Status Emails sending even though they are 0%

[Imsoccrman]

How do we prevent the project Server from sending status emails to users when
the task is at 0% remaining. They are tired of getting all of these emails
for tasks that are already completed . Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[mark.everett]

Depending on how you update progress, you can have a case where the
task is 100% complete but with work (hours of effort) remaining. That
is what is triggering the reminders. On those tasks, you must adjust
the Remaining Work to 0, then republish the project and assignments.

Hope this helps.

Mark

 

[Jack]

There is a bug in MS Project 2003. We have the latest patch and that didn't
fix it still. There are two ways to correct the problem.

1. Save the project out into a local file, delete it from the server and
re-save it back into the server. This way, you flush out everything related
to that project in MSP_WEB* tables.

2. Run the following query in SQL Server to look for the problematic task
SELECT *
FROM MSP_WEB_ASSIGNMENTS
WHERE (WRES_ID IN
(SELECT WRES_ID
FROM MSP_WEB_RESOURCES
WHERE (RES_NAME = 'John Doe'))) AND
(WPROJ_ID IN
(SELECT wproj_id
FROM MSP_WEB_PROJECTS
WHERE (PROJ_NAME LIKE 'ProjectName%')))
ORDER BY TASK_ID

Change the ASSN_REM_WORK field to 0 by running an update query (add TASK_ID
in WHERE clause), or via your SQL Server Enterprise Manager.

Sad to say, you'll have to do this for every project manager that complains
about it. You can further your research by proactively looking for
discrepancies like this between the MSP_WEB_ASSIGNMENTS vs.
MSP_ASSIGNMENTS/MSP_PROJECTS/MSP_TASKS tables.

Good Luck!


-Jack

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jack:

I don't believe this is a bug, so much as the result of sloppy usage. When
Project Managers understand how to manage assignments, this doesn't happen.

 

[Jack]

We do have some "very" non-technical project managers user base here. But
some are well versed in the desktop/server world, and yet still face the same
issues.

Please define a scenario for the sloppy usage. We get repeated (twice a
month for a 40 highly-active userbase) bug reports regarding tasks that have
been marked (and accepted) as complete but project managers and team members
get bugged by emails saying that it is incomplete day after day. Why would
Project Pro allow tasks to be marked as 100% complete and yet have a
"remaining work" hour as more than zero (8/16/24/etc)? We published and
republished. I went in and did the same but to no avail.

We use a concise template that doesn't show the remaining work field simply
because we think that it should be automatically reduced to zero in the
MSP_WEB tables when a task is marked 100% complete and published/saved.
That's why I think it is a bug. I have seen a pattern in this bug, and thus
I have a hunch on why it is happenning. Let me know if you're interested and
I'll send you a more detailed description.


-Jack

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Jack:

One example, (I don't have time to list all the possibilities), is when PMs
status a task in Project and don't synch the web tables, another is when
resources are removed from tasks before the assignment is closed out.

We do have some "very" non-technical project managers user base here. But
some are well versed in the desktop/server world, and yet still face the
same
issues.

Please define a scenario for the sloppy usage. We get repeated (twice a
month for a 40 highly-active userbase) bug reports regarding tasks that
have
been marked (and accepted) as complete but project managers and team
members
get bugged by emails saying that it is incomplete day after day. Why
would
Project Pro allow tasks to be marked as 100% complete and yet have a
"remaining work" hour as more than zero (8/16/24/etc)? We published and
republished. I went in and did the same but to no avail.

We use a concise template that doesn't show the remaining work field
simply
because we think that it should be automatically reduced to zero in the
MSP_WEB tables when a task is marked 100% complete and published/saved.
That's why I think it is a bug. I have seen a pattern in this bug, and
thus
I have a hunch on why it is happenning. Let me know if you're interested
and
I'll send you a more detailed description.


-Jack