Determining which method of publication to use

In order to determine which method of publishing details of permanent resource allocations is most suitable for you, you must analyse the software that is running on your computers and servers:

Analysing the software used on your email and domain servers

If your email servers are running Microsoft® Exchange Version 5.5 or earlier, or if your domain servers are running Windows® NT4 or earlier, you can only publish allocations via SMTP email. This is because these versions are no longer supported by Microsoft.

If you want to publish using a method other than via SMTP email, you must upgrade the software that is running on your email or domain servers. Refer to Microsoft’s website for details of which server operating systems and email servers are currently supported by Microsoft and for information on how to migrate your existing system to the new domain server and email server.

Analysing the software used on the project manager’s computer

In this instance, the term “project manager” refers to the person who is going to be using Asta Powerproject to publish allocations to the permanent resources.

If the project manager’s computer is running Windows NT4, or if it is running Outlook® 97, you can only publish allocations via SMTP email.

If the project manager’s computer is running email software other that Outlook, you can only publish allocations via SMTP email. In addition, the project manager will not be able to import permanent resources from their address book. Note that these restrictions also apply if the project manager’s computer is running Outlook Express®.

Note that you may experience problems if more than one version of Outlook is installed onto the project manager's computer at the same time.

Analysing the software used on the permanent resources’ computers

In this instance, the term “permanent resource” refers to the staff who are going to be working on projects and who are represented within a project by a permanent resource record. They are the people to whom the project manager will publish information.

If any of the permanent resources’ computers are running email software other than Outlook, for example Lotus Notes®, ThunderbirdTM or Outlook Express, you should configure Asta Powerproject to publish allocations via SMTP email.

If any of the permanent resources’ computers are running Windows 98 or Outlook 97, you should consider the following:

Do you want your permanent resources to be able to report progress on the tasks that you assign to them? If so, you should configure Asta Powerproject to publish allocations as tasks in the resources’ Outlook task lists. When permanent resources are using Windows 98 or Outlook 97, it is strongly advised that you configure Asta Powerproject to publish to a shared or public folder on the Exchange server, rather than to each user's Outlook folder.
Do you want your permanent resources to have time allocated against their calendar? If so, you should configure Asta Powerproject to publish allocations as appointments in the resources’ Outlook calendars. When permanent resources are using Windows 98 or Outlook 97, it is strongly advised that you configure Asta Powerproject to publish to a shared or public folder on the Exchange server, rather than to each user's Outlook folder.
Do you want your permanent resources to receive emails informing them of the tasks to which they are allocated? If so, you should configure Asta Powerproject to publish allocations via SMTP email.

You cannot publish details of permanent resource allocations to Microsoft Outlook and via SMTP email in Asta Powerproject SaaS.