PPM Express is a powerful tool and to get the most out of it we need to set up and utilize it correctly.
Here are the best practices and tips that we recommend to follow when you start configuring PPM Express.
1. Keep the system as simple as possible.
Start using basic PPM Express functionality at the beginning, only the features you need right now, and build up the system gradually.
2. Configure and save the layout of the main PPM Express Pages - Project Dashboard and Portfolio Dashboard.
PPM Express pages are fully configurable. We recommend setting up a basic configuration of the Project Dashboard and Portfolio Dashboard at the beginning and save it as a default layout. This layout will be applied to all newly created Project and Portfolio Dashboard later on.
3. Start with Project Dashboard configuration.
When you have at least one Project added to PPM Express, open its Project Dashboard and configure the necessary sections and fields to save the layout as default.
Here is what we recommend to start with:
- Select the Project Dashboard that you will be using, remove the ones you do not need at once.
- Select the Project Statuses you need and remove the unnecessary ones from the Statuses Project section.
- Set up the Project fields in the Project Dashboard. You can select to show or hide primary default project fields, edit them, and create your custom fields as required.
- If you plan to manage the Project budget, add the Budget section to the Project Dashboard at once and configure the budget categories that you will be using. If you configure the categories at once, before you start creating project budget, this template will be saved and applied to all Project budgets.
Please refer to the Manage Budgets article for more details. - It is possible to configure the columns for most of the Project sections. If you need to add custom columns, edit or change the position of the default ones, we recommend configuring them at once.
- Save the layout as default. Your Project Dashboard configuration will be saved and applied to all newly created Projects. Also, it can be applied to the existing Projects.
4. Configure the Projects page view.
Projects page may be viewed as a tileset, configurable table, or timeline.
Regardless of the view type used, the list of your Projects can be filtered using the filtering options on the page. You can use the default views and filters or create your ones.
Please refer to the Projects page article for the details on how to configure the views and filters.
5. When you are ready configuring Projects pages, and if you have at least one Portfolio, you can start setting up Portfolio Dashboard and Portfolios pages.
Portfolios and Projects pages are built in a very similar way. So, the recommendations for their configuration are the same. You can follow the same steps listed above for the Projects Dashboard and Projects page configuration.