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White Papers – Microsoft Project

EPM Strategy offers many services to our clients, including customized documentation integrating tools and business processes to “standard” documentation.  Here are some sample  documents that we provide for free to anybody that would like them.  If you have any questions about these documents or would like more information please use our contact form on the Contact Us page.

To try and make this page a bit more user friendly, this page is divided by the Project Versions.

Quick Links:
All Versions
Project 2007
Project 2010
Project 2013 (Project Online)
Project Online (Project 2016)

 

 

ALL VERSIONS

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Baselines – Proper Implementation for Reporting Purposes

During the process of implementing a schedule you may need to have your original data as a reference point.  And, you may need to have modifications to your schedule (scope or otherwise) that require a new Baseline on either new tasks or tasks that have not yet been completed.  This shows the best practice methodology for using baselines in Microsoft Project.

 

Clearing the Cache

Project Professional uses a cache methodology to increase opening speed of projects and to allow for users to work on their desktop while being offline.  But, every now and then the desktop and the server get out of sync and the desktop client needs to have the cache cleared.  Or, there may be a large number of schedules in the desktop client cache and they need to be cleaned up.

 

Task Types and Order of Entry

Project uses a formula to determine the Resource Units, the Work Hours and the Duration time. This document explains how that formula is affected by the order in which data is entered into a task/assignment.

 

Global File – Enterprise Global, Local Global and Standard Template

Project Server uses an Enterprise Global file to make sure everybody is on the same page.  But, there is also a Local Global file on each Project Manager’s computer.  This article explains the difference between the two and introduces the Standard Template.

 

Linking Projects in Microsoft Project

The following document describes some possible methods to use with Microsoft Project when using a schedule that has inputs from an external schedule.

 

Resources Assigned to a Task

This article is an answer to the question that a Resource might have about whether or not they are the only resource assigned to a task.

 

Resource Types for Project

Project has a number of Resource Types available.  This document is a high level explanation of how Budget and Cost Resources work.

 

Save, Save As and Publish – The Differences

In Project Server 2007, there are three menu options – Save, Save As and Publish.  This document explains the differences of the options and how they affect the Project Managers and Team Members that are using the schedule.

 

Schedule Movement – Dates that Represent Actual Information

Sometimes a completed task in Microsoft Project will show a completion date that doesn’t seem right.  For example, why does a task completed today show a completion date in the distant future, or the past?  This article is an explanation of the options that affect schedule movement (or lack thereof).

 

Task Types – Fixed Duration, Fixed Work, Fixed Units

Microsoft Office Project uses one of three task types to calculate the time of a task. The three types of tasks are: Fixed Duration, Fixed Units and Fixed Work, often referred to just as Duration, Units and Work. This document explains how this works in Microsoft Project.

 

Timesheet and Task Update Workflow

Please see the blog post here to better describe the highlevel Timesheet workflow.  https://epmstrategy.com/timesheets-and-task-updates-a-high-level-overview/

 

 

 

2007 Version

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Accepting Updates in Project Server 2007

This document explains the steps for a Project Manager to view and accept (or reject) task updates.

 

ActiveX Work Around for Project 2003 and 2007 

Project Server versions 2003 and 2007 requires Active X controls.  Not all organizations allow for those controls.  Or, there may be a setting within Internet Explorer that doesn’t allow for the “Export to Excel” function to work correctly.  This document explains how to use the .xml file, notepad and Excel together to get the information from Project Server to Excel.

 

Activity Creation in Project Server 2007

Project Server 2007 allows for Activities to be created.  This document explains what an activity is and , how to create one.  Please review the document listed below defining Proposals and Activities.

 

Administrative Project Check In for Project Server 2007

On occasion, when a schedule is opened, a message will appear that states that it is a Read-Only schedule and/or that the schedule is checked out – even when the user knows that they have checked it in.  This document explains how the Project Server Administrator can forcibly check in the project.

 

Checking In a Project with Project Professional 2007

Project Professional and Project Server 2007 use a cache which has vastly improved the ability to work offline.  This does, however, require the user to either check-in a project or keep it checked out and use it offline.

 

Connect Project Professional 2007 to Project Server 2007

This document is about connecting Project Professional 2007 to Project Server 2007.  Two methods of connecting Project Professional to one or more Project Server instances is explained.

 

Enterprise Resources in Project 2007

When using Project Server 2007, the ability exists to use an Enterprise Resource Pool. This document explains how to use the Resource Pool.

 

Exam Summaries for Microsoft Project Certification – 2007 (70-632, 70-633 and 70-634)

This information is taken from the Microsoft website and is a compilation of the requirements for the Project 2007 and Project Server 2007 exams. This document is meant to centralize the information about the three tests into one location.

 

Installing Outlook Task Synchronization with Microsoft Project Server 2007

This document explains how to setup/install the Outlook add-in for Project Server 2007.  See the document about Using Outlook AddIn for Project Server for details on using the Task Synchronization function.

 

Project 2007 Professional New Features – One Page Quick Summary

This document is a one page quick guide for some of the new Project 2007 features.

 

Project 2007 Server New Features – One Page Quick Summary

This document is a list of most of the new additions to Project Server 2007 and Project Professional 2007 (from 2003) with a brief explanation of each

 

Project Portfolio Server 2007  – Creating a New Project – Part One and Part Two

These documents explain how to setup and create a Project in Portfolio Server.

