
- #Microsoft project 2016 wbs how to#
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It is immensely frustrating that we should this kind of error on what should be an otherwise fairly simple and straight forward discussion of PM fundamentals.ġ. Practioners need to get this right and we msut disabuse our customers from conflating one with the other. The graphic expression of the WBS is more analogous to an organization and not at all to dependancy network. Listing tasks is something realted to project time management, not related to project scope management. Liliana Buchtik in her book “Secrets to Mastering the WBS in Real-World Projects says on page 24, “The WBS doesn’t represent tasks if focuses on deliverables and outcomes. The WBS of a project represents the what, the deliverables and sub-units of those deliverables. Tasks or activities as they called in the context of MS Project imply work and action. And although the WBS forms the foundation of a schedule WBS elements are not tasks. The development and management of the Work Breakdown Structure is a function of porject scope managment, while task management is a function of time management. You can visit his website for more helpful tips. This article was originally published on Erik van Hurck’s website, The Project Corner.

Keep your eyes open for my next flaw: To much detail in the schedule.
#Microsoft project 2016 wbs free#
Also feel free to share any interesting links in the comments below. I hope you liked the post, please let me know if there is anything missing about the WBS. Costs, duration, and work will be totaled in the summary. Summary tasks (like the Project Summary Task) give you an overview of the underlying data. The task above the selected task will become a summary task. This is key! Indenting a task will create a new level in the WBS.
#Microsoft project 2016 wbs how to#
I can’t provide a better definition of these codes then Microsoft does itself, so here is their definition and how to create them in Microsoft Project. Outline codes are the numbers that represent a task’s place in a schedule. This summary will give you a quick overview of your entire project! How sweet is that? All project costs, work, and the total duration (including start and finish dates) are there.

In earlier versions it is hidden away in the “tools –> extra” menu, look for it at the bottom of one of the tabs. The checkbox should be located on the far right in the screen together with the outline codes. The Project Summary Task can be found in 20 versions of the product in the “Gantt-chart tools Format” menu. These are the most important items you use while building a Work Breakdown Structure in MS Project: So let’s explore this WBS concept some more.Ī correct WBS looks like this in the Gantt diagram: Plus, not only you, but your entire team will be able to read and understand the schedule. The rewards however are great! A structured WBS will give you more insight in your project.

There are a lot of things to consider: how many levels of detail will you incorporate in the schedule? How many tasks will be on one level? Will we use the standard WBS number or do we need to conform to a financial system?
#Microsoft project 2016 wbs pro#
The images in these posts are built using the Microsoft Project 2013 Pro edition, but this series can be useful for all versions of the product.įlaw #2: Capacity as Activity Flaw #3: Lack of Structure (Work Breakdown Structure)īuilding a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) can be a daunting task.
#Microsoft project 2016 wbs series#
This is the third article of this series highlighting common incorrect uses of Microsoft Project.
