EPS2003-PublishError cannot create account

[ljsexton]

have updated EPS Global resource and make 2 resources inactive and removed
their windows nt and email account info which is now blank. for each project
they were assigned tasks have closed those tasks and changed them from
comitted to proposed resource and did republish. Everytime any of these
projects are opened and a REPublish all assignments is executed there is an
Error "Can not create account" - look at the resource pool info on the
project and the inactive resource is showing data in the Windows NT and Email
fields. When these are removed on the current project and then do republish
all assignments there is no error. Where is this data coming from when the
EPS Resource Pool still shows them as inactive with the NT account info not
listed? Please help, very time consuming.
Thanks,
Jackie

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Why are you removing the logon and email addresses? Does your company reuse
these?

--
----------
Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
Project Server Training: http://www.projectservertraining.com
Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com
Project Server Help Blog: http://www.projectserverhelp.com

 

[ljsexton]

I am removing from the EPS Resource Global info because the NT accounts are
removed and this data is no longer valid. If not removed then Project Server
tries to send email notices to these accounts and we get the "cannot create
account message" - When this info is again "Removed at the project level this
error does not occur" - my question is where is this info coming from when it
is not in the current EPS global. But each time a project is Opened this data
is 're-populated" for those inactive users. I do not understand where it is
coming from.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Jackie:

For the inactive resources in the resource pool, open each resource in the
resource sheet view, double-click on each resource and in the Resource
Information Dialog, set the workgroup value to none. Alternately, you can
insert this field into the resource sheet view and drag the value down the
column if you have a lot of resources work with. This should solve your
problem. By removing the windows logon and email, you're making Project
Server think these are new resources, and because you haven't set workgroup
to none, the system is trying to create new accounts for the resources.

--
----------
Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
Project Server Training: http://www.projectservertraining.com
Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com
Project Server Help Blog: http://www.projectserverhelp.com

 

[ljsexton]

Gary,
Thanks for your prompt reply. I did as you suggested. Updated in the Global
Resource Pool the Workgroup data to be NONE for the inactive resources and
did SAVE. Then closed MS Project Pro and re-opened new session - opened a
project for which one of the inactive resources which had already worked on
the project. did republish all assignments and got the same error as before
"can not create account...." - and as before IF on that project Resource
Sheet I again remove the NT account and the email addresses then do Republish
all assignments there is No error. Seems to work ok as long as the NT
account and the email are not populated in the current opened project
resource sheet. I am really confused as where this info is coming from as it
is not in the Global Resource Pool Resource Sheet but always is poplulated
when the project is first Opened in Project Pro.
Also, on the Project Resource Sheet the Workgroup value that shows as NONE
in the Global Resource Pool is showing unchanged value of DEFAULT. Appears
the real problem is that the projects when opened are not showing the changed
info from the Global resource pool. At least not for these particular
fields. (nt account, email and now Workgroup)Thoughts?
Thanks,
Jackie

 

[ljsexton]

Gary,
thanks for your prompt reply. I did as you suggested. Opened up Global
Resource Pool and updated the inactive resources to set workgroup to NONE.
Saved and closed project pro. Next, opened project pro and opened project
file. Looked at the resource sheet and first again can see that the nt
account and the email are populated (note: the global resource pool shows
this data as blank) - also did an insert to view the workgroup value and it
is showing the previous value of DEFAULT. Again, if I remove the only the NT
account and the email address the republish all assignments works as normal
with no errors. Also if I leave the nt account and email and change ONLY the
workgroup value to NONE the republish all assignments works as normal with no
errors. Either way the real problem appears to be that when opening a
project the current values from the Global Resource Pool are not being
populated to the project resource sheet. At least not for these 3 fields - nt
account, email and Workgroup. Having to always manually change the workgroup
value for each opened project is very time consuming - do not understand why
the changed values in the Global resource pool are not being loaded when the
project is opened. *always close project pro after updates to global resource
pool and re-open new Project Pro session.
thoughts?
Jackie

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

I think that once you apply a resource to a project, the resource data is
copied to the binary record of the Project and that's why it resurfaces.
What you need to do is to restore the windows logon accounts to the
resources that you deactivated in the Resource Pool. This data should not
have been removed from the resource pool record to begin with.

