presentation of timeline

Create a timeline in PowerPoint

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

Create a timeline

On the Insert tab, click SmartArt .

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.

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 Tools Design tab, click Text Pane .

Add more dates to your timeline

Click a shape in the timeline.

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 .

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

Move a date in your timeline

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

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

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

Change to a different timeline layout

Click the SmartArt graphic timeline.

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

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

To show progression in a timeline, select  Accent Process .

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

Change the colors of your timeline

On the SmartArt Design tab, select  Change Colors .

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

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.

Click the timeline.

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

Create a timeline in Visio

Import and export timeline data between Visio and Project

Create a timeline in Project

Get Microsoft timeline templates

On the SmartArt Tools Design tab, do one of the following:

To show progression in a timeline, click Accent Process .

On the SmartArt Tools Design tab, click Change Colors .

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

Create a timeline 

On the Insert tab, click Smart Art .

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.

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

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 .

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.

Select the timeline.

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.

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.

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

Create a SmartArt graphic

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Blog Graphic Design 40+ Timeline Templates, Examples and Design Tips

40+ Timeline Templates, Examples and Design Tips

Written by: Midori Nediger May 30, 2022

Timelines are perfect for telling stories and visualizing projects and processes. You can use a timeline template to: 

• Provide an overview of events. 
• Break down an agenda or itinerary. 
• Highlight important points in time. 
• Distill important information that people might otherwise miss.

In this guide, we’ll share creative timeline ideas, outlines and templates to help you design timelines that will captivate your audience.

Here are our best timeline examples and tips on how you can use them. Click to jump ahead:

• Project timeline template
• Business timeline template
• Nonprofit timeline template
• Event timeline template
• Marketing timeline template
• Simple timeline template
• Historical timeline template
• Construction timeline template
• Internal communication timeline template
• More timeline templates
• FAQs about timeline templates

1. Project timeline templates

Project managers need to juggle multiple balls. A timeline template is a perfect addition to your presentation, project plan, proposal, project management software or other documents where you need to share project details with stakeholders and keep the team on track.

Color-coding data in your timeline is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make your design readable, like in the project timeline example below.

The visual project timeline outline above uses shades of blue to differentiate different tasks. You can use color hues for each day, week, month, or even specific activities. This will help them stand out from each other on the timeline. This timeline was created for a nonprofit, but of course you can use it to visualize any timelines you have for your projects.

Pro Tip:  Consultants and freelancers will especially benefit from using this project timeline template . They’re an easy way to show the client what steps are required to complete a project and how each step impacts the next. The client will love having a visual timeline to refer when they can’t remember what’s supposed to happen when. And this means fewer emails and phone calls to you—we hope!

Monthly project timeline template

For shorter project sprints, a monthly timeline example may be more useful. A timeline, like this example below, can be customized to make it weekly or even hourly:

To make this a weekly or hourly timeline, simply click “Jun 2021” and change it to “Monday” or “9 a.m.”, for example. Note how, unlike the above timeline which uses different shades of blue, this one uses multiple colors to differentiate between time periods.

If you feel like this one uses too many colors and doesn’t coordinate well with your branding, you can always add your brand colors to My Brand Kit and apply them to the timeline in one click:

Consultants for projects can also add this free timeline template to their marketing plan  to improve their workflow. A more efficient workflow will help the team effectively carry out your recommendations.

Pro Tip:   Timeline infographics are great for nonprofits looking to become thought leaders. Pick a topic that shows the development of an idea in your industry. Plot it into a timeline template and insert it into your blog posts or guest posts or share it on social media. You can also add it to a  white paper .

Real estate project timeline template

The home-buying process can be confusing for first-time buyers. Real estate companies can ease their customers’ concerns by designing a project timeline template that uses numbers to emphasize each step:

2. Business timeline templates

Running a business is never easy, and the time crunches may be hard to manage.

Do you have too short a time duration to get things done? I thought you’d say that. Try experimenting with two-week project timelines instead to manage your business needs.

