Reporting

Challenge

The challenges an organization faces with regard to project reporting fall into three broad categories:

(1)   how to gather and assemble data that is often maintained in different systems

(2)   how to standardize and validate the data to be sure there are apples-to-apples and oranges-to-oranges comparisons

(3)   how to send data to the right people at the right time, while protecting against unauthorized viewing

Gathering and assembling data for project reporting in many organizations is largely a manual, time-intensive process, involving copying and pasting information from disparate sources during each reporting cycle. Long hours are often spent requesting and waiting for the most up-to-date data. Manipulating the data into a management report further consumes analysts’ time and distracts from the key mission of interpreting the data.

Too often, the critical task of evaluating and acting on the data is lost in the tedium of report assembly. Many organizations do not invest in establishing key metrics to measure their projects against on a regular basis. Although the current schedule or cost perspective is known, the organization cannot effectively act on what the data are showing.

Finally, many organizations are struggling with information overload and cannot find key operational data through the layers of distortion brought about by manual processes. The answers to a simple reporting question such as “What is my team working on?” can only be found through a lengthy request process. Executives often have to wade through information that is better suited to project managers, and vice-versa.

Solution

The Microsoft Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution provides a comprehensive set of project reporting tools to assist in gathering, analyzing and distributing key operational metrics related to project execution. The Microsoft EPM Solution is a combination of Web and desktop tools that enables the right audience to receive information as it becomes available, and provides an organization with a low-cost platform for enabling quantitative improvement.

Gather Data Seamlessly

All components of the Enterprise Project Management Solution are part of a tightly integrated whole, working together to contribute data to a centralized database that enables accurate project reporting. Whether project managers are working in Microsoft® Office Project Professional 2007 and publishing schedules to Microsoft® Office Project Server 2007, or resource managers are updating a resource plan within Microsoft® Office Project Portfolio Web Access, all the data is stored centrally. Resource managers will no longer build a team schedule only to lament its rapid obsolescence—the central database allows for relevant information to be updated quickly and easily.

Resource managers can readily access pertinent information through the Office Project Web Access Resource Center or Project Center, and project managers are able to access the same information using Office Project Professional 2007. Both of these tools simplify the data gathering challenges inherent with a large project management initiative.

Integrate Analysis

When project managers need the most recent resource allocation data to create a “what if” scenario report, they can utilize the Enterprise Project Management Solution to gather centralized reporting data directly from the Project Professional client, in the Resource Usage View.

The Resource Center provides resource managers with views of the latest allocation data by resource or by project, the ability to select ad hoc teams, and display allocation information in both graphical and tabular report formats.

The Report Center brings powerful On-line Analytical Processing (OLAP) data through Office Web Components to the Office Project Web Access websites, allowing drag and drop access to multiple scenarios quickly and easily.

Each of the Microsoft EPM Solution interfaces provides on-request, up-to-date reporting of how an organization is operating—a very powerful tool in determining how to improve. By using graphical indicators, key trends are highlighted immediately, allowing managers to focus on the data that needs consideration.

Access Many Distribution Options

The Microsoft Enterprise Project Management Solution provides a robust security model, allowing precise control over which data are visible to each constituency within an organization. Confidential information can be made available to only those with the correct authorizations.

Rich project-level data can also easily be brought to team collaboration sites directly from Office Project Server 2007 through integration with Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007 and a number of pre-built Web Parts, so reports no longer need to be recreated and published repeatedly.

Microsoft SQL Server™ 2005 Enterprise Edition Reporting Services includes a distribution mechanism for multiple format reports (e.g., Excel, PDF) that can be date-triggered and sent to distribution lists on a regular basis. Using the subscription functionality in SQL Reporting Services, employees within the organization can receive the reports they need to successfully complete tasks and projects.

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