Network Diagram
The Network Diagram component renders a node-and-arrow AON (Activity on Node) logic diagram using activity relationships from the bound Planner schedule. Use it to visualise the critical path, a delivery phase dependency chain, or the logic sequence leading to a specific milestone.
Full-project logic diagrams can be illegible in reports. Always filter to a meaningful sub-section (a phase, a critical path slice, or a WBS branch) to produce a readable output.
When to use
- Showing the critical path of a delivery phase to an executive audience.
- Highlighting near-critical chains that threaten a key milestone.
- Visualising the specific sequence of activities that an accelerated delivery relies on.
- Reviewing logic changes between two schedule snapshots.
Adding the component
- Open the report output in the Output Designer.
- Click + Insert → Network Diagram.
- Position and resize the component on the canvas.
- Open the Data tab in the Build panel and bind a Planner project.
- Apply filters to limit the node count before adjusting style settings.
Data binding
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Planner project | The Planner schedule to draw relationships from. |
| Baseline | Optional — overlay baseline dates on each node. |
| Data date | The schedule data date used for current-status colouring. |
Filters
Filters limit which activities appear as nodes. Apply filters before adjusting style options — node count affects layout density and readability.
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| WBS branch | Include only activities under a selected WBS code or branch. |
| Activity type | Include task-dependent, LOE, milestones, or WBS summaries. |
| Critical path only | Show only activities with zero or negative total float. |
| Near-critical (float ≤ N) | Include near-critical activities below a float threshold. |
| Specific activities | Manually select individual Activity IDs. |
| Driving path to milestone | Compute and show only the driving predecessor chain to a selected milestone. |
Layout options
| Property | Options |
|---|---|
| Direction | Left-to-right (default) or top-to-bottom. |
| Node spacing | Compact / Normal / Loose. |
| Level alignment | Align nodes at the same network level vertically (true/false). |
| Arrow style | Straight, elbow, or curved. |
| Arrow head | Standard, filled, or open. |
| Relationship type labels | Show FS / FF / SS / SF labels on arrows. |
| Lag labels | Show lag values on arrows. |
Node styling
Each node box can display up to 6 fields in a configurable 2×3 or 3×2 cell layout:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Node fields | Choose which fields appear in the node cells (Activity ID, Name, Early Start, Early Finish, Total Float, etc.). |
| Node colour | Static colour, or conditional on: status, Total Float range, activity type, or WBS level. |
| Node border colour | Highlight critical activities with a red border. |
| Node size | Small / Medium / Large (affects label truncation). |
| Milestone shape | Diamond (standard) or circle. |
| Summary shape | Trapezoid (standard) or rectangle. |
Conditional node colouring
| Condition | Suggested colour |
|---|---|
| Total float = 0 (critical) | Red |
| Total float 1–5 days (near-critical) | Amber |
| Total float > 5 days | Green |
| Activity status = Not started | Grey |
| Activity status = In progress | Blue |
| Activity status = Complete | Light green |
Max nodes limit
Set a Max nodes cap (default: 150) to prevent layout overflow. When the filter produces more activities than the cap:
- The diagram renders the first N nodes (by early start, then activity ID).
- A note is shown below the diagram: "Showing X of Y activities — apply additional filters to see the full set."
For reports intended for print, keep node count under 50 for A3 landscape and under 30 for A4.
Performance guidance
| Network size | Guidance |
|---|---|
| < 50 nodes | Renders quickly; full AON layout with all options enabled. |
| 50–150 nodes | Use Compact spacing; disable relationship type labels. |
| > 150 nodes | Apply additional filters; consider breaking into two components by WBS phase. |
Export behaviour
- PDF / Word: Network diagram renders as a high-resolution vector image. All node text and arrows are preserved.
- Excel: Embedded as a static image in the designated sheet.
- Large-format outputs: Set the blueprint page size to A3 landscape or custom width to give the component enough canvas for a dense network.