Subproject & Master Project

[Deb's Project's questions]

Is it possible to select just specific data from subprojects (not the entire
project) and create a master project?

 

[John]

"Deb's Project's questions"

Is it possible to select just specific data from subprojects (not the entire
project) and create a master project?

Deb,
Well no and yes. In the normal definition of a consolidated master (i.e.
subproject inserted into a master), it is either all or none. In that
regard, a master file cannot be made up of select parts of individual
subproject files. However, depending on how you want to use the master,
there are alternate ways to get what you want.

The simplest method is to use a filter. Identify those tasks within each
subproject that you wish to see in the master (a spare flag field would
work). Then filter on that flag. Only the tasks you want to see will
show up. This approach will still keep the subprojects linked to the
master so everything is still dynamic.

If on the other hand you do not need to have the subproject data linked
to the master, you can either create a static consolidation (uncheck the
"link to file" when you create the master) or copy and paste the
selected tasks into a new file that will become the master.

Hope this helps.
John

 

[Deb's Project's questions]

Thank you very much John.

I'm going to ask you a couple of more questions. Please forgive me if they
sound very basic, as I am a very new user to Microsoft Project.
Here it goes.....
I have not yet created a Master Project. I have two projects that I am
going to be using to create the master project. On one of the sub projects,
I have added a field/column called "Flag" which I see defaults to "No", but
you can change to "Yes". So lets say that I change some of the tasks to
"Yes" and create a filter for this flag column for the tasks marked as "Yes".
Now if I apply the this filter to the subproject, it will "temporarily"
remove these tasks from the view. Then if I create the master project, I
will not see these filtered tasks? Can I work within the master project and
remove the filter to view all tasks?

I hope that my question is clear.
I appreciate any assistance.
Thanks.

 

[John]

"Deb's Project's questions"

Thank you very much John.

I'm going to ask you a couple of more questions. Please forgive me if they
sound very basic, as I am a very new user to Microsoft Project.
Here it goes.....
I have not yet created a Master Project. I have two projects that I am
going to be using to create the master project. On one of the sub projects,
I have added a field/column called "Flag" which I see defaults to "No", but
you can change to "Yes". So lets say that I change some of the tasks to
"Yes" and create a filter for this flag column for the tasks marked as "Yes".
Now if I apply the this filter to the subproject, it will "temporarily"
remove these tasks from the view. Then if I create the master project, I
will not see these filtered tasks? Can I work within the master project and
remove the filter to view all tasks?

I hope that my question is clear.
I appreciate any assistance.
Thanks.

Deb,
Filters can either be unique to a particular project or they can be made
available to all projects. If you create a filter in a subproject that
same filter will NOT be available in the master project unless you put
it there. Or, the filter can be put into your Global file and then it
will be available to all projects you open. For example, let's say
project "A" is the active project and you create a filter for Flag1.
That filter will be saved with project "A" and can be used anytime you
work on that project. Now let's say you create a linked master
(Insert/Project) that contains subprojects "A" and "B". The filter you
created for project "A" will not be available in the master nor will it
be available to project "B". However, if you go to
Tools/Organizer/Filter tab and select your custom named filter in the
selection list on the right (project "A"), it can be copied into the
Global file by hitting "copy" in the middle of the Organizer window.
Then that custom filter will be available to all projects. Make sense?

To answer your question, you can at any time apply the "all tasks"
filter (whether the master is active or one of the subprojects is
active) and all tasks will be visible.

Hope this helps.
John

 

[Deb's Project's questions]

Thank you so much John. You have been extremely helpfull. Thanks for taking
the time to answer my questions.

 

[John]

"Deb's Project's questions"

Thank you so much John. You have been extremely helpfull. Thanks for taking
the time to answer my questions.

Deb,
You're welcome. One thing I forgot to mention. Being a new user, you
might want to go to the MVP website at:
http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm
and check out the frequently asked questions. You could also check out
the Links and Downloads page. It has links to some excellent reference
material put together by my fellow MVPs.

John