Discrepancies of Actuals WOrk Protected in Timesheets and Project

[TP]

Hello,

We use PWA for actuals entry and update these Actuals into Project (Server
pack 2).

Recently, I discover that there are discrepancies of Actuals Work Protected
in projects and what we can see from resource timesheets or from Adjust
Actuals view.

I have tried to republish and sync but it did not change anything. Tasks
where there are discrepancies seem correct.

Do you have any idea why ??

Thanks

 

[ljsexton]

I would be most interested in replies to this as I just discovered same
problem this week as we are starting to export PWA Actual time information
to our accounting department.
Thanks
Jackie

 

[Reid McTaggart]

Do the mismatches involve Administrative projects?

If not, try Republish, Sync, Republish, Sync.

 

[TP]

Hello
The mismatches are not in an admin project. It appears in several projects.
I just have tried again to Republish (twice : project information+Assigment)
Sync, Republish, Sync and no result: the timesheet or the Adjust Actuals view
show Actuals that don't balance with Actuals Protected Work in the project!

What could be the root causes and what to to then???
Thanks

 

[TP]

Hello
For Reid: The mismatches are not in an admin project. It appears in several projects.
I just have tried again to Republish (twice : project information+Assigment)
Sync, Republish, Sync and no result: the timesheet or the Adjust Actuals view
show Actuals that don't balance with Actuals Protected Work in the project!

What could be the root causes and what to to then???

For Jackie: Could you please provide me with your Cie name? If we need to
write a business impact for MS because it's a bug, then we have more chance.

 

[clin341]

TP,

I've been looking into this issue for a while now. There seems to be
multiple problems. Since we detected the problem due to the reports in
Portfolio Analyzer not matching the data entered from the timesheet, I wrote
a SQL query to look at tables msp_web_work and msp_cube_assn_fact. The
results of the query showed me 2 different data issues.

1) Data is in Timesheets but not in Project Professional.
2) Data is in Project but not in PWA.

In order to "fix" the data, I asked the resources to go into PWA and zero
out the discrepancies, hit update, then re-enter the data. When the project
manager accepts the updates, the hours are in sync and the data is fixed.
Even though this fixes the data, I don't know what caused this in the first
place. I do know that this is an on going problem so I'm running a sql
script to monitor this issue.

Unfortunately, I've also uncovered a much bigger issue. In one project,
I've traced the problem to missing assignments. In the timesheet view, the
task is available for the resource to enter time. In the project
professional, the resource isn't assigned to the task at all. I'm not sure
how to fix this yet or how this has happened. Are you having this issue as
well?

CLin

 

[TP]

So, many cies are experiencing this issue. I wonder what happens in MS team
for that?
Clin: Would you accept sharing your SQL so we can fix data whaile waiting
for fixed code? My email adress (e-mail address removed).
We have been using EPm sine the beginning of 2006 only. So I have not
noticed yet discrepancies in assignment. Maybe in a few weeks ....
Thanks

 

[clin341]

Sure. Sorry for the delay.

So, many cies are experiencing this issue. I wonder what happens in MS team
for that?
Clin: Would you accept sharing your SQL so we can fix data whaile waiting
for fixed code? My email adress (e-mail address removed).
We have been using EPm sine the beginning of 2006 only. So I have not
noticed yet discrepancies in assignment. Maybe in a few weeks ....
Thanks

 

[Carl Dalton]

just to add fuel to the fire
there are instances where TP assignment data seems to corrupt.
examples:

1 Web Assignment data shows Actuals that have been processed to plan
- plan shows no data (even tho protected actuals are on and synching
done

2 Web Assignment data shows actuals fully processed
- plan shows diff values in AW and AW protected, therefore synching
cannot be done
- adjust actuals jobs dont process (error returned stating "assignment
appears to have problems"
- timesheet entering not allows (same error)
- only way to resolve is via opening MTP up, editing plan and
republishing incl overwriting of ts actuals, then turning MTP back on

3 Web Assignment data and Plan AW/AWP get out of synch and CANNOT be
synched.
- only resolution is to Delete All Actuals, then resynch to recreate
actuals in plan

as i say, fuel to the fire.

