Multiple Swimlane Levels for OnePager 7.0

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About Multiple Swimlane Levels

OnePager version 7.0 features a dramatic increase in visual capability by providing you the ability to display up to three (3) swimlane levels in your charts. Previous versions of OnePager Pro and Express featured only one swimlane level with multiple rows grouped within this one swimlane level.

Multiple Swimlane Levels - Example

Perhaps the best way to familiarize you with this new capability is to provide an example of how multiple swimlane levels can be used to organize your chart. Using the BlueGrass Project’s Microsoft Project source plan shown below, we can create a chart with three swimlane levels:

P70-0 4 1-70-(1)-03102020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(1)-03102020.png

Getting Started

Before jumping into the example, perhaps some terminology should be explained from the chart above. The illustration above is our BlueGrass Project Plan with standard Microsoft Project fields with names that are typically used. However, in the example we are going to construct the multiple swimlane level chart with three (3) swimlane levels and two (2) text columns as follows:

1) The Text30 MS Project source plan field is used to represent the highest swimlane level called Left#1, as you’ll see in the Chart Properties form. This swimlane level represents the Phases of the project.
2) As shown in the above illustration, the Level 1 summary name component of the MS Project source plan is the next highest swimlane level called Left#2.
3) For the lowest swimlane level shown in the chart or Left#3, we use the Resource Names field from the MS Project source plan.

Additionally, the chart with multiple swimlane levels uses the Start and Finish fields form the MS Project source plans to display two text columns in the chart called Left#1 and Left#2, respectively.

If you are not using one of OnePager Pro’s standard Template Properties forms, these settings must be updated into the Chart Properties form after the basic chart is created. However, what is done here in the interest of speeding this example along is to create a Template Properties form specifically for this chart and establish the settings within this Template Properties form as described above. As part of the creation of this Template Properties form, we show the contents of the Swimlane and Text Column Formatting forms to demonstrate where swimlane level headings and text column headings are established for the chart.

Setting Up the Template Properties Form

Showing the Left#1 Swimlane Level

The next series of illustrations display the Template Properties form’s Rows/Swimlanes tab at the three swimlane levels (Left#1 through Left#3) and the two Text Column sub-tabs for Left#1 and Left#2. The illustration below shows the Template Properties form’s Rows/Swimlanes tab and the Left#1 swimlane level sub-tab along with the Swimlane Formatting – Left#1 form which was accessed by clicking the Swimlane Formatting … button shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(2)-03102020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(2)-03102020.png
1) At Step 1 shown above, the Left#1 sub-tab of the tab in the Swimlanes control group shows that the Group by checkbox is checked ON and the dropdown list of MS Project source plan field names were used to select the Text30 MS Project source plan field to group rows into this swimlane level.
2) Step 2 shows that the Swimlane Formatting… button was clicked to access the Swimlane Formatting form for Left#1; the name of the form being expanded so it is clear which swimlane level is the focus.
3) Step 3 shows that the Make heading automatically checkbox is checked OFF, enabling the Custom heading: window where we’ve typed in the term Phrase which appears in The Corner of the chart on top of the Left#1 swimlane level column.
4) Step 4 has the Label by: checkbox checked ON which is the show/no show switch for this swimlane level. Normally, the enabled window displays the source plan field that is used to populate the swimlane level and its cells. You do have the option to change this selection to another source plan field if necessary by using the dropdown list.

Note that the Swimlane Formatting – Left#1 form provides controls for managing the label/text for the Column Heading, Swimlane Text in each of the swimlane level cells, and controls for managing Swimlane Borders. After completing the settings for the Swimlane Formatting – Left#1 form, click the OK button at the bottom of the form to return to the Rows/Swimlanes tab where you can continue editing.

Showing the Left#2 Swimlane Level

Continuing with the definition of swimlane levels process, the illustration below shows the Template Properties form’s Rows/Swimlanes tab and the Left#2 swimlane level sub-tab along with the Swimlane Formatting – Left#2 form which was accessed by clicking the Swimlane Formatting … button shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(3)-03102020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(3)-03102020.png

The illustration above parallels the previous illustration for the Left#1 swimlane level where the Group by checkbox is checked ON, the Left#2 swimlane level the Group by field is Level 1 summary name, and in the Swimlane Formatting – Left#2 form we are using the term Sub-Phase as to the swimlane level heading for the Left#2 swimlane level. The contents of the Swimlane Formatting – Left#2 form are identical for each swimlane level. After completing the settings for the Swimlane Formatting – Left#2 form, click the OK button at the bottom of the form to return to the Rows/Swimlanes tab where you can continue editing.

