Linking Design Objects to Gantt Activities

Linking Design Objects to Gantt Activities

Introduction

Once your project schedule is uploaded and the elements you want to monitor are available as individual design objects, you can connect those objects to the corresponding activities in your project schedule. 

The activity acts as the connection between what is being built in the design and when that work is planned in the schedule. Linking the two allows DatuBIM to bring the design scope, schedule dates, and progress information together in the same workflow.

Before You Begin

Before linking design objects to a Gantt activity, confirm that: 
  1. The applicable project schedule has been uploaded to DatuBIM.
  2. The elements you want to track have already been identified or created as individual design objects. 
  3. You know which objects represent the scope of work you want to connect.
  4. You know which Gantt activity corresponds with that work.
Helpful Note: A design may contain many layers and elements, but the specific elements you want to connect must first be available as individual design objects. If the objects you need are not available for selection, return to Preparing Design Objects for Progress Tracking before continuing.

How to Link Objects to a Gantt Activity

Select the Design Objects

Start by locating the individual design object or objects that represent the work associated with the schedule activity you want to track.

You can select objects in several ways:
  1. From the Designs panel: Expand the applicable design, open Objects, and expand the applicable object type. Click an individual object name to select it. Selected objects are highlighted in orange.
          
    2. To select several specific objects: Hold Ctrl while selecting additional individual objects.
         
    3. From the site view: Click an individual visible object, or open Measure & Draw - Miscellaneous - Select Design Objects and draw a polygon around multiple objects to select them together.
        
          
Helpful Note: The checkbox next to an object controls whether that object is displayed. It does not select the object for linking to an activity. To select an object for Progress Tracking, click the individual object itself or its name until it is highlighted in orange.

Once one or more objects are selected, the object information panel opens on the right side of the site view. Open the Progress tab to access the activity-linking options.


With the correct individual object or objects selected and highlighted: 
  1. Open the Progress tab in the right-side panel. 
  2. Select Link to Activity.
  3. Choose the appropriate activity option. 
DatuBIM provides the following options: 
  1. Link to existing Gantt activity
  2. Link to existing standalone activity
  3. Create new activity
For work that corresponds with your imported project schedule, select Link to existing Gantt activity.



Select the Corresponding Gantt Activity

After selecting Link to existing Gantt activity: 
  1. Locate the Gantt activity that represents the selected design objects. 
  2. Use Search when needed to find the activity by name.
  3. Double-click the appropriate activity to create the connection.
The activity you select should represent the scheduled work being performed on those design objects. 

Helpful Note: A design object can be linked to more than one Tracked Activity when the same physical element is associated with multiple activities.

Review the Linked Activity Information

Once the object is linked, the selected Gantt Activity's schedule information is applied to the connected design object. Select the object and open the Progress tab to review the connection.

The Planned Start Date and Planned End Date are populated from the selected Gantt activity, connecting the schedule timing to the physical object representing that work.

You can then maintain actual execution information as the work progresses, including: 
  1. Actual Start Date
  2. Actual End Date
  3. Approval Status


Helpful Note: The object-to-activity relationship is part of the project data and is not dependent on the flight currently displayed. You can review a linked object while viewing an older or newer flight without changing its connection to the Gantt activity.

Review Linked Objects from the Tracked Activity

Once design objects are connected to a Tracked Activity, you can also review the linked objects from the activity itself. 
  1. Open the applicable Tracked Activity. 
  2. Select the Objects tab to view the design objects connected to that activity. 
  3. Open the three-dot menu on the applicable object.
  4. Select Show properties.
  5. The object's information panel opens on the right side of the site view. Select the Progress tab to review and update the activity-related information for that object.
  6. Update the applicable Actual Start Date and Actual End Date as work progresses. 
The Actual Start and Actual End dates maintained for linked objects are used to update the associated activity dates and forecast information automatically.


Add Custom Object Properties (Optional) 

Teams can add project-specific fields to design objects when additional information should be captured alongside the linked activity and progress information.

Examples may include: 
  1. Percentage of completion
  2. Payment units or accumulated work
  3. Design file received dates
  4. Subcontractor or responsible party
  5. Material name or ID
  6. Contract quantity, approval, or inspection information
  7. Other project-specific information your team wants to manage
Custom properties are configured in one of two ways:

Under the Site Editing Section

Navigate to  Edit Site - Objects Custom Properties to create custom fields. 


Within the Object Manager

Custom properties can also be added while working in the Object Manager.

Open the Properties tab and select the + icon to add a new property.


Custom properties created either way can be applied to both 2D design objects and 3D IFC elements.  Custom properties are optional and are not required to link a design object to a Gantt activity.

Verify your Object-to-Activity Connections

Before beginning progress updates, confirm that: 
  1. The correct individual design objects are linked to the activity.
  2. The selected Gantt activity represents the intended scope of work.
  3. The planned dates shown on the linked object match the expected schedule information.
  4. No objects were unintentionally included in the selection. 
  5. If an object is linked to more than one tracked activity, each connection is intentional and represents the applicable scheduled work.
If an object is connected to the wrong activity, use Unlink this activity from the object's Progress panel, then create the correct connection. 


Taking a moment to verify these relationships helps ensure that future progress information is associated with the correct design elements and scheduled work.

Ready to Continue?

Once your design objects are connected to the appropriate Gantt activities, you are ready to configure how those activities will be measured and begin recording progress as work is completed. 

Continue to Creating and Configuring Tracked Activities.