Work Breakdown Structure dialog
You use the Work Breakdown Structure dialog to set up and maintain a work breakdown structure with which to define and group a project's tasks. The work breakdown structure, which is a hierarchical tree structure of WBS codes, is displayed in the main pane of the dialog.
How to access the Work Breakdown Structure dialog
To access the Work Breakdown Structure dialog, on the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Work Breakdown Structure.
Explanation of the fields and buttons on the dialog
The dialog displays the following information about each WBS code in the hierarchy:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| WBS code | An alphanumeric identifier, which you can edit. New projects will have an initial WBS code, taken from the project's short name. The dialog displays the full hierarchical path for each WBS code; when you edit a WBS code, only the code itself - not the path - is displayed for editing. |
| WBS name | A descriptive title, which you can edit. For the initial WBS code in new projects, this will be taken from the project's long name. |
| Task count | The number of tasks to which the WBS code has been assigned. |
| Start date | The start date of the earliest task to which the WBS code has been assigned. |
| Finish date | The finish date of the latest task to which the WBS code has been assigned. |
The dialog displays the following buttons:
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Add | Select a WBS code then click this button to add a WBS code to the work breakdown structure as a 'child' of the selected code. For example, if you want to create a new WBS code directly beneath the top-level code, select the top-level code then click this button. |
| Remove | Click this button to delete the selected WBS code from the work breakdown structure. If the WBS code has any subordinate WBS codes in the work breakdown structure, these 'child' WBS codes are also deleted. |
| Outdent | Click this button to move the selected WBS code out of its parent WBS code. |
| Indent | Click this button to make the selected code a child of the WBS code that is above it in the work breakdown structure. |
| Up | Click this button to move the selected WBS code and any 'child' WBS codes that it may have up one position vertically within the work breakdown structure. |
| Down | Click this button to move the selected WBS code and any 'child' WBS codes that it may have down one position vertically within the work breakdown structure. |
| Hierarchy Appearance | Click this button to display a dialog that you can use to specify the colours and fonts to be used in the subheadings that appear when you create sorts/groups that are based on the work breakdown structure. |
How do I...
... add a new WBS code to the work breakdown structure?
- Select the WBS code below which you want to add a new WBS code. The code that you select will be the 'parent' code of the new WBS code. For example, if you want to create a new WBS code directly beneath the top-level code, select the top-level code.
- Click Add.
- Enter an alphanumeric identifier for the code in the WBS code column.
- Enter a descriptive title for the code in the WBS name column.
... edit an existing WBS code?
- Click the WBS code column to edit the code's alphanumeric identifier.
- Click the WBS name column to edit the code's descriptive title.
... change the position of a WBS code in the work breakdown structure?
- Select a WBS code and click Up or Down to change its position vertically in the work breakdown structure.
- Select a WBS code and click Indent to make the selected code a child of the WBS code that is above it in the work breakdown structure.
- Select a WBS code and click Outdent to move the selected code out of its parent WBS code.
If a WBS code has any subordinate WBS codes in the work breakdown structure, these 'child' WBS codes are moved along with the selected WBS code.
... remove a WBS code from the work breakdown structure?
Select a WBS code and click Remove to delete it from the work breakdown structure. If the WBS code has any subordinate WBS codes in the work breakdown structure, these 'child' WBS codes are also deleted.
... specify hierarchy appearance settings for sorts/groups based on the work breakdown structure?
Click Hierarchy Appearance. The Hierarchical Appearance dialog appears, which you can use to specify the colours and fonts to be used in the subheadings that appear when you create sorts/groups that are based on the work breakdown structure.