19 Consolidating Projects and Resources

To create a resource pool, page 406

1 Create a new project plan.

2 Save the new project plan that will become a resource pool.

3 Open one of the project plans you want to make a sharer plan.

4 On the Tools menu, point to Resource Sharing, and click Share Resources.

5 Under Resources for <Sharer Plan Name>, click Use resources.

6 In the From list, click the name of your resource pool, and click OK to close the Share Resources dialog box.

7 If you have more than one sharer plan, open another sharer plan.

8 Repeat steps 3 through 7 for the other sharer plans.

9 Save changes to the sharer plans and the resource pool.

To view cross-project assignment details in the resource pool, page 410

1 On the View menu, click Resource Usage.

2 In the Resource Name column, click the name of a resource.

3 On the Window menu, click Split to display the Resource Form.

To update a resource’s working time in the resource pool, page 413

1 Open the resource pool as read/write.

2 On the Tools menu, click Change Working Time.

3 In the For Calendar box, select the name of the resource whose working time you want to change.

4 In the Name field on the Exceptions tab, enter a descriptive name for the nonworking time, such as Vacation.

5 In the Start and Finish fields, type or select the start and finish dates for the nonworking timespan.

6 Click OK to close the Change Working Time dialog box.

To update working time for all sharer plans from the resource pool, page 417

1 Open the resource pool as read/write.

2 On the Tools menu, click Change Working Time.

3 In the Change Working Time dialog box, in the For calendar box, click the base calendar you want to change, such as Standard (Project Calendar).

4 In the Name field on the Exceptions tab, enter a descriptive name for the nonworking time, such as Holiday.

5 In the Start and Finish fields, type or select the start and finish dates for the nonworking timespan.

6 Click OK to close the Change Working Time dialog box.

To link new project files to the resource pool, page 420

1 Open the resource pool as read/write.

2 On the Standard toolbar, click the New button.

3 On the Tools menu, point to Resource Sharing, and click Share Resources.

4 In the Share Resources dialog box, under Resources for <File Name>, click Use resources.

5 In the From list, click the name of the resource pool, and click OK to close the Share Resources dialog box.

6 Save the sharer plan and resource pool.

To edit a sharer plan and update assignment details in the resource pool, page 422

1 Open a sharer plan.

2 When prompted, open the resource pool.

3 In the sharer plan, make changes to assignments.

4 On the Tools menu, point to Resource Sharing, and click Update Resource Pool.

To create a consolidated project plan, page 426

1 On the Standard toolbar, click the New button.

2 Save the new project plan.

3 On the Insert menu, click Project.

4 In the Insert Projects dialog box, locate and click the project plan you want to insert into the consolidated project plan. To select multiple plans, hold down the key while you click the name of each plan.

5 Click Insert.

To create task dependencies between projects, page 429

1 Open the two project plans between which you want to create a task dependency.

2 Switch to the project plan that contains the task you want to make the successor task.

3 On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.

4 Click the name of the task you want to make the successor task.

5 On the Standard toolbar, click the Task Information button.

6 Click the Predecessors tab.

7 In the ID column, click the next empty cell below any other predecessor tasks, and enter the name of the predecessor task from the other project file in this format: File name\Task ID, such as Parnell Aerospace Promo 19\8.

8 Press , and click OK to close the Task Information dialog box.