This traffic light method removes the need for baselines and can be audited/updated by
sales or customer relation staff via PWA.
For each project make the last task a milestone.
Set the deadline of that milestone. In project this will look like a diamond that represets
the planned finish and the green arrow that represents your completion deadline.
This part dosen't really hit the PWA as traffic lights it is to help explain what is going on.
Create an Enterprise Custom "Project" Field (ecpfd_CustomerDeadline) of type Date this is your Deadline it is setable In the
Project -> Project Information menu.
This is the entire Project reference, not a task baseline type but still a single value reference.
Create an Enterprise Custom "Project" Field (ecpfn_DeadlineVariance) of type Number this will be the Variance between your Planned
Completion Date and the Deadline
set this value to a Formula.
IIf([Enterprise Project Date1]=ProjDateValue("NA"),0,Cint(DateDiff("d",[Project Finish],[Enterprise Project Date1])))
This value after it is calculated within the Project software can then be used in any view to explain the Date Difference (in days)
between
the planned Finish and the Contractual Deadline. It is easy to set this up as a conditional Graphical indicator which shows Green
for early, yellow for "day for day" or zero variance and red for late, or any other million different schemes.
Buy naming the last task a milestone in each Project the same thing (ie. Done") you can use a Macro like this
Sub WriteProjectDeadlineToFinalMilestone()
' this macro depends on accurate naming of the final task
' easy to adjust, tough to ensure maintain
Dim T As Task
Dim TS As Tasks
Set TS = ActiveProject.Tasks
For Each T In TS
If Not T Is Nothing Then
If Trim(T.Name) = "Done" Then
T.Deadline = ActiveProject.ProjectSummaryTask.EnterpriseProjectDate1
End If
End If
Next T
End Sub
Then you can set the Deadline from Project->Project information
namly the
ecpfd_CustomerDeadline which is the ActiveProject.ProjectSummaryTask.EnterpriseProjectDate1.
Once that value is set click the Macro to write that value to move the last tasks deadline (little Green arrow).
All this gets done in the Enterprise Global.
The variance always has to be calculated during a change event in Project Pro.
The ecpfd_CustomerDeadline (ActiveProject.ProjectSummaryTask.EnterpriseProjectDate1) can be editable via
PWA. The traffic light won't change color until the Project has been opened and saved, that is the same for
any traffic light indicator as there are no live enterprise date calculations.
Marc Soester said:
Hi ss028955
I don't have a guide and the functionality of Traffic lights in Project
Server are vast, but here is a little introduction:
firstly, each traffic light in project server 07 is based around custom
fields. You can have 3 different types of custom fields :
- Project Custom fields
- Task Custom fields
- Resource Custom fields
Traffic lights can either be calcualted based on formulars or can be
maintained by a user ( via a drop down window ).
Have a look into Server Settings > Enterprise Custom Fields. Within a
definition of a Custom field you have differnent options. Open one up and you
will see a section called "Values to display". Within this section you will
see the "Graphical Indicators". Here you have the abillity to set your
graphical indicators either on a formula or a field chosen by the user.
PLEASE BE AWARE: do not play in a production environmen
Only in a test
environment. Have a look into these options and if you are a self starter you
will find that this is a good starting point.
Please ask me if you have any more questions. Best of luck
