(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?
(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.
Levels are a very powerfull feature in APP. It could even be more powerfull when one could use levels in a filtercondition. Has anyone found a way to use levels in a filter?
Regards,
Jan
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Hi Rafael,
Thanks for your replies. In APP it is a choice to use a WBS or not. I do not use a WBS. But after your replies I will examine the advantages of a WBS in my plannings.
Regards,
Jan
Mike,
It shall be similar to MSP Outline, it has the codes but you do not see them, the computer does it for you. Still I like the idea, good for the occasional user and for the not so occasional.
In Spider Project and I believe in many other software you can graphically create the WBS Outline directly at the Gantt while letting the computer to create the codes for you, therefore WBS shall not be an issue for anyone. If your software can do this then there is no need for a separate functionality to do the same thing. I like this even better.
Some software cannot work with WBS codes easily because their code structure is too rigid and archaic, and thus is a limiting factor.
P3 and SureTrak were limited, please look at the following figure for an idea on P3 structure.
Other software structure is not limited and between the separator there can be any number of characters. Look at the following illustration we have WBS codes 9.1 and 10.1, the number of characters on each level is unlimited, as many as required. We have no need to define WBS structure, many Spider users do not know about this limitation on other software.
Lets have as many WBS Dictionaries we need and lets exclude some activities of some WBS Dictionaries (Partial) when we want to hide a few to others, like a subcontractor or even the owner.
All you have to do is limit access to your users to certain WBS, the access definition will be transferred as an integral part of the project file, only with the correct access code others might open the file as a user with access privileges as granted to the user. If paranoid make the code a hundred characters long.
Best regards,
Rafael
Hi Rafael
One of the benefits of Powerproject is that you can - if you wish - ignore WBS.
Best regards
Mike Testro
Hi Jan
You are using summary bars in the correct way for PowerProject and by using colour codes you can filter selectively.
In the filter dialogue set up a filter called summary.
In the sub heading box untick show sub headings
Go to edit
In specicific task types tick only sub headings
Go Next and trick code library
Next tick the code or codes you want to filter
If you want to go to this bit on every filter tick the Ask me which codes box
Go to finish and OK
Another way is to use the left hand chart heirarchy view where by using the control key you can select any number or sequence of nested summary bars to show on your screen - in fact I prefer this meihod because the selection is precise.
When you have your required sequence save it in a view and lock it - you can then go back to it every time.
Best regards
Mike Testro
It is about how, Asta version 11 brochure says it can be done and it shall not be a big deal.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your reply.
I use a strict hierarchy in my summary bars. Level 1 is the project, level 2 are the phases, level 3 are the subphases, etc. Now I can use the hierarchy appearance. Every level has his own colour. Good features in APP. If I understand your reply, you make a codelibrary "levels" and every level has it's own code. After that you make summaries and you give every summary a code from de codelibrary "levels". Is that correct?
I confess that I am a little bit a lazy planner. I want APP to do all the things that can be automated. I make the tasks, I do that with very much discipline. APP will do the rest. So your solution is a good workaround. But why is it not possible to use levels as a filtercondition? This will make the levels a more powerfull feature.
Regards,
Jan
If you do not have a drop down option for selecting WBS levels to display then a filter can be used, but I prefer leaving the filter option for more complicated needs because WBS level belongs to particular phases of a particular WBS. An activity might be under different phase levels on different WBS definitions.
We use our own WBS dictionary for our internal reporting but a different WBS structure for every Owner. Filters for levels under different WBS definitions can become confusing.
As you can see in the following screen there is an option to apply filters to activities or to phases, the level filters only work when applied to phases as activities do not have levels per se. Hope this can give you a clue on the particular ways of your software.
Hi Jan
If you are using nested summary bars to define the levels 1 2 3 then there is the option in filter to select Summary Bars.
I put a different colour code on the summary bars for each level so the filter can be refined.
Also tick the box to show tasks below the summary.
Best regards
Mike Testro
Email: PPadmin@planningplanet.com
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