update task by email

[jaop73]

I have several tasks in a project, per example, the task A is assigned to
"Richard", and I would like to send him an email to update the percentage of
his task assigment, and he can reply to me with his task update and I can
update my project file with his reply.

How I can accomplish that?

all my users are using Outlook XP, I am using Microsoft Project Standard 2003.

Do I need something? Do I need microsoft project server?

Thanks,

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jaop73,

Server is the preferred answer. Unfortunately in your case, if you purchase
Project Server 2003 you would also need to purchase Project 2003 Professional.

However, see :

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;818337

for information on downloading and installing the Workgroup message handler
for MS Project 2003.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[jaop73]

Dear JulieS
Thank you for your information, i did it the way that shows the article.

Now i believe that I have a bug or something, here is my test that I did so
far:
"as a test I created a test project file with three task.
(one day = 8 hous of work)
task 1 -- 1 day -- start today
task 2 -- 1 day -- start tomorrow
task 3 -- 1 day -- start the day after tomorrow.

Now, I assign me for those three task. I send, ONLY for the task 1, a
"Request progress information..", i recieved the email myself, i type 8 hours
of work to simulate that the work was complete today, I sent the update.
Later i recevied the update and I update the project file.

Now, when I click update project (from the email), my project file is open,
BUT here is the problem, this automatization add ONE more day to the task 1,
and mark 50% complete, when I supposed to mark 8 hours or 100% complete.
This increment all other task since are linked.

this is a bug, or not.

Also, i would like to send by email, the % completed of the task, and NOT
the HOURS of some day. Where i can modify that????

By the way, I installed Project Prof. 2003 instead standar 2003.

Thanks,

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jaop73,

It's been awhile since I used the workgroup message handler, but I think
that the problem may be in how you entered in your actual work. If I recall
correctly, there is also a "Remaining Work" value in the email message. You
need to make sure you enter zero for remaining work if the task is complete.

As far as customizing the values requested in the email, again as far as I
can recall it's in the Tools > Customize > Published fields.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

An additional comment - asking for updates from your resources phrased as "%
Complete" is asking for trouble. MS Project is very specific about what %
Complete means - it refers to duration worked versus duration planned. If
I've worked 5 days on a 10 day long task I'm 50% complete. But most people
think it means how much of the work they've done or what percent of whatever
thing they're working on they have finished. In addition, most of us want to
look good and so we tend to "fudge" it on the high side when our bosses ask
us how things are coming. The combination of factors means that a resource
reporting he's 50% complete on his task is extremely unreliable. OTOH, if
he says "I've done 5 hours of work and I think it'll take another 15 hours
before I'm done" is very specific and something that you can reasonably rely
on.

 

[jaop73]

Thank you Steve,
That's 100% true. But I would like to track the work done by percentage.

Now, back to the original question. I made another test, here the example:

Task 1 -- 8 h - thursday.
task 2 -- 8 h - friday.
Both link one each other.

NOw when i request the work done, assuming that my employee works and
finished the task in 8 h, he reply to me with 8 h work. but when i update my
project, still add one more day to the task 1 (to finish in friday) and the
percentage complete is only 50%. Now when I MANUALLY, change back the finish
date to the original date (thursday), the task is complete (100%).

Why is that? I am doing something wrong?

Thanks for your help

 

[jaop73]

Dear Julie,

Thank you for your information, was very useful,
another question, how i can display in the email ONLY the PERCENTAGE (%)
complete. I do not want to include the reminder hours, the work hours, and
other information that the default config has.

Thanks,