How do you use the Custom Duration 1 to 10 Bars in Project Web Acc

[Joanne Barnes]

Does anyone know how to use the Custom Duration 1 to 10 Bars in Project Web
Access Gantt Chart views?

I can't work out what drives them / make them appear.

 

[Illona]

Hi Joanne,
I'm trying to figure out the same thing. I need to replicate the gantt
chart of our project(s) to be visible in project web access when viewing a
project (there are various coloured bars dependent on flags). My bars in
project are based on Summary & Flags using custom Start and custom Finish
dates (eg; Appearance of green thin line for Summary, Flag2 from Start2 to
Finish1, Appearance of red thin line for Summary, Flag4 from Start2 to
Finish1). Since you can't specify flag's etc in project web access to
define the gantt chart format, I figured you must have to set up custom
duration fields to map accross to the Custom Duration fields in project web
access, but after days of trying to get this to work I'm at a loss (I tried
both creating Enterprise Duration fields and normal Custom Duration fields).
The weird thing is that if I turn on one of the Custom duration fields in
project web access - gantt chart formats, it does kinda replicate one of the
bar styles I have defined in the project (I say kinda because it doesn't
show them all where they are meant to be, just some of them) and this is
without specifying ANY custom duration fields at all. When I do create
custom durations in the project, they do not show up in project web access
(yes, they have been turned on and set in the gantt chart format of project
web access). I have looked and looked and cannot find any information
regarding the Custom Duration 1 - Custom Duration 10 fields in project web
access. I'm pulling my hair out on this one.

Has ANYONE been successful in this area. This is crucial for our adoption
of Project Server, if we cannot replicate the gantt charts, we will not use
the product. We have been told by marketing staff that this can be done,
yet I am at a loss how.

Illona

 

[Joanne Barnes]

Hi Illona,

Your message really helped - I think I've cracked it, at least as far as
project as opposed to project centre views are concerned. Custom Duration 1
is from Start 1 to Finish1. Custom Duration 2 is from Start2 to Finish2
(project task fields not enterprise task ones, which was what I was trying to
do!).

For it to work for you I hope you haven't used up too many Start and Finish
fields. Using your example I set up custom Start9 and Finish9 fields, using
formula

IIf([Flag1] AND [Summary],[Start2],'NA')

And

IIf([Flag1] And [Summary],[Finish1],'NA') respectively.

I had to select the Use Formula for the Calculation for task and group
summary rows. I then enabled Custom Duration 9 in a Project Web Access gantt
chart view, making sure Custom Duration 1 and 2 were disabled, amd it
worked! Only in a project view mind you, I can't work out yet how to use
Custom Duration fields in gantt chart views used in project centre views.

You could then use Start10 and Finish10 for the red line e.g.

IIf([Flag4] AND [Summary],[Start2],'NA')

And

IIf([Flag4] And [Summary],[Finish1],'NA')

Hope this has helped.

Joanne