Creating a schedule
On this page
| Where | Project sidebar Construction schedule (Строителен график), the project page card, or the Schedule (График) button of an offer or budget → empty page → Create Schedule (Създай график). URL: /projects/{project}/schedule. |
|---|---|
| Who can | Permission Schedule (График) at Edit (Редакция); MS Project upload also needs Edit. Paid plan or trial. |
| Related | Schedule, Structure: categories, groups, tasks, milestones, Linking the BoQ: distribution and matching, Working days and holidays |
Before you start
- One schedule per BoQ version. Each version of an offer or a budget can have exactly one schedule. A second attempt is refused with "A schedule already exists for this BOQ version" (Вече съществува график за тази BOQ версия).
- No overall start date. Creating a schedule does not ask for a project start. Every task, group and milestone gets its own dates later, in the Gantt view or in the structure editor.
- Working calendar. Dates and durations are counted on the project work calendar. Without your own settings the calendar is Monday to Friday. Set holidays and the working week first: Working days and holidays.
- The schedule starts as a draft. Whatever way you choose, the new schedule is version 1 in Draft (Чернова) and stays editable until you lock it.
The empty schedule page
When the BoQ version has no schedule, the Construction schedule page shows the text "No schedule exists yet" (Няма съществуващ график) and the Create Schedule (Създай график) button. If an earlier version of the same BoQ had a schedule, the text reads instead: "You have a schedule on a previous BOQ version. Carry it forward to keep your dates and progress — or start over." (Имате график от предишна BOQ версия. Пренесете го, за да запазите датите и напредъка — или започнете отначало.)
- The text "No schedule exists yet" (Няма съществуващ график) tells you this BoQ version has no schedule.
- The Create Schedule (Създай график) button opens the choice of how to start.
The four ways to start
| Option | What you get | Where you land | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Structure (Нова структура) | An empty schedule with its own structure. You add categories, group tasks and milestones yourself and drag BoQ positions into them. | The structure editor (Schedule Structure), ready to edit. | You plan by location, stage or crew rather than by the BoQ sections. |
| Copy BOQ Structure (Копирай BOQ структура) | A schedule whose categories mirror the BoQ category tree, with every BoQ position placed in it, including positions outside any category. No dates are set yet. | The Gantt view, after a background job finishes. | You want the fastest start and the BoQ sections already match how the work is done. |
| Import from MS Project (Импортирай от MS Project) | A schedule with its own structure built from an .mpp or .xml file: hierarchy, dates, milestones and dependencies. Activities are not linked to the BoQ yet. | The Gantt view, after the import job finishes. | The schedule already exists in Microsoft Project or a tool that exports MSPDI XML. |
| Carry Over from Previous Version (Пренеси от предишна версия) | A copy of the previous BoQ version's schedule, reconciled to the current BoQ, keeping dates, dependencies and reported progress. | The Gantt view, after a background job finishes. | The BoQ moved to a new version and you want to continue where you were. |
How to create a schedule
- Open the schedule of the BoQ: the sidebar entry Construction schedule, the project page card, or Schedule (График) on the offer or budget.
- Click Create Schedule (Създай график).
- If the previous BoQ version had a schedule, the dialog Your BOQ has a new version (Вашият BOQ има нова версия) asks "Do you want to continue from the previous state of the schedule?" (Искате ли да продължите от предишното състояние на графика?). Click Carry Over from Previous Version (Пренеси от предишна версия — "Keeps your dates & progress") to carry it over, or No, create a new schedule (Не, създай нов график) to start fresh. If there is no earlier schedule, this dialog is skipped.
- In the Create Schedule (Създай график) dialog choose New Structure, Copy BOQ Structure or Import from MS Project. Cancel (Отказ) closes the dialog without creating anything.
- Wait for the result. A new structure opens immediately. A copy or carry-over shows "Creating schedule from BOQ structure…" (Създаване на график от КСС структура…) or "Carrying over schedule from previous version…" (Пренасяне на график от предишна версия…) and then opens the Gantt view. The toast "Schedule created successfully" (Графикът беше създаден успешно) confirms it.
- The dialog title Your BOQ has a new version (Вашият BOQ има нова версия).
- Carry Over from Previous Version (Пренеси от предишна версия) keeps your dates and progress.
- No, create a new schedule (Не, създай нов график) opens the Create Schedule dialog.
- New Structure (Нова структура) creates an empty schedule and opens the structure editor.
- Copy BOQ Structure (Копирай BOQ структура) copies the BoQ categories and positions into the schedule.
- Import from MS Project (Импортирай от MS Project) opens the file upload dialog.
- Cancel (Отказ) closes the dialog.
What carry-over keeps and drops
Carry-over copies the previous BoQ version's schedule onto the new BoQ version in a background job:
- Dates, dependencies and reported progress are kept.
- Positions added in the new BoQ version come in without dates; you schedule them yourself.
- Positions that no longer exist in the new BoQ version drop out of the schedule.
