TDX: Project Manager Quick Start

Purpose

This document will provide tips for project managers using TeamDynamix and will also be used as a supplement to the PM training provided by the ITS PMO.  Any feedback or questions should left in the feedback section at the end of this article.

Before Getting Started

This is only to provide basic understanding of the sections and verbiage used within TeamDynamix at the System Office. 

Assumption

This documents assumes you are going to use the PPM module within TeamDynamix and will be working with the PMO for further training. 

Getting Started

Comprehensive Project Management Training from TDX

As a project manager, you will spend most of your time in the TDNext module of TeamDynamix.  This is module is not the same as the TDClient Portal.  You may get to the TDNext by clicking on the link below.

https://help.vccs.edu/TDNext/Home/Desktop/Default.aspx

Your screen should look like this once you have logged in using your MyVCCS credentials.

It is up to you whether you want to allow that pop-up moving forward or not.

From this page, click on the application menu 

Click on the Projects/Workspaces option.  This will open a new tab for you on the top bar. 

Getting to Know Your Desktop

When you click on Project/Workspaces, the landing page is called your “Desktop”.  Creating a desktop that is easy to use and shows you the “right” information at a quick glance is easy and important.  Below are some tips on how to customize your desktop.

  1. What is the most important thing you want to see regarding your projects?  Answering this question will help guide you on how to set up your desktop. 
  2. Once you have established what it is that you want to see on your project desktop, click Edit Projects/Workspaces Desktop

  1. A new window will open up that allows you to choose the reports you want to see on your desktop.  Take some time to play with this to find exactly what you are wanting on your desktop.  Selecting Edit Layout will let you chose the number of columns on your desktop, and don’t forget to Save your work – it doesn’t automatically save for you.

  1. After you have saved your desktop layout, you will need to Refresh the desktop itself to show the changes.

  1. You can Search for anything within your project workspace, including risks, issues, tasks, contacts, files (briefcase), and links.  You can also narrow your search down by item type, if needed.

  1. Viewing and searching for reports is another very important tool for a project manager.  Click Reports to be taken to a Search and List page.  This is only for existing reports, there is another section for creating new reports.  You can browse already existing reports that have been shared with you or that you have created. 

  1. The New tab offers multiple items for your creation, including a new project or workspace.

Creating a New Project

This is for those who are able to create a new project with their current permissions. 

  1. Before creating a new project, ensure you have the required information.
    1. Project Name
    2. Type – Click the magnifying glass for options
      1. System Office Projects (non-ITEC) - projects that are not coming from ITEC/Tech Council but are not operational
      2. IT Operational Projects 
    3. Acct/Dept - always should be SO-System Office
    4. MER Project Type (Maintenance, Enhancement/Upgrade, Replacement, Other)
    5. Project Initiator - who originally requested this project
    6. Colleges Impacted - all of the colleges that will be impacted by this project

**IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO ONLY USE THE REQUIRED FIELDS**

  1. Once you have completed everything, you possibly can click Save. The screen below will be what you see. 

  1. Once you have saved your project, please click on Settings and select the option "This project will only be visible to logged-in users with the "View Projects" permission."

  1. Congratulations!  Your new project is ready to manage!  

Understanding the PPM Module Terms

Below is a description of the menu items on your project workspace's left.

