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.
The MSP Integration is provided as an Add-in to Microsoft Project. The Add-In does not require a F1 Runtime Client installation and is client independent, meaning that it is compatible with environments using Centura, Enterprise Explorer and Web.
| Availability/Supported versions of IFS Applications | IFS
Applications 7.5 from SP5 Will be the only available option in the next core version of IFS Applications (8). |
| Supported Clients | Windows (Centura), Web and IFS Enterprise Explorer (due to its architecture of being a plug-in to Microsoft Project) |
| Citrix Environments | Microsoft Project can be installed on either the Citrix Server or the client. |
| Operation | Integration is started and run entirely within Microsoft Project. Communication with IFS Applications is done entirely using the HTTP protocol in the IFS.Net Acess Provider. |
| Installation | Installed through a separate setup.exe/.msi-package |
| Configuration and Authentication | Username, password and URL to the application server is provided in the logon dialog box. |
| Supported Microsoft Project Versions | The supported versions per IFS Applications track can be found on the Technical Configuration Guide. |
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 |
* If the MSP project is configured to schedule from Project Start Date (in Project Information), this MSP project start date will be given the same date as the earliest activity early start date in the IFS project you are exporting.
If the IFS project has no activities, the project start date in Microsoft Project will be given the same date as the planned start date in Overview Project, provided that this field has a value. If the project has no activities and the planned start date has no value, today's date will be used as the project start date in Microsoft Project.
** If the MSP project is configured to schedule from Project Finish Date (in
Project Information), the MSP project finish date will be given the same date as
the latest activity early finish date in the IFS project you are exporting.
If the IFS project has no activities, the project finish date in Microsoft
Project will be given the same date as the planned finish date in Overview
Project, provided that this field has a value. If the project has no activities
and the planned finish date has no value, today's date will be used as the
project finish date in Microsoft Project.
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 Effective From (Date) | |
| Costs A (default): Standard Rate | Resource Group Cost or Standard Price | |
| MSP Resource Code | Cost Element | |
| Task Name | Description | Activity Description / Sub Project Description |
| Task Text1 | Sub Project ID | Activity Sub Project ID |
| Task Text2 | Activity ID | Activity ID |
| Task Text3 | Activity Class Description | Activity Class Description |
| 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 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 | |
| Start 1 | Activity Baseline Start | |
| Finish 1 | Activity Baseline Finish |
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.
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 company | Does not exist in Microsoft Project |
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 |
| Activity Class Description | Activity Class Description |
| 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 |
| Activity Class Description | Activity Class Description |
| Notes | Notes |
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 |