--
----------
Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
Project Server Training: http://www.projectservertraining.com
Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com
Project Server Help Blog: http://www.projectserverhelp.com

 

[ljsexton]

Gary,
I can easily restore to the Global resource pool the nt and email info.
However, I still have the same problem. Inactive resources produce errors
when doing republish all assignments, Unless each project has either the
workgroup set to NONE or the nt account and email removed before doing the
republish - very time consuming. Note: the reason the nt account info and
the email was removed in the first place was an attempt to not have to
manually remove from each project everytime the project is opened and doing
republish assignments. When that info is removed at the project level all is
good, no errors.
Sounds like there is no way around having to manually manipulating at least
the workgroup values for each project when it is opened, as the data from the
Global Resource Pool appears to not have any impact. Is this true, or am I
mis-reading your info?
Thanks,
Jackie

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Jackie:

This shouldn't be this difficult. I've not run across this problem before so
I'm pretty sure this is due to the way you handled this, kinda like swapping
one error for another. Do you have any remaining work on assignments for
inactive resources? This would certainly produce errors, but it doesn't
fully explain the one you're dealing with now. The bottom line is that
there's a mismatch between the resource data in the project and resource
data in the pool and that is why the system is seeing the resources in the
project plan as new and is trying to create accounts for the resources. What
were the errors you were getting when the logon information was in the
resource pool? Bottom line rule: Do not make a resource inactive until you
have closed out all assignments for the resource by removing all remaining
work.

--
----------
Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
Project Server Training: http://www.projectservertraining.com
Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com
Project Server Help Blog: http://www.projectserverhelp.com

 

[ljsexton]

Gary,
Sorry you sound as frustrated as I - yes, I know that before making a user
inactive all open tasks need to be closed. that is our process and seems to
ok on that aspect.
The error I got before removing the nt and email info from the global was
the same "can not create account" - So I assumed (yes, I know.....) that the
problem was the project was trying to send email notice to the inactive user
using their NT info which was not currently valid (our NT manager Removes
accounts when a user leaves) so.....I removed from the global resource pool
thinking that the projects pulled that info in dynamically each time a
project is opened. But, soon realized that was not the case as the info still
showed up in the project resource sheet. So....I removed this info from the
specific project currently opened and then did republish assignments and
works ok without any errors.....
Even if I put back the NT info the Workgroup info is not being pulled from
the Global Resource Pool either....therefore each project still requires
manually changing the Workgroup value to NONE before doing republish all
Otherwise still get the error.
I have replaced the NT info in global resource pool but do not notice any
impact from that.
Current process steps when user leaves company.
1. NT Manager notifies PMO that user is about to be removed. Giving us time
to close out all remaining tasks and make the user inactive in global
resource pool.
2. PMO notifies NT manager that this has been completed. After, first
Project manager opens up project that this user was working on - all tasks
have been closed replublised for that user and then that user is changed from
comitted to proposed resource and their assignments republished again. Next,
go to resource global and clear out the NT info as in previous process when
trying to make user inactive after the NT account was removed could not save
as inactive until this info was cleared. so been clearing it out as part of
this process. Maybe this is the part we need to change? since the NT account
as not been removed at this point.
3. NT manager REMOVES the NT account.
4. as part of step 1. *uncheck notify by email.
5. republishes all assignments - get error that "cannot create account"
6. open up resource sheet on the project - clear out the nt and email info
and replublish assignments and No error.
Note: BEFORE this process started....NT Mgr removed the account before the
open tasks could be closed. so then when went to global resource to make user
inactive would not save the change to inactive because the NT info was
INVALID - so had to remove that info before could make the user
inactive....Reached a compromise with NT mgr so that PMO was notified before
the account would be removed and give us time to "clean up" any loose ends.
Can you suggest a process flow that would work best with the project
application when a User leaves the company and the NT account is removed? I
have requested it not be removed but just made inactive but was told this
could not be done. NT policy is to remove account when user leaves the
company. Only time we make a Proejct resource as Inactive.
Original Problem::::for inactive users do we have to manually change the
Workgroup on the project resource sheet for each inactive user before
republishing assignements?

Thanks,
Jackie

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Jackie:

I've got one suggestion left before I tell you to setup a support
incident -> Delete the inactive resources from the resource pool using Clean
up Project Server Database. This converts the resources to local resource in
the plan that they are in and will end your problem. The actual work record
is preserved using this method. The only negative consequence that I can
think of is that the resource useage data shows summed up under Local
Resources in the OLAP cube.

--
----------
Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
Project Server Training: http://www.projectservertraining.com
Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com
Project Server Help Blog: http://www.projectserverhelp.com

 

[ljsexton]

Gary,
I like the sound of your suggestion. However, I do need to check something
out first. One concern I have is that we used the OLAP cube view to report
out actual hours worked by resource for timeframe across each project. This
info is sent to our accounting deptartment for them to input data into their
accounting records. Example: we have an employee who Left the company during
middle of Jan 09. We run this accounting report for them on a quarterly
basis. If I remove this person from the global resource pool we will loose
their actual work from the OLAP Q1 reports? - I guess we could run the report
now for that person and send it by itself to the accounting dept and they can
do the math by adding 2 reports together as needed.....Thanks so much for you
patience on this thread of questions....It has been a pain for me for awhile
now...truly appreciate your assistance...will get back to you soon on your
suggestion.
Thanks,
Jackie

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Jackie:

Yes, run the reports for the resource right after they leave, or convince
your IT group to delete the AD accounts on a Quarterly basis as well.

--
----------
Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
Project Server Training: http://www.projectservertraining.com
Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com
Project Server Help Blog: http://www.projectserverhelp.com