You're welcome CB.
I assume you are aware that if you use the resource pool that will
show you all assignment data for the resource in one place. An
extract from the resource pool file to Excel should accomplish what
you seek instead of working from multiple files.
Good luck in whatever method you select.
Julie
Project MVP
Visit
http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project
Julie,
I appreciate the feed back and guess I should have been clearer in
my
thoughts.
I won't be using the pool to look at assignment information. I need
to do
more with the data than just view it in MS Project. I will be
extracting the
data to MS Excel from the files and combining the assignment data in
excel in
pivot table/charts. This make the data much more useful/flexible
for
reporting/charting. (This is also why I don't want others entering
resource
information..ie..entering Joe Resource when Joseph Resource already
exists.)
Use in this manner would also allow one file to capture working
times,
holidays, calendars...and allow this to uniformly be copied to the
individual
files.
There are varying views on the use of resource pools. I have seen
several
posts that state that they never use a pool due to the corruption
issues.
Thanks again for your input.
Any others welcome.
CB
:
CB,
First, you're welcome for my thoughts and thank you for the
feedback.
I am a bit puzzled by your idea of connecting sharer files to the
pool, assigning resources and then disconnecting sharer files from
the
pool. The resource pool is not just for keeping track of resource
information as you note in your comment:
"I don't need any of the PMs adding or modifying any resource
information."
The primary utility of the pool is to enable users of MS Project to
view resource utilization across multiple projects. If it was
merely
to keep track of name changes and holidays (non-working time) I
would
never bother. If you disconnect sharer files from the pool, you
lose
the assignments from that sharer file rendering the pool mostly
meaningless.
My concern is that connecting and disconnecting sharer files from
the
pool, you *increase* the likelihood of corruption, not decrease it.
That being said, a strong backup process, regular monitoring of the
pool, and the occasional rebuild of the pool is still recommended.
I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.
Julie
Project MVP
Visit
http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information
about Microsoft Project
Julie,
Thanks for your input. I am putting together a Pros and Cons on
Res
Pool
usage. I have to decide whether to go with a pool or not. My
experience has
been however, no matter how well trained or how well intended the
Users are,
at some point corruption will occur.
Because I am extracting data to excel for reporting purposes, I
don't need
any of the PMs adding or modifying any resource information. My
thought is
to connect to the pool and assign resources then disconnect the
pool. This
would keep the resource names in tact. I also guess that I could
write a
macro that would connect all the files to the pool, export the
data
from the
pool to excel then disconnect the sharer files.
I simply can't risk file corruption.
CB
:
Hello CB,
My comments are inline.
Julie
Project MVP
BTW, I have several PM that will be updating the individual
project
files.
[Julie] See my comments below about proper use of resource pool
and
sharer files. Having several PMs update the individual project
files
(sharer) files should not be an issue as long as they understand
how
Project and specifically resource/sharer files work.
:
I am using MSOP 2007. I have setup a resource pool file. I
have
created a
master project file which contains all individual project
files.
Which approach would be best:
Connect each individual project file to the resource pool or
copy
the
resource from the pool to the local file resource sheet?
[Julie] Create a resource pool file and connect each individual
project (sharer file) to the pool. The resource's names will
appear
in the sharer file. Using the pool will allow you to view all
assignments for a resource across multiple project files.
I would be interested to hear comments from the community on
each
approach.
I have just started using 2007 so I don't know how it will
behave
in this
scenario.
I have however seen corrupted files while using 2003
[Julie] Using either 2007 or 2003 with resource pool files does
require careful care and feeding of the files. If you search
this
newsgroup looking for the phrase "pool files" you'll see quite a
few
posts concerning the "don'ts" with pool files.
I hope this helps.
Julie
CB
