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WBS tool FAQ

Quick answers about making a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) online.

Illustration of a project manager presenting a WBS chart and project progress dashboards in an office

What is the best free tool to make a WBS online?

yourWBS is a free web tool built only for creating a WBS. You build the hierarchy visually, the numbering is automatic, each element has a dictionary sheet, and you can export the result to PDF. It needs no sign-up and nothing to install. General diagramming tools such as Miro or draw.io can also draw a WBS, but you have to build the numbering and the hierarchy by hand.

How do you number a WBS automatically?

WBS codes follow the hierarchy: 1, 1.1, 1.1.1 and so on. In yourWBS each code is calculated from the element's position in the structure, so you never type it. You add, move or remove elements and the numbering is kept consistent.

WBS tree: a Project at the top, deliverables 1 Discovery and 2 Build below it, and 1.1 Research, 1.2 Requirements, 2.1 Backend and 2.2 Frontend at the third level
Each code shows where the element sits in the hierarchy.

What is the WBS dictionary and how do you write one?

The WBS dictionary describes every element of the WBS: code, name, description, owner, acceptance criteria, quality requirements, risks and milestones. To write one, go element by element and describe what it includes and how you will know it is done. In yourWBS each element has its own dictionary sheet linked to the diagram, and you can export the sheets to PDF.

Element 1.1 Research linked to its WBS dictionary sheet, with fields for code, name, owner, description, acceptance criteria and risks
Every element of the diagram has its own dictionary sheet.

New to the concept? Read what a WBS is.

Is there a free alternative to MS Project just to build the WBS?

If you only need to build and document the WBS, yourWBS covers that part for free and is much simpler. It is not a replacement for MS Project: it has no Gantt chart yet, and no resources or costs. Think of it as the tool to define and document the deliverables before you schedule them.

Can I export a WBS to PDF for free?

Yes. yourWBS exports the diagram and the hierarchy to PDF, and also the dictionary sheets, either one by one or all together. It is free and does not require an account.

Do I need an account to use yourWBS?

No. You open the page and start building. Your work is saved in your browser, so it stays on your device.

Try it. Build your first WBS in a couple of minutes.

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