Outlook Integration Defect?

[Jonathan H]

Hello,

I thought I'd cracked all of this, but I think I've found a defect - not
sure there is any other explanation.
Here is the situation:
* I'm using Project Server 2007 with Outlook 2003 with SP 1 applied.
* I don't want to create Timesheets, just use the Tasks functionality
* I do want resources to record when and how much work they have done on a
task, rather than just the percentage complete or the number of hours.

As a result I have changed the Tracking Method to 'Hours of work done per
period'.

In the PWA this works exactly as design, but in the Outlook interface the
'Actual Work' row is greyed out - the User cannot enter any time at all.
Interestingly, the 'Copy from Planned' button is also greyed out.
I have tested the other two Tracking Methods and both work as expected, but
neither gives me the project tracking I'm trying to achieve. I really don't
see the point of work done in the past appearing as if it was carried out in
the future!

Someone please tell me I'm missing something here as otherwise I'm not quite
sure how to proceed. The Resource Availability work that I do in balancing
the resource pool will not work in either other Tracking Method, and I'm
never going to get developers to head off to the PWA when there is already
another Timesheet system in operation.

Help!

Jonathan

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jonathan:

It doesn't sound as though you've got server configured correctly.

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com

 

[Jonathan H]

Hi Gary,

This is a fresh install. All I've changed is the Tracking Method and
installed the Outlook Add-In.

Any ideas on what to look at?

Thanks,

Jonathan

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jonathan:

It's difficult to say without knowing the steps you've taken to date. For
instance, was the task imported to Outlook before the tracking method
changed?

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com

 

[Jonathan H]

I've kept track of every change I made to the system actually, but in answer
to your question...

The task has been imported into Outlook under all three tracking methods to
prove they work.

Between each stage I have
a) deleted all tasks in Outlook
b) changed the Tracking Method in the PWA
c) Editted and re-Published the project plan
d) Imported New Assignments back into Outlook

This has worked fine for the other two tracking methods in Outlook. All
three work as expected within the PWA - i.e. they change methods after I have
republished the project plan.

This is a fairly new install of Project Server - i.e. it was set-up on
Monday. I've tracked every system change I've made in a spreadsheet since
that time and nothing in there looks remotely like it might affect this.
I haven't set up any Financial Periods or Timesheet Periods, but I don't
think I should need to.

I wanted to try this on my pre-SP1 test installation, but I've got some
Queue issues to overcome first.

Thanks for your help Gary.

Jonathan

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Does it happen if you start a new project from scratch?

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com

 

[Jonathan H]

I hadn't tested that....

.... I have now. Yes, the problem is still in evidence with a newly imported
project with the Tracking method set to Hours of work done per period when it
was saved and published.

It is getting to the stage where I'm considering paying for a Microsoft
support call, but a brief phone call to MS to find out costs also unearthed
that the Project Team are currently 'very busy and it might be a few weeks
before they get to you'. I'd like to resolve it before 'a few weeks'.

Really appreciate your thinking effort Gary!

Jonathan

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

I can't duplicate the problem, so I'm grabbing at straws.

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com

 

[Jonathan H]

You can't recreate it? That's a pain because it does point to something at
my end. I'm sure it is nothing I've done, but it might be something I've not
done...

If I can get my virtual set-up running properly again I'll try and recreate
it with a pre-SP1 set-up.

Thanks for taking the time to trek all the way over to page 3 to read this
Gary ;-)

Jonathan