Categorize projects

[Alexander Barvinsky]

Greetings.
How I can categorize my projects at Server 2003? E.g frozen, active,
support, closed, etc? And another one question - how to backup closed
project? It can return in support phase and I want to load project
data to the server from external storage (e.g cd-rw).
Thanks

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Alexander --

You can categorize projects using either a custom enterprise Project field
or a custom enterprise Project outline code. If you wish for the project
categories to appear as a dimension in Portfolio Analyzer views, you must
use an enterprise Project outline code. To create either one of these, you
must open the Enterprise Global for editing and then click Tools -
Customize - Enterprise Fields.

To backup a close project, save the project as an .mpp file in your external
storage device, and then have your Project Server administrator delete the
project from the Project Server database. If the project returns to the
support phase, you can import the project from the .mpp file into Project
Server using Tools - Enterprise Options - Import Project to Enterprise.
Hope this helps.

 

[jzryk8]

Dale,

Wouldn't it be simpler to turn Project Versions - part of the default ?

You could have a version for Frozen, Active, Support, Closed etc...

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Philip --

How would using Versions be simpler? Do you see some advantages there that
I don't see? Please expand on your thoughts.

 

[jzryk8]

Just thought that as Versions is a component of the MSPS default package, you
do not have to open the Enterprise Global and maintain a code.

No real difference, just trying to minimise the need to open Global and
maintain (yes, I understand that we open and maintain this anyway).

 

[jonathan_sofer_project_server.....]

Versioning would not work in this situation I believe. Versioning is a
good way to get a snap shot of an entire project plan at a point in
time. It will contain more than just baseline information about the
project.

However, you cannot updated timesheets against a version other than the
Published one. This would not work then if you wanted to have Active
and Support for example. Plus the Published version will always be out
there.

Also, you are going to have multiple duplicate data this way and will
have to exclude the other versions from your OLAP reports.

Outline codes are the best way to go with this because you can use it
in Project Professional as well as Project Center and Portfolio
Analyzer to slice and dice your project information in any way you
choose.

I do not see any advantage to using Enterprise Project Custom
Fields>Value Lists. There is no advantage as far as I know of usering
Enterprise Project Custom Fields over Project Outline codes and the
disadvantage is the use of that data to slice and dice in Portfolio
Analyzer as Project and Resource outline codes are the only ones that
propogate over.

The only time I use Custom fields for Projects and Resources is when I
am using a free form field or need to use a formula to make a field
calculated

Jonathan Sofer

 

[Alexander Barvinsky]

On Mon, 2 May 2005 08:41:03 -0600, "Dale Howard [MVP]"
<dale(dot)howard(at)msprojectexperts(dot)com> wrote:

Can you give me step-by-step instruction - how to create this field
specifically for my situation. Any my tries are useless. I have admin
privileges and I know how to open Global Template

 

[Alexander Barvinsky]

And another one question about backuping project in ext. storage. How I can
back up all projects documentation (Shared Documents in WSS) following this
project. Is there any way to automate this operation?
Thanks!

To backup a close project, save the project as an .mpp file in your external
storage device, and then have your Project Server administrator delete the
project from the Project Server database. If the project returns to the
support phase, you can import the project from the .mpp file into Project
Server using Tools - Enterprise Options - Import Project to Enterprise.
Hope this helps.

Alerxander Barvinsky
Director of Operations Department

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Alexander --

Complete these steps:

1. Click Tools - Enterprise Options - Open Enterprise Global
2. Click Tools - Customize - Enterprise Fields
3. Select the Project outline code type at the top of the dialog
4. Click the Custom Outline Codes tab
5. Select an available Enterprise Project Outline Code and click the Rename
button
6. Give the outline code a new name and click OK
7. Click the Define Code Mask button
8. Set the Sequence to Characters, set the Length to any, and set the
Separator character as the period (.)
9. Click the Edit Lookup Table button
10. Add your list of outline code values and click Close
11. Select the "Make this a required code" option, if you wish
12. Click OK
13. Save and close the Enterprise Global
14. Exit and then relaunch Microsoft Project

You will now see the new custom outline code available for data entry by
opening a project and clicking Project - Project Information. When your
PM's create a new project, they will also be able to see the new outline
code for data entry by clicking File - Save. Hope this helps.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Alexander --

I have yet to find any easy way to backup your SharePoint site for a project
saved out to an archive. I am currently experimenting with the WSSmigrat
tool to see if I can get it to function in this manner. I would invite
others to share their experiences with us, if anybody has successfully done
this. Hope this helps.

 

[Alexander Barvinsky]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your help!

Alexander --

Complete these steps:

1. Click Tools - Enterprise Options - Open Enterprise Global
2. Click Tools - Customize - Enterprise Fields
3. Select the Project outline code type at the top of the dialog
4. Click the Custom Outline Codes tab
5. Select an available Enterprise Project Outline Code and click the Rename
button
6. Give the outline code a new name and click OK
7. Click the Define Code Mask button
8. Set the Sequence to Characters, set the Length to any, and set the
Separator character as the period (.)
9. Click the Edit Lookup Table button
10. Add your list of outline code values and click Close
11. Select the "Make this a required code" option, if you wish
12. Click OK
13. Save and close the Enterprise Global
14. Exit and then relaunch Microsoft Project

You will now see the new custom outline code available for data entry by
opening a project and clicking Project - Project Information. When your
PM's create a new project, they will also be able to see the new outline
code for data entry by clicking File - Save. Hope this helps.

Alerxander Barvinsky
Director of Operations Department

 

[Alexander Barvinsky]

Thanks!!!!
Where I can find this tool?

Alexander --

I have yet to find any easy way to backup your SharePoint site for a project
saved out to an archive. I am currently experimenting with the WSSmigrat
tool to see if I can get it to function in this manner. I would invite
others to share their experiences with us, if anybody has successfully done
this. Hope this helps.

Alerxander Barvinsky
Director of Operations Department

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Alexander --

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...f5-2adb-43d8-8a33-9b34d2ebbba7&DisplayLang=en

Hope this helps.