Making Multi-Project Charts for Smartsheet for Version 7.1
Contents
- 1 Overview
- 2 Creating a Multi-Project Chart from a Multi-Project Smartsheet Source Plan File
- 3 Creating a Multi-Project Chart from Individual Single-Project Smartsheet Source Plan Files
- 3.1 Introduction
- 3.2 Preparation for Making a Multi-Project Chart from Separate Smartsheet Source Plans
- 3.3 Setting up the One Pager Bundle Template Properties Form for a Multi-Project Chart
- 3.4 Create a Multi-Project Chart from Separate Multiple Smartsheet Source Plans
- 3.5 Updating a Chart Created from Multiple Smartsheet Source Plans
- 4 Related Links
Overview
One of the strength of OnePager is its ability to create compact visual representations of multiple projects that are part of a single Smartsheet file as well as create OnePager charts from multiple single Smartsheet files. These can be several projects that belong to one program or they can be several projects and programs in an organization’s portfolio. Representing multiple projects originating in a single Smartsheet source plan can, therefore, be easily done with the creative selection of Row and Swimlane fields from the Smartsheet source plan.
The OnePager Bundle Standalone application can import these multi-project Smartsheet files and produce multi-project charts.
Additionally, OnePager Bundle Standalone has the capability to build multi-project charts from individual Smartsheet exported files.
Creating a Multi-Project Chart from a Multi-Project Smartsheet Source Plan File
One method for using a single Smartsheet file is to add a field to your source plan with a field name of Project. This name is recognized by OnePager Bundle (OPB) Standalone and is utilized in OPB multi-project Template Properties form shipped with the product. An example Smartsheet source plan with the Project field is shown below:
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After configuring your Smartsheet source plan with the Project field and the necessary multi-project schedule data, you can create a useful multi-project chart by following the steps described in the next section.
Launch OPB Standalone and connect to your Smartsheet account. Select the NEW option on the OnePager Bundle Start form and select the Smartsheet multi-project file shown here:
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Creating a NEW Chart from a Multi-Project Source Plan
Next, click the NEW button on the OnePager Bundle Start form. This accesses the OnePager choices (OPC) form where clicking the Select command in the Please select a source file' sub-control group enables you to BROWSE Smartsheet ... files or to select a RECENT file as shown here:
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For this illustration, we'll select the source plan named BlueGrass Excel Project Plan-Bundle (on Smartsheet). When we do this, the OPC form is expanded to look like this:
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Before creating the NEW multi-project chart we must change the Template Properties form to support the creation of a chart from a multi-project source plan as described below.
Setting up the OnePager Bundle Template Properties Form for a Multi-Project Chart
As shown above, the OnePager choices (OPC) form does not show that a multi-project Template Properties form is being used. Before proceeding further we must change the Template Properties form's setting so that a multi-project Template Properties form is used to create the chart. This is done by clicking the Change button in the Starting Template group of the form as shown below:
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Clicking the Change button accesses the folder where OnePager Bundle stores Smartsheet Template Properties forms distributed with the product as shown above. Select the Multi-Project Gantt Chart - Detailed entry in the window shown above and click the Open button at the bottom of the form. When you click the Open button on the Open form shown above, OnePager changes the current Template Properties form to the Multi-Project Gantt Chart – Detailed Template.
After changing the Template Properties selection, type in the title of the chart and assure that the Task Selection sub-control group's controls are set to import the tasks you need for your chart.
Use the Smartsheet Source Plan to Create the Chart
You are now ready to create the multi-project chart. First, click the Next> button (shown above) which takes you to the second page of the OPC form shown below:
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Next, check your field mapping settings or make any Template Properties form adjustments. When you are finished, click the Create new chart button on the second page. OnePager generates a multi-project chart that looks like this:
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The chart above represents two separate projects using the swimlanes to organize the tasks/milestones for each project grouping. As the projects progress and additional projects are added, the additional swimlanes with their corresponding rows are added to the chart in future snapshots.
Updating Charts Created from Multiple Projects in a Single Smartsheet Source Plan
Eventually you want to update your multi-project chart by either adding a snapshot or replacing a snapshot. To perform either the add or the replace snapshot, the processes described in these two referenced article references that follow can be used.
| REPLACING a Snapshot via Pull Operation 7.14.1-71 |
| ADDING a Snapshot via Pull Operation 7.15.1-71 |
The key to making updates to multi-project charts from multiple-projects contained in a single Smartsheet source plan is the proper management of the Smartsheet source plan data in the source packet. Recall that the source packet contains the file or files that are to be used to either create or update a chart. They are stored as file names and path names in the chart’s .TAM file, and can be accessed from the OnePager Data ribbon tool bar tab’s Selected file(s) button on the ribbon as shown below:
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Validating the contents of the source packet and assuring that these are the Smartsheet source plans that were updated is an essential step before proceeding to perform a chart update.
