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May 16th, 2012

In the February Cumulative Update for Project 2010 we fixed an issue described as: You create an .mpp file that was saved from a Project server by using the Save for Sharing command. When you try to resave the .mpp file back to the Project server in Project 2010, the save process fails, and you receive the following error message: Project Server was unable to find the specified resource. If the problem continues, contact your server administrator. This issue occurs when the list separator character that is contained in resource names within the .mpp file on the client differs from the list separator character on the server. We are now finding that in fixing this, we broke a couple of other things that you may be running into if you are using a list separator that is a semi-colon (;).  This is most likely in Europe or Canada, but I’m sure there are plenty of other places that could see this too.  The issues are all related and we are working on a fix for them all, but just wanted to share some workarounds in case you are hitting these.  The different scenarios I have seen so far are:   Using Task Information dialog to remove or add resource assignments to a task Using the Assign Resources dialog to add multiple resource assignments Using the Task Information Dialog to set predecessors or successor information So here are some examples of what can go wrong – and these examples need certain settings to be in place before you would ever see them, so don’t feel left out if you don’t experience any of these issues. This first example assumes you have the semi-colon as list separator and also this is used in your resource names as a separator between first and last names.  So you have a task that is already assigned to Smith; Brian and Jenkins; Adrian, and you want to add Fiessinger; Christophe.  So initially your Task Information dialog looks like this: Then you add Fiessinger; Christophe – and click OK – then you will see this: That doesn’t look quite right?  Opening up the Task Information dialog again I see: It has split each name in two, and created 6 new local resources – and assigned them.  A couple of things here – it will not lose actual work – any assignments that already have work will be OK – and will not get un-assigned – but the extra local resource will still get created.  Undo will also put things right.  The same thing can occur even if you are removing a resource using this same dialog.  If I removed Jenkins; Adrian, it would create Smith and  Brian as two local resources.  The workaround here is to use the Resource Names column in one of the views such as the Gantt view – and select/deselect from the drop down. The second issue is with the Assign Resources dialog (which is why it isn’t a good workaround for the first issues) and it has a couple of different scenarios depending on your use of the list separator in the resource names.  If you do have the separator – like the example above – then you cannot assign from the Assign Resources dialog – the Assign button is disabled – as I show here.   However, if I choose a resource with no list separator in the name the Assign button is active: The further issue with the Assign Resources comes when you make multiple selections that do not contain the list separator, such as the following: When I click Assign – I see an extra resource in my list, with a very cool name – “adrian jenkins;brian smith;christophe fiessinger” – and he/they has/have been assigned to the task. If I look at the resource sheet I can see “adrian jenkins;brian smith;christophe fiessinger” has been added as a new local resource.  The workaround here, assuming you do not have the list separator in the name, is to assign one at a time, or of course the Resource Name column in the Gantt view can be used as for the previous example. The last scenario is back to the Task Information dialog, but this time we are looking at the Predecessors tab.  Say we have 3 tasks, T1, T2, and, you guessed it, T3.  We open the Task Information dialog for T3, go to the Predecessors tab and enter either the IDs of the first two tasks, or select them in the drop down like this, then press OK, we get the following error message.  There is a problem with the predecessor information. The workaround for this one is to go to a view such as the Gantt view, and use the Predecessors column, and enter 1,2. For each of these you could also work around them by setting your list separator to not be the semi-colon – but I appreciate that might give you some issues elsewhere – as it is a global setting on your PC.  If you wish to try this you can go to Control Panel – Clock, Language and Region – Change the date, time or number format, then select Additional Settings then change the List Separator from a semi-colon to a comma, for example.  Sorry for any inconvenience this problem has caused you – and I will update this posting once I find out when a fix will be coming along – and potentially any other scenarios that I am made aware of where this bug rears its ugly head, and thanks to the customers that have quickly brought this to our attention.

See the rest here:
Project 2010: Problems since the February CU if you have a semi-colon (;) as your list separator

May 16th, 2012

Brian Ru just published a blog post over on the main Project blog announcing the release of all the recorded content from the Project Conference 2012 – on the Project Channel of Microsoft Showcase .  So if you didn’t get to Project Conference 2012 this is a great chance to catch up with all the great content.  For good support topics see PC319 and PC349 – as recently “leaked” on this very blog… Enjoy!

Read more from the original source:
If you didn’t get to Phoenix…

May 16th, 2012
May 16th, 2012

Today we’re excited to share all session recordings from Project Conference 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona with the greater Project community. Over 1250 people from 44 countries made the trip–75% for the very first time. The week featured 94 handpicked sessions with 20 delivered by customers eager to share their experiences. Many sessions were standing room only and from the evaluations, many only wished they could have attended more of them. Zach Heisinger, first time attendee, tells us he’s already looking forward to the next Project Conference. His only complaint? “I wish certain sessions could be offered more than once during the conference. That way I wouldn’t have to pick one great session over another great session.” So, we’re excited to share these recordings with all of you as it represents a collection of the best content out there from our customers, partners, and industry leaders.

