Setting Data Load Parameters
This article shows how to set data load parameters, including which project and resource organization structures to load from the database, as well as the date ranges, filters, and other settings, which together determine the available data when using ResourceFirst.
Overview
You specify the scope of data to load for your session in the Data Load Parameters dialog.
(Click the Funnel icon in the User Session Settings icon group.]
The scope includes projects and resources, as well as the date ranges for assignment forecast, actuals, and baselines. You can also select additional checkboxes and field-level filters to fine tune the data load. The filter settings remain in effect, even across sessions, until you change them.
Important! The first time you use ResourceFirst, use the Data Load Parameters dialog to validate or modify your scope and press the Reload Data button (bottom right corner).
If you do not specify the Project OBS and Resource OBS, the default data scope is all data you have at least “read” rights to.
Data Load Parameters Dialog
This dialog has four sections.
1 Data Load OBS Parameters
To specify Project OBS or Resource OBS nodes for the data load, click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Project OBS or Resource OBS section.
Then select one or more nodes in the OBS tree dialog.
Click the Close button and your node selections appear below the drop-down arrow control. In the example below, the project OBS nodes ALINE and Ops have been selected.
To remove a selected node, hover over the far right of the node and click the blue “x” that appears.
If a node selection is empty, ALL objects in the nodes to which you have rights are loaded
WARNING: The selected node list includes the node name only, not the full path.
In the screenshot above, Ops is NOT a sub-node of ALINE; its full path is ACME\Ops.
The only way to see where selections are on the node tree is to open the node tree dialog by clicking the node drop-down arrow and looking for selected nodes.
2 Date Parameters
You set the date range for your session in the Date Parameters section, including start date, period type (granularity), number of periods, and the type of labor time, FTE or hours (“Units in Hours” checkbox).
Labor and financial date ranges are set separately. For example, you may want to look at financial assignments and roll-ups in quarters or years, but labor supply-demand in weeks or months.
3 Filter Checkboxes
If checked:
Load Resource Assignments – Do not uncheck this box without good reason.
Load Skill Assignments – Do not uncheck this box without good reason.
Load Projects With Assignments Only – load only those projects that have labor and/or financial assignments.
Load Project Templates – along with all other specified data, load previously saved project templates (which can then be modified or deleted.)
4 Data Load Field Filters
Add field filter
Step 1: Go to the Field Filters section at the bottom of the Filters dialog,
Step 2: Click the “+ Add Filter” button to add a filter,
Step 3: Select the type of field (Project, Resource or Assignment),
Step 4: Choose a field
Step 5: Select a Condition
Step 6: Enter one or more field values
To see both active and inactive projects.
Select table Project,
select field Active,
select Condition “In”, and
click in Values and select both “Y” and “N” (DO NOT ENTER THE LETTERS FROM THE KEYBOARD).
Note: Field filter selection has dropdowns, with type-ahead on values.
Note: All data load settings are sticky. When you log off and on again, they will still be selected.
Other Field Filter Operations
Select a field filter row and:
Delete Field Filter – click the trash can icon and the row is immediately deleted.
Restore Field Filters – click the circular arrows icon to restore field filters to their state when the dialog was opened.
Sharing Partition Data Load Parameters
If you are a Partition Administrator, you may wish to have certain default Data Load Parameter settings appear when members of your partition first login. After initial login, the partition member can modify their Data Load Parameter settings to suit their specific needs.
Step 1: Click the funnel icon to open the Data Load Parameters dialog.
Step 2: Set the Data Load Parameters to the default settings you wish to share.
Step 3: Click the Reload Data button.
Step 4: Click the funnel icon to reopen the Data Load Parameter dialog.
Step 5: Click the Share Settings button for the settings to be shared.
Step 6: Click OK on the Share Settings information dialog.
Step 7: Click either the Close or the Reload button on the Data Load Parameters dialog.
Force these settings on some or all existing partition members
Step 1: Go to the Admin>Users & Rights>Users page.
Step 2: Select all partition users you want to have the new data load default settings by selecting the checkbox on their row.
Step 3: Click the Reset User Cache button.
Note: The reset does not take effect until the user next logs in.
For more information on partitioning, see the article Using Partitions.
