Activity Code Editor

Applies to: Free · Pro · Enterprise
Last updated: 17-Jul-2025

Overview

Activity codes let you classify and group activities by custom categories — Phase, Discipline, Area, Responsibility, or any taxonomy your project requires. The Activity Code Editor provides a two-pane interface for managing code types, their hierarchical values, and assignments to activities.

Opening the Activity Code Editor

1. Open your schedule in the Editor tabs.
2. Click Activity Codes in the editor toolbar, or use the menu Editor → Activity Code Editor.
3. The Activity Code Editor dialog opens.

Layout

Pane	Width	Content
Left	260 px	Code types list with search and CRUD buttons
Middle/Right	Flexible	Tabbed view — Values tab and Assignments tab

Managing Code Types

Creating a Code Type

1. Click the Add button in the code types pane (or press Insert when no type is selected).
2. An inline input field appears.
3. Type the code type name (e.g., "Phase", "Discipline", "Area").
4. Press Enter or click the check mark to confirm.

Renaming a Code Type

1. Select the code type in the list.
2. Click the Edit button or press F2.
3. Modify the name in the inline input.
4. Press Enter to confirm.

Deleting a Code Type

1. Select the code type.
2. Click the Delete button (or press Delete).
3. Confirm the deletion.

Deleting a code type also deletes all its values and removes all assignments from activities.

Each code type in the list shows a value count tag and action buttons (Edit, Delete).

Managing Code Values

Select a code type to see its values in the Values tab.

Hierarchical Value Tree

Code values are displayed in a tree structure powered by parent-child relationships. Values can be nested to create multi-level hierarchies:

Phase
├── Design
│   ├── Concept Design
│   └── Detailed Design
├── Construction
│   ├── Civil Works
│   ├── Structural
│   └── MEP
└── Commissioning

The tree is fully expanded by default and supports drag-and-drop rearrangement.

Adding a Value

1. Click the Add button in the values toolbar (or press Insert when the values tab is active).
2. Fill in the inline form:
   • Short Name — compact identifier (e.g., "CIV")
   • Full Name — descriptive name (e.g., "Civil Works")
   • Parent — optional parent value from the dropdown (creates a child node)
   • Colour — optional colour for visual coding
3. Confirm to create the value.

Editing a Value

1. Select a value in the tree.
2. Press F2 or click the Edit button.
3. Inline input fields appear for the short name and full name.
4. Press Enter or click the check mark to save.

You can also change the colour and parent assignment during editing.

Deleting a Value

1. Select a value.
2. Press Delete or click the delete button.
3. Confirm the deletion.

Activities that had this code value assigned will have the assignment removed automatically.

Rearranging the Hierarchy

You can restructure the value tree in three ways:

Method	Action
Drag and drop	Drag a value node onto another value to make it a child. Drag to a gap between values to reorder at the same level.
Indent	Select a value and click the Indent button (right arrow). The value becomes a child of the sibling above it.
Outdent	Select a value and click the Outdent button (left arrow). The value moves up to its grandparent's level.

Value Display

Each value in the tree shows:

Element	Description
Colour swatch	10 px coloured circle matching the value's colour
Short name tag	Pill tag with the short identifier
Full name	Descriptive name text
Usage count	Number of activities with this code assigned
Action buttons	Assign, Edit, Delete

Assigning Codes to Activities

Switch to the Assignments tab to manage which activities have this code type assigned.

Assignment Table

The table shows all selected activities with columns:

Column	Description
Activity	Task code
Name	Activity name
Assigned Value	Currently assigned code value (if any)
Quick Assign	Dropdown to set or change the assigned value
Unassign	Button to remove the code assignment

Bulk Assignment

Several ways to assign codes in bulk:

1. "Assign to all" dropdown — at the top of the assignments table. Select a value to assign it to all listed activities at once.
2. Tree node assign button — click the link icon on a value in the Values tab to assign it to all selected activities.
3. AI Copilot — ask the AI to "assign Discipline = Mechanical to all activities under WBS 2.1".

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key	Action
Insert	Add new code type (if no type selected) or add value (if type selected and values tab active)
Delete	Delete the selected type or value
F2	Edit the selected type or value inline

Tips & Best Practices

• Use short names for exports — short names appear in XER exports and should follow your organisation's naming convention.
• Build hierarchies for roll-up reporting — group values under parents so you can filter and group activities at multiple levels.
• Assign colours for visual distinction — colour-coded values make the Gantt chart and grid easier to scan.
• Use the Assignments tab for targeted bulk work — select specific activities in the grid first, then open the editor.

Related Documentation

• Activities Grid
• Grouping
• Filtering
• Undo & Redo