How are the summary task values calculated? Organize tasks with the bottom-up method, you list all the possible tasks first, and then you group them into phases.Īfter you decide on a method for organizing your tasks, you can begin outlining them into summary tasks and subtasks. The top-down method gives you a version of the plan as soon as you decide on the major phases. Organize tasks using the top-down method, you identify the major phases first and then break the phases down into individual tasks. Note: If you can think of tasks that don't fit under the phases that you defined, you are probably missing a phase. Tasks can be organized using a top-down method or bottom-up method. What are the methods of organizing tasks? In order to change the WBS code, you need to Indent/Outdent the task according to your preferences. In order to do that, go to the Project menu – Outline – select All subtasks and all summary tasks will be expanded. If you want to expand all summary tasks from your project at once, you can use the “All Subtasks” option. How can I expand all the summary tasks at all once? In order to expand a summary task, click on the collapsed sign next to a summary task, to view all the subtasks. The outline number will appear in the Task Name column. In order to see the outline number you can either insert the WBS column or you can go to menu File-Options and in Advanced tab check the Show outline number option. If you want to remove the WBS column, right-click on the header of the column and click on Hide Column. If the WBS number is present on Task Name, to remove it, please go to menu File - Options and in Advanced tab uncheck the Show outline number option. In order to see the WBS, please insert the WBS column in Gantt Chart view. To create a WBS, you need to Indent and Outdent tasks from menu Task – Indent/Outdent. In order to do that, go to the Project menu – Outline – select Outline Level 2 and all the summary tasks will be collapsed. If you want to collapse all the summary tasks from your project at once, you can use the Outline Level 2 functionality. How can I collapse all the summary tasks at once? You can indent the tasks as many levels as you need to reflect the organization of your project. Summary tasks summarize the data of their subtasks, which are the tasks that are grouped beneath them. You can use the summary tasks to show the major phases and sub-phases in the project. You can group the tasks that share characteristics or that will be completed in the same time frame under a summary task. By default, the summary tasks are bold and outdented, and the subtasks are indented beneath them. To create a summary task, indent a task below another task. To create a subtask, indent a task below another task. To create an outline structure, select the desired tasks then use indenting and outdenting functionality to create the summary tasks and subtasks. Commonly several subtasks that denote related activities are grouped beneath a summary task, that summarizes the data of their subtasks. Summary tasks behave as recipients and their content is addressed as subtasks.Ī subtask is a task that is part of a summary task. When you indent a task, that task becomes a child of the task above.Ī summary task is a higher level task, grouping related activities. The indent option allows you the possibility to create summary tasks and subtasks. The "outline" feature allows you to break down your task list to make it appear more organized and readable by just indenting and outdenting the project's tasks to create an outline of the summary tasks and subtasks.