Project configuration steps - Activity plan

A plan of the activities of the project can be created and managed in the Activities tab.

Gantt and tree view of the project activities

Activities can be managed in two different modes (or views). The gantt view is activated automatically when entering the Activities tab. It shows the tree of project activities (work breakdown structure) with their information and a gantt chart of them.

The gantt view is particularly suitable to manage the scheduling of project activities while the tree view is preferable to manage the work breakdown structure of them. It is possible to switch and from a view to the other with the TREE and GANTT commands.

Gantt view of the project activities

This view is appropriate to manage the scheduling of project activities. It works in grid mode and allows to manage many information about project activities in the grid. Additionally it shows the gantt chart of the project activities on the right side.

Project activities gantt view.

See the project activities information section for further details on available data and on how to manage them in grid.

The gantt chart is not a read only tool but it also allows to manage information. Here is a list of actions which is possible to perform on the gantt chart elements with the mouse.

Action	How to
Move a project activities right and left	Just pass over the project activity with your mouse and click the left mouse button. Now drag right or left. The system prompts for needed decisions if the project activity is linked to others (successors or predecessors).
Move project activities start right and left	Just pass over the left side of the project activity with your mouse until a double sided arrow appears. Now click the left mouse button and drag right or left the project activity start border. The system prompts for needed decisions if the project activity is linked to others (successors or predecessors).
Move project activities end right and left	Just pass over the right side of the project activity with your mouse until a double sided arrow appears. Now click the left mouse button and drag right or left the project activity end border. The system prompts for needed decisions if the project activity is linked to others (successors or predecessors).
Create links between two project activities	In order to create a link (predecessor - successor) between two project activities, pass over the project activity with your use, click the left mouse button and to the target project activity (successor). Release when the target project activity is highlighted. A predecessor - successor relationship is created or the system prompts if decisions are needed (in order to manage constraints). The relationship may be of one of the following types: "end-start (fs)", "end-end (ff)", "start-start (ss)", "start-end (sf)". This depends on the position of the mouse on the start and end project activities when the mouse is clicked and released. Relationship type Use of the mouse to create the relationship type "end-start (fs)" Start to drag on the right side of the predecessor project activity and stop dragging on the left side of the successor project activity. "end-end (ff)" Start to drag on the right side of the predecessor project activity and stop dragging on the right side of the successor project activity. "start-start (ss)" Start to drag on the left side of the predecessor project activity and stop dragging on the left side of the successor project activity. "start-end (sf)" Start to drag on the left side of the predecessor project activity and stop dragging on the right side of the successor project activity.
Zoom gantt timescale	By positioning the mouse on the gantt timescale, it is possible to zoom in (larger timescale) with the left mouse button or zoom out (smaller timescale) with the right mouse button.

Many actions, including saving data, can be done using the grid mode commands. See the dedicated section for more information.

Additional actions can be done by using the command button on the screen as described below.

Command	Action
ADD NEW	Allows to add a new project activity with the detailed project activity editing form. Quick adding of a project activity is also possible in grid mode.
EMPTY TEMPLATE	Allow to download a predefined and empty spreadsheet file, in excel format, which can be used to add and upload project activities
IMPORT EXCEL	It allows to choose an excel file (previously saved, e.g. with the EMPTY TEMPLATE command) and upload its content, thus updating or adding project activities. The system checks the correct format of data and tries the reconciliation with existing data. It prompts for decisions accordingly.
TREE	This command allows to switch to project activities tree view.
GANTT	This command allows to switch to the project activities gantt view.
FULL SCREEN MODE	It allows to edit project activities (current view) full screen. A new browser card is opened.
FILTER	It allows to filter project activities. For more information about filter management, please have a look to the dedicated section.
DROP FILTER	This command allows to remove any filter applied to the project activities list.

Finally, see the dedicated Project activities information paragraph for more details on how to edit tree view grid contents.

Tree view of the project activities

This view is appropriate to manage the work breakdown structure of the project activities. It works in grid mode and it allows to manage many information about project activities in the grid.

Project activities tree view.

Many actions, including saving data, can be done using the grid mode commands. See the dedicated section for more information.

Additional actions can be done by using the command button on the screen as described below.

Command	Action
ADD NEW	Allows to add a new project activity with the detailed project activity editing form. Quick adding of a project activity is also possible in grid mode.
EMPTY TEMPLATE	Allow to download a predefined and empty spreadsheet file, in excel format, which can be used to add and upload project activities
IMPORT EXCEL	It allows to choose an excel file (previously saved, e.g. with the EMPTY TEMPLATE command) and upload its content, thus updating or adding project activities. The system checks the correct format of data and tries the reconciliation with existing data. It prompts for decisions accordingly.
TREE	This command allows to switch to project activities tree view.
GANTT	This command allows to switch to the project activities gantt view.
FULL SCREEN MODE	It allows to edit project activities (current view) full screen. A new browser card is opened.
FILTER	It allows to filter project activities. For more information about filter management, please have a look to the dedicated section.
DROP FILTER	This command allows to remove any filter applied to the project activities list.

