I have to change 100+ projects so that they use a resource pool.
The problem is that in the new resource pool, even though the resources
are the same, the resource NAMES are different than in the existing
projects. How can I (with as little effort as possible) change the
resource names of each existing project to the new resource name
according to the resource pool?

E.g.
Project1 uses Peter, Paul, Mary
Project2 uses "Peter X", Tom, Jeff (where "Peter X" is the same as
"Peter" in Project1)
...
Ressource Pool uses "P.X." ... (where "P.X." is our "Peter X" or simply
"Peter" from above)
So I want to change "Peter" in Project1 to "P.X." and "Peter X" in
Project2 to "P.X."

It seems as if I have to do this for each task, where Peter is assigned.
Which is a lot of work (there are many, many tasks in each project).
Does anyone know an easier way? (a VBA hint would be fine, too).

I can't help with any vba Im afraid, but you can save yourself the bother of
replacing every assignment on every task.  Just use the menu
"View....Resource Sheet.."  this brings up a list of all resources that are
available in that project.  Rename them there and youve saved yourself a
fair bit of work!

This is how to do it in MSP98.  Im assuming it is the same (or similar) in
Project 2000.

Regards
Andy Bloomer
High Profile IT Ltd.

Hi Gary,

Be careful, you might lose information this way as I understand it.
The safest way in each project it to select all tasks and use the
Assign Resources form (Double-headed tool button), select the
appropriate resource and use the Replace button.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be
seen at this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on:-)

Mike Glen
Project MVP

Mike, Rob,
    Real can of worms here!  My advice to anyone using MSP to track actual
costs\work is to be VERY careful when changing to a central resource pool
especially when there are a large number of plans from multiple users
involved!

Dont know about Project 2000 but we have not been able to find ANY info in
98 that changes when the resource name is changed (other than resource
initials) - we have done a fair few to date so I hope Mike is mistaken!
When we looked at methods to move to a central resource pool for our first
client we carefully evaluated the different options.  You are right, Mike,
to point out that there is an alternative - and it does have a different
effect at different stages of the migration.

Changing the name in the resource sheet maintains all calendar information,
resource rates  etc. to be the same as the original resource in that plan,
thus maintaining the plan in its original condition and giving no surprises
to the plan owner other than getting them used to the new resource names.
It should ONLY be done this way when the name changes are done BEFORE
connecting to the resource pool - otherwise you end up with two resources
with the same name in the pool,  ouch!

Replacing a resource, as suggested by Mike, with the equivalent resource
from the pool would use the POOL resource settings for calander, working
hours etc.  This is great as it standardizes the settings for all projects
in one shot.  HOWEVER it could also change costs, actuals and even task
dates in the plan.  Best used after the  project is connected to the pool I
believe - otherwise you have to enter the relevant resource details into all
those plans!

Once you connect to the pool all of the resource info will change to be the
same as in the resource pool anyway, so the second way of doing it appears
to be the best.

However we always use the first method.  Why?  Because it breaks the
migration of a large number of plans into manageable stages.  Once we have
changed the resource names in the "live" plan we take a copy of the plan.
This allows us to analyse the differences in the resource settings and see
the effect (if any) on the plan of connecting it to the resource pool,
whilst the owners get used to the new resource names.

We then work with the plan owners, if needed, to "adapt" their "live" plan
to reflect the new resource settings, and connect it to the pool.   I feel
it also gives you the best chance of ensuring that "old" resources never
appear in the pool - if they are there they WILL be used!

BTW ensure that you have "pool takes precedence" selected in the resource
sharing dialog whichever way you decide to do it!

Hopefully someone will come up with a bit of VBA to do all this.  If they do
can they also add a routine to electrocute users who add resources to the
central pool without checking if they already exist!

Mike - If you have more info on changes to plans caused by changing the
resource name then I would really like the detail on it - I may have to
re-visit a couple of client sites!

