Support / Building schedules

WBS, Activity Codes, EPS, and Templates

Updated · 2 min read

Build the WBS

The WBS is the outline of the schedule: phases, areas, or systems as summary rows, with activities under them.

  • Select an activity and press Ctrl+] (or right-click → Indent) to make it a child of the row above. Ctrl+[ outdents.
  • Summary rows roll up the dates of their children.
  • WBS codes come in with imported or pasted schedules. The WBS column isn't edited directly in the grid.
  • Display ▾ → Group → WBS root groups the Gantt by top-level WBS. Click a group header to collapse it.

For how to design a good one, see the blog's WBS for construction guide.

Activity codes

Codes tag activities across the WBS, by trade, area, floor, responsible party, or phase, so you can filter and group by them.

Create code types and values: Project tools ▾ → Structure & codes, under Activity code types. Add a type (for example "Trade"), then add values with a code and description (for example "ELEC — Electrical"). Values can have a parent for a hierarchy.

Assign codes:

  • In the Codes column, type Type:Value, with commas between several. For example Trade:ELEC, Floor:L2.
  • Or select an activity and, in the detail panel, use Codes → Assign…, choose the type and value, and click Add.

EPS and OBS

The Structure & codes panel also has your company's EPS (enterprise project structure, how projects are grouped, such as by region or market) and OBS (organizational breakdown structure, who's responsible). Add and rename nodes there, then set this project's EPS node and OBS node under Project placement.

Save a schedule as a template

Under Schedule template, click Save as template. The WBS and logic are saved with progress and actual dates stripped out. Next time, choose Create mode → From template when creating a project. This works well for repeat building types like a standard retail fit-out or a prototype restaurant.