Here’s a project timeline example that can help you structure your monthly product releases:

Pro Tip:  Use Gantt charts to outline due dates and break down projects into smaller activities that are either assigned to individuals or entire teams. Our  guide on Gantt charts  will teach you how to use Gantt charts to deliver projects on time, every time.

Vertical timeline template

Sometimes the key to creating business timelines that stick is the right orientation. Maybe in your case, a vertical timeline outline makes more sense than a horizontal project milestone template.

Pro Tip:  Learning how to complete projects by dividing up deliverables and underlying tasks is key to getting things done across a project’s entire life cycle. Our  project life cycle guide  will give you a handy framework to guide projects from inception to completion.

Simple business timeline format

The best business planning timelines are simple but communicate the core message clearly.

Don’t be fooled by their simplicity. Vertical timelines can look basic but they’ll help you communicate project timelines and deliverables to your potential clients. This technology timeline sample can be easily customized to reflect your business plan.

Related : 30+ Project Plan Templates & Examples to Visualize Your Strategy

PowerPoint timeline template

Text-only  presentation  slides are boring. Timeline slide templates are perfect for making information visually engaging . Optimize your timeline outline for PowerPoint, Google Slides or SlideDeck by using landscape orientation and big, bold text.

Use a gradient color scheme to create a flow from the beginning of your timeline slide to the end:

For more creative timeline ideas and outlines you can use for PowerPoint and Google Slides, check out our collection of PowerPoint timeline templates and examples here .

3. Nonprofit timeline templates

Nonprofits often rely solely on fundraising to keep their projects running. To make things easier for your team, and yourself, a nonprofit timeline template helps to organize your processes. It is a great way to sum up the events and tasks for an important day.

Your tasks may consist of planning content, promotion, social media, etc. Using a horizontal timeline template allows you to be much more organized and summarize your successes:

This horizontal timeline format is perfect for social channels. The colors and images will hold people’s attention and stop them from scrolling past your post.

Social impact timeline templates

Nonprofits need to show that they are making an impact on the world. This is a great marketing tool to attract more investors.

But marketers are busy people. It isn’t possible to design an impactful document from a blank timeline template. This attractive editable timeline uses images to create a connection between the audience and the company.

If you want to use a horizontal timeline format instead, check out the example below:

4. Event timeline templates

A lot of event planning is virtual these days. As a marketer, you may feel overwhelmed by the changes. Using an event timeline template will help you block your hours, days, and weeks out so that you can visualize each step of the way.

Horizontal event timeline templates

Use color hues for each day, week, month, or even specific activities. This will help them stand out from each other on the timeline. This project management timeline template for a nonprofit uses red and blue to differentiate different activities:

Here’s an example of a horizontal event timeline template — this case of the cannabis legalization history in the US :

If you don’t have too many events, you can use this template instead:

This event timeline template portrays the nine-month period of Elon Musk taking over Twitter in 2022 . Not a lot of timeline milestones are added — the designer decides to use the given space to add more notes about each milestone instead.

On the other hand, this Adobe acquisition timeline infographic is perfect if you don’t need to add lots of background info to your timeline events…

Vertical event timeline templates

Scheduling your days in time blocks can be an effective way to organize and prioritize your tasks. Try using different color blocks for different types of tasks or appointments.

This is an opportunity where icons can help you code information and make your timeline scannable.

This vertical timeline template, for example, can make sharing an event planning schedule a breeze:

Or this vertical timeline template which depicts the major data breaches in September 2022 :

If you need to add lots of background info to your event timeline, this iPhone evolution infographic is a great choice:

Fundraising event timeline template

You want to show what your event or fundraiser has achieved. Instead of starting off with a blank timeline, use a creative timeline format to showcase goals reached.

This timeline example shows how the foundation has reached its goals every month. Notice how the timeline is cleverly designed based on a blood donation symbol (which makes it perfect if you’re looking for a visual timeline for your blood donation project!):

Event timeline examples

If you’re a busy small business that needs to budget its time, it’s important that you can indicate how much time should be spent on each activity in your timeline. One way to do this is to use bars of different lengths to visualize lengths of time.

