Difference between revisions of "Combining bxp and Microsoft Project"

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(Created page with "= Overview = bxp has the power to be able to integrate and work with Microsoft Project structures. It is important therefore to understand the underlying data structures in...")
 
 
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= Overview =
 
= Overview =
  
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bxp has the power to be able to integrate and work with Microsoft Project structures.  It is important therefore to understand the underlying data structures in Microsoft Project first.
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Microsoft Project(MS Project) in it's various guises is a very powerful tool.  It is feature rich and comes in Standard, Professional, Enterprise and online versions.  [https://www.google.ie/search?q=buy+microsoft+project]
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As the power of bxp's pillars can provide cross system integration solutions, therefore for All n One it is important that bxp provide interoperability with MS Project.  bxp has the power to be able to integrate and work with Microsoft Project(MS Project) data structures.  Understanding those underlying data structures in MS Project is vital.
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Microsoft provide the following specification of their fields.
 
Microsoft provide the following specification of their fields.
 
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Available-fields-reference-615a4563-1cc3-40f4-b66f-1b17e793a460
 
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Available-fields-reference-615a4563-1cc3-40f4-b66f-1b17e793a460
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= Structure =
 
= Structure =
  
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So the first data structure is the Project table.
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== Projects ==
  
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So the first data structure is the Project table.  Where in MS Project desktop versions the data is stored in a file, the Professional and Enterprise versions can be stored in a centralised database.  The online version specification isn't available outside of Microsoft, though alluded to in the specifications provided by Microsoft.
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bxp is able to mirror the key fields of the server thus allowing direct mapping solutions.  There are more fields in bxp than Project for a number of key communications and customisation reasons.
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[[Bxp_and_Microsoft_Project_-_Project_table_fields]]
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A project in bxp has an Id which is used system wide rather than a name. 
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== MS Project elements ==
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In MS Project there are then key elements that can be created and assigned to the project.
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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! Microsoft Table
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! Type
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! Microsoft Name
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! Description
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! Microsoft Description
 
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! bxp Equivalent
 
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! bxp Notes
 
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|-
 
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| Project fields || Areas Impacted || The Areas Impacted field contains examples of areas that could be affected by a proposal, as selected in the Areas Impacted lookup table, which is shipped with Microsoft Project Server and can be modified to reflect the organization’s specific areas. This field is controlled by the workflow.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Assumptions || The Assumptions field contains key assumptions for the current proposal. This field is controlled by the workflow. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Business Need || The Business Need field is used to specify the business requirement for the current proposal. When you add information, be sure to be as specific as possible. This field is controlled by the workflow. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Committed Planned End Date || The Committed Planned End Date field specifies the finish date of the project as committed to in a Portfolio Selection Scenario during resource constraint analysis.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Committed Planned Start Date || The Committed Planned Start Date field shows the beginning date of the project as committed to in a Portfolio Selection Scenario during resource constraint analysis. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Committed Portfolio Selection Decision (Cost) || The Committed Portfolio Selection Decision (Cost) field shows the result of a cost constraint analysis on a project. You can choose Selected, Unselected, Forced-In/Out, or Custom Forced-In/Out. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Committed Portfolio Selection Decision (Schedule) || The Committed Portfolio Selection Decision (Schedule) field shows the commitment date of a Portfolio Selection Scenario as determined during schedule constraint analysis.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Committed Portfolio Selection Decision Date (Cost) || The Committed Portfolio Selection Decision Date (Cost) field shows the commitment date of a Portfolio Selection Scenario as determined during cost constraint analysis. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Committed Portfolio Selection Decision Date (Schedule) || The Committed Portfolio Selection Decision Date (Schedule) field shows the result of a schedule constraint analysis on a project. You can choose Selected, Unselected, Forced-In/Out, or Custom Forced-In/Out.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Compliance Proposal || The Compliance Proposal field indicates whether the current proposal is for a project that helps meet a compliance goal, that is, whether the project is required by law, regulation, or other requirements.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Goals || The Goals field contains the measurable goals of the current proposal. This field is controlled by the workflow.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Post Implementation Review Date || The Post Implementation Review Date field indicates when the Post Implementation Review meeting was or will be held. This field is controlled by the workflow.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Post Implementation Review Notes || The Post Implementation Review Notes field stores review meeting notes or a link to a meeting notes publication for the post-implementation review. This field is controlled by the workflow. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Primary Objectives || The Primary Objectives field contains the primary objectives for the current proposal, as selected in the Primary Objective lookup table, which is shipped with Microsoft Project Server and can be modified to reflect the organization’s specific objective statements. This field is controlled by the workflow.  ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Project Departments || The Project Departments field contains the name of the department with which the selected project is associated, as selected in the Department lookup table, which is shipped with Microsoft Project Server and can be modified to reflect the organization’s specific department names. ||  ||
 
