Master Projects in Project Server

[Shane]

Like most, we have multiple schedules across multiple departments in our
company. We want to be able to track Change Requests (CR) within each
individual schedule. However, we want to create a view within PWA that shows
all the CRs across all the schedules. Just the CRs, not the rest of the
schedule. I can do that with a Master Project and a filter, but I've heard
that Master Projects don't work well within Project Server. Is there a way to
pull this kind of information within PWA without using a Master Schedule.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Shane --

Ask your Project Server administrator to change the permissions to allow you
to save a master project in Project Server. He/she should make sure the
Publish a master project permission is set to Deny, however. You can safely
save a master project in the Project Server database, but you cannot safely
publish it, as doing so will double the resource assignments of every
resource assigned to tasks in every subproject. Hope this helps.

 

[Shane]

You answered my question concerning the publishing of master projects in
Project Server. However, I'm still wondering if it's possible to view similar
data across multiple schedules without a master schedule in PWA. The
Portfolio Analyzer is a good method, but the PivotTable fields are limited. I
can't filter by a custom field or some other field.

Here's an example: I have a 190 task schedule which, among other activities,
contains 20 tasks that represent 2 different change requests. These tasks are
identified using a custom enterprise flag field called CR. Within that
individual schedule, I can create a view using a filter against that flag
field that shows only those 20 tasks. I have a second 245 task schedule
which, among other activities, has 25 tasks that represent 3 different change
requests. These tasks are identified by the same flag field. Both schedules
are published in Project Server. I want to create a view that shows only
those 45 tasks using that flag field as a filter. This can be done within a
master project where these two projects reside.

Is it possible to get a similar view in Project Web Access without using a
master project? The Portfolio Analyzer seems to be the best bet, but, as I
said, the field list is very limited. Am I barking up a dead tree? Is this
even possible?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Shane --

For your purposes, I would recommend a master project.

 

[Matt Piazza, PMP]

Dale and Shane,

I attended a class and the instructor showed us how to modify the fields
captured in the OLAP database. If the CR enterprise field was selected,
couldn't the Portfolio Analyzer then be used to filter for the 45 tasks in
the two projects?

Flower Mound, Texas

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Matt --

Modify the fields how? The Portfolio Analyzer provides project and resource
data across the portfolio, but does not include individual task data.
Custom enterprise Resource and Project outline codes are default dimensions
in the OLAP cube, but custom enterprise Task outline codes are not. So, how
would you modify the fields in the OLAP cube to capture the data he wants?

--
Dale A. Howard [MVP]
Enterprise Project Trainer/Consultant
Denver, Colorado
http://www.msprojectexperts.com
"We wrote the book on Project Server"

 

[Matt Piazza, PMP]

My misunderstanding because I did not realize we were talking about task
level info. I think I may be working too many hours.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Matt --

I would like you to take some time off work, stay home, and rest.

 

[Matt Piazza, PMP]

Dale,

I like your advice. Have a fun holiday season.