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How to Identify Subprojects in Microsoft Project Online Project Center

Ayan Masood Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs a way to display and identify the relationship between subprojects and their respective master projects directly within the Project Center views.

How to Identify Subprojects in Microsoft Project Online Project Center

Product: Microsoft Project Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing and viewing master and subproject relationships without opening individual project files.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Project Online lacks a built-in database field or view in Project Center that automatically displays which master project a subproject belongs to.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrator permissions in Microsoft Project Web App (PWA) to create custom enterprise fields and modify Project Center views.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Custom Enterprise Fields to Track Master Projects

Create a custom enterprise project field to manually associate each subproject with its master project, making the relationship visible in Project Center views.

Since Microsoft Project Online does not offer a native database field to expose subproject-to-master-project links directly in the Project Center, using a custom field is the most effective workaround. This allows you to tag subprojects and group them accordingly.

Create a Custom Enterprise Field

Navigate to PWA Settings in Project Online, select 'Enterprise Custom Fields and Lookup Tables', and click 'New Field'. Create a Project-level text field and name it 'Master Project'.

Assign the Master Project Name

Open each subproject in Project Web App or Project Professional, and manually enter the corresponding master project's name or ID into this newly created custom field.

Modify Project Center Views

Go to PWA Settings, select 'Manage Views', and edit your preferred Project Center view. Add the 'Master Project' custom field to the list of displayed columns.

Group by Master Project

In the view settings, set the grouping option to group by the 'Master Project' field. Save the view to easily organize and identify your subprojects visually in the Project Center.

Use Custom Enterprise Fields to Track Master Projects

Manual Updates Required: This method relies on manual data entry. If a subproject is ever moved or reassigned to a different master project, you must update the custom field manually.

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While Microsoft Project Online offers complex enterprise-level portfolio management, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative for everyday project tracking. Use WPS Spreadsheet's built-in Gantt chart templates to manage tasks, timelines, and dependencies without complex database configurations.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free office suite and install it on your device.
2. Open a Project Management Template: Launch WPS Spreadsheet, go to the template library, and search for 'Project Management' or 'Gantt Chart'.
3. Track Your Subprojects: Easily input your master tasks and sub-tasks into the spreadsheet, using standard formulas to track relationships without enterprise administrative setups.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a built-in field to show subproject relationships in MS Project Online?

No, Microsoft Project Online does not currently offer a native database field that automatically displays which master project a subproject belongs to directly in the Project Center view.

Can I use formulas in custom fields to identify subprojects automatically?

Unfortunately, custom field formulas in Project Online cannot automatically retrieve the parent master project's name or metadata, so manual entry is required.

How do I see the subprojects inside a master project?

You can open the master project directly in Microsoft Project Professional or the Project Web App (PWA) to see the expanded task list, which includes all dynamically inserted subprojects.

Why are my custom enterprise fields not showing up in Project Center?

You must explicitly add newly created custom fields to your Project Center views. Navigate to PWA Settings, select Manage Views, edit the specific view you are using, and move your new field to the 'Displayed columns' list.

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