@project SP1 for #Project2013 introduces the old bug with missing resources

‘Lost Resources’ bug has came back after re-relased SP1 for PS2013 has been applied.

The issue - The project won't published . The task has a number instead of resource name

To fix it - you need to manually re-add the missing resources in the project.

Plus, you need to run the SQL to fix 2 PS procedures, as it was recommended in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2933444

draft.MSP_WINPROJ_DELETE_OLD_PROJECT_RESOURCES
pub.MSP_WINPROJ_DELETE_OLD_PROJECT_RESOURCES

I have run the sql before SP1, then I have applied SP1 and compare procedures before and after:
1. [draft].[MSP_WINPROJ_DELETE_OLD_PROJECT_RESOURCES]
The procedure was re-created by SP1 (the service packed was installed on 5/21/2014)

and the SQL delete statement lacks filter by PROJ_UID
 WHERE RES_UID IN (SELECT RES_UID FROM @resUids)

2. [pub].[MSP_WINPROJ_DELETE_OLD_PROJECT_RESOURCES]

The procedure was re-created by SP1  (the service packed was installed on 5/21/2014)

and the SQL delete statement lacks filter by PROJ_UID

 WHERE RES_UID IN (SELECT RES_UID FROM @resUids)

@project Confusing UI in #Project2013 Assignments scenario

TaskDetails.aspx -  This Web part was unable to load.
The user :
1. Creates a task from tasks.aspx

2. Just a minute or couple later he refreshes TaskDetails.aspx and see the error

 3. The user goes back to Tasks.aspx and doesn't see the task that he just created.

Most of the time that is the hint that task or assignment were removed.

It's worth to mention that in the context of Project Server:
The task is ,simply, a task.
The assignment is a task that assigned to a resource.

In this specific scenario, I have checked the project and I saw the task still exists.So, my theory that the task\assignment was removed is not true in this specific scenario.

Important: The resource name is the same user who has just created a task and now he can't see that task in the tasks list.
That's weird.
As it turned out that is the confusing UI in Project Server.

Even though the resource name in the project page (Project%20Detail%20Pages/Schedule.aspx)  is the user who created a task , the assignment has been assigned to a different user.

The reason: The default assignment owner is not the resource himself

To fix it:
/_layouts/15/pwa/Admin/AddModifyUser.aspx

Set the resource's name is specified in the Default Assignment Owner field

My suggestion to MS: Please set in Project%20Detail%20Pages/Schedule.aspx in the column Resource - the Assignee, not a task creator
Additional reference:
Team Members cannot see their assigned tasks on the Timesheet page or Task page in PWA

#MSProject: PWA won't show schedule

I can't see tasks in the schedule.aspx in project server web access.

How to fix it:
Add the PWA site to the local sites in IE:

Project Server 2013 error: Faulting application name: schedengine.exe

As me moved to Project Server 2013, I have made several posts along the way describing new bugs introduced in the Project Server 2013.

Here is the one that I see pretty regularly:
Can't save or published the project. It's been queued and never finished.
The event log registered an application error:

Faulting application name: schedengine.exe, version: 15.0.4551.1507, time stamp: 0x52700711
Faulting module name: schedengine.exe, version: 15.0.4551.1507, time stamp: 0x52700711
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000000000048508b
Faulting process id: 0x1e68
Faulting application start time: 0x01cf3eca3fc01ef1
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office Servers\15.0\Bin\schedengine.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office Servers\15.0\Bin\schedengine.exe
Report Id: 6a2866f8-aad9-11e3-9414-00155d52365a
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID: 

This bug is not a new one based on the reply in this thread
In my experience, the common cause of such behavior is wrong dates for task duration.
What I mean by that is the following:
As an example, you have a Task 1 with duration 1 d and dates are: start date: 3/12/2014 and finish date: 3/13/2014. It's 2 working days based on the dates.
That situation is never been reproduced intentionally, but I saw it after the fact. So, I don't know how to reproduced, but it's obvious how to fix it.
You need to open the project in Project Professional and recalculate dates (F9).
In some cases, it might be the other issues related to some wrong data that appeared in the project, that schedengine can't get it straight (which is a whole another discussion)
As a recent example, when I checked the dates and nothing was suspicious about them, I have tried to publish the project through Project Professional, which is really helpful since you have a error message more easily than scanning through event and trace logs. So I have got a Job UI that failed and search by it in the ULS log messages field and found the following error:
Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'pub.MSP_PROJECT_RESOURCES'. 

I have checked the resource values that are not currently in the resource list and select the actual one, saved and published the project successfully.

This is a known bug and acknowledged by MS

I have ran the recommended sql to fix the issue. That ensures that we will not have this issue from now on.

Nevertheless, the inflected projects ARE NOT FIXED AND NEEDED MANUAL ADJUSTMENT.

Almost every project is affected. 

To fix the remain residue:

1.      open the project in the Project Professional ;

2.      re-add missing resource;

3.      re-select the resource in the tasks that shown with numbers instead of resource name

4.      Save and Publish

Project Server 2013: Bugs

Recently , I was participating in the Project Server Upgrade from 2010 to 2013. The migration process was typical and well described in Upgrade to Project Server 2013

After migration was over, I have faced several issues in Project Server 2013, which were confirmed as bugs by Microsoft and as of October 2013 most of them were not resolved.

Here is a small collection of them:

Project Server 2013: Can't close the period - already resolved

Project Server 2013: Timesheet.aspx. The view failed to load.

