How to refresh a working project with the data from the published

[Eric]

The working project opened in MS Project and its published version are
different.
Is it possible to synchronize the working project with the current content
of the published version?
Let's say the users have entered their actuals in the published project
through PWA and now my working project doesn't contain those updates.
How can I refresh the working project?

Thank you for your assistance and suggestions.
Note: This is the first time I'm using this forum.

 

[JulieS]

Hello Eric,

As your question relates to using Microsoft Project Server and
Project Web Access (PWA), you're more likely to get an answer
quicker if you repost your question to the Project Server newsgroup.
When you repost, please make sure to state in your message the
version of MS Project and Project Server you are using as it may
make a difference.

I hope this helps.
Julie
Project MVP

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Eric --

In the future, please post your Project Server questions to the
microsoft.public.project.server newsgroup, as this newsgroup is dedicated to
the Microsoft Project desktop application only. To answer your question,
you have gotten things backwards, my friend. You need to synchronize the
Published version with the Draft version by publishing the project using
File - Publish. Hope this helps.

 

[Eric]

Thank you Dale,

In the meantime I posted the same to the right Forum.

Assuming the "Working" project is used to tune the project plan without
impacting the "Published"/"Production" project and that I want to work with
the most current Actual Work data available in the published project, what
should I do?

I assume I have to open the "Published" project in MS Project, save it
locally, perform project plan updates then publish it on top of the current
one?
(I'm not sure about the details as I have never performed those steps before).

Thank you for your assistance.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Eric --

First of all, what version of Project Server are you using? 2002, 2003, or
2007? I have assumed you are using Project Server 2007 unless you state
otherwise.

Beyond this, your assumptions are TOTALLY wrong! In Project Server 2007,
when you create an enterprise project and save it, the system stores the
project in the Draft database. This is your work (production) copy of the
project. When you publish a project, the system copies the information from
the Draft database into the Published and Reporting databases, and creates a
Project Workspace for the project in WSS.

When a team member submits progress for a task in the project, and the PM
approves the update, the system updates the working copy of the project in
the Draft database. The PM must then publish the latest schedule changes so
that the Published and Reporting databases are "in sync" with the project in
the Draft database. So, from this description, do you see that you have
everything backwards?

Hope this helps.

 

[Eric]

Thank you Dale,

It clarifies a lot.
We are using 2007 as you assumed.

Our issue is that "Actual Work" hours of a few resources are not in synch
between the published and working projects.

Based on your explanations, I suspect there is a problem when "the system
updates the working copy of the project in the Draft database".

Is there a way to troubleshoot what is happening or trace the automatic
system updates?

Thank you for your assistance.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Eric --

Are you seeing errors in the Queue? What is your current status on Service
Packs and Cumulative Updates? Let us know.

 

[Eric]

Hello Dale,

I'm sorry for answering so late, we tried a few things on our side but can't
figure out what happened still.

No errors in the Queue.

Both the Working plan and PWA published plan are now sunchronized since we
applied "Tasks Update >...> Applied Requests and Errors" on all impacted
tasks (although apparently no error were listed) + Publish.

Nevertheless the original issue remains.
When looking at the "My Tasks" > Transaction Comments and Task History " for
some tasks and specific users, the total of "Work Actual" being Submitted and
Approved doesn't match the total "Work Actual" in the project plan.
For example we have 90,5 hours in "Transaction Comments and Task History"
but only 51,5 hours in the project plan.

PS Project 2007 Server level:
KB953334 PS SP2
KB968850 WSS April CU
KB968860 PS April CU

We ran the ApplyMissedWork utility but didn't find significant issues with
the plan.
Only more than one "Status Manager" for some tasks not impacted by the issue.

- Is there any additional transaction log that would tell what happened to
the "missing" approved Work Actuals?
- Could it be possible that someone has overwritten the "Actual Work" in MS
Project client and published it?
If possible, would this action be logged somewhere?
Would it be logged in the "Transaction Comments and Task History"?


I'll be away for several weeks starting end of this day.
My colleague Adrienne will follow-up and most likely post a request to MS
Support.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Eric --

Are you in Greene, New York, by chance? If so, I did the Project Server
2003 training for your company. Regardless, it sounds like you have some
serious problems with your Project Server 2007 system that cannot be solved
in this public forum. You are wise to take up this matter with Microsoft
Support. Hope this helps.

 

[Eric]

Hello Dale,

Unfortunately I'm not from Green. I wish I had the opportunity to attend one
of your training courses. I miss that and hope I'll have some soon but most
likely in Europe as I'm in France.

Thank you again for your assistance and recommendations.
Eric

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Eric --

You are more than welcome for the help. I have a passport, by the way, and
would be more than willing to travel to your location to do Project Server
training for your company. I have done Project and Project Server training
previously for companyies in France, in Greece, and in India. Regardless,
hope this helps.