Limit Control over Subprojects

[Nicole]

I'm using Project 2000 to create a bi-weekly consolidated
project plan. The master plan includes 30 subprojects -
maintained by 30 users. These subprojects reside on a
shared drive. There are a number of external links between
the subprojects that are linked within the master plan.

I don't want to break the external links every time I
separate the subprojects because I want each subproject to
view their external dependencies between the other
subprojects. But, I don't want project 1 to have the
ability to push out a date for project 2 by pushing out a
date that's linked to that dependency. It looks like MS
Project automatically updates the schedule in project 2 if
the project file is open and the project 2 user saves the
file (unaware of the schedule change).

Is there a way to extract the subprojects - maintain a
view of the external dependencies in the subproject files
and prohibit users from controlling other subproject
schedules?

 

[Steve House]

How could it not push out that date? If task X in project A is linked to
task Y in project B, that means that task X controls what happens in task Y.
If task X is delayed, task Y *must* be delayed because that's what the link
means - if that won't happen in real life, the link should not exist in the
Project file. The link says this *must* happen, driven by some process
logic, for instance task X produces something that is used in task Y and so
must exist before Y can proceed. The example I use in classes is that
building walls is linked as a predecessor to putting on the roof because the
law of gravity doesn't allow us to built the roof in midair and then stuff
the walls in under it at a later date. LOL

If you need tighter control of access and modification priviledges, perhaps
you should think about implementing Project Server. Managing the general
scenario you describe with a large number of subprojects amd managers for
each is one of its primary purposes.