Locking / Protecting files?
Discussion
I am just getting to grips with Microsoft Project and finished a project plan. This has been approved by my client and they now wish me to circulate it electronically to all of their collaborators.
In a nutshell, how can I secure this file so that everyone can read it (i.e. no password access required to view it) BUT they cannot amend it themselves. I haven't really needed to do this before, and when I tried right click > properties > Read Only, it seems that it can still be easily changed?
As usual, all help gratefully received. Bryan
In a nutshell, how can I secure this file so that everyone can read it (i.e. no password access required to view it) BUT they cannot amend it themselves. I haven't really needed to do this before, and when I tried right click > properties > Read Only, it seems that it can still be easily changed?
As usual, all help gratefully received. Bryan
There is no easy way in MS Project to save the project as view only, probably because it is one of the features of MS Project professional/MS Project server.
Two options - either trust your project team, or save the file as either a bitmap as suggested, or if you can put it on a webserver use the save as web page (if you save the Gantt chart as a bitmap, then you can add that as a graphic to your web-page).
Either way, you should be very careful about updating a plan that has been in someone elses hands. Whenever I work on a project that has open access to a plan, I only ever work from my copy. If someone else updates the plan, I will re-create their updates on my plan, so that I understand exactly what has changed. Once you become unsure of what has changed, if is very difficult to go back.
Remember to save a baseline, so that you have a record of what your client agreed, and keep a copy of the email. The plan will change!
And last tip (that you didn't ask for!) save versions of your plan before any update, during any update and after any update. MS Project only has 1 level of undo.
Two options - either trust your project team, or save the file as either a bitmap as suggested, or if you can put it on a webserver use the save as web page (if you save the Gantt chart as a bitmap, then you can add that as a graphic to your web-page).
Either way, you should be very careful about updating a plan that has been in someone elses hands. Whenever I work on a project that has open access to a plan, I only ever work from my copy. If someone else updates the plan, I will re-create their updates on my plan, so that I understand exactly what has changed. Once you become unsure of what has changed, if is very difficult to go back.
Remember to save a baseline, so that you have a record of what your client agreed, and keep a copy of the email. The plan will change!
And last tip (that you didn't ask for!) save versions of your plan before any update, during any update and after any update. MS Project only has 1 level of undo.
If you've got a server, ask your sysadmin to make the file read/write for you and read only for everyone else. Failing that give it to them on CD-ROM 
Edit: Sorry forget that bit about your server, I should have read what you actually wrote!
>> Edited by aldi on Tuesday 20th December 11:54
Edit: Sorry forget that bit about your server, I should have read what you actually wrote!
>> Edited by aldi on Tuesday 20th December 11:54
Thanks for the help guys. I don't know whether I have a case of Xmas brain cell damage, but I still can't figure how to save the Gantt as a bitmap. When going File > Save As, the 'Save as type options' don't seem to inlcude a bitmap. The options given are: Project; Template; Project Database; Web Page; MS Project 98; MS Access Database; MS Excel Workbook; MS Excel PivotTable; Text; CSV; XML. No bitmap!
What am I doing wrong??
What am I doing wrong??
Hmmm there used to be an icon for this in a toolbar. In my version of project however you go into edit then click on 'copy picture' - this will the project into the clipboard, you can then paste the pic into mspaint, msword or direct into the email for sending.
Not sure if this is what you want but it seems to work (just tested it quickly)
Not sure if this is what you want but it seems to work (just tested it quickly)
neil_cardiff said:
Failing that give it to them on CD-ROM
>> Edited by aldi on Tuesday 20th December 11:54
Er...that doesn't work, because while its read only on the CD, once someone has copied it off the CD, changed it so it isn't read only anymore, they can do what they like...
:P
As opposed to a bitmap, which is obviousley completely un-editable?
My preferred option for ALL documents is to PDF them, But you have to buy the Adobe software to create a PDF. Under print options you can select the microsoft image writer - this seems to create a file not sure what it does, I guess you can open it on another XP machine ? Never tried it may be worth an experiment...
bigdods said:
you have to buy the Adobe software to create a PDF.
I don't think that's true. In the past I've used a Primo PDF 'print driver' that creates a virtual printer, this creates a PDF document when any application prints to it. I'm sure there are other free utilities that can be used to create PDFs.
PDF seems to be the preferred format for legal documents. In the past I've received one or two documents that were sent out as word documents by mistake, sometimes makes very interesting reading to see the change history.
Thanks Guys - some good ideas there. I have a free pdf maker on my PC as a virtual printer so this may well be a good way of producing something that people cannot bother to edit. Great idea (why didn't I think of that?).
I will also explore the edit/copy/picture commands in Project for future use.
Thanks again everyone
I will also explore the edit/copy/picture commands in Project for future use.
Thanks again everyone
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff