This section contains the following topics:
About the Open Workbench Library
Insert and Delete Rows in Views
About Changing View Display Colors
Views are the means by which you display a project plan and other project data. You can use views to enter project data, add or delete tasks, and otherwise modify a project plan. Open Workbench provides standard views, sorts, filters, and highlights to display, enter, and organize project information.
You can apply views, sorts, filters, and highlights to see different aspects of your project and access specific project information. The Open Workbench window displays a Library that contains views which you can apply to projects. The view that is set as the default view is automatically displayed in this window, even if you have not opened a project. If you have not set your default view, this window is blank.
Project data is displayed in views that take the form of spreadsheets, which can use Gantt charts to graphically display project status and task relationships, or Critical Path Method (CPM) Network views, which display task relationships and the project’s critical path. Most of the predefined views in Open Workbench are spreadsheet views. CPM Network views display in an organizational chart format, with the boxes representing task dependencies rather than organizations.
Both types of views use field names in their definitions to determine what data they display, and both are created in the View Definition dialog box. Each type displays project information in a different format.
Spreadsheet views display project data in variety of ways. These views can appear as spreadsheets with editable cells, and can also display a Gantt chart that depicts the project’s schedule and the timing and relationships between tasks.
Depending on the field names used to define the view, spreadsheet views may contain several panes that display different types of project data. For example, a spreadsheet view may display any combination of the following:
The default Gantt Chart view is available from the Favorites library group.
Critical Path Method (CPM) Network views display data as a graphical model of tasks and their relationships. Each task is portrayed in a cell which may be linked to other cells in order of precedence. Unlike spreadsheet views, you cannot enter, sort, or filter data directly in CPM Network views. However, you can create dependency relationships in a CPM Network view and you can edit task properties by opening the Task Properties dialog box from the view.
The default CPM Network view is available from the Favorites library group.
Use the Overview window to view a specific area of a CPM Network view. You can also select Zoom In from the shortcut menu to make objects in the current view larger, or Zoom Out to make the current view hold and display more data.
Note: The Windows System Font does not scale and may be rendered unreadable by zooming out. One way to solve this is to change the Windows System Font to a scalable one, such as Arial. Another way is to zoom back in and manipulate your window on the CPM display.
To view the CPM Network view from the Overview Window
The Overview window displays.
The area within the cell scrolls into view in the current window.
The Open Workbench Library stores all of Open Workbench's predefined views, highlights, filters, and sorts, as well as those that you create in library groups. Library groups define the group, or folder, in the Library where you access views. The changes you make in the library affect the Library.
You can use the library to:
The following library groups are available by default:
An Open Workbench library is a .rwl library file that stores view Library data, including the names of library groups that categorize views, sorts, and filters. Libraries also store the paths to and names of views, sorts, and filters that appear in the library groups. Up to 32 Groups can display on the shortcut barLibrary. When you open a group, all of its associated views, sorts, and filters appear.
Use the Libraries dialog box to view the Library's folder layout. You can also add new library groups from this dialog box.
To create new library groups
The Libraries dialog box opens.
A new group folder is added to the library.
Use the Libraries dialog box to create new groups and add views and filters to them. Changes you make in the library affect the Library after you close the Library dialog box.
Note: You must have appropriate user rights to change items in the Corporate View Library. Changes to the Corporate View Library affect all of its users.
To change items in library groups
The Libraries dialog box opens.
Select groups or expand a group and select a view, sort, or filter.
Displays the directory path and file name for the selected view, filter, or sort.
To apply views, filters, sorts to a library group
The Libraries dialog box opens.
The selected view, filter, or sort is applied to the current window.
To define views in a library group
The Libraries dialog box opens.
The View Definition dialog box opens.
To add a view to a library
The Libraries dialog box opens.
The selected group is added to the group folder.
To remove views from a library group
The Libraries dialog box opens.
The selected group, view, filter, or sort is removed from the list.
For the Percent Complete to display correctly when rolled up to the activity or phase levels, you must first set a baseline. You must select the Pct Complete option from the % Displayed drop-down list in the Gantt dialog box. You must also assign Billing rates to the resources in the Resource Properties dialog box.
All dates displayed in the Gantt chart are equally distributed along its width.
To see baseline data and otherwise modify the Gantt chart
The Gantt dialog box opens.
To display a bar that indicates a percent of the work.
Values:
Specifies whether to display baseline bars beside the task progress bars. When selected, the Stacked check box is enabled.
