Accessing projects saved with links to shared resource pool

S

Skip

We have Professional 2002 and Server 2002 up and running
complete with an enterprise resource pool. A project
manager needed to create new projects offline with the
ability to assign resources from the enterprise resource
pool. To do that he saved a copy of the enterprise
resource pool offline and used it as a shared resource
pool. He created the projects and assigned resources from
the shared pool. When the projects were done he connected
to the server and saved two projects to the server despite
warning messages that there were links to a shared
resource pool. The projects appeared to save but after
they don't appear on the projects page (PWA) and they
don't appear in the open file dialog box in Project. We
tried to save the projects again but got a "file already
exists, must rename" error. As administrator I tried to
delete the projects but I can't see them it in the list of
projects. Apparently the Server thinks they exist but we
can't see them. I want to clean this up but can't.
Please help.
Thanks, Skip
 
D

Dale Howard

Skip --

I see two issues in your message. First, what has happened to your Project
Server database when the PM saved both a non-enterprise project AND a shared
resource pool in the database? And second, how can a PM work properly with
a project in offline mode?

On the first issue, I would suspect that your Project Server database is now
corrupted, but I am only "shooting in the dark" on that subject. I would
ask our database experts in the group to comment on this. If your PM has
corrupted the database due to their actions, then you would need to restore
the database from a good uncorrupted backup.

On the second issue, your PM's should work with offline projects in
Microsoft Project 2002 by using its built-in enterprise capabilities.
Here's the methodology for working with offline projects:

1. Log into Project Server through Microsoft Project 2002 using Project
Manager permissions
2. Create a new blank project
3. Click Tools - Build Team from Enterprise
4. In the dialog box, select as many resources as may be needed and copy
them to the project team, then click OK
5. Name and save the project in the Project Server database (by clicking
File - Save)
6. Click File - Save Offline (this will now save the file in Offline mode)

When the PM is away from your corporate network, he/she should do the
following to continue working with it:

1. Launch Microsoft Project 2002
2. In the Microsoft Project Server Accounts dialog box, select the desired
Server account and click the Work Offline button
3. Click File - Open (the offline project should appear in the Open from
Microsoft Project Server dialog box)
4. Select the offline file and click Open
5. Do all necessary task planning, including building the task list,
setting Durations, settings dependencies and constraints
6. Do all necessary assignment planning in either the Assign Resources
dialog box or the Task Entry view (split screen view with the Gantt Chart in
the top pane and the Task Form in the bottom pane)
7. Save the offline project by clicking File - Save

While working in offline mode above, please note that your PM is able to
work with enteprise resources during the assignment process. When the PM is
back to your corporate network again, he/she should do the following:

1. Launch Microsoft Project 2002 and log into Project Server normally with
project manager permissions
2. Click File - Open (again, the offline project will show up in the Open
from Microsoft Project Server dialog box)
3. Select the offline project and click Open
4. Save it in online mode by clicking File - Save Online
5. Click Tools - Build Team from Enterprise
6. Remove any team members from this project who are not not assigned to
tasks, or will not be assigned to tasks in this project
7. Click OK when finished
8. Save the project by clicking File - Save

I would strongly recommend that all of your project manager use the above
methodology for working with offline projects. As you now know by hard
experience, the PM did it totally wrong, which is now causing you additional
problems. Hope this helps.
 
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