Problem in merging & publishing mpps

Hi,

We are using VSTS for the scenario explained below; let me start with background.

Background:

1. We have three different modules in a project.

2. Leads of each module prepare their own mpp.

3. We have some common resources, across the modules.

Assumption:

4. Team lead assumes that, at any point of time, the common resource is available to his module, and prepares the mpp accordingly.

Requirement:

5. a) We need to merge three mpps.

b) We need to perform resource leveling. (Say by project manager).

c) And re-publish the modified mpp to the module leads.

(From 4, it is clear that there is possibility of resource overlapping.)

Steps Performed:

1. Created three different areas in VSTS say Area 0, Area 1 and Area 2.
2. Created 3 mpps say mpp1, mpp2 and mpp3.
3. Set

a)‘Area Path’ of the mpps as ‘Area 0’, ‘Area 1’ and ‘Area 2’.

b)And ‘Work Item Type’ as ‘Task’ for each of the mpps.

4. Created one more mpp. (Let us call it as master mpp)
5. In the master mpp, click on ‘Get Work Items’, and add all the work items from mpp1, mpp2 & mpp3 to it.

Problems:

1. In the master mpp,

a) Work items are not reflected with the actual duration set in the individual mpps.

b).Start & Finish column are also not reflected.

2. On publishing the merged mpp, the individual mpps (Say mpp1, mpp2 & mpp3) won’t get updated with the merged mpp.

Though the explanation is lengthy I have added it to explain the scenario in details.

Any help in this regard will be highly appreciated.

-Dundappa Kamate

[5235 byte] By [DundappaKamate] at [2007-12-21]