Selecting a Task Group in a Project

By default, the task group that is initially displayed in Spreadsheet mode is the default task group.  You can define the default task group in the Task Groups screen.

To select another task group for a project when in Spreadsheet mode, follow these steps:

1. Click the Spreadsheet Mode button to turn on Spreadsheet mode on the Tasks screen toolbar.
2. Click on the Settings button on the left of the task group label on the Tasks screen to display a popup menu.
3. Click the Manage Task Groups menu item to display the Task Groups screen.
4. Select the task group you wish to remove from your project and click the Remove from Spreadsheet Mode button on the Task Groups screen toolbar.
5. Select the preferred task group and click the Apply to Spreadsheet Mode button on the Task Groups screen toolbar.
6. Your preferred task group will now be displayed in Spreadsheet mode for the current project.

Showing Totals

When you are displaying numeric or financial values in Spreadsheet mode in a project, it can be useful to see the totals for each task column so you can understand the totals for each department, skill or task type across the project.

Example: You may want to see the total estimated duration for each department in your company so you can understand the impact of taking on a new project that you are currently bidding on. 

To show totals, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Settings button on the left of the task group label in Spreadsheet mode to display a popup menu.
2. Click the Show Totals menu item.  This will calculate and display the totals of each task column and display the results in the Project row in Spreadsheet mode.

Tip: You will know you are showing totals when you see the Sigma (E) character displayed on the left of the task group label in Spreadsheet mode. 

Editing a Task Group within a Project

You can make local changes to the task group and these are saved with your project. This lets you customize the task group for a project.

Example: You may want to change to another property in the task group so you can see or edit their values.  For example, a task group may be showing Estimated Duration for all the task columns, but you want to now see Assigned Staff. 

To edit a task group within a project to make local changes, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Settings button on the left of the task group label in Spreadsheet mode to display a popup menu.
2. Click the Edit menu item.  This will display the Edit Task Group screen.  You can make changes and these changes will only be applied to the current project.

Reloading a Task Group in a Project

If you have made changes to the task group within your project and you wish to revert back to the original task group's settings, then follow these steps: 

1. Click on the Settings button on the left of the task group label in Spreadsheet mode to display a popup menu.
2. Click the Reload Original Task Group menu item.  This will discard all your local changes to the task group and reload the task group back in the current project.

Updating a Task Group

If you have made changes to the task group within your project and you wish to update and save these changes back into original task group, then follow these steps: 

1. Click on the Settings button on the left of the task group label in Spreadsheet mode to display a popup menu.
2. Click the Update Original Task Group menu item.  This will save all your local changes into the task group.

Saving a New Task Group

If you have configured a set of tasks, their colors and their order in Spreadsheet mode for a project and you wish to use them in other projects, then you can save them as a new task group.  To save your project's Spreadsheet mode set of tasks and settings as a new task group, follow these steps: 

1. Click on the Settings button on the left of the task group label in Spreadsheet mode to display a popup menu.
2. Click the Save As New Task Group menu item.  This display the New Task Group screen and allow you to create a new task group.

Changing the Name or Color of Tasks in Spreadsheet mode

To quickly change the name or color of all tasks in a column in Spreadsheet mode, then follow these steps:

1. Click on the Options button on the right side of a task column label to display a popup menu.
2. Click the Edit menu item.  This display the Edit Task screen and allow you to change the task name and task color for that task column.

Note: All existing tasks in that task column will have their task name and task color changed to the new name and color you have specified.  And, any new tasks created in this task column will have the new name and color you have specified.