P2007: Working with categories

[MP]

I’m trying to understand how categories work...
When I select a category I can choose the group of projects associated to
it. I have these options:

“a) All current and future projects In Project Server database
b) Only the projects indicated: (list of projects)

Apply the above security permissions to all projects where:
1) The user is the Project owner…
2) The user is on that project’s team
3) The project owner is a descendant of the user
4) …
5) …â€

My question is: these 5 options apply to both a) and b) (depending on which
one I chose) or apply only just to b) if I check this box? I mean, if I
choose a) none of this 5 options will apply, rigth?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ben Howard]

Hi MP,
Categories are not easy to understand initially.

The modifiers (ie the check boxes) apply regardless of which of the two
radio buttons you choose. For example, I create a category called "projects
of which I'm the owner" and select All current and future projects in the PS
database, and then modify this by checking the checkbox "the user is the
project owner". That dynamically creates and maintains a category of
projects, and in that category will only be the projects of which I'm the
owner.

It is very rare to have to manually choose any projects by selecting them
and adding them to the column in the RHS, and doing so of course also
requires additional administration - best practise to to try and let project
server dynamically control the content of the categories.

HTH.

 

[Paul Conroy]

To make things easier to understand think of the security model like this.

Users - Who they are
Security Groups - Actions they can perform
Categories - Where they can perform those actions

Generally, users should belong to security groups which in turn are
associated with categories. try not to associate users directly to
categories as you are likely to get confused.

The dynamic rules on apply when you have selected "only the projects
indicated". The dynamic rules are also in conjuntion to the projects
detailed in the right list, so you can manually specify a list of projects
AND have some projects dynamically assigned.

All current and future projects means just that.

 

[Paul Conroy]

Useful reading on Security Model

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms422445.aspx

 

[Jonathan Sofer]

Your assumption is correct, the options 1-5 only apply if you select b)

 

[MP]

If dinamic rules apply only when we select "b) Only the projects indicated":

1) Why am I still able to check the dinamic rules when I choose "a) All
current and future..."? Shouldn't PWA close those options at the moment I
choose a)? And let me select them only if I choose b)?

Thanks for helping on this matter

 

[David F-H]

Hello MP, I had the same thoughts as you - it's a confusing interface. I had
set my dynamic rules up with "a) All > current and future...", but they
didn't work (refer to "Project Server Permissions Problem" on 26 Dec).
As soon as I selected "b) Only the projects indicated" the dynamic rules
kicked in. If MS would change and grey out the dynamic rules when a) is
chosen it would be a LOT clearer.