Work Breakdown Default Maintenance

This document describes how work breakdown defaults are edited. Defaults are values frequently used. There are defaults for each category. Within each category there are project-specific defaults and global defaults.

Default values are used to prompt the user when inputting an actual breakdown value. Categories can be locked (globally or for a project). In that case, only defaults values can be used.

Whenever you enter a work breakdown value that value automatically becomes a default.

The Work Breakdown Default Window


Work Breakdown Default Window

This window is displayed when you press the "Defaults" button in the Work Breakdown Category List Window or the "Edit WBS Defaults" button in the Project Properties Window.

At the top of the window are controls to determine which defaults are being edited.

Most of the window is filled with a list of the existing defaults. There is one row for each default with a value and a tool tip.

A series of buttons on the right side of the window allows default maintenance:

The Work Breakdown Default Properties Window


Work Breakdown Default Properties Window

This window is used to enter of edit the properties of a work breakdown default. Most of the window is filled with edit controls for default information:

Copying and Pasting Defaults

Paste -  To transfer defaults from another application, you must first copy the defaults to the clipboard using the CSV format. The first column should be the default value and the second column should be the description/tool tip. To transfer from Excel, simply select a rectangle of the two columns and all the rows you wish to transfer then select Edit/Copy from the Excel main menu.

WARNING: DON'T close the Excel spreadsheet or Excel will clear the clipboard.

Next, press the "Paste" button. Dimension will display a message describing what is about to be pasted.


Figure 2: The Work Breakdown Default Paste Message

If the information is correct, press the OK button and the defaults will be added. If one of the pasted defaults already existed, it will be updated with the pasted description.