Showing the Left#3 Swimlane Level

To complete the definition of the three swimlane levels, click the Left #3 sub-tab in the Swimlanes control group of the Rows/Swimlanes tab as shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(4)-03102020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(4)-03102020.png

Clicking the Left#3 sub-tab shown in Step 1 above, the Group by checkbox is checked ON and the Resource Names MS Project source plan field is selected for the Left#3 swimlane level. After clicking the Swimlane Formatting… button shown at Step 2 and accessing the Swimlane Formatting – Left#3 form, note that the Make heading automatically checkbox is checked ON. This action disables the Custom heading: window and tells OnePager to use Resource Names for swimlane level heading for Left#3. After completing the Swimlane Formatting – Left#3 form, click the OK button to return to the Rows/Swimlanes tab.

This completes the definition of the three swimlane levels for this Template Properties form and we can move to the Text Columns control group on the Rows/Swimlanes tab to define the two text columns for this series of charts as described below.

Showing the Left#1 Text Column

Setting up the definition for text columns has not changed from previous versions of OnePager. However, the controls are reorganized and, like the swimlane level definition, a Text-Column Formatting – Left#n form is provided for each of the five (5) text columns you can define for a chart as shown below for text column Left#1:

P70-0 4 1-70-(5)-03102020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(5)-03102020.png
1) In Step 1 above, the Left#1 text column sub-tab is selected and the Display data from checkbox is checked ON and used with the adjoining dropdown menu to select the MS Project Start source plan field for this text column.
2) In Step 2, the action is to click the Text Column Formatting… button to access the Text-Column Formatting – Left#1 form.
3) In Step 3, we’ve let OnePager create the text column Left#1 heading by making sure the Make heading automatically checkbox is checked ON.
4) Again, as an option, Step 4 shows that in the Text-Column Formatting – Left#1 form you can use the Display data from dropdown menu in the Column Text control group to change the source plan field.

When finished with the Text-Column Formatting – Left#1 form, click the OK button to return to the Rows/Swimlanes tab.

Showing the Left#2 Text Column

We finish up our example with the definition of Text Column Left#2 as shown in the Rows/Swimlanes form at the Left#2 sub-tab in the Text Columns control group shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(6)-03112020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(6)-03112020.png
1) Looking at the Left#2 sub-tab in the Text Columns control group of the Rows/Swimlanes tab in Step 1, the Display data from checkbox is checked ON and the dropdown window shows that the MS Project source plan Finish field is selected.
2) For Step 2, clicking the Text Column Formatting… button to access the Text-Column Formatting – Left#2 form shows that the Make headings automatically checkbox is checked ON so OnePager creates the text column heading for Left#2.
3) In Step 3, the Finish source plan field is displayed in the form’s Column Text control group and the window is available to access the dropdown menu to change the selection.
4) When finished with the Text-Column Formatting – Left#2 form, click the OK button to return to the Rows/Swimlanes tab.

This completes the settings for swimlane levels and text columns in this Template Properties form. Once finished, click the Use button and the Template Properties form becomes the current Template Properties for the creation of chart.

Creating the Chart

Creating the chart after the Template Properties form is configured, made the current Template Properties form, and the MS Project source plan identified, it is a matter of using one of the OnePager Pro or Express basic workflows to create the chart. For more information on Basic Workflows, please see the articles at: Basic Workflows (Portal) 7.0.1-70.

We’ve gone through that process with the current Template Properties form and used the BlueGrass Project source plan to create a chart that looks like this:

P70-0 4 1-(7)-06112020.png
P70-0_4_1-(7)-06112020.png

In the chart above, the swimlane levels, the swimlane level headings, the swimlane level cells, the text column headings, and the text column cells all correspond to the definitions in the Template Properties form we updated. There is a lot of information in the chart above with respect to swimlane levels and the graph is organized such that task bars are presented as descending from left to right by Start Date. If we assume for a moment that senior executives are interested in the entire project but at the Phase level, the chart above can be configured into a single swimlane level chart just displaying the Left#1 swimlane level by going to the Chart Properties form’s Rows/Swimlanes tab and turning OFF the Label by checkbox in the corresponding Swimlane Formatting – Left#2 and Swimlane Formatting – Left#3 forms as shown for the Left#3 swimlane level below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(8)-03112020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(8)-03112020.png

When these two Chart Properties form changes are made, the chart looks like this:

P70-0 4 1-(9)-06112020.png
P70-0_4_1-(9)-06112020.png

In a similar way the swimlane levels defined for this chart can be reconfigured to focus the content on middle management that might be more interested in the Sub-Phases and Resource Names. By checking the Label by checkboxes to ON in the Swimlane Formatting – Left#2 and Left#3 forms and unchecking the Label by checkbox for the Swimlane Formatting –Left #1 form OFF the chart looks like the one below:

P70-0 4 1-(10)-06112020.png
P70-0_4_1-(10)-06112020.png

In the above chart, middle managers can see the Sub-Phase organization and the Resource Names assigned without the need to have the Phase swimlane level in view. Throughout these simple modifications of the chart, the organization of the row and task bars remained the same.

