Using Cloud Storage for Team Data

Many cloud storage providers - such as OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and others - offer desktop sync clients that copy files from your computer to the cloud, and vice versa. The dashboard can use these cloud storage providers to support team collaboration. The tradeoffs of this approach are:

PRO:	Cloud service providers offer secure, backed-up storage that is compatible with zero-trust architectures.
PRO:	Team Dashboard performance is not significantly affected by the speed of your network. Startup and shutdown should be relatively fast, even over a slow VPN.
PRO:	Existing team project data (from past and current projects) can be migrated into cloud storage (but cooperation from active team members will be required).
PRO:	Team Dashboard setup steps are less complex/error-prone than the network fileserver approach, especially when team members are connecting from a mix of operating systems and/or diverse networks.
CON:	Team Dashboard setup steps are still more complex than the Enterprise Server, and action is required from every team member. If a team forgets to perform these steps in advance, their initial project launch may be needlessly delayed while the entire team waits for these tasks to finish.
CON:	All team members must be proactive about running their cloud sync client and making sure it remains active. If file synchronization stops on a team member's computer for a longer period of time, their data will become out of sync with the rest of the team. This can lead to out-of-date info in team reports, and WBS edit conflicts when the individual finally comes back online.
CON:	The dashboard cannot force the sync client to immediately publish or retrieve files. This means a Save or Export operation won't be fully finished until the sync client gets around to publishing the new files. Similarly, Refresh, Sync, and Import operations won't truly retrieve the latest data unless the sync client has copied that data from the cloud first. If your sync client operates quickly, these differences may not be noticeable. But if the sync client has a longer lag time, these discrepancies may confuse individuals who are trying to collaborate in real-time, or frustrate individuals who publish data and hope to see changes immediately.

Cloud Storage Team Dashboard Creation

To create a new Team Dashboard in cloud storage, follow these steps:

Obtain an account with a cloud storage provider, if you don't already have one.
- If you already have a Microsoft 365 or Google account, it comes with cloud storage included. If you don't have one, it's easy to create a free account.
- All team members will need accounts and sync clients from the cloud storage provider you choose, so make sure to select a provider that will work for everyone. In particular, make sure your provider offers a desktop sync client for all of the operating systems (e.g., Windows, Mac OS X, Linux) that team members are using. (If you cannot find a provider that works for everyone, you may need to consider using the Enterprise Server instead.)
Log in to the website for your cloud storage provider, and create a new, empty directory for team data.
- Depending on the cloud storage provider, you may wish to create this directory within a team area, rather than your personal space. For example, this might be important to ensure the team data isn't lost if you leave the organization.
- If you choose to create the directory in a shared team space, create a "shortcut" or "link" to include it in your personal drive as well. See the section below for more information on this step.
Download and install the desktop sync client offered by your cloud storage provider. Configure the sync client to start automatically each time you log in to your computer.
Find the dedicated folder on your computer that your sync client is managing. (This folder typically has a name like "OneDrive," "My Drive," etc.)
Look underneath that managed folder to find the locally synced copy of the team data directory you created earlier. If you can't find it, make sure your sync client has copied all files down from the cloud.
Run the installer for Process Dashboard 2.7 or higher, and choose the "Tools for Team Leaders" option. When the installer asks for the location of team configuration data, enter the path to the team directory you found in the previous step.
The installer will create a Team Dashboard icon. Use that icon to launch the Team Dashboard. On initial startup, the Team Dashboard will ask if the directory is using cloud storage; click Yes.
- If you do not see this prompt from the Team Dashboard, follow the steps below to register your cloud storage sync directory. Then restart the Team Dashboard, and watch for the cloud storage prompt during startup.
Ensure your sync client is running, and wait for it to publish the team data directory to the cloud.
Log in to the website for your cloud storage provider, and share this team data folder with the team members, leaders, and coaches who will be collaborating within this Team Dashboard.

Cloud Storage Team Member Setup

To collaborate with the team, all team members and coaches will need to take the following steps:

Upgrade to Process Dashboard 2.7 or higher.
Obtain an account with the cloud storage provider that is being used to host the Team Dashboard.
Download and install the desktop sync client offered by this cloud storage provider. Configure the sync client to start automatically each time you log in to your computer.
Log in to the website for your cloud storage provider, and look in the "Shared with me" area to find the team data directory. If you cannot find it, contact your team leader and make sure they have shared the team data directory with you.
Add this shared team data directory to your personal drive via a "shortcut" or "link." (This step lets your sync client know the directory should by synchronized down to your local computer.) Exact instructions vary by cloud service; here are some examples:
- OneDrive: Log into OneDrive in your web browser, and find the team data folder in the "Shared" list. Right-click on the folder and choose "Add shortcut to My files" from the popup menu. (More details here.)
- Google Drive: Log into Google Drive in your web browser, and find the team data folder in the "Shared with me" list. Right-click on the folder and choose "Add shortcut to Drive" from the popup menu. (More details here.)
- Dropbox: Log into Dropbox in your web browser, and find the team data folder in the "Shared" list. Depending on settings, the folder may have been added to your Dropbox account automatically; if not, hover over the folder, then click the "Add to Dropbox" button that appears. (More details here.)
The previous step will add the team data shortcut to your drive at the top level. But you can move the shortcut elsewhere in your drive if you prefer to keep your top-level directory organized.

