Master schedule with a summary bar

Question:

I have a master schedule, nothing in it -- very similar to Lesson 10.

I have 7 subordinates WBS1, WBS2 ... WBS7 that I have inserted into the MasterFile.

Each subordinate file is a "stand alone" representing a WBS at Level 1 (ex: 6.0 Program Management). For now, I can use the Master Update and it works fine by bringing in all the subordinate files.

What I want to do is have an existing task in the MasterFile called "Program Summary" which is a Level 1 WBS (technically, I want it to be Level 0). I want my 7 subordinate files to lay in underneath that line at Level2.

I have been manually creating this summary task and manually indenting the subordinates. However, when I update the Master File a second time, all my work disappears and the 7 files come it at Level1 and my summary task goes away.

How do I get around this? I tried making all the subordinates start with a Level 2 indenture, but then my master WBS looks incorrect. I even tried adjusting the "Suppress" feature on the WBS properties.

Answer:

You actually need 8 subordinate files. You will need the seven that you have already built as well as one more. This one should have the text that you want for the summary row in the first row of the schedule and it should be at level one. Then add this file to the master schedule list at the top. This will bring in the level one row on the top of your seven sub schedules which have all been brought in at level two. Milestones will create the summary bar in that level automatically and your text is preserved. This way, when you refresh the Master schedule that line will always be brought in.