Integration to Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is commonly used in addition to IFS Project. The integration enables the possibility of exchanging information between IFS Project and Microsoft Project.

The Microsoft Project integration is a two-way integration. This means that an IFS project can be transferred to Microsoft Project, or likewise a Microsoft Project file can be transferred to IFS Project.

All information necessary for planning purposes is handled by the integration, such as project information, the sub project structure and activities with their relevant information. It is optionally possible to transfer information about resources, resource assignments, dependencies and constraints.

This document gives an overview about the integration between Microsoft Project and IFS Project.

Transfer Data to MS Project

Field Descriptions - Microsoft Project and the equivalent in IFS Project

The following Project Properties fields are updated:

In Microsoft Project From IFS Project
Project Properties Summary Title Overview - Project Name
Project Properties Summary Manager Overview - Project Manager
Project Properties Summary Comments Overview - Project Description (255 characters only)
*Project Information: Start Date Overview Project: Planned Start
**Project Information: Finish Date Overview Project: Planned Finish

Note:

The following task fields are updated:

Microsoft Project Task Field Name In Microsoft Project table IFS Project
or Field Titles in MSP
From IFS Project
Initials   Resource Group Resource ID
Resource Name   Resource Group Description
Group   Resource Group/Category ID
Costs A (default): Effective Date   Resource Group/ Cost/ Project tab
'Valid From (Date)'

If no value is defined there, then Resource Group/ Cost/ General tab
'Valid From (Date)'

Note: multiple records are imported
Costs A (default): Standard Rate   Resource Group/ Cost/ Project tab
'Internal Price'

If no value is defined there, then Resource Group/ Cost/ General tab 'Cost'

Note: multiple records are imported
Resource Text1 Text1 Resource Type
Task Name Description Activity Description / Sub Project Description
Task Text1 Sub Project ID Activity Sub Project ID
Task Text2 Activity ID Activity ID
Task Text4 Import Comments  
Task Text5   Activity Project ID
Task Text6 Responsible Activity Responsible
Task Text7 Activity Status Activity Status
Task Text11   Activity Seq.
Task Number1 Cost Estimated Total Estimated Cost for the Activity
Task Number4 Hours Estimated Total Estimated Hours for the Activity
Task Number5 Hours Planned Total Planned Hours for the Activity
Task Number6 Cost Planned Total Planned Cost for the Activity
Task Number7 Hours Actual Total Used Hours for the Activity
Task Number8 Cost Actual Total Used Cost for the Activity
Task Duration Duration Activity Early Start – Activity Early Finish
Task Start Early Start Activity Early Start
Task Finish Early Finish Activity Early Finish
Task Actual Start   Activity Actual Start
Task Actual Finish   Activity Actual Finish
Task %  Complete Progress Activity Calculated Cost Progress
Notes Notes IFS/Project Activity Notes
Resource Usage: Work   IFS/Project Activity Resource Planned Hours
Task Information: Constraint Type   Microsoft Project Constraint Type
Task Information: Constraint Date   Microsoft Project Constraint Date
Successors/Predecessors From Activity   Successors/Predecessors From Activity
Successors/Predecessors To Activity   Successors/Predecessors To Activity
Successors/Predecessors Type   Successors/Predecessors Dependency type
Successors/Predecessors Lag   Successors/Predecessors Lag
Baseline Start   Activity Baseline Start
Baseline Finish   Activity Baseline Finish

Additional Information about the Project in MSP after Import

In Microsoft Project, sub projects are identified by a blank Activity ID. 

An activity will always belong to a sub project, and will be indented accordingly.

Sub projects are indented according to their depth in the sub project structure in IFS/Project.

Given below are the meanings of some of the import comments that accompany imported tasks:

All import comments will be updated each time you import a project.

Also note that the update of a project is dependent on that you do not move sub projects or activities around in the project after you have imported it the first time, and would like to keep updating the project through export/import. If you move an activity from one sub project to another in the project in IFS/Project, this will not be recognized as the same activity in Microsoft Project during import.

It is important to know how Microsoft Project behaves when setting a date for start, finish and duration.

During an import, Early Start and Early Finish in the Microsoft Project file are set equal to the ES and EF dates from IFS/Project for all activities. Duration, in days, will be calculated according to the default calendar in MSP.

Information About Import Options

Project Resources:

If IFS project is imported with Project Resources check box checked, and if the login user has access to the project's company then all the resources belonging to the project’s company which are marked as 'Used in Project' will be imported into MSP. Changes done in IFS resources will also be imported but deleted resources in IFS will not be removed in MSP.

If IFS project is imported with Project Resources check box unchecked, then no resources will be inserted, changed or removed in MSP.

If Project Resources check box is not selected and Resource Allocations check box is selected, then resources which are connected to the project through a resource allocation will only be imported to MSP.

Sub Project Structure:

If Sub Project Structure check box is selected, then the project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in IFS will be imported and the next level of check boxes (Resource Allocations, Constraints and Dependencies) will get enabled.