Look at how this fundraising timeline template segments lengths of time for each activity:

Or this timeline infographic which depicts Parler’s business story before being acquired by Kanye :

Wedding timeline template

Another timeline example for an event that you may be planning as a small business is a wedding. You can include specific times and any important details people should know, just like in this wedding day timeline template:

Conference planning timeline template

Want your event to go off without a hitch? Give your attendees a timeline of what the day will look like. That way, they’ll know what to expect ahead of time.

Don’t forget to include information about where each part of the day will take place. Including photos or illustrations of what to expect can also help get your attendees excited about the day’s events.

For example, check out this sleek and minimalist event timeline template:

Pro Tip:  During timeline formatting, special event  consultants  and event planners of all stripes can add their  branding  to any templates of their liking. Then, save it as a template to use again and again. Meaning: less administrative work for you.

Calendar timeline example

Take a classic  calendar  and make it more effective by using icons. Pick icons to represent different types of events. Don’t be afraid to mix up the colors. Simple visuals make information easier to remember, so pick icons that will stick in your memory.

Choose icons to fit your event timeline templates using Venngage’s library of over 40,000 icons.

For another example of a calendar timeline outline, check out this template which is in a vertical format:

5. Marketing timeline templates

Social media timeline example.

If you need to report on how your company’s social media channels grow followers over a period of time, it’s best to do that in a creative visual format.

Adopt this timeline template that presents Instagram’s user growth over time and edit it for your own user growth timeline:

Creative visual timeline for marketing

Understanding your customers’ journey is a core component of a solid  customer experience . Create an infographic that visualizes your various customer profiles.

Use icons to emphasize key steps in their journey.  Take a look at how this timeline example uses icons to make each customer journey easy to understand:

Click the template above to enter our online  customer journey map  maker. Customize the template to your liking—no design experience needed.

Iconic editable timeline

Icons visualize information in one small graphic. That’s why they’re perfect for including in a visual timeline for your events.

Pick an  icon  with a widely recognizable meaning (such as social media platform logos) so people can scan your timeline for information about a specific topic.

This historical timeline example shows the history of social media platforms. It uses icons to identify which point is about each individual platform. You can always customize templates to fit your needs:

6. Simple timeline template

A simple timeline template allows you to make project planning easier for everyone involved. Your team will be grateful for the visualization of a difficult project or process. Here is a simple timeline example that shows how your audience can easily understand what you’re presenting:

7. Historical timeline template

People often like to learn about the history of people, places, and things that they’re interested in. The historical timeline example below highlights the evolution of the internet and technology.

Real estate history timeline example

Showing the history of an industry that has existed for almost a century can be difficult. You don’t want to include too much information. That can be overwhelming for your audience.

Breaking up the decades like in this printable timeline template is the better option. It will make the timeline easier for customers to read and understand.

Brand historical timeline slide

This historical timeline template uses Google’s iconic color palette to reflect the story. Icons and logos make it easy for readers to skim this timeline example and find their favorite products.

Use it to present about a company or an organization that has a rich history as it’s a really long and comprehensive timeline template (click to see the full infographic):

Related:   COVID-19 Timeline: Critical Moments in the First Year

Periodical history timeline

While most timelines typically use one connecting line down the middle to show progress over time, you can group years together using horizontal lines.

Group periods according to different technological breakthroughs, political movements, artistic and fashion trends, or any other broad theme.

Don’t be afraid to stray away from the classic branch timeline design. Get creative by moving events around the page and playing with different layouts.

Check out this history timeline example for some inspiration:

Historical infographic timeline

Educate and remind readers about important dates in history using a history timeline template. Emphasize certain dates by using big, colorful fonts. Offer brief, concise explanations for why the dates are important.

If you are pulling your information from other sources, be sure to cite your sources at the bottom of the infographic.

Arrow timeline example

This timeline example uses text bubbles and cute arrow graphics to create a natural flow of information:

Comparison timeline format

It’s fun to see how things have changed over the years—tech, fashion, event foods. Create a visual timeline that shows photos of a thing, to highlight how it has changed over the years. You can use a  comparison infographic template  to do this.

