Custom ASSIGNMENT Fields

[M Popp]

We currently are running Enterprise 2003. We internally calculate a G/L
account for all of our project work for internal accounting purposes. Our
G/L’s are a function of the nature of the work being performed and the type
of resource performing it. In DBA land, this means the G/L account is an
attribute of an ASSIGNMENT.

How hard is it to create a custom ASSIGNMENT calc in 2003? I see all kinds
of evidence for custom fields (out of the box, macro, VBA) for tasks and
resources. But little/nothing for custom assignment fields. We end up
artificially forcing one-to-one relationships between tasks and resources
just to deal with the G/L dilemma. Our solution architects want us to drill
down with Microsoft and build a proper database schema to solve this. I
would like to identify a tactical VBA approach if possible.

Any quick advice?

 

[John]

We currently are running Enterprise 2003. We internally calculate a G/L
account for all of our project work for internal accounting purposes. Our
G/L’s are a function of the nature of the work being performed and the type
of resource performing it. In DBA land, this means the G/L account is an
attribute of an ASSIGNMENT.

How hard is it to create a custom ASSIGNMENT calc in 2003? I see all kinds
of evidence for custom fields (out of the box, macro, VBA) for tasks and
resources. But little/nothing for custom assignment fields. We end up
artificially forcing one-to-one relationships between tasks and resources
just to deal with the G/L dilemma. Our solution architects want us to drill
down with Microsoft and build a proper database schema to solve this. I
would like to identify a tactical VBA approach if possible.

Any quick advice?

M Popp,
First you might like to take at look at FAQ 51 - Data Types: Task,
Resource and Assignment, on our MVP website at,
http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm..

What you want is very doable using VBA. All you need is the criteria for
determining which assignments the general ledger should be applied to
and then set up the code.

John
Project MVP

 

[M Popp]

In FAQ #51 it indicates "Formulae are only available for task or resource
spare fields - they are not available for assignment spare fields." How
strictly should that be interpretted?

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

That should be taken litterally :-((
But assignments are very reachable through VBA where you can make any
calculation you want for instance

Dim Job as task
Dim Ass as assignment
For each job in activeproject.tasks
for each ass in job.assignments
....
....
next ass
next job

HTH

 

[John]

In FAQ #51 it indicates "Formulae are only available for task or resource
spare fields - they are not available for assignment spare fields." How
strictly should that be interpretted?

M Popp,
Well, I'm not sure how much more clear we can make it. Spare assignment
fields can NOT be customized with a formula.

Let me put it this way. When you look at either Usage view and display a
spare field (e.g. Text1), for Resource/Task rows, that is Resource Text1
or Task Text1. For assignment rows, you are viewing Assignment Text1. So
if you create a formula for text1, it will only appear on non-assignment
rows.

John
Project MVP

 

[M Popp]

The language is clear enough - but the rationale is not. These fields can be
populated manually through a view. It is not intuitive that they can't be
populated through a custom calc. Especially when they could play such a key
role in custom views/filtering.

 

[John]

The language is clear enough - but the rationale is not. These fields can be
populated manually through a view. It is not intuitive that they can't be
populated through a custom calc. Especially when they could play such a key
role in custom views/filtering.

M Popp,
Well I'm not sure about the "intuitive" issue, there are various things
that can be done manually but not with VBA and vice versa. The same
holds true for formulas in custom fields.

Why the developers decided to not add assignment fields to the
customization feature, I don't know but the fact is, they didn't, at
least not yet.

John
Project MVP

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

hi,

Just to avoid misunderstandings, you CAN do what you need in VBA but not
with a formula.