WBS Field Descriptions

The fields (columns) displayed in the WBS Sheet are listed below. Fields which are required display <Required> in the cell. These fields must be filled. You can change the columns that are displayed using Format » Column Hide.

To see a description of a field, click on the field name.

• Level — The Level field shows the hierarchical level of the WBS element and the relationship of the element to its parent. The top element in the WBS has a Level value of 1. This field is assigned when you create the new WBS element and cannot be edited.

• WBS ID — The WBS element identifier (WBS ID) is a required 40-character label used to identify each WBS element. This identifier need not follow any particular sequence, and except for spaces, any alphabetical, numerical or special characters can be used. This field can only be edited on existing WBS elements if you have been granted WBS Rename access to the project. This field must be unique. See Structuring the WBS.

• Parent — The Parent field positions the WBS element hierarchically within the WBS Tree. You can specify the WBS ID of the parent element when creating a new WBS element, but the field becomes read-only once the new WBS element information is saved. After creating a new WBS element, click on the button in the Parent field to select a Parent element from the drop-down list box of existing WBS elements. MPM automatically creates the Project Level WBS element (Level 1). Level 1 represents the total project and its WBS ID cannot be changed.

This field can only be edited if you have been granted Move WBS Leg access to the project.

• Description — This is an optional 100-character field used to provide a more detailed description of a WBS element. Level 1, the project level, defaults to the project name.

Using commas in the WBS Description field (and other text fields) is not recommended as commas are used as field separators when importing information. However, if the content of a string field does contain a comma, you can surround the field with quotation marks to avoid confusion.

• Start/Complete — Enter the scheduled start and completion dates for the WBS. See the Work Breakdown Structure File Format for date formats. These fields are filled automatically when the WBS is built by using the date of the parent as the default date. The top level date (the total project start and complete date) defaults to the project start and complete dates entered in the Project Maintenance window. If only the month and year (MMYY) are entered in the Start field, MPM defaults to the fiscal start date for that period entered in the Fiscal Calendar. Likewise, if MMYY is entered in the Complete field, MPM defaults to the fiscal complete date for that period from the Fiscal Calendar.

If no project Start and Complete dates exist, MPM prompts you to enter them the first time the WBS is accessed for that project. Dates for a child WBS must be within the parent dates (inclusive). Once estimates have been entered for new WBS elements, the dates can only be changed by updating the underlying resource estimate dates using the Integrated Planning Baseline window.

• Manager — The Manager field is an optional 20-character field used to specify the WBS manager's name. The drop-down list box always reflects all manager entries that currently exist on any WBS in the project. You can also enter a new name, and the name is added to the list shown. The managers entered in the Manager field can be used to select which WBS elements to download when opening the WBS, Integrated Planning, or Actuals windows.

• Charge Number — The Charge Number field is a 20-character internal accounting system identifier used to collect costs. This is an optional field; however, a WBS ID must have a Charge Number for actuals to be collected in MPM. An error will result if you attempt to enter or import Actuals for a WBS without a Charge Number.

• Perf Dept — The Performing Department is an optional field which identifies the organization or department that is performing the WBS task. Select from the displayed drop-down list box of Department IDs from the Performing OBS Tree, or you can enter a new department, but you must also add them to the OBS Tree to use them in reports. See Creating the OBS for details. Although this is an optional field, we recommend you enter a Performing Department when creating new WBS elements if you are required to generate functional reports.

• Resp Dept — Responsible Department is an optional field which identifies the organization or department that is responsible for the WBS task. Select from the displayed drop-down list box of Department IDs from the Responsible OBS Tree, or you can enter additional departments, but you must also then add them to the OBS Tree to use them in reports. See Creating the OBS for details.

In an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment, the Responsible OBS Tree can be used as the IPT structure. This enables you to link WBS elements to an IPT rather than to a department. Although this is an optional field, we recommend you enter a Responsible Department when creating new WBS elements if you are required to generate functional reports.

• Threshold — You can assign cost and schedule variance thresholds, such as hours, dollars, or percent, to each WBS. Use this dialog to establish both favorable and unfavorable thresholds for cumulative, current period, and at-complete variances. Use this dialog to establish both favorable and unfavorable thresholds for cumulative, current period, and at-complete variances. Click the ellipses to access the Threshold dialog and assign cost and schedule variance thresholds to each breakdown structure element. See WBS Thresholds for details

• Alias — Alias is an optional 20-character field you define to meet any unique internal organizational data requirements, such as CDRL elements, interdivisional assist effort, remote site effort, phase of contract elements, etc. Select from the displayed drop-down list box, which always reflects all Alias entries that currently exist on any WBS in the project. You can also enter a new Alias which is then added to the list.

You can use the Alias field to extract the WBS elements you need when running reports. The Alias field also acts as a wild card, to match a specific group of data during reporting, exporting, or onscreen filtering. The Alias field and the Xref-1 field are the only unique selection fields that can be printed on the CPR Format 1 and C/SSR reports in place of the WBS ID field. See Structuring the WBS.

