Scope, Schedule and Budget.

[jseiler]

I have created a template for 10-12 projects that I will be tracking. The
template includes tasks and typical durations (typically 20 to 40 days). The
projects are, or will be entered into an Oracle accounting program.
Oracle bi-weekly reports include approved cost budgets (total task) and
actual cost budgets (dollars spent to date). There is a correlation between
dollars and hours based on the technical and price proposal.
I want to use MS Project as a tool to view the Ghants to see what tasks are
being worked on and the current % completes so I can focus the necessary
resources. I do not want MS Project to become a time consuming process.
What would a best practice be to enter Oracle dollars/hours for periodic
updates?

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi jseiler ,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

I know nothing of Oracle. Project, however, is not a program to be taken
lightly. If you have no training, expect a long learning curve! You can't
have half of Project or half-use it - you will have to enter all the data
(tasks, precedences, durations, resource details, resource calendars,
costs...) let Project calculate the dates based on that data and give you an
end date which can be viewed on the Gantt chart. You then have to tweak
your project to achieve what is acceptable and possible. Then you will have
to receive updates from those carying out the work and enter these into
Project. You will then have to re-schedule to see what effect that has and
then re-tweak..... Project will be as time-consuming as you want - if you
don't apply yourself to keeping the schedule on track, then you might as
well not bother!

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://www.mvps.org/project/

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[jseiler]

Mike:
Thanks for the reply. I am not that familiar with MS Project, although I
have used an earlier version around 1995. I have used Timeline, Suretrak and
Primavera (corp. std). Since I want to track projects at the office and at
home, I thought it would be better to use MS Project since both systems are
Windows based (it's cheaper also).
I have most, if not all of the task info (duration, links, work, start
dates, costs....). Should I be looking at setting up the projects for simple
tracking or earned analysis? I am not that familiar with earned analysis
reports.

Regards,

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi jseiler ,

I can't answer your question because I don't know your circumstances or what
you want to do. I don't think there is such a thing as "simple tracking" -
tracking is tracking and that's how it's done. If you want to use EVA, the
help pages are pretty straightforward. I can't offer any advice withou
knowing what you want to do.

There are others out there who have had a lot of experience in tracking and
EVA who might care to comment.

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP