Projects may require that P6 users temporarily work in remote locations without access to the private network where the P6 server resides. Diverse project teams may also exist with some members updating their activities using P6, and others using Email.
Note: Timesheet users can request a list of their activities using Email Statusing Service; however, timesheet users can only update their activities using P6 Team Member Web.
To support updating assignment status by Email, you will need to:
- Ensure the users you want to use Email Statusing Service have a valid account in P6.
Note: Each user with a valid user account can be assigned to activities as a resource assignment if the account is associated with a labor resource, as an activity owner, or by being assigned a Team Member work distribution filter.
- Assign users to at least one module access option.
- Ensure the user's account specifies their unique Email address.
- Assign users to one or more activity assignments for at least one active project. Email Statusing Service will show activities that have not yet started, active activities, and activities completed in the last 30 days.
Note: OBS access to a project is not required for resource assignments or activity owners using P6 Team Member Web, Email Statusing Service, or P6 mobile to view and update their assigned activities. OBS access is required for each user with a Team Member work distribution filter assigned.
- Ensure your users download and install an Email client application or browser to access web mail.
- Have your teams and managers plan their Email process. For example, consider details such as the timing of updates by Email versus updates made in P6 to avoid conflicts, network access hot spots, and what equipment or mobile devices you will be using.
Known Issues
Yahoo and Hotmail web clients are not supported. If the user's Email address is assigned to one of these accounts, have them access their account within an SMTP Email client.
Error Messages
Users may receive error messages when updating activities if their Email application is set to return Email messages in HTML format.
One of the following situations will occur:
- An Email will be returned with the message "Date or unit format specified was invalid or missing.".
- If there is an error in the Time Spent, Time Left, or Remaining Duration fields, an Email will be returned with a message that the updated value is incorrect because only part of the updated value was parsed by the Email Statusing Service.
The following methods can be used to avoid this issue:
- When entering activity updates, delete the original value in its entirety before entering an updated value.
- Set the Email application to reply to messages in text format.
- Click the Update this activity link to update activities individually.