 

[Ger]

I've noticed that the sum of AWP is not correct in MSP. In Resource Usage,
if I manually add up the AWP values for a person's individual assignments I
get a higher number than what is shown against the person's name. The
Calculate Now command does not help. Anyone noticed this discrepancy?

 

[Carl Dalton]

I have seen instances where TP data doesnt add up to task level data.
these values are stored in seperate locations within the schema, and
can be caused by "spurious" values being created in AWP in the project.

however, if you are using a template, i would double check the template
doesnt contain invalid residual AWP values (as happened with one of my
clients)!!

 

[clin341]

In a recent MPA meeting, someone mentioned that when they went to Managed
Time Periods, the problems went away. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks,
CLin

 

[Nate]

Hello CLin:

We are on SP1 across the board, did not have the issues before upgrading to
MTP, did not see them until some time after enabling MTP, and are seeing the
issues crop up more and more since April 12th. No clear assignable cause or
changes...

I would also really appreciate if you could share the SQL queries you
developed for monitoring this with nweber AT ercot dot com.

Separate note: I have a call into MS support and as of yet they are unabe to
reproduce the problem with our db backup.

Thanks,
--Nate

 

[Niki]

Clin341,

We have the same problem as described! Would you accept sharing your SQL
script to me too so we can fix data? My email adress --> (e-mail address removed).

 

[dclarcq]

Hello CLin,

We are using managed timesheets and we are seeing many of the same symptoms.
Has anyone had any updates since this post. Clin, would you mind sharing your
scripts that you are using to contain these issues. Another issue we are
having is after rescheduling uncompleted work, certain tasks will be pulled
back to their original place after synching with actuals. Has anyone found
additional areas for information on this problem?

Thanks,

DClarcq

 

[Linda]

I have had this happen before and the only solution I have yet to try is to
republish the "corrected" project plan--BUT-- you have to click
Collaborate/Publish/Republish Assignments.

When you click republish assignments you must save the project plan (but
don't sync with timesheets). Then you have to click "Overwrite Actual work
entered by resources." If it is unavailable, you'll need an administrator to
give you permissions to do so.

The only other solution I was told was to delete the offending task and
recreate it by entering the actuals in again by Adjusting Actuals.

I hope this helps.

 

[dclarcq]

Thanks Linda, I'm willing to try anything........I'll post when I know
something new.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[hinrgsunshine2]

clin341,
Can you post your sql script that you used to monitor this behavior? We're
having problems in MTPs and synching with protected actuals. In some
cases MS Project crashes when you attempt to sync. Trying to see what
is going on in the DB.

 

[Linda]

I forgot to mention a few other specifics that will affect your issue.

1. If the resource that has inaccurate actuals is set as "inactive" in the
Enterprise Resource List, you will not be able to fix the actuals. You must
"reactivate" the resource to fix the actuals. Don't forget to mark them
inactive when you are done.

2. If the weeks for the inaccurate actuals are "closed" on the server
(protected by your organization) the "Overwrite Actual work entered by
resources" will be disabled, even if you are a Resource Admin with rights to
adjust hours for resources.

3. If the task has already been completed, and you are trying to
"uncomplete" the task through adjusting actuals, it won't work. The server
limits updates to completed tasks after it marks them complete. I've gotten
around this by entering additional hours on the task to make it "uncomplete"
and then adjusting hours and removing the extra hours when I'm finished. But
the weeks must not be "closed" and the resources must be active.

4. SP1 has bug issues where the actuals in the project are not the same
actuals on the server. I am experiencing this now and my only option for
correction (since I did all the steps listed above) is to upgrade MS Project
Server to SP2a. Please note that you cannot upgrade to SP2a without first
running the SQL script to upgrade the DB first. If you don't upgrade the DB
first you will have calculation errors.

Also, you must remember that if you upgrade the server to SP2a, you must
upgrade all the desktops to SP2 too.

5. I am investigating an apparent limit in the number of weeks Project
Server will let you adjust, regardless of whether or not they are marked as
"Open." I will know the answer to this after I upgrade my server and DB.

L.