- The type stays the same: a schedule with its own structure stays one, a copied BoQ structure keeps mirroring the (new) BoQ.
To bring an older schedule into a schedule you have already started, use Carry forward to current version in the history panel instead. See Versions, locking and comparing.
How to import a schedule from MS Project
- In the Create Schedule dialog click Import from MS Project (Импортирай от MS Project).
- In the Import from MS Project (Импортиране от MS Project) dialog, drag the file onto "Drag & drop your file here" (Плъзнете файла тук) or click to browse. One file only, .mpp or .xml, up to 32 MB. Choosing another file replaces the first one.
- Click Import (Импортирай). The page shows "Importing schedule from MS Project…" (Импортиране на график от MS Project…) while the job runs, then opens the Gantt view.
- If some rows could not be imported, the dialog Some rows couldn't be imported (Някои редове не бяха импортирани) lists them: "{failed} of {total} rows couldn't be imported:" followed by "Row {index}" entries. The rest of the schedule is imported.
- Link the imported activities to the BoQ. See Linking the BoQ: distribution and matching.
- The drop zone accepts one .mpp or .xml file up to 32 MB.
- The selected file is shown under Selected file (Избран файл); the remove icon clears it.
- Import (Импортирай) starts the import.
What the import brings in: the task hierarchy (summary tasks become categories), dates, milestones and dependencies, in a schedule with its own structure. What it does not do: link activities to BoQ positions. Activities without sub-tasks become empty group tasks marked Needs BOQ tasks (За попълване) until you assign positions to them.
You can also import into a schedule that already exists, as long as it is still empty and not locked: the structure editor then shows Import from MS Project in its toolbar.
Messages you may see
| Message | Meaning and what to do |
|---|---|
| "A schedule already exists for this BOQ version" (Вече съществува график за тази BOQ версия) | The BoQ version already has a schedule. Open it instead, or create a new BoQ version. |
| "Schedule creation from BOQ is already in progress. Please wait for it to complete." (Създаването на график от КСС вече е в ход…) | A copy of the BoQ structure is running for this BoQ version. Wait; a new structure is also blocked until it finishes. |
| "No primary BOQ found for this BOQ list." (Няма основен КСС за този КСС списък.) | The BoQ has no category structure to copy. Use New Structure. |
| "Schedule creation timed out. Please try again." / "Schedule carry-over timed out. Please try again." | The background job took too long. Reopen the page; if no schedule appeared, try again. |
| "No previous schedule found to carry over." (Няма предишен график за пренасяне.) | No earlier BoQ version of this list has a schedule. Choose another option. |
| "The file exceeds the 32 MB limit." / "Only .mpp and .xml files are supported." | Reduce or convert the file. Microsoft Project can save as XML. |
| "The uploaded file isn't a valid MS Project file." | The file is damaged or not a Microsoft Project file. Export it again. |
| "An MS Project import needs an empty, unlocked schedule. This schedule already has content or an import." | Import only works into a new or still-empty draft schedule. |
| "The dialog was closed before a schedule was created." (Диалогът е затворен преди да е създаден график.) | Shown in the structure editor when you closed the dialog. Click Open "Create Schedule" (Отвори Създай график) to reopen it. |
Creating a schedule with BORO
BORO can create a schedule for a BoQ that has none (new structure, BoQ copy or carry-over) and then add categories, group tasks, milestones and dependencies. In the BORO panel you approve each step on an approval card by default. See What BORO can do and Approvals and background tasks.
Common questions
Which option should I choose?
Copy BOQ Structure is the fastest and keeps the schedule in step with the BoQ, but you cannot regroup it. New Structure lets you plan by building, floor or stage. Import from MS Project reuses an existing schedule file. Carry Over from Previous Version continues an existing schedule on a new BoQ version.
Why don't I see the "Carry Over from Previous Version" option?
It appears only when an earlier version of the same BoQ has a schedule. The question comes first, in the dialog Your BOQ has a new version, before the three standard options.
Why can't I click Create Schedule?
Creating a schedule needs the Schedule (График) permission at Edit (Редакция). With View the attempt is refused. Ask your company administrator.
Why does my new schedule have no dates?
Copying the BoQ structure places the positions without dates. Set dates in the Gantt view, or with the ghost bar that follows the mouse over an undated row. See Gantt view and dependencies.
I created an empty schedule by mistake. Can I get my old one back?
Yes, while the new schedule is still an unlocked draft: open History (История), find the older BoQ version's schedule and click Carry forward to current version (Пренеси към текущата версия). This replaces the current content. See Versions, locking and comparing.
Does the MS Project import link the activities to my BoQ?
No. Activities arrive unlinked. Assign positions by hand or ask BORO to match the BoQ to the schedule. See Linking the BoQ: distribution and matching.
Does the import bring the MS Project calendar?
The project work calendar in BuildColab stays as it is. Check working days and holidays after the import. See Working days and holidays.