Announcing SharePoint Lifecycle Management Solution with Project Server 2010

I am excited to announce the release of SharePoint Lifecycle Management Solution with Project Server 2010 produced by Jornata . Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 provides a vast number of capabilities that empower both business users and IT to create solutions quickly. For this reason, many organizations consider implementing SharePoint as a central platform to address a wide array of business solutions. For those organizations, it is likely that they will need a good way to track, manage, and prioritize those business requests. The SharePoint Lifecycle Management Solution with Project Server 2010 provides a framework and guidance for managing SharePoint business requests and includes two white papers and a sample dataset. This no-code solution includes: Business Decision Maker/Technical Decision Maker white paper containing a business evaluation of how Microsoft Project Server 2010 can be employed to help manage your SharePoint Lifecycle through enhancement requests and project proposals. Technical white paper contains step-by-step instructions on how to install and customize the SharePoint Lifecycle Management solution, along with basic instructions on how to use it. Project Server 2010 sample databases and templates that can be used to illustrate concepts. The sample dataset requires a farm that has a working installation of Microsoft SharePoint 2010 with Project Server 2010 fully configured (please refer to Project Server 2010 Tech Center ); and the Dynamic Workflow and Workflow Visualization web part solutions from Microsoft Project 2010 Solution Starters . For an overview of the solution, please watch this recent recording from Tech.Ed last week: https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/TechEd/NorthAmerica/2011/OSP202 Last but not least do not forget to check out other existing white papers on Microsoft Project Portfolio Management offering on our Project site at https://www.microsoft.com/project/en/us/articles-white-papers.aspx Christophe Fiessinger Senior Technical Product Manager, Microsoft Project https://blogs.msdn.com/chrisfie

New Content Published April 2011

Published the week of April 25, 2011 New resource center Time and Task Management in Project Server 2010 Visit this new resource center to get started with time and task progress tracking in . Learn how to use Microsoft Project Web App to submit time spent and progress on tasks. New article Accessing Project Web App and Project Professional from a Macintosh-based computer Describes two options for those who want to access a Project Web App site or use the Microsoft Project Professional 2010 client application from a Macintosh-based computer. Published the week of April 18, 2011 New articles Project Server 2010: A financial management solution for projects, programs and portfolios (white paper) Describes how Microsoft Project Server 2010 can be used by finance professionals as a financial management solution for their organizations’ projects, programs, and portfolios. The paper was written by Arbutus Solutions. Queue (Project Server 2010 settings) This section includes the following new articles: Manage Queue Jobs (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes how to use the Manage Queue Jobs settings on the Project Web App Server Settings page. Queue Settings (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes the Queue Settings that are available on the Project Web App Server Settings page. Updated article Run Migration Script 3 to capture a Project Server 2003 data snapshot Updated to include an important note about pre-creating a blank SQL database to which the script will write results. Published the week of April 11, 2011 New blog post Creating an EPM deployment plan and Creating an EPM Deployment Plan: white paper (Project Server 2010) This white paper describes how to deploy the Enterprise Project Management solution in phases, and it includes key issues and estimated durations for each phase. The paper was written by Chris Vandersluis for the “From the Trenches” column in the Project Server 2010 Tech Center (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=208599). New articles Manage delegates (Project Server 2010 settings) This section includes the following new articles: Set up who can act as a delegate (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes how to set up user-level or group-level permissions that enable you to determine which users or groups can act as delegates for other people. Set up who can have delegates assigned to them (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes how to use categories in Project Web App to determine which users or groups can have delegates do work on their behalf. Workflow and Project Detail Pages (Project Server 2010 settings) This section includes the following new articles: Change or Restart Workflows (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes the Change or Restart Workflow section in Project Web App, which enables you to change a project’s in-progress workflow or change a project’s current stage in a workflow. Project Detail Pages (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes how to create a Project Detail Page (PDP), which represents a single Web Part Page in Project Web App. Project Workflow Settings (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes the Project Workflow Settings page, which designates the Workflow Proxy User account so that the Project Server Interface (PSI) calls in a workflow can be performed. Enterprise Data (Project Server 2010 settings) This section includes the following new articles: Enterprise Global (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes the Enterprise Global file and how you can make changes to it. Resource Center (Project Server 2010 settings) Links to articles that describe how to use the Resource Center in Project Web App. Edit an existing calendar (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes how you can modify the default standard enterprise calendar to account for the working and nonworking times observed by your organization. Updated articles Deploy language packs (Project Server 2010) Updated to include additional languages that are supported in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 language packs but not in Microsoft Project Server 2010 language packs. This article also describes how the June 2010 Cumulative Update can prevent Project Server 2010 upgrade issues if your SharePoint Server 2010 farm is using a language pack that is not available in Project Server 2010. Hardware and software requirements (Project Server 2010) Updated with a link to the SQL Server 2008 Analysis Management Objects (AMO) that are needed for reporting. Additionally, this article has been updated with information about Internet Explorer 9 compatibility with Project Web App. Published the week of April 4, 2011 New articles Reporting with Microsoft Project Server 2010 (white paper) Describes the various tools available for Project Server 2010 Reporting and how to use them. Workflow Stages (Project Server 2010 settings) Describes how to create a new workflow stage, which is one step in a project life cycle in Project Web App. Manage Views (Project Server 2010 settings) The articles in this section describe the different kinds of views in Project Web App and provide information about how to create, modify, copy, and delete these views. Fiscal periods (Project Server 2010 settings) The articles in this section describe how to define and delete fiscal periods. Time Reporting Periods (Project Server 2010 settings) The articles in this section describe how to set up and delete time reporting periods in Project Web App. Updated articles Plan browser support (Project Server 2010) Updated to describe Internet Explorer 9 support in Project Web App for Project Server 2010

