Rolling up small plans and dependencies into one big plan

[Frank]

Hi,

I wonder if someone has an answer to a query I have.

I have a group of managers each managing their own piece of work and each
producing a project plan. I aim to create one overall plan by importing each
plan in to it. Now as the each managers work evolves so will the plan and it
will be updated and controlled through version numbers e.g. V1, V2 and so on.

My idea is to take each plan and rename it ‘plan 1 source’, ‘plan 2 source’
etc. then import them into my big plan. So when later versions come along
with new activities or new dates, when I rename them, my big plan will pick
up the new information automatically. I have tested this and it seems to work
ok.

Now I also want to link dependencies between the individual plans which I
can do and which get picked up by the big plan. But the problem is that when
the new plans come in to me from the individual managers, the dependencies
won’t be there so when I rename the plan, from Vx to ‘plan 1 source’ for
example, I will lose that information.

Is there a way of retaining the dependencies information in the big plan so
it gets fed back to the individual plans?

Many thanks

Frank

 

[John]

Hi,

I wonder if someone has an answer to a query I have.

I have a group of managers each managing their own piece of work and each
producing a project plan. I aim to create one overall plan by importing each
plan in to it. Now as the each managers work evolves so will the plan and it
will be updated and controlled through version numbers e.g. V1, V2 and so on.

My idea is to take each plan and rename it ‘plan 1 source’, ‘plan 2 source’
etc. then import them into my big plan. So when later versions come along
with new activities or new dates, when I rename them, my big plan will pick
up the new information automatically. I have tested this and it seems to work
ok.

Now I also want to link dependencies between the individual plans which I
can do and which get picked up by the big plan. But the problem is that when
the new plans come in to me from the individual managers, the dependencies
won’t be there so when I rename the plan, from Vx to ‘plan 1 source’ for
example, I will lose that information.

Is there a way of retaining the dependencies information in the big plan so
it gets fed back to the individual plans?

Many thanks

Frank

Frank,
In the scenario you describe it doesn't sound like you have created a
dynamic master file, rather it sounds like you have simply used copy and
paste to dump each of the smaller projects into your large project. A
much better approach would be to create a dynamic master
(Insert/Projects).

Which a dynamic master project changes made to either the master or the
subprojects will be reflected in the other. It will also retain
inter-project links (as long as you use external predecessors and not
paste links).

You can read more about the details of either consolidation and external
predecessors in the Project help file.

Hope this helps.
John
Project

 

[dlmckirdy]

Pardon me for dropping in, John.

I am using Project 2007. I use a Master Plan with 31 Sub-Plans dynamically
linked (some of these sub-plans also have sub-sub-plans dynamically linked).
The sub plans have tasks externally linked to the sub-sub-plans. Sometimes
these external links get disconnected. In order to easily reconnect them, I
put a note in the task in the Sub Plan where the link occurs listing the
external predessor/successor by simple file name, task number, as well as the
task name (if other tasks get added/deleted, the task number changes, hence
the task name also being listed).

If (or when) a link gets disconnected, simply scroll down the task list
until you find the note indicator, read the note, and re-attach the link per
the note. This can save hours from having to try to remember what you have
done in the past.