Multiple Project & resources (2002)

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Hi,
I have a very large Microsoft project file (about 2000 tasks) which I have now decided to break into a master file and several sub-project files. I noticed that the leveling doesn’t work anymore. Do I have to use to resource pools? Any tips about moving to resource pools or things to watch out for?
Also, if you have any suggestions for me, in converting my single MPP file to a master with multiple subordinate files – I would appreciate them. Are there any drawbacks to this?

thank you,
Paula G

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Paula,

Typically what you could do is break the one large project into smaller projects that are easier to manage. Then create the master project by inserting the subprojects for review purposes.

If your files are all linked together, I don’t see why the leveling across projects would not work but I am a little rusty on this.

Drawbacks to breaking the project apart are you could lose the links between projects, you must be careful about maintaining the resource pools and keeping them updated, people moving the subprojects, etc.

We have had many projects where in a program where the projects run independently but then we combine all of them in a master as subprojects for reporting purposes. This seems to be an easier way to do this.

HTH

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Thank you Gary.
Yes, you can do leveling. What I meant is that you have to have the master project and sub-projects to do leveling (if your resources are shared across the files, which happens in some cases on my project). But, the number of cases in which this happens are few.
Could I handle this by inserting an “external dependency” in a subproject? In other words, if you have Mary who is working on tasks in the master project and in the sub-project file A, then the leveling on file A (alone) would be inaccurate. Could I create a “Mary available for work on sub-project A” task within file A, and then just keep it updated regularly. Using this, I might be able to let the sub-project managers do more manipulating with these separate files, including leveling.
If not, then they would need the master project file in order to do any leveling on sub-projects. Any comments?
Again, thanks for the suggestions.
-PaulaG

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I’ve managed to answer my own question, but thanks for your help.

For those of you interested in this multi-project question —
It looks like, if you have a resource pool, you can open a sub-project file and the resource pool file – and, it will level appropriately. The resource pool file maintains a record of the other activities assigned to the resource, outside of that particular sub-project file.
So, I can mail my sub-project managers their small subproject file along with the resource file and let work independently, then combine all into the large file for a complete view.

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I’ve managed to answer my own question, but thanks for your help.

For those of you interested in this multi-project question —
It looks like, if you have a resource pool, you can open a sub-project file and the resource pool file – and, it will level appropriately. The resource pool file maintains a record of the other activities assigned to the resource, outside of that particular sub-project file.
So, I can mail my sub-project managers their small subproject file along with the resource file and let work independently, then combine all into the large file for a complete view.

Reply | Quote

Thank you Gary.
Yes, you can do leveling. What I meant is that you have to have the master project and sub-projects to do leveling (if your resources are shared across the files, which happens in some cases on my project). But, the number of cases in which this happens are few.
Could I handle this by inserting an “external dependency” in a subproject? In other words, if you have Mary who is working on tasks in the master project and in the sub-project file A, then the leveling on file A (alone) would be inaccurate. Could I create a “Mary available for work on sub-project A” task within file A, and then just keep it updated regularly. Using this, I might be able to let the sub-project managers do more manipulating with these separate files, including leveling.
If not, then they would need the master project file in order to do any leveling on sub-projects. Any comments?
Again, thanks for the suggestions.
-PaulaG

Reply | Quote

Paula,

Typically what you could do is break the one large project into smaller projects that are easier to manage. Then create the master project by inserting the subprojects for review purposes.

If your files are all linked together, I don’t see why the leveling across projects would not work but I am a little rusty on this.

Drawbacks to breaking the project apart are you could lose the links between projects, you must be careful about maintaining the resource pools and keeping them updated, people moving the subprojects, etc.

We have had many projects where in a program where the projects run independently but then we combine all of them in a master as subprojects for reporting purposes. This seems to be an easier way to do this.

HTH

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