This timeline example shows how cameras have changed over the years, uses images and brief descriptions to inform readers:

Simple historical timeline template

While you can’t cover  everything  that has happened in history in one timeline, you  can  highlight the important, defining events. Summarize the history of a person, place or thing by showing key moments in history and offering concise explanations of why those moments are significant.

Use colorful icons to enforce and illustrate the information. If you have a resource where readers can go to get more information, cite it at the bottom of the infographic.

These  political infographic templates  are a good place to start.

8. Construction timeline templates

The way the construction industry has advanced over the years is quite a feat. This printable timeline template clearly states what movements took place for the industry to reach the heights it has now.

Construction progress timeline example

Sometimes, processes can be confusing, especially if there are a lot of steps to follow. It’s easy for people to forget steps in a process, especially in the construction industry.

A  construction schedule  timeline template visualizes the building process, organizes the steps, and shows the connections between steps.

This construction project timeline template uses color text boxes to neatly organize its milestones by month:

Pro Tip:   Consultants can use project timeline templates to keep a project on track, especially if there are multiple people involved (subcontractors, multiple stakeholders etc.). Assign a task to a different person and color-code these people/companies i.e. green for you, red for the client.

PS:  Looking for a  scheduling app  to help you book meetings without the back-and-forth? Check out HubSpot’s Meetings tool.

Home renovation timeline template

Alternatively, you can organize your timeline by steps and the number of days you need to complete them, like in this construction project timeline template:

Pro Tip:  Design newbie consultants and freelancers can use our “ My Brand Kit ” tool to import  brand colors  and  logos  from a website. Or enter them manually. Use your branding, or the client’s, as you like. It’s an easy way to impress the client, without any design work on your part!

9. Internal communications timeline templates

Visual timeline templates are an effective way to  plan your business goals  or detail a new process in your internal communications. You can lay it all out, summarize steps, and use visuals to emphasize points.

New hires at any company will understandably have a lot of information to process. This sprint timeline example details the first day on the job. It would be a welcome addition to the usual onboarding documents.

Pro Tip:  Timeline templates can help simplify the onboarding process. You don’t need to limit your timeline to a new hire’s first day at the company either! Consider providing a timeline for their first week, month, or even the entire probationary period. Chart important information, like the dates of their reviews, or when their benefits kick in. This will be much appreciated by your new hire, who likely has a lot to keep track of!

Annual printable timeline template

Zoom out even further and plan your entire year. Organize critical milestones by month using this vertical timeline template to share with your company:

Colorful printable timeline format

This timeline example takes a similar approach, but it color-codes the months and text for improved readability and impact.

Weekly timeline template

As mentioned earlier in this guide, you can keep track of your team’s progress week over week with a simple and organized timeline template.

Use  symbols and icons  to categorize different types of tasks so that readers will be able to skim the timeline and find the information quickly.

Alternate between two neutral background colors to increase the readability of your design. Here’s the two-week timeline from earlier that follows this scheme:

Pro Tip:  A project timeline template can be a fresh way for consultants to make progress  reports  for stakeholders. The client can see at a glance what you’ve been up and how the project’s progressing. No wading through walls of text—a timeline is easy to scan, understand and digest.

10. More timeline templates

Here are more timeline examples that you can customize.

Colorful text boxes use icons and punchy descriptions to keep the reader engaged in this history timeline template:

Process timeline example

Use your  brand guidelines  to spread brand awareness and make your content recognizable across multiple channels.

Numbered timeline template

A timeline doesn’t necessarily have to chronicle years. It can also be used to count down information. Take this timeline template that counts down New Year’s Eve facts. The line down the middle of the infographic creates a flow from fact to fact.

You could use a timeline example like this to rank products, websites, movies…anything!

Illustrative timeline example

The beauty of a timeline infographic is that you can create a design that really reflects the theme of your information.

Pick a flat icon that reflects the theme of your information and stretch it to fit the background of your page. Then, pick a color that stands out to create your timeline, text and smaller illustrations.

