The Organizer in Microsoft Project 2000 allows you to transfer custom elements from one project to another or to the project template file – named Global.mpt – for use in other projects on your computer. You can also use the Organizer to delete or rename project elements.

By default, all custom items created in Microsoft Project are stored in the project file where they were created. But you can create custom elements, such as special calendars, filters, fields, or toolbars, and use the Organizer to copy them to other project files that are open on your computer. Or, you can copy the custom elements to the Global.mpt file to make them available to any of your other projects, including new projects that you create.

Copying Custom Elements from One Project to Another

Using the Organizer, you can copy custom views, tables, filters, calendars, reports, forms, toolbars, maps (used to import or export project information to other file formats), fields, groups, and Microsoft Visual Basic® for Applications modules to other project files or to the Global.mpt file. (Note that custom toolbars and maps are saved to the Global.mpt file, not to the project file where you customized them. Therefore, when you open a new project file, it includes your customized toolbars and maps.)

For example, suppose you've created a custom project calendar in a file called Project1 that shows Mondays as nonworking days so your project staff can attend training classes during that time. You have also created a new project, Project2, in which you want to use the same training calendar that you created in Project1. First, open both Project1 and Project2 (you can only copy elements between opened files on your computer). On the Tools menu, click Organizer, and then click the Calendars tab.

In the Calendars available in list on the left, click Project1. In the Calendars available in list on the right, click Project2. In the Project1 list, click Training, click Copy, and then click Close. Now the Training calendar is available in the Project2 file.

Adding Custom Items to the Global File

You can also use the Organizer to copy customized elements from a project file to the Global.mpt file, which then makes those elements available to any other project you are working on, as well as other projects you may begin in the future.

For example, suppose you've created a custom project view called Arcadia Combo View in a file called Arcadia Bay.mpp. The Arcadia Combo View is a combination of the Gantt Chart and Resource Usage views. You want to make sure this view is available for all of the projects on your computer. To do this, you have to add the Arcadia Combo View to your Global.mpt file. First, open the file Arcadia Bay.mpp (you can only copy elements to Global.MPT from active files on your computer). On the Tools menu, click Organizer, and then click the Views tab. The file Arcadia Bay.mpp is displayed in one of the two Views available lists; Global.MPT is displayed in the other list. Under Arcadia Bay.mpp, click Arcadia Combo View, and then click Copy. A copy of Arcadia Combo View will be available in the Global file.

If Microsoft Project is run from a network server in your organization, you can share one Global.mpt file. That means that an entire workgroup or organization can use customized elements contained in the Global file. Microsoft Project looks for the Global file on the working directory first. If Global.mpt is removed from this directory, Microsoft Project uses the Global file on the network server. The Microsoft Project 2000 Resource Kit contains information for network and systems administrators on setting up the Global.mpt file on a network.

Using the Organizer to Manage Custom Elements

At some point, some of the custom items in your project or in the Global.mpt file may no longer be useful or may need to be modified and renamed to accommodate your changing needs. You can use the Organizer to remove old items that you no longer use. You might also want to rename certain items to make them more descriptive or to differentiate changes you've made to them. In the Organizer, simply select the item you want to delete or rename and click Delete or Rename.