pages. A project manager might use the Plans Gantt for release-level roadmap planning and the Work Items Gantt for detailed sprint scheduling. Since both read from the same Polarion data, changes made in one view are reflected in the other on the next load. ## Related Topics * [Architecture and Data Flow](/gantt/concepts/architecture) -- How data flows between server and client for both chart modes * [Data Mapping and Field Resolution](/gantt/concepts/data-mapping) -- How fields are configured differently for each mode * [Presentation Modes -- Task, Project, and Milestone](/gantt/concepts/presentation-modes) -- Visual display options for work item types