Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Mapping Rules

To create projects from plans, you must use the same WBS structure for projects and map your plan WBS to your project WBS. There are several rules that apply when mapping WBS information

Rule 1

A Project can exist without any corresponding Plan, and, a Plan can exist without any corresponding Project.

Rule 2

A Project can have a maximum of three levels: Project, Phase, Task. A Plan can have an unlimited number of levels.

Rule 3

You can create both a Project from a Plan, and a Plan from a Project, but you must use WBS mapping on the Labor grid of Project Planning to map them to each other. In each of these cases, you must enter an identifier that matches the identifier of an existing record in the Vision database. You can enter an identifier directly, or click to use the Lookup for the field. Every WBS element must contain an identifier, or the plan will not map correctly to the new project.

Rule 4

A Plan is said to be "fully mapped" when it has the WBS Level, Project, Phase, and Task fields filled out on the Labor Grid of Project Planning.

Rule 5

Since both the Plan and the Project can exist independently of each other, a Plan can be mapped to either an existing project, or a "to-be-created" Project. When a Plan is mapped to a "to-be-created" Project, you can create the Project using existing Plan information. However, the Plan must be fully mapped and the mapped Project, Phase, and Task IDs must NOT already exist in the database.

Rule 6

If you want to link an existing Plan to an existing Project, you must also use WBS mapping.

Rule 7

When a Plan is created from a Project, you have the option to automatically set the Mapping information, or to leave the Plan disassociated from the Project.

Rule 8

WBS Level values are hierarchical, which means the level two (phase) number is one delimiter greater than the level one (project) number, and the level three (task) number is one delimiter greater than the level two (phase) number. When you enter a WBS1, WBS2, WBS3, or Labor code number, this number is passed down through all levels.

For example:

  • Project Number: 9300

  • Phase Number: 9300.01

  • Task Number: 9300.01.01

Rule 9

You can specify up to three major levels of work breakdown structure. By default, Vision labels these:

  • Level One: Project

  • Level Two: Phase

  • Level Three: Task

For labor codes, you can also specify multiple levels to classify work on a project, phase, or task in categories.

Because of these multi-level structures, the following rows automatically inherit Level One, Level Two, Level Three, and Labor Code values from the top-level row:

  • Assignment row.

  • A row without any WBS Level designation. If a row is changed from a WBS Level designation to an empty WBS Level, then the newly inherited WBS1, WBS2, WBS3, and Labor Code values must be passed down through all levels.

Rule 10

The following types of rows must inherit Level One, Level Two, and Level Three values from the top-level row:

  • Expense row

  • Consultant row

Rule 11

When you insert a New Task on the Labor Grid, and the WBS Level option is set to Project:

  • Vision sets the Level 1 value to <none>.

  • Vision removes the Level 2, Level 3, and Labor Code values.

  • The new Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Labor Code values are passed down to all descendants.

Rule 12

When you insert a New Task on the Labor Grid, and the WBS Level option is set to Phase:

  • If the previous value of the WBS Level was Level 1, the WBS 1 value is inherited from its parent row (or set to blank if there is no parent row), otherwise, the Level 1 value should remain unchanged.

  • Vision sets the Level 2 value to <none>.

  • Vision removes the Level 3 and Labor Code values.

  • The new Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Labor Code values are passed down to all of its descendants.

Rule 13

When you insert a New Task on the Labor Grid, and the WBS Level option is set to Task:

  • If the previous value of the WBS Level was Level 1, the WBS1 value is inherited from its parent row (or set to blank if there is no parent row), otherwise, the WBS1 value should remain unchanged.

  • If the previous value of the WBS Level was Level 2, the WBS2 value is inherited from its parent row (or set to blank if there is no parent row), otherwise, the WBS2 value should remain unchanged.

  • Vision sets the Level 3 value to <none>.

  • Vision removes the Labor Code value.

  • The new Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Labor Code values are passed to all of its descendants.

Rule 14

When you insert a New Task on the Labor Grid, and the WBS Level option is set to Labor Code:

  • If the previous value of the WBS Level was Level 1, the WBS1 value is inherited from its parent row (or set to blank if there is no parent row), otherwise, the WBS1 value should remain unchanged.

  • If the previous value of the WBS Level was Level 2, the WBS2 value is inherited from its parent row (or set to blank if there is no parent row), otherwise, the WBS2 value should remain unchanged.

  • If the previous value of the WBS Level was Level 3, the WBS3 value is inherited from its parent row (or set to blank if there is no parent row), otherwise, the WBS3 value should remain unchanged.

  • Its Labor Code value must be set to <none>.

  • The new WBS1, WBS2, WBS3, and Labor Code values are passed down to all descendants.

Rule 15

A Task row WBS Level designation could be set or changed by the following actions:

  • Indent — When you indent a row, its WBS Level designation is set according to the current values of Default WBS Mapping.

  • Outdent — When you outdent a row, its WBS Level designation is set according to the current values of Default WBS Mapping.

  • You change the Default WBS Mapping.

  • You select a different WBS Level value from the WBS Level drop-down.

  • You delete the existing WBS Level designation.

  • A newly inserted Task row will have its WBS Level designation set according to the current values of the Default WBS Mapping.

Parent Topic: When You Win the Contract - Mapping the Plan