Look at how this timeline example uses an icon of a body as the background image:

Iconic timeline sample

If certain dates or events are particularly important, emphasize them on your timeline by making them bigger than other dates. You can do this by using bigger icons, bigger font sizes, or using a contrasting color.

Not only will using non-uniform design elements make certain points stand out, they will also make your timeline more interesting to look at.

Pro Tip:  Use a timeline template to show the history of your business. Put it on your website’s About page to grab the reader’s attention. You can also add it to  consulting proposals  or  pitch decks . We have plenty of  business proposal templates  to help you get started.

Bubble chart timeline infographic

This timeline template combines the use of bubble charts and timelines to visualize the explosive growth of AI technology over the past five years:

Note, we welcome sharing! You have permission to use this infographic on your blog or website. Simply copy the HTML code below to add this infographic to your site. Or, if you’d like to reference a specific statistic or fact, please include a link to this blog post as a source.

FAQ about timeline templates

What is a timeline.

A timeline graphically represents the passing of time. It also showcases important events, activities, or tasks in a chronological manner.

What does a timeline include?

The timeline format generally includes the following components:

• Dates or times
• Short descriptions
• Images or icons

How can you create a timeline?

Making a blank timeline and building on it will take time and energy. Instead, use a timeline template, like the ones Venngage offers, to design timelines.

As you can see from this guide, Venngage has over 40 editable timeline templates. Each can be customized to your brand’s needs.

Where can you make a timeline?

Use Venngage’s Timeline Maker  to design timeline templates for free. You can choose a template that suits your needs and edit it according to your content.

With Venngage’s diverse icons and stock photo library, you can design timelines that appeal to wider audiences.

Is there a timeline template in Google Docs?

Google Docs doesn’t have a default timeline template, but you can create one yourself by manually inserting lines and shapes from Google Drawing:

Of course, it takes lots of time to polish a timeline created manually this way, and even then you can’t guarantee that it will turn out “good”. This is because Google Docs by itself isn’t designed for creating timeline templates, unlike Venngage which is a simple solution for non-designers.

If you still would like to have a timeline in Google Docs, you can create one using Venngage instead and export it as a PNG—which then can be uploaded to Google Docs as an image.

Is there a timeline template in Word?

Similar to Google Docs, Word doesn’t have a default timeline template. Of course you can still manually create one using the lines and shapes, or by using the SmartArt function. Check out this guide on how to create a timeline in Word if you want to go that route.

But, also similar to Google Docs, timelines created in Word take too much time and don’t look as good as the ones created using a design solution like Venngage.

A simple fix would be to choose a timeline template from Venngage’s library, edit it and export it as a PNG so you can upload it to your Word document.

How can you create a timeline with Venngage?

Watch this video to learn how to create a timeline template .

Follow these steps to customize your timeline templates on Venngage:

Step 1 : Pick a timeline template with the layout that best fits the story you want to tell.

Just so you know, some of our templates are free, some exclusive templates are paid. But you can always create an account and test out our editor for free.

Step 2 : Add, remove, or rearrange points with the smart templates in our  timeline maker  (screenshot below).

Step 3 : Insert your own dates and events using the text boxes.

Step 4 : Customize the  colors ,  fonts  and  icons  to make the final design your own.

Step 5 : Share your timeline design with a share link, or upgrade to download in multiple formats.

Not a designer? No problem. Create an engaging timeline template with Venngage, the simple design solution for businesses.

PS: Looking for a different kind of infographic? Venngage can help you:

• Create a business strategy or brainstorm new ideas with a mind map
• Explain a complex process with  process infographics  or product roadmaps
• Compare and contrast multiple options with  comparison infographics
• Raise awareness about an issue or cause with  nonprofit infographics  

Need some timeline formatting tips? Read our guide on  how to create a timeline in 6 easy steps .

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• Slidesgo School
• Google Slides Tutorials

How to Create a Timeline in Google Slides

What better way to portray progress and evolution on a Google Slides presentation than with a timeline? A timeline does the job of telling a story (or history) chronologically in a direct and straightforward manner that’s also visually attractive and easy to digest.   It shouldn’t contain too much text so as to not overwhelm the reader yet have just enough to convey a milestone. In this Slidesgo School tutorial, we provide you with step-by-step instructions on creating a timeline in Google Slides. 

