Collecting actuals for my project

[John]

Is there a good way to collect actuals and updates from remote resources that
are spread across the country if you do not use MSproject Server? Creating
spreadsheet or PDF's to collect this information is too time consuming.

 

[TonyZink]

Hi John --

If you don't want to export the assignment data to a spreadsheet and
distribute via email, then another option is to use MSProject in
conjunction with SharePoint.

SharePoint is a great online collaboration tool that has nice
integration with the MS Office products, and if you don't have your
own SharePoint server to use, then you can even rent one for about $20/
month.

You can then publish task assignments to a secure SharePoint workspace
from MSProject, Team Members can view and update their assignments
online, and the Project Manager can then review and transfer the
updates back into the original MSProject schedule... without Project
Server. It's not as powerful of a solution as Project Server, but it
just might meet your needs.

Let me know if you want more info or help on this.

Good luck!

----------

Tony Zink, MCTS, MCITP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
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Project Server Web Parts: http://www.projectdaddy.com

 

[Rob Schneider]

Is there a good way to collect actuals and updates from remote resources that
are spread across the country if you do not use MSproject Server? Creating
spreadsheet or PDF's to collect this information is too time consuming.

John,

there are a lot of good ways ...

As a starter, have you considered putting the MPP file in some central
location where they person can check out, update, and then check-in,
e.g. as in SharePoint? The good of this is that you get some level of
control over the file editing but requires that resoruces know how to
use Project properly.

Or, if you have sufficient bandwidth to make it workable, just a file
share where when they open for editing, the file gets locked so others
can't change. Often, when doing this, things are facilitated if you
express the project in a set of MPP files which are broken down in such
a way to to reduce the contention by users for simultaneous editing.
Same issue about users have to know Project.

Or there are 3rd party tools available which can assist in synching
contents of MPP files with SharePoint lists. The resuorces interact
with the MPP files via SharePoint only (Project Publisher).