Can a Remote User Update a Subproject in a Dynamic Master?

[DPD]

I’m using MS Project 2003 SP2 on Windows XP Professional. I need to manage a
project that has about 18 subprojects associated with it. The subproject
plans were written by five project managers (PMs) who will each have
responsibility for updating their plans throughout the course of the project.

I plan to create a dynamic master and insert the PMs’ plans as subprojects.
I will create a shared resource pool for the subprojects. I will also be
setting up predecessors between the subprojects. I will place the master
plan, resource pool, and subprojects in a shared folder on a server for all
the PMs to access.

Four of the five PMs are employees and can connect to the company network
while working on the plans.

However, the fifth PM is an external consultant. She will be able to
intermittently connect to the shared folder where the plans are stored, but
will not be continuously connected. She needs a way to make edits to her
plan while not connected to the shared folder, and I need a way to get her
updates into the master plan and resource pool.

I have tested the following process. The consultant makes a copy of her plan
from the shared folder to her local hard drive and then disconnects from our
network. She then updates her local copy of her plan. When she reconnects to
the network, she can copy her updated plan to the shared folder, overwriting
the previous version of her plan. Then when I open the master plan and the
resource pool in the shared folder, the consultant’s changes appear in the
master plan and resource pool. This seems to be an easy way to receive
updates from the consultant. But I have seen warnings in this user group
that overwriting plans connected to a resource pool can cause file
corruption. I want to avoid file corruption; if my scenario is risky, do you
have any other suggestions for how to receive updates from the disconnected
consultant?

Thanks for any help you can offer. I’ve learned a lot reading the posts in
this group.

 

[John]

I’m using MS Project 2003 SP2 on Windows XP Professional. I need to manage a
project that has about 18 subprojects associated with it. The subproject
plans were written by five project managers (PMs) who will each have
responsibility for updating their plans throughout the course of the project.

I plan to create a dynamic master and insert the PMs’ plans as subprojects.
I will create a shared resource pool for the subprojects. I will also be
setting up predecessors between the subprojects. I will place the master
plan, resource pool, and subprojects in a shared folder on a server for all
the PMs to access.

Four of the five PMs are employees and can connect to the company network
while working on the plans.

However, the fifth PM is an external consultant. She will be able to
intermittently connect to the shared folder where the plans are stored, but
will not be continuously connected. She needs a way to make edits to her
plan while not connected to the shared folder, and I need a way to get her
updates into the master plan and resource pool.

I have tested the following process. The consultant makes a copy of her plan
from the shared folder to her local hard drive and then disconnects from our
network. She then updates her local copy of her plan. When she reconnects to
the network, she can copy her updated plan to the shared folder, overwriting
the previous version of her plan. Then when I open the master plan and the
resource pool in the shared folder, the consultant’s changes appear in the
master plan and resource pool. This seems to be an easy way to receive
updates from the consultant. But I have seen warnings in this user group
that overwriting plans connected to a resource pool can cause file
corruption. I want to avoid file corruption; if my scenario is risky, do you
have any other suggestions for how to receive updates from the disconnected
consultant?

Thanks for any help you can offer. I’ve learned a lot reading the posts in
this group.

DPD,
This is exactly the approach we used years ago, however it was only used
as a last resort (i.e. when someone screwed up a file). Because of the
linking structure, I would not recommend it on a regular basis. You may
get lucky (you certainly have taken the necessary precautions), but I
would say you are asking for trouble.

Obviously the best scenario would be to get the consultant remote access
to the server however that may not be viable for various reasons in your
situation.

Although I know very little about it, I believe Project Server has the
capability to do what you need. You might want to post to our sister
newsgroup, microsoft.public.project.server and hear what the server MVPs
have to say.

If Server is also not a desirable option, I believe the safest approach
is a manual update. This could be automated with VBA for more efficiency
and less chance for error, but it does of course require knowledge of
VBA.

Unless someone else has a better suggestion, I see the above as your
best options.

John
Project MVP

 

[DPD]

John,

Thanks for the quick and straightforward feedback. I'll share this info
with my team and see about setting up a manual update process for our
consultant.

Thanks,
DPD

 

[John]

John,

Thanks for the quick and straightforward feedback. I'll share this info
with my team and see about setting up a manual update process for our
consultant.

Thanks,
DPD

DPD,
You're welcome and good luck with your process. At least you are
approaching the issue with some real forethought.

John