Capital Project Management / Project Management

Importing from Microsoft Project

The Project Management application allows you to export project and work package actions to Microsoft Project and then edit the actions in Microsoft Project. After you have edited the project in Microsoft Project, you can import the Microsoft Project file back into the Project Management application and post the data to the database. The project/work package actions are then available to be viewed and edited in Project Management.

It is important to note that when you import the file, you first import it for review purposes. While you are reviewing the imported data you can choose to clear the data and make changes before you import again. After you are satisfied with your imported data, you post the data. When you post the data, the data is copied to the Project Management database. After the data is copied to the Project Management database, it is available for editing in Project Management.

To import from Microsoft Project,access the Management Console using any of the Process Navigator Management Console tasks, and then select the Import/Export tab. You can access the Management Console from Process Navigator tasks for the Plan, Procure, or Execute processes.

For information on exporting project/work package actions from the Project Management application to Microsoft Project, see the Exporting to Microsoft Project topic.

Imported Data

When you import an Microsoft Project .xml file to Project Management, the file is uploaded to the ARCHIBUS Projects table actions_xfer field or Work Packages table actions_xfer field, depending on whether you are importing a project's actions or a work package's actions. Data from this field is then extracted and copied to the ARCHIBUS Action Items Transactions table. This data is then available for you to view in the Import Project task Actions Transactions panel.

For information on the database tables used for importing projects and work packages from Microsoft Project, see the Importing from Microsoft Project Tables topic.

The Project Management fields listed below are updated when the Microsoft Project file is imported. Project ID, Work Package ID, and Action ID are imported for identification purposes. The remaining fields are updated, based on the edits that were made in Microsoft Project. For a mapping of Project Management fields to Microsoft Project fields, see the Exporting to Microsoft Project topic.

Note: It is only possible to import into Project Management project/work packages actions that have one of the following statuses: N/A, Requested, Planned, Scheduled, or In Progress.

Imported Project Management Fields

Import Action Status Updates

The following Project Management Action Status changes may occur when you import a file from Microsoft Project:

Clear Button

After reviewing data in the Actions Transactions panel, if you click the Clear button, all extracted data is cleared from the Action Items Transactions table, and is no longer displayed in the view.

Posted Data

When you click the Post button, the action items that you imported to the Action Items Transactions table are copied to the Action Items table. The data is then available to be viewed and edited in Project Management.

Post Action Status Updates

The following Project Management Action Status changes may occur when you post a file:

Importing and Posting Project Actions

If you originally exported all of a project's actions, then you import all of the project's actions back into Project Management.

To import all project actions from Microsoft Project to Project Management:

  1. Save the project from Microsoft Project to an .xml file.
  2. Access the Management Console by selecting a Management Console task in the Process Navigator. For example, select the Execute/Management Console - Plan task in the Process Navigator.

    The Management Console appears with the Select Project tab selected.

  3. Select the project that contains the actions that you want to import from MS Project.
  4. Select the Import/Export tab.

    The Export Project tab becomes selected. All of the actions for the selected project are displayed.

  5. Select the Import Project tab.
  6. Click the Check In New Document button next to the Stored Import File field to check in the new .xml file that you created in Microsoft Project. For more information on using the document management feature, see the Using the Document Management System topic.
  7. Click the Import button.The .xml file is imported and visible in the Action Transactions panel.

    Note: At this point the .xml file has been imported into a review table, the Action Items Transactions table, so that data is visible. To save this data to the database, you must post the data.

  8. Review the data in the Actions Transaction panel.
  9. If you are not satisfied with the data, click the Clear button to remove this data. You can then edit the file in Microsoft Project and import the edited file again.
  10. When you are satisfied with the .xml file data that you have imported, click the Post button to save the data to the Action Items table.
    The project action items that have been posted are now ready to be edited using the Project Management application.
  11. In the Process Navigator, click Plan/Add or Edit Actions to view or edit the actions you have imported and posted.

Importing and Posting Work Package Actions

If you originally exported the actions from a specific work package, then you import the work package's actions back into Project Management.

To import work package actions from Microsoft Project to Project Management:

  1. Save the project from Microsoft Project to an .xml file.
  2. Access the Management Console by selecting a Management Console task in the Process Navigator. For example, select the Execute/Management Console - Plan task in the Process Navigator.

    The Management Console appears with the Select Project tab selected.

  3. Select the project that contains the work package that you want to import from Microsoft Project.
  4. Select the Import/Export tab.
  5. Select the Import Work Package tab.

    All of the work packages for the selected project are listed.

  6. Select the work package you want to import.
  7. Click the Check In New Document button next to the Stored Import file field to check in the new .xml file that you created in Microsoft project. For more information on using the document management feature, see the Using the Document Management System topic
  8. Click Import.
    The .xml file is imported and visible in the Action Transactions panel.

    Note: At this point the .xml file has been imported into a review table, the Action Items Transactions table, so that data is visible. To save this data to the database, you must post the data.

  9. Review the data in the Action Transactions panel.
  10. If you are not satisfied with the data, click the Clear button to remove this data. You can then edit the file in Microsoft Project and import the edited file again.
  11. When you are satisfied with the .xml file data that you have imported, click the Post button to save the data to the Action Items table.
    The work package action items that have been posted are now ready to be edited using the Project Management application.
  12. In the Process Navigator,select a task, such as Plan/Add or Edit Actions, to view and edit the actions you have imported and posted.