Using Project 2010 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Codes – Part 2

This is a continuation on how to effectively use Project 2010 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Codes. Get Part 1 here: Using Project 2010 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Codes – Part 1.

How to Renumber WBS Codes

If you have moved or deleted tasks, the WBS codes will not be in the correct sequence. Microsoft Project does not automatically renumber the WBS codes because you will probably have the codes tied into other systems, for reporting and traceability (such as accounting systems). If the project contains subtasks, then be sure to click SHOW, in order for all tasks and subtasks to be visible prior to completing the following steps. If the tasks are not visible, they will not be renumbered. If you want to correct a WBS coding problem for specific tasks, click Selected Tasks. To correct a WBS coding problem of all tasks in the project, click Entire Project.

You can choose to renumber all the WBS codes or just to renumber specific tasks by following the following steps:

1. Select the Task Sheet view.
2. Select the tasks that you want to renumber or in case you want to renumber all the tasks then do not select any specific tasks. Remember that the first task in the selection will not be renumbered.
3. On the Project menu, point to WBS and then Renumber.

Troubleshooting when the codes will not change:
If a WBS code mask was created, then the WBS codes were auto-calculated. In this case, you will need to redefine the levels of the code mask before you attempt to change any level of the code mask from the ordered sequence of characters (uppercase, lower case, numbers).

You will not be able to change characters in the WBS code for a subtask. You will first need to change the existing code in the WBS code of the summary task to another set of characters.

Displaying Outline Numbers (WBS) codes

Some companies use the outline numbering as the WBS codes. It is important to remember that while WBS codes can be created and changed according to a specific numbering scheme, the outline numbers cannot be edited. To view the WBS code, you will first need to add the WBS code to your view.

There are two ways to display outline numbers:

How to Display auto Outline Numbers (WBS) codes
This adds the outline numbers to each task name.

1. On the Tools menu, click Options and then click View tab.
2. Under Outline options, select the Show Outline Number check box.

How to Display the Outline Number Field
This displays the outline number field as a separate column in a view.

1. Click the heading of the column that will appear on the right of the Outline Number column.
2. Click Column on the Insert Menu.
3. Click Outline Number in the Field name box.
4. To display WBS codes, you can also add a WBS column to a sheet view by choosing WBS in the Field name box.

Simon Calder

Chris “Simon” Calder was working as a Project Manager in IT for one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious cultural institutions, LACMA. He taught himself to use Microsoft Project from a giant textbook and hated every moment of it. Online learning was in its infancy then, but he spotted an opportunity and made an online MS Project course - the rest, as they say, is history!