Overview
The Global.MPT file
contains all of the Microsoft Project Views,
Tables, Filters, Reports, etc. You use the
Global.MPT to store all of your customization.
The Global.MPT file is
located on your computer. When you open
Microsoft Project, this file is opened. When you
exit this file is saved. The Global.MPT contains
elements that you can use with each of your
projects.
 Experience:
Very few of the
thousands of people we have worked with over the
past 20 years know anything about this feature
and fewer still
understand the nuisances. This is the case
among even those who consider themselves power
users. This suggests to us that although this is
an important and powerful feature it is
cumbersome, hidden and counter intuitive.
However, if we only had one hour to spend with a
group of project managers this is the feature we
would talk about. Understanding how to manage
all of your customization like Views, Tables and
Filters, and then share it with all of your
projects could save you incredible amounts of
time and will greatly reduce one level of
frustration with using Microsoft Project.
User experience is
good once the features are understood. Technical
evaluation is poor because Global.MPP files are
prone to corruption just like Project files.
Upgrading between versions can be painful and
without a serious search you are not going to
know where to find the file to back it up. If
you use it, as you should, you should also back
it up and Microsoft hasn't really thought that
through very well. Value is great.
  Note:
Once you find the Global.MPT file (not an easy
search with Windows 7), copy it to Documents so
that you can easily make backups. Here is a tip,
Microsoft Project is using a copy of the default
Global.MPT and has buried it. If you can't find
it,
you could copy the default file. Find it under
Program Files.
Then edit your
Microsoft Project shortcut and instruct it to
open this Global.MPT when the shortcut runs the
winpoj.exe to open
Microsoft Project.
To do this:
 Select
the shortcut and right click. Select properties
and then in the "Start in" field paste the
location of the Global.MPT that you now intend
to backup on a regular basis. Be sure to
surround by quotes and then click OK.
This works well and
for years we have had no problems associated
with directing Project to use the Global.MPT we
want it to open.
Use
the Organizer to view and manage custom and
default elements (File
| Info | Organizer).
Elements that are managed by the Organizer and
associated with the Global.MPT file
Views – there
are 16 different types of project views and you
are always in a view when not in Backstage. All
views are task-based or resources – based. With
a view applied, other elements can be applied
like Tables, Filters and Groups. Note that these
three types of elements, along with Fields, have
elements for both tasks and resources.
Reports – Most
Views can be printed. There is also a collection
of Reports that are available to print. These
reports are grouped in these categories:
Overview (summary), Current (tasks), Costs,
Assignments, and Workload. Most of the reports
can be edited and new task, resource , monthly
calendar or crosstab reports can be created.
Modules –
Macros or VBA code.
Tables – In
some views like the Gantt Chart or Resource
Sheet, columns of fields are applied. A
collection of fields, that can be applied to
one of these types of views, is called a
Table.
Filters –
All views have a Filter applied. Filters are
used to filter out data that does not meet a
specified criteria. For example, the Critical
Filter only displays tasks that are critical or
would delay the project if finish dates slip.
Calendars –
Calendars used to schedule tasks and resources.
Maps –
Import or export routines.
Fields –
Custom task and resource fields.
Groups –
Similar to Filters, but when a Group is
applied, tasks or resources are sorted by the
Group criteria.
 Organizer
General Rules
 If
you create or customize an element in
a project, copying the element over to
the Global.MPT will make the element
available for all projects.
 If
an element is both associated with the
Global.MPT and a project (on both sides
of the Organizer) the element associated
with a project used when the element is
applied in that project.
 Elements
can be deleted. Not easy to remedy but
if an element is deleted from the
Global.MPT it is possible to obtain a
new Global.MPT.
 Elements
can be renamed. Recommendation:
Avoid confusion and do not rename
default Views and Tables.
Exercise
-
Download and
then open the file
Exercise Global.mpp.
-
Take a look at
five custom elements: The Exercise View
element is a combination view with the
Exercise View A on the top and the Exercise
View B on the bottom. In addition, Exercise
View A has a custom Table element named
Exercise Table and a custom filter named
Exercise Filter. The filter will filter out
all tasks that do not have resources
assigned (Task | Gantt Chart | More Views).
-
Apply the
Exercise View element. (Task | Gantt
Chart | Exercise View).
-
Open the
Organizer (File | Info | Organizer).
-
Copy all five
custom elements to the left - over to the
Global.mpt side. You must copy over all
elements.
-
Close the file
and exit Microsoft Project. Open any project
and apply the Exercise View.
-
To clean up the
Global.mpt, open the Organizer and delete
each of the five elements.
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