External Dependencies - Using Unique ID?

[VHS]

Hi,

I am currently using MS Project 2003 SP3.

Currently I am having 2 project plans and requires predecessors to setup
across project plans. As per the MS project help I followed the step and this
works fine. (Help > Linking Tasks > Linking tasks across projects).

As mentioned on the help -->
In the ID column, type the project name and ID number of the external
predecessor, separated by a backslash, for example Project1\1 for Task ID 1
in a file named Project1.


Question is -
a. Instead of Task ID can I use Unique ID? If so, how?
b. Reason for asking is, MS project automatically adds the tasks in both
project plans and this keep chaning the Task IDs. Though MS project
atuomatically updates the prdecessors/successors with that, the problem is if
we have multiple tasks to be setup for predecessors, this process becomes
very tedious. Instead if there is a way we can set the predecessors based on
we can note down the IDs on a notepad and than add all of them in one shot.
c. Is there any other better approach to handler such situation for external
dependencies?

Your earliest response will be of great help. Thanks in advance!

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi VHS,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Try Tools/Options.../Schedule tab and uncheck Autolink inserted or moved
tasks. This will prevent the autochaining you've experienced.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

 

[VHS]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your response.

I verified the 'Autolink interted or moved tasks' under the tools - options
- schedule. And currently it's 'unchecked'. Still the MS project
automatically links/creates the task. So I tried by checking the same and I
don't find any difference in behavior for the external dependecies. i.e. it
still creates the task in both the plans. Not sure if this option is
applicable for external dependecies.

btw - in my previous post I mentioned autochaining instead of autochanging.
Coincidentaly that also makes sense.

So the bottom line - I am still looking for a solution. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

VHS --

First of all, you need to know that you cannot create external dependencies
using Unique ID, so let go of that thought. Here's a couple of ideas
for you:

1. To create cross-project dependencies, ditch the Help file from
Microsoft, as that process is much too tedious and labor intensive.
Instead, first open each of the projects that you want to link with
cross-project dependencies. Then click Window - New Window. In the New
Window dialog, select all of the projects you have open and then click the
OK button. You have just created a temporary master project in which you
can create the cross-project dependencies easily.

2. In the temporary master project, set your cross-project dependencies as
needed. Click File - Close to close the temporary master project. When
prompted to save the temporary master project file, click the No button. If
prompted to save each of the subprojects, click the Yes to All button (you
should not be prompted because you have each of the projects currently
open).

3. In each of your projects, click Tools - Options - View. You can hide
the external tasks ("ghost" tasks) by deselecting the "Show external
successors" and "Show external predecessors" options.

You cannot prevent the software from renumbering tasks due to external
dependencies, so let go of that thought as well. If necessary, insert the
Unique ID in each project to identify the original task ID order, assuming
you entered the tasks in the order in which they appear. Hope this helps.

 

[miles G]

I hesitate to contradict a MVP but maybe I'll learn my "obvious" error that I fear I'm about to make!

I am using UIDs to build external dependencies....

My situation is thus:
* I have to maintain a set of separate project plan files which have dependencies between them - no linking allowed.
* I need to demonstrate the Critical Path through all the files - thus I have to link them however this linked set of files is hidden from the users (client request).
* Each week / fortnight I need to create (from scratch) a master / sub programme plan with the previously unlinked files linked.

To do this I:
* Each Deliverable milestone is given a unique reference (PLAN_d_nnn) in Text 10 which is also shown in text10 in the customer plan against the relevant dependency milestone
* An Excel workbook contains a list of the deliverables from all plan (copy and paste a view containing Unique Ref / Project / UID fields). For each plan there is a workbook containing columns Unique Ref and Dep_Ref
* Under Dep_ref is a formula which contatonates the Project and UID information for each dependency (referencing the Deliverable information) so that you end up with each dependency having an entry PLAN.mpp\UID. In this case the formula is =vlookup(Unique Ref,deps,2,false)&".mpp\"&vlookup(unique ref,deps,3,false).
* the resulting set of dependency references are copied and pasted into the UID Predecessor column of each of the plans causing the plans to become linked.
Note that the plans need all to be in the same directory for this to work. It is also very advantageous to have a set of filters and views to enable you to display only the deliverables and then only the dependencies (I use text11 with Dep or Del in).

