Hello Simon - You should consider creating a resource pool. I copied this
from "Help" after entering the term "Resource Pool"
If you have the same resources (resources: The people, equipment, and
material that are used to complete tasks in a project.) assigned in more than
one project or have shared resources (resource sharing: Use of the same
resources in more than one file. When one project borrows resources from
another project, the file that is borrowing the resources is the sharing
file, and the file contributing its resources is the resource pool.) in more
than one project, you can combine all the resource information into a
resource pool (resource pool: A set of resources that is available for
assignment to project tasks. A resource pool can be used exclusively by one
project or can be shared by several projects.).
If you want to use resources that exist in the enterprise resource
(enterprise resources: Resources that are part of an organization's entire
list of resources. Enterprise resources can be shared across projects.) pool,
you don't need to create a new enterprise pool or sharer project (sharer
file: A file using resources from another file, which can be another project
file or a file containing only resource information, called a resource
pool.); enterprise resources are already set up for your organization by an
administrator (server administrator: An individual responsible for setting up
fields, views, and reports for an organization and setting up and maintaining
the server and server software.).
Open each project that contains the resources you want to combine into a new
resource pool.
On the View menu, click Resource Sheet. Repeat this for each open project.
Check the resource names in each project to ensure that a resource doesn't
have different resource names in different projects, such as JaneC and
JClayton, and then resolve any conflicts.
Click New , and then click OK in the Project Information dialog box.
Click Save .
In the Save in box, select the drive and folder where you want to save the
resource pool file.
In the File name box, type a project name for the resource pool that clearly
indicates that it is a resource pool, such as ResourcePool, and then click
Save.
On the Window menu, click the first project whose resources you want to copy
to the resource pool.
On the Tools menu, point to Resource Sharing, and then click Share Resources.
Click Use resources, and then in the From box, click the name of your
resource pool project.
Under On conflict with calendar or resource information, choose which
project file should take precedence if there is conflicting resource
information, such as calendars, rates, availability, and custom fields.
Select Pool takes precedence if the information in the resource pool project
should overwrite conflicting information in the sharer project. For example,
if the resource named JClayton has max units of 100 percent in the sharer
project, and the same resource has max units of 75 percent in the resource
pool project, and you indicate that the pool takes precedence, then the value
of 75 percent is retained as the max units for JClayton. This option is
selected by default.
Select Sharer takes precedence if the information in the project file that's
sharing the resource should overwrite conflicting information in the resource
pool and other sharer projects. For example, if JClayton has a standard rate
of $50 in the sharer project, and the same resource has a standard rate of
$45 in the resource pool project, and you indicate that the sharer takes
precedence, then the value of $50 is retained as the standard rate for
JClayton.
Note Resource information from each project is added to the new resource
pool and made available to each sharer project as it is shared.
Click OK to close the Share Resources dialog box.
Click Save .
Repeat steps 8-13 for each project you want to connect to the resource pool.
On the Window menu, click the resource pool project, and then click Save
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If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.
Jim Aksel, MVP
Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com
