External links - any better way of linking cross-project dependenc

[wendyB]

Anyone using external links to mange cross-project dependencies on MS Project
Server?

We are about to publish a huge project plan which will be split out into
multiple sub-project plans all with numerous cross-project dependencies. In
the past when I implemented a similar method in a shared environment without
the Enterprise Server, we would end up with lost/broken links as a result of
PMs "accidentally" deleteing links, forgetting to accept changes, etc. and
this has caused a lot of chaos for the PMO to manage the plans on an ongoing
basis.

I don't know that external links will work any differently in MS Project
Enterprise. Is there a better way to manage cross-project dependencies?
Have also used "paste links" in the past and have encountered numerous
problems trying to maintain all the links over time.

I would be interested to learn from others' experience with external links.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

WendyB --

Create a new master project with each of your projects as subprojects.
Expand each of the subprojects, select dependent tasks, and link them with
the appropriate dependencies. Close the master project without saving it,
but when prompted, save the changes to all of the subprojects. This process
will set the cross-project dependencies correctly.

As far as the people issues involved with using cross-project dependencies,
you will probably face the same problems you faced previously (as you
stated, "...PMs "accidentally" deleteing links, forgetting to accept
changes, etc. and this has caused a lot of chaos for the PMO to manage the
plans on an ongoing basis). Therefore, you will need to make this a
training and performance issue with your PM's. Hope this helps.

 

[wendyB]

Hi Dale

I already do this to link the "sub" projects. Another question regarding
path names, since I do this on the local drive and then publish to
enterprise, rather than publish first and then do the linking, I get "file
not found" errors when opening the published files with external dependencies
as the links still point to the other files on the local drive. Are path
names in the predecessor/successor fields not relative?

I know I could probably do a find an replace after linking and publishing,
but is there no way for Enterprise to tell that the path namess should be
relative?

Thanks.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

WendyB --

You should NEVER set cross-project dependencies in projects that are saved
on your local drive and then try to save them in the Project Server
database. You should only set cross-project dependencies on projects that
are saved in the Project Server database. This is the source of the errors
you are getting. Hope this helps.