Resource Pool References

[Daniel Jameson]

Hi,

We are looking into using MS Project 2007 shared resource pools *without* MS
Project Server. Does anyone have any links to sites that have good tip &
tricks, gotchas or pros & cons that can help us with our foray into project
management with resource pools?

--
Thank you,

Daniel Jameson
SQL Server DBA
Children's Oncology Group
www.childrensoncologygroup.org

 

[Rod Gill]

Hi,

Resource pools work well for small teams of PMs who are well disciplined.
Resource Pools use the old DDE technology and are prone to file corruption.
So, when creating a resource pool, never: rename, move or over-write any
file linked to the pool (including the pool). If anyone does it is a matter
of when not if a file corruption will occur.

Some people have got away with doing one of these for years and others have
corruptions very quickly.

Consider creating consolidated projects weekly by inserting all your
projects into a new blank file with the Link option OFF (in Insert,Project
menu). This consolidates all resources for resource reporting and is
completely safe. A macro can be recorded of the process (make sure the first
action recorded is file, new) so it can easily be run weekly.

Otherwise Pools are good, but if you know your PMs regularly take copies of
files and rename them with date codes then Pools are not for you!

VBA Macros can also be written to create a pool temporarily based on all
files in a nominated folder.

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[Wayne]

Rod,
You sound like you know about corruption in the reource pool . I think i may
have made the mistake you refernece below. So I tried to create a new
resource pool and relink to all the projects. However everytime I do that and
I go into each individual project to link a resource, Microsoft Project
Crashes. Again, in all these projects I have unlinked them from the old
resource pool but they still act corrupted when it ry to link to a new
resource pool? Any Ideas I hope I dont have to retype in all these projects.

Thanks!
Wayne