If not selected WBS will not get imported and lower level check boxes will be disabled.

Resource Allocations:

If IFS project is imported with Resource Allocations check box selected, then all the resource planning records available in IFS project will be imported into MSP. Any changes or removal done to the already imported resource planning records in IFS will also be re-imported.

If unchecked, then no resource planning records will be inserted, changed or removed in MSP during import.

Note: If multiple resource criteria are enabled on the project in IFS, the transfer of resource assignment information is not supported by the integration. 

Include Resource Actual Hours:

This check box will be enabled only upon selecting resource allocations check box. If this is selected then any reported hours for a resource in IFS will be imported in to ‘Actual Work’ column in MSP. Changes done to resource reported hours in IFS will also be imported.

If the project is imported without selecting this check box, then ‘Actual Work’ column will be cleared out and zero will be inserted.

Constraints:

If IFS project is imported with Constraint check box checked, then all the constraints that are available in MSP side (including automatically added ones from MSP) will be removed and only the constraints that are available in IFS project will be inserted.

If the same is done with Constraint check box unchecked then no constraint will be imported and all the constraints that are available in MSP side (including automatically added ones from MSP) will remain as it is.

Dependencies:

If IFS project is imported with dependencies check box checked, then all the dependencies that are available in MSP side will be removed and the dependencies that are available in IFS will be inserted. If the same is done with Dependencies check box unchecked, then no dependencies will be imported and already existing ones in MSP side will remain as it is.

 

Transfer Data from MS Project

Field Descriptions - Microsoft Project and the equivalent in IFS Project

For the project the following information is created or updated. (The Microsoft Project must be calculated if the Project Information Start or Finish Date is revised):

In IFS Project Table
Overview Project - Planned Start Project Information - Planned Start
Overview Project - Planned Finish Project Information: Planned Finish

For resources the following information is created for those that do not exist:

In IFS Project - Resource Group Information From Resource Sheet in Microsoft Project 
Resource Group Resource ID Initials
Resource Group Description Resource Name
Resource Group Company, is automatically set to the Project's Company.

Schedule Capacity and Capacity Calculation Base are set as 'Infinite Capacity' and 'Individuals' respectively.
Does not exist in Microsoft Project

Note:

For sub-projects the following information is created for those that do not exist:

In IFS Project - Sub Project Information From Task Data in MSP ( IFS Project table)
Sub Project ID Sub Project ID, 10 characters
Parent Sub Project ID Sub Project ID, 10 characters
Sub Project Description Description, 35 characters

For existing activities the following information is updated:

In IFS Project - Activity Information From Task Data in MSP (IFS Project table)
Activity Description Task Name (Description, 200 characters)
Activity Early Start Task Start (Early Start)
Note: If the IFS activity has an actual start date, the early start date will not be updated when exporting.
Activity Early Finish Task Finish (Early Finish)
Note: If the IFS activity has an actual finish date, the early finish date will not be updated when exporting.
Activity Late Start Task Late Start
Note: If the IFS activity has an actual start date, the late start date will not be updated when exporting.
Activity Late Finish Task Late Finish
Note: If the IFS activity has an actual finish date, the late finish date will not be updated when exporting.
Activity Free Float Free Slack
Activity Total Float Total Slack
Notes Notes

For new activities the following information is created:

In IFS Project - Activity Information From Task Data in MSP (IFS Project table)
Activity ID Activity ID
Activity Sub Project ID Task Text1 (Sub Project ID, 10 characters)
Activity Description Task Name (Description, 200 characters)
Activity Early Start Task Start (Early Start)
Activity Early Finish Task Finish (Late Start)
Activity Late Start Task Late Start
Activity Late Finish Task Late Finish
Activity Free Float Free Slack
Activity Total Float Total Slack
Notes Notes

Note: During transferring data from MSP to IFS no any actual date values will be passed through the integration.

Information about resources allocated to activities, constraints and dependencies will be created or updated:

In IFS Project Field Titles From Microsoft Project 
IFS Project Activity Resource Planned Hours Resource Usage: Work
Microsoft Project Constraint Type Task Information: Constraint Type
Microsoft Project Constraint Date Task Information: Constraint Date
Successors/Predecessors From Activity Successors/Predecessors From Activity
Successors/Predecessors To Activity Successors/Predecessors To Activity
Successors/Predecessors Dependency Type Successors/Predecessors Type
Successors/Predecessors Lag Successors/Predecessors Lag

Note: If multiple resource criteria are enabled on the project in IFS, the transfer of resource assignment information is not supported by the integration.

As a result of the transfer from MSP, activities and sub projects that exist only in IFS/Project (sub projects and activities that have been deleted while in MSP) will not be deleted. These sub projects and activities should be deleted manually in IFS/Project.

Task status in MS Project ( Active/ Inactive) will be ignored when transferring data in both directions. Hence, all tasks in MS Project will be transferred through integration disregarding the status of the task. For a successful integration, it is recommended to transfer tasks with status "Active". Trying to update "Inactive" task information in MS Project through import process will result integration failure.