Protect Project Version ???

[Bob Segrest]

Hello Everyone,

I provide the project management support office (PMSO) and Project Server
2003 administrator services for a team of project managers.

I would like to save an Archive version for each of my projects as they are
approved so that I can at some later point compare the approved Archive
version to the published version being managed by one of my project
managers. This comparison will allow me to validate that no alterations
have been made to the approved project baseline.

Creating a new project version type named Archive is no big deal.

What I need to figure out is a way to lock, hide or protect the Archive
version of the project so that I am the only person that can modify it.

Any ideas?

Bob Segrest, PMP

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Bob --

I know of no method of prevent changes to the Archive version of a project.
Couldn't you make this a training and performance issue instead? Just a
thought.

 

[John]

You could also make an "archive" Project database. Others in this group
have used it as a method of archiving projects when their completed,
however, you could do the same thing. It would involve a little more effort
on your part (from an administration standpoint). But, this would allow you
to save the approved project schedule to both the production and "archive"
databases, then later you could compare the two.

Just a thought.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

John --

Good idea! Thanks.

You could also make an "archive" Project database. Others in this group
have used it as a method of archiving projects when their completed,
however, you could do the same thing. It would involve a little more
effort on your part (from an administration standpoint). But, this would
allow you to save the approved project schedule to both the production and
"archive" databases, then later you could compare the two.

Just a thought.

 

[Bob Segrest]

It is an interesting idea...

Can you compare a project in one database with a project in another
database? Or are you suggesting a manual comparison?

Bob Segrest

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Bob --

You would probably need to open each plan from its respective server and
then save it as an .mpp file. Once you have each one saved, you can use the
Compare Project Versions add-in, available from Microsoft at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...f6-baeb-44ea-becb-75b50fb0e5d7&DisplayLang=en

Hope this helps.

 

[Bob Segrest]

Hi Dale,

This is an idea that could work! However the tool you refer to only
installs if you are running Project 2002. I'm afraid we are working in a
Project 2003 environment. Is there a version for Project 2003?

Bob Segrest

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Bob --

Are you certain you cannot install it with 03, even though it is an 02
version?

 

[Bob Segrest]

Hi Dale,

The installer looks for Microsoft Project 2002 and refuses to install if
only Project 2003 is installed.

Project Pro 2003 allows you to compare two versions of the same project
stored on a Project Server. I have not discovered any way to have it
compare a project on the server with one that is not.

I'm still looking.....

Bob Segrest, PMP