Configuring Microsoft Project Server
for Microsoft Project 2013
Length: 1 Day
Course Overview
After attending this course you will be able to…
Understand Project Server’s capabilities and know how to set it up based on your organization’s requirements for project and portfolio management.
This course is appropriate for you if…
You are responsible for configuring Microsoft Project Server 2013 for use in your organization.
You want to get an understanding of the range of functionality that Project Server 2013 offers so that you can make decisions about how it might best be used in your organization.
Typical attendees will be members of the Project Management Office (PMO) or in management or another role in which they will influence or be responsible for the way Project Server is used in the organization. This is usually a small core group of people. Note that the course is not intended for end users as it emphasizes configuration rather than the use of Project Server. The course also does not address installation of software, configuring hardware, migrating from one version of Project Server to another and some of the more technical traditional IT topics associated with the deployment of Microsoft Project Server. Essentially, this course assumes that the organization already has Project Server installed, or will have it shortly, and that it then needs to be configured in order to be used effectively.
You will learn…
the different components such as SharePoint, Project Professional, and Project Server that make up the Project Server project and portfolio management environment and how those components work together to provide cradle-to-grave management of projects,
the two major options for security in Project Server 2013 and the considerations for determining which is most appropriate for your organization,
the underlying concepts behind Project Server Permissions Mode and how to configure security to achieve your goals if you choose to use Project Server Permissions Mode,
You will learn (continued)…
how to create a Resource Breakdown Structure in Project Server to tailor what users see to their position in your organization if Project Server Permissions Mode is used,
how to create custom tables, views, fields, groups and filters to standardize and simplify the user experience throughout the organization,
what types of resources are supported in Project Server and how to load those resources into the system so that all project managers can draw their resources from that resource pool,
the various calendars in Project Server, how they’re utilized, and how to configure them for use in all plans created in the system,
how Project Server can help in project selection and how to configure it to do so,
options for tracking task status and how to establish the desired method in Server,
Project Server’s time tracking capability and the associated settings,
what workflow is in Microsoft Project Server and how to configure it,
default settings that can be configured so that plans created in the system conform with your goals for its use,
what Business Intelligence means within the context of Project Server, what sort of reports are available, and what it will take to configure them,
how teams work in Project Server and how to establish them,
how users can assume the permissions that other users have in the system so that they can fill in for them if necessary and how to configure the delegation of permissions in the system,
how master projects, projects composed of multiple sub-projects, are handled in Project Server and the corresponding settings,
Benefits of the course include…
consistency from project manager to project manager in the way projects are planned and managed in Microsoft Project and Project Web Access resulting in more internal efficiency and uniform performance as well as making it easier for management to understand and compare project status,
a configured implementation of Project Server tailored to the needs of the organization resulting in less inefficiency and more value from the system,
correct implementation of Project Server that conforms with best practices thereby minimizing rework, frustration with the system, and organizational resistance to its use,
an understanding of the breadth of capabilities offered by Project Server 2013 allowing for the selection of only those functions that will add value to the organization,
Benefits of the course include (continued)…
improved project selection due to the use of a consistent way of moving projects into the pipeline resulting in improved customer satisfaction, better financials, and more efficient resource utilization,
improved organizational buy-in to the solution increasing the chance of adoption and attainment of the resulting benefits,
empowerment of a core team who can then lead in educating the rest of the organization about why Project Server was configured as it was, the benefits it brings, and the most effective way to use it.
Detailed Course Agenda
Orientation to the Project Server 2013 System What can Project Server 2013 Do? Components of Project Server 2013 The Big Decisions
Project Server Permissions Modes Resource Management Goals
The Role of SharePoint in Managing the Organization’s Projects Workflow and Management of the Project Life Cycle
Tracking Task Progress and Time Spent
The Organization’s Reporting and Analysis Needs Project Server 2013 Terms and Concepts
Key Terms and Concepts in Project Server Configuring Project Server 2013
Resource and User Management
Defining and Creating Custom Lookup Tables for Use in Resource Management Defining and Creating Custom Fields for Use in Resource Management
Calendars
Understanding Calendars in the Project Server Environment Creating Custom Calendars
Understanding Resource Plans and Configuring the Relevant Settings Security
Detailed Course Agenda (continued)…
Configuring Project Server Permissions Mode Understanding Delegation
The Enterprise Resource Pool The Types of Resources Building the Pool
Defining Processes for Maintaining the Resource Pool Understanding and Configuring Time Tracking
Establishing Fiscal Years
Creating Time Reporting Periods Defining Additional Time Classifications Configuring Timesheet Settings and Defaults Configuring Administrative Time
Designating Timesheet Managers
Defining and Creating Custom Tables, Views, Groups and Filters for Use in Resource Management
Project Life Cycle and Portfolio Management Defining and Creating Strategic Drivers
Defining and Creating Custom Lookup Tables for Use in Project Life Cycle and Portfolio Management
Defining and Creating Custom Fields for Use in Project Life Cycle and Portfolio Management Workflow
Creating Project Plan Templates Creating Project Site Templates Creating Project Detail Pages Defining Phases
Defining Stages Creating Workflows
Defining Enterprise Project Types
Designating the Defaults for Scheduling and Progressing Tasks Master Project Considerations and Settings
Defining and Creating Custom Tables, Views, Groups and Filters for Use in Project Life Cycle and Portfolio Management
Analysis and Reporting
The Different Sources of and Tools for Processing Business Intelligence Data in Project Server
Defining and Creating Custom Lookup Tables for Use in Analysis and Reporting Defining and Creating Custom Fields for Use in Analysis and Reporting
Detailed Course Agenda (continued)…
Defining and Creating Custom Project Professional Reports
Understanding How to Create Custom Reports Using Data From the Reporting Data Store Understanding How to Create Custom Reports Using OLAP Cubes