Dale - what's wrong with the above? so far it seems to be working and is darn site easier then building the thing by hand each time but I'm certainly no MVP so keen to understand the trap I may have built for myself!

Hope this helps.

Miles

Hi,

I am currently using MS Project 2003 SP3.

Currently I am having 2 project plans and requires predecessors to setup
across project plans. As per the MS project help I followed the step and this
works fine. (Help > Linking Tasks > Linking tasks across projects).

As mentioned on the help -->
In the ID column, type the project name and ID number of the external
predecessor, separated by a backslash, for example Project1\1 for Task ID 1
in a file named Project1.


Question is -
a. Instead of Task ID can I use Unique ID? If so, how?
b. Reason for asking is, MS project automatically adds the tasks in both
project plans and this keep chaning the Task IDs. Though MS project
atuomatically updates the prdecessors/successors with that, the problem is if
we have multiple tasks to be setup for predecessors, this process becomes
very tedious. Instead if there is a way we can set the predecessors based on
we can note down the IDs on a notepad and than add all of them in one shot.
c. Is there any other better approach to handler such situation for external
dependencies?

Your earliest response will be of great help. Thanks in advance!
--
Thanks!

On Monday, November 17, 2008 12:16 PM Mike Glen wrote:
Hi VHS,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Try Tools/Options.../Schedule tab and uncheck Autolink inserted or moved
tasks. This will prevent the autochaining you've experienced.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials


VHS wrote:

 

[miles G]

I hesitate to contradict a MVP but maybe I'll learn my "obvious" error that I fear I'm about to make!

I am using UIDs to build external dependencies....

My situation is thus:
* I have to maintain a set of separate project plan files which have dependencies between them - no linking allowed.
* I need to demonstrate the Critical Path through all the files - thus I have to link them however this linked set of files is hidden from the users (client request).
* Each week / fortnight I need to create (from scratch) a master / sub programme plan with the previously unlinked files linked.

To do this I:
* Each Deliverable milestone is given a unique reference (PLAN_d_nnn) in Text 10 which is also shown in text10 in the customer plan against the relevant dependency milestone
* An Excel workbook contains a list of the deliverables from all plan (copy and paste a view containing Unique Ref / Project / UID fields). For each plan there is a workbook containing columns Unique Ref and Dep_Ref
* Under Dep_ref is a formula which contatonates the Project and UID information for each dependency (referencing the Deliverable information) so that you end up with each dependency having an entry PLAN.mpp\UID. In this case the formula is =vlookup(Unique Ref,deps,2,false)&".mpp\"&vlookup(unique ref,deps,3,false).
* the resulting set of dependency references are copied and pasted into the UID Predecessor column of each of the plans causing the plans to become linked.
Note that the plans need all to be in the same directory for this to work. It is also very advantageous to have a set of filters and views to enable you to display only the deliverables and then only the dependencies (I use text11 with Dep or Del in).

Dale - what's wrong with the above? so far it seems to be working and is darn site easier then building the thing by hand each time but I'm certainly no MVP so keen to understand the trap I may have built for myself!

Hope this helps.

Miles

Hi,

I am currently using MS Project 2003 SP3.

Currently I am having 2 project plans and requires predecessors to setup
across project plans. As per the MS project help I followed the step and this
works fine. (Help > Linking Tasks > Linking tasks across projects).

As mentioned on the help -->
In the ID column, type the project name and ID number of the external
predecessor, separated by a backslash, for example Project1\1 for Task ID 1
in a file named Project1.


Question is -
a. Instead of Task ID can I use Unique ID? If so, how?
b. Reason for asking is, MS project automatically adds the tasks in both
project plans and this keep chaning the Task IDs. Though MS project
atuomatically updates the prdecessors/successors with that, the problem is if
we have multiple tasks to be setup for predecessors, this process becomes
very tedious. Instead if there is a way we can set the predecessors based on
we can note down the IDs on a notepad and than add all of them in one shot.
c. Is there any other better approach to handler such situation for external
dependencies?

Your earliest response will be of great help. Thanks in advance!
--
Thanks!

On Monday, November 17, 2008 12:16 PM Mike Glen wrote:
Hi VHS,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Try Tools/Options.../Schedule tab and uncheck Autolink inserted or moved
tasks. This will prevent the autochaining you've experienced.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials


VHS wrote: