linking projects

[Dan]

I do not have project server bit would like to try and link various projects
together.

I was trying to create a master project which listed all of the resources in
my team, and then I altered their working time to represent their holidays.

For each project running in my team I created a separate project plan file,
and then linked them all to the master project. I was hoping that, if I
viewed the master project plan, it would give me an holistic view of my
resources - what they will be doing on multiple projects and when they are
off on holiday.

I know project server would be a better solution, but I was hoping that
"Insert/Project..." would give me this flexibility. It doesn't seem to.

What actually happens is that I can view the projects' task lists in the
master plan, but when I view resource usage it shows the usage for the first
project and not the others. furthermore, it ignores the "non working time"
for holidays that I have recorded in the master.

Can anyone help?

Cheers.

 

[JulieD]

Hi Dan

what you need to do is to create a resource pool (ie a project file with
just your resources in) and then share these into your current projects -
Mike Glen explains how to do this in his series of Project tutorials ...#17
.... here's the direct link
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=443

the index page to these tutorials can be found at
www.tinyurl.com/2xbhc


Hope this helps
Cheers
JulieD

 

[JulieS]

Hi Dan,

In addition to JulieD's suggestion, and in response to your comment about
"ignoring the nonworking times": the background of both the Gantt chart and
Resource Usage view can show the nonworking time (gray bars) from any base
calendar. It is possible that if you created a new custom calendar the views
are still showing the nonworking time from the Standard calendar.

To check: right click over the Gantt chart (or time scaled portion of the
Usage view) and select Nonworking Time... from the shortcut menu. Correct
the calendar as needed.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
The "Other" Julie

 

[Dan]

Thanks for your replies, they are most useful. Unfortunately, it only helps
me as far as maintaining a single project for holidays and absence. My
master project is acting as this already (well, it doesn't but the intention
is that it does).

The suggestion to add a link to the master project in each of my project
files will not help me with having an holistic view of resources over
multiple projects. One of my intentiosn for the master project is for me
to be able to see what days a resource is not working on any project. - and,
when they are working, for how long. I do not really want to open up every
single project individually and check the resource usage in each project. I
simply [heopfully] want to open up the master plan which has a link to all
of the other individual plans and look at the resource usage that way.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers,

Dan.

 

[JulieD]

Hi Dan

if you have a resource pool with the resources shared amongst your project
files, opening up the resource usage view of the resource pool will give you
the ability to see when & where they're working and when they're on holiday
(add the remaining availability row to the details side) - and i also add
the project column to the LHS to make things easier to see. Another good
view is the Resource Allocation view.

so basically you'll have
** resource pool.mpp
- which has all your resource entered into it, with their non-working time /
rates etc
** project file 1.mpp through to project file x.mpp
- where each project file takes it's resources from the resource pool and
uses them on various tasks

you can then still combine project file 1 through project file x into a
master project file if you want an overview of your gantt chart - but use
the resource pool.mpp - resource usage view to see what's going on with the
resources.

Hope this makes more sense.

Cheers
JulieD

Thanks for your replies, they are most useful. Unfortunately, it only
helps
me as far as maintaining a single project for holidays and absence. My
master project is acting as this already (well, it doesn't but the
intention
is that it does).

The suggestion to add a link to the master project in each of my project
files will not help me with having an holistic view of resources over
multiple projects. One of my intentiosn for the master project is for
me
to be able to see what days a resource is not working on any project. -
and,
when they are working, for how long. I do not really want to open up
every
single project individually and check the resource usage in each project.
I
simply [heopfully] want to open up the master plan which has a link to
all
of the other individual plans and look at the resource usage that way.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers,

Dan.

Hi Dan,

In addition to JulieD's suggestion, and in response to your comment about
"ignoring the nonworking times": the background of both the Gantt chart
and
Resource Usage view can show the nonworking time (gray bars) from any
base
calendar. It is possible that if you created a new custom calendar the
views
are still showing the nonworking time from the Standard calendar.

To check: right click over the Gantt chart (or time scaled portion of the
Usage view) and select Nonworking Time... from the shortcut menu.
Correct
the calendar as needed.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
The "Other" Julie

 

[Dan]

It all appears to make sense. I'll try it tomorrow.

thanks,

Dan

Hi Dan

if you have a resource pool with the resources shared amongst your project
files, opening up the resource usage view of the resource pool will give you
the ability to see when & where they're working and when they're on holiday
(add the remaining availability row to the details side) - and i also add
the project column to the LHS to make things easier to see. Another good
view is the Resource Allocation view.

so basically you'll have
** resource pool.mpp
- which has all your resource entered into it, with their non-working time /
rates etc
** project file 1.mpp through to project file x.mpp
- where each project file takes it's resources from the resource pool and
uses them on various tasks

you can then still combine project file 1 through project file x into a
master project file if you want an overview of your gantt chart - but use
the resource pool.mpp - resource usage view to see what's going on with the
resources.

