Question about rejection of Self-Assignment

[ITG_Mike]

We are running Project Server 2003. We currently have self-assignment (Assign Myself to an Existing Task) turned off (because the feature has numerous bugs). We are testing for when we might enable this feature in the future

Let's say a resource assigns themselves to an existing task and then enters time in their task list. They update that row for the PM to approve and update into the project. The PM notes a problem with the hours entered (not with the assignment itself) and rejects the update from the resource

The hours and the task self-assignment are both then rejected. The resource can make the requested changes to the task hours, but is unable to update the row again (They get a message that the task cannot be updated because the PM has declined the new task request)

The Resource is also unable to add the task assignment again, since the (now rejected) assignment is still on their task list

How does the resource escape this situation? They need to charge time to a task, but cannot update the one assignment they have to that task

Mike

 

[ITG_Mike]

Sean

Thanks for the reply. I understand what you are describing. Here is the problem

Let's say a resource self-assigns to a task on Monday. As you suggest, they update that row, seeking PM approval of the assignment. Unfortunately, the PM is out of the office Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so the new assignment will not get approved until Thursday

While the resource had planned to start working on the task Monday, some big customer-related problem occurred and they spent the day fixing customer issues elsewhere. Tuesday and Wednesday they work on the self-assigned task

Wednesday evening the resource decides to enter their week-to-date time. Forgetting the customer problem that absorbed their work on Monday, the resource enters 8 hours on the self-assigned task for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and updates their timesheet

Now it is Thursday and the PM is reviewing submissions. The PM has a better memory that the resource, and recalls that there was no work on Monday for the Self-assigned task. The _assignment_ is okay, its just that there should not be eight hours entered on Monday. So the PM rejects the submission, asking the resource to correct the Monday entry

While the resource could correct the hours on Monday (deleting the entry or changing the hours to 0h), they cannot update the row again. Nor can they self-assign to the task again since the (rejected) assignment is already on their task list

So how does the resource escape this situation? They can't update the assignment they have and they can't create a new assignment

Note also that most resources would elect to self-assign to a task and report time on that task in one PWA session. They self-assign because they have worked on a task or are about to start working. They do not self-assign days in advance of starting work

Mik