Specifies whether to display bars indicating the amount of float in tasks. Float is the number of days that a task's initiation or completion can be delayed without adversely affecting the project finish date. Float is calculated using the following formula: Late Start - Early Start.
Specifies whether to superimpose baseline data on the existing project data.
Specifies whether to display dependencies. When selected, you can view and edit dependency relationships directly in a Gantt chart.
Specifies whether to prevent users from manually extending or shortening Gantt bars on the Gantt chart.
Specifies whether to show summary task progress,
Select to display bars indicating breaks in task-related work, such as holidays and weekends.
Defines the maximum number of days to filter segments.
Defines the Gantt chart’s width in display pixels.
Specifies whether to use the current system date as the Gantt chart's display date.
Specifies whether to use the start date of the first task in the project as the Gantt chart's display date.
Specifies whether to use the As-of date as the Gantt chart's display date.
Note: Enter this date on the Advanced tab on the Project Properties dialog box.
Specifies whether to use the finish date of the last task in the project as the Gantt chart's display date.
Specifies whether to use non-work days as the Gantt chart's display date.
Specifies whether to use the end of the current time period as the Gantt chart's display date.
The Gantt dialog box closes.
Use the Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box to create new views. This page contains two grids. The list of field names from which you can create your view displays in the grid on the left. The layout selection grid displays columns for each field name added to the view. You can insert and remove columns as needed. You can also format the cells in a column, such as defining the cells character width and alignment.
The view's name displays at the top of the view after the project name, and on the header when you print the view. The view status displays at the bottom of the view if you have the Display Status Bar option selected on the General tab on the Options dialog box.
To create a view, first define the view's layout and then describe the view. The views you create are saved as .rwv view files.
Use the View Definition dialog box to create and edit the view layout, define the view, define the view's sort data, and to define the view's filters. You can add fields and columns that help you better analyze or track project data.
Use the following tabs on this dialog box:
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box displays a list of fields that appear as columns in a view. You can insert, remove, and format columns using this tab.
You can do the following on this tab:
The Formatting Options dialog box opens, where you can describe the view.
To define a view's layout
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
For example, you can expand the Task Information folder, expand the Description subfolder, and drag a task field name such as Short Name to a cell in the grid. To replace an existing field cell, drag the field to that cell. To add the field as a new cell in the grid, drag it to an empty cell.
Use the Description tab on the View Definition dialog box to define the view.
Note: You cannot sort or filter Critical Path Method (CPM) Network views. However, you can zoom in, zoom out, and use the Panning Overview option to focus on a smaller window of dependencies. The Panning Overview option appears when you right-click on a dependency box in a CPM view.
To define the view description properties
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
The view description properties display.
Defines the view type.
Values:
Default: Spreadsheet
Specifies the WBS Level that you want to display in the view. Data rolls up from the task level to the level selected.
Values: Task, Project, Phase, Activity, and WBS Level
Example: If you select Activity, the view contains the activity and phases, but not tasks and milestones.
Indicates whether you can see consolidated data on resources. This field is used with the filter tool. If you filter a view for a specific resource and select this check box, you can see only information for that resource in the view. If you clear this check box and filter on resources, only the associated tasks are filtered out and not the assignments.
Defines the name the view.
Note: If you do not name your view, the view name defaults to the file name.
Defines the name or the resource designing the view or managing the project.
Default: CA Clarity PPM
Defines the status of the current view.
Defines the status of the current view.
Enter any notes related to the view definition, such as situations in which the view can be useful, or suggestions on how to modify the view for further analysis.
The view is created and the View Definition dialog box closes.
You can create filters as part of a view, or as separate elements that you can apply to the current view. The filters you create as part of a view are saved and applied with the view. If you create a filter file, you can add it to your library file and apply it to any window.
To create or edit a filter for the current view
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
The Filter tab appears.
Drag a field name to this column.
Select or enter the defining criteria.
Select from appropriate relationships such as Equal to or Greater.
Select from And or Or to add another row to the filter.
Note: The data type of the value must correspond to the field name. For example, if the field name is numeric, the value must also be numeric. You can use wildcard characters (* for any number of characters or ? for single characters) to search for substrings within field names.
The View Definition dialog box closes.
You can create sorts as part of a view, or as separate elements that you can apply to the current view. The sorts you create as part of a view are saved and applied with the view. If you create a sort file, you can add it to your library file and apply it to any window.
To create or edit a sort for the current view
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
The view's sort properties display.
Double-click item icons to display field names associated with the current view. Drag field names to the Field column to create or edit a sort.
