Grayed Out Field in Project Web Access

[Brian N]

First off, this is not as simple as checking the Let Resource Change Field
box in the Customize>Published Fields dialog. Here's the problem:

I've added an Enterprise Text field to my global template. I've then added
it to my list of published fields. **However**, I don't have the choice to
make this an assignment field. That radio button is grayed out. Frankly, I do
not know what the difference is between assignment and task fields. In any
event, I do select the Let Resource Change Field box.

When I publish the assignments, and view via Web Access, the column is not
editable. PLEASE HELP! I'm on a deadline!

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Brian N]

Here I am replying to my own post. Awesome. Anyhow, since my initial post the
fields became magically editable. Maybe repeating the procedure five times is
required.

BUT, after testing the editibility by updating a couple tasks and accepting
the changes in project, this custom field becomes uneditable for the tasks I
updated.

In other words:

Task 1 (Untouched) % Complete = Editable Custom Field = Editable
Task 2 (updated) % Complete = Editable Custom Field = <value I input> Not
Editable

Am I only allowed to edit a field once a day?

Brian

 

[Brian N]

Here I go replying to myself again. Turns out the problem is Project Server
gets confused when you make an Enterprise Text field that has a value list
(Red, Yell, Green) and a Graphical indicator test that shows a r/y/g
stoplight depending on what text is chosen.

At some point MS Project sends Server the graphic instead of the text, and
that field is no longer editable in server. It just shows the graphic. What's
worse, there does not seem to be a way to update the graphic, even if you
make changes to your project file and republish assignments.

The workaround to avoid this, and keep fields that aren't stuck from getting
stuck is to create a separate field to display the graphic (e.g., Ent Text 1
= value list, Ent Text 2 = Ent Text 1 with a graphical indicator test for the
correct text). This way, the users will always be editing a text only field,
and you can still display the graphic in your reports. It's a silly thing to
have to do, and MICROSOFT SHOULD FIX THIS!! However, it does work.

Hope this helps someone.

Brian

 

[DenverWaterPM]

Hi Brian - I also end up with an "uneditable" assignment custom field in the
timesheet view. What did you do to make your field editable. (I have checked
LET RESOURCES CHANGE, and republish...).
Thank you so much
C

 

[Brian N]

Hi,

So, do your uneditable/locked fields contain graphics (e.g.,
red/yellow/green)? If so, it's likely the same problem I had, and I still
have not been able to get those fields to be released again via Web Access.
Instead, I made sure other fields would not have this problem by separating
the graphic field from the text field, so the only thing Web Access folks
were editing was a text field. That has worked. The graphic field assigns
itself the text field's value, and then changes to a graphic based on the
result. I can explain in more detail if you need me to, but I'm about to hop
on a plane.

As far as getting those fields back to being editable, I'd suggest deleting
the project from web access entirely and re-publishing the project. I was too
far along to do that comfortably, and the fields that locked were not
critical (only a couple at that).

Hope that helps!

Brian

 

[DenverWaterPM]

Thanks, Brian, the fields in question did have graphics previously which I
removed; however, it seems I needed to delete the field and remove it with
the organizer and re-create it. Thanks a lot for putting your experiences out
there for it really speeded up my debugging. Thank you for your time,
Christine