user guide web timeline web part - ms-project timeline.pdf · web timeline – web part 2 overview...

Web Timeline – Web Part

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User Guide

Web Timeline

Web Part


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Overview

The Web Timeline web part is a graphic component for managers that

displays the project status by milestones / gates on the PWA.

The Business Need

One of the best new features in MS-Project 2010 is the Timeline view.

The Timeline provides you with a high-level, “big picture” overview of

the entire project. You can easily add key milestones or other key tasks to

create a concise project summary for more effective communication to

key stakeholders. When you are ready, you can send it off in an e-mail,

add it to a presentation, or simply print it for an eye-catching, executive-

style report.

But, many organizations wish to see the "big picture" also on the PWA

(Project Web Access).

Web Timeline is a graphic component for managers that display the

project status by milestones / gates on the PWA.

The Solution

The Web Timeline web part integrates the capabilities of Microsoft

Project Server and Microsoft SharePoint to give a high level milestones

review.

Web Timeline is particularly useful for executives who need to view

project status in an easy to understand, efficient manner.

Project Managers become empowered as Web Timeline enables an easy


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tracking of key project milestones, Project gates and major milestones.

The project status becomes clearly visible in the project workspace.

Key Features & Benefits

Features & Benefit Web

Timeline

Project

Server 2007

Project Server

2010

High level overview of

the major milestones

Stand alone

mode

Automatically update after

publish

No need to send it to

stakeholders manually


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Installation

1. To run the setup application, double click on the Setup.exe file.

2. The setup wizard will show the welcome screen – figure 1

Figure 1

3. Click Next to advance to the System Checks step.

4. The setup application will run the necessary checks and will indicate

their status – figure 2.


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Figure 2

5. If one of the tests fails, fix the problem and re-run the tests (a re-test

button will appear), either wise click the Next button to advance to the

Agreement step.

6. Read the agreement carefully. When done, check the I Agree check

box (figure 3) and click on the Next button to advance to the Web

Application / Site Collection selection step.


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Figure 3

7. Use the Web Application / Site Collection tree to select the target(s) of

the installed solution, as shown in figure 4. When done click on the

Next button to advance to the Installation step.

Figure 4


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8. The setup application will now install the necessary files and

SharePoint solutions. When done click the Next button to advance to

the License step.

Figure 5

9. To get a trail period for the solution, click on the Trail License button.

This will create a temporary license (two weeks). If you have

purchased the solution, enter your name and the serial number you got

and click on the Create License button to create a permanent license.

If you re-install the solution, just click the Next button to advance to

the last step.


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Figure 6

10. The solution was successfully installed.

Note:

In different steps, the Next button will be enabled only after all tasks of

this step were fulfilled, for example – selection at least on Web

Application as an installation target.

Note:

The application writes all steps and additional data to a log file that can

be found under the Log folder in the setup application folder.


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Adding web part

After the deployment the web part is located with all other web parts in

the web parts gallery. To add the web part to a specific project site,

Browse to the Project Web Access (PWA) page and do the following

steps:

Figure 1

1. Click on the Project Center link.

2. Selected the desired project.

3. Click on the Project Site in the ribbon.

4. When the project site opens click on Site Actions (figure 2).

5. In the site actions menu select the Edit Page option.


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Figure 2

6. Click on "Add Web Part" (figure 3).

7. Scroll to the "MSAddons" folder and click on it.

8. Select the Project Timeline web part.

9. Click on the Add button.

Figure 3

Configuration

1. Edit the web part properties (figure 4).

2. Write the name of the MS-Project server (2). The web part will

automatically takes the local server it is installed in.


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3. Enter the SQL server name when the MS – Project reporting database

is located (3)

4. Enter the name of the reporting database (4)

5. Check the Include Milestones checkbox to show all milestones tasks

in the timeline by default (5).

6. Click OK (6).

Figure 4

Functionality

When adding the Timeline Web Part to the Projects Server, it creates a

new enterprise custom field called web_timeline. Using MS-Project 2010

Professional, check this field for each task you want to show in the

timeline.


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Troubleshooting

No Tasks appear in the timeline

7. Check that at least one task has the Web_timeline custom field

checked, or the timeline is configured to show all milestones.

8. Check that the project has been saved and published after checking the

Web_timeline field for at least one task.

License is invalid

The web part either can't find the license file or the license is invalid:

1. Check that the license file, called License.xml can be found at

"%program files%\MSAddons\".

2. Check if that entry is under trial license. If so check that the expiration

date is in the future.

user guide web timeline web part - ms-project timeline.pdf · web timeline – web part 2 overview...

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