Editing Project Plans without MS Project

[scutzer]

Is there a way to embed an MS Plan into another Microsoft product (Excel,
Word, etc.) and be able to edit it and/or examine the contents of the
different tasks and sub tasks WITHOUT having MS Project loaded onto the
machine that will be doing this.

I have been able to embed it, but no matter how I enable the object it
always needs to load MS Project.

Perhaps there is a way to add the appropriate dll that will allow this
although I've been unable to locate such a dll, only the type library, which
does not provide editing nor traversing functionality.

Example, I create a plan and want to send it to someone and have them make
changes, i.e. mark it up. Then I want them to send it back to me and I can
then look at the changes and make the appropriate ones in the real plan.

I do not have or cannot get Project Server so this is not possible.

Thanks!

 

[Christophe Fiessinger [MSFT]]

Hello check out the new version of Project Server 2010 which has web based
editing capability: http://www.microsoft.com/project

 

[Rob Schneider]

There are no effective tools other than Project to edit Project files.
There are viewers on the market and maybe even some of those do
mark-ups. Sorry, I don't know.

While this may sound low tech, to achieve what you are trying to do
would be best done by simply sending your colleague a print-out report
of the schedule (paper or PDF). Have them "mark it up" with changes by
hand and then mail/fax it back to you. Then you have a very easy job to
figure out what the changes are and to implement them.

Even if they had a copy of Project to make these changes for you, there
is no real good way to "mark-up" changes (as you would do with, say,
Word and tracking changes).

This method also has the benefit that you can put these pieces of paper
in a stack and go back to them when you try to figure out why/how
something changed in the past. Invaluable, in my experience.

Keep it as simple as needed.

--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[scutzer]

While I would agree, my company is use MS Project with a competitor server
product, which I don't find to especially easy for users to adapt or use.
Now whether this is the product or the users is tbd

 

[scutzer]

Thanks Rob,

I was hoping that I could provide some minimal and very specific
functionality for users that don't have project loaded on their machines.
However, buying licenses for this limited use is not cost effective.

Of course, I can provide this functionality via coding and using an XML
version of the MS Project Plan, I find this to be... lets say... RISKY

Currently, something similar to your suggestion is in place, but most of the
time we get the requests electronically and in a variety of formats. So I do
have the record, which I agree can be valuable.

 

[Steve House]

Even with Project Server the only way to accomplish what you want is for
everyone who needs to open and/or edit project files needs to have a license
for the MS Project desktop application. Project Server isn't a server-based
PLANNING application, only providing a server for COMMUNICATING project
information - any editing of the plan is still done in the desktop MS
Project application. If it's any consolation, at least IMHO, the actual
Project MPP file should be considered a closely-held "need to know" document
that's never made available for editing by resources, functional managers,
clients, etc. It's the flightplan that drives the work that in-turn drives
the success or failure of the project. The only people that should be
allowed to make changes in that file are people that know exactly what the
h**l they're doing and who carry the formal mission responsibility for the
project's success or failure. Everyone else gets the information they need
in the form of reports and graphic views, but the PM should always be the
one calling the shots. No one except the PM and those working directly with
him should EVER be allowed to edit the actual plan and ANY changes after the
formal publication and acceptance of the final plan should require PM and/or
senior management approval following a formal change-request submission,
business-case justification, and approval process.

 

[Rob Schneider]

Indeed.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com