How to Identify and Filter Split Tasks in Microsoft Project
Question details
The user needs a method to identify and filter tasks that have been split in Microsoft Project.
- Product
- Microsoft Project
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing task schedules and Gantt charts where split tasks need to be isolated, filtered, or counted for reporting purposes.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Project visually displays split task bars in the Gantt Chart but lacks a built-in standard field or filter to automatically isolate them.
Ensure you have the Developer tab enabled in Microsoft Project to access the VBA editor. It is highly recommended to save a backup copy of your project file before writing and running any custom macros.
Use a VBA Macro to Mark Split Tasks in a Custom Field
By writing a short VBA script, you can iterate through your project tasks, check for split parts, and flag them in a custom field for easy filtering.
Since Microsoft Project does not provide a default field for split tasks, we must access the SplitParts collection through Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The macro will check if a task has more than one split part and update a custom flag field accordingly.
Press ALT + F11 in Microsoft Project to open the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.
In the top menu, click 'Insert' and select 'Module' to create a blank workspace for your macro code.
Write a script that loops through 'ActiveProject.Tasks'. For each task, check if 'Task.SplitParts.Count > 1'. If it is, set 'Task.Flag1 = True'.
Press F5 to run the macro. Close the VBA editor and return to your Gantt Chart view.
Insert the 'Flag1' column into your view. Click the dropdown arrow on the column header and check 'Yes' to filter and view only the split tasks.
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- 1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your device.
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- 3. Track Tasks Easily: Use the pre-formatted templates to visually track your split tasks, timelines, and milestones without the need for complex VBA macros.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't Microsoft Project have a built-in filter for split tasks?
Microsoft Project treats task splitting as a visual scheduling adjustment rather than a core data attribute. Because of this, the split data is stored in the background SplitParts collection, requiring VBA to extract and utilize it.
How do I view the Flag1 field after running the VBA macro?
Right-click any existing column header in the Gantt Chart view, select 'Insert Column', and type 'Flag1'. Press Enter to display the custom field showing your split task markers.
Can I automatically highlight split tasks instead of just filtering them?
Yes. Once the Flag1 field is populated by your macro, you can go to 'Format' > 'Text Styles' or 'Bar Styles' in Microsoft Project and apply specific colors or formatting to all tasks where Flag1 equals Yes.
