Question: Clear baseline

[Merry]

Hi,
As our EPM admin trained us, the baseline can't be changed without approval.
In MS Project Pro 2007, there is a function named "Clear Baseline...". If
the project owner always clear the old baseline, what can EPM admin to
prevent the owner to do this.

Thanks,
Merry

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Merry --

There is a Group/Category permission called "Save Protected Baseline." If
the Project Server administrator sets this permission to Denied for the My
Projects category and the My Organization category in the Project Managers
security Group, then your PMs will NOT be able to save, clear, or tamper
with a Baseline. Instead, someone with higher authority (such as a PMO
staff member) must baseline/rebaseline each project as needed. Beyond this,
there is no way to prevent a PM from rebaselining a project or clearing the
baseline for a project, which simply means you have to make this a training
and performance issue. Hope this helps.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

The EPM Admin can control access to baselines through security settings.
It's a Group setting for protected baselines, and a Category setting for
Unprotected baselines (Baseline6-10).

That, I believe should lock the baseline down and preclude anyone from saving
over it. I haven't tested it against the "clear" function, but it should
function much the same way.

 

[Merry]

Thanks Howard, that helps

But another question, our project is needed to have baseline setup by
project owner, does it mean in fact our PM can clear baseline or re-setup
baseline when PM wants?
I asked one question before, MS Project Admin can't see when a project is
re-setup baseline and can't audit re-baseline. Am I right?

Thanks,
Merry

 

[Merry]

Thanks, Andrew.

Understand.

Merry

The EPM Admin can control access to baselines through security settings.
It's a Group setting for protected baselines, and a Category setting for
Unprotected baselines (Baseline6-10).

That, I believe should lock the baseline down and preclude anyone from saving
over it. I haven't tested it against the "clear" function, but it should
function much the same way.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Merry --

If a PM can save a baseline, then he/she can clear the baseline or
rebaseline the project. If the Project Server administrator opens a
project, clicks Tools - Tracking - Set Baseline, he/she can see the date the
baseline was last saved. If the baseline saved date is before the project
Start date, then the PM has not tampered with the baseline. If the baseline
saved date is quite a while after the project Start date, then I would
surmise that the PM has rebaselined his/her project against your company's
methodology. Hope this helps.

 

[Merry]

Thanks Howard,

That helps.

So I can say our EPM admin's rule as below is very funny.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once an initial baseline has been established, please remember that it
should not be reset unless the project meets specific exception criteria:
* Project Scope Change – Amendments or additions to the BRD that exceed 15%
of the total project baselined work effort or duration
* Project work being resumed after the project was placed on-hold