Dear Structured Solutions Tool User

Release Notice

September 20, 2018

Dear Structured Solutions Tool User,

Structured Solutions Inc. announces the release of SSI Tools Version 10.0. Though, this release notice is being sent to all Structured Solutions tools users, only users with a current maintenance and support plan are eligible for this upgrade.

Users with current Maintenance and Support (M&S) plans may call 480 650-1605 or email us at to request a username and password for a Version 10.0 download. If your M&S plan has expired, please call or email us for a quote.

Download Site for SSI Tools Version 10.0

Description / Project Version / Download Link
SSI Dependency Analysis Tools Only / 2003-2007 / Download
SSI Tools Complete Set / 2003-2007 / Download
Download
SSI Dependency Analysis Tools Only / 2010 / Download
SSI Tools Complete Set / 2010 / Download

Known Up/Down compatibility issues

Projects using SSI Tools version 10 may not be able to run Critical Path Analysis tools in Version 9.7 or prior. This issue is easily resolved by the Version 9.7 user by removing two Custom Document Properties as follows:

In Project 2003-2007:

Select File/Properties and Click the tab named Custom
Find & Delete the Properties namedTraceTextLogManualTraceTextLog

Contents

1.0 Windows Operating System and Microsoft Project Compatibility & Requirements

2.0 Version 10.0 Description and Changes From Prior Versions

2.1 SSI Dependency Analysis Tool set

2.1.1 Toolbars

2.1.2 Trace Tools (Show Critical Path Analysis and Trace Tools)

2.1.3 Show All

2.1.4 Post Task Status (Open Status Tools)

2.1.5 Excel Output

2.1.6 Adjust Task End Date

2.2 SSI Earned Value Management Tools

2.2.1 Toolbars

2.2.2 Get Calendars And Resources From Template

2.2.3 Schedule Integrity And Performance Indicators

2.2.4 MPM Bridge

2.2.5 Milestone Weight

2.3 Multi-Project Tools

2.3.1 Toolbars

SSI Multi Project Tools helps you manage dependencies between project sections. These tools also facilitate the decomposition of one large complex projects into two or more separate subprojects without losing tack of their dependencies to each other.

2.3.2 Integrate

2.3.3 Distribute

2.3.4 Link Inputs & Outputs

2.3.5 Identify Inputs/Outputs

2.3.6 Identify Sub Projects

3.0 SSI Toolbox

3.1 Overview

3.2 Warranty and Liability Disclaimer

3.3 User access to the Toolbox

3.4 Version 10.0 Toolbox Inventory

3.4.1 Resource Assignment Workbook

3.4.2 Time scaled Values Analysis Workbook

3.4.3 Status Workbook

3.4.4 Get, Post, Lookup & Compare Workbook

1.0 Windows Operating System and Microsoft Project Compatibility & Requirements

SSI Tools Version 10.0 supports the following operating systems and Microsoft Project versions:

Project Version 2003-2007 for 32 bit application only.
Project Version 2010 32 or 64 bit applications.
Windows XP & Windows 7 32 or 64 bit operating systems.

SSI Tools Version 10.0 requires Microsoft Office Professional 2000 or higher.

2.0 Version 10.0 Description and Changes From Prior Versions

2.1 SSI Dependency Analysis Tool set

2.1.1 Toolbars

Tool bar for Project 2003 – 2007

Ribbon for Project 2010

The Task Dependency Analysis tool set now includes Utilities for posting progress, adjusting task end dates and generating excel tables from selected project data. A brief description of each tool and the changes for Version 10.0 are as follows:

2.1.2 Trace Tools (Show Critical Path Analysis and Trace Tools)

Description:

Helps you navigate a complex network to quickly isolate tasks that are key or critical to your deliverables. Automatically identify the Critical Path or Trace network logic (predecessors or successors) one step at a time.

What’s New?

Includes a tab named Trace and Show Dependencies. This new tab allows users to visualize each dependency layer (the predecessors or successors that are immediate to the selected task or tasks) by building a filtered Gantt view, one layer at a time. The user can interact simultaneously with tasks in the Gantt chart and Trace and Show Dependencies tools. A user can begin by tracing predecessors, then switch directions and trace successors without replacing the current analysis view.
The Active X component in Trace & List Dependencies (formerly named Trace Predecessors & Successors) named MS Flex Grid was replaced with a simpler list box. Since support for this component was dropped by Microsoft in 64 bit environments, its use in SSI Tools would have caused compatibility and installation issues.
The tab named Key Item Watch List has been removed.

