Update All in Update tab

M

MARY DAHL

on the update tab, there is the option to 'update all', I was always told not
to use this as it could create spooler errors as the database can't handling
all those updates at once, is this true?
 
M

Mark Everett | PMP

on the update tab, there is the option to 'update all', I was always told not
to use this as it could create spooler errors as the database can't handling
all those updates at once, is this true?
Click to expand...

Based on my experience, the answer is "maybe." I have personally used
it to update multiple projects where the data was pretty clean, but I
have seen it cause Project to shut down when updating just a few
projects, where there were many tasks and not very clean data (meaning
horrendus overallocation).

Mark S. Everett | PMP
www.quantumpm.com
 
D

Dale Howard [MVP]

Mary --

Our best practice is to process task updates for only one project at a time.
This allows the PM to process the updates, study the changes made in the
project by the udpates, analyze the project variance in that project, make
revisions as needed, and then publish the latest schedule changes. I think
this is a much better way to handle updates that to "throw all updates
against all projects" simultaneously, although it does take a little more
time to do. I think the benefits of project analysis on each project
individually outweight the extra time it takes. Hope this helps.
 
M

MARY DAHL

one more question, when the PM updates, it's only pulling current data right?
I'm just wondering why some take so long and just hang, I notice it is more
with the larger projects?
 
D

Dale Howard [MVP]

Mary --

Yes, it only processes the current set of updates for a project. No idea
why it would be hanging or taking such a long time. To speed things up, you
might try launching Microsoft Project and opening the project BEFORE you
process the updates for the project in PWA. I have found that speeds things
up quite a bit. Hope this helps.
 
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