custom report

[rooster]

Hi, can anyone out there advise me how to create a report that shows the
following fields: WBS, resource name,code,group,actual hours. When I try
using the normal method in the custom report the drop down fields do not show
code or group, all of the above fields show in the resource sheet where you
enter rates of pay etc and I can enter data on the code and group in this
view but there are no reports that give all of the information I want to see.

 

[JulieS]

Hi rooster,

Have you tried printing the Resource Sheet view with all of the
fields added? Many users of Project primarily print view instead of
reports.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[rooster]

Hi Julie, the problem with the resource sheet view is that it will not
automatically update the actual hours worked over a given period of time ie:
weekly.
Having built my plan and my resource pool I am trying to book actual hours
worked from the employees time sheets into project against the tasks they
have worked on and incorporating a phase code in the group field and another
code in the code field to keep the company bean counter (accountant!!!)
happy. I then want to get any kind of report or sheet that will show what
employees have worked on what tasks and the accummulative actual hours and
labour costs from the hourly pay rates and produce a weekly report thet
updates its self from the data I have input into the system.
I am not even sure if this is achievable as I know project is not really an
accounting system. Have you ever tried doing this or anything simular?

kind regards
Rooster (roger)

 

[JulieS]

Hi Roger,

You may be able to get close to what you want in the Task Usage
view. The fields you list (WBS, Actual Work) are available for
tasks. The resource name will show in the assignment line
underneath the task name and you can add the Resource Group field.
The Actual cost field added to the view will calculate actual cost
based upon resource rate and actual work. The only field that is
not a direct match is the code field. I assume you've entered codes
against the resources in the resource sheet. You could copy and
paste your codes into the Phonetics field added to the resource
sheet and then display the Resource Phonetics field in the left side
of the Task Usage view.

The right side of the Task Usage view also allows you to enter
actual work on a daily or weekly basis. Your other folks (bean
counters) can then look at the daily, weekly, monthly amount of
planned work (baseline), actual work, and remaining work.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[rooster]

Hi Julie,

thankyou for your advice, I have managed to get the fields I require into
the Task Usage field and entered some actual hours just as a practice run,
and project has calculated the accumulative hours and labour cost, the down
side is when I change back to the gantt view project has altered the task
duration and set the task to 100% complete!!. I have set the tasks to be
effort driven and earned value = percentage complete and wonder if either of
these settings are causing the problem? The other problem I think I am going
to get is due to the nature of our work if task has an estimated total of
100hrs work and I book 50 actual hours against it project will calculate the
task is 50% complete when in reality it may only be 40% complete so I need to
be able to enter % complete manually without project altering any of my other
data...I would appreciate your thoughts on this

regards Roger

Rooster

 

[JulieS]

Hi Roger,

There is no "problem" per se of setting tasks to fixed work or using
Physical percent complete -- you are seeing how Project works by
default. If you enter actual work in project, then it will update
other information automatically. If you enter actual work it will
calculate remaining work and percent work complete as well as actual
duration, remaining duration and percent complete. If you enter
actual work equal to or greater than the scheduled work, project
will assume the task is complete.

I suggest if you are going to enter actual data in Project, that you
also show the other tracking fields: Actual and remaining work,
percent work complete, actual and remaining duration.

You can "disconnect" entering % complete from updating actual work
by unchecking "Updating task status updates resource status" on the
Calculation tab of the Tools > Options dialog box. However, I'd
suggest looking into modifying the status in another way. If you
originally estimated that the task would be 100 hours of work and
your resources have performed 50 hours of work but they are not 50%
complete of the work, you need to add more remaining work. By
default Project will spread that additional remaining work and will
calculate a new finish date of the task. If you prefer to manually
add when the remaining work will occur -- entering or modifying the
work field in the right side of the Task Usage view would be what I
recommend.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[rooster]

Hi Julie,

thankyou I will try out your suggestions on Monday and I think they will
resolve the problem and keep the bean counter happy!!

Thanks again for your time and effort.

Roger
PS: if you ever need a job!!!

 

[JulieS]

You're most welcome Roger. Let us know how it goes on Monday for
you and feel free to post back if you have some more questions.

Thanks for the job offer -- if your company is somewhere warm and
tropical and I can count on a 4-day work week -- make me an offer


Julie

 

[rooster]

Hi Julie,

I have tried out your suggestions and they work fine-thank you, I have only
been with my present employer a few weeks and I am trying to show them the
benefits of using project and I have just found out that the bean counter
uses Microsoft Business Solutions-Navision would you happen to know if this
system is compatable with project as they input the employee clock hours into
Navision and it would be very handy if I could import these hours directly
into my task usage sheet where I presently input actual hours worked
manually? I know I would have to set up the task codes and resource names etc
to be the same in both systems but if its do able it would save a lot of time.

kind regards
Roger

 

[JulieS]

Hi Roger,

Sorry, I'm not at all familiar with Navision. You can import data
from Excel into Project but in order to import timescaled data,
you'll need to work with VBA. Sorry, that's not one of my strong
skill sets. However, the microsoft.public.project.developer
newsgroup is the best place to post if you're interested in pursuing
that option further. I can also recommend fellow MVP Rod Gill's
book on Project and VBA. See: http://www.projectvbabook.com

Best,
Julie

 

[rooster]

Hi Julie,

thanks for the info about the book, I have ordered it so I will give it a
try in the new year. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as
for me Im off to Cincinatti for a White Christmas its just too hot in the
UK!!!

best wishes Roger

 

[JulieS]

Great Roger. Enjoy your holidays. We are scheduled for a major
storm here (Maine) on Sunday so we'll definitely have a white
Christmas.

Best,
Julie