About Workstep Groups
By default, project worksteps are sequential, requiring that the previous one be completed before the next one can begin. If a project has some worksteps that occur concurrently, those worksteps can be combined into a workstep group. You can create workstep groups in templates or projects. If you create a workstep group in a template, the group will be available in projects created from that template.
The worksteps that make up a group (referred to as "child worksteps") can be defined, assigned, and completed independent of other worksteps in the group. The properties of the group are partially determined by the properties of its child worksteps.
- The earliest planned start date for a child workstep is used as the planned start date for the group.
- The latest planned finish date for a child workstep is used as the planned finish date for the group.
- The budgeted and actual hours for the child worksteps are summed to create the budget and actual hours for the group.
Additional Information for Workstep Groups in Projects
Child worksteps are visible in Workstep views and on the My Assignments pane of their assignees, just like any other worksteps. The group is not visible in either of these locations. However, you can see the group in the project profile and on the route sheet (if the route sheet is configured to display worksteps).
A workstep group is considered complete when all of its child worksteps are marked complete. When the last child worksteps in a group is marked complete, the group will be marked complete automatically. Conversely, if you mark the group complete, any open child worksteps in the group will be marked complete automatically.
Managing Workstep Groups
Additional information about managing workstep groups is included in the topics Creating Workstep Groups and Removing a Workstep from a Workstep Group. Information about deleting workstep groups is included in the Deleting Worksteps from a Template topic.