Cloud Storage Team Dashboard Sharing

The Team Dashboard reports are useful to many people, including team leaders, coaches, and planning/quality managers. Other people can create a Team Dashboard shortcut on their computer by following these steps:

Perform the team member setup steps listed above.
Make sure your sync client is running and all synced files are up-to-date. Find the location on your hard drive where the team data directory has been copied down from the cloud.
Run the installer for Process Dashboard 2.7 or higher, and choose the "Tools for Team Leaders" option. When the installer asks for the location of team configuration data, enter the path to the directory you found in the previous step.
The installer will create a Team Dashboard shortcut icon. If you expect to access more than one Team Dashboard as part of your work, give that newly created icon a unique name.

Migrating Existing Team Data to Cloud Storage

Historical data is extremely valuable for team planning, tracking, and postmortem analysis. If you've already been using the Team Dashboard, it's possible to migrate your existing data into cloud storage. The general steps for migration are:

Make sure all team leaders and active team members have:
- Upgraded to Process Dashboard 2.7 or higher.
- Obtained an account with your selected cloud storage provider.
- Installed the desktop sync client on their computer, and configured it to start automatically when they log in.
Log in to the website for your cloud storage provider, and create a new, empty directory for team data, following the general guidance above.
In the website for your cloud storage provider, share this team data folder with the team members, leaders, and coaches who will be collaborating within this Team Dashboard.
Instruct team members to perform all of the team member setup steps above. Give them time and assistance to finish.
Choose a non-project-critical time to perform the following steps, in case any team members require assistance after the migration.
Contact team members and advise them to close any open WBS Editor windows until migration is complete.
Install the desktop sync client on a computer where the Team Dashboard is already installed. Wait for the sync client to copy all files from the cloud, including the new empty team data directory you created. Find the locally synced copy of this team data directory on your computer.
Open the Team Dashboard. Choose "Tools → Migrate Data to Cloud Storage," then follow the prompts from the migration wizard.
- When it asks for the new location of team data, enter the path to the locally synced copy of the team data directory.
- If the wizard complains that the new location does not appear to be in cloud storage, follow the steps below to register your top-level cloud storage sync directory. Then try the migration operation again.
Ensure your sync client is running, and wait for it to publish the new team data directory to the cloud.
If team members have completed the steps above, their personal dashboards will detect the migration within ten minutes, and begin using the new cloud storage directory automatically.
- Individuals can verify connectivity by performing a "Sync to WBS" and an "Export My Data Now" operation. They can also open the "Project Parameters and Settings" page and verify the value in the "Team Project Network Directory" field.
- In the Team Dashboard, you can open "Team Project Tools → Show Status of Team Member Metrics" and watch to see that individuals are able to successfully export data after the migration.
- If any team member encounters problems, it's likely they missed one of the setup steps. Work with them to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

Manual Registration of Less Common Cloud Storage Providers

The dashboard can automatically recognize sync folders for many common cloud storage providers. But if you're using a less-well-known provider or a home-grown solution, you may need to tell the dashboard where the synced files are stored on your computer:

Open the dashboard and choose "Preferences" from the "Tools" menu.
In the Preferences dialog, choose "Shared Folders."
If the table already contains an entry for the directory where your cloud sync client stores synced files, no changes are needed. Otherwise, click the Add button to register a new shared folder.
Give the entry a short user-friendly key that describes the cloud storage service.
- As an example, the standard providers use keys like "OneDrive" or "Dropbox".
- To streamline collaboration, everyone on your team should use the same key to describe this cloud storage service.
For the shared folder location, choose the top-level folder your sync client is managing. Then click OK.

The top-level folder you chose will now be recognized as a folder that is being synced/shared across devices. To streamline team collaboration, other team members are encouraged to perform this extra configuration step as well. (This is not strictly required, but it will make it easier for them to join team projects.)

Note: while the instructions in this help topic consistently refer to cloud storage, the instructions apply equally well to any mechanism that can automatically synchronize files between a group of computers. Older-style solutions like rsync and Offline Folders are possible examples. You'll need to follow the steps in this section to flag the folder as "shared," and you'll need to ensure synchronization happens frequently to avoid data consistency issues.