Hi Chris
extract from Help in Project 2003
---
Create a WBS code
If your organization requires a particular work breakdown structure (WBS)
code format, you can assign corresponding WBS codes to tasks depending on
their place in the hierarchy of a project's outline.
1. On the View menu, click a sheet view, such as the Task
Sheet view.
To use a view that is not on the View menu, click More Views, click the view
you want to use in the Views list, and then click Apply.
2. On the Project menu, point to WBS, and then click Define
Code.
3. To distinguish tasks in this project from tasks in other
projects, type a project-specific code prefix in the Project Code Prefix
box.
Note If you work with multiple projects consolidated in a master project or
projects with links to external tasks, a project code prefix helps you
distinguish different project tasks.
4. To specify the code string for first-level tasks, in the
first row in the Sequence column, click the type of character you want to
use for this level.
· Click Numbers (ordered) to show a
numerical WBS code for this level.
· Click Uppercase Letters (ordered)
to show uppercase alphabetical WBS codes (for example A, B, and C for the
first three summary tasks in the project).
· Click Lowercase Letters (ordered)
to show lowercase alphabetical WBS codes (for example a, b, and c for the
first three summary tasks in the project).
· Click Characters (unordered) to
show any combination of numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters (for
example, Arch1, Const1, and Insp1 and for the first three summary tasks in
the project).
Choosing this option gives you the most flexibility for entering customized
WBS codes. Microsoft Office Project 2003 displays an asterisk (*) in the WBS
field until you type or enter a string of characters for this level of the
WBS code.
5. In the first row of the Length column, type or select a
number for the maximum number of characters in the first-level code string.
For example, type 3 to make three characters the mandatory number of
characters to enter in this level of the WBS code. The total length of a WBS
code can be up to 255 characters.
6. In the first row of the Separator column, type or select
a character to separate the code string for one level from the code string
for the next level.
By default, the separator character is a period. You can use different
separator characters between each code level. You can type a character other
than a period, minus sign, plus sign, or slash; for example, you can type an
ampersand (&) or a number sign (#).
You can also choose not to use a separator character between code levels. In
the Length field, click a number. In the Separator field, delete the
separator character.
7. Specify one code string for each level of indented tasks
in your outline.
To specify code strings for each level, click the next row in the Sequence
column and repeat steps 3-6.
8. If you don't want to assign a WBS code each time you
enter a new task, clear the Generate WBS code for new task check box.
9. To use the same WBS code for different tasks, clear the
Verify uniqueness of new WBS codes check box.
Notes
· You can define one set of WBS codes per
project. If you need to show another organizational structure for tasks, you
can create or apply a different set of codes in addition to WBS codes by
using outline codes.
· To view WBS codes, you need to add the WBS
field to your view.
Hope this helps
Cheers
JulieD