Drag a field name to this column.
Enter the number of sort characters.
Enter the column number at which to start the sort.
Select Ascending or Descending.
The View Definition dialog box closes.
Field names are the building blocks of views, sorts, filters, and highlights. They represent either distinct data fields or calculated values used in Open Workbench. When you add field names to a view definition, you define what project data is displayed in the view and how the view is constructed.
Field names are listed by category in a list on the left side of the Layout, Sort, and Filter tabs on the View Definition dialog box, and on the left side of the Sort Definition, Filter Definition, View Highlights, and Find dialog boxes. To view the View Definition dialog box, select View, Edit View.
Icons appearing on the list match rows on the grids of each dialog box. In many cases, when you open a folder you can match field names to their section on the grid.
Use the Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box to assign a field name to a view. The fields that are displayed in bold are those that are available for you to add to the view. When you click on an unavailable field or folder, the Add Fields Feedback status bar at the bottom of the View Definition dialog box provides an explanation. Additionally, in cases where you can drag a field name onto a cell, when a cell is selected, fields allowed in that location display in bold text.
The Information folder displays a list of all of the available fields you can add to views. You can choose from the following groups of field names:
Project folderThis folder contains project-specific field names.
Task Detail folderThis folder contains field names that comprise the body of the view; they displayed in the task detail pane.
Note: Column headings are automatically entered when you add the Task and Resource Detail field names to the grid. You can change a heading name by editing it in the column.
Resource Detail folderThis folder contains resource-specific field names and summary information by resource that displays in the resource detail pane or the task detail pane.
Highlight Information folderThis folder contains highlighting options that you can use to highlight field names used in a view.
To add a field name to a view
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
The list expands to display folders that categorize and contain available field names.
Note: When you add a field to a blank column, a new column automatically appears to the right of that column.
The View Definition dialog box closes.
To remove field names and columns from the current view
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
Your changes are applied to the view.
Use the Formatting Options dialog box to apply formats to a cell in a view.
To format a cell in a view
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
The Formatting Options dialog box opens.
Note: Settings and options that do not apply to the data in the selected cell are disabled.
Defines the numeric value for the width of the column (in pixels). The default width varies with each field name. You can change the column width in the view by dragging a column divider left or right.
Specifies the number of decimal places for data in the cell.
Values: 0, 1, or 2
Specifies the alignment of data in the cell.
Values: Left, Center, or Right
Defines the unit/format for the data in the cell.
Values: Days, Hours, Percent (of total availability), or As Is
Note: The As Is option allows you to report mixed units of measure in a view.
Period Unit
Defines the period unit for the data in the cell. You can set the default period unit from the Defaults tab on the Options dialog box and selecting an option for Unit of Measure.
Values: Per Day, Percent, or Per Period (for tabulated elements only).
Defines whether to make the field display-only and prevent other users from changing the data. Some cells are always protected.
Default: Cleared
Defines whether to make the field appear blank if its value is zero.
Default: Cleared
Defines whether to show the total for all the values in a column in a separate pane. Date totals represent the earliest or latest date in the range, depending on the field; for example, the total for Start date is the earliest date in the range.
Default: Cleared
Defines whether to arrange data in a tabular format.
Default: Cleared
Note: The default is cleared unless there is another tabulated field name in the same column.
Defines whether to indent tasks based on Work Breakdown Structure levels.
Default: Cleared
The Time Scale dialog box opens.
The View Definition dialog box closes.
You can refine the content of a view by selecting and applying filtering criteria that defines what project, task, or resource information to display. The remaining project information is hidden so that you see only the project data you want to see. You can apply filters to any spreadsheet view, but not to a CPM view.
You can create filters that are part of a view definition or applied separately from a view. When you define a filter in the View Definition dialog box, it is considered to be part of the view's definition and is applied to projects every time you apply the view. If you create a separate filter, you can add it to your library and apply it to any open project. Later, you can remove these filters from the view.
You can apply filters to views that include the filtering criteria and that are not CPM views.
To apply a filter to a view
The Libraries dialog box opens.
The filter is applied to the view.
There are a two ways you can apply views to a project. You can:
To display one view of a project, from the Library, open a group and click a view.
To display multiple views of the same project
In the Library, right-click a view icon and choose New Window from the context menu.
Inserting a row in a view provides you with a way to add data to a specific place in a project. However, when you delete rows from a view, make sure they do not contain data you will need later in the project. To insert a row, select a row header button, and then press Insert on your keyboard. To delete a row, select a row header button, and then press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Important! If you delete a row you did not intend to delete, you can recover it by choosing Undo from the Edit menu.
