Planning as a Team: Multi-User Work and Summary Projects¶
With Rillsoft Project and Rillsoft Integration Server or Rillsoft Cloud, several project managers plan at the same time. Each one maintains their own project, all of them use the same resource pool, and the summary project lets related projects be opened, linked, and planned together like one project. In the project portfolio, these projects are also evaluated together.
This section shows how this collaboration works in day-to-day practice. The individual steps for the summary project are described in Manage a Summary Project.
Video: Multi-User Work in Rillsoft Project¶
Multi-project planning in a team: multi-user work – Rillsoft Project (YouTube, in German, approx. 8 minutes)
Prerequisite¶
Multi-user work and summary projects are available only with central data storage:
Operating model |
Multi-user work and summary project |
|---|---|
Standalone (local project files) |
Not available. Several project managers cannot work with the same resources at the same time. |
Rillsoft Integration Server (own server) |
Available |
Rillsoft Cloud |
Available |
In addition, all projects involved must use the same resource pool. Only then does Rillsoft Project calculate utilization across all projects correctly.
Which operating model suits your company is described in Choose an Operating Model.
Three Typical Scenarios¶
- A — Several project managers, own projects, shared resources
Each project manager plans their own project. Because everyone uses the same resource pool, everyone can see when an employee is already planned in another project.
- B — Related projects should look like one project
A large undertaking is split into several projects, for example by lots, trades, or departments. Each project manager edits their part. The overall project management opens all parts together as a summary project, sees the overall schedule, and maintains the dependencies between the projects.
→ Plan Related Projects of Several Project Managers Together
- C — Control related projects in the portfolio
PMO or executive management evaluate several undertakings together. For this purpose, summary projects can be added to a portfolio and edited there.
How the Building Blocks Fit Together¶
Building block |
Role in teamwork |
|---|---|
Individual project |
Work area of one project manager. Stored centrally on Rillsoft Integration Server or in Rillsoft Cloud. |
Resource pool |
Shared resource base of all projects of a client. Basis for cross-project utilization. |
Locks |
Control who may currently change a project. During this time, other users open it read-only. |
Summary project |
Opens several projects together in one planning view. The projects remain stored separately. |
Cross-project dependencies |
Connect tasks from different projects, for example “Assembly in project B starts after manufacturing in project A”. |
Project portfolio |
Evaluates several projects and summary projects together by status, priority, resource situation, and risks. |
Clients, folders, users, and access rights are set up by the administration in Rillsoft Integration Server. See Setting Up and Operating Integration Server.
Related Topics¶
multi-user work, multi-user, multi-user operation, teamwork, several project managers, plan simultaneously, summary project, rillsoft cloud, multiproject planning, multiple projects, portfolio, project portfolio, master project, project manager, pmo, executive management