PSS Learning Services Module 2.

Contents

Lesson 5: Using Multiple Projects 97

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The names of companies,
products, people, characters, and/or data mentioned herein are fictitious and are in no way intended
to represent any real individual, company, product, or event, unless otherwise noted. Complying
with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. No part of this document may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any
purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. If, however, your only
means of access is electronic, permission to print one copy is hereby granted.

Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual
property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any
written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any
license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.

© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Microsoft, Active Accessibility, ActiveX, FrontPage, MS-DOS, Outlook, PhotoDraw, PowerPoint,

SQL Server, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual J++, Windows, and Windows are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries/regions.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their
respective owners.
 Module 2.5 97

Lesson 5: Using Multiple Projects

Overview
In this lesson we will discuss the differences between Microsoft ® Project 98 and
Microsoft Project 2000 when using multiple project files. We will discuss both
Resource Pools and Inserted Projects.

What You Will Learn

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
 Describe differences with multiple projects in Microsoft Project 2000 vs.
Microsoft Project 98
 Describe Resource Pool differences between Microsoft Project 2000 and
Microsoft Project 98
 Move file locations without breaking links
 Troubleshoot common problems with multiple projects
 Work with multiple projects in the Microsoft Project 98 format
Multiple Projects in Microsoft Project 2000
Using inserted projects in Microsoft Project 2000 is essentially the same as it
was in Microsoft Project 98. The method for inserting a project and the user
interface remain largely unchanged. Internally, however, Microsoft Project
handles inserted projects differently.
The most important difference is the way in which Microsoft Project references
inserted projects and resource pools. In Microsoft Project 98, a full path to the
file referenced inserted projects internally. For example, the path might be
“C:\My Documents\Client 1\project1.mpp.” Because of the way that inserted
projects were referenced, moving groups of project files could be difficult.
In Microsoft Project 2000, relative UNC paths are used in addition to full UNC
paths to reference inserted projects and resource pools. The relative paths are
used first. For example, if the file project1.mpp were inserted into a project
stored in the same directory, it would be referenced by both “\project1.mpp”
and “C:\My Documents\Client 1\project1.mpp.” Microsoft Project 2000 would
use the relative path first to locate the project. If it could not be found using the
relative path, the full path is used.
Because of this additional relative path, you can now easily move groups of
projects from one location to another and still maintain cross project links or
links with resource pools and inserted projects. The only requirement is that
files’ relative locations remain constant. So if you have a group of project files
originally located in the same directory, you simply have to place the files in the
same directory in the new location.
In Microsoft Project 2000, you have the opportunity to delete external
predecessor links to files that cannot be found. The following dialog box will
appear allowing you to delete the external link or relocate the file

Figure 1 - Links could not be found

 Module 2.5 99

When opening a consolidated file in which an inserted project cannot be

located, the following dialog box is offered to locate the missing file. Notice the
title of the window “ Cannot find inserted project -…..”

Figure 2 - Cannot find inserted project

Try This: Move Linked Files
Experiment with moving linked files to see how Microsoft Project 2000 behaves.

1. Create a Master Project with two inserted projects. Insert one project
that is stored in the same directory as the master project, and insert the
other from a location at the root.
2. Save all projects and close Microsoft Project 2000.
3. Save all projects to a floppy disk.
4. Choose a partner and exchange floppy disks.
5. Copy the files from the disk you received to the desktop.
6. Open the master project.

Was Microsoft Project 2000 able to find both inserted projects? What

happens if you move the inserted projects to other locations?
 Module 2.5 101

Resource Pools
On the surface, Resource Pools have not changed in Microsoft Project 2000.
The user interface and overall usage remains the same. Below the surface,
however, there are a few significant changes in the way Resource Pools work.
Let’s take a look at dialog box changes first.

Opening a File Attached to a Resource Pool

In Microsoft Project 98, opening a file attached to a resource pool causes a
dialog box with three options to be displayed. In Microsoft Project 2000, this
has been reduced to two options as shown in the following figure:

Figure 3 - Open Resource Pool Information

The first option, “Open resource pool to see assignments across all sharer files”
opens the resource pool read only, along with the file. The second option, “Do
not open other files” corresponds to the third option in the Microsoft Project 98
dialog box, which reads, “Do not open resource pool.” It opens only the file
being opened.

