Portfolio Analyzer Extensions

[Marc]

My organization is considering the use of Portfolio Analyzer in Project
Server 2003. Doing so, however, will require that we view task data. I have
downloaded and read some information included in the "Microsoft Office
Project Server 2003: Portfolio Analyzer OLAP Extensions." Two of the
solutions provided pertain to task data (i.e., Extending Task Issues and
Risks & Extending Task Earned Value).

1.) Do these solutions allow the user to view actual hours logged to
specific tasks? In other words, if a project has 10 tasks, will this
solution starter allow us to see the number of hours that each resource
logged to each task?

2.) Also, is there a distinction between whether a task is a summary task or
not? In other words, does the Portfolio Analyzer view allow the user to
choose information in the following hierarchy:

Project Name
Summary Task Name
Task Name
Task Name
Task Name
Summary Task Name
Task Name
Task Name
Task Name


Thanks!

 

[kwwatson]

Before you extend anything you might want to look at this first.
http://www.bogdanov-associates.com/eng.asp?rubr_id=484

 

[kwwatson]

Before you extend anything you might want to look at this first.
http://www.bogdanov-associates.com/eng.asp?rubr_id=484

 

[Marc]

Thanks. Have you had a good experience with this product?

 

[Reid McTaggart]

I have used it, and I think it is fantastic for what it does and how well it
integrates with Project Server.

I suggested to a client that they try it out instead of spending money on
consultants. The first day we used it, it worked perfectly, and we changed
fields several times, which would have been impossible if we'd have had to
have a programmer recode the extensions.

Not only does the Bogdanov solution allow you to push task fields to the
cube, but it also does the same for non-outline project fields.

PLUS, (and these are huge items for some people) you can get time-phasing in
weeks, and you can see data on Local Resources. You can also get typical
pay-period time-phasing.

You cannot, however, get summary tasks.

Drawbacks:
1) Keep in mind that if you go crazy and send lots of fields to the cube,
the cube's racalc time will get very, very long. Essentially, each new field
is a new dimension, so the cube grows very large very fast. We added three
text fields, and our recalc time nearly tripled.

2) Presently the tool can support only one instance per server. Vadim tells
me he is working on this.

I will not say that I have extensively tested the Bogdanov tool, but I am
very enthusiastic about it and have seen no malfunctions so far. It's a
relative bargain, at about the cost of 4 hours of a good consultant's time.

Please note that my remarks are my own and do not reflect any endorsement or
evaluation by Microsoft.