Linking subprojects to a Master Project

[rryoung@fairfield]

Our team is operating MS Project 2003. We maintain separate project files for
each of our active projects in a shared network directory. In the same
directory we have a Master Project which, with the help of a macro we
created, automatically pulls information from the subproject files to provide
a summary of each in a single list. Unfortunately, the only machine that had
a functional copy of the VBA code for the macro appears to be corrupted and
we may end up having to recreate the code from scratch.

If anyone knows of a simple solution or maybe an existing piece of code that
can perform a similar operation, we would appreciate the help.

 

[Jim Aksel]

It sounds like you had a macro to pull certain flagged tasks from Files A, B,
and C into a file called "M". This is not a true Master/SubProject. For
discussion, would it be correct to assume you marked certain tasks in Files
A, B, and C for import? Such as Flag1? Or Text3?

To create a MasterProject file open all the files you want to "combine."
Click Window/New Window... and select all the open files. A new file Projec1
is created that contains all the files (yes, every task). The Project1 file
can be filtered as desired to show the information you want. So, if files A,
B, and C have certain tasks where Flag1 is "Yes" then filtering Flag1 in the
new Project1 file will produce the desired result.

You may choose to save the Project1 file as some type of MasterProject.
When the Files A, B, and C are changed then Project1 is automatically updated
when it is opened. I am sure you already know this--- what ever you do, do
not rename Files A, B, C and do not move their location relative to Project1
(Master Project).

If that does not help, I have some code I have been developing to import
information between files. Sorry, not free.

Should you have some more specific issues you need addressed, please post
back. Somehow I recall reading about this before and this is only the
surface of the story.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[rryoung@fairfield]

Creating a master project that way appears to only get me part of the way
there. The master project does not pull data from several of the fields in
the project files (e.g., Notes, Text2, Text3, Finish1, etc.), at least not
from the summary lines in the project files. The Notes field actually pulls
for the tasks that contain notes, but not for the summary task/line.

Is there a way that you know of to flag these specific fields to sync with
the master project?

 

[John]

Creating a master project that way appears to only get me part of the way
there. The master project does not pull data from several of the fields in
the project files (e.g., Notes, Text2, Text3, Finish1, etc.), at least not
from the summary lines in the project files. The Notes field actually pulls
for the tasks that contain notes, but not for the summary task/line.

Is there a way that you know of to flag these specific fields to sync with
the master project?

rryong,
Pardon my bumping in. I agree with Jim, what your macro created doesn't
sound like a true master file but rather a new file made from parts of
other files.

I beg to differ with your statement about a master not showing fields
from summary lines of the subprojects. What the master will NOT show is
fields from the Project Summary Task of subprojects because that summary
line isn't really part of the subproject, hence its task ID of "0". Is
that the summary line you are referring to?

If you create your own top summary line (i.e. at task ID "1") in each
subproject and put your notes and other text data on that line, then it
WILL be shown in the master file. No macro required.

John
Project MVP

 

[Jim Aksel]

John's solution should give you an immediate solution. Although I cannot put
my finger on it immediately, I have been able to access the items in
TaskID(0) (the summary task line) by using VBA. Task 0 is where the
information is stored that can been seen under File/Properties/Summary.

To implement John's TaskID (1) solution, indent all the tasks beneath it.
Let us know how you get along.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Bob]

John's solution should give you an immediate solution. Although I cannot put
my finger on it immediately, I have been able to access the items in
TaskID(0) (the summary task line) by using VBA. Task 0 is where the
information is stored that can been seen under File/Properties/Summary.

To implement John's TaskID (1) solution, indent all the tasks beneath it.
Let us know how you get along.

Jim

Visithttp://project.mvps.org/for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project


Rod Gil's book has all that stuff. It's great.
That will address your problem.

 

[John]

John's solution should give you an immediate solution. Although I cannot put
my finger on it immediately, I have been able to access the items in
TaskID(0) (the summary task line) by using VBA. Task 0 is where the
information is stored that can been seen under File/Properties/Summary.

To implement John's TaskID (1) solution, indent all the tasks beneath it.
Let us know how you get along.

Jim

Jim,
Yes the properties of the Project Summary Line are accessible through
VBA, but they are NOT part of the subproject data that is linked when
creating a master file.

John
Project MVP