Hope this makes more sense.

Cheers
JulieD

Thanks for your replies, they are most useful. Unfortunately, it only
helps
me as far as maintaining a single project for holidays and absence. My
master project is acting as this already (well, it doesn't but the
intention
is that it does).

The suggestion to add a link to the master project in each of my project
files will not help me with having an holistic view of resources over
multiple projects. One of my intentiosn for the master project is for
me
to be able to see what days a resource is not working on any project. -
and,
when they are working, for how long. I do not really want to open up
every
single project individually and check the resource usage in each project.
I
simply [heopfully] want to open up the master plan which has a link to
all
of the other individual plans and look at the resource usage that way.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers,

Dan.

Hi Dan,

In addition to JulieD's suggestion, and in response to your comment about
"ignoring the nonworking times": the background of both the Gantt chart
and
Resource Usage view can show the nonworking time (gray bars) from any
base
calendar. It is possible that if you created a new custom calendar the
views
are still showing the nonworking time from the Standard calendar.

To check: right click over the Gantt chart (or time scaled portion of the
Usage view) and select Nonworking Time... from the shortcut menu.
Correct
the calendar as needed.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
The "Other" Julie

:

I do not have project server bit would like to try and link various
projects
together.

I was trying to create a master project which listed all of the
resources in
my team, and then I altered their working time to represent their
holidays.

For each project running in my team I created a separate project plan
file,
and then linked them all to the master project. I was hoping that, if
I
viewed the master project plan, it would give me an holistic view of my
resources - what they will be doing on multiple projects and when they
are
off on holiday.

I know project server would be a better solution, but I was hoping that
"Insert/Project..." would give me this flexibility. It doesn't seem
to.

What actually happens is that I can view the projects' task lists in
the
master plan, but when I view resource usage it shows the usage for the
first
project and not the others. furthermore, it ignores the "non working
time"
for holidays that I have recorded in the master.

Can anyone help?

Cheers.

 

[JulieD]

Hi Dan

please let us know how it goes...

Cheers
JulieD

It all appears to make sense. I'll try it tomorrow.

thanks,

Dan

Hi Dan

if you have a resource pool with the resources shared amongst your
project
files, opening up the resource usage view of the resource pool will give
you
the ability to see when & where they're working and when they're on
holiday
(add the remaining availability row to the details side) - and i also add
the project column to the LHS to make things easier to see. Another good
view is the Resource Allocation view.

so basically you'll have
** resource pool.mpp
- which has all your resource entered into it, with their non-working
time /
rates etc
** project file 1.mpp through to project file x.mpp
- where each project file takes it's resources from the resource pool and
uses them on various tasks

you can then still combine project file 1 through project file x into a
master project file if you want an overview of your gantt chart - but use
the resource pool.mpp - resource usage view to see what's going on with
the
resources.

Hope this makes more sense.

Cheers
JulieD

Thanks for your replies, they are most useful. Unfortunately, it only
helps
me as far as maintaining a single project for holidays and absence. My
master project is acting as this already (well, it doesn't but the
intention
is that it does).

The suggestion to add a link to the master project in each of my
project
files will not help me with having an holistic view of resources over
multiple projects. One of my intentiosn for the master project is
for
me
to be able to see what days a resource is not working on any project. -
and,
when they are working, for how long. I do not really want to open up
every
single project individually and check the resource usage in each
project.
I
simply [heopfully] want to open up the master plan which has a link to
all
of the other individual plans and look at the resource usage that way.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers,

Dan.




:

Hi Dan,

In addition to JulieD's suggestion, and in response to your comment
about
"ignoring the nonworking times": the background of both the Gantt
chart
and
Resource Usage view can show the nonworking time (gray bars) from any
base
calendar. It is possible that if you created a new custom calendar
the
views
are still showing the nonworking time from the Standard calendar.

To check: right click over the Gantt chart (or time scaled portion of
the
Usage view) and select Nonworking Time... from the shortcut menu.
Correct
the calendar as needed.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
The "Other" Julie

:

I do not have project server bit would like to try and link various
projects
together.

I was trying to create a master project which listed all of the
resources in
my team, and then I altered their working time to represent their
holidays.

For each project running in my team I created a separate project
plan
file,
and then linked them all to the master project. I was hoping that,
if
I
viewed the master project plan, it would give me an holistic view of
my
resources - what they will be doing on multiple projects and when
they
are
off on holiday.

I know project server would be a better solution, but I was hoping
that
"Insert/Project..." would give me this flexibility. It doesn't seem
to.

What actually happens is that I can view the projects' task lists in
the
master plan, but when I view resource usage it shows the usage for
the
first
project and not the others. furthermore, it ignores the "non
working
time"
for holidays that I have recorded in the master.

Can anyone help?

Cheers.