Client-Server Compatibility on Microsoft Office Project 2007 platform

If you had your hopes set on keeping Project Professional 2003 and upgrading to Project Server 2007 that will not be possible.

Project Server 2007 requires Project Professional 2007 as the full-featured desktop client. Project Professional 2003 cannot be used with Project Server 2007 because of the changes in platform architecture.

Changing the stylesheet in Project Web Access

How do I change the look and feel in PWA? I want to have a corporate feel and change the logo.

You can do that by changing some css files.

Browse to %SystemRoot%\Program Files\Microsoft Office Project Server 2003\IIS Virtual Root\STYLES\1033

Take a look at the PCSTYLES.CSS file.

In the image above I've just made some colour changes to the Navigation bar just to show some of the things you can do with the CSS file.

Determining which Service Pack is installed on Project Server 2003

As you should know by now, the EPM solution stack includes ProjectServer 2003, Project Professional 2003, SQL Server 2000 and WSS v2.0. To determine the Service Pack applied to each of them:

Project Server 2003
Check the version of the pds.dll
11.2003.0816 (No Service Pack)
11.2004.0.1707 (Service Pack 1)
11.2005.0.3801 (Service Pack 2)
11.2005.0.4110 (Service Pack 2a)

WSS V2.0 Project Template
There has been no changes since Service Pack 1. The latest service pack just reapplied what was fixed in SP1. To determine SP1 browse to \Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033\PWAINC.

The date modified of the PWAISSUE.JS should be March 25, 2004.

Project Server 2003 Database
MSP_WEB_ADMIN table and check the values of WADMIN_VERSION_MAJOR and WADMIN_VERSION_MINOR fields.
11,0 (No Service Pack)
11,1 (Service Pack 1)
11,2 (Service Pack 2)
11,2 (Service Pack 2a)

Unable to determine between SP2 and SP2a. If you're really not sure, reapply the SP2a for the database.

Project Professional 2003
Check the version properties of the WINPROJ.exe

11.0.2003.816 (No Service Pack)
11.1.2004.1707 (Service Pack 1)
11.2.2005.1801 (Service Pack 2)

Make sure both Project Server 2003 and Project Professional 2003 are on the latest and same service pack level.

Thanks to Gord Schmidt's post on Service Packs!

Microsoft Office Project 2007 Certification

The new Microsoft Office Project 2007 user certification program announced at the PMI Congress show will make it easier for organizations to identify skilled project managers.

Click here to read more about it.

MOSS 2007 has landed at Melbourne Airport

We at Unique World have recently finished a successful Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007 implementation at Melbourne Airport!

Read about it here.

Business problems that a document management system can address

1. It is taking me too long to find critical business information.
2. It is costing me too much to handle paper (e.g. storage, archiving, courier, fax, photo copies, loss of information, natural disasters).
3. I can't track and manage my document-based business processes.
4. File servers and email servers are growing at an alarming rate thus making it hard to manage.
5. I need to secure my documents!
6. I need audit capability (e.g. SOX).

Project Server: Adding fields in the timesheet view

In Project Server 2003:

What you'll have to do is, before you publish your project to the server:

1. Log on to PWA with Administrator rights.
2. Go to Admin-Manage views. Select the Timesheet view and Modify. Add the field which you would like to include in your view.

Now the Project Manager can add the selected field he wish to make available in the timesheet.

1. Open your .mpp file in Project Professional 2003.
2. Go to Tools-Customize-Published Fields.
3. Select the fields (the ones selected in PWA). Select the Assignment Radio Box. Check "Let resource change field" if you require the resource to input for a particular field (e.g. Cost, Actual Start).
4. Click OK.

Once you've done that, republish your project if you have already done so. You need to republish to make sure the Project File on the server reflect the changes. You can then go and build your view and you'll start to see the information you want.

In Project Server 2007:

1. Log on with Administrator rights.
2. Click on Server Settings in the quick launch.
3. Manage Views, click on the Timesheet view and just add the columns you want.
4. Save!