Creating a Multi-Project Chart from Individual Single-Project Smartsheet Source Plan Files
Introduction
Suppose you have multiple Smartsheet source plans that are related and you want to create a single chart that shows the important schedule items. You can do this as long as the related Smartsheet source plans are constructed with unique Task ID field contents. This means that you must adjust the Task ID column in the multiple Smartsheet source plans such that each row has a unique number or identifier in the Task ID field. This is necessary because unlike Microsoft Project, Smartsheet does not automatically provide a unique identifier for rows. Additionally, unique Task ID numbers are needed so that OnePager Bundle (OPB) does not get rows confused when performing snapshot updates.
For more information on Task ID's, please see the section in the article at: Smartsheet ObjectID Field 7.21.1-71
Preparation for Making a Multi-Project Chart from Separate Smartsheet Source Plans
To illustrate what is needed, let’s construct a multi-project chart from the BlueGrass Project Plan Smartsheet source plan by splitting this source plan into two distinct files as shown below:
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Important Note
Each of the Smartsheet source plans above have unique Task ID fields with unique numbers. It is important throughout the use of these Smartsheet source plans that these assigned unique Task ID numbers remain with their respective tasks. Dates can change in the Smartsheet source plan's rows along with other updated information as the projects progress, but the Task ID number must remain associated with the task activity. Tasks can be deleted, but the deleted Task ID should not be reused for a later snapshot. OPB can process out of sequence Task ID numbers.
Setting up the One Pager Bundle Template Properties Form for a Multi-Project Chart
The next step is to select and update an appropriate OPB Template Properties form.
For this illustration we’ve selected the Multi-Project Gantt Chart – Detailed Template Properties form. Once the OPB current Template Properties form is established as a multiple-project Template Properties form, go to the Rows/Swimlanes tab and make sure that the Group rows into swimlanes and Label swimlanes by windows are set to Project. Also, for this illustration, make sure that text columns are displayed and that the Custom Text Columns are set to Phase.
The Rows/Swimlanes tab in the Template Properties form looks like this:
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When the steps above are completed and the Template Properties form for is updated, click the Save and use button to make the modified Template Properties form the current Template.
Create a Multi-Project Chart from Separate Multiple Smartsheet Source Plans
Launch Smartsheet and Load the First Smartsheet Source Plan
For this example the OPB Standalone application is used. Launch Smartsheet, open the first of the multi-project Smartsheet source plans, and make any editing changes necessary. In this case it’s the Merlin-Project Phase 1 and 2 file.
Next, launch OPB Standalone. The OnePager Bundle Start form appears.
Click the NEW button which accesses the OnePager choices (OPC) form as shown below:
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Note that the Merlin-Project Phase 1 and 2 Smartsheet source plan appears in the Selected File(s) group and that the Add/Remove button is active.
Adding the Second Smartsheet Source Plan
Click the Add/Remove button which accesses the Data source selection form as shown below:
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We want to now add the other Smartsheet source plan to the source packet. To do this, click the ADD button in the Data source selection form and a Windows Open form appears. Navigate to the desired source plan, select it, and then click the Open button as shown below:
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After you’ve completed placing the second Smartsheet source plan into the source packet, the window in the Data source selection form looks like this:
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When you click the OK button above, the OPC form is updated to reflect that two (2) source plans are in the source packet and the title for the new chart that we typed in as shown here:
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Create the NEW OnePager Bundle - Smartsheet Multi-Project Chart
When you click the Next> button, OPB goes to the second page of the OPC form where you can confirm other settings or make any Template Properties form setting changes.
When these confirmations are complete, click the Create new chart button. The chart looks like this:
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Once you merge all your projects into a single snapshot, you can now add a new snapshot to the chart to show how tasks changed.
Updating a Chart Created from Multiple Smartsheet Source Plans
Eventually you want to update your multi-project chart by either adding a snapshot or replacing a snapshot with updated data. To perform either the add or the replace snapshot, the processes described in these two referenced article references that follow can be used.
| REPLACING a Snapshot via Pull Operation 7.14.1-71 |
| ADDING a Snapshot via Pull Operation 7.15.1-71 |
The key to making updated multi-project charts from multiple Smartsheet source plan is the proper management of the Smartsheet data in the source packet. Recall that the source packet contains the source plan(s) that are to be used to either create or update a chart.
They are stored as file names and path names in the chart’s .TAM file and can be accessed from the Data tab’s Selected file(s) button on the ribbon as shown below:
-12012021.png)
Validating the contents of the source packet and assuring that these are the Smartsheet source plans that were updated is an essential step before proceeding to perform a project update.
Related Links
Creating a NEW Chart via Pull Operation Feature 7.13.1-71
REPLACING a Snapshot via Pull Operation 7.14.1-71
ADDING a Snapshot via Pull Operation 7.15.1-71
Merging the Wrong Tasks into a Chart for Version 7.1 - OnePager Bundle - Smartsheet 7.21.1-71
(8.5.3-71)
