Master Project File- MS Project Standard 2003

[kkennedy]

Hi- I'm having issues with my master project list not reflecting information
that is on the sharer files summary line.
1- I open a new project file
2- Import all my project files
3- Certain columns that are in summary lines of the sharer files are not
linking/importing data up to the master project file (Cost Variance, Baseline
Budget, Description which is linked from File Properties-->Comments-->linked
to Notes column, Project Manager, Phase (added text file) etc.)

This feels like a really basic problem- I'm convinced it is user error
(me!). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time, Kourtney

 

[John]

Hi- I'm having issues with my master project list not reflecting information
that is on the sharer files summary line.
1- I open a new project file
2- Import all my project files
3- Certain columns that are in summary lines of the sharer files are not
linking/importing data up to the master project file (Cost Variance, Baseline
Budget, Description which is linked from File Properties-->Comments-->linked
to Notes column, Project Manager, Phase (added text file) etc.)

This feels like a really basic problem- I'm convinced it is user error
(me!). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time, Kourtney

kkennedy,
What exactly do you mean in step 2 when you say, "import all my project
files"? With a true consolidated master, the subproject files are not
imported, they are inserted (Insert/Project). What that means is that a
pointer to the subproject files is inserted into the master. The
subproject files do NOT actually become part of the master (i.e. no data
is "imported").

If you create a dynamic master as described above, all field data of the
subproject files can be viewed at the master level, assuming the view in
the master is set up to display those fields as columns in the view.
Views in the master are independent of views in the subproject files.
For example, the Gantt Chart view in the master can look very different
from the Gantt Chart view in any one of the subproject files. It all
depends on how the view table is defined for that file.

File properties of individual subprojects do not show up at the master
level because the properties are those of the master. Based on that, I
don't understand when you say that subproject properties (e.g. comments,
etc.) are linked to something. What exactly have you done?

John
Project MVP

 

[kkennedy]

Hi John, Thank you for responding. Yes, I meant "insert." And yes, the view
in the master is set up to display the fields as columns that are in the
subprojects. The problem is that the values are 0, not the numbers that are
in the summary lines of the subprojects. kkennedy

 

[John]

Hi John, Thank you for responding. Yes, I meant "insert." And yes, the view
in the master is set up to display the fields as columns that are in the
subprojects. The problem is that the values are 0, not the numbers that are
in the summary lines of the subprojects. kkennedy

kkennedy,
Two things can impact this. First, make sure you have calculation set to
automatic. Second, make sure the option is checked to calculate inserted
projects like summary tasks. Both options are under
Tools/Options/Calculation tab.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[kkennedy]

Hi John- In the Master Project File- under Tools-->Options-->Calculation Tab
the Calculation mode is set to automatic and the option is checked for
"Inserted projects are calculated like summary tasks." hmmmm...I was
wondering if anyone would be willing to spend 5 minutes on GoToMeeting so
that I could virtually show you what is not working- perhaps a picture is
worth a thousand replies? =)

 

[John]

Hi John- In the Master Project File- under Tools-->Options-->Calculation Tab
the Calculation mode is set to automatic and the option is checked for
"Inserted projects are calculated like summary tasks." hmmmm...I was
wondering if anyone would be willing to spend 5 minutes on GoToMeeting so
that I could virtually show you what is not working- perhaps a picture is
worth a thousand replies? =)

kkennedy,
I don't know what you mean by "GoToMeeting" but if you want to e-mail me
your files, I will take a quick look at them when I get a chance. If you
do send them be sure to fully explain what you expect me to see. Also I
will ask you some questions before I look at them.

John
Project MVP
jensenj6atatcomcastdotdotnet
(remove obvious redundancies)

 

[kkennedy]

Hello John and Jan!

Thank you for all of your help. The quick solution to my problem was writing
a Macro in VB to map all of the columns in the sub-projects to the columns in
the master. Thank you John and Jan for offering your time and your help- I
found someone here that wrote a Macro in VB for me and it works like a
charm!!! It has saved 10 project coordinators countless hours of manual input
and my sanity. If anyone would like the code, just let me know and I will
post it. kkennedy

 

[John]

Hello John and Jan!

Thank you for all of your help. The quick solution to my problem was writing
a Macro in VB to map all of the columns in the sub-projects to the columns in
the master. Thank you John and Jan for offering your time and your help- I
found someone here that wrote a Macro in VB for me and it works like a
charm!!! It has saved 10 project coordinators countless hours of manual input
and my sanity. If anyone would like the code, just let me know and I will
post it. kkennedy

kkennedy,
You're welcome. I'm glad you found a solution.

John