Timesheets vs My Tasks page

[Rachel]

I am using Project Server 2007 and have some questions about tracking
progress by using the Hours of Work Done per Period method and selecting the
Time entry by Timesheet only; Users will synch to update tasks option in the
Specifying Tracking Method server settings.

1) Project Server locks all the fields on the Assignment Details page for
every resource when you select Time entry by Timesheet only; Users will synch
to update tasks option, which means that resources cannot adjust Remaining
Work on a task. Only the PM can adjust Remaining Work on any task assignment.
When does the PM adjust remaining work if resources enter their actual work
in the timesheets and submit them for approval?
2) When should resources Import Timesheets in the My Task page? When a
timesheet has been saved, saved and submitted, or approved?
3) When does the task progress (i.e. effect the project schedule)? When the
PM approves a timesheet? After a resource Imports Timesheet and submits the
time through the My Task page?
4) Is this a good option to select? We are using administrative time (i.e.
vacation, proposed vacation, etc) so it seems as if we can’t get around using
the timesheets.

Thank you,

Rachel

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Rachel --

Excellent questions! Here's a few thoughts for you:

1. I would recommend that the PM adjust the Remaining Work after approving
task updates from the Task Updates page in PWA. These updates are sent to
the PM for approval from the My Tasks page (not the My Timesheet page). I
would recommend that you establish a process by which resources add a Note
to task updates to recommend increasing or decreasing Remaining Work.

2. I would recommend that resources use the Import Timesheets functionality
on the last day of the reporting period, after entering and submitting time
from the My Timesheets page. Waiting until the timesheet is approved is
cumbersome, and will unnecessarily delay the updates from reaching the PM.

3. The task is updated in the Microsoft Project 2007 plan after the PM
approves the task updates from the Task Updates page in PWA. I would
recommend as a best practice that all of your PMs accept task updates from
within the Microsoft Project 2007 software. When they open a project with
pending task updates, the software will notify them and will invite them to
view the updates, which they should. The software will then display the
Task Updates page inside of Microsoft Project 2007, from which they can
approve the updates and immediately see the result in the project plan. I
think your PMs will really like this feature.

4. I personally feel that the Time entry by Timesheet only is much too
cumberson for companies to use well. In my humble opinion, I think
Microsoft should have not locked the Remaining Work field on the Assignment
Details page, which would make the option much more useful. Instead, why
don't you deselect this option and recommand the following process for all
resources:

-- Enter time on a daily basis on the My Timesheet page and save at the end
of each day.
-- On the last day of the reporting period, enter that day's time on the My
Timesheet page and submit the timehseet for approval.
-- Navigate to the My Tasks page and import the time entered on the My
Timesheet page on task assignments.
-- Adjust the Remaining Work, if necessary.
-- If you increase the Remaining Work, add a task Note to document the
reason for your PM.
-- Submit the task progress to your PM.

I think you will a process such as the above much easier to implement. Hope
this helps.

 

[Kalin]

And does anybody know how can the employee enter a new task from my tasks
that will now last for whole day. For Example he proposes to wok 10 days
(duration) and the work will be 2 days (16h work). Tasks added from My tsaks
are always Fixed units. Why?!?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Kalin --

The default behavior of new tasks added from the My Tasks page is to create
a Fixed Units task with the Duration specified by the team member with the
resource assigned at 100% Units. Beyond that, it is up to the PM to specify
a different Units value, Duration, or Task Type as needed. Hope this helps.

 

[Rachel]

This was very very very helpful. Thank you so much!

 

[Kalin]

Yes I know. But can this default befaviour be changed?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Kalin --

No, there is no way to change this default behavior of Project Server.
Because of this, I recommend you make this a training and performance issue
with your project managers. After they approve a New Task request, they
will need to do the following:

1. Open the project in Project Professional 2007 and locate the new task.
2. Change the Task Type or Duration, if needed.
3. Set task dependencies on Predecessor and Successor tasks.
4. Change the Units or Work for the assigned resource.
5. Publish the latest schedule changes.

Hope this helps.