NEW - Version 10.0 SSI Trace Tools

2.1.3Show All

Description:

What’s New?

Added support for linked sub-projects.

2.1.4Post Task Status (Open Status Tools)

Description:

Ensures that Actual performance is posted prior to the Project Status date and Remaining performance is posted after the Project Status date. Allows users to post Projected Finish dates and Remaining Work amounts in such a way that one does not cause the other to recalculate.

What’s New?

This utility is now included as a utility with the Dependency Analysis tool set. Version 9.7 included this tool in the an add-on module that includes Earned Value Management tools. Since SSI Dependency Analysis is the base toolset, which add-on modules build on, we are offering more capability to base level users.
The ability to manipulate time phased actual work or cost to force work % complete to equal % complete has been dropped due to data corruption vulnerabilities caused by the method.
A new tab was added named Assignment EAC List to show how the Estimate At Complete would be determined if the EAC method was selected by the user.

NEW - Version 10.0 Post Task Status Tools

2.1.5Excel Output

Description:

Generates an excel table of the selected tasks showing the project hierarchical (indented) structure including. The excel output includes bolded font on summaries and un-bolded font on tasks and milestones.

What’s New?

This utility was under development in version 9.7 and was named “Show Schedule Variance Tracking Tools” in the Earned Value Management add-on module. Though the completion of schedule variance tools has been deferred to a future release, the excel output utility is now included with the base tool set.

NEW - Version 10.0 Excel Output Tool

2.1.6Adjust Task End Date

Description:

This utility calculates the amount of remaining duration needed to achieve the selected end date (via a calendar control).

What’s New?

This utility was only included in the Earned Value Management add-on module and is now included with the base tool set.
Version 9.7 and prior versions of this utility were built on a Microsoft Active X control named MSCal. Version 10.0 uses a SSI proprietary calendar control which enables easier deployment and less dependency on Microsoft OS, Security and Office updates.

NEW - Version 10.0 Adjust Task End Date

2.2 SSI Earned Value Management Tools

2.2.1 Toolbars

Tool bar for Project 2003 – 2007

Ribbon for Project 2010

The Earned Value Management tool set assists with the Setup and integration of tasks in Microsoft Project with MPM, a popular Earned Value Management (EVM) tool.

2.2.2 Get Calendars And Resources From Template

Description:

This utility allows a user to browse for and integrate Calendars and Resource tables from existing Microsoft Project files. You would use this utility, for example, to insert the calendar and resource table from an existing project into your current project.

What’s New?

This utility did not change in Version 10.0.

2.2.3Schedule Integrity And Performance Indicators

Description:

The SSI Schedule Integrity and Performance Analysis Tool provides several tests to identify potential performance and integrity issues each time you complete a performance cycle. It allows you to find & resolve issues before delivering a possible flawed plan to your customer or manager.

What’s New?

Version 10.0 adds an option to perform Integrity checks on selected tasks only.

2.2.4MPM Bridge

The SSI Cost Schedule Integration tool produces what are known as “Bridge” files by fiscal month for time phased resource assignments by WBS, Resource and Department. Create a “bridge” for task and resource baselines (BCWS), task performance; earned value (BCWP), and resource estimates to complete (ETC) to import into MPM, a popular Earned Value Management System.

What’s New?

There are no changes to the MPM Bridge in Version 10.0.

2.2.5Milestone Weight

This utility allows you to specify how the weights of Earned Value Milestones are determined. You can base your milestone weights for Earned Value Calculation on task Cost, Work or Duration. You can even override calculated weights simply by editing calculated values in the Number Field that stores the weight.

What’s New?

There are no changes to the MPM Bridge in Version 10.0.

2.3 SSI Multi-Project Tools

2.3.1 Toolbars

Tool bar for Project 2003 – 2007

Ribbon for Project 2010

SSI Multi Project Tools helps you manage dependencies between project sections. These tools also facilitate the decomposition of one large complex projects into two or more separate subprojects without losing tack of their dependencies to each other.

2.3.2 Integrate

Description:

Use this tool to combine two or more projects into one project file.

What’s New?

