Group Definition dialog box

Use the Group Definition dialog box to create, review, or change a group definition. You can:

• Review or modify an existing group definition, such as the Critical group or the Overallocated group.

• Create a new group by specifying the fields on which to group.

• Define a grouping of multiple nested levels to create groups within groups.

• Specify the font, color, and pattern for groupings.

Dialog box location

Display the sheet view in which you want to apply the group. Different choices are available depending on whether a task view, resource view, or usage view is displayed.

In project 2016, 2013, or 2010: on the View tab click Group by, and then click More Groups. Click New or select an existing group and then click Edit or Copy.

In Project 2007: on the Project menu, point to Group by, and then click More Groups. Click New or select an existing group and then click Edit or Copy.

Details

Group Name

Name     Specifies the name of the group.

Show in menu     Displays the name of the group on the Group by submenu on the Project menu. If you do not want the group to show on the submenu, clear this check box. By default, this check box is cleared.

Group definition table

Use the group definition table to choose fields to group by.

Field Name     Specifies the field names to group by. In the first Group By row, click in the Field Name field, click the arrow, and then in the drop-down list, click the field you want to group by. If you want groups within groups, select the field for the nested group in the second, third, and fourth rows.

Field Type     Specifies whether the group operates on tasks, resources, or assignments. If a task sheet is displayed, this column shows Task. If a resource sheet is displayed, this column shows Resource. If the Task Usage view is displayed, this column shows Task. If the Group assignments, not tasks check box is selected for a Task Usage view, this column shows Assignment. If the Resource Usage view is displayed, this column shows Resource. If the Group assignments, not resources check box is selected for a Resource Usage view, this column shows Resource.

Order     Specifies whether the group is to be listed in ascending or descending order.

Group assignments, not tasks     Specifies whether this will group on tasks or assignments. Select this check box if you want the grouping on assignments in the Task Usage view. The Field Type column changes to Assignment. This check box is only available when a task view is displayed, and is only useful when the Task Usage view is displayed. By default, this check box is cleared.

Group assignments, not resources     Specifies whether this will group on resources or assignments. Select this check box if you want the grouping on assignments in the Resource Usage view. The Field Type column changes to Assignment. This check box is only available when a resource view is displayed, and is only useful when the Resource Usage view is displayed. By default, this check box is cleared.

Show summary tasks     Displays summary tasks and values with their subtasks that have been grouped. Only unique values are rolled up into the summary task. For example, suppose you're grouping on Work, and you have selected the Show summary tasks check box. If there is an 8-hour task under a summary task, and a resource assigned to the summary task for 2 hours, the group summary task shows 10h, not 18h. This check box is only available when a task view is displayed, and when the Group assignment, not tasks check box is cleared. By default, this check box is cleared.

Group by setting for section

Use this section to specify the options that customize the look of the group headings and cells for the field currently selected under Field Name in the group definition table.

Font     Displays the font for the group headings for the selected field.

Font button     Opens the Font dialog box, which you can use to change the font, font style, size, and color for the group headings for the selected field.

Cell background     Specifies the color of the cell background of the group headings for the selected field.

Pattern     Specifies the fill pattern of the cell background of the group headings for the selected field.

Define Group Intervals    Opens the Define Group Intervals dialog box, which you can use to define intervals for the groups and the starting value for the selected field. For example, if you're grouping on the amount of work instead of a different grouping for each different work value (1 hour, 2, hours, 3 hours, and so on), you can specify groupings in 4-hour intervals. The first grouping would be for 0-4 hours, the second grouping for 5-8 hours, the third grouping for 9-12 hours, and so on.