creating a "master plan" using summary bars from different project

[andy francis]

I hope someone can help - -- - i am sure this is easy but....

I have 40 projects - each has a top level summary bar showing different
colours for rolled up tasks and milestones , from beiginning to end

Al I want to do is copy these top summary bars onto a seperate project sheet
so we can print them off and use in meetings

If I try to copy and paste them as a link i get a OLE errror ( what ever
that is!)
and if i just copy and paste them i lose all the colours and detail.

I am sure there is a way to see evrything ,

if i can do this - isuppose the next Q is how can i get this sheet to
update each time there is a change to the lower level summay bars

thaqtnks

andy f

 

[John]

I hope someone can help - -- - i am sure this is easy but....

I have 40 projects - each has a top level summary bar showing different
colours for rolled up tasks and milestones , from beiginning to end

Al I want to do is copy these top summary bars onto a seperate project sheet
so we can print them off and use in meetings

If I try to copy and paste them as a link i get a OLE errror ( what ever
that is!)
and if i just copy and paste them i lose all the colours and detail.

I am sure there is a way to see evrything ,

if i can do this - isuppose the next Q is how can i get this sheet to
update each time there is a change to the lower level summay bars

thaqtnks

andy f

Andy,
It sounds like what you want is a consolidated master. First open a new
blank project. Go to Insert/Project and select all 40 of your
subprojects and hit the Insert button - you can also do them one at a
time but it's easier to do it all in one fell swoop. That will create a
dynamically linked master file. When collapsed, it will show only the
summary line of each of the separate subprojects. And because it is
dynamically linked, it will update each time a subproject is updated.

You will need to re-input all your Gantt bar formatting because the view
in the master has its own independent formatting. However, once the
formatting for the master is set up, you are good to go.

Now, one caution with the file structure. Once it is set up do not
rename or move any of the subprojects or the master. Doing so creates
potential for file corruption.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[andy francis]

Thanks John it works a treat, I am bit of a self taught novice!!

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Andy,

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #17 & 18 on multiple projects, at this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the articles before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[John]

Thanks John it works a treat, I am bit of a self taught novice!!

Andy,
You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.

John