If task is manually scheduled, it give a free hand to write anything in the table but if task is auto scheduled, MS Project fill duration as 1 day with a question mark and start and finish date as today or project start date (as set in project options). Any entry in the left hand side table is a task until we convert it into a summary task, project summary task or milestone. Work packages are broken down into activities also called tasks. Project is broken down into planning packages, planning packages are broken down into further planning or work packages as needed. There are 4 essential components In Microsoft Project to create WBS:Ī task is an activity to be performed by a resource.
A rough WBS on paper helps understanding big picture of the project and strategy to break it down into smaller pieces.įigure 1 – Essential components of MS Project to create WBS How to create a WBS in MS Projects A top-down approach in which we create project main deliverable first and divide it into smaller and smaller pieces is a better approach. I always suggest to prepare a rough WBS on paper before making it in MS Project. A good WBS will lead to a good scheduling. As WBS is the foundations of planning, scheduling starts with WBS in MS Project. On the other side, MS Project is a scheduler that plan these smaller pieces on the project timeline providing start and finish date for each piece and the total project duration. We also learned that the WBS of a project is the foundation of planning and therefore it is should be carefully prepared. How to create a good WBS in MS Project? Work Breakdown Structure in MS ProjectĪs we learned in last post that Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a decomposition of project deliverable and work into smaller manageable pieces in a hierarchical manner. What are essential element of MS Project to create WBS?