How can one apply a change to WBS to their Project Tasks?

[danb2015]

I am in the project category and created a project template from a base project I created.   In the template I was able to add a default name to the WBS.   Now each of my projects has the same default name in their WBS and even if I open the WBS field to editing on the Project form, changing it does not cascade down to each of the project tasks already created from the template.   Should this work or do I have to edit each WBS item manually?   Is there a way to to create a process to cycle through each project task and rename each associated WBS item based on the change made at the project level?

Thanks,

Dan

[anna_scheib]

Hi Dan, can you give an example of how you are changing the WBS/task name? The Project application automatically maintains the WBS numbering in a separate field from the task name. So any changes to the task order will be automatically reflected in the WBS, which is not by default an editable field.

[danb2015]

HI Anna,

Sorry I am not on here frequently (as you can tell by the late response.)   I used the Project Template feature to add a property in the Data section and set the WBS name that way. When a project is created from the template it then places the name in the prefix of the numbering scheme.   eg.   I put the the data "<project #>" into the value field and now each of my projects start out with <project #>.1 <project #>.1.1 <project #>.1.2 ... etc.   I was then hoping I could search and replace the <project #> with a real project number, or some mnemonic.   Every project will have the same WBS if you leave it to just the basic numbering.   If I am looking at project tasks from a number of projects, I was hoping the WBS would stand out.

The only way I see it working now is to alter the WBS value in the template each and every time a project is created from the template.   However, if someone forgets, then there will be two projects with the same WBS name or both are without.

I could request that the WBS field be made open and editable on each project, but then someone would have to go through the 20+ tasks created in each project and manually change each one.   Again I was hoping if I change the name at the project level, there would be a cascade update to all existing project tasks already associated with the project.

[ITSMgal]

Hi Dan

I'm wondering if this might help you.

There is a field in a project task called "top task" which is the project number for the main project. You can always expose this in a list view to show the project.

Also, there is a composite field called Project(project) that has the Top Task (project number) and the short description of the project.

Also, you can expose any information about that top task in the project list view. This way you won't have to do a "workaround" to see this information. Please reach out if you want to review this further. I am happy to look at what you are trying to achieve and recommend the best option.

emily.mcmullin@servicenow.com

[danb2015]

Thanks Emily,

I have used Top Task in previous views and may resort to using it instead.   (Although I tried finding the Top Task in a report I was generating and it wasn't available ... that's a different topic.)

I am currently in an investigative state, trying to figure out what things are possible, what ways are the best for PPM in our IT department.   We have different Project Management Software for our core business and WBS is a key property that is used to identify categories and subcategories.   Being able to use names instead of numbers makes it much more readable.   I was partially hoping to define the whole project hierarchy in one field (i.e. the WBS) but even with the template allowing me to name the highest level using the Data field, it doesn't work for lower level project tasks.   The project name in the WBS was sort of a consolation prize seeing it in the WBS, coming from the Template, and I just threw out the question about renaming it since all associate project tasks now have my test naming convention within them and I don't want to go through the process of re-creating projects or manually changing all the tasks I created.

Thanks again for your help.

Dan