This article describes working with programs in Meisterplan.

• General
• Visualization of Programs
• Program Overview
• Editing Programs
• Adding Programs by Import
• Adding Programs Manually
• Adding, Reprioritizing and Removing Projects
• Selecting a Program and Associated Projects
• Reprioritizing or Moving a Program
• Renaming a Program
• Program Context Menu
• Programs and Portfolios

General

• Create programs to group projects.
• Add, reprioritize or remove projects via drag and drop.
• Reprioritize or move projects in a program individually or together.

Visualization of Programs

In the list, programs have a distinct double arrow icon. Click the double arrow icon before the program's name to expand or reduce the program, displaying or hiding the associated projects. When the program is expanded, these projects will be displayed indented below it:

In the interactive Gantt chart, a program is displayed as a continuous bar running over the total duration of all projects it contains. When a program is expanded, the associated projects will be displayed below the program bar in a box. Please note that only the associated projects in the selected Date Range are displayed.

Program Overview

In the Portfolio Designer, select a program, open the Information Panel on right side and click Overview to get more information on the program:

See the Project Overview & Program Overview article for details.

Editing Programs

Adding Programs by Import

There are several options for importing projects collectively:

• REST API
• Import with the Excel Template
• Quick Import for Projects (programs can only be added with an associated project)

Adding Programs Manually

Add a program in the Portfolio Designer as follows:

1. Select the project or program after which the new program should be inserted. If you don't select a project or program, the new program will be inserted directly above the cut-off line.
2. Click the add button in the toolbar and select Program.
   
3. Enter a Name and click Add:
   

Adding, Reprioritizing and Removing Projects

To add a project to a program, click the project's name, hold the mouse button and drag the project over the program in the project list.

When the arrow icon in the project header indents to the right, release the mouse button.

Reprioritize projects in the program by changing their order in the list via drag and drop.
To remove a project from a program, simply drag it out of the program in the list.

With the quick import for projects, you can add projects to programs, remove projects from programs and move them from one one program to another. This is also possible for several projects at a time.

Selecting a Program and Associated Projects

Selecting a program will also select all associated projects.

Select a single project in a program to move it independently from the other associated projects.

Reprioritizing or Moving a Program

When you reprioritize a program by dragging and dropping the associated row header in the list, all associated projects will be reprioritized accordingly.

When you move a program by dragging and dropping the associated program bar in the interactive Gantt chart, all associated projects will be moved accordingly.

Renaming a Program

Rename a program as follows:

1. Click the pencil icon in the row header of a program to rename it.
2. Rename the program. Click the X or click outside the Edit Program window to close it.

Program Context Menu

Right-click a program in the list or Gantt chart to open a context menu offering the following options:

• Move Above Must-Have Line and Move Below Cut-Off Line reprioritize the program and all projects associated with it.
• Rank by Priority Score will assign the program its rank according to its priority score. This is the highest priority score among the projects it contains. See the Rank and Priority Score article for details. This option is available in the Portfolio Designer and the List.
• Delete Program... will delete the program but not the associated projects. When the program is deleted, it will be replaced by the projects it contained.
• Duplicate will duplicate the program including all associated projects (also non-portfolio projects), their allocations, milestones, financials and other data. Milestone dependencies to other projects are not copied with the project.
  The new program created will initially adopt the name of the original program, followed by "(duplicated)". You will be prompted to rename the new program. The duplicated projects in the new program won't be renamed automatically.

Programs and Portfolios

Programs are always displayed in the active portfolio if at least one of the projects contained in the program matches the project filter of the portfolio. You can learn more about the project filter in the Portfolio Filters - Details article.