Manual Editing With Multiple Swimlane Levels - Example

The example above showed how editing within the Template Properties and Chart Properties forms can globally edit the chart. In this section we’ll cover the methods for selecting and editing both swimlane level and text column level components (i.e., headings, cells, swimlanes, and rows). You can select and edit individual swimlane level heading cells and text column heading cells in The Corner as well as individual swimlane level cells where these terms are defined in the chart shown below:

P70-0 4 1-(11)-06112020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11)-06112020.png

Selection Methods Available for Multiple Swimlane Levels

Before discussing the available features for individually editing swimlane level cells and swimlane properties, text columns and their properties, we need to emphasize that the selection methods available from previous versions of OnePager Pro and Express are the same with OnePager version 7.0.

The Single Left-Click Option

This means that you retain the capability to use the left-click in a swimlane level heading cell, a swimlane, a text column heading cell, and a text column cell and its row to individually select these elements in the chart and graph. Selecting a row requires that at least one text column be showing in the chart so that the left-click to select a row has a position where the row can be selected. Performing a left-click in empty space in the graph is not supported in OnePager version 7.0. Left-clicking in swimlane and text column cells is primarily done to select swimlane and rows for dragging and dropping actions to reorganize them in the chart. Left-clicking in these components is also a way of selecting before using the right-click to access the component’s right-click context menu. The right-click and context menu discussions are presented in a later section.

The Slow Left-Click Option

The slow left-click is a technique available in OnePager version 7.0 for distinguishing between the intent to select an entire swimlane, for example at any level, and selecting a particular swimlane level cell. When the slow left-click technique is used on swimlane level cell, the first left-click in a swimlane level cell selects the swimlane level cell and its swimlane in accordance with the swimlane level being selected as shown here:

First Left-Click on a Swimlane Level Cell
P70-0 4 1-(11A-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11A-1)-06102020.png

The second left-click part of the slow left-click technique results in the swimlane level cell being selected as shown below:

Second Left-Click on a Swimlane Level Cell
P70-0 4 1-(11B-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11B-1)-06102020.png

When the slow left-click technique is used with text columns, the first left-click in a text column cell selects the text column cell and its row as shown here:

First Left-Click on a Text Column Cell
P70-0 4 1-(11C-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11C-1)-06102020.png

The second left-click part of the slow left-click technique results in just the text column cell being selected as shown below:

Second Left-Click on a Text Column Cell
P70-0 4 1-(11D-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11D-1)-06102020.png

With text columns, doing a left-click in one text column cell when more than one text column is showing selects all text column cells in the row. To use the slow left-click effectively, perform the first left-click in the text column cell you wish to ultimately select. Once you make an individual swimlane level cell or text column cell selection with this option, OnePager remains in the slow left-click mode and you cannot select an entire swimlane or text column’s row. To exit the slow left-click mode, perform one left-click in empty space in the graph. The right-click selection methods and discussed in a later sub-section below.

The CTL+Left-Click Option

The CTL+Left-Click option is used to select multiple individual swimlanes by first selecting the first swimlane with a left-click in the desired swimlane level cell and then, with the CTL key held down, left-clicking in the remaining desired swimlane level cells as shown here:

P70-0 4 1-(11E-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11E-1)-06102020.png

You can only use the CTL+Left-Click option to make multiple swimlane selections at one swimlane level. That is, if you make your first selection at the Left#2 swimlane level in one of its swimlane level cells your next and following selections, if any, can only be in another Left#2 swimlane level cell. You are prohibited from making multiple swimlane selections across heterogeneous swimlane level cells with the CTL+Left-Click option.

The SHIFT+Left-Click Option

The SHIFT+Left-Click option is used to select a contiguous sequence of swimlane level cells and their swimlanes by first left-clicking in the first swimlane level cell, then holding the SHIFT key down and , second, left-clicking in the last swimlane level cell in the sequence as shown below:

P70-0 4 1-(11F-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11F-1)-06102020.png

As with the CTL+Left-Click option, you can only make sequential swimlane level cell selections in one swimlane level.

