Approve Timesheets

C

Costelu

I quote the remark of Barry on dd 18/11/2003.
We experienced the same problem with MSP Server 2003.

"Hi,

Need your help or clarification.

We have installed Project Server 2003 with the intention of using the
Multiple Timsheet Approval process only to find out that it DOES NOT
WORK.

I think that we may have missed something or that we have configured
our RBS incorrectly, Gary or someone from the Group, Please help!!

From the OFFICIAL MS Project 2003 Application Configuration Guide:

(pg 86)
"A new feature of MS Office Project Server 2003 is enhanced timesheet
functionality. This includes the ability for A RESOURCE MANAGER (IN
ADDITION TO THE PROJECT MANAGER) TO A-P-P-R-O-V-E STAFF MEMBERS TIME
SHEET."

Great, this is what we were looking to do but it works somewhat
differently: when the Resource Manager approves timesheets we realise
that he does NOT really approve hours and that the Project Manager
cannot see the hours approved by the Resource Manager.

(pg 88) Microsoft goes on to clarify the situation (NOT):
"Only a Project Manager CAN A-P-P-R-O-V-E TIMESHEET entries and update
those changes into the Project Plan."


Are you confused? Well, I sure am: I don't see the purpose of having
this.

When the Project Manager finally comes to approve the hours he CANNOT
see the approval given by the Resource Manager in the Approve
Timesheets page. This would simplify his/her approval process (which
is what we were trying to achieve), he could update the Project Plans
with hours that have been pre-approved.

Can come explain this to me? A resource manager approves hours, they
disappear from his Approve Timesheet page and go no where. What sense
does it have?

Look forward to hearing from you, please.

Barry"
 
D

Dale Howard [MVP]

Costelu --

Here's how the timesheet approval process is SUPPOSED to work:

1. The Resource Manager goes to the Approve Timesheets page in PWA
2. The RM accepts or rejects each set of task updates, then clicks the Save
button
3. The Project Manager goes to the Updates page in PWA

(On the View Options tab, the PM must make sure the "Show timesheet status"
option is selected. It is NOT selected by default because timesheet
approval is not enabled by default in Project Server.)

4. In the timesheet portion of the Updates page, unapproved and rejected
task updates will have an asterisk symbol just to the right of each number.
5. The PM should only accept updates that have been approved by the RM
(approved updates do not have the asterisk symbol).

The timesheet approval system is essentially a voluntary system where the PM
should not update tasks that have been rejected or are unapproved by the RM.
I think most folks were looking for an automatic system that would forbid
the PM from accepting task updates that are not approved by the RM. Alas,
the system is voluntary, not automatic. In cases like this, I believe you
would need to establish a standard methodology or process for handling
timesheet approval and task updates. I hope this answers your questions.
 
B

bbarker

In a related question, when a timesheet is approved for a managed period, how can the team member or any other person see that it has been approved.

Thanks
 
D

Dale Howard

bbarker --

The team member will not be able to know directly if a timesheet has been
approved or not, as there is no column in the timesheet to indicate this.
The project manager can know if a user's timesheet has been approved
following the steps in my previous post. If the project manager rejects the
task update from a team member, then the team member will see a special
indicator in the Indicators column of the View My Tasks (timesheet) page,
indicating that the project manager rejected the task, and the actuals for
that task will remain formatted in red. Did I answer your question? Let me
know.

--
Dale A. Howard [MVP]
Enterprise Project Trainer/Consultant
Denver, Colorado
http://www.msprojectexperts.com
"We wrote the book on Project Server"


bbarker said:
In a related question, when a timesheet is approved for a managed period,
Click to expand...
how can the team member or any other person see that it has been approved.
 
C

Costelu

Dale
Yes, thank you for your answer.
We have seen that when the resource manager accepts/rejects the timesheet,
the teammember will not be informed, only when the PM is accepting/rejecting
as you mentioned.
Thank you very much for your clear overview about the Approve TS.

Luc
 
E

Ed Freeman

Dale

How can the Administrator approve timesheets (do updates) for Project Managers

This is a new system and not all Project managers are trained yet but we wish to collect actual hours worked

Thanks
Ed Freema
 
D

Dale Howard [MVP]

Ed --

There is a big difference between approving timesheets and updating actual
progress into the project plan. Timesheet approval, if it is enabled in
your system, is found in the Actions pane (on the left) of the Resource
Center page. By default, Timesheet approval is NOT enabled in Project
Server 2003.

If you actually want the Project Server administrator to process the task
updates from team members, then you folks will need to do something
different. If your Project Server administrator is the person who actually
created the project plan and published it (and not the project manager),
then task updates from project team members will be directed automatically
to the Project Server administrator through Project Web Access. The Project
Server administrator can then approve the task updates and process them into
the project plan in Microsoft Project. By the way, to actually publish a
project, click Collaborate - Publish - All Information and click OK.

If the project manager is the person who originally created and published
the project, then the PS Administrator would need to take over as the Owner
and Manager of the project by completing the steps at the following link:

http://www.projectserverexperts.com/Project Server FAQs/changeprojmgr.htm

When each project manager has been trained, and is ready to take over as the
Owner and Manager of the project, he/she will need to follow the same steps
referred to in the link above. Hope this helps.




Ed Freeman said:
Dale,

How can the Administrator approve timesheets (do updates) for Project Managers?

This is a new system and not all Project managers are trained yet but we
Click to expand...
wish to collect actual hours worked.
 
G

Gaby

Dale
The functionality of approving work time is not usefull for my organization.
Is there any way to automatically approve work time ?

Is there any PDS Extender that implements it?

Thank you in advance!
 
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