How to
Prerequisites. 1
TxChrono User Interface Requirements for User Computer. 1
Log in to TxChrono. 2
View and Edit Time Spent for Task Accomplishment. 2
View and Edit Personal Work Schedule. 2
View and Edit Holidays. 3
View Time Reports of Other Users. 3
Configure Role Hierarchy and User Permissions. 3
Approve or Decline Timesheets. 5
Prerequisites
TxChrono application work well with the following software:
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Browsers: IE 6.0 SP2, IE 7.0, Firefox 2.x
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Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003
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IIS 6.0
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SQL Server 2005
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TFS 2005, TFS 2008
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.NET 2.0
- TeamExplorer 2008 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0ed12659-3d41-4420-bbb0-a46e51bfca86)
TX Chrono User Interface Requirements for User Computer
User computer must be configured according to the following requirements in order to TxChrono User Interface function properly:
- Internet browser installed. The following is the list of supported browsers: Internet Explorer 6.0 SP2, Internet Explorer 7.0, Firefox 2.x.
- In order to function properly TxChrono requires Cookies and JavaScript to be switched on. To make sure it is for Internet Explorer browsers family one should add site address, where TxChrono User Interface is installed to the Local Intranet security zone. To do this, use the following algorithm: Locate browser Window > go to Tools menu > click Internet Options > choose Security tab > choose Local Intranet > click Sites button > (for IE6 only) click Advanced button. In the result, you will see “Local intranet” window. In the “Add this Web site to the zone” text box enter the TxChrono User Inerface URL (http://<TxChrono UI Address>), make sure “Require server verification (https:) for all web sites in this zone” check-box is unchecked and click Add button. FireFox 2.x browser does not require any specific configuration.
Log in to TX Chrono
To enter the system User needs to enter Login name (must not contain domain name), Password and click on the Log In button on the Default.aspx page.
View and Edit Time Spent for Task Accomplishment
User can view and edit time spent on tasks accomplishment on the View my timesheet page (TimeSheet.aspx).
Tasks for the chosen week are grouped by projects and listed in the table. The list of tasks is requested from the Team Foundation Server. The chosen week contains a task if its status was changed to Active during current week or earlier and has not been changed to Closed or Resolved yet or if the status was changed to one of the listed above during the reporting period.
To view or edit time spent on project tasks during another week User needs to click on the calendar icon above the table and choose the necessary week. The tasks and spent time will appear in the table.
To edit time User needs to click on the icon in the edit column. The corresponding line will be switched into edit mode. After that new fields will appear where User can enter hours (the number can be fractional, divisible by 15 minutes). If the number is entered in an incorrect format, the field will be highlighted with red color and an error message will be displayed when User moves cursor over the incorrect number. To save the edited information User needs to click on the Check icon in the Edit column. To discard changes User needs to click on the Cross icon in the Edit column.
TxChrono is synchronized with Team Foundation Server. It means that if User enters a value in the Completed Work field in the Team Foundation Server, a corresponding value (entered value minus previously entered value) will appear on the View my timesheet page in several seconds. On the other hand if a person changes time in his timesheet the appropriate changed will be done to Completed Work field in Team Foundation Server.
View and Edit Personal Work Schedule
To view or edit personal work schedule User needs to go to View my timetable page (TimeTable.aspx). To edit work schedule User needs to click on the corresponding icon in the Edit field. The line will be switched into edit mode. After that new fields will appear where User can enter hours (the number can be fractional, divisible by 15 minutes). If the number is entered in an incorrect format, the field will be highlighted with red color and an error message will be displayed. To save the edited information User needs to click on the Check icon in the edit column. To discard changes User needs to click on the Cross icon in the Edit column.
In the full version of TX Chrono the personal work schedule is the basis for checking time spent during a week. If the total sum of hours spent for task accomplishment is different from the expected sum of hours (according to the work schedule), the User will be notified with an e-mail.
View and Edit Holidays
All TX Chrono users can view holiday dates. This information can be viewed on the View holidays page (Holidays.aspx).
Users with administration rights can add or edit holidays. To do this User needs to go to the View holidays page and click on the Add button. In the Date column of the new line User can choose holiday date (click on the calendar icon and choose the necessary date) and enter holiday description. To save the changes User needs to click on the Check icon in the Edit column. To discard changes User needs to click on the Cross icon in the Edit column. To delete a holiday User needs to click on the icon in the Delete column.
View Time Reports of Other Users
TX Chrono allows viewing time reports of subordinates. To do this User needs to go to the View timesheets page (TimeSheetView.aspx), choose the Project value in the dropdown list and choose the necessary projects in the second dropdown list.
One more menu item – Users (view report by users) is available in the first dropdown for users with administration rights. If this item is chosen in the first dropdown list, a list of company users the user is responsible for according to the role hierarchy will be displayed in the second dropdown. After choosing the necessary users and clicking on the Get Reports button User will see time reports of the chosen users.