You can change the colors used to separate data appearing in spreadsheet views. Specifically, you can change the colors of spreadsheet view horizontal and vertical separation lines, and the background colors of rows appearing in views. This feature does not affect any highlight settings you may use to display data in views.
Changes you make to the view display colors affect all open views and are applied to all projects you open during subsequent Open Workbench sessions. A view can display horizontal and vertical lines in color, or not at all, and display rows with background colors alternating line-by-line or object-by-object. Also, when choosing view display colors, you can use a standard color palette or create a custom color palette.
You can redefine the colors used to display views any number of times. However, when you edit and apply a new view color definition, you lose the previous color definition.
When you customize view display colors, all open views use those colors. Use the Display tab of the Options dialog box to turn horizontal and vertical line display on or off, select line and background colors from the color palette, and add new colors to the palette.
To customize view display colors
The General tab on the Options dialog box opens.
The display options display.
The colors you add to the color palette are available for use by all groups. Use the Display tab of the Options dialog box to add colors to the color palette.
To add colors to the color palette
The General tab on the Options dialog box opens.
The display options display.
The Color dialog box opens.
Note: This button is disabled if you are already viewing custom colors.
The color is added to the color palette.
The Color dialog box closes.
To apply colors from the color palette
The General tab on the Options dialog box opens.
The display options display.
You can define the view display colors for groups and for horizontal and vertical lines. For each group, select a color from the color palette. For horizontal and vertical lines, select a color from the color palette, or click None if you do not want lines to display.
To define the view display colors
The General tab on the Options dialog box opens.
The display options display.
Default: Light Grey
Values: Basic Colors, None, or Other.
Default: Dark Grey
Values: Basic Colors, None, or Other.
Default: White
Values: Basic Colors, None, or Other.
Default: White
Values: Basic Colors, None, or Other.
The Options dialog box closes.
Use the Save View Definition dialog box to specify the name of the view, its directory, and the library file where you want to save the active view. You can save the modifications you make to a view as a new view, or you can replace the current view with your modified view.
To save a view
The View Definition Save Query dialog box opens.
Creates a new view without altering the existing view.
The Save View Definition dialog box opens.
Replaces the view with your changes.
The view is saved and the View Definition Save Query dialog box closes.
Select the directory in which you want to save the current view.
Defines the name of the view file.
Displays the name of the view file to which you want to save.
Defines the type of file you want to save the view.
Note: When you save a view, a file name is assigned to the view using the following convention:
filename.rwv
Defines the name of the group in which you want the view to appear. This determines the view's placement on the Library.
A new view file is created and saved. The Save View Definition dialog box closes.
Use the Layout and Description tab on the View Definition dialog box to edit the fields and columns in an existing view. After you have edited the view, you can overwrite the previous view settings or save your changes as a new view.
Saving new or edited views so that you can use them again. While you can save a view to any library group, you can save it to the Favorites library group if you will use it often.
To edit a view
The View library dialog opens.
The Layout tab on the View Definition dialog box opens.
The view's description fields display.
Select Spreadsheet or CPM. Spreadsheet views display data in a table format.
Note: You cannot sort or filter CPM views. However, you can zoom in, zoom out, and use the Panning Overview option to focus on a smaller window of dependencies. The Panning Overview option appears when you right-click on a dependency box in a CPM view.
Select the WBS Level that you want to display in the view. Data rolls up from the task level to the level selected. For example, if you set the Level of Analysis to Activity, the view will contains the activity and phases, but not tasks and milestones.
Select this check box to see consolidated data on resources. This field is used in conjunction with the filter tool. If you filter a view for a specific resource and select this check box, you will see only information for that resource in the view. If you unselect this check box and filter on resources, only the associated tasks are filtered out and not the assignments.
Name the view, if desired. The name displays at the top of the view after the project name, and on the header when printing the view. If you create a new view, and do not populate the name field, the name field will automatically populate with the file name when you save it.
Enter your name or the name of the person designing the view or managing the project, if desired.
Enter a note about the status of the current view, if desired.
Enter a note about the status of the current view, if desired.
Note: The status fields display at the bottom of the view if you have the Display Status Bar option selected on the General tab in the Options dialog box.
Enter any notes related to the view definition, such as situations in which the view might be particularly useful, or suggestions on how to modify the view to further aid the analysis.
The View Definition dialog box closes.
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