Microsoft Project 2013: The Missing Manual

Managing Multiple Projects

If you don’t have the option of using Project Server to manage multiple projects, you can insert subprojects into a master project instead, no matter how much or how little the projects have in common. Here are a few situations in which inserting subprojects into a master project can help you manage multiple projects:

• A large project with subprojects. Suppose you’re managing a project so large that it requires several project managers to handle different parts. For example, a project to build a new airplane may have subprojects for the fuselage, engines, electronics, wiring, and so on. The separate systems progress individually, but they have to come together before the rubber can hit the tarmac. When you set up a master project that contains the separate subprojects, the project managers for the subprojects (whether they’re subcontractors or part of your organization) each work on their own Project files. But you can see the big picture of all the subprojects simply by opening the master project.

  Tip

  Master projects and subprojects aren’t appropriate for managing humongous projects with casts of thousands, budgets in the millions, hordes of risks and issues, and project interdependencies galore. For a stable of big projects like those, Enterprise Project Management Solutions (which includes Project Server and Project Web App) are what you need to stay on top of everything.

• Several projects share the same resources. Say you and another project manager in your ...