Configure Role Hierarchy and User Permissions
Users’ rights are determined by the roles hierarchy. This hierarchy is set up in the configuration file of TX Chrono Reporting Service. This hierarchy contains Project and Server roles from Team Foundation Server. By default, this role hierarchy contain Project Managers role at the top. The Readers role and Contributors role are configured to be child roles of Project Managers role. Therefore, the Project Mangers role is parent role for the Readers and Contributors roles.
Users who have at least one parent role have access to the View Timesheets page. These users can view time reports of the users of the child roles.
The roles hierarchy can be configured right after installation of TX Chrono Reporting Service. After the changes are done, one have to wait for about an hour so that TxRunner (Scheduling Service) would synchronize TX Chrono Database with Team Foundation Server’s data.
The sample roles hierarchy is show below. This is similar to the one you may have on your project.
Each role corresponds to a project group in TFS.
Role hierarchy is stored in the Web.config file of TX Chrono Reporting Service.
To create your own role hierarchy one should follow the following steps:
Locate folder with installed TX Chrono Reporting Service and open Web.config file with any text editor (Notepad, for example);
Find the <confirmationSection> section. By default, role hierarchy displayed on image 1 will be implemented as follows:
<role name="Project Administrators" hasProjectRoles="true">
<juniorRole name="Contributors" hasProjectRoles="true"/>
<juniorRole name="Readers" hasProjectRoles="true"/>
</role>
In order to implement the hierarchy displayed on the image below you should replace it with the following XML:
<role name="Project Managers" hasProjectRoles="true">
<juniorRole name="Development Team Leads" hasProjectRoles="true"/>
<juniorRole name="Testers" hasProjectRoles="true"/>
</role>
<role name="Development Team Leads" hasProjectRoles="true">
<juniorRole name="Developers" hasProjectRoles="true"/>
</role>
Below is the description of the elements of role tree.
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Element
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Attribute
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Description
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role
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Describes parent role. Can contain juniorRole elements as child node.
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name
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Contains the name of the role. This attribute is required.
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hasProjectRoles
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Idenifies project role. If set to true, it means that the role marked with this attribute is a Project role, otherwise it is Server role.
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juniorRole
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Describes child role. Cannot contain child node.
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The hierarchy has indirect dependence, i.e. Project Manager controls (can view reports of) Development Team Leads, Development Team Leads controls Developers, and therefore Project Manager controls Developers as well. What concerns report confirmation, one can confirm reports of users with juniorRoles only: Project Managers confirm reports of Development Team Leads, Development Team Leads confirm reports of Developers.
Locate <appSettings> element. Find “add” element with key attribute set to AdminGroupName and change it to contain Project Managers role
<add key=”AdminGroupName” value=”Project Managers” />
Save Web.config file and close it.
Go to the TX Chrono User Interface installation folder and open Web.config file in any text editor (Notepad, for example)
Locate <appSettings> element. Find “add” element with key attribute set to AdminRoleName and change it to contain Project Managers role
<add key=”AdminRoleName” value=” Project Managers” />
Locate <location path=”Senior”> element. Find <allow> element and change its value to Project Managers role:
<allow roles=”Project Managers, Development Team Leads ” />
Note: If you need several roles to be added you can separate them by comma.
Save and close this web.config
In the same folder find Web.Sitemap file and open it in any text editor (Notepad, for example)
In this file find <siteMapNode> elements with url attribute starting with “~/Senior/” string. Change roles attribute value to Project Managers role:
<siteMapNode url="~/Senior/TimeSheetView.aspx"
title="View timesheets"
description="View timesheets of other employees"
roles="Project Managers, Development Team Leads "
/>
<siteMapNode url="~/Senior/TimeSheetConfirmation.aspx"
title="Confirm timesheets"
description="Confirm timesheets of other employees"
roles="Project Managers, Development Team Leads "
/>
Note: If you need several roles to be added you can separate them by comma.
Now, you need to wait for about an hour before TX Chrono Database and TFS settings will be synchronized by TxRunner (Scheduler Service).
Approve or Decline Timesheets
In the end of the reporting period users send their timesheets for approval. In order to do that, user should press Send For Approve button. After the button is pressed, the timesheet becomes disabled unless it is declined. In case a particular timesheet is waiting for approve or approved user is unable to change anything in this timesheet. However, it is possible to change declined timesheets. Once the change is done user can sent it for approve again.
Users are higher in the role hierarchy responsible for verifying of timesheets. In order to approve or decline timesheet sent by a particular user one should go to the Confirm Timesheets page. It is possible to approve all timesheets, decline all or choose what to approve and what to decline. Also, it is possible to correct time reported for a particular work item and then approve or, otherwise, decline it.
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