Shared Resource File Corruption – Project Professoinal 2016

[Robert M. Darby]

Hi All,
I am using a master file containing 13 separate projects all sharing the same resource file. I just leveled my resources and discovered that several of my team members are unexpectedly “over-allocated” and Project isn’t able to resolve. I looked at the Resource Usage and find that I have tasks within the shared resource file which are within a non-existent project. The project name is one character different than one of the other projects there, however. I opened the master schedule and displayed the project name to look for the new, unexpected, project — and could not find it. I’ve searched my hard drive for any instance – -thinking perhaps that it may be in another directory — its not. I tried to delete the references from within team planner, but could not. Project responded that I need to delete the tasks from within the sharer file — which doesn’t exist.
Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Mark

[Anonymous]

Robert, tracking what happened is always difficult but I suspect that a project got renamed somehow and that the previous project name is still being referenced in the resource pool. If the project doesn’t exist and shouldn’t, go to the resource pool in edit mode, go to the Resource Pool / Share Resources option, then select and break the link. Hope that helps.

[Robert M. Darby]

Hi Larry,
I tried your recommended fix. But… nothing happens when I click Break Link. If I click on share resources again, the link remains. I am choosing the option to: “Open resource pool read-write so that you can make changes…”.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Hmm, I just tried it and you are correct (not what I expected or remember). You should be able to create a new resource pool by (1) create an empty resource pool, then (2) open each project, take the option to Use own resources, and the take the option again to use the new resource pool. Resources in the resource pool should get added and merged as you do this to each project.

This of course is a new solution but similar steps have worked for me in the past. Someone else might also be able to provide additional information. Either way good luck and if you try this please respond with how it worked for you.

[Robert M. Darby]

Hey Larry,
Thank you so much.. this worked. I’m definitely learning more and more about issues with shared resources. I seem to have some issue with the shared resource file every two to three months. I’ve heard that my use of a master project file makes this less stable. Is that your experience?
Hoping that this is something Microsoft addresses in patches or future upgrades. Would love to have Project on-line or Server available… but… I’m wishing in one hand and…

Thanks again… am ever so grateful.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Glad it worked for you. I haven’t heard that about master projects but I don’t work a lot with them. I do a lot of Project Server/Online and there are options besides using a master project. I do stay away from them, primarily because of versions long ago. 2016 is a lot more stable than previous versions, and Project Server/Online does a better job with them, but it wouldn’t surprise me that there might be some issues. Seems odd to have them be consistent though. Good luck…

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