Selection Methods Available for Multiple Text Columns

The selection methods available for rows and text column cells are essential the same as for selecting swimlanes, swimlane level heading cells and swimlane level cells discussed in the previous sub-section. For selecting a row, there must be at least one text column showing in the chart. This is the place where you can apply the left-click or slow left-click technique as shown here:

P70-0 4 1-(11G-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11G-1)-06102020.png

When there are two or more text columns present in the chart, performing the single left-click in any text column cell in the row selects all text column cells and the row. To select a particular text column cell, place the mouse cursor in that cell and use the slow left-click technique that selects all text column cells and the row and with the second left-click the specific text column cell as demonstrated in the previous sub-section. Remember that once you use the slow left-click the mouse left-click selection mode changes and to return to the normal left-click mode you must perform a single left click in empty space (any row in the graph) to restore the normal selection mode. The CTL+Left-Click option can be used on any individual text column cell to select visible text column cells and their respective rows as shown below:

P70-0 4 1-(11H-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11H-1)-06102020.png

The CTL+Left-Click option cannot be used to select text column cells and swimlane level cells. The SHIFT+Left-Click option can be used, again as described in the previous sub-section, on a set of text column cells as shown below:

P70-0 4 1-(11I-1)-06102020.png
P70-0_4_1-(11I-1)-06102020.png

When there is more than one set of text column cells in the chart, using this option works when any of the visible text column cells are clicked with the SHIFT+Left-Click technique. The SHIFT+Left-Click option cannot be used to select a series of text column cells and swimlane level cells. Attempting to do so changes the operation from a SHIFT+Left-Click on text column cells to a SHIFT+Left-Click on swimlane level cells.

Editing Methods for Swimlane Levels and Text Column Components (Headings, Cells, Swimlanes, and Rows)

Once selection of a swimlane level cell or text column cell is accomplished, you have the option to access its right-click context menus or to use the grab boxes on row or swimlane components to change their height. This section’s focus is on the right-click context menus available although we don’t go into each individual command because these commands are the same as in previous versions of OnePager Pro and Express. New commands are present in OnePager 7.0 to support the Smart Text Optimization feature. For more information on the Smart Text Optimization feature and other label/text editing subjects, please see the articles at: Manual Editing Task/Milestone Shapes and Text Labels (Portal) 9.0.1-70.

However, the inclusion of the multiple swimlane levels adds depth to what these commands can accomplish.

Right-Clicking on Swimlane Level and Text Column Headings to Accesses the Edit Corner Properties Form

The headings for swimlane levels are found in The Corner and right-clicking The Corner in any of its cells accesses the Edit corner properties form as shown here:

P70-0 4 1-70-(12)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(12)-04242020.png

Right-clicking in a text column heading also access the Edit corner properties form for the selected text column heading. Since The Corner is also used to display headings for time axis levels and right-clicking in these time axis level label cells also access the Edit corner properties form.

Swimlane Level Right-Click Context Menu

Right-clicking in a swimlane level cell, regardless of whether it was pre-selected, accesses the swimlane level right-click context menu shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(12A-1)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(12A-1)-04242020.png

Right-clicking in any swimlane level cell to access the right-click context menu selects the entire swimlane associated with the swimlane level identified with the right-click. Generally, the actions that can be taken with the commands shown above apply to the swimlane level cell where the right-click was performed to access the context menu. However, some care should be exercised in the multiple swimlane level environments when using the swimlane level right-click context menu commands on swimlane level cells that have member swimlane level cells at a lower level. In particular the Add swimlane (Above or Below) can impact swimlane level cells at lower levels and the Add row to swimlane (At top of swimlane and At bottom of swimlane) should also be used with care. Please note, the Merge swimlanes command requires that two or more swimlane level cells be selected before the command is enabled. Additionally, attention should be paid when editing multiple swimlane level cells selected using the CTL+Left-Click and the SHIFT+Left-Click. Once multiple swimlane level cells are selected and the swimlane level right-click context menu is accessed, any context menu command click is applied to all selected swimlane level cells. The context menu’s Properties … command accesses the new Swimlane/Cells Properties form shown below with its two tabs:

P70-0 4 1-70-(13)-03122020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(13)-03122020.png

The Swimlane tab in the above form has controls for editing the swimlane borders and setting the Swimlane Background Color using the OnePager standard Color Chooser form. The Cell tab in the form focuses on the swimlane level cell itself and the text string that is contained in the selected swimlane level cell. The Cell tab of the Swimlane/Cell Properties form is shown here:

P70-0 4 1-70-(14)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(14)-04242020.png

As with the Swimlanes tab, the Cell tab has a Use Default Cell Properties button that resets the selected swimlane level cell’s properties back to the property settings in the Chart Properties form.