Note
The second option found in the Microsoft Project 98 dialog box, “Open
Resource Pool Read-Write…” has not been removed from
Microsoft Project 2000. It is still found in the dialog box launched when
opening the resource pool directly. This option can also be accessed via
Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA).
Opening Master Projects with Multiple Inserted Projects
Attached to a Resource Pool
In Microsoft Project 98, when you open a master project with multiple inserted
projects, each attached to a resource pool, you would receive the following
dialog box for each inserted project.

Figure 4 - File shares resources

In Microsoft Project 2000, you receive the new dialog with only two options as
shown below.

Figure 5 - Opening Projects attached to Pool

This dialog appears only once and the selection will be applied to all inserted
projects attached to a resource pool, even if each is attached to a different
resource pool.
 Module 2.5 103

Similarly, you will no longer be prompted to update the resource pool multiple
times when saving or closing a master project. Instead you will receive the
following dialog only once and the selection will apply to all inserted projects.

Figure 6- Update Resource Pool

Note
You will still be prompted to save each individual project unless you choose
“Yes to all” or “No to all.” But you will not be asked if you want to update the
resource pool for each individual project.
The Link (not the file) Takes Precedence
Dialog boxes are not the only change to Resource Pools. In
Microsoft Project 98, sharing resources made your project dependent on that
particular file. In Microsoft Project 2000, it is the link (not the file) that takes
precedence. Because of this, you can replace the resource pool file with another
file, simply by putting it directly where the old pool resided.

Writing to the Resource Pool When It’s Opened Read Only

Another change is the way in which Microsoft Project 2000 treats the resource
pool when it is opened read only. In Microsoft Project 98, any update to the
Resource Pool, whether editing assignment information or adding new
resources, caused Microsoft Project to re-open the resource pool as read write.
In Microsoft Project 2000, this has changed. When the Resource Pool is opened
read only, any edits to assignments are written to the Resource Pool while it is
opened read only. This is accomplished by editing the file via a binary stream,
as opposed to rewriting to the whole file. When adding or deleting resources,
however, the resource pool must be re-opened as read write.

Only One Resource List

Another change is that only one resource list is maintained in
Microsoft Project 2000. This is true regardless of whether “Pool takes
precedence” or “Sharer takes precedence” is selected. Because only one list is
maintained, resources have the same ID and Unique ID numbers and order
whether in the resource pool or in the sharer file.
 Module 2.5 105

Try This: Working with a Resource Pool

Experiment to see how Microsoft Project 2000 employs resource pools.

1. Create a new project with 3 tasks. Save the project as Project1.mpp, but
leave it open.
2. Create a resource pool with three resources named R1, R2, and R3.
3. Save the file as RP.mpp and leave it open.
4. Have Project1.mpp use RP.mpp as a resource pool.
5. Assign each resource to one task each.
6. In the resource sheet of Project1.mpp, add a new resource named R4.
7. Save both the files and close them.
8. Open Project1.mpp. When prompted, choose do not open other files
and click OK.

Is there anything unexpected about your resource list from Project1.mpp?

Does anything change when you also open RP.mpp?
Caution

Working With Inserted Projects, Resource Pools, and

Cross Project Links in the Microsoft Project 98 Format

In some organizations, there may be situations where users of Microsoft Project

may want to use both Microsoft Project 98 and Microsoft Project 2000 files
together. For example, a Microsoft Project 2000 user may want to use a
Resource Pool that is still being maintained as a Microsoft Project 98 file.

Microsoft strongly suggests that users do not use files of both

Microsoft Project  98 and  Microsoft Project  2000 format together in Inserted
Project, Resource Pool, or Cross Project Link situations.

Microsoft strongly suggests that users do not use files of both

Microsoft Project 98 and Microsoft Project 2000 format together in Inserted
Projects, Resource Pools, or Cross Project Links situations. Doing so may cause
problems with inconsistent scheduling or other odd behavior. Microsoft Project
will not, however, explicitly stop you from doing so. You will not receive a
message indicating that you are using an inconsistent project file type. For
example, when you insert a Microsoft Project 98 project into a
Microsoft Project 2000 project, you will receive no message indicating it is a
Microsoft Project 98 file until you attempt to save your master project. At that
point you will be asked if you want to save your inserted project in the
Microsoft Project 2000 format.
If a there is an intermingling of Microsoft Project 98 and
Microsoft Project 2000 files, there may be some situations where it seems to
work well. More than likely, though, there will be problems. In order to
troubleshoot such situations, however, you must understand the designed
behavior in different situations. There are five scenarios that exist for using the
two file types together.
 Module 2.5 107