Good Luck Rob - sorry for the long winded reply, but hopefully its been
useful!
Regards
Andy Bloomer

Hi Andy

Weeeelll!!!!!!.  I did say "As I understand it"!!!!  And as you say it
can be a can of worms as there are so many parameters.  You would
appear to have done much more investigating than I!   I know for a
starter that if you replace a resource with another using the Replace
button you lose contouring and overtime information, which could
effect work, duration and /or units depending upon your settings,
calendars etc, which could then have a ripple effect throughout the
project.  I certainly haven't researched all the other possible areas
of change that you might need to look into, like for example the
effect of overtime, different cost rate tables, cost analysis, actual
work already done, etc, and thus my teaching has always been to use
the "built in " facility of the Replace button - I shall have to
re-think that.  However, I do concede in the circumstances mentioned,
it is more like making a typing error in the spelling of the resource
name, which shouldn't have any effect provided the parameters set up
for each of the two resources in each project are absolutely
identical - if they're not than you will lose the information entered
for the mis-spelled one.

If you edit the Name field for an assignment record in the Task Usage
view, you replace the original resource in the assignment by the one
you enter. Other fields in the assignment record remain unchanged if
possible, like Work, Work Contour, and Baseline Cost, but some
calculated fields may change based on the different resource calendars
and so on.

You speak a lot of good sense resulting from hard earned experience.
I would add one tip: in Tools/Options/General tab, untick the box
Automatically add new resources and tasks.  Clearing this will force
Project to display a message ask if you want to add this resource to
the pool - not infallible, but it might cue you to check the spelling
if you know the resource is already in the pool.

Maybe there are some other experts out there who have other ideas?
--

Mike Glen
Project MVP

Our experience has been pretty much the same. The resource names, initials,
etc., were modified in the resource sheet to ensure they had standard
information in the right fields. After the resource sheet was updated, the
project was linked to the resource pool. In general, it went with no
problems.

The only real difference we saw was because one of the projects was using a
7 day a week calendar as the standard calendar. Resources used this standard
calendar. When we went to the resource pool these shifted to the 5 day a
week calendar.

Because we are pretty far along in that project, with the majority of the
tasks having actual start dates, it did not cause much of a problem.
Additionally, the majority of the tasks had constraints on them that
wouldn't allow the start date to move, and very few predecessor links to
drive them. I'm not sure what affect this would have if your project was
scheduled out 2 years and the tasks were all linked. And I hope to never
find out from my experience -- maybe someone else's, but not mine.

--
Michael Hunt

Brilliant - I'd forgotten about that little check box!  I just wish that the
dialog that came up was a bit more user-friendly, fewer words are generally
better!

Wouldnt it be nice if we had another option - "prevent resources being added
other than in resource pool".  Those of us who strive to implement
multi-project/programme management solutions would find this very useful in
enforcing "good" discipline.  Its easy to add functionality into MS
products - its a lot harder to remove unwanted bits!

Regards
Andy Bloomer
High Profile IT Ltd

I have tried a few times to automate this in a two step process. It
basically worked as follows
- open up all the projects
- a macro in the resource pool checks resourcenames in all the projects, and
creates a small file with names that it can't find in the resource pool, so
you would have to check it
- another macro changes the resource id to the one of the resource pool.

To be honest, I always remained with some funny issues here and there, and
combined with several other quirks around updating I must admit that I have
given up on MS-Projects resource pool feature.

Peter Stevens

Peter,

Don't give up!  We have found that in project 98 (sr-1) a resource pool is a
very do-able proposition.  The benefits are enourmous and, once properly set
up, the ongoing maintenance is not too onerous.  There are several very good
(if expensive) packages around that can help - most of them are targeted at
timesheeting/portfolio management.  Look for those that store the plans in a
database.  In our experience one of the keys to getting the most benefit out
of MSP is to use a database to store the plans - it certainly helps make a
centralised resource pool easier to manage and use!

Regards
Andy Bloomer
High Profile IT Ltd