Creating the outline

Creating callouts for your text, creating text boxes.

• Open your Google Slides presentation.
• Go to the slide you want to insert the timeline to.
• Go to the toolbar and click Select Line → Line.
• From the toolbar, select Line color to change color and Line weight to edit thickness. This is to change the style of your line. We recommend you to stick to the same color palette and style used in the rest of the slides.
• Select Shape → Shapes from the toolbar. These are all the shapes that are available on Google Slides. Select Oval to create a circle. Each circle represents a milestone. In this timeline, we’ll use five circles for a five-day visualization.

Pro tip: To create a perfect circle, hold on to Shift before you start dragging or while dragging to resize. 

• Change the color of the circle with Fill color in the toolbar. Next to are three additional options to style the border of the circle: Border color, Border weight, and Border dash. Ensure the style of your circle is in line with that of the master slides.
• Color your circle with the same tone as the line and make its border invisible by selecting the Transparent option under Fill color. This gives your Google Slides timeline a smoother look.
• Copy and paste the circle four times to produce a timeline with five milestones.
• Select the circle and hold down Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste or Cmd + C and Cmd + V if you are using Mac.
• Move the second circle to where you want the second milestone to be placed.
• Repeat to create the third, fourth, and fifth circles.

Pro tip: When placing subsequent circles, Google Slides displays a visual guide in the form of a line to guide your alignment. Use this guide for a more polished result. 

• Go the toolbar and select Shape → Shapes→ Callouts. This adds a shaped text box to each milestone. You’ve now completed the outline of your timeline.
• Google Slides’ default callouts have their tails oriented to one side. To create a personalized callout, add a square and an inverted triangle. Apply the same color and border line style to both shapes.
• If you’ve created a personalized callout with a square and an inverted triangle, select the entire area of the callout so that both entities are selected.

Pro tip: Move two (or more) elements together as if they were one by grouping them together. To do so, select on the objects you want to group and click on Arrange → Group.  

• Copy and paste the callout using Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V or Cmd + C and Cmd + V in Mac.
• Click and drag the callout to place it above another circle.
• Repeat this step as many times as needed to complete the timeline. Make sure the design of your callout is consistent with the template’s design.
• Alternate the callout’s positioning in relation to the line. This creates extra space on the slide and produces a more dynamic effect.
• Select the callout and click on Arrange on the menu bar → Rotate → Flip vertically. This is so the callout points towards the circle (milestone).
• As a shortcut to flipping or rotating an object, select the callout to bring up the blue dots around it. If it is made up of various elements, select them all. Click on the dot that’s farthest away (and connected by a line) and drag it around to rotate the callout. Hold down Shift to rotate the object in 15-degree increments.
• Copy and paste the callouts and place them above and below the line alternatingly to fill the timeline.
• Adjust as needed to ensure all callouts are properly aligned and are all of the equal distance from their corresponding circles.
• In the toolbar, select Text box. This is the final step of our tutorial on creating a timeline in Google Slides.
• Click and drag out the area you want the text to be in. Type your title in this text box. We’ll use a title and a description in each text box to provide a short explanation of the milestone.
• Resize and style your text as needed with the different text options in the toolbar: Font, Font size, Bold, Italic, Underline, Text color. Remember to maintain the master slides’ design and select the same typeface used in the rest of the presentation.
• In this example, we’ll reduce the font size a little, bold the text, and centralize it.

Pro tip: To centrally align your text within the callout, create a text box that is of the same width as the callout. 

• Copy and paste the text box into all the callouts and adapt the text as needed.
• Click on the center of the callout to start typing. Shapes in Google Slides also double up as text boxes.
• Write a brief description. (Remember, too much text is a presentation’s worst enemy!)
• Format your text as desired. This is to provide more information about each milestone.
• Fill in the other four descriptions and you’re done.

Well done, you now know how to create a timeline in Google Slides from scratch!   If you’re looking for creative timelines or need project timeline ideas for your next presentation, check out our entire range of templates for Google Slides.

