"Automatic" Calculations

[Dave]

I'm using MSP 2003 Server. I've created a custom field that can be
used in the PWA Project Center to display whether or not a project
needs to be published (i.e. has any task(s) where the [Update Needed]
flag is set to "yes"). To do this, I did the following:

Created a field called [Tasks Not Published] using [Enterprise Flag2].
The formula simply makes this field = [Update Needed] and then uses an
"OR" in the rollup to get any "Yes" to rollup to the project/summary
level. Created another field called [Published] using Enterprise
Project Text8 with the formula ... IIf([Tasks Not
Published],"No","Yes")).

The above works fine except for one thing. In order to get it to do
the calculation, I have to open each project and manually calculate.
The problem starts with the OR in the [Tasks Not Published] field. For
example, I move a task to a later date so that the [Update Needed] flag
changes to yes for that task. At that point, the [Tasks Not Published]
field for that task also immediately changes to "Yes"; however, the OR
is not automatically calculated, so the "Yes" does not roll up. If I
manually calculate, the OR kicks in and the Yes rolls up in [Tasks Not
Published]. I have the calculation options set to Automatic for All
Open Projects. So what does that mean? It doesn't really automatically
calculate all open projects? If it does, what is it "automatically
calculating"? I thought that maybe it didn't recalculate until you
saved it and/or only when the project is opened, but it doesn't work
either way. I'm having this same issue with other custom fields I've
created.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
Dave

 

[Reid McTaggart]

Sometimes this problem happens only on the administrator's computer. Have
another user try it and see what happens. If it works for them, then at
least you don't have to worry much, since you know to recalc your own stuff.

I am not sure I am remembering correctly, but I think it might help if you
delete all instances of the file GLOBAL.MPT on your PC. It's easy, so it's
worth a shot.

 

[Dave]

Thanks for your response Reid. I deleted all instances of the
GLOBAL.MPT file as you suggested, but it didn't help. I also checked
out the issue on a "non-administrator's" PC and also no luck. So am I
to understand that this is a bug in MS Project 2003? Is anyone else
having this problem? Anything else I can try?

It seems to me that this kind of renders a lot of the intended
functionality of custom enterprise fields somewhat useless. I'm
having the same problem, for example, with another field that I called
"Go Live Status". The intent of this field is to show in a PWA Project
Center view whether or not the Go Live Date (or implementation date)
for a project has moved at all. It would seem reasonable that, once a
PM updates his/her project and the Go Live Date is pushed out by say a
week, that when they save their changes the custom fields would be
automatically calculated and the change would be reflected in the PWA
view, but it isn't - unless you manually calculate before exiting -
which stinks. Unless you (or anyone else has any suggestions), I guess
the only thing I can do is to ask PMs to manually calculate before
saving (or try to find another way to do this).

Thanks Again.
Dave

 

[TGG]

Dave,

You might consider creating a simple macro to run at FileSave event time
which performs the recalculation. I had to do this to move some calculated
values into the Project Summary task.

TGG
blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/evildoctorporkchop

 

[Dave]

Thanks TGG. Good idea.