Project software coordination

[KatieNelson]

I'm a rookie to MS Project who has YouTube trained myself to use all of the project software and found minimal how to training for Project. 

First question:

I have level 5 subscription, I have found multiple versions of projects, but I can't get them to talk to each other. 

End goal:

I'm looking to coordinate project desktop with the app that talks to teams so that guest not working for our company can view the task list but not the budget. 

I would like to coordinate the task updates that will be made in teams to update the desktop/share drive file. 

I would like the budget/costs to be user friendly. At this time it's definitely not and because I'm having a hard time getting everything to coordinate, I am not using the software the way it is probably supposed to be used.

Please help:

I do not know where to go to find an answer or who to talk to so I am here looking for direction. I am the point person for may facility for this program, even the IT group didn't know how to set up our subscription.

If I can't get this to work out we will have to cancel our subscription for it.  It seem idea for what we need if I can get it to coordinate.

[#2]

Katie --

Good questions. You will never be able to achieve your goals by using only the Microsoft Project desktop application. And the relatively new Project for the Web application will not help you because it does not support project costs.

The only way for you to achieve those goals is for your organization to use Microsoft Project with either Project Online or Project Server. Doing so will give your projects visibility in a web-based application known as Project Web App (PWA). In PWA, you would be able to create custom views, one of which would show cost information, and another of which would show NO cost information. You could then create a link in Teams to the view that DOES NOT show cost information, so that your client could see the project information.

I am concerned that your IT people do not know how to set up Project Online. It sounds like your organization might need some professional help, but you need budget for that. There are capable Project Partner companies "out there" who could help. A colleague and I also help organizations, and our rates are significantly lower.

Either way, I do not want to give you false hopes. A lot of work would need to take place before you would be able to meet your goals. Sorry, but hope this helps.

[#3]

Thank you Dale,
I have been working with the PWA site, again not entirely user friendly. It's definitely on the programmer side not the everyday user side. As I have been teaching myself to use it, there's no way my fellow coworkers are going to be able to use it.

I want to upload from the desktop, but it seems once a project is in there it's set in stone, and you have to reload a new project to update the file if additional steps are in place.

The way I am understanding this. There is no point to the multiple access, because they do not coordinate with each other at this time.

[#4]

Katie --

You are definitely doing something wrong. Did you create your Project Online connection account in Microsoft Project? Once done, every time you launch Microsoft Project, the software will automatically connect to Project Online. From there, you can create projects and save them in the Project Online database. From there, you can open and check out existing projects from Project Online, edit them, and save then back into the system. When you finish with editing a project in Microsoft Project, remember that you must close and check in the project.

Also, if you want your projects to show up in the Project Center page in PWA, you need to PUBLISH those projects so that others can see them. If you want others to see your projects in PWA, each of them will need a license.

It sounds like you are not having a good experience so far. I know that Project Online is not very intuitive, which is why companies hire consultants to assist with the implementation process. Hope this helps.

[#5]

Katie --

Just sent you an InMail in LinkedIn, assuming I have correctly identified you. Check out my message and respond through LinkedIn if interested. Not trying to sell you anything, by the way.

[#6]

Hello @KatieNelson ,

Here is an old getting started guide to Project Online:

https://pwmather.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/getting-started-with-projectonline-round-up-ps2013-office3... 

It might help you.

Paul