• Xref Fields — These optional 20-character user-defined fields, Xref-1 through Xref-10, are provided as additional identifiers that can be used for reporting, exporting, or on-screen filtering. Select from the displayed drop-down list box for each field, which always reflects all the entries that currently exist on any WBS in the project. You can define the field name for these fields in the Project Maintenance window. You can use the Xref fields during reporting, exporting, or onscreen filtering as wild cards, to match a specific group of data. See Structuring the WBS for samples.

XREF-1 is used for identifying distributed WBSs. If Xref-1 is changed to DISTRIBUTED, it cannot be a parent WBS. For more information, see Introduction to Distributed Projects.

The CLIN/SOW/WBS Baseline Report will not include SOW data unless one of the XREF fields is named "SOW" in the Project Maintenance window. For example, if you renamed the XREF-2 label to “SOW” (in the Project Maintenance window) and you entered Statement of Work (SOW) numbers for all WBS elements, you can now create a report that lists all WBS elements that pertain to SOW 1.1.

• Element Type — The Element Type describes the element's position and function in the WBS Tree. This field is used for creating reports, filtering exports, on-screen filtering, and filtering when using the WBS and Integrated Planning windows. It is recommended that you identify the type of all WBS elements in your Tree. WBS elements above the control account are typically blank. Available Element Types are:

• Control Account — A Control Account WBS element is normally used as a management control point where actual costs are accumulated and compared to the budget. Control Accounts are usually at a high level of the WBS Tree. All Control Accounts must be identified before running the Control Account Plan report.

• Work Package — A Work Package WBS element is normally a detail task representing a unit of work in a Cost Account at the level where the work is performed, having scheduled start and completion dates and a budget. Work Packages are usually in a lower level of the WBS Tree.

• Planning Package — A Planning Package WBS element is normally a detail task similar to a Work Package, but with no budget or time estimates, created during the planning phase of a project to collect time and resources within a Cost Account. Planning Packages are usually in a lower level of the WBS Tree.

• Other — A WBS element identified as type Other is normally a detail task similar to a Work Package, but used for any user-defined purpose.

• Recur — Recur is an optional field that identifies a WBS element as an activity that is repeated (recurring) or an activity that is done only once (nonrecurring). MPM automatically marks all children of a WBS element as Recurring if the parent is a recurring element, or as Nonrecurring if the parent is a nonrecurring element. The Recur field of the child elements cannot be individually changed if the parent element's Recur field is set.

• CLIN — CLIN is an optional eight character field which identifies the Contract Line Item Number for this WBS. Although CLIN is an optional field, we recommend you select a CLIN for new WBS elements if the program utilizes CLINs and requires CLIN reporting. You create and maintain the CLIN table in the CLIN window. See Introduction to CLIN Table for details. The WBS window contains a drop-down list of items entered in the CLIN window. You cannot enter a CLIN that does not exist in the CLIN table.

When a CLIN value is entered for a WBS element, that CLIN value is used for all children and grandchildren of that WBS element. The CLIN field may only be edited on the parent WBS element where the CLIN was originally entered. If children of that parent must have different CLINs, the value must be removed from the parent and added at the child level where the CLIN values must be different.

The CLIN/SOW/WBS Report is sorted by CLIN. WBS elements without a CLIN value will not display on the report. Any estimates entered above the level at which the CLIN is entered will not be included in the report.

• Fee % — Fee % is an optional field where you can enter the percentage of the fee that can be allocated to each WBS element and its children. This field is only available for entry if you have selected Fee by WBS on the Project Maintenance window. The Fee % (if any) is displayed on reports that show WBS fee amounts. The Fee % should be specified at the lowest level of a WBS leg where different Fee % values must be applied. You can enter whole numbers or decimals. Once a fee percentage is input for a WBS element, it is applied to all children of that element and is displayed as a read-only field for child elements. The only way to edit the Fee % is to edit the Parent WBS element where the Fee % was originally entered.

If you change the Fee % on the WBS element, you should reprice the project to reflect those changes. See Introduction to the Utilities for information.

• Fee Limit — Fee Limit is an optional field where you can enter the fee limit (up to 16 digits) for a WBS element. This field is only available for entry if you have selected Fee by WBS on the Project Maintenance window. The Fee Limit (if any) is displayed on reports that show WBS fee amounts. Once you enter a Fee Limit for a WBS element, the Fee Limit is set to blank on all child WBS elements (even if a value previously existed there) and cannot be edited on the child elements.

Fee Limit is a reference field only. MPM continues to accumulate fee even after the limit is reached.

• Revised Letter Date — This field shows the date when this WBS was last revised. It can be edited only on control accounts.

• Schedule Reference Date — This field shows the date when this WBS schedule was last updated. It can be edited only on control accounts.