Getting Started with Project 2003

[Tony K]

I am new to the project managing world and have chosen to use Project 2003 as
an aid for managing multiple projects within our company. I have purchased a
training manual called "Microsoft Office Project 2003 Bible" written by
Elaine Marmel. After reading the first six chapters I have an understanding
of how to use the program and setup single projects.

My questions are what is the correct way to setup and manage multiple
projects? Do I use one .mpp file with the dozen projects managed within this
same file? Do I create a separate .mpp file for each project? If I create an
individual .mpp file for each project how do I manage the resources
("people") that are assigned to each task with notification from all projects
that I have conflicting resources?

Thanks!
Tony

 

[Jim Aksel]

The choices are really up to you. This is how we do it:
1. Separate .mpp files for all programs.
2. One Resource Pool Resources.mpp
3. One Master Project into which we insert (link) all the other project files.
It is very important that all files, including the master, all reside in the
same folder.

The Help on Resource Pools is really quite good, as is the Master Project
file information. Let us know how it goes.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

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

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Tony,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #17 & 18 on multiple projects, at this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

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

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

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[Tony K]

Hi Mike,

I have reviewed #17 & 18 and decided to go with a dynamic masterfile system
for managing our projects.

Some questions that I am not clear on are:

1. When I create the resource pool file do I enter all of my resources into
this file since my resources are the same for all of my projects (Resource
calendars and work day hours)? Meaning I manage my resources with this file
only without entering any resource information into my actual project files
containing the projects tasks.

2. When I share resources and select the resource pool file that will assign
the project task file its resources or do I need to enter my resources into
every file?

Thanks!
Tony

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Tony,

1. No. Project will populate it with the resource information gleaned from
the projects when you complete the sharing process. But you can enter the
resources information into the pool first, if you wish, though this would
seem to me to be extra and unnecessary effort.

2. Yes. Project can't possibly know which resources or how many to assign
to each task. You must do that before sharing the pool.

Irrespective of the methods you choose, each project must be complete in its
own right, as the Master project only contains markers to the individual
projects, bring in the details when you open them.

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[Tony K]

Mike,

Thanks for clearing up my confusion!

Tony

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, Tony and good luck

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

 

[Samwel Orwa]

I am new in the project, and would like to use Microsoft OProject for the first time. Need some help