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There are a couple of ways to programmatically get the Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) value for a Project Server user. The simplest way is to query the Reporting database, for example: SELECT [ResourceUID] ,[ResourceName] ,[ResourceBookingType] ,[ResourceIsActive] ,[RBS] FROM [ProjectServer_Reporting] .[dbo].[MSP_EpmResource_UserView] AS res WHERE res .ResourceName = N’Linda Jones’ The result on my machine is: ResourceUID ResourceName ResourceBookingType ResourceIsActive RBS 0D455775-01CB-42E1-A481-A6F0F1F8208A Linda Jones 0 1 User Assistance.DevDocs.SDK Writers To get the RBS by using the PSI is a bit more work. Because the RBS is an enterprise resource custom field that uses the RBS lookup table, you can use the following steps: Call the ReadResources method and filter the primary Resources table for the user name and GUID. Alternately, you can use the ReadUserList method to get all of the active resource names and GUIDs, and iterate through the ResourceDataSet for the specific resource. The attached example uses the –userList command line argument to have the application use the ReadUserList method, and displays the elapsed time for the method used. Call ReadResource with the resource GUID to get the full ResourceDataSet . Iterate through the ResourceDataSet. ResourceCustomFields table to get the CODE_VALUE for the RBS custom field (if it exists). Use a filter with the ReadLookupTables method to get a LookupTableDataSet that contains only the LookupTableTrees table for the RBS lookup table. Iterate through the LookupTableTrees table to get the LT_VALUE_FULL string that corresponds to the CODE_VALUE in the RBS custom field.

We’re happy to announce the publish of a new white paper by Chris Vanderluis of HMS Software for the “From the Trenches” column in the Project Server 2010 TechCenter

I am very excited to announce the release of a great white paper written by Andrew Lavinsky from UMT Consulting Group, entitled Reporting with Microsoft Project Server 2010 . This 82 pages document is a great read to learn and understand the reporting options of Microsoft Project Server 2010. In Andrew’s words: “The most compelling story within Project Server 2010 is both individual and individualized dashboards. Not only can I now create a dashboard intensely focused on the data requirements of an individual, but I can empower individuals to create their own customized dashboards.” Start you download ! Summary This white paper is an introduction to the reporting options available in Microsoft Project Server 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010. The target audience for this document is the experienced user, business owner, or administrator who is new to Project Server 2010 and looking for a quick way to assess the reporting options available to the organization. This white paper does not cover how to configure the Project Server 2010 reporting infrastructure. For information about how to configure reporting for Project Server 2010, see Configure reporting for Project Server 2010 . This white paper includes information about the following: Project Center views OLAP cubes ODC files Microsoft Excel and Excel Services in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Microsoft Visio and Visio Services in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) PerformancePoint Services in Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 The REST API External Content Types For further information on reporting please check out the following resource center on TechNet: Business Intelligence in Project Server 2010 .

Conference rooms can be created as a resource by the Microsoft Online Services administrator. You can create a calendaring resource for any room, piece of equipment or anything else that needs a reservation. In our latest BPOS-S video we learn how to create these resources. This is a very useful feature that has multiple purposes for any business. Was this video helpful? Learn more about Microsoft Online Services with our other support and how to blog posts . What support videos would you like to see? We want to hear from you in the comments section below or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

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).

Well, maybe not right away. But you might impress your new stakeholders with a quick first draft of your next project by using a template. Templates are one of the most popular ways to get familiar with what Microsoft Project is capable of. Not only will these templates jump-start your next endeavor. They can also be educational. Maybe you don’t want to build a commercial building or start a new business (or plan a wedding), but exploring these templates can be interesting in themselves to learn how the rest of the world gets things done. Note

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

The Office 365 Blog posted a new blog about the 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference. In the blog post Allen Filush from the Office 365 blog explains the new awards being presented for Online Services Partners. This is an exciting way to be recognized for your hard work. Be sure to check out his entire blog copied below. – Josh Topal. —– Worldwide Partner Conference 2011 The 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference is fast approaching, taking place July 10-14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. As a refresher, WPC is an annual gathering for the Microsoft partner community to learn about Microsoft’s roadmap for the upcoming year, network and build connections, share best practices, experience the latest product innovations and learn new skills and techniques. If you haven’t registered already, follow the link by April 25 th to get a special “early-bird” discount of 15%! New Awards for Online Services Partners Winning a WPC Partner Award is a great way to differentiate your company from your competition and get the recognition you deserve from the press, your industry, analysts and of course, Microsoft. Even better, winners will be invited onstage to be recognized for their achievements and receive exclusive access to an Awards celebration. Here you’ll have the opportunity to network with Microsoft Executives and showcase your ground-breaking solution. Nominations are underway and close April 15, so nominate your solution today! This year we are announcing two exciting new awards for Microsoft Online Services Partners: the Commercial Partner of the Year and the Solution Partner of the Year: Online Services Commercial Partner of the Year The Microsoft Online Services Commercial Partner of the Year Award honors Microsoft partners who have built a successful cloud practice and who have shown both innovation and results related to selling and to delivering solutions to the Small to Midmarket (SMB) customers. So don’t worry if you didn’t work with Coca-Cola or GlaxoSmithKline, we are very interested in partners that are having success in smaller and medium sized businesses. Read more about the award criteria (page 12) and submit your nomination by April 15 th . Online Services Solution Partner of the Year Developing solutions and selling to the “Big Guys?”

In our latest BPOS Support video , we explore the Microsoft Online Services Diagnostics and Logging Support Toolkit, or otherwise known as MOSDAL. MOSDAL performs network diagnostics and collects system information, network information and login information for service-based products. MOSDOL saves time by collecting numerous amounts of information with one tool. The video below shows you how to get MOSDAL, enable verbose logging, and troubleshoot common MOSDAL issues. Was this video helpful? Learn more about Microsoft Online Services with our other support and how to blog posts . What support videos would you like to see? We want to hear from you in the comments section below or send an email to our community mailbox . Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

Following the recent release of the Team Foundation Server 2010 and Project Server Integration Feature Pack ( Team Foundation Server 2010 and Project Server Integration Feature Pack has released! ) I’m very happy to announce the publication of another case study on the topic of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) from TechResult in Brazil: https://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Microsoft-Windows-Server-2003-R2-Enterprise-Edition-KN/TechResult/IT-Firm-Simplifies-Data-Exchange-to-Bridge-Gap-Between-Developers-and-Managers/4000009521 TechResult, an IT management and solution provider based in Brazil, wanted to bridge the gap between its developers and its project managers. Developers worked in Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate with MSDN. Project managers gained insights and generated invoices and other reports using Microsoft Project Server 2010, but developers did not sufficiently update data in that software. TechResult deployed the Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010 and Project Server Integration Feature Pack to simplify data exchange. Now, with a single source of truth, developers and project managers can collaborate more easily. Project managers cut time spent updating the status of projects by 70–80 percent and use their new visibility into projects to improve governance, manage risks, and make better decisions. TechResult also uses the feature pack to improve client visibility into projects. Key quotes With Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010 and Project Server Integration Feature Pack, we are saving 70–80 percent of the time that project managers used to spend talking about status updates. Project managers use the Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010 and Project Server Integration Feature Pack to gain more visibility into the development process. Key benefits Reduce Time Spent on Project Management Improve Governance Make More Informed Decisions Enrich Relationships with Customers More Microsoft ALM case studies can be found at: https://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Study_Search_Results.aspx?Type=1&Keywords=ALM Obrigado TechResult and Daniel!