What do you do with completed project plans?

[Georgianna]

We are new at using MS Project Server 2003, and are now uploading all of this
year's projects that were completed or in progress prior to having the Server
(which makes for a very long list in the Project View). What do you do
with a published project when it is 100% completed? Do you delete it or
change versions, or archive? Please also share or point me to directions on
how to accomplish your solution.

 

[JohnJ]

I would like to know the answer to this question too. We thought we had the
answer by creating a ".archive" version for the completed projects. Problem
is you are not allowed to ever delete the published version. What to do??

 

[Georgianna]

Still hoping someone can answer our questions, or point us to some on-line
reference materials.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Georgianna --

A couple of thoughts:

1. Create a separate instance of Project Server for completed projects.
You can archive all completed projects in this instance. You will need to
download and use the EditSite tool to create the instance.

OR

2. In your production Project Server instance, create required a custom
enterprise Project outline code field called something like Production
Status, and in the Lookup Table, include values like: In Progress, On Hold,
In Planning, Cancelled, and Completed. Open each project in the Project
Server database and specify a value for each project from this field and
then publish each of the projects. Add the field to all of your Project
Center views so that filtering and grouping can be applied to the projects.

Just a couple of ideas. Perhaps the others will have some thoughts, too.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Georgianna --

Refer to the following link for a definitive methodology on how to archive
completed projects in the production Project Server database:

http://www.projectserverexperts.com/Shared Documents/ArchiveCompltedProjects.htm

Hope this helps.

 

[saws]

Dale,

I wanted to know if there is a way to move all project plans and related
artifacts like risks/issues/documents etc to a new server after it has
closed? This is required so that users can refer to it all whenever they wish
- they just need to use a different server to access them.
If yes, is there any documentation available for the same?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

saws --

Assuming you created a second instance of Project Server to archive
completed projects, and that you have populated the archive instance with a
dupcliate Enterprise Global file and duplicate Enterprise Resource Pool, you
can move completed projects to the archive instance as follows:

1. Launch Microsoft Project Professional and log into the production
instance of Project Server
2. Open a completed project
3. Click File - Save As - Save As File
4. Save the project as an .mpp file in a location of your choice
5. Exit Microsoft Project Profession
6. Launch Microsoft Project Professional and log into the archive instance
of Project Server
7. Import the completed project using Tools - Enterprise Options - Import
Project to Enterprise

This procedure copies the project from the production instance to the
archive instance. To date, no one has shared a good methodology for moving
the SharePoint subweb information (Risks, Issues, and Documents) for a
completed project from one instance to another. Hope this helps.