As there are different project types and approaches for project management, you might need a different set of project sections to manage your project. The set of project sections may differ for an IT project and an internal project, for example. PPM Express allows creating a separate layout for each project type.
Users who create and manage configuration on the tenant level can create several layouts with a certain set of project sections and configure the sections themselves, hide default fields and add new custom fields for the sections, as well as change the position of the columns in the sections for each project type.
It is possible to create as many layouts as needed and choose a default one that will be applied to all newly created projects, tasks, portfolios, etc.
Project Managers can then apply the required layout to their projects. This helps standardize how Project Managers work on their projects and the data they are expected to have within a certain project type.
In most scenarios, users would like to have the same configuration of Project, Portfolio, Program, Business Challenges, Ideas, and Resource Dashboards across their projects, programs, portfolios, etc. To avoid manual work and save time on the configuration of these pages, PPM Express allows creating layouts that can be later applied to Projects, Portfolios, Programs, Business Challenges, Ideas, and Resource Dashboards.
Views are used to quickly switch between a certain set of project sections allowing Project Managers to quickly view/analyze/edit only those sections that they need at the moment (for example, Resource Plan and Schedule, Actions Items, and Risks).
Required permissions to create and apply layouts
To create and apply layouts, PPM Express users should have corresponding permissions.
PPM Express permissions for users are managed via the People Management section (PPM Express Administrators have a full set of permissions and can view/edit everything within the tenant).
1) Users with 'Manage Configuration' permission and permission to edit a project (or other PPM Express entities) can create and save new layouts for the whole PPM Express tenant.
'Manage Configuration' checkbox is ON by default for the user who registered PPM Express tenant.
For the rest of the PPM Express users, this setting is OFF by default and can be turned on by PPM Express Administrator in the People Management section.
2) Project Managers can apply layouts to their projects.
3) Users with edit/collaborate on rights for 'Portfolio', 'Program', and 'Project' as well as users with View All permission cannot create, save or apply layouts.
We will review Project dashboard layouts as an example, but the steps to create and apply the layouts are the same for other pages.
Project dashboard page layouts
To create a layout, perform the following:
1. Open the project dashboard and click on the 'Default' drop-down with views and layouts on the left part of the page, and select the 'Add New Layout' option.
2. In the 'Create new layout' window, provide the name for the layout, and select the set of project sections you need to include. You can drag and drop the sections to reorder them as needed.
If you save this layout as default, it will automatically apply to newly created projects.
Click 'Create' when you are done.
3. Open the drop-down with views and layouts again and apply the newly created layout to the project dashboard.
Now you can hide default fields and add new custom fields for the sections, as well as change the position of the columns in the sections.
To find more information on how to configure Project dashboard sections, please refer to the Project Dashboard article.
As you finish configuring the Project dashboard and its sections (changing the columns as required), this configuration will be saved automatically for the selected layout.
Users who manage configuration on the tenant level can update the layouts, edit or remove them.
As the layout is created, Project Managers can select to apply it to their projects using the 'Apply Layout' option on the right.
Please note: Default layouts can not be deleted.
The layout that was applied to the project is marked on the 'Apply Layout' menu.
To apply a Layout to a group of projects in bulk, open the Projects Page, and select Configurable table view.
Select the projects you would like to apply a layout to. Click the Apply Layout button, and click on the required layout to apply it.
Please note: To apply the layout to several projects, the user should be a Project Manager of all selected projects.
Please note: The following Project dashboard sections cannot be customized:
Teams section - this section is non-editable. Data for this section is retrieved from the source project during synchronization.
Schedule section - this section is non-editable. Data for this section is retrieved from the source project during synchronization.
Budget section – this section uses the FluentPro Financials app allowing you to edit your Portfolio budget. Viewing or editing budgets can only be done by the users, who have Manage budgets permission enabled in their account settings.
Please note: The following Portfolio dashboard sections cannot be customized:
Budget section – this section uses the FluentPro Financials app allowing you to edit the Portfolio/Program budget. Viewing or editing budgets can only be done by the users, who have Manage budgets permission enabled in their account settings.
Required permissions to create and apply views
To create and apply views, PPM Express users should have corresponding permissions.
PPM Express permissions for users are managed via the People Management section (PPM Express Administrators have a full set of permissions and can view/edit everything within the tenant).
1) Users with 'Manage Configuration' permission and permission to edit a project (or other PPM Express entities) can create and save new views for the whole PPM Express tenant. However, if the default view is applied to the project, only Project Managers can rearrange or include certain fields in the project section. In this case, users with Manage Configuration and edit project permission can only create new fields or edit existing fields.
The 'Manage Configuration' checkbox is ON by default for the user who registered the PPM Express tenant.
For the rest of the PPM Express users, this setting is OFF by default and can be turned on by the PPM Express Administrator in the People Management section.
Please note: We do not recommend checking the 'Manage Configuration' checkbox for users who do not have 'Administrate app' rights.
2) Project Managers can switch between the existing views within their projects.
3) Users with edit rights for 'Portfolio', 'Program', and 'Project' can switch between the existing views on the projects they have permission to edit.
4) Users with a view all/collaborate on permission cannot create or switch between the existing views.
We will review Project dashboard views as an example, but the steps to create and use the views are the same for other pages.
Project dashboard views
To create a view, perform the following:
1. Open the project dashboard and click on the 'Default' drop-down with views and layouts on the left part of the page, and select the 'Add New View' option.
2. In the 'Create new view' window provide the name for the view, and select the set of project sections that you need to include in your view. You can drag and drop the sections to reorder them as needed.
Click 'Create' when you are done.
3. Open the drop-down with views and layouts again and apply the newly created view to the project dashboard by clicking on it in the drop-down.
Now you can hide default fields and add new custom fields for the sections, as well as change the position of the columns in the sections.
To find more information on how to configure Project dashboard sections, please refer to the Project Dashboard article.
As you finish configuring the Project dashboard and the columns for the sections, this configuration will be saved automatically for the selected view.
Users who manage configuration on the tenant level can update the views, and edit or remove them.
