Project template updates, 5/15/07

I've made a few more changes to the MSP development project template, as follows. (Mostly minor except for a major reworking of the HUD 202/811 section.)

1. In Interim Funding sources, separated ‘assemble req’d attachments’ task from ‘draft application’ task.
2. Made significant changes to HUD 202/811 app section (primarily Firm Commitment and Closing processes). (It’s probably easiest just to replace those sections if you’re planning a 202/811 app.)
3. Added a basic ‘Outside City of Seattle’ community notification process.
4. Set Environmental Site Assessment Phase 2 as predecessor to all funding applications, but set its duration to 0 so will not over-estimate time required to prep those apps. Developer will need to set its duration to appropriate number if ESA Phase 1 determines Phase 2 to be necessary.

MS Project Template updates

This post is the first of my log of updates and tweaks I have made to the MS Project DSA template I presented at the staff training last week. I will do my best to note everything I catch. And again, I encourage everyone to let me know (by commenting on this blog would be best) whenever they find something that should be changed. Also feel free to post questions about the template and suggestions regarding how to improve it.
My intent is to help people stay up to date so they can make changes as necessary to project schedules they may have already begun working on, rather than forcing people to start over with a new template every time I (or someone else) catches a change.
However I will periodically update the template posted on the common drive with all my changes to date. When that happens I will post a note to that effect.

Thanks!

Changes made to date:

• Separated (outdented) 'repayment' of interim financing sources from their respective 'application' summary task, so that they display more accurately when rolled up into a summary task.
• Updated estimated start dates and deadlines for Fall 2007 funding applications.
• Added tasks related to Special Purpose Owner Entity (for HUD 202/811 apps), updated related links and deadlines.
  

All these changes have been incorporated into the DSA template located in the "MSP Templates" folder on the common drive.

By the way, the easiest way to keep abreast of these changes should be to 'subscribe' to the blog via MS Outlook's 'RSS Feeds' function. (Accessed via Tools-Accounts menu.) If anyone tries this, let me know how it works.