Options for Integrating external timesheet data

[Mike Kleiman]

We are looking into rolling out Project Server 2007 however our company
already has a timesheet management system.

I need to provide a few (small, medium, large) implementation options. In
the small option, we would continue using our existing timesheet management
system and somehow integrate the timesheet actuals with Project Server. We
would want to exploit Project Server’s strengths/capabilities but basically
turn our back on it’s timesheet.

Here's a couple facts about our environment:
* Our project managers currently download time-phased daily actuals directly
into their project plans from our timesheet management system.
* Our timesheet management system maintains the timesheet actual data in sql
server within a simple to access table schema e.g. wide open and table
relationships our obvious.
* We are a Microsoft development shop so we can write code and tie into the
PSI if needed.

One concept we are considering is for the Project Managers to continue
downloading the daily actuals into their plans from the existing system and
then publish the plan/actuals to project server via project professional. I'm
struggling to understand the potential impact of this decision.

Any insights you can provide into this and other possible options will be
greatly appreciated.

 

[Rod Gill]

If your weekly process sees current tasks exported to the timesheet system,
then updates the project files then you already have a working system.
Provided the project files are published after being updated, then all PWA
information will be up to date.

If the timesheet does not receive real tasks from the project files, you
need to make this happen. Otherwise it is hard to update schedules using
team members descriptions of the work they did!!

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[Mike Kleiman]

Rod, That's great news - thanks for the input.

One of the initial reasons for implementing Project Server is to provide a
global view of resource utilization during project planning - something we
don't have today.

Project Server resources will be driven by active directory while our
timesheet management system pulls resource information from our HR system.
The employee information in the HR system is not syncronized with AD e.g.
resource names in the two systems can differ slightly. Other information
differs also - such as department names, manager/resource relationships etc..

Resource names in the plan must match the name in the timesheet management
system for assignment upload and actuals download to work. So resources are
added to the plan by pulling from the timesheet system. When the plan is
uploaded to project server, the assignments and actuals need to connect to
the appropriate resources on the server. How does project server match a
resource from a project plan to a resource on the server?

Thanks,

Mike Kleiman