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Susie_Aruba's avatar
Susie_Aruba
Copper Contributor
Oct 09, 2023

Default options : Microsoft Project Online Desktop Client - restore defaults

How do I restore the defaults :

File >Options > All new projects.

I've scoured the web and can't find a list of the defaults so there's something unusual about this.

Thanks

  • Dale_HowardMVP's avatar
    Dale_HowardMVP
    MVP
    Oct 10, 2023
    Susie --

    Like you, I am not aware of any web site that lists all of the default settings in Microsoft Project in the Project Options dialog. However, in most of the books I have authored or co-authored, I have listed the default options that I recommend be changed. With that in mind, are there specific options settings you need to know? If so, please let us know and we will try to help you.
    • Susie_Aruba1915's avatar
      Susie_Aruba1915
      Copper Contributor
      Oct 13, 2023

      Dale_HowardMVP thank you very much for replying. I use Project across many different laptops in various locations and have problems when my file behaves differently from one laptop to the next.

      Deleting the Global.MPT helps for files I am making from scratch but not files that are already made - Project obeys the local settings.

      There must be an interaction between non-default options, and settings in the file, that results in different results from one laptop to another.

      What should I be doing?

      I thought carrying a pdf of the default options and setting all back to those would be best?

      Thank you in advance, Susie.

      • Dale_HowardMVP's avatar
        Dale_HowardMVP
        MVP
        Oct 13, 2023
        Susie --

        In the Project Options dialog, there are three types of options: global options, options for an individual project, and options for all new projects that are created from the Blank project template. I suspect your problem is with global options. In the Project Options dialog, every option on the General page is a global option, which means that these options impact every project you open on this computer. For example, the Date Format option controls how Microsoft Project displays dates in every project you open. But if you have this option set to a different selection on a different computer, then the dates will look different for every project you open on that computer.

        How can you tell which options are global options? Very simple. If you DO NOT see "_____ options for this project" at the beginning of a section, this means the options in that section are global options. On the General page, notice that none of the sections include the words, "_____ options for this project", which means that they are all global options. On the Display page, however, notice that the second section includes the words, "currency options for this project", which means that the options in that section are specific to the particular Project file you have open.

        Another problem you might be encountering includes options for all new projects that are created from the Blank project template. If you use multiple PCs, I would recommend you capture screenshots of the pages in the Project Options dialog on the PC where you know the global options and options for all new projects are correct. Then apply those same settings on any other PCs you use.

        Hope this helps.

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