4. Additional Features > 4.16 Phase Codes

Phase codes define when weight items apply along a project timeline, for example across project stages or units in a production series. Configure phase codes in Code Definition and maintain the time values and descriptions in the Time window. Open the Time window from View > Time.

Time and phase codes

Phase codes define the ranges in which weight items apply. Define the custom phase code in Code Definition, assign Start and Stop values to its codes, and tag the weight items with the appropriate phase code. The Time window maintains a separate list of time values and descriptions; edit the phase definitions in Code Definition.

To calculate weight and centre of gravity at a point on the timeline, enable Use Phase Code and select the code under View > Options > Report. Specify the required Time in the global filter, save the filter for reuse and activate it. Adding a row in the Time window does not itself activate a global filter.

For a production series, the timeline can represent unit numbers. For example, enter Time 1 with Description "Unit 1", Time 5 with "Unit 5", and Time 9 with "Unit 9". Use the same scale for phase Start/Stop values and the global filter Time. A phase-code filter for Time 9 identifies the items applicable to that point in the series.

Columns

Time: Identifies a point on the project timeline. Each Time value must be unique within the project.

Description: A readable name or explanation for that value, such as a project stage or unit designation.

Adding and editing values

Enter Time and Description in the empty row at the end of the grid. To edit an existing cell, select it and click the selected cell again. Enter starts editing the Time cell of the current row. Finish the cell edit and leave the row to commit the entry.

Changes are written as rows are committed. OK also attempts to finish the current row before closing. Closing does not undo changes already committed.

Copying and pasting

Right-click the grid to open its commands. Copy and paste use tab-separated columns in the order Time, Description, allowing exchange with a spreadsheet. Ctrl+C copies selected rows, Ctrl+V pastes, and Ctrl+A selects all rows.

Importing and exporting

Import from Textfile reads a tab-separated text file in the order Time, Description. The import asks whether the file contains a heading row. For an existing Time value, it asks whether to update it or ignore the duplicate, with an option to apply the choice to subsequent duplicates.

Export to Textfile exports the selected rows and includes a heading row. Select the required rows first.

Deleting and printing

Select rows and choose Delete from the right-click menu or press Delete. Confirm the deletion when prompted. This removes entries from the time list; phase Start/Stop definitions and item phase assignments are maintained separately.

Click Print, or select Print from the right-click menu, to open the time report in Print Preview. Editing requires the relevant Project Info editing permission; operations affecting several rows can require MultipleEdit. Copying, exporting and printing require Output permission.

Related documentation

See Phase Codes in chapter 11, Training Manual, for setup instructions and worked examples.