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

Chapter 3. Using WBS Coding

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✓	Understanding WBS codes
✓	Creating WBS codes
✓	Creating a WBS chart
✓	Customizing WBS codes
✓	Understanding WBS codes and renumbering

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Like outline numbers and codes, WBS codes provide a way to number tasks in a project; the structure of the WBS code helps the reader identify the phase of the project in which the task occurs. You can use WBS codes instead of or in addition to outline numbers and outline codes.

WBS stands for work breakdown structure. WBS codes were originally developed by the United States defense establishment to help identify tasks in a project based on the phase in which the task occurs. So, you can use WBS codes as another way to organize tasks in a project. In this chapter, you explore Project’s support for WBS codes.

What’s a WBS Code?

The United States defense establishment designed a numbering system, reminiscent of the paragraph numbering used in legal documents, to help a person viewing a list of project tasks quickly and easily identify the phase in which the task occurs and its relationship to other tasks in the phase. When working with the government, unique WBS codes are often assigned to each task in a project, and the tasks are often referred to by their WBS codes.

In Figure 3-1, you see a common view of a WBS chart, which probably reminds you of a company organization chart. Notice how each task’s WBS code identifies the phase in which it occurs and the phase’s hierarchical relationship ...