Outlining and Summary Bars

This article refers to version 2008.  Click for Version 2006
 
   
Milestones offers an easy-to-use outlining capability which lets you organize your projects into steps and sub-steps. Outlining makes the schedule easier to read and manage.  
 
The example below is a simple, outlined schedule:
 

 

Click on the upside-down, hollow triangle to "roll-up" lower level tasks.  A summary bar displays a single bar from the start date of the earliest sub-task to the end date of the latest sub-task. Click on the filled triangle to expand to lower levels.

    
 
How to Outline
Set-up the column for outline indentation
1. Click the column heading the toolbar changes to the Selection tab Current Object: Column Heading.

2. Click Switch to Column.
3. In the Column Type and Format section, under Indent per Outline Level:enter a value (such as 0.3) press the apply button .
 
Set the Tab key as the outlining shortcut
1.

Select Tools tab.

2. In the Program Options section choose Edit.
3. Check Use the TAB key for outlining.
NOTE: The green arrow can also be used to outline tasks. 
   
Indent/Outline a single task
1.

Click once on a task name.
2. Hit the Tab key or click the right-facing green arrow icon on the Toolbar.
    
Indent/Outline multiple tasks at once
1.

Click once on a task name.
2. Hold down the Ctrl key.
3. Click once on all other task names to be indented/outlined.
4. Hit the Tab key or click the right-facing green arrow icon on the Toolbar.

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Organizing with SmartColumns
Create Outline Level, WBS Number, and TaskNumber SmartColumns

 
1. Choose the Insert tab.
2. In the Rows, Column section choose New Column.
3. Choose from the list of available columns.

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Choosing summary bar symbology
1. Choose the Layout tab.
2. In the Other section choose the Summary Bar Settings.
3. Choose symbols and a connector to display on all summary bar levels.
 
The symbols and connectors in the drop-down lists show what is available in the Toolbox. Thus, if the symbols and connector you want are not available, then you'll need to first add them to the Toolbox.
 
For baseline summary, choose Layout tab In the Other section choose the Baseline Settings to choose task and summary level symbology for baseline dates.

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Collapsing to summary level, or expanding to detailed task level
    
View Summary Bars for upper level tasks
1. Choose the Layout tab.
2. In the Other section choose the Summary Bar Settings.
3. Under When to Draw, check Always to display summary bars at all times.
    
Show Collapse/Expand Indictors
1. Choose the View tab.
2. In the Optional Items section check on Collapse/Expand Indicators.
3. Use the collapse/expand indicators to roll-up or drill-down outlined tasks.   
 
Roll-up a single task line without Collapse/Expand Indictors
1. Right-click the task line to roll-up.
2. Choose Collapse Selected Task Line.
**works the same to Expand
     
Roll-up all tasks to a certain outline level without Collapse/Expand Indictors
1. Right-click a task line to roll-up to.
For example, if you want to roll-up all task lines to Level 1, right-click any Level 1 task.
2. Choose Collapse All Tasks to Selected Level.

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