Project Server 2013: TS Approval history wont' show filtered by Resource name

Project Server 2013: <%$Resources:PWA,ADMIN_ADDMODIFYUSER_BROWSE%>

Faulting application name: schedengine.exe

Project Server 2013: <%$Resources:PWA,ADMIN_ADDMODIFYUSER_BROWSE%>

After migration to Project Server 2013, I have noticed several bugs that already have been confirmed by Microsoft , but as of October 2013 haven't been resolved yet.

One of them is following:

When on the Approval page, the timesheet is selected, and click Accept.

The Confirm Approval pop up instead of button "browse" has label <% <%$Resources:PWA,ADMIN_ADDMODIFYUSER_BROWSE%>>.

Here is a response from Microsoft:

RESOLUTION:

·         When selecting a different timesheet manager from approval center, instead of "Browse" on the button you are seeing a label with "<% <%$Resources:PWA,ADMIN_ADDMODIFYUSER_BROWSE%>>".

·         But still you will be able to browse and select a different timesheet manager.

·         But the label name part is broken and issue is reproducible with latest CU also.

·         I have filed an internal bug for this case and closing case as bug so that you will not be charged.

Project Server 2013: TS Approval history wont' show filtered by Resource name

After migration to Project Server 2013, I have found several bugs that have been confirmed but not yet resolved by Microsoft.

One of them:

For timesheets in approval center, while applying "Resources" filter and fetching timesheets with "Resource Name", project server 2013 does not show any timesheets

As of October 2013, 

RESOLUTION:

 -  Resource filter issue in 2013 is reproducible with latest CU in-house.
 - This looks to be a known bug in project server 2013 and we have already filed an internal bug.

 - But, as an alternate solution, you can uncheck both "Date" and "Resource" filters and then use resource name to get the timesheet.

Project Server 2013: Can't close the period

After migration was over to Project Server 2013. I have noticed several issues.

One of them was:

I can't close Time Reporting Period, the page TimePeriod.aspx gets reloaded without saving data.

As it turned out, If any timesheets exist it's not possible to close the period.

That bug was fixed in Project CU June 26,2013.

Project Server 2013: Timesheet.aspx. The view failed to load.

Recently , I was participating in the Project Server Upgrade from 2010 to 2013. The migration process was typical and well described in Upgrade to Project Server 2013

After migration was over, I have faced several issues in Project Server 2013, which were confirmed as bugs by Microsoft and as of October 2013 were not resolved.

One of them is following:

Issue:

When try to access the timesheet which is having the deleted task, getting the below error.

The view failed to load. Press Ok to reload this view with default settings. Press Cancel to select another view. The issue appears when Single Entry Mode is ON.

Workaround:

To remove offending task, set Single Entry Mode is off, remove the task from the timesheet. If necessary, set the Single Entry Mode back to On.

SharePoint 2013: Architectural changes. Pain Points

As I have launched a migration project to SharePoint 2013, I have started analyzing the architectural changes in SharePoint 2013 farm and other related products.

My goal is to migrate SharePoint 2010 with Project Server 2010 to SharePoint 2013 with Project Server 2013.

Here is my earliest discoveries:

1. Hardware recommendations differ for SharePoint 2013 and for Project Server 2013. But Project Server lives inside the SP Farm.
For small SP farm, you have to have around 12 Gb for Front End and 8 Gb for SQL.
But in case you want to include Project Server in the farm, MS recommends 16Gb for Front End and 16 Gb for Sql.
NOTE: This 16 Gb recommendation doesn't cover additional need for memory by other SP services:

The minimum hardware requirements in this section are recommended in which only the required services to run Project Server 2013 are enabled. Be aware that enabling additional SharePoint Server 2013 features in the farm may require more resources. 

So, it seems like MS intends to sale lots of  Azure VM services!
At this moment, I am struggling to find on-prem VMs for a new demanding farm. Realistically, I will not get more than 10 GB RAM for SP+Project Server 2013.


PAINT POINT: You have to boost hardware not only for SP2013 ,but for Project Sever 2013 accommodation.


2.Office Web Apps server (or OWA farm) should be installed on dedicated server (NOT ON THE SP SERVER).
 And by the way, have you acquainted with PowerShell? OWA Sever doesn't have UI to set settings, you have to use PowerShell 3.0.
  Once you have installed OWA farm (server) , you have to bind (SPWopiBinding) SP to it.

Now, think twice in case of migration.
Not only you have to boost hardware for serves, you have to find an additional server in order to have Office Web Apps. In SP2010 Office Web Apps product was supposed to be installed on the SP server.

PAINT POINT: You have to find an additional server for OWA to provide  functionality that was  "hardware-strain" free in the previous SP version.

3. Web analytics services are removed from Sp2013 as a separate services. Now it's a part of Search Service.

When you upgrade to SharePoint 2013, do not attach and upgrade the databases that contain the data from Web Analytics in SharePoint Server 2010. We recommend that you turn off Web Analytics in the SharePoint Server 2010 environment before you copy the content databases that you want to upgrade to SharePoint 2013.

PAINT POINT: Web analytics are best service to clean your farm before you go to SharePoint 2013. It allows you find unused spwebs. But you have to turn the service off when you want to copy your content db for test upgrade. So, you need to clean the environment (with help of Web analytics) before even your first test upgrade.

4. A new Access Service requires SQL 2012.

 In case you want\or have to provide Access Service in your SP 2013 Farm, you have point the service to SQL 2012 Server.

PAINT POINT: For Access Service you have to have SQL 2012. So if you have planned to stick with SQL 2008, make sure you don't need to have Access Service. In case you need it you have 2 choices: 1. Have 2012 SQL server installed at the first place, or 2. extend you farm and include additional 2012 SQL server to accommodate Access Service Application.