Who has used EPM?

[Merry]

I encountered some issue in EPM (enterprise portfolio management). It related
to MS Project 2007.

Who has the experience of using these two?

Thanks
Zhang

 

[Robert]

Can you add a little more detail in the question?
What issue are you having with the 2 tools?


--
Project Consultant

REJ Company

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Merry]

Hi Robert,

The situation is as below.
When we use EPM, we have some internal process. For example, before a
project is approved, we need to submit a project as an idea in EPM. During
that stage, we should provide high level project plan.

My question is related to the high level project plan.
In high level project plan, there is a Duration field need to be input. Does
this duration mean work effort for the task?

Hopefully I explain clearly.

Thanks
Zhang

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Zhang --

No, the Duration field indicates the time span needed to complete the work,
regardless of whether the work will be full-time or part time. A good way
to "reserve" your resources in the Proposal is to use a Resource Plan, by
the way. Hope this helps.

 

[Merry]

Thanks Howard, that is helpful.

But that bring another issue. During the idea status, the MS Project 2007 is
not available for us to use, only the approved project which plan can be
edited by MS Project 2007. Due to this reason, some project is showed with
many hours for its work and the project may have trouble to be approved.

Is there any way to input the estimate effort for task during idea status?

Thanks
Merry

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Zhang --

First of all, are you actually using the Proposals feature in Project Server
2007 for your proposed projects? If not, how are you doing this? Give us
more information and we will try to help.

 

[Merry]

Hi Howard,

I don't know what you mean by Proposals feature in Project Server 2007. In
fact I want to show a screen to you, that may help me to explain more
clearly. But how can I provide the screen to you?

Thanks
Zhang

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Zhang --

If necessary, attach a screenshot. But keep in mind that some of our
newsgroup members still pay for Internet access by the minute. Let us know.

 

[Merry]

Hi Howard,

I don't know how to paste a screenshot when I reply. Is it possible I can
send an email to you?

Thanks
Zhang

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Zhang --

If you are using Outlook Express or Windows Mail as your newsgroup reader,
you can click Insert - File Attachment.

Before we go any further with this issue, let's back up to the beginning.
You never specificially stated whether your original question is about
Project Server 2007 or Project Profolio Server 2007. Why don't you tell us
which tool you are using and then we will try to help further.

 

[Dennin Smith]

Duration is time in the calendar, Work is the number of man hours needed to
complete the task. A task might have a duration of 4 days but 8 hours of
work, which would suggest that someone works on the task for 2 hours a day
for four days.

 

[Merry]

Hi Howard,

Thanks for your comment. I will check when I go back to office next Mon. In
fact I didn't notice that.

Zhang

 

[Merry]

Hi Smith,

Thanks for your words.

So I think I need to let someone here change the title Duartion to Work.
Otherwise it is easily to mislead the idea creator when the Idea Submitter
creates an idea and inputs high level project plan.

Zhang

 

[Merry]

Hi Howard,

I checked and found I am only using the client MS office project 2007. I
don't know the server is Project Server 2007 or Project Portfolio Server
2007. This is the statement I copied from our document. "EPM is a system of
Microsoft Enterprise software that consists of Ms Project Professional 2007,
Ms Project Server 2007, and Ms Project Portfolio Server." Does it answer your
question?

Thanks
Zhang

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Zhang --

My first name is Dale and my last name is Howard, but that doesn't really
matter. Since you are not using Project Server 2007 or Project Portfolio
Server 2007, that simplies things greatly. Your question, if I am not
mistaken, is how to estimate Work on tasks while the project is still in the
proposed stage. Here's how:

1. In the Gantt Chart view, right-click on the Duration column header.
2. In the shortcut menu, click the shortcut menu that appears, select the
"Insert column..." item.
3. In the Column Definition dialog, click the Field Name pick list and
choose the Work field.
4. Click the OK button.
5. Pull the split bar to the right so that you can see both the Work and
Duration column.

Now you can estimate both the estimated Work on the task, and the "window"
(Duration) during which the Work will be performed. Hope this helps.

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Zhang,

Don't do that, don't change the title Duration to Work.
Follow the good advise of Dale : insert the Work column!

Gérard Ducouret

 

[Merry]

Thanks for your help.

Zhang

Zhang --

My first name is Dale and my last name is Howard, but that doesn't really
matter. Since you are not using Project Server 2007 or Project Portfolio
Server 2007, that simplies things greatly. Your question, if I am not
mistaken, is how to estimate Work on tasks while the project is still in the
proposed stage. Here's how:

1. In the Gantt Chart view, right-click on the Duration column header.
2. In the shortcut menu, click the shortcut menu that appears, select the
"Insert column..." item.
3. In the Column Definition dialog, click the Field Name pick list and
choose the Work field.
4. Click the OK button.
5. Pull the split bar to the right so that you can see both the Work and
Duration column.

Now you can estimate both the estimated Work on the task, and the "window"
(Duration) during which the Work will be performed. Hope this helps.

 

[Merry]

Thanks for your help

Zhang

Zhang,

Don't do that, don't change the title Duration to Work.
Follow the good advise of Dale : insert the Work column!

Gérard Ducouret

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Zhang --

You are more than welcome for the help, my friend!