 

Proposals and Activities Defined

This document is a quick explanation of the Proposals and Activities as found in Project Server 2007 and using SharePoint Server 2007.

 

Proposal Creation in Project Server

Project Server 2007 allows for a Proposal to be created.  This document explains what a proposal is, how to create one and how to make it into a schedule if so desired.  Please review the document listed above defining Proposals and Activities.

 

Setting up Document Alerts in Project Server 2007

In Project Server, a user can setup a personal alert that notifies them whenever a document is added.  This is a quick explanation on how to set that up.

 

Task Drivers in Microsoft Project

The more complex and the more tasks that are in a schedule, the harder it is to determine why a certain task has the start date or finish date that it is displaying.  There are numerous reasons for this and one of the tools to help determine the cause in Project Professional are that Task Drivers.  This document explains how to use that feature.

 

Templates – Creating and Using

This article demonstrates how to start a new Project by using an established  Template.

 

Understanding Project Server Cubes

This document explains the basics behind the cubes in Microsoft Project Server 2007.

 

Updating a Task in Project Server 2007

This article is about how to update a task in Project Web Access for Project Server 2007. It assumes that Team Members update their own task status using the “My Tasks” page.

 

Using Visual Reports in Microsoft Project Professional

In Project Professional 2007, users can create reports more easily and with more  information than ever before. Visual reports can be exported to Visio 2007 or Excel 2007. This document explains how to create and use those reports.

 

Using the Outlook Add-in for Project Server 2007

This document explains how to use the Outlook add-in for Project Server 2007.

 

Using Outlook Synchronization with Microsoft Project Server 2007 Documents

This article is about setting Outlook (2003 or 2007) so that it synchronizes with Project Server documents or so that it will receive the emails sent by Project Server 2007.  This is different than being able to download Project tasks into your Outlook Calendar or Tasks view.

 

Viewing a Project in Microsoft Portfolio Server 2007

This document explains how to view a Project while in Microsoft Portfolio Server 2007.

 

2010 Version
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Exam Summaries for Microsoft Project Certification – 2010 (70-178 and 70-177)

This information is taken from the Microsoft website and is a compilation of the requirements for the Project 2010 and Project Server 2010 exams. This document is meant to centralize the information about the tests into one location.

 

Project 2010 and Project Server 2010 Highlights

This document lists some of the modifications found in the latest version of Microsoft Project.

 

RBS File – Setting up the RBS Custom Field in Project Server 2010

This document is designed to help explain how to set up a Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) for your organization with Microsoft Project Server 2010.

 

 

2013 Version

 

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Administrative Project Check In for Project Server 2013

On occasion, when a schedule is opened, a message will appear that states that it is a Read-Only schedule and/or that the schedule is checked out – even when the user knows that they have checked it in.  This document explains how the Project Server Administrator can forcibly check in the project.

 

Checking In a Project with Project Professional 2013

Project Professional and Project Server 2013 use a cache which has vastly improved the ability to work offline.  This does, however, require the user to either check-in a project or keep it checked out and use it offline.

 

Connect Project Professional 2013 to Project Server 2013

This document is about connecting Project Professional 2013 to Project Server 2007.  Two methods of connecting Project Professional to one or more Project Server instances is explained.

 

Exam Summaries for Microsoft Project Certification – 2013 (74-343 and 74-344)

This information is taken from the Microsoft website and is a compilation of the requirements for the Project 2013 and Project Server 2013 exams. This document is meant to centralize the information about the tests into one location.

 

Project Professional 2013 and Project Server 2013 New features

This document lists some of the modifications found in the latest version of Microsoft Project.

 

Filtering OData – Microsoft Project Online

This document is a copy of the blog post here and is presented as a document by request.  This is about manipulating OData using the $select and $filter functions.

 

RBS File – Setting up the RBS Custom Field in Project Server 2013

This document is designed to help explain how to set up a Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) for your organization with Microsoft Project Server 2013.

 

Task Inspector  in Microsoft Project 2013

The more complex and the more tasks that are in a schedule, the harder it is to determine why a certain task has the start date or finish date that it is displaying.  There are numerous reasons for this and one of the tools to help determine the cause in Project Professional 2013 is the Task Inspector.  This document explains how to use that feature.

 

Using an existing Template in Project 2013

This article demonstrates how to start a new Project by using an established  Template.

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Accepting Updates in Project Online or Project Server 2016

This document explains the steps for a Project Manager to view and accept (or reject) task updates – whether in Project Online or in Project Server.

 

Administrative Project Check In for Project Online or Project Server 2016

On occasion, when a schedule (or Resource, or Custom Field, Or Lookup Table) is opened, a message will appear that states that it is a Read-Only schedule and/or that the schedule is checked out – even when the user knows that they have checked it in.  This document explains how the Project Server Administrator can forcibly check in the project for Project Online or Project Server 2016.

 

RBS File – Setting up the RBS Custom Field in Project Online Or Project Server 2016

This document is designed to help explain how to set up a Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) for your organization with Project Online or with Microsoft Project Server 2016.

 

Connect Project Professional 2016 to Project Online or Project Server 2016

This document is about connecting Project Professional 2016 to Project Online or Project Server 2016.

 

How to use a template in Project Online or Project Server 2016 using Project Professional

This article demonstrates how to start a new Project by using an established Template that your organization has made or one that is online that Microsoft or a Microsoft Partner has created.

 

Project Online and Project Server 2016 New features

This document lists some of the modifications found in the latest version of Project Online and Microsoft Project Server 2016.