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Home PowerPoint Templates Timeline

134+ Timeline PowerPoint Templates for Presentations

Download PowerPoint Timeline Templates and illustrations to make attractive timelines for PowerPoint presentations. These professionally crafted timeline templates have been designed to provide presenters with all the necessary layouts and appropriate imagery to create PowerPoint timelines with convenience.

Download a PowerPoint Timeline Template that best matches your presentation topic and customize it to create awesome timelines. These templates are suitable for making project timelines, sequential slides, timeline diagrams, etc.

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Vertical Timeline PowerPoint Template

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Project Proposal Timeline Template for PowerPoint

Download unlimited content, our annual unlimited plan let you download unlimited content from slidemodel. save hours of manual work and use awesome slide designs in your next presentation..

10 Stunning Timelines For Presentations

Do you wish to share key dates or deadlines with your audience? Do you want to inform your colleagues about a new planning calendar? Do you intend to present historical events in chronological order? All you need is a timeline that you can easily use in your PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation.

As you can see, timelines have a great number of uses and purposes. So why don’t you take a peek at our innovative options to highlight your events, steps, or processes ? Indeed, we recommend 10 of our trendiest free timeline diagrams . Lose no time in choosing your favorite timeline design for PowerPoint and Google Slides!

Whether you are a business person planning a project or a teacher preparing a history lesson, you will find below the infographic you need. As a matter of fact, our selection of 10 slide templates is very eclectic: there are horizontal and vertical, curved, and straight, abstract, and figurative, colorful, and black and white timelines.

The main objective of these visual supports is for your audience to clearly remember key dates. They can be a list of events, the deadlines of a marketing project, the milestones of a history lesson, or the main stages of a business report. In any case, students, teachers, and professionals will find these free timeline diagrams timesaving, if not lifesaving!

1. Snake Timeline

The road to your objective is not always a straight line: sometimes the road ahead can be winding. That is why this free Snake Timeline template for PowerPoint and Google Slides has a sinuous shape that leads you from the bottom up. In addition to its colorful and attractive “S-shaped” design, it offers you the possibility to show a 6-step progression or a 6-date chronological line. It also includes 2 circles with icons and text placeholders to explain each idea, step, or date in detail.

2. Chevron Milestones Diagram

One step at a time, you will reach your objective. In this dynamic design with perspective , the icon of a house represents the goal you want to reach. However, you can edit it to personalize your own target. This free PowerPoint diagram is ideal to describe a progression or 5 sequential stages in a task, process, or workflow. You can use the text placeholders to specify the dates of your schedule and the description of each step. Thanks to this perfect tool, your presentation may become a milestone in your professional life!

3. Roll Film Timeline

Camera, rolling, and action! This free Roll Film template offers an original way to display events in chronological order or to show the evolution of a process through time. This design for PowerPoint of a horizontal classic film tape/movie roll has indeed 7 frames to showcase 7 dates or steps. In addition to the days, months, or years, you can also include icons inside the frames to make your steps more recognizable. Finally, you will find text placeholders on both sides of the roll film timeline in order to specify your ideas, steps, or events.

4. History Timeline

This free History Timeline template is probably one of our catchiest designs . It is indeed filled with bright colors and geometrical shapes. For instance, the timeline is made of 7 closed chevrons, ideal to show a chronological progression. It is indeed perfect to emphasize movement and direction. It works as a process diagram as well if you want to showcase the 7 sequential steps in a task, process, or workflow. It also includes text boxes for each stage or date on the lower level. Are you ready to make history with your next presentation?

5. Road Map Timeline

Get the show on the road! This free road map timeline for PowerPoint and Google Slides is a modern and creative template. It shows an illustration of a winding road with several circles that symbolize the stages, steps, or dates of your project or process. Of course, you can include the icons or dates you need in each one of the circles. Every milestone of your journey will thus be easily recognizable. Give movement and direction to your presentation!

