Columns serve two purposes: they display information already in the schedule, and custom columns let you capture project information that the standard fields do not cover.

Show an existing field

Use Add column at the edge of the activity grid. Search the available fields and choose the one you need, such as Calendar, Remaining Duration, Physical Percent Complete, Total Float, or a project custom column.

Use the column header menu and Column Settings to adjust the presentation where supported. Resize and reorder columns so the important values fit. Save the resulting view if you want to reuse it.

Hiding a column removes it from that view; it does not clear its values from the activities. Displaying a calculated field does not make the field editable.

Use a standard field before creating a custom one

Choose the standard field when it already has the meaning you need. A custom text column called “Actual Finish” will not set the activity’s actual finish or completed status. A custom “Calendar” label will not assign a working calendar.

Good custom-field examples include area, trade, subcontractor, package, review disposition, or a short explanation for a variance. Give the column a name the team understands and select the available data type that matches the value.

Create and populate a custom column

1. Open an editable schedule and use the add-column controls to create a custom field.
2. Choose its name and supported type. Set up options where the field uses an option list.
3. Save the definition and add it to the grid.
4. Enter values on the appropriate activities. Use copy/paste or Fill Down carefully for repeated values.
5. Save a view that includes the new column.

Column creation and definition changes require the relevant permissions. If the column already exists in the project or workspace, add it instead of creating another with the same meaning.

For standardized data such as Trade, use a consistent option list when available. “Electrical,” “Elec,” and “Electrical works” entered as unrelated text make filters and grouping less useful.

Choose a custom field type

Choose the type before entering a large amount of data. A custom date is useful for reference, but it does not substitute for an actual date or scheduling constraint.

Keep definitions and values separate

The column definition controls its name, type, and options. Activity values are the information entered in a particular schedule. A saved view chooses whether to show the column.

Changing a shared definition can affect other schedules using it. Deleting a custom field is more consequential than hiding a column from a view. Duplicate or create a separate field when the new meaning should not replace the old one.

Filter and group by custom information

After entering consistent values, use Filter to focus on a trade or package and Group to organize the visible work by the available field. This can produce a subcontractor lookahead without changing the WBS.

Check blank values before sending the result: an activity with no assigned Trade will not automatically appear in the Electrical filter.

Import and preserve custom fields

For supported P6 imports, select activity codes and UDFs in the import wizard and map them to existing project columns when the meanings match. Use Copy Over Columns to preserve selected Syncify-only fields from a reference schedule.

Microsoft Project custom fields are not imported as equivalent custom columns. Review compatibility before assuming a source’s custom data has arrived.

Use Assets → Columns to find and manage reusable column definitions. See Assets for scope and shared-change considerations.