Quick Steps to change Activity IDs using Excel/global change

The different schedules has different naming for Activity IDs, In this article we will learn in quick steps how to rename your activity ID accordingly to generate your desired naming.

The Activity naming IDs Depending on the size of the project.

The Activity naming IDs arranged with letters that are parts of the respective work breakdown structure (WBS), Zoning wise, building number, floor number or work discipline.

In our case we arrange the coding system for our schedule in building number, building type and discipline.

The steps as following:

1-   The most important step is to makes your coding System that guidance your next steps.

2-   Make user define fields column for any naming you need according to your project.

3-   Make sure that you define in user define fields column a “New activity ID” column that where we will collect the new IDs.

4-   Fill the naming of prefix in each column you defined according to your coding system, you can use fill down option for common prefixes.

5-   Now export the user defined fields that filling with the desired prefixes and make sure to export also the “NEW Activity ID” column.

6-   Open the excel file use CONCATENATE function to collect you naming ID for each activity, note to add column for numbering to make your ID unique.

7-   Now import the excel file to P6 you will see the “New activity ID” is ready.

8-   Use global change to change the old Activity ID to the NEW Activity ID.

9-   Now you have the new Activity ID According to coding system and the desired one.