6. Growth Timeline with Trees

This free growth diagram with trees is definitely not a classical timeline. However, growing trees are a perfect metaphor for time passing by. This Growth infographic template displays 4 trees of different sizes. If you need to show the 4 stages of a project or the 4 steps in product development, you just have to write the dates and descriptions in the text placeholders below each tree. You will realize that success actually grows on trees!

7. Vertical Timeline with Cubes

Our idea of a timeline is usually horizontal going from left to right. Why don’t you change this convention and describe your information from the bottom up? This colorful design represents a vertical pole with 5 colorful 3D cubes in which you can write down your key dates. You can thus illustrate a list of events in chronological order. This free vertical timeline with cubes for PowerPoint and Google Slides will lead you from the ground to the sky. It will indeed convey an image of progress and success to your audience.

8. Paper Airplane and Trail

Ready for take-off? This free Paper Airplane and Trail template offers an original illustration to display the key dates of a schedule or project. The editable graphics possess text placeholders in which you can describe each one of the four stages of your progression, process, or project. The traditional folded paper plane is flying following a trail (dotted curved line) that will lead you to unexpected heights. The sky’s the limit!

9. Infographic Abstract Timeline

Do you need to expose simply and clearly the 6 stages of a project or the 6 key dates of historical events? Then this free infographic abstract timeline for PowerPoint is a modern and attractive option to do just this. It shows modern shapes alternatively (up and down) diverging from a horizontal line. In each one of these paddle-like colorful shapes, you can include both a date and an icon. Finally, you can find text placeholders for each stage.

10. Doodle Timeline

If you want to draw attention to your timeline, use this hand-drawn illustration ! This free Doodle Timeline is indeed an outstanding option to reveal the key dates of your project. Above the horizontal line, you will find 4 ribbon banners in which you can write a title. You also have arrows that point down to the corresponding date on the timeline. Doodles are a fun way to showcase your data : it will give a more informal, personalized, and handcrafted tone to your presentation.

We hope you like this selection. Do not hesitate to leave a comment or share your thoughts.

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How-To Geek

How to create a timeline in microsoft powerpoint.

If you want to visually display a sequence of events in your PowerPoint presentation, add a timeline. Here's how.

One of PowerPoint’s charms is the ability to visually represent information by using its large library of available graphics, such as charts and graphs. If you want to create a timeline, well, Microsoft has just the thing. Here’s how it’s done.

Open your PowerPoint presentation and navigate to the slide in which you would like to add a timeline. Once there, navigate to the “Insert” tab and select “SmartArt” from the “Illustrations” group.

The “Choose a SmartArt Graphic” window will appear. Here, select “Process” from the left-hand pane.

A library of several different process-focused SmartArt graphics will appear. You can choose the style you like best for your timeline. In this example, we’ll use the “Basic Timeline” option.

Once selected, information about the SmartArt option will be displayed in the right-hand pane. When you’re ready to insert the SmartArt, select the “OK" button.

Related: How to Create Star Wars Scrolling Text in PowerPoint

The timeline will now appear on the slide, along with a window where you will type the respective text for the timeline.

The text entered in the box will automatically reflect on the actual timeline.

By default, this timeline will have three bullets for you to fill out. To add more, place your cursor at the end of the last item on the list in the text window, press “Enter,” and then type the desired text. Repeat this step as many times as necessary.

The size of the text and the placement of the bullets on the timeline will adjust automatically.

When you’re finished adding text, select the “X” button at the top right of the text window.

If you need to adjust the colors of the timeline to better align with the presentation, select the timeline and then click “Change Colors” in the “SmartArt Styles” group of the “SmartArt Design” tab.

A menu will appear, displaying a large library of different color schemes for the timeline. In this example, we’ll use “Gradient Loop” from the “Accent 6” group.

Once selected, the change will take place on your timeline.

And, of course, you can adjust the bullets and the text in the timeline by clicking and dragging each item.

Finally, if you ever need to add or remove a bullet from (or edit text in) the timeline, you can bring back the text edit window by selecting the timeline and then clicking the "Left Arrow" icon found on the left side of the graphic box.

Related: How to Build a PowerPoint Organizational Chart With Excel Data

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