Build a Project Structure

A stable structure separates work packages from reporting levels. Use subprojects for responsibility areas and tasks for schedulable work.

Subprojects collect related work and make responsibility, reporting, and portfolio analysis easier. Tasks describe the work that can be scheduled, linked, assigned, and updated.

Workflow

  1. Confirm project calendar, start date, and planning direction.

  2. Create subprojects for phases, locations, trades, or responsibility areas.

  3. Add concrete tasks with duration, dependency, and resource demand.

  4. Use milestones for approvals, deliveries, and decision gates.

  5. Review the outline before assigning resources.

Create subprojects

Use Start > Insert > Subproject when a new reporting or responsibility level is required in the table.

Insert subproject command

You can also create a subproject directly in the Gantt chart by opening the context menu in the chart area and choosing New Subproject.

New subproject context menu in the Gantt chart

If several existing tasks should form a new subproject, select the tasks first and then create the subproject. Rillsoft Project uses the task start and finish dates as the subproject dates.

Selected tasks added to a new subproject

Structure guidance

  • Use subprojects for phases, trades, locations, contracts, or responsibility areas.

  • Use tasks for work that needs a duration, predecessor, successor, or resource demand.

  • Keep milestones as zero-effort decision points such as approvals, deliveries, and releases.

  • Avoid nesting levels that do not support reporting or planning decisions.

Check the result

  • No duplicate planning levels exist.

  • Every task can be owned and updated.

  • Milestones describe decision points, not hidden work effort.

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