P70-0 4 1-70-(15)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(15)-04242020.png

There are also Use Default Swimlane/Cell Properties buttons, shown above on both tabs, that resets the selected swimlane and cell properties back to the property settings in the Chart Properties form.

Caution should be exercised when editing multiple swimlane level cells selected using the CTL+Left-Click and the SHIFT+Left-Click using the Swimlane/Cell Properties form. When multiple swimlane level cells are selected and the Swimlane/Cell Properties form accessed at the Swimlane tab, the last selected swimlane level cell’s properties appear in the tab. Making any edit in Swimlane tab changes the properties of all selected swimlanes and this might not be the desired outcome. For example, an edit to any Swimlane border property applies the edit to all selected swimlane borders. Similar results are applied when multiple swimlane level cells are selected and the Swimlane/Cell Properties form is accessed at the Cell tab. Any edit made to any property available in the tab is applied to all selected swimlane level cells.

Text Column Right-Click Context Menu

Right-clicking in a text column cell, regardless of whether it was pre-selected, accesses the text column right-click context menu. As mentioned above, this action selects all text column cells shown in the row and the row itself and accesses the text column right-click context menu shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(16-1)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(16-1)-04242020.png

Generally, the actions that can be taken with the commands shown above apply to the text column cell where the right-click was performed to access the context menu. However, some care should be exercised when using the two swimlane related commands in this context menu (e.g., Split swimlanes and Group rows into a swimlane) where there are multiple swimlane levels present to the left of the selected text column. The Row height … command accesses the Row height form shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(17)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(17)-04242020.png

The context menu’s Properties … command accesses the new Row/Column Properties form shown below with its two tabs:

P70-0 4 1-70-(18)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(18)-04242020.png

The Row tab in the above form has controls for editing the row borders and setting the Row Background Color using the OnePager standard Color Chooser form. The Cell tab in the form focuses on the text column cell itself and the text string that is contained in the selected text column cell as shown here:

P70-0 4 1-70-(19)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(19)-04242020.png

There are also Use Default Row/Column Properties buttons, shown above on both tabs, that resets the selected row’s/column's properties back to the property settings in the Chart Properties form. Caution should be exercised when editing multiple text column cells selected using the CTL+Left-Click and the SHIFT+Left-Click using the Row/Column Properties form. When multiple text column cells are selected and the Row/Column Properties form accessed at the Swimlane tab, the last selected text column cell’s properties appear in the tab. Making any edit in Row tab changes the properties of all selected rows and this might not be the desired outcome. For example, an edit to any Row border property applies the edit to all selected row borders. Similar results are applied when multiple text columns cells are selected and the Row/Column Properties form is accessed at the Cell tab. Any edit made to any property available in the tab is applied to all selected text column cells.

Empty Space Right-Clicking Context Menu

Performing a right-click in the graph (defined as the area to the right of swimlane level cells and text column cells, below the time axis, and above the footers) accesses the empty space right-click context menu shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(20)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(20)-04242020.png

The empty space right-click context menu contains the same set of commands as provided in previous versions of OnePager Pro and Express. However, the commands related to swimlanes require some care in their use when the chart is showing multiple swimlane levels.

Where you make the right-click in the graph determines where the Row or Swimlane related commands are applied. Specifically, these commands are:

1) Hide swimlane
2) Hide row
3) Add swimlane
4) Add row
5) Insert Floating time axis level
6) Row height …

Three commands shown above have sub-context menus with commands that must be selected before the command can be applied to the graph. Specifically, these commands are:

1) Add swimlane
2) Add row
3) Insert floating time axis level
4) Copy to clipboard

The Insert floating time axis level command operates the same as the Add row command but the sub-context menu deals with which time axis level to insert. As with the text column right-click context menu, the Row height … command accesses the Row height form. The Chart Properties command accesses the Chart Properties form at the Rows/Swimlanes tab so that you can make global edits to row and swimlane components as shown below:

P70-0 4 1-70-(21)-04242020.png
P70-0_4_1-70-(21)-04242020.png

Related Links

Using Rows and Swimlanes 4.0.1.5-70

Basic Workflows (Portal) 7.0.1-70

Manual Editing Task/Milestone Shapes and Text Labels (Portal) 9.0.1-70

Creating and Editing Rows and Swimlanes (Portal) 12.0.1-70

(0.4.1-70)