This year’s Conference focused on Project 2010 momentum and offered attendees both networking as well as training opportunities. We’ve said before, 2010 marks the biggest release in over a decade, but product innovation didn’t end with its release. You’ll find 87 recordings totaling over 100 hours of content. We suggest getting started by viewing both keynotes, first from Microsoft Office Division CVP Kirk Koenigsbauer and then from Microsoft Project GM Ludovic Hauduc. Then jump into some of the top rated sessions at the conference:

  1. Deliver SharePoint Success: Key Steps to Reap the Business Benefits
  2. Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices for Using Project Server 2010
  3. The painters, the policemen and the Pope…understanding task movement in Microsoft Project 2010
  4. Take Your Project Reporting To the Next Level: Dashboards and Other Tools
  5. YJTJ (Your Job Tool’s Job) ™ – Working in Concert with Microsoft Project
  6. Unleashing the Value of Earned Value: Applying Schedule and Cost Controls to Measure Project Performance
  7. Turning Project Data into Real World Reports: An Overview of Business Intelligence Options
  8. Leveraging Project 2010 with Office 365 for Project Management Success
  9. Be Loved By Your Development Teams: Using the Team Foundation Server – Project Server Connector
  10. Microsoft Project Conference 2012 – Microsoft Project 2010 Desktop Overview

From all the social media buzz (2.5 million Twitter impressions) and excitement, the Project community looks to be growing stronger and stronger each day. None of this would have been possible without each of you and we’re thankful for the opportunity to have met many of you in person. A special thank you to those who were able to join us this year. Hope you enjoyed all the parties and the warm weather. We can’t wait for the next one! For those who couldn’t make the trip this year, we hope you find the sessions informative and enough of a reason the join us next time. Let us know what you think in the comments or via Facebook/Twitter.

You can view all sessions on the Microsoft Project Showcase Channel

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
May 14th, 2012

Work typically isn’t difficult to describe. We all do it, and sometimes wish we had less of it. In Microsoft Project, on the other hand, defining work can get a little tricky, especially when setting up the working calendar for the team in your project schedule. Usually, Project considers working time to be Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m ., with weekends off. So far so good, especially the part about the weekends. But you can change this to any time you want. If you want everyone to work Saturdays or all evenings, so be it. The following graphic will show you how to use the Change Working Time dialog box to change the project work calendar. In the example graphic below, Saturday is made into a four-hour working day with, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m . That’s it. And sorry about the weekend part.

More:
You want your team to work on Saturday? Serious?! OK. Here’s how.

May 9th, 2012

Social media is one of the most important communication tools of the modern era. Companies use it to connect with customers and like minded individuals, all in the name of building trust in their brand and products. While almost every company has a social media presence, they have been slow to trust employees to use personal social media at work. On average, 31% of companies block employees from accessing their accounts.

There are four distinct advantages to allowing social media:

  • Increased productivity. There have been a number of studies that have found that judicious use of social media in the workplace will actually increase productivity. A study conducted by the University of Melbourne found that employees with access to social media are 9% more productive than those without.
  • Increased buy-in. Employees like to feel trusted and empowered. If they don’t you can expect to experience higher turnover and lower morale. A good way to gain trust is to allow employees to use social media in the workplace. If an employee feels like they are trusted, they’ll be more likely to stay with the company.
  • Recruiting. Small businesses have started to use social media for recruitment, but limit efforts to one account. If you have 10 employees in your organization, each with a social media account with 100 friends, you have the potential to reach 1,000 people. This is achievable if employees are allowed to access social media at work and are encouraged to share posts.
  • Identification of business opportunities. Through the use of social media, employees in charge of sales and business development can source new clients and build fruitful relationships.
There are many advantages to allowing access to social networks at the office. If you‘re hesitant to completely open the social media floodgates, try doing so in short periods, like the final three hours of the working day.

No matter what you decide, allowing access to social media is a good practice for your business. If you would like to learn more about social media and how you can leverage it in your business, we are happy to talk with you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

May 9th, 2012
May 4th, 2012

Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP, has become one of the main ways businesses communicate. An ever growing number of companies have been switching over to VoIP systems to take advantage of its cost savings. Recently, one of the most popular programs, Skype, reached a milestone of 40 million users logged in concurrently.

Skype has some excellent features but many businesses stick to the basics. Here are four ways you can better utilize Skype.

  • Call forwarding. If you’re expecting an important call but have to step away from the computer for a bit you can forward any calls to your phone. To set up call forwarding: open preferences and select Calls. You will see the option to set up call forwarding at the top of the page. Press the Forward calls radio followed by Set up Forwarding. Be aware that regular call rates will be charged.
  • Screen sharing. Skype is a terrific collaboration tool and many businesses take advantage of it by holding virtual meetings. You can take this one step further by sharing your screen with other parties you are chatting with. This is a fantastic way to give virtual presentations. To share your screen while in a chat press the plus symbol at the bottom of your screen, or right click, and select Share Screen.
  • Customer service tool. Using Skype is a convenient way to get in contact with your customers. Ask your website developer to put a Skype button on your website. Be sure to add when you or your employees are available to be contacted.
  • Add-ons. Skype has solid features but there are a multitude of add-on apps that can make it even better. Some apps allow for closer collaboration, let you broadcast pre-recorded messages, or record video and audio calls. The apps can be downloaded from the Skype Shop.
Skype has many useful features that when utilized allow businesses’ clients and employees to communicate with ease. If you would like to know more about using Skype or other VoIP services in your company please give us a call.
Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

May 3rd, 2012

Just noticed that the Microsoft Project channel on Microsoft Showcase is hosting the sessions that Adrian and I did at this year’s Project Conference.  We covered a few different scenarios and tools that we use in our day to day jobs. We presented in two parts – part one was called PC319 and can be found at http://aka.ms/uhuix1 and part two was PC349 and can be found at http://aka.ms/frd1nl .  Other sessions are available too. I might also try and embed these – so they may appear below soon… (success!) PC319 PC349

More here:
Troubleshooting sessions from the Project Conference 2012

May 2nd, 2012