Update tasks in Web Access, yes or no?

[jzis]

The Project 2003 Frequently Asked Questions states that you can “use Project
Web Access through a web browser to view, update, and analyze information."

I see how to create a new task, and assign myself to an existing task. How
do you update the tasks already there?

Does a user require MS Project to perform any of these changes?

Thanks.

- - - jzis

 

[Reid McTaggart]

Team Members view and update their assignments in the Tasks area. PMs use
the Updates area to process assignment updates submitted by resources.

If Team Members do not have Tasks as a menu choice, or if PMs do not have
the Updates menu, then the Groups and Categories assignments or permissions
are not set up correctly. Out of the box, the configurations display these
menus.


If you have not modified the stock permissions templates, you may want to
consider using them to restore standard permissions. Then, review your
resources and ensure that they are members of appropriate Groups.

This is an area of configuration that's easy to get started in, and really
easy to get tangled up. If you don't understand it really well, either work
very slowly and check the results of each step, or get some expert assistance.

If you want a little offline phone help, drop me a line.

As for who needs Projectt Pro: A PM processing updates needs Pro; a Team
Member updating their timesheet just needs the web client.

Good luck!

--
Reid McTaggart
(e-mail address removed)
Alegient, Inc., Houston
Project Server Experts
Microsoft Certified Partner

 

[jonathan_sofer.....]

I see that you have the ablility to Create a new task and assign
yourself to an existing task which means you have access to the Tasks
tab (commonly referred to as the timesheet view). From there if you
have any assignments published to you, you can view them by clicking on
the "timesheet view" near the top left corner of your screen.

The fields that are updatable in this view depend on which one of the
three time tracking methods you have set under PWA's Admin>Customize
Project Web Access>Tracking settings:

- Percent of work complete: Resources report the percent of work
complete, between 0 and 100%.
- Actual work done and work remaining: Resources report the actual
work done and the work remaining to be done on each task.
- Hours of work done per day or per week: Resources report the hours
worked on each task during each time period.

You will see which sections are editable as they are white instead of a
faint orange color. You must then hit the Update All to send your
updates to the Project Manager.

VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Project Managers must accept the team member timesheet updates for
those changes to be reflected in the Project Plan in Project
Professional.

The same goes for the two scenarios you mentioned above of "Create a
new task and assign yourself to an existing task". These will not be
reflected in the project plans until they have been approved and
processed by the Project Managers via the Updates tab in Project Web
Access.

Any PM typ changes to the project plan such as adding and removing
resources, assignments, tasks, and changing task information can only
be done with Project Professional.

Jonathan Sofer
PM Consultant
Pcubed