Project Server for support projects

[Siva]

There is no question about the applicability of Project Server for a
regular project. I would like your input on the suitability of the
product for support projects.

Let me give some details of the requirement.

In any organization, there are a few groups [like database or network
or infrastructure] that execute quite a number of support requests.
These teams like to use PS for their support projects.

We thought, the practical way is to create a project for each team and
the team can create tasks for each support request. However, there are
a few issues.

Each team has more than one lead / manager.

Question: Who will be the owner of the project?

Team services different business units. They want to view tasks by
business unit.

Question: Where do we store the business unit?

Team may have a need to associate more than one document to a task.

Question: How can one attach more than one document to a task?

I hope, I have expressed my requirements clearly.

Is it feasible with Project Server? A consultant is recommending us to
use InfoPath form with Project Server.

Or are we better off with any other solution? Thanks for your input.

Siva

 

[Reid McTaggart]

These are very good questions, and they have come up during every one of the
many PS implementations I have done for IT departments.

It seems you have already determined your answer to the most fundamental
question: Do we even need or want to schedule and track support work? Some
organizations initially believe that they do, but then decide that they do
not. I will assume that you do.

The Owner can be anyone you want it to be. It is entirely possible to have
more than one person managing tasks within a single project. You just have
to set the proper permissions (Groups and Categories) and teach the managers
how to publish and become the manager of their particular tasks. And you
should try to coordinate the updating process, so that different managers are
not trying to process updates simultaneously.

You can define a custom Enterprise Task field (probably Text or Outline
Code) in Enterprise Global to specify the relationship of each task to a
business unit. Then, within both Project Pro and PWA, you can define views
that group tasks by BU.

With Windows SharePoint Services there is no problem associating as many
document files as you like with a single task. You accomplish this in the
Project Center of PWA, using the Link Document button.

While InfoPath can offer some useful functionality and interoperability with
PS, it is not strictly necessary to solve the requirements as you have stated
them. What is the specific need that the consultant proposes to meet with
InfoPath?

--
Reid McTaggart
(e-mail address removed)
Project Server Experts
Microsoft Certified Partner

There is no question about the applicability of Project Server for a
regular project. I would like your input on the suitability of the
product for support projects.

Let me give some details of the requirement.

In any organization, there are a few groups [like database or network
or infrastructure] that execute quite a number of support requests.
These teams like to use PS for their support projects.

We thought, the practical way is to create a project for each team and
the team can create tasks for each support request. However, there are
a few issues.

Each team has more than one lead / manager.

Question: Who will be the owner of the project?

Team services different business units. They want to view tasks by
business unit.

Question: Where do we store the business unit?

Team may have a need to associate more than one document to a task.

Question: How can one attach more than one document to a task?

I hope, I have expressed my requirements clearly.

Is it feasible with Project Server? A consultant is recommending us to
use InfoPath form with Project Server.

Or are we better off with any other solution? Thanks for your input.

Siva

 

[Siva]

Thanks for all the good suggestions.

The support project request has several pieces of info about the
support activity. The support team wanted to see a list of the support
orders and the details.

The consultant proposed that the infopath form can create the task in a
support container project automatically for tracking.

 

[Reid McTaggart]

That's a good use for InfoPath. One of my clients is looking at using it
similarly for new project approval and initiation. First, though, they are
evaluating whether a special WSS site can serve their needs.