Resource pool not updated

[mike_gka]

Hi,

we are working with PS2003 and we use the resource pool.
Sometimes project manager doesn't save or update the resource pool and
assignments in resource pool and single projects are inconsistent.

Is there any possibility to list these projects, maybe with SQL?

Thanks in advance for any answer
Mike

Sorry, I have already posted this question in "Microsoft Project General
Questions" and got notified that this is the wrong place. So I have duplicate
my question.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

mike_gka --

Are you using Project Server or only the Microsoft Project desktop
application? The behavior you are describing sounds like you are not using
Project Server. Let us know.

 

[mike_gka]

Hi,
both (I work for several companies),
in one environment we don't use project server, but also
in an other environment with project server we have the same issue.
Mike

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Mike --

Now I'm really confused. With which system are you having the problem you
described? If you are having problems with both systems, please give us a
complete description of the problems you see. Your original problem
description has nothing to do with Project Server whatsoever. Let us know.

 

[mike_gka]

Hi Dale,

sorry for the confusion. Maybe it was a mistake to put two issues in one
question. But I thought both issues are the same and hopefully also the
solution.

1. Without Project Server but a MS-SQL database for all projects:
We are using one very big shared resource pool and every project (total
about 200)is using this file.
Sometime project managers open the project file without the shared resource
file or they save the project without updating the resource file. The main
reason is performance. Loading and saving of this resource pool cost about 5
minutes.
Now I'm looking for an easy procedure or maybe an SQL statement to find all
projects which are saved without updating the resource file.

2. With project server 2003 and ms project professional as client:
I am working for this costumer since 2-3 weeks so until now I'm not very
familiar with the installation.
The project managers are also working offline with MS project, for example
at customer site without access to the server.
The customer has one shared resource file for every country and every
project is using one of this. The project is always mainly driven out of one
country.
We detected inconsistency in the database between assignments in shared
resource file and project. We found assignments in the shared resource file
which seems to reflect an older version of the project.
My assumption was that this is the same problem as described in 1.

Mike

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Mike --

1. I believe this is primarily a training and performance issue. Your PM's
are causing problems because they are not opening the shared resource pool
file. Even though it takes 5 minutes to open the shared resource pool, they
need to do so. You might want to post this question specifically in the
newsgroup deaing with the Microsoft Project desktop applicaton, which is the
microsoft.public.project newsgroup and allow those folks to render an
opinion.

2. The Enterprise Resource Pool does not contain assignment data the way
that a shared resource pool file does. Therefore, I cannot even begin to
speculate what is going on with your client, but frankly, I am very
concerned that you are consulting with a client and learning at their
expense since you are not familiar with this platform. In addition, when
you say that the PM's are working with their projects "offline", precisely
what do you mean by this? How are they working offline? My guess is that
they are saving their projects as .mpp files, which is totally incorrect in
a Project Server environment, and will only result in problems. They need
to click File - Save Offline and then work with the projects in Offline
mode. Let us know more about your questions relating to Project Server.

Hope this helps.

 

[mike_gka]

Hi Dale,

you're absolutly right (1) is a training and performance issue, but unless
this is solved we need some workarounds not to drive decision on wrong data.

I'm working as a consultant in business processes, management methodoly,
organization etc. and not as a system specialist for any systems like MSP.
But as you may know sometimes you get very soon involved in detailed system
specific issues because there are some fireplaces. And you are right:
meanwhile the customer has analyzed the issue and it was wrong usage similiar
you described. And also here training is important and the only way to solve
these issues, but also training never changes the behavior on a short term.
And meanwhile we are looking for workarounds as a temporary solution.

Thanks for your time
Mike