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| Project fields || Proposal Cost || The Proposal Cost field stores the estimated cost for the proposed project. This field is controlled by the workflow.  ||  ||
 
 
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| Project fields || Proposed Finish Date || The Proposed Finish Date field contains the estimated end date for the current proposal. This field is controlled by the workflow. ||  ||
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| '''Task fields''' || Task fields show task-related information and can be displayed in task views such as the Gantt Chart, Task Sheet, and Network Diagram views.
 
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| Project fields || Proposed Start Date || The Proposed Start Date field contains the estimated beginning date for the current proposal. This field is controlled by the workflow. ||  ||
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| '''Task-timephased fields''' || Task-timephased fields show information for each task as distributed over its duration. These fields can be displayed in the timephased part of the Task Usage view.
 
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| Project fields || Workflow Phase Name || The Workflow Phase Name field specifies the current workflow phase for a selected project. A phase represents a collection of stages grouped together to identify a common set of activities in the project life cycle. Typical workflow phases are Create, Select, Plan, and Manage, although these phase names may be customized. This field is a component of the Microsoft Project Server workflow framework. ||  ||
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| '''Resource fields''' || Resource fields show information for each resource, including summarized information about all tasks assigned to each resource. They can be displayed in resource views such as the Resource Sheet and Resource Usage views.
 
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| Project fields || Workflow Stage Info || The Workflow Stage Info field describes the current workflow stage for a selected project. A stage represents a single step within a project life cycle, and one or more stages can make up a workflow phase. This field is a component of the Microsoft Project Server workflow framework. ||  ||
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| '''Resource-timephased fields''' || Resource-timephased fields show information for each resource as distributed over the duration of resource availability on the project. These fields can be displayed in the timephased portion of the Resource Usage view.
 
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| Project fields || Workflow Stage Name || The Workflow Stage Name field specifies the current workflow stage name for a selected project. A stage represents a single step within a project life cycle, and one or more stages can make up a workflow phase. This field is a component of the Microsoft Project Server workflow framework. ||  ||
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| '''Assignment fields''' || Assignment fields show information for each assignment. They can be displayed in the sheet portion of the Task Usage and Resource Usage views and at the bottom of the Task Form and Resource Form views. You can change the assignment field that appears at the bottom of the Task Form or Resource Form view by clicking in the area, clicking the Format tab, and then clicking a command.
 
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| Project fields || Workflow State || The Workflow State field indicates a selected proposal or project’s current workflow state—for example, Waiting For Approval or Completed. This field is a component of the Microsoft Project Server workflow framework. ||  ||
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| '''Assignment-timephased fields''' || Assignment-timephased fields show information for each assignment as distributed over its duration. These fields can be displayed in the timephased portion of the Resource Usage and Task Usage views.
 