  1. Project Details
    1. Contains: the basic information (Hours, budget, dates, and information from the project request)
    2. Actions: Deactivate Project, Apply a Project Template, Add a Baseline, Add Resource, Copy, Close, Update Project (status, health, comments, percent completion, and edit project request information)
  2. General
    1. Contains: the project request information
    2. Actions: Update the project request information
  3. Settings
    1. Contains: Project visibility, approvals, automatic update methods, resource management, expense forecasting, resource schedule editing, and other options.  
    2. Actions: Update these settings
  4. Goals
    1. Contains: Selected strategic goals that the project is supporting
    2. Actions: Add additional strategic goals, Edit/Delete existing strategic goals
  5. Systems Affected
    1. Contains: Any system affected by the project
    2. Actions: Add Systems, Edit/Delete Systems
  6. Related Processes
    1. Contains: Any process affected by the project or that will impact the project
    2. Actions: Add Processes, Edit/Delete Processes
  7. Organizational Risk
    1. Contains: Risk Assessment of the Project at the VCCS level
    2. Actions: Complete a risk assessment and receive a score.
  8. Benefits
    1. Contains: Intangible and Monetary Benefits of the project
    2. Actions: Add Monetary Benefit, Add comments about the Intangible Benefits
  9. Expenses
    1. Contains: The estimated, actual, and forecasted expenses for the project, including resources and non-resource expenses.  It also includes a description of the expense, and whether it is active, billable, and the rate.  
    2. Actions: Add Expenses, Expense Forecasts, Actual Expenses, and Edit current expenses.
  10. Returns
    1. Contains: Any returns made so far from the project
    2. Actions: Calculate, Print
  11. Role Forecasts
    1. Contains: Primary roles associated with the project and their allocated time across months and weeks.  This is not necessarily a specific person, but rather a System Administrator, College Lead, etc.
    2. Actions: Print forecast
  12. Resources
    1. Contains:  People and roles designated to work on the project.  These people can report their time, and have time requested for them.  The total budgeted, scheduled, and remaining hours will show at the bottom.
    2. Actions: Add Resources, Remove Resources, and Change Manager
  13. Stakeholders
    1. Contains: This includes people who belong in a RACI chart for the project, and includes their role on the project (ex., project sponsor) and their contact information, stakeholders will have project visibility from the System Office client portal.  College portal administrators can dictate that ability at the college portal level. 
    2. Actions: Add, Edit, Delete stakeholders
  14. Plans
    1. Contains: Cardwall and Traditional Waterfall plans for your project.  There is no limit to the number of plans added to your project.
    2. Actions: Add Plans, Delete Plans, and View Plans
  15. Milestones
    1. Contains: Milestones are toggled in the Waterfall Project Plans and will show up here.  It shows the status, percent complete, plan for which it comes from, due date, completed date, and description.
    2. Actions: Print to Excel, View Task, View Plan
  16. Risks Register
    1. Contains: Probability and Impact Matrix of captured risks.  General information for the risks, like, classification, status, category, person responsible, probability, impact, urgency, response strategy, etc.
    2. Actions: Create New Risk, Search Risks, Print to Excel, View Risk, Manage Categories
  17. Workflows
    1. Contains: A workflow attached to the project; this is something that will need to be manually selected.  Reach out to Sheridan Jones if you think one needs to be created!
    2. Actions: Add workflow to project.
  18. Feed
    1. Contains: Any updates done to the project concerning edits to the general information, status updates, and comments to the project.
    2. Actions: View All Feed, Select Type of Feed, Comment
  19. Status Chart
    1. Contains: Major status changes to the project.
    2. Actions: View
  20. Baselines
    1. Contains: Baselines captured from the Project Details tab
    2. Actions: View Baselines
  21. Announcements
    1. Contains: Any announcement that has been sent out to the entire project team. These announcements can only go to the whole contact list and can expire, and they are written out as an email.
    2. Actions: Create Announcement, View Announcement
  22. Briefcase
    1. Contains: Files and folders associated with the project.  Users can be restricted by folder.  (PMO’s Recommendation: Use TeamDynamix Briefcase as the Artifact Repository for documents, and SharePoint File Library as the Living Repository
    2. Actions: Search, Add New File/Folder, Manage Security
  23. Calendar
    1. Contains: Calendar of tasks assigned to you, you have created, or been invited to.
    2. Actions: Create New Event, View Today’s events, Go to Specific Date
  24. Calendar Feeds
    1. Contains: Any feeds you want to be added to your workspace calendar feed.
    2. Actions: Add new Feed, Manage Feeds
  25. Contacts
    1. Contains:  Anyone that is a part of the project, even if they are not considered a resource or stakeholder
    2. Actions: New Contact, Search, To Excel, To Outlook, Remove Contact, Flag Contact, View Contact
  26. Issues
    1. Contains:  View the information pertaining to issues identified in the project, including associated risk, responsible party, priority, status, etc.
    2. Actions: View Issue, Add New Issue, Search Issues, To Excel
  27. Links
    1. Contains: Library of all manually captured links related to the project and/or project work
    2. Actions: Add Link, Search Links, To Excel, View Links
  28. User Stories
    1. Contains: User stories collected for the project
    2. Actions: Create and edit user stories
Print Article