Finally, see the dedicated Project activities information paragraph for more details on how to edit tree view grid contents.

Project activities information

In this section, we analyze the project activities information which can be edited in grid mode (gantt or tree view) or in the detailed project activity card. To access the project activity card, click with the mouse right button on the desired project activity row in grid mode and choose Modify. The follwing table describes the project activity information.

Field	Gantt	Tree	Card	Description	Comment
Code	X	X	X	This is the unique identifier of the project activity and it automatically handled by the system.	Read only field.
Task Name	X	X	X	This is the name.	Mandatory.
Description			X	The full textual description of the project activity.
Mother Activity	X	X	X	The hierarchical superior project activity.	This field is edited in cards and automatically managed by the system in gantt and tree views based on the position given in the work breakdown structure.
Start Date	X	X	X	The start date of the project activity.	Mandatory.
End Date	X	X	X	The end date of the project activity.
Priority		X	X	The priority of the project activity.	The list of available priorities can be managed in General/Projects/Activity Priorities. This categorization is useful for scheduling aims.
Status		X	X	The status of the project activity.	The list of available statuses can be managed in General/Projects/Activity Statuses. Statuses have a property, Disabled for TS. If set, this disallow the possibility to enter timesheets for the project activity in the specific Status.
Type		X	X	The type of the project activity.	The list of available types can be managed in General/Projects/Activity Types. This categorization is useful for reporting purposes.
Budget	X	X	X	The number of working days (all resources) budgeted.	This information is read only. It is actually edited in the Estimation tab of the project.
Balance	X	X	X	The number of working days (all resources) spent.	This information is read only and deriving from the resources' timesheets. It depends on the date of reference which is set from the Estimation tab of the project.
ETC	X	X	X	The number of working days (all resources) estimated to complete the project.	This information is read only. It is actually edited in the Estimation tab of the project.
EAC	X	X	X	The number of working days (allresources) estimated at the completion of the project (Balance plus ETC).	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
% Complete		X	X	The percentage (Balance / EAC) of work completed of the project.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Planned % Complete		X	X	The percentage of work theoretically planned to be completed of the project. This is the Plan to date work divided the Budget work multiplied 100.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Earn		X	X	This is a key performance indicator representing the efficiency of the work. It is calculated as Budget work divided Estimation at Completion work. If minor than one the efficiency (work spent) is lower than expected. Higher on the contrary.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Earned Value		X	X	The value, in working days, of the work done. It is calculated as Budget divided Estimation at Completion multiplied Balance.	This information is read only. It is actually deriving from the information managed in the Estimation tab of the project.
Assigned Resources		X	X	Resources assigned to the project activity.
Activity Predecessors	X	X	X	Project activities linked as predecessors of the current one.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
Milestone Predecessors	X	X	X	Project milestone(s) linked as predecessors of the current project activity.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
Activity Successors	X	X	X	Project activities linked as successors of the current one.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
Milestone Successors	X	X	X	Project milestone(s) linked as successors of the considered project activity.	In gantt view relationships are shown and managed graphically.
External Activity Codes		X	X	Alternative identifiers for the project activity.	These can be identifiers used in an external tool, such as an accounting system.
Deliveries		X	X	The project deliveries linked to the current project activity.	The usual meaning of this relationship is that the project deliveries are outputs of the project activity.
Comments			X	A section enabling to enter one or more textual comments referring to the project activity.
Issue/Risk			X	A section enabling to add existing or new project issues and or project risks related to the project activity.
Messages			X	A section enabling to view and manage messages related to the project activity.
Internal Operational Start Date			X	The Internal Operational Start Date of the project.	This is a read only information useful to understand the constraints of the project activity.
Internal Operational End Date			X	The Internal Operational End Date of the project.	This is a read only information useful to understand the constraints of the project activity.
Contract Stard Date			X	The Contract Start Date of the sales contract related to the project.	This is a read only information useful to understand the constraints of the project activity.
Contract End Date			X	The Contract End Date of the sales contract related to the project.	This is a read only information useful to understand the constraints of the project activity.
Actual Start Date			X	The Actual Start Date of the project.	This is a read only information useful to understand the constraints of the project activity.
Actual End Date			X	The Actual End Date of the project.	This is a read only information useful to understand the constraints of the project activity.