Multiple Project View

[Rick Carlisle]

I'm a new poster so please excuse me if this has already been answered. I
wasn't able to find a FAQ area.

I am using a Master Project in order to compile several projects for
resource allocation purposes. The problem that I have now is generating a
useful view of the overall project. Unlike Excel, I don't have the ability
to change a "View" value to see more of the project.

Does anyone have a good solution to this? I would even be up to, with
reservations, exporting data to Excel or some other program if needed.

Thank you for the assistance.

Rick Carlisle

 

[tadk]

Hi Rick,

This really wont answer your question, but I am curious since i am in a
similar situation. Do you have all your separate projects as separate files,
or did you make a single master project.
I inherited this position and currently 30 plus active projects i am working
on resource loading, scheduling, etc, and I have them into a single Master
Project with a shared Resource Pool trying to balance the work load.

Curious as to your set up to give me ideas and clues.

Thanks in advance

Tad

 

[Rick Carlisle]

Hey Tad,

I too am using a shared resource pool. I have each project in its own file
and then and using the master project to bring them together. Another reason
I do this is to facilitate the process of "Analyzing Timescaled Data in
Excel." I report on planned manpower hours on a monthly basis for the
business year. Having each separate project in its own file allows me to
report these hours per each project budget more easily. And when the
individual project is complete I can easily pull it out of my compiled master
project file.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[tadk]

Rick,

Thank you very much
Seems like we are going the same path, only you are a lot farther along it
than I am.
I appreicate the response and hopefully someone else posts as well with some
suggestions.
Best to you
Tad

 

[Wiley]

Rick,

Can you define the "useful view fo the overall project"? You should be able
to do this within your master. If you give us more detail, we can guide you
better.

 

[Rick Carlisle]

To better define useful:

I am able to modify the date zoom level for the horizontal direction of my
project. Is there a way to control the number of rows that I see for my
project? Even after applying an appropriate Date Range filter I would still
like to "back up" a bit in order to see all my tasks. The only way I can see
all the tasks right now is to print a hard copy on one of our large plotters.
It would be nice to just do that on the screen.

Thanks,

Rick

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Rick,

The only way to increase the number ot tasks in view on the screen is to
reduce the font size for all the text, including headings, to a minimum. You
can often type in a smaller size than offered. Then you can reduce the
width of the bars. Then remove all the tool bars. You can purchase a
bigger screen. On my laptop, I can get 27 rows using font 4 and bar size 6.
Mind you, I can't read the text so it all seems rather pointless, and
thereby hangs the rub!

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials

 

[Wiley]

Now I think I understand. You are on the right track to keep working with
filters. That is the best way. SOme other options include:

1. In the Print dialog, you can ask it to go by date range as well.
2. On the Formatting toolbar, you can use the Show button to select how
many levels you want to show (1 indent = 1 level).
3. You can use the Autofilter button on the Formatting toolbar. Like Excel
it allows for filtering on any column or combination of columns.
4. And if all else fails, I use an unused flag column. Then set the flag
for the rows I want to see, and filter for the flag.

Finally ask, does your audience want pictures or data. If it is pictures,
use the separator bar to make maximum use fo showing the Gantt with a choice
column or two. If they want data, only print the data columns.
Hopefully one or more of these will help. Sometimes it just boils down to
creativity.