Linking Tasks between Projects for Project 2000

[Gary Anderson]

I have questions regarding linking tasks between projects:

1. How do I get a good clear critical path when I am
linking tasks between multiple schedules? The consolidated
schedule does not give a very clear critical path.

2. What are the pros/cons of linking multiple schedules
vs. using one large schedule?

3. How can I roll up resources from multiple linked
schedules into a top level summary for a total program?

4. Is there a list of Microsoft Project consultants
available?

 

[Jack D.]

I have questions regarding linking tasks between projects:

1. How do I get a good clear critical path when I am
linking tasks between multiple schedules? The consolidated
schedule does not give a very clear critical path.

Filter the consolidated schedule to show only critical tasks.

2. What are the pros/cons of linking multiple schedules
vs. using one large schedule?

Pro's:
multiple people can work on their own files at the same time.
Master schedule can be substantially larger.

Con's:
Schedule is fragmented
Individual formatting of schedules does not necessarily make it into the
master schedule.
Problems with interproject links.

My suggestion is to have as few schedules as possible and only create a
sub-schedule for management reasons (who will be updating and maintaining
the schedule, etc.)

3. How can I roll up resources from multiple linked
schedules into a top level summary for a total program?

There are a number of ways, but it depends what you mean by a top level
summary.

4. Is there a list of Microsoft Project consultants
available?

There is a list of project partners at
http://microsoft.com/office/project/techinfo/partners.asp
but I'm certain that the list does not cover all the project consultants in
the world.


--
Please try to keep replies in this group. I do check e-mail, but only
infrequently. For Macros and other things check http://masamiki.com/project

-Jack Dahlgren, Project MVP


+++++++++++++++++++

 

[Gary Anderson]

-----Original Message-----


Filter the consolidated schedule to show only critical tasks.

1a. I had already tried the Critical filter. Because of
the number of schedules, the results are really cluttered
and difficult to view. We also tried collapsing tasks which
helped but not the answere. Is there a way to show only the
critical path?

Pro's:
multiple people can work on their own files at the same time.
Master schedule can be substantially larger.

Con's:
Schedule is fragmented
Individual formatting of schedules does not necessarily make it into the
master schedule.
Problems with interproject links.

My suggestion is to have as few schedules as possible and only create a
sub-schedule for management reasons (who will be updating and maintaining
the schedule, etc.)

2a. I have over 20 subschedules which contain over 2000
tasks in total. I have heard from others that I should not
build one large schedule. Any suggestions?

There are a number of ways, but it depends what you mean by a top level
summary.

3a. As an example, I would like to know how many Engineers
,of a certain type, in total are working on the program.
This information would come from all the individual schedules.

There is a list of project partners at
http://microsoft.com/office/project/techinfo/partners.asp
but I'm certain that the list does not cover all the project consultants in
the world.

4a. Thanks. We are pursuing some leads in our neighborhood.

 

[Rob Schneider]

Gary Anderson wrote:

*snip*

helped but not the answere. Is there a way to show only the
critical path?
*snip*

2a. I have over 20 subschedules which contain over 2000
tasks in total. I have heard from others that I should not
build one large schedule. Any suggestions?

From this I conclude you have about 100 tasks per file. That's
reasonable. I find Project files get unwieldy for me when there are
more than 200-300 tasks. The issue isn't so much how many tasks, as how
the tasks are organised, and how they are dependent, or preferably
independant, of tasks in other files. It's a judgement thing.

Suggestions:
- keep to less than 200-300 tasks per file.
- Minimise linkages by keeping dependancy inside its own file.
- Organize in some hierarchy which is useful to the project, e.g. by
leader, type of work, etc.

by a top level



3a. As an example, I would like to know how many Engineers
,of a certain type, in total are working on the program.
This information would come from all the individual schedules.

Create a separate file to collect all the sub-projects. You can even
make smaller "collector" files holding, say 5 or six files each, and
then roll up these sub-collector files into higher level files.

Then when you wish to view as you describe above, look at the applicable
collector file and filter by resource.

*snip*