Will disabling My Timesheets affect Outlook Add-in

[jremmc]

Here's another configuration question -- We will not be using timesheets and
I know how to disable the functionality (thanks Dale/Gary) to accomplish
that. We do live in Outlook however and users will want to use the Outlook
add-in to update tasks. I've set up Financial Periods and Timesheet Periods
(creating timesheets for June 09-December 09 to start), as I read that
setting up timesheet periods is critical for the Outlook add-in. Will the
Outlook add-in work ok to update tasks?

Thanks,
jremmc

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

The Outlook add in kind of works without the timesheets, but its functionality
is very limited. It still drops tasks into Outlook, but doesn't really allow
you to update very much. You may be better off by using the hack in Outlook
to just create a folder, then within the folder properties set the home page
URL for that folder to the My Tasks page URL + "?SimpleUI=31".

I think it's "31" may be "15." Will have to check my notes.

That works better for a lot of companies.

-A

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

I second Andrew's recommendation. The Outlook add-in is more trouble than
it's worth for most situations.

--
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MSProjectExperts
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[Dale Howard [MVP]]

jremmc --

To confirm Andrew's Outlook hack, add the following text string onto the end
of the URL for the My Tasks page:

?SimpleUI=15

By doing so, the user will see the basic My Tasks page within Outlook,
WITHOUT the Quick Launch menu on the left and WITHOUT the large amount of
"header" area at the top of the PWA page. His hack is very elegant, and is
the way we used to show the View My Tasks page from Project Server 2003 in
Outlook, although in that version, we did not need a hack to create the
Outlook folder in question. Hope this helps.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

And in all honesty, it's a hack I learned from Dale's session on Tips and
Tricks on MOPS03 in Ohio a couple years back.

I point out though that if you click through to the task details then back
to My Tasks, you lose the Simple UI, and it goes back to the traditional
view. Not a big deal from a usage standpoint, just annoying.

-A

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Andrew --

Thanks for the compliment!

And in all honesty, it's a hack I learned from Dale's session on Tips and
Tricks on MOPS03 in Ohio a couple years back.

I point out though that if you click through to the task details then back
to My Tasks, you lose the Simple UI, and it goes back to the traditional
view. Not a big deal from a usage standpoint, just annoying.

-A

 

[jremmc]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks, and thanks for tip, did not think of that.

Thanks too, to Gary and Dale for input.

jremmc