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|}
 
|}
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== Tasks ==
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In bxp tasks are stored in a standard form structure with the use of the Project Header structure applied. [[Form_Project_Header]]
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The Project Header structure field is not a perfect match for all the fields available in MS Project.  Missing fields can be created by bxp automatically to provide a perfect mapping on the creation of a new project / project form.  [[What_is_a_Project_form]]
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== Resources ==
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In bxp users, including placeholders are one type of resource. 
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All other types of resources are created in the same task form as above. 
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The full field mapping can be quickly generated using the form template create option.  As bxp can create a perfect mapping for Outlook contacts, it can also provide a quick template for Resources.
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== Assignment ==
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There is significant overlap of the fields available in Tasks, Resources and Assignments.  For this reason the form created for Tasks by the template also will facilitate the storage of Assignment information.
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== Time-phased ==
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These fields are outside the scope of the bxp interface and best managed by MS Project.  bxp facilitates a template form to store the data for complete accuracy but doesn't provide direct interface manipulation abilities.

Latest revision as of 16:40, 8 July 2017

1 Overview

Microsoft Project(MS Project) in it's various guises is a very powerful tool. It is feature rich and comes in Standard, Professional, Enterprise and online versions. [1]


As the power of bxp's pillars can provide cross system integration solutions, therefore for All n One it is important that bxp provide interoperability with MS Project. bxp has the power to be able to integrate and work with Microsoft Project(MS Project) data structures. Understanding those underlying data structures in MS Project is vital.


Microsoft provide the following specification of their fields. https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Available-fields-reference-615a4563-1cc3-40f4-b66f-1b17e793a460


2 Structure

2.1 Projects

So the first data structure is the Project table. Where in MS Project desktop versions the data is stored in a file, the Professional and Enterprise versions can be stored in a centralised database. The online version specification isn't available outside of Microsoft, though alluded to in the specifications provided by Microsoft.


bxp is able to mirror the key fields of the server thus allowing direct mapping solutions. There are more fields in bxp than Project for a number of key communications and customisation reasons. Bxp_and_Microsoft_Project_-_Project_table_fields


A project in bxp has an Id which is used system wide rather than a name.


2.2 MS Project elements

In MS Project there are then key elements that can be created and assigned to the project.

Type Description
Task fields Task fields show task-related information and can be displayed in task views such as the Gantt Chart, Task Sheet, and Network Diagram views.
Task-timephased fields Task-timephased fields show information for each task as distributed over its duration. These fields can be displayed in the timephased part of the Task Usage view.
Resource fields Resource fields show information for each resource, including summarized information about all tasks assigned to each resource. They can be displayed in resource views such as the Resource Sheet and Resource Usage views.
Resource-timephased fields Resource-timephased fields show information for each resource as distributed over the duration of resource availability on the project. These fields can be displayed in the timephased portion of the Resource Usage view.
Assignment fields Assignment fields show information for each assignment. They can be displayed in the sheet portion of the Task Usage and Resource Usage views and at the bottom of the Task Form and Resource Form views. You can change the assignment field that appears at the bottom of the Task Form or Resource Form view by clicking in the area, clicking the Format tab, and then clicking a command.
Assignment-timephased fields Assignment-timephased fields show information for each assignment as distributed over its duration. These fields can be displayed in the timephased portion of the Resource Usage and Task Usage views.


2.3 Tasks

In bxp tasks are stored in a standard form structure with the use of the Project Header structure applied. Form_Project_Header


The Project Header structure field is not a perfect match for all the fields available in MS Project. Missing fields can be created by bxp automatically to provide a perfect mapping on the creation of a new project / project form. What_is_a_Project_form


2.4 Resources

In bxp users, including placeholders are one type of resource.


All other types of resources are created in the same task form as above.


The full field mapping can be quickly generated using the form template create option. As bxp can create a perfect mapping for Outlook contacts, it can also provide a quick template for Resources.


2.5 Assignment

There is significant overlap of the fields available in Tasks, Resources and Assignments. For this reason the form created for Tasks by the template also will facilitate the storage of Assignment information.


2.6 Time-phased

These fields are outside the scope of the bxp interface and best managed by MS Project. bxp facilitates a template form to store the data for complete accuracy but doesn't provide direct interface manipulation abilities.

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