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Mark Read

Update Anomalies: How to get yourself into and out of trouble with resources in a Project Server World. Mark Read. Agenda. The Second Law of Thermodynamics Project and Process Management Examples of Data Challenges in Project Server Introduction to Sequence Advisors Questions.

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Mark Read

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  1. Update Anomalies: How to get yourself into and out of trouble with resources in a Project Server World Mark Read

  2. Agenda • The Second Law of Thermodynamics • Project and Process Management • Examples of Data Challenges in Project Server • Introduction to Sequence Advisors • Questions

  3. The Second Law of Thermodynamics • states that all work processes tend towards a greater entropy (disorder/lower energy density) over time.

  4. Thermodynamics Project Management Project Management: Order out of Chaos Order Chaos

  5. Feedback Process Process Development: Order out of Chaos Problem Solution

  6. Tasks Actuals Project Server: Order out of Chaos Project Manager Users

  7. Common Resource Naming Issues • Same Resource, Different Resource Names • Hand Typing Resources • Project Managers not used to a resource pool

  8. Duration with Multiple Assignments • The Gantt chart view won’t help you understand what part of a task with multiple assignments is causing your duration to be longer than anticipated. • The task usage view, when coupled with the Assignment Units column, can help sort out which assignment is pushing the duration.

  9. Smart Tags • When editing tasks, they help remember the rubberband (duration/work/units relationship) • They are only effective during the editing of a task. If you edit another task, they are gone • Can help you wrestle with the scheduling engine.

  10. Resource Usage Summaries • Include work for all plans, not just the plan you’re looking at. • Use the Project Team Members filter, but remember that the summary task still includes everyone’s time for all tasks.

  11. Complex Rollups • Used to be there were regular calculation errors on multiple group bys, but Microsoft has fixed some of these in SP1. • Needless to say, they are hard to read.

  12. Multi Value Fields • Great for skills, not for costs • Two Different Groupings with Outline Code 20 and MV 20 • Flat or Hierarchical with OK rollups • Group takes first data instance only, filter for others

  13. Data Levels Enterprise • Resources are the only level have multi-value fields • Any multi-value data that needs to be rolled up or down should be stored at the assignment level • Assignment level fields are hard to get compliance on because there are so many of them… Project Resource Task or Assignment

  14. Maximum work per day • The PWA timesheet will warn about a single cell being over the predefined limit, but it won’t warn about someone working more than 24 hours a day over a group of tasks.

  15. Published Fields in PWA • You can add fields to your plan and to the PWA timesheet • You must set them to be Published fields (Tools>Customize>Published Fields) • You can make them user settable, or NOT • May need VBA on client or SQL on the server to populate formula based fields

  16. Portfolio Analyzer • Great multiple filter capability. • The largest challenge is readability

  17. Permissions • Resources inherit rights from their (multiple) group membership(s) and selectively use the RBS • This comes in handy with complex permission requirements • Use View Effective Rights to diagnose issues

  18. Summary • There is a whole lot of functionality in the base product. • With great power comes great responsibility • The key is to focus on getting the users trained to get the numbers right • Don’t Panic • …there is help out there…

  19. Introduction to Sequence Advisors • Focus on Microsoft Project Management and Knowledge Management Solutions • Expertise in MS Project, Project Server and Office Products including Sharepoint products and MapPoint • Background in Financial Services, Information Technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Consulting, Startups, Telecommunications, Construction • Microsoft Certified Partner with Information Worker Competency

  20. Team Members – Skill Matrix • Mark Read – Principal • Pablo Aguilar - Director of Technology, MCSE • Jean Thompson - Senior Consultant • David Luper - Senior Consultant • Lisa Leung - Senior Consultant • Angel Lance – Consultant, PMP • Dyelan Grace - Senior Software Engineer, MCSE

  21. What do we do? • Project and portfolio management consulting • Installation and configuration services (Server products including Project Server, Sharepoint) • Custom development and integration services (.net, c#, VB) • Infrastructure assistance (Exchange, domain admin, backups, SUS, etc) • Training, Training, Training • Long-term support

  22. What don’t we do? • We don’t provide or license MS software • We don’t sell hardware

  23. Quantitative Evaluation – 30 Plans

  24. SQL Reporting Services

  25. Recent Projects • Utilities • Project Server 2003 for major reengineering effort (25 PMs and 500 users) at large utility. 15 SQL Reporting Services reports covering issue, risk, variance and milestone reports. • Insurance • Project Server 2003 and Project Professional 2003 for 400 people at insurance provider in San Francisco. Financial integration, posting, audit and specialized permissions. • Financial • Project Server and Project Professional 2002 for 220 people at a large financial company in southern California. Integration with Project Request system. Upgrade to 2003 this week. • Medical Products • Project Server 2003 and Project Professional 2003 for 80 person Research & Development division for company in Sunnyvale. • Government • Conversion of legacy data in eLabor system to Project Server 2003 for 80 users in state agency, including conversion of Crystal Reports to Microsoft Reporting Services. • Manufacturing • Project Server 2003 for a waste water control system manufacturer field service in the North Bay. • Network Services • Project Server 2003 and Sharepoint Services for 150 people at a leading broadband services provider. • Consulting • Project Server, Sharepoint Services for a sales program company in the North Bay for 5 Project Managers and 40 Team Members at different IT vendors. We manage their network, servers and desktops as well.

  26. Last but not least… • We are part of the Project 12 Technology Adoption Program and will be involved in the beta process for the next version. • We think Project 12 rocks, and will have some major functionality enhancements that you will get excited about.

  27. Contact Information • Contact us at: • Sequence Advisors • 1512 La Loma Ave • Berkeley CA 94708 • 510 406-4645 • mark@sequenceadvisors.com

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