WBS MOD009ACB

Access path

Information

• In this module, the work breakdown structure of a project can be created and edited graphically.
  • Alternatively, the work breakdown structure can also be created and edited in the Schedule module. The display in the Schedule module, however, is done in table form.

• The parent tasks of a structured project plan are called summary tasks in PLANTA project.
• The work breakdown structure code (WBS code) marks single project tasks in accordance with their hierarchical structure.

Details

• Every element (project(s), tasks) is displayed in an individual box.
• Every box contains the most important task and project parameters for the respective element type.
  • There are two ways to figure out what parameters they are:
    • tooltips on the values or
    • the legend at the bottom of the module that can be opened if required. In the legend, the field names have the same position as the corresponding fields in boxes.
• Every parent element contains a so called node field where the number of child elements is specified.
  • When you click on node fields, child elements are displayed or hidden.
• Every box is colored in the corresponding shade of gray depending on its functional degree of completion (Functionally completed in %).
  • White: The functional degree of completion is 0 %.
  • Very light gray: The functional degree of completion is up to 25 %.
  • Light gray: The functional degree of completion is up to 50 %.
  • Medium gray: The functional degree of completion is up to 75 %.
  • Dark gray: The functional degree of completion is up to 100 %.
  • The meaning of the colors can also be seen in the legend.
  • The colors can be changed individually.
• At the bottom margin of the boxes, symbols are displayed with which different actions can be carried out.
  • Green plus: A new task is created.
  • Blue circle: The task itself and its subtasks are marked or unmarked.
  • Red cross: The task itself and its subtasks are marked and the marked records are deleted with a query.
• Every box contains a bar with four dots at the left margin, which enables you to move the box. For more information, see the Structure Project section.

Module Variants

Create Tasks

If there are no tasks in the project to be edited yet, they can be created as follows:

• 1: Copy tasks from another project (the entire project plan)
  • When switching to the WBS module, the following query is displayed: Is a schedule to be copied in?
  • Confirm the message with Yes.
  • The Copy Schedule module is opened at the bottom of the panel. (If the message is negated by accident, you can open the Copy Schedule module by clicking on the Copy schedule button in the project box.)
    • Select the required project from the listbox.
    • Start the copy operation by clicking on the Copy Schedule button.
• 2: Creating Tasks Individually
  • When switching to the WBS module, the following query is displayed: Is a schedule to be copied in?
  • Confirm the message with No.
  • You can insert new tasks by
    • clicking on the Insert task button in the project box or
    • right-clicking on the project box and selecting the Insert--> Task context menu command.

If there are already tasks, new ones can be created as follows:

• On an existing task
  • either click on the green plus symbol
  • or right-click and select Insert Task from the context menu

Structure Tasks (Create Work Breakdown Structure)

Procedure

• After you have created the tasks, the task boxes are displayed below the project box on the same level.
• Structure tasks by left-clicking on the left box margin and dragging the box to the required position.
  • When the boxes are moved, the specification in the node field, which visualizes the number of boxes per level, will be updated automatically.
• Click on the Generate WBS code button in the project header.
  • The WBS code is generated automatically for every task in the WBS code field in accordance with the structure. Thus, the WBS code is both an identifier for single elements in the schedule and an indicator of the hierarchical structure.

Edit Tasks

Information

• In the module itself, only particular task parameters can be edited, e.g. task name, person responsible for the task, milestone type, or estimate.
• In order to edit further task parameters, like e.g. dates, effort, etc., you have to switch to the Task module.

Edit task name and person responsible for the task

• directly in the respective fields in each module variant of the WBS module.

Change milestone type

• by clicking on the » Change milestone type arrow button at the right hand bottom margin of the task box in each module variant of the WBS module.
  • The milestone type is visualized by rhomb symbols.

Edit further task parameters

• To do so, switch to the Task module by clicking on the WBS ID or by right-clicking on the task box and selecting the Edit task context menu command.

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See also: Insert Records, Customize WBS display, Work Breakdown Structure