This Week in BPOS News 5/6

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we learn about a small town that is cashing in and creating jobs with the Cloud, and discover a great resource for anyone moving from BPOS to Office 365. 1.

This Week in BPOS News 4/15

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at a new Public School system embracing Microsoft’s cloud, and we learn about an essential BPOS tip to increase your productivity. Delhi Schools Embrace Microsoft Cloud-Based Email over Google Our first BPOS story comes from the Why Microsoft blog . Tony Tai takes a look at why schools in Delhi are choosing Microsoft’s cloud over the competition. One of the focuses of the Why Microsoft blog is to bring real customer stories to light. This latest post helps outline the ongoing competition to provide the academic sector with the best possible collaboration and productivity cloud solutions. Tony dives into why Microsoft came out on top for Delhi Public Schools. “ We can offer our students and teachers a technology that is on par with the corporate world without charging any additional fees for it. ” Mr. M.I. Hussain Principal, Delhi Public Schools The Why Microsoft blog does a great job breaking down the challenges, solutions and benefits with choosing the right solution for their cloud. The benefits listed in this article outline three crucial areas that Delhi Public Schools wanted to focus on: Easier, Faster Intra-School Communication and Collaboration Improves Parent – Teacher Communication Easy Access from Any Device We are glad to have Delhi Public Schools in the cloud with Microsoft. Make sure to read the full post here . What other benefits do schools gain from going to the cloud? Leave your comments below. Creating and Troubleshooting Conference Room Mailboxes For our second BPOS story we take a look at the latest BPOS support video and learn how to create and troubleshoot conference room mailboxes. The video below demonstrates how to create conferencing or equipment calendar solutions for your company. What other BPOS tips do you have? Leave your comment below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

Trials and Tribulations in Customizing the Project Center Ribbon

The How to: Modify the Ribbon in PWA article in the Project 2010 SDK works for the cases in the article, but in other cases, you can get a JavaScript error when you try to hide some ribbon controls in PWA. For example, if you hide the Zoom and Show/Hide groups in the Project Center ribbon, a JavaScript error occurs while debugging the Visual Studio project, and all of the ribbon controls are disabled on that page. The error occurs only for controls in the Show/Hide group. Here is the standard Project Center ribbon. The Visual Studio 2010 project that hides the Zoom group and the Show/Hide group is in the attached HideTwoGroups.zip file. Here is the solution for the Project Center ribbon customization issue – at least with three of my machines, all of which have Internet Explorer 9, with both 32-bit and 64-bit IE. I did not test with IE8. The problems may be solved, or may be different, with future updates or different versions of Internet Explorer. Make sure you are running IE9 RTM (9.0.8112.16421).

This Week in BPOS News 4/8

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at how the UN is taking a page from Microsoft’s datacenters to build more green, and we learn about how one company is utilizing the power of Microsoft Lync to help enterprises collaborate better. UN Taps Microsoft for Green Data Center Tech Datacenters are a crucial part of modern computing. Microsoft BPOS is powered by datacenters across the world and Microsoft has extensive knowledge in researching and developing datacenters. The UN is going to use Microsoft’s green data center technology to build its new office in Nairobi, Kenya. The Microsoft IT Pre-Assembled Components, or ITPAC, is a system constructed with the focus on providing the lowest Power Usage Effectiveness, or PUE, to decrease energy costs. Microsoft reports that the PUE for their ITPAC data centers is between 1.05-1.15. This a good range considering that the average PUE for data centers is reported to be 1.92, which is considered high by the Environmental Protection Agency. Check out the video below to learn how Microsoft’s ITPAC Containers are built. The UN Nairobi office wants to make its new office “energy-neutral” and is turning to Microsoft for help. What do you think of the “green” datacenter focus? Is it essential for companies to be green when it comes to datacenters? Leave your thoughts below. Telligent Connects With Microsoft Lync Telligent is known for their applications that foster community development. They are taking their community collaboration to the next level by utilizing Microsoft Lync . Microsoft Lync is the next generation unified communications in the Cloud. Telligent is syncing Lync with their social community software and enabling users the ability to harness the power of collaboration. Telligent Connect for Lync will be a part of the Telligent Enterprise and will feature the capabilities of Microsoft Lynch including worker’s online presence and launching instant messaging and meetings via Lync. Are you utilizing a Microsoft’s Cloud to create something? Share what you’ve made in the comments below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an

