Microsoft Project Server 2007: Time Tracking Solutions

Following Project Conference 2009, it’s great to see the number of solutions that have been created to extend the out of the box capabilities of Microsoft Project Server 2007 (PS07) timesheet capabilities. All these solutions demonstrate the two key pillars of timesheets in Project Server 2007: scalability and extensibility. With its new queuing mechanism PS07 can easily handle thousands of timesheets per hour (see this whitepaper for scalability lab results: Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Performance Testing Lab – English). Additionally PS07 offers fully documented API (Project Server Interface timesheet web services are fully documented in the SDK) and hence enables rich extensibility as demonstrated below with this impressive list of solution built by Microsoft and partners.

To learn more about about the out of the box PS07 capabilities check this diagram: Timesheeting and Statusing Data Flow Diagram 

Timesheet Solution	Comment
Project Server 2007 Timesheet & Statusing Customization - Timesheet Tied-Mode v1.5 CodePlex solution does require C# skills, not supported by MSFT	First version of tied-mode solution (initially published in November 07), this solutions automatically imports a timesheet into My Tasks. One user review states: “Great solution to integrate My Timesheets with My Tasks, providing one central input for users/resources to report all their working & non-working time, followed by an automatic generation of submitted task updates.”
Project Server 2007 Timesheet Tied-Mode Service and Event CodePlex solution does require C# skills, not supported by MSFT	Second version of tied-mode solution published in January 08; the main difference with the version above is that its based on a Windows Services and timesheet imports are done asynchronously (done synchronously in the solution above)
Project Server 2007 Timesheet AutoStatus Plus CodePlex solution does require C# skills, not supported by MSFT	Third version of tied-mode: Project Server 2007 Timesheet AutoStatus Plus is a major rewrite of the AutoStatusService tied-mode for Project Server. Planned enhancements are: multiple instance support, farm support, and elimination of the Windows Service in favor of a SharePoint Timer Job.
TrackTimesheet SOLVIN, partner solution. TrackTimesheet Benefits Several time records per day Categorizing and comment per record possible adjustable to your requirements Extensions to your requirements Effective analysis for updater / approver and decision maker (e.g.: quick overview of all still not approved records) Possibility to enter a different amount of billable work Ease of  use Several export interfaces Ready for interfaces to other time-recording systems Ready for interface to SAP CATS via PS Link	Web part with great user interface and functional enhancements to the out of the capabilities, check out their documentation to learn about about all its features:
TimeControl 6 from HMS Software, partner solution. Multiple browser Support TimeRequest module tracks vacation requests and more Additional Rate Values and associated costs etc…
JustOnce from QuantumPM, partner solution. Team member only goes to ONE page to update Enter work and non-work time in My Timesheet Remaining Work dynamically changes as time is entered Update Remaining Work if needed Submit JUSTONCE to send updates to Timesheet Manager and Project Manager Everyone stays in synch
Innoware Project TimeTracker , from Innoware, partner solution. Main features and benefits of IW:PTT: Tasks synchronization from Project Server as calendar events and Outlook tasks Ability to report about tasks progress offline and further synchronization with Project Server Possibility to add/attach Outlook tasks to projects on Project Server Ability to do personal tasks reporting Possibility of administrative time (vacations, holidays, sick leaves) adding – resource availability synchronization (resource calendar) Possibility of semi-automatic project tasks performing time capturing and transferring captured information to Actual Work field on Project Server. (Start/Stop time counting buttons)
Project Timesheet for Project Server 2007 Indigo Group, partner solution (still in Beta)	Windows application that helps you manage your timesheets:

As disclosed at the Project Conference in Phoenix two weeks ago, Project Server 2010 offers additional enhancements to timesheets/statusing: tied-mode, new user interface and Exchange integration.

If you know of any other partner solution around timesheet and statusing please send me an email and I will gladly update this blog post.