W
Wendy
For the past year, we used EPM (2003) exclusively to track projects.
Beginning in January of this year, we moved forward with using the
system to track all work (projects and support work). With this new
rollout for "support" work, we are struggling with how best (with the
knowledge that this is really not the intent of the system) to plan
and track this information. In support of using the issues experienced
over Q1 to identify recommended best practices going forward, I'd
appreciate any opinions on the following:
* What should the recommended fixed task type be? I had advised either
duration or units but realize nothing is 100% absolute but not sure
what I believe is the best to recommend.
* Some managers have used a one task/one reosurce approach while
others have applied many resources to one task. I plan to advise
toward the one task/one reosurce approach to minimize confusion
regarding tasks and assignments since the more assignments you have
against one task the more confusion I see springing up among the
managers.
* I have a fair number of managers who, when modifying finish dates of
assignments (fixed duration tasks) receive the message that an action
they performed may have caused the plan to be out of synch. Once they
sync everything up, finish dates revert (or go more haywire),
additional work is applied to tasks, etc. Other than applying actual
work within the plan directly (not via timesheets), what other
activities can cause the synching issues? To what version does/should
data revert when you sync up because it does not appear to be the last
published version?
Any recommendations are welcome and appreciated.
Thank you,
Wendy
Beginning in January of this year, we moved forward with using the
system to track all work (projects and support work). With this new
rollout for "support" work, we are struggling with how best (with the
knowledge that this is really not the intent of the system) to plan
and track this information. In support of using the issues experienced
over Q1 to identify recommended best practices going forward, I'd
appreciate any opinions on the following:
* What should the recommended fixed task type be? I had advised either
duration or units but realize nothing is 100% absolute but not sure
what I believe is the best to recommend.
* Some managers have used a one task/one reosurce approach while
others have applied many resources to one task. I plan to advise
toward the one task/one reosurce approach to minimize confusion
regarding tasks and assignments since the more assignments you have
against one task the more confusion I see springing up among the
managers.
* I have a fair number of managers who, when modifying finish dates of
assignments (fixed duration tasks) receive the message that an action
they performed may have caused the plan to be out of synch. Once they
sync everything up, finish dates revert (or go more haywire),
additional work is applied to tasks, etc. Other than applying actual
work within the plan directly (not via timesheets), what other
activities can cause the synching issues? To what version does/should
data revert when you sync up because it does not appear to be the last
published version?
Any recommendations are welcome and appreciated.
Thank you,
Wendy