This Week in BPOS News 3/25

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at Microsoft’s cloud strategy from an executive’s view, and learn how partners are moving over 1,000 customers to the cloud. 1. Microsoft Exec Says Cloud Strategy Is Right On Track It’s old news that Microsoft is making a hard push towards the cloud. But Microsoft Office Division President, Kurt DelBene is taking a fresh look at Microsoft’s cloud strategy in our first BPOS Story from InformationWeek . DelBene offered an interview with InformationWeek in which he dives into some recent “significant customer wins” in the cloud and the progress of Office 2010, mobile and the future. DelBene points to greater productivity coming to mobile devices in the near future. “The first workload that will move to the cloud is messaging. We have been engaged with all cell phone manufacturers over the last several years to license our Exchange Active Sync (EAS) protocol.” The conversation from InformationWeek touches on some other cloud computing applications and the vision of the future. The article concludes with another Kurt DelBene quote, “‘Companies are looking to get the same capabilities in the cloud that they now have on premises, and they want to do that in a flexible way,’ he said. ‘There’s not a single one of our customers who says, ‘flip the switch, I’m moving everything today.’” What are your thoughts on Microsoft’s cloud strategy? Do you agree with Kurt DelBene? Leave your comments below. 2. Microsoft Partners Move 1,000 Customers to Cloud Computing Microsoft BPOS is enjoying some great success and adoption through the hard work of Partners that are committed to bringing new customers to Microsoft BPOS. In our second story for this week in BPOS news, we take a look at how some of the top Microsoft partners have brought more than 1,000 customers to cloud computing. With the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference coming up in July 2011, MSPmentor author Joe Panettieri believes that more partner wins are being recognized by Microsoft and third party websites. This article even points to a list of the top 10 U.S. BPOS partners based on company migrations. Joe Panettieri goes on to write about how he envisions Microsoft’s delicate cloud computing messaging in the near future. What do you think of partners moving 1,000 customers to the cloud? What messaging does Microsoft need to relay to Partners? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an

This Week in BPOS News 3/11

This week in BPOS news is a recurring segment on the Microsoft Online Services Team Blog that covers news from all sectors of Cloud Computing and the Microsoft Online Services business suite known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). You can read all past This Week in BPOS News segments here. For this week in BPOS news we take a look at the fastest Cloud service in the world, and how one company is saving $100,000 with Microsoft BPOS. 1. Microsoft Azure Named Fastest Cloud Service Microsoft’s Azure Cloud service was recently named the fastest cloud service when compared to the competition. In our first story for this week in BPOS news, we take a look at how CloudSleuth tested and compared 13 Cloud services from companies including Microsoft, Google and Amazon. The cloud services were tested over an 11 month period which resulted in Microsoft coming in first, followed by Google, GoGrid, Amazon, and then Rackspace. Microsoft was rated the fastest, but only by less than a second. The top five cloud services listed above were within 0.8 seconds of each other. The test was conducted by CloudSleuth which used the largest “legal” bot network in the world, with 150,000 user computers pinging the different cloud services. The response times measured with reflections of what end users would likely see. This article from InformationWeek features an interesting outline of the testing process and some more cloud service response time numbers. Be sure to check out this great study . What do you think of the CloudSleuth study? Does this study alter your perception of the competition in the Cloud? Leave your comments below. 2. Chelgrave saves $100,000 thanks to BPOS deployment Chelgrave Contracting is a labour hire company founded in Melbourne, Australia. Chelgrave recently integrated with Microsoft BPOS and has estimated the company will save $100,000. BPOS gives Chelgrave a fully functioning intranet system with tools like SharePoint Online and Microsoft Exchange that have replaced the existing manual paper-based system. Even without an IT team, Greg Scott, General Manager of Chelgrave, was able to implement Microsoft BPOS with the help of Microsoft and Microsoft partners. Greg Scott claims that the move “has had a great impact on savings for the business, with some 40% more revenue than at the same time last year being generated for the company.” Chelgrave is also saving money on transportation costs through the ability to access files from anywhere and host meetings via Communicator. Chelgrave is a shining example of how Microsoft BPOS is enabling companies and their employees a more productive and collaborate work place while saving money. Do you have any BPOS stories? Share them with us in the comments below or send an email to our community mailbox . What are your thoughts about the stories we shared with you this week? Did you see a story you want to share with us? Let us know what other topics you’d like to see. You can comment on this blog post or send an