Using MPP files for MSP-PPM Integration

Starting from 9.41, PPM supports using Microsoft Project files (MPP files) for the MSP-PPM integration. This feature lets you upload and download MPP files in PPM to synchronize the project work plan between PPM and Microsoft Project. You can choose to use either MPP files or the Microsoft Project plug-in to implement the MSP-PPM integration.

In this topic:

Enabling using MPP files for MSP-PPM integration

To enable using MPP files for MSP-PPM integration, set the parameter ALLOWED_MSP_INTEGRATION_MODE to MPP_FILE or BOTH (case insensitive) in the Administration Console.

For details, see Selecting Integration Mode.

Deciding control mode

When using MPP files for the integration, you still need to select a control mode (synchronization mode), which decides how information is updated between PPM and Microsoft Project.

The following table describes how uploading MPP files and downloading work plans as MPP files update information in different control modes.

Control mode	Action and consequence
	Upload an MPP file	Download a work plan as an MPP file
PPM-control mode	Create a PPM project work plan from an existing Microsoft Project when the PPM project does not have a work plan.	Create a Microsoft Project from an existing PPM work plan. Get an updated Microsoft Project with the following information updated: Planned and actuals information External predecessors External successors Linked tasks information
MSP-control mode	Create a PPM project work plan from a Microsoft Project when the PPM project does not have a work plan. Update the PPM project work plan with Microsoft Project information (both planned and actuals), EXCEPT the following: External predecessors External successors Linked tasks information (both planned and actuals)	Get an updated Microsoft Project with the following information updated: External predecessors External successors Linked tasks information
Shared control mode	Create a PPM project work plan from a Microsoft Project when the PPM project does not have a work plan. Update the PPM project work plan with Microsoft Project planned information, EXCEPT the following: External Predecessors External successors Linked tasks information (both planned and actuals)	Get an updated Microsoft Project with the following information updated: Actuals information External predecessors External successors Linked tasks information

Uploading MPP files to PPM

Uploading an MPP file to PPM synchronizes information from Microsoft Project to PPM. The types of information that get updated in the PPM project work plan depend on the control mode. See Deciding control mode for more details.

1. Open the project in PPM.

2. If the project does not have a work plan yet:

   1. In the Work Plan portlet in the Summary tab, click the link Create work plan from mpp file.

      Alternatively, you can drag and drop an MPP file to the link location in the Work Plan portlet.

   2. Select an MPP file.

   3. Do resource mapping if the MPP file includes unmapped resources. See Mapping resources for detailed instructions.

   A work plan is created for the project.

3. If the project already has a work plan,

   1. In the Work Plan portlet in the Summary tab or in the work plan page, click .

      Alternatively, you can drag and drop an MPP file to the icon in the Work Plan portlet.

      Note: If the project is in PPM-control mode and already has a work plan, the icon is disabled.

   2. Select an MPP file.

   3. Do resource mapping if the MPP file includes unmapped resources. See Mapping resources for detailed instructions.

   The project work plan information is updated depending on the control mode. See Deciding control mode for more information.

Downloading work plans as MPP files

Downloading a PPM project work plan as an MPP file synchronizes information from PPM to Microsoft Project. The types of information that get updated in Microsoft Project depend on the control mode. See Deciding control mode for more details.

1. Open the project in PPM.

2. In the Work Plan portlet in the Summary tab or in the work plan page, click .

   If the project is in shared control mode, the Different Actual dialog will pop up listing the tasks that have changes in actuals information. Confirm the changes and click in the top right corner to download the work plan.

3. In the Export to Microsoft Project window, Click the link Click here to download the file.

If a task is linked to an Agile project or to another PPM project, when downloaded to MPP file, this task has the prefix "[!linked!]" added in front of the task name.

If a task has external predecessors or external successors, when downloaded to an MPP file, the predecessors and successors are displayed in the MSP custom data fields that you mapped. See Mapping PPM external predecessors and external successors for detailed instructions.

Mapping resources

Whenever you upload an MPP file to PPM and the MPP file includes resources that cannot be automatically mapped to PPM resources based on their emails or usernames, the Resource Mapping dialog will pop up listing the resources to be mapped.

To map an MSP resource to a PPM resource:

1. In the left table, select an MSP resource.

2. In the right table, double-click a PPM resource which is mapped to the MSP resource .

   The PPM Username, PPM First Name, and PPM Last Name columns are filled with the PPM user information. If you then double-click another PPM resource, the foregoing three column values will be updated with the newly-selected resource information.

   If you want to unmap an MSP resource, click Unmap.

   Note: The right table lists resources that are project participants.

   If you want to map the MSP resouce to a PPM resource who is not yet a project participant, click Search resource.

3. Repeat step 1 and step 2 to complete the mapping for the other MSP resources.
4. Click Finish to save the mapping and close the Resource Mapping dialog.

If you cancel the resource mapping during the MPP file upload, you will cancel the whole MPP file upload process.

If you skip resource mapping (click Finish without mapping resources), efforts of unmapped resources will be treated as unassigned efforts in PPM.

If you want to redo resource mapping after an MPP file is uploaded, click in the work plan toolbar .

Mapping PPM external predecessors and external successors

PPM external predecessors and external successors can be exported to MSP only when they are mapped to MSP custom data fields.

1. Go to Project Settings > Microsoft Project Integration > User Data & Activity Fields Mapping.

   

2. Click Edit to open the Field Mapping dialog.

   

3. From Available PPM Fields list, double-click External Predecessor or External Successor, and then from Available MSP Fields list, double-click a field where you want external predecessors or external successors to be displayed in MSP .

4. Click OK and Save to save the mapping.

Mapping MSP baseline data

MSP baseline Finish, baseline duration, baseline work, and baseline start information can be imported to PPM only when they are mapped to PPM user data text fields.

1. Go to Project Settings > Microsoft Project Integration > User Data & Activity Fields Mapping.

   

2. Click Edit to open the Field Mapping dialog.

3. From Available MSP Fields list, double-click a baseline field, and then from Available PPM Fields list, double-click a field where you want the baseline data to be displayed in PPM.

4. Click OK and Save to save the mapping.

Limitation

• When you download an MPP file in PPM-control mode, all tasks are created to have a fixed duration, and a date constraint is created to help ensure that the start date of the task is the same in MSP as it is in PPM. Otherwise, MSP will try to reschedule the work plan to have all tasks start as early as possible.

• When you download an MPP file in PPM-control mode, leaf tasks' data will not roll up to the summary task automatically. You have to click Calculate Project in Microsoft Project to correct the data.