Implementing Program Support in Project Server 2010 - Part 2

In this post, I will cover how the Program  support can be enabled using another product from FluentPro products portfolio - FluentPro Autocomplete Manager.

Autocomplete manager allows to enable auto complete feature to project level custom text field and get the data from 3 data sources:
- SQL Server Query
- SharePoint List
- Project Server Security Group

So, let's start.

I assume that Autocomplete Manager is installed and licensed.

1. Create 3 fields:

• Portfolio Name - project level, Text, Single line
• Program Name - project level, Text, Single line
• IsProgram - project level, Flag

2. Add these 3 fields to Project Information PDP

3. Create 2 projects, Program A, Program B and "check" IsProgram field.

4. Create new SharePoint List in PWA and call it Corporate Portfolio. Add 3 items - Portfolio A, Portfolio B, Portfolio C

5. Got to Server Settings -> Project Detail Pages and open Project Information PDP for edit.
next to Program name and Portfolio Name fields you will see icon - that's icon for Autocomplete Manager settings for that field.

6. Click on first icon (next to Program Name). We want to configure this field to pick values from Reporting Database for this PWA so we can build a list of projects that are "programs" (have IsProgram = 1). Fill the data as shown here (please note that you might need to provide credentials / get access to DB. Talk to your DB Admin):

You can test both connection string and SQL Query for errors in run time by clicking on Test buttons.

7. Let's configure Portfolio Name field to get data from SharePoint List we created:

8. We should be all set. Let's save changes to PDP, go to Project Center and create new project.
Start typing in Program Name field - Autocomplete Manager will provide all options that match:

Start typing in Portfolio Name field - Autocomplete Manager will provide all options that match:

That's it. In case of using Autocomplete Manager, your system is very dynamic, no server side jobs needed. Very easy to use.

Summary:
Both approaches have cons and pros. If you prefer to use Lookup Tables - then you can use Lookup Manager. If you are fine with content from data source directly and good to go with values in text fields only - Autocomplete Manager provides the most easiest way .


Note 1: We covered using Autocomplete Manager for SharePoint Lists and SQL Server. In Addition, it allows to use it as "People Picker" picking data from Project Server User Groups.

Note 2: Versions of Lookup Manager 2013 and Autocomplete Manager 2013  for Project Server 2013 are expected around mid-February.


Let us know if you have any questions - we would be happy to answer all of them.

Portfolio and Programs in Project Server

In this post I will cover how we can create a support of Programs and Portfolio Functionality in Project Server 2010.

By definition, project is "a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or result". Program can consist one or more Projects that are delivering within one initiative; Portfolio can consist one or more Programs or Projects and is more strategic grouping.

Usually, Program can have its own schedule ignoring the fact that it can contain more than one project which can define the duration, start / end dates; Logic behind giving ability to have own schedule is based on fact that there might be activities that has to be tracked on Program level.
We can use the same logic for Portfolio, but in reality portfolio is a more a matter of "grouping" projects for reporting / structuring projects within organizational strategy.

My suggestion is to have 2 lookup tables and 3 custom fields on Project Level:

Lookup tables:
  LT Program
  LT Portfolio

Custom fields:
  Is Program (Flag)
  Program (Referencing LT Program)
  Portfolio (Referencing LT Portfolio)

Program is defined as project with Program field empty and Is Program field checked; Program can have value in Portfolio field.

Project has Is Program field unchecked; Project can have values in both Program and Portfolio fields.

Portfolio is just grouping value;

As significant improvement for managing lookup tables is to develop event handler on project save that will populate LT Program lookup table dynamically, otherwise you have to maintain it manually.

As part of effort, I would recommend to create several reports:

• Programs Overview (list of programs in Program with indicators
• Program Details 
• Portfolio Overview (list of projects / programs in Portfolio with indicators)

Every report can incorporate links to drill down.

FluentPro Reports Pack

After working on number of customer engagements and developing over 100 reports, we've decided to kick-off "assembly" of our own report pack. This report pack will include set of reports and set of custom fields that customers will have to add to the system in order to be able to use reports.
Report pack will contain approximately 20 reports:

• Several Executive dashboards
• Timesheet reports (weekly and monthly views)
• Status update reports (weekly and monthly views)
• Portfolio and Program overview
• Project overview
• Milestones overview
• Capitalization reports

Reports are based on SSRS.

Update:

We have several available reporting packages:

1. Project Status report:  http://www.fluentpro.com/productsstatusreport.html
2. Project Dashboard: http://www.fluentpro.com/productsprojectdashboard.html
3. Timesheet reports:  http://www.fluentpro.com/productstimereports.html