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Function documentationMoving Project Elements Up or Down

 

When editing project structures, it can be necessary to rearrange the sequence of project elements on one level of a particular subtree, or to move project elements to another hierarchy level or another subtree of the project structure. You can achieve this by using the Move Up/Move Down buttons that are available above the structure tree in all subviews of the Structure view. These buttons move the selected elements along the project structure to the next permitted position above or below their original position.

The Move Up/Move Down buttons are available in operative projects, project templates, and checklist templates.

Alternatively, you can use drag and drop to move project elements to a new position within the structure tree (see Using Drag and Drop).

You can use the Indent/Outdent buttons to move tasks up and down the project hierarchy (see Structure Tree).

Prerequisites

  • You have made the appropriate setting in area 0006 User Interface Settings, setting 0032 Move-Up/Move-Down Buttons in Project in Customizing for SAP Portfolio and Project Management under Start of the navigation path Project Management Next navigation step Basic Settings Next navigation step Override Default Global Settings End of the navigation path.

  • In the standard system, project elements are grouped according to their project element category at each level of the project structure. If you want to sort project elements irrespective of their category, you can implement method SWITCH_SORTING_ON_LEVEL in Customizing for SAP Portfolio and Project Management under Start of the navigation path Project Management Next navigation step Structure Next navigation step BAdI: Make Settings for the Structure Tree End of the navigation path.

Features

In many cases, the move functionality simply shifts a project element one step forward or backward in the sequence of project elements on one structure level. However, a project element can also be moved to another structure level or subtree, that is to a new parent element. The following paragraphs explain how the target position of an element is determined in those instances.

General Rules for Project Structures

A project element can only be moved to a position if the following conditions are fulfilled:

  • The project element category is supported at the intended position according to the following rules and settings:

    • General rules for project structuring (see Creating Project Elements)

    • Customizing for project types

      See Customizing for SAP Portfolio and Project Management under Start of the navigation path Project Management Next navigation step Structure Next navigation step Define Project Types End of the navigation path. The relevant settings are displayed on the Details screen for the project type in the Project Structuring screen area.

    • The sorting rules for project element categories (see above under Prerequisites)

  • The statuses of the moved project element and its intended parent element allow the move (see Status Management).

Basic Rules for the Move Functionality

Project elements are always moved with their entire subtree.

They are only moved along those parts of the project structure that are displayed. By expanding or collapsing a subtree, you can control whether or not project elements are moved to this subtree.

Moving Up an Element

The system checks whether the element to be moved can be shifted up by one line and inserted at the following positions:

  1. At the hierarchy level of the element succeeding the target line, using the same parent as this element

  2. At the level of the element preceding the target line, using the same parent as this element

  3. At the level below the element preceding the target line, using this element as its parent (only if it does not have a collapsed subtree)

The system uses the first permitted position. If none is found, the same process is repeated one line further up and so on, until the top of the structure tree has been reached.

Moving Down an Element

The system checks whether the element to be moved can be shifted down by one line and inserted at the following positions:

  1. At the hierarchy level of the element preceding the target line, using the same parent as this element

    This is only possible if this element does not have an expanded subtree.

  2. At the level below the element preceding the target line, using this element as its parent

    This is only possible if the subtree of this element is expanded or the element did not yet have a subtree before the move.

  3. At the level of the element succeeding the target line, using the same parent as this element

The system uses the first permitted position. If none is found, the same process is repeated one line further down and so on, until the bottom of the structure tree has been reached.

Moving Multiple Project Elements

You can select and move multiple project elements at the same time. Unrelated project elements are moved independently. Project elements that have the same parent element and are positioned next to each other in the structure tree are shifted as a block. When moved up or down, their target position is determined using the first or last element in the block respectively. If one or more of the elements in a block are not permitted at the target position, these elements and their subtrees remain at their original position while the other elements are moved.