Microsoft® Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies®

Chapter 2. Assigning Outline Codes to Tasks

<feature><title>In This Chapter</title>

✓	Understanding outline numbers
✓	Assigning outline numbers
✓	Understanding outline codes
✓	Creating customized outline codes
✓	Adjusting outline codes and renumbering

</feature>

You have a couple of options that you can consider if you want to assign outline numbers to the tasks in your schedule. In addition to the WBS (work breakdown structure) codes described in Chapter 3 of this minibook, you can use automatic outline numbering, or you can use outline field codes.

Make the choice between outline numbers and outline codes based on whether you want the value to remain static when you make changes to the project’s outline structure. When you use outline numbers, Project automatically updates the numbers if you change your project’s outline structure. When you use outline codes, Project doesn’t make any changes to the value when you change your project’s outline structure.

Understanding Outline Numbers

Project can assign outline numbers to the tasks in your schedule based on the task’s level in the outline; the outline numbers help you identify, visually, each task’s hierarchical position in the outline. In addition, you can easily and clearly refer to tasks by using their outline number.

Project uses an outline numbering system that’s similar to the numbering system you find in most legal documents. You usually find a whole number preceding each major heading in a legal document. Headings subordinate to the major ...