How to Configure and Manage Work Types in OnePlan

Direct Answer: Configure and Manage Work Types in OnePlan

To configure Work Types in OnePlan, open a plan of the desired Plan Type, go to Work Plan > List, select the ellipsis (...) menu, and select Configure. On the Configure tab, use the Work Types section to add, edit, or delete Work Types, and use the General section to enable Autosave for non-schedule Work Types. The same panel also contains Baselines and, if applicable, Microsoft Project field mapping — see the related articles below for those.

What This Article Covers: Work Types

This article explains how to add, edit, and delete Work Types in OnePlan, what the Work Type configuration fields mean, and how to configure Work Type views in the Work Planner front end. Only Administrators can configure Work Types.

What you will accomplish
After reading this article, you will be able to create and manage Work Types for a Plan Type, and set up a Work Planner view for the Work Types you configure.

Before You Begin: Work Types

Owner (administrator) permissions in OnePlan
The Work Plan app installed
Access to the Plan Type you want to configure

Why This Matters: Work Types

Context: Work Types Organize How Work Gets Done

A Work Type in OnePlan is a category that defines how work is done — including scheduling behavior and process — making it easier to organize and track different kinds of work in a plan. By default, OnePlan includes Work Types such as Tasks, Risks, Issues, and Backlog, but these are fully configurable to match your organization's needs. Work Type items also surface in Timesheets and My Work, so configuring Work Types correctly affects more than just the Work Plan itself.

Context: One Panel for Work Types, Autosave, Baselines, and Microsoft Project Mapping

Work Types, the Autosave setting, Baselines, and — if your organization uses the integration — Microsoft Project field mappings are all configured from the same panel, opened from Work Plan > List > the ellipsis (...) menu > Configure. This article focuses on the Work Types section specifically. For Autosave, see How to Enable Autosave in the Work Plan. For Baselines, see How to Configure and Manage Baselines for OnePlan Work Plans. For Microsoft Project field mapping, see Configure Field Mappings for the OnePlan Project Integration.

Context: Backlog List App Adds Its Own Work Type Automatically

When the Backlog List app is added to your OnePlan group, a new Work Type called Backlog is created automatically, along with its fields and views.

Step-by-Step: Configuring and Managing Work Types in OnePlan

Task: Access Work Types Configuration

Go to a plan of the desired Plan Type, then open Work Plan > List.
In the toolbar, select the ellipsis (...) menu, then select Configure. The Work Types configuration panel opens to the Configure tab.

Access Work Plan Config.png

Task: Add a Work Type

On the Configure tab, under the Work Types heading, select the New Type button (+). The New Work Type form opens.

Add New Work Type.png

Enter a Name for the new Work Type.
Enter a Description for the Work Type.
Select the Allowed Parents for the new Work Type — the Work Types that can be parent items for this Work Type in the Work Planner, letting you build hierarchies there.

Note: For a new Work Type to be an Allowed Parent of itself, create the Work Type first, then come back and add it as an Allowed Parent — see the task below.

(Optional) Configure auto-numbering for the Work Type:
1. Enter a prefix, for example, QST for a Questions Work Type.
2. Enter the starting value for the auto-numbering, for example, 100. In this example, Question work items will be auto-assigned IDs starting with QST-100.

Note: Work Type ID auto-numbering only applies to newly created work items. Configuring it on an existing Work Type does not apply the ID schema to work items created before the change.

Select the Plan Types where the Work Type will be available. The default is All Plan Types.
Select Add to create the new Work Type.

Task: Add a Work Type as Its Own Allowed Parent

Select the Edit icon for the new Work Type. The Edit Work Type form opens.
Select the Allowed Parents field and select the Work Type from the drop-down.

Edit Allowed Parent.png

Select Update.

Task: Understand the Type Column

Each Work Type in the configuration list shows a Type — Task, Backlog, or Custom List. This value is set when the Work Type is created and is not editable afterward. It reflects the underlying category the Work Type is built on:

Task — The default Task Work Type, uses the scheduling engine. Schedule Work Types always require manual Save.
Backlog — Created automatically when the Backlog List app is installed.
Custom List — A non-schedule Work Type, such as Risks, Issues, or a custom type you define. Non-schedule Work Types are eligible for Autosave.

Task: Edit or Delete a Work Type

Go to a plan's Work Plan > List > ellipsis (...) menu > Configure to open the Work Types configuration panel. Then select the Edit or Delete icon for the desired Work Type.

Edit or Delete Task Type.png

Frequently Asked Questions: Work Types

Q: Who can configure Work Types in OnePlan?
A: In OnePlan, only Administrators and Owners can configure Work Types.

Q: Can I make a Work Type an Allowed Parent of itself?
A: Yes. In OnePlan, create the Work Type first, then edit it and add itself under Allowed Parents — a new Work Type cannot be set as its own parent during initial creation.

Q: What happens to existing work items if I add auto-numbering to a Work Type later?
A: In OnePlan, auto-numbering only applies to work items created after the auto-numbering is configured. Existing work items keep their current IDs.

Q: What does the Type column (Task, Backlog, Custom List) mean?
A: In OnePlan, Type reflects the underlying category a Work Type is built on, set when the Work Type is created. Task Work Types use the scheduling engine and always require manual Save; Backlog and Custom List Work Types are non-schedule and are eligible for Autosave.

Q: Where do I configure Autosave, Baselines, or Microsoft Project field mapping?
A: In OnePlan, all three are configured in the same panel as Work Types — Work Plan > List > ellipsis (...) menu > Configure. Autosave is in the General section, Baselines has its own section, and Microsoft Project field mapping has its own section if that integration is in use.

What to Do Next: Work Types

Continue configuration:

Related field and process configuration:

Understand the feature: