Adding Company Templates to 2007 Project Server

[Lily]

In regards to templates I have been asked to understand them inside and out.
How to get them on the server, how to make them available so people can start
with that to begin their project plans, can we force someone to always use a
particular template to start out?.

Templates aren’t that broad of a subject, but may work differently in a
server environment vs in offline mode. So I need to understand how we use
them and make recommendations for creating, saving and using them. Not
looking for me at this point to recommend content of the templates, but to
tell PMs how we can set them up for defaults. Is there anything different
when using them on-line vs offline. Once on the server, how can a pm bring
them to their local offline copy to use when they aren’t connected to the
server.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Lily --

You are wise for wanting to create enterprise project templates for the PMs
to use in your organization. You can create an enterprise project template
in a number of ways, including from a completed successful project or
beginning with a blank project and building the template by hand. You don't
need to be connected to Project Server in Microsoft Project 2007 to create
the template as a non-enterprise or local template.

If you create the template locally and have saved it as an .mpp file, you
should import it into the Project Server system using the Import Project
Wizard (Tools - Enterprise Options - Import Project to Enterprise) while
connected to Project Server in Microsoft Project 2007. On the last page of
the Wizard, you will see the Save dialog. Click the Type pick list and
select the Template item. Name your template in a manner that others will
clearly understand how to use it.

To create a new enterprise project from your enterprise templates, your PMs
will need to launch Microsoft Project 2007 and connect to Project Server.
They will need to click File - New. In the New Project sidepane, they will
need to click the On Computer link. In the Templates dialog, they will need
to click the Enterprise Templates tab, select an enterprise project
template, and click the OK button. Hope this helps.

 

[wasonamit]

Dale,

Do you know if a template can be forced to be used by each and every user ?

Thanks

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

wasonamit --

No, there are no default settings in Project Server 2007 to force your PMs
to use an enterprise template. This is strictly a training and performance
issue. Teach them how to create a project from an enterprise template and
then hold them accountable for this behavior. Hope this helps.