Scenario 1 – Master Project in Microsoft Project 98 Format with some sub-

Projects in Microsoft Project 2000 Format
Microsoft Project 98 – When opening in Microsoft Project 98, sub-projects
will not be able to be expanded.
Microsoft Project 2000 – When opening in Microsoft Project 2000, sub-
projects will be able to be expanded. The master project will appear just as a
Microsoft Project 2000 master project would appear. For example, if one of the
inserted projects has an estimated duration, that estimated duration will be
reflected in any related summary tasks. However, any new features used
directly in the master project itself will be lost when you save your master
project. For a detailed list of what features will be lost, please refer to the new
feature list in Module 1.

Scenario 2 – Master Project in Microsoft Project 2000 Format with some sub-

projects in Microsoft Project 98 Format
Microsoft Project 98 – When attempting to open in Microsoft Project 98, you
will fail. You cannot open Microsoft Project 2000 files in Microsoft Project 98.
Microsoft Project 2000 – When you open in Microsoft Project 2000, you will
be able to open both the master and subprojects. However, if you apply any new
features to a sub-project, you will lose them when you save the sub-project in
the Microsoft Project 98 format. For a detailed list of what features will be lost,
please refer to the new feature list in Module 1.

Scenario 3 – Resource Pool in Microsoft Project 98 format, some sharers in

Microsoft Project 2000 format
Microsoft Project 98 – When attempting to open the pool and all sharers in
Microsoft Project 98, those sharers that are in the Microsoft Project 2000
format will not open. Instead, the resource pool will use replicated assignment
data for these sharers.
Microsoft Project 2000 – Everything will open correctly when opening the
resource pool and all sharers in Microsoft Project 2000. However, if the sharers
use new features, these will not be saved to the resource pool. When opening
the resource pool and sharers the next time, the resource pool may overwrite the
share data or vice versa, depending on the precedence settings and the type of
data in question.

Data may be overwritten if using a resource pool and sharers of different versions
and one of the files uses features new to Microsoft Project 2000. This is because
Microsoft Project 2000 features will not be saved in a Microsoft Project 98 files.
Thus when files are saved, the data between the resource pool and the sharer become
out of sync. When they are re-opened together, one or the other may overwrite the
other. Which overwrites which is determined by the precedence setting found in the
Share Resources dialog box titled “On conflict with calendar or resource
information.”
For assignment data, the sharer will always take precedence. For resource data,
the precedence setting determines which file will overwrite which. For
example, in Scenario 3 where a Microsoft Project 2000 sharer uses a new
feature like Task Calendars or Estimated Durations, data for these features does
not get saved to the resource pool (which is saved in the Microsoft Project 98
format.) When the files are next opened together, all assignment information
from the sharer file overwrites the assignment information in the resource pool.
Thus estimated duration information will be copied over. However, resource
data from the resource pool may overwrite that in the sharer if “Pool takes
precedence” is set. Thus data for any new features used in the sharer (that is,
Material Resources or Resource Availability) will be overwritten and lost.

Scenario 4 – Resource Pool in Microsoft Project 2000 format, some sharers

in Microsoft Project 98 format
Microsoft Project 98 – The pool and the sharers in the Microsoft Project 2000
format cannot be opened. Only sharers saved in the Microsoft Project 98 format
can be opened.
Microsoft Project 2000 – All files will open correctly in
Microsoft Project 2000. However, like Scenario 3, if you use new features in
any of the files, that data will only be saved to the Microsoft Project 2000
format file. In this case it would save to the resource pool. Thus data between
the resource pool and the sharer would become out of sync and may be
overwritten.

Scenario 5 – Cross-project links from a task in a Microsoft Project 98 file to a

task in a Microsoft Project 2000 file
Microsoft Project 98 – When opening a Microsoft Project 98 file with a cross-
project link to a Microsoft Project 2000 file, the link will show with a task name
of “Inserted 2000 Link.” When you attempt to open the project by double
clicking the task, you receive an error message indicating that the file cannot be
opened. This is because Microsoft Project 98 cannot open a
Microsoft Project 2000 format file.
Microsoft Project 2000 – When opening a Microsoft Project 2000 file with a
link to a Microsoft Project 98 file, the link will appear correctly. However, the
ghost task in the Microsoft Project 98 file will not save any data from a new
feature.
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK