Project Server 2003 use for corporate time tracking-not just proje

[Mike G]

We have about 25 different projects underway (not currently on Server 2003,
but it is available) and I want to see if we can use Project Web Access in
Project Server 2003 to capture weekly time cards. I believe I can put all
employees in the resource pool, set up the 25 projects with plenty of time
allowed to cover expected resource utilization, and then allow all the
employees to enter their time. The 25 projects will need to be ammended with
the administrative items (holidays, vacation, jury duty, etc) so I'll
probably have about 40 overall options.
Is this manageable?
Can I set up each employee to have their manager approve each week?
Can I get reports by project, department, etc.?
Can I include billable and non-billable categories?
Can the project resources include hourly rate (hidden from users, but
available to finance) in order to roll up expenses?
Are the reports easy to generate?
Is this all available via Project Web Access so all approvers need not be
Project users?
Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[James Fraser]

We have about 25 different projects underway (not currently on Server 2003,
but it is available) and I want to see if we can use Project Web Access in
Project Server 2003 to capture weekly time cards. I believe I can put all
employees in the resource pool, set up the 25 projects with plenty of time
allowed to cover expected resource utilization, and then allow all the
employees to enter their time. The 25 projects will need to be ammended with
the administrative items (holidays, vacation, jury duty, etc) so I'll
probably have about 40 overall options.

I agree with the other poster that you need to keep in mind that
Project Server 2003 is _not_ a timecard system. The interface is
oriented towards task status, so it may not be what you expect or want
for time cards. Project Server 2007 is greatly improved in this area,
but there are still third party timecard solutions that take it
further.

To answer your questions directly:

Is this manageable?

Yes. Almost certainly so. It won't run itself, as you or someone will
need to take care of the projects that are taking the time. (Managing
assignments so that resources see the appropriate tasks, &c.) but it
is certainly manageable. One of our clients uses this system to take
time entries from more than 500 employees on more than a thousand
tasks and then bills back to the other units of the business from the
time collected by Project Server. This deployment is growing and
replacing other in-house billing systems. I would guess less than 50%
of the time in this system is on true projects, while the majority is
on "Billing Bucket" tasks that exist only to collect time, not to
manage a project.

Can I set up each employee to have their manager approve each week?

Yes, each manager would need to have a project plan for their
resources to accept time into. (Even if it isn't truly a project.)

Can I get reports by project, department, etc.?

Yes. Outline codes are your friends.

Can I include billable and non-billable categories?

certainly. Outline codes are still your friends. Or use rate tables.

Can the project resources include hourly rate (hidden from users, but
available to finance) in order to roll up expenses?

Yes. But not hidden from managers, or those who approve time for those
resources, though.

Are the reports easy to generate?

Depends on what you mean by easy. Task level reporting is weak out-of-
the-box on 2003, but the database has an published schema.

Is this all available via Project Web Access so all approvers need not be
Project users?

Your last question is your biggest stumbling block. Approvers need to
have access to Project Professional to approve and accept the time. In
2007, there are different work flows for task updates and timesheets.
They can go to different approvers.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Hope it helps...
James Fraser

 

[Michelle]

Mike:

You will need to set up Enterprise Outline Codes in order to track by Department, etc. If you are tracking resources by department, my suggestion is to use the RBS feature. This will allow you to Group as needed in the Portfolio Analyzer reports.
You will not be able to easily set up billable/non-billable hours because in 2003, the OLAP cube does not include Task-Level reports. You would have to create a SQL Reporting view and/or expand the cube. 2007 does allow for this functionality out-of-the-box.

If you want to break-out Project, Non-Project and Non-Working time, you will need to create an Enterprise Project Outline code and add the three values : Project, Non-Project, Non-Working. Each project would then be tagged when saved to the server.

As far as approvals, there are two ways to go about this. First, Time and Task management are separate in Project Server. The Project Owner (person who last publishes the project or selected tasks) accepts "Task Updates" from their resources' assignments. So, if you own a project, assign a Task to me, I will update my Task in PWA. You will review and accept/reject it and apply it to the project plan.

The Resource Manager can approve the "Timesheet." The Timesheet is the 40-hour/week review, whereas Task updates are for Projects only. The Timesheet will show you ALL of the projects that I am working on if you are my Resource Manager, regardless if you are the owner of the projects or not. Approving a Timesheet is separate from approving a project - approving a timesheet does not apply updates to the Project Plan. Also, you need to set up the RBS to designate who reports to who in the org chart.

Most organizations do not use both features because often, Project Managers are also Resource Managers, and this creates double-entry/appproval for them i.e. I have to approve the Task Updates for each of my projects, then go to the Resources Timesheets and approve time there.

My suggestion: Avoid Timesheets and Use "bucket" projects by deparment to account for Non-Project and Non-Working time. i.e. IT Non-Working Time, IT Non-Project Time. Assign all resources within that department to those projects. Make the Resource Manager of the Department the "Project Owner." This means that they will reivew and update the project with task updates sent by the resources.

Make sense?

Let me know, and I'll be happy to answer more questions.

Thanks!

Michelle



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