Codes and Packages in Microsoft Project 2007 - Documenting a WBS in Another Program (Page 2 of 5 ) 
Figure 4-8. When you click OK, Project automatically applies the code mask to all the tasks in the schedule.
WORKAROUND WORKSHOP Renumbering Task WBS CODES When you customize WBS codes, the “Generate WBS code for new task” checkbox tells Project to automatically assign WBS codes to new tasks you create, whether you insert tasks within the outline or add new tasks at the end. With this setting, as soon as you press Enter to save a new task, the WBS code pops into the WBS cell, maintaining the sequence you’ve defined. Moving tasks around also adjusts WBS codes and, before you know it, your WBS sequence can be a mess. The alternative is to turn this checkbox, and then, after a heated session of adding or modifying the task order, renumber the WBS codes all at once. When the WBS is the way you want it, do the following: If you want to renumber only some of the tasks in the Project file, select them first.
Choose Project -> WBS -> Renumber.
In the WBS Renumber dialog box, select the “Entire project” option to renumber all tasks. If you want to renumber only the selected tasks, choose the "Selected tasks" option.
Click OK. Project reapplies the WBS code scheme to the tasks, alphabetizing ordered letters and incrementing ordered numbers.
When you start to build other documents, like work package Word files, which reference your WBS codes, you don’t want Project to change existing codes. That’s another time to turn off the “Generate WBS code for new task” checkbox. As you type in new WBS codes manually, the “Verify uniqueness of new WBS codes” checkbox tells Project to warn you if you've duplicated an existing WBS code.
Everyone has a favorite word processor, but Microsoft Word is a strong favorite for WBS creation because of its outlining feature. Word makes it easy to indent, outdent, insert, move, and delete tasks. Then, with a few additional steps, you can import the Word WBS into Project, as described in the next section. Moreover, more of your team members are likely to be familiar with Word than with Project, so you’re likely to get project information from them in Word documents. Folks who are fans of Word outlining already know that adding and rearranging topics goes as fast as your fingers on the keyboard. If you haven’t experienced the joy of Word outlining, here are some techniques you can use: - Switch to Outline view. In Word 2007, click the View tab, and then, in the Document Views section, click Outline. In Word 2003, choose View -> Outline.
- Add tasks. Insert a new line by clicking at the end of the preceding task, and then pressing Enter. Type the task name. Press Enter to add another task.
- Demote tasks. Select the task or tasks you want to push to a lower level, and then press Tab (or Alt+Shift+right arrow key). In Word 2007, click Outlining -> Outline Tools -> Demote, as shown in Figure 4-9. In Word 2003, you can also press Tab or, on the Outlining toolbar, click the Demote arrow.
Note: In Outline mode, you can select an outline item by clicking to the left of the item. To select several adjacent items, drag to the left of the items. Ctrl+click items to select several nonadjacent items.
Figure 4-9: Microsoft Word’s Outline view is a friendly environment for project outlining. To promote an item to the top level, click the “Promote to Heading1” button. Word offers a button for demoting items to Body Text, but it’s best to stick to heading levels, since these levels translate into Project outline levels when you import the tasks from Word into Project. (This picture shows Word 2007.)
Promote tasks. Select the task or tasks you want to promote to a higher level and then press Shift+Tab or Alt+Shift+left arrow key. In Word 2007, click Outlining -> Outline Tools -> Promote. In Word 2003, press Shift+Tab or, on the Outlining toolbar, click the Promote arrow.
Move tasks. Select the task or tasks you want to move, and then drag them to a new position. Or, use Ctrl+X and Ctrl+V to cut and paste the tasks from one position to another. If need be, demote or promote the tasks to the correct level.
- Delete tasks. Select the task or tasks you want to delete, and then press Delete or Ctrl+X.
UP TO SPEED Assembling a WBS Without a Computer Sticky notes and an empty wall or whiteboard might be the best solution for capturing tasks when a team is tossing around task ideas. In fact, sticky notes offer enough advantages that you might use them even when WBS sessions proceed at a more leisurely pace.
Sticky notes are a democratic way to collect tasks when several people collaborate on a WBS. Team members can have their own pens and pads of sticky notes, so no one is stuck as the sole scribe. Moreover, anyone can walk up to the WBS and move summary tasks and work packages around. The hardest part of the sticky note approach could be too much enthusiasm. If disagreements begin to break out over added or relocated tasks, then it’s time to jump in and take over sticky note maintenance until things calm down. Sticky notes are slick when you’re searching for the ideal project organization. You can peel a sticky note off the wall and move it to wherever you want without mouse clicks or remembering the appropriate keyboard shortcut. If you buy sticky flip chart pages, you can use them for summary tasks and press sticky notes for work packages to the sticky summary page. Adhesive is another drawback to sticky notes—to be more precise, the loss of stickiness over time. The safest approach is to record the contents of a sticky note WBS into Project or another program before you leave the meeting room. If your room reservation has expired, fold the pages carefully and transport them to your office. For sticky notes stuck directly to the wall or whiteboard, post a polite note asking others to leave your masterpiece alone until you can come back and transcribe it.
Next: Importing a WBS into Project >>
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More By O'Reilly Media |  This article is excerpted from chapter four of the book Microsoft Project 2007: The Missing Manual, written by Bonnie Biafore (O'Reilly, 2007; ISBN: 0596528361). Check it out today at your favorite bookstore. Buy this book now.
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