Version 10.0 adds the ability to define Microsoft Project fields that were “hard coded” in prior versions. Other changes include a new layout of the user form and performance enhancements

2.3.3Distribute

Description:

Use this tool to make separate Microsoft Project files from portions of a master project.

What’s New?

Version 10.0 adds the ability to define Microsoft Project fields that were “hard coded” in prior versions. Other changes include a new layout of the user form and performance enhancements.

2.3.4Link Inputs & Outputs

Description:

Use this tool to automatically link items in a project.

What’s New?

In prior versions the Input/Output code convention was required to be 5 numeric values. Version 10.0 allows the user to define the code convention. The only requirement now for I/O codes is that they match.

2.3.5Identify Inputs/Outputs

Description:

Use this tool to identify line items in a project as dependency links (Inputs or Outputs).

What’s New?

The convention for Input/Output codes is now user defined.

2.3.6Identify Sub Projects

Description:

Use this tool to identifysections of a project that can be distributed as separate Microsoft Project files.

What’s New?

This tool did not change.

3.0 SSI Toolbox

3.1 Overview

The SSI Toolbox is a collection of miscellaneous tools that can improve the speed, accuracy, productivity and analysis capability of Microsoft Project users and analysts.

3.2 Warranty and Liability Disclaimer

Toolbox items are provided as no charge, open source “examples” with no implied or explicit warranty provided by Structured Solutions Inc. (SSI). SSI shall not in any way be liable to an end user (includes an individual, a company, a client or customer) for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions, regardless of cause, resulting in the use of Toolbox items. Without limiting the foregoing, SSI shall have no liability whatsoever to an end user, whether in contract (including under an indemnity), in tort (including negligence), under a warranty, under statute or otherwise, in respect of any loss or damage suffered by an end user as a result of or in connection with any opinions, recommendations, forecasts, judgments, or any other conclusions, or any course of action determined, by an end user in connection with the use of Toolbox items.

3.3 User access to the Toolbox

Toolbox items are available at . SSI Tools license holders, regardless of their Maintenance & Support plan status, are invited to download, use and modify toolbox items to suit their needs. No login or password is required. Feel free to visit the toolbox site and downloading its content if you agree to the Warranty and Liability disclaimer above.

3.4 Version 10.0 Toolbox Inventory

3.4.1 Resource Assignment Workbook

The SSI Resource Assignments Workbook is used to make Microsoft Excel worksheets that task owners use to plan the resources needed for each task in the schedule.

Use this tool to:

Add New or Review Existing Resource Assignments to Project Tasks
Generate a Report of Resources Already Assigned to Project Tasks
Remove Existing Resource Assignments From Project Tasks
Update the Estimate to Complete for Resources Assigned to Project Tasks
Tasks are displayed in the rows of the worksheet and resource names are displayed in the columns of the sheet.
Work or Cost values assigned to a task are at the intersection of a row and column.

3.4.2 Time scaled Values Analysis Workbook

The SSI Time Sliced Data Workbook extracts tasks and the resources assigned to them as values by day, week, month quarter or year.

This tool runs on data from the current project (the Project file you currently have open and selected)
This tool extracts data from the selected (highlighted) tasks in the current project file.
A standard report by column is included or you can extract Time Scaled Values to a datasheet and us it any way you like.

3.4.3 Status Workbook

The SSI Status Workbook tool makes a turn-around status worksheet for each task owner in a Microsoft Project file. A task owner is the person responsible for assessing the performance of certain tasks in a schedule.

The SSI Status Workbook tool makes a tab in the workbook, based on the sheet named “Template”, for each unique task owner.
Distribute these sheets to each task owner as a “look ahead” report of near term tasks in the schedule.
Task owners markup their worksheet and return to the scheduler for incorporation into the Integrated Master Schedule.
The workbook tool automates much of the status gathering and posting process, allowing maximum time for impact analysis

3.4.4 Get, Post, Lookup & Compare Workbook

This collection of tools enables the user to extract data from a project file based on a current selection or a matching field value. Extracted values can be changed in Excel and posted back to a current project. Use this tool for Any of the Following:

Make a report of project data in an excel worksheet.
Lookup project data based on a matching value (such as Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) or Unique Id.
Post values from a worksheet to existing project tasks.
Compare data in two separate worksheets based on a matching key value.

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