Project Task ID (WBN) Numbering Definition dialog

You use the Project Task ID (WBN) Numbering Definition dialog to specify the way in which Asta Powerproject generates task ID (WBN) codes. You can use task ID (WBN) codes as a way of identifying the position of tasks within the hierarchy of your project. Asta Powerproject can generate a unique task ID (WBN) code for each task in a project. The task ID (WBN) code, which is created automatically each time you create a task, is a string using characters in the range you specify (for example, 0-9 or A-Z), with separators indicating the project hierarchy. As each new task is created within a project, the code is incremented by an amount that you can specify. You can specify whether the task ID (WBN) codes are unique within the whole project, within a sub-project, or are not unique at all.

You can renumber the task ID (WBN) codes of existing tasks. For example, you might want to apply different codes to all the tasks within a specific subchart or a specific view. In order to do this, you must select the tasks that you want to renumber before you access this dialog. If you do not select any tasks, the renumbering will only affect new tasks. To renumber the whole project, on the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Select All to select everything.

To access the Project Task ID (WBN) Numbering Definition dialog, on the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Task ID (WBN) Numbering.

Field Description
Disable task IDs (WBN)

Select this check box to disable task ID (WBN) codes in the project, or clear the check box to enable them.

 

If you enter an invalid task ID (WBN) definition in this dialog, Asta Powerproject selects this check box automatically to prevent the invalid codes from being assigned to tasks.
Range Enter the range of characters that you want Asta Powerproject to use to generate task ID (WBN) codes. Typical ranges are 0-9, a-z and A-Z. The largest range you can specify is 0-z, and this is the range you should specify if you want to prefix the task ID (WBN) codes with an alphanumeric string.
Start value Enter the character or characters within the specified range with which task ID (WBN) numbering should begin. By default, this is the first character in the specified range, for example 0 or A.
Increment Enter the number of characters that you want to be left between one task ID (WBN) code and the next. For example, if you want the codes to be sequential, enter 1 in the field; if you want the IDs to increment by 2, enter 2. An increment of 2 would result in task ID (WBN) codes such as 1, 3, 5... or A, C, E...
Minimum width Enter the minimum number of digits that you want each code to comprise (excluding the prefix). Codes smaller than this are padded out with zeros to make up the minimum width. For example, if a task ID (WBN) code would be 12 but you enter a minimum width of 4, the code will be 0012.
Pathname separator Specify the character with which to separate task ID (WBN) codes in a task ID (WBN) path, for example, 1.5.10 or 1/5/10.
Task separator Specify the character with which to separate a task ID (WBN) code from its path, for example 1/5-10.
Task ID (WBN) prefix Enter an alphanumerical string of characters that you want to add as a prefix to each task ID (WBN) code.
Unique Click this radio button to make task ID (WBN) codes unique throughout the whole programme of projects.
Unique within summary/expanded task Click this radio button to make task ID (WBN) codes unique within expanded and summary tasks. This can result in the same task ID (WBN) being used for tasks in different charts within the same project.
Not unique Click this radio button to allow task ID (WBN) codes to be duplicated within the programme of projects.
Allow tasks on same bar to share codes Select this check box to enable tasks on the same bar to be given the same task ID (WBN) code, or clear the check box to force them to be different. If you select this check box, Asta Powerproject still assigns tasks on the same bar different codes, but you can edit them subsequently to be the same.
Perform renumbering on selection This field is only enabled if one or more tasks are currently selected. Select this check box to renumber the selected tasks with the task ID (WBN) definition you have entered in this dialog, or clear this box if you want the task ID (WBN) definition to apply to new tasks only.
Renumber inside selected summary/expanded tasks This field is only enabled if one or more tasks are currently selected. Select this check box to renumber all tasks contained within any selected summary tasks or expanded tasks, or clear the check box to renumber only the tasks in the current view. To renumber the entire project, select the tasks in the programme chart and select this option.
Skip over task ID (WBN) clashes

This field is only enabled if one or more tasks are currently selected. Select this check box to skip over any renumbering clashes, or clear the check box to abandon the renumbering if a clash is found.

 

If the selected tasks include any locked objects or if you have entered task ID (WBN) codes for summary tasks, expanded tasks or hammock tasks which conflict with the generated task ID (WBN) codes, Asta Powerproject will abandon the renumbering unless you select this check box.

How do I...

  1. You can turn off the creation of task ID (WBN) codes by selecting the Disable Task IDs (WBN) check box if required.
  2. Enter the range of characters that you want Asta Powerproject to use to generate task ID (WBN) codes in the Range fields. Typical ranges are 0-9, a-z and A-Z. The largest range you can specify is 0-z, and this is the range you should specify if you want to prefix the task ID (WBN) codes with an alphanumeric string.
  3. Enter the character or characters within the specified range with which task ID (WBN) numbering should begin in the Start value field. By default, this is the first character in the specified range, for example 0 or A.
  4. Enter the number of characters that you want to be left between one task ID (WBN) code and the next in the Increment field. For example, if you want the codes to be sequential, enter 1 in the field; if you want the IDs to increment by 2, enter 2. An increment of 2 would result in task ID (WBN) codes such as 1, 3, 5... or A, C, E...
  5. Enter the minimum number of digits that you want each code to comprise (excluding the prefix) in the Minimum width field. Codes smaller than this are padded out with zeros to make up the minimum width. For example, if a task ID (WBN) code would be 12 but you enter a minimum width of 4, the code will be 0012.
  6. Enter the character with which to separate task ID (WBN) codes when displayed in a work breakdown path in the Pathname separator field.
  7. Enter the character with which to separate task ID (WBN) codes from their path in the Task separator field.
  8. Enter an alphanumerical string of characters that you want to add as a prefix to each task ID (WBN) code in the Task ID (WBN) Prefix field.
  9. From the Uniqueness group, select whether you want the task ID (WBN) codes to be unique throughout the whole project, unique within expanded and summary tasks, or not unique.
  10. Select the Allow tasks on the same bar to share codes check box to enable tasks on the same bar to be given the same task ID (WBN) code, or clear the check box to force them to be different. If you select this check box, Asta Powerproject still assigns tasks on the same bar different codes, but you can edit them subsequently to be the same.
  11. The Renumber group is only enabled if one or more tasks are currently selected. You use this group to specify the way in which you want to renumber the task ID (WBN) codes of the selected tasks:
    • Select the Perform renumbering on selection check box to renumber the selected tasks with the task ID (WBN) definition you have entered in this dialog, or clear the check box to apply the new definition to new tasks only.
    • Select the Renumber inside selected summary/expanded tasks check box to renumber all tasks contained within any selected expanded or summary tasks, or clear the check box to renumber only the tasks in the current view. To renumber the entire project, select the tasks in the programme chart and select this option.
    • If the selected tasks include any locked objects or if you have entered task ID (WBN) codes for summary tasks, expanded tasks or hammock tasks which conflict with the generated task ID (WBN) codes, Asta Powerproject will abandon the renumbering unless you select the Skip over task ID (WBN) clashes check box.

Related Topics:

Working with dialogs

Setting up WBN task IDs