Tracking Non-Project Time in an Information Systems Department with Project Server

Kelly JonesKelly Jones

PMO Manager, Information SystemsPMO Manager, Information Systems

Sharp HealthcareSharp Healthcare

AgendaAgenda

Why Track Non-Why Track Non-Project Time?Project Time?

Common Methods of Common Methods of Accounting for Non-Accounting for Non-Project WorkProject Work

Advantages of Non-Advantages of Non-Project Time Project Time TrackingTracking

Non-Project Time Non-Project Time AssumptionsAssumptions

Non-Project Non-Project CategoriesCategories

Logistics for Tracking Logistics for Tracking Non-Project TimeNon-Project Time

Administrative Administrative ProjectsProjects

Reporting ExamplesReporting Examples

Why Track Non-Project Why Track Non-Project Time?Time?

Everyone does non-project workEveryone does non-project work Management meetings and reportsManagement meetings and reports Operations workOperations work Organizing and communication activitiesOrganizing and communication activities

If your organization is completing timesheets If your organization is completing timesheets already, you may as well capture all work hoursalready, you may as well capture all work hours

Management wants to know what is happening Management wants to know what is happening in their areain their area

Common methods for Common methods for Dealing with Non-Project Dealing with Non-Project WorkWork

Ignore the work performed outside of Ignore the work performed outside of projectsprojects

For example, assume 75% availability to For example, assume 75% availability to projects. Two methods:projects. Two methods: Change default resource calendar to 6-hour Change default resource calendar to 6-hour

days (e.g. 9 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 4 PM)days (e.g. 9 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 4 PM) Reduce resource maximum units (Max. Reduce resource maximum units (Max.

Units) to 75%Units) to 75%

Advantages of Non-Advantages of Non-project Time Trackingproject Time Tracking

Non-project business indicatorsNon-project business indicators Client reports showing overall workload of Client reports showing overall workload of

employeesemployees

Resource managementResource management Look at future capacity for additional projectsLook at future capacity for additional projects Use recent actual hours as basis for future planningUse recent actual hours as basis for future planning

Timesheet oversightTimesheet oversight Easily see FTE under-reported timesheet weeksEasily see FTE under-reported timesheet weeks

Non-Project Time Non-Project Time AssumptionsAssumptions

Tasks have no end dateTasks have no end date Remaining Work and Duration is Remaining Work and Duration is

irrelevantirrelevant Individual managers may want to Individual managers may want to

customize task list for their groupcustomize task list for their group Tasks need to be categorized for high-Tasks need to be categorized for high-

level reportinglevel reporting

Non-Project CategoriesNon-Project Categories

EnhancementsEnhancements Internal ManagementInternal Management OperationsOperations Staff DevelopmentStaff Development Time OffTime Off

EnhancementsEnhancements

““Mini-projects”—fewer than 100 work Mini-projects”—fewer than 100 work hours in durationhours in duration

Involve improving upon the design of Involve improving upon the design of something (vs. correcting a defect)something (vs. correcting a defect) Minor application or sub-system Minor application or sub-system

improvements or upgradesimprovements or upgrades User interface or report changes that User interface or report changes that

enhance the design of an applicationenhance the design of an application

Internal ManagementInternal Management

General communication General communication and/or organizational and/or organizational activities that have activities that have indirect client benefitindirect client benefit

Should be 10% or less of Should be 10% or less of total work hours for non-total work hours for non-managementmanagement

Work should not apply to Work should not apply to Operations, Operations, Enhancements, or Enhancements, or ProjectsProjects

Examples:Examples: General staff meetingsGeneral staff meetings Management status Management status

reportsreports Organizing work areaOrganizing work area General email/voice mailGeneral email/voice mail Filling out timesheetsFilling out timesheets

OperationsOperations

Includes:Includes: Defect correctionDefect correction

Application or sub-system not working as designedApplication or sub-system not working as designed

Recurring maintenance activitiesRecurring maintenance activities System backupsSystem backups Uptime assurance activitiesUptime assurance activities

Non-IS user assistance or training on how to use Non-IS user assistance or training on how to use applications or equipmentapplications or equipment

On-call activitiesOn-call activities

Staff DevelopmentStaff Development

The amount of time that the Information The amount of time that the Information Systems department spends improving Systems department spends improving itselfitself

Includes:Includes: Receiving trainingReceiving training Giving training to other IS staffGiving training to other IS staff Recruiting activitiesRecruiting activities Team-building initiativesTeam-building initiatives

Time OffTime Off

All non-productive timeAll non-productive time Sick timeSick time Jury dutyJury duty VacationVacation HolidaysHolidays

Does not include compensatory time Does not include compensatory time (“comp time”)(“comp time”) This inflates our time-off statisticsThis inflates our time-off statistics

Non-Project LogisticsNon-Project Logistics

Every manager maintains their own non-project Every manager maintains their own non-project schedule for their direct reportsschedule for their direct reports

Each non-project schedule has one outline level only Each non-project schedule has one outline level only that depicts the non-project category for tasks that depicts the non-project category for tasks belonging to itbelonging to it

Managers can create custom tasks for their own group Managers can create custom tasks for their own group within one of the summary taskswithin one of the summary tasks

Often tasks are created by product that the group Often tasks are created by product that the group supports e.g. HPA Operationssupports e.g. HPA Operations

Units for each assignment should be equal to previous Units for each assignment should be equal to previous year’s actual valuesyear’s actual values

Custom enterprise outline code used to designate Custom enterprise outline code used to designate schedule as “Non-Project”schedule as “Non-Project”

Administrative ProjectsAdministrative Projects

New feature with New feature with Project Server 2003Project Server 2003

Allows user to create Allows user to create schedules of non-schedules of non-project tasksproject tasks

Mechanics for Mechanics for creating are the creating are the same as regular same as regular project schedulesproject schedules

Template requiredTemplate required

Features:Features: Prevents update of Prevents update of

Remaining Work on Remaining Work on timesheet (task will timesheet (task will not fall off timesheet)not fall off timesheet)

User cannot hide, User cannot hide, reject, or create new reject, or create new task for project on task for project on timesheettimesheet

Tasks are not Tasks are not imported to Outlook imported to Outlook calendarcalendar

Administrative Projects Administrative Projects from User Perspectivefrom User Perspective

Appears at the bottom of the timesheetAppears at the bottom of the timesheet Allows user to assign themselves to Allows user to assign themselves to

existing non-project tasksexisting non-project tasks Time entry can only use the Hours per Time entry can only use the Hours per

Day tracking methodDay tracking method Remaining Work cannot be updatedRemaining Work cannot be updated

Tracking Temporary Non-Tracking Temporary Non-Project WorkProject Work

Use additional regular project schedule Use additional regular project schedule (not administrative project)(not administrative project)

Use same “Non-Project” designation via Use same “Non-Project” designation via custom enterprise outline codecustom enterprise outline code

Create tasks using same summary task Create tasks using same summary task schemescheme

Assign resources to tasks and publish to Assign resources to tasks and publish to user timesheetsuser timesheets

Time will roll-up with other non-project Time will roll-up with other non-project work in reportswork in reports

Reporting ExamplesReporting Examples

Actual Work per Month by CategoryActual Work per Month by Category DepartmentDepartment ResourceResource

Percentage FTE Utilization per MonthPercentage FTE Utilization per Month Monthly Task Actual Work HoursMonthly Task Actual Work Hours Product Actual Hours per Month by Product Actual Hours per Month by

CategoryCategory Product Committee Task ActualsProduct Committee Task Actuals

Questions?Questions?