Exchange Data with Microsoft® Project

Use the Microsoft Project (MSP) screen on page 3 of the Import/Export Wizard to specify exchange parameters unique to MSP.

Ways to access

• Start at Import/Export - Step 1. Then select one of the exchange formats below and proceed.

Options

If your company works in MSP, but specifies linear project details in Tilos, you can exchange data between the two programs using one of two XML import/export formats:

• MS Project (XML) - This is the recommended export/import format because it writes/reads a native MSP file, rather than a generic XML that requires a macro-based exchange profile and a macro installed in MS Project to convert data and map fields between the two programs. Using this exporter/importer, exchanged Activities will have the same name, start, finish, resources, calendars, etc., in both programs (with a few exceptions listed below). Working with this native format also saves you time when you want to share Tilos-based project schedules with other people who only have MSP.

• XML Data (XML) - Select this to exchange with MSP only if you need to use a previously defined exchange profile. Using this method, you can save different exchange profiles and also embed them in the Tilos XML file (which you cannot do using the native file method above). You can edit profiles to specify what data to export/import into both MSP and Tilos. Currently, this is done via an MS Project macro that requires additional administrative work and cannot be achieved without installing a separate macro (see below).

Prerequisite

• To import or export data generated from MS Project, you need an active license. Select Help > License Manager to see if your MS Project XML Interface license has been activated.

Ways to access

• In the menu, select File > Export > Microsoft Project (XML) file format.

Steps

Export a native MS Project XML file from Tilos

1. Set Tilos options (or confirm your preferences):

2. In Tilos, select Tools > Options > Activity tab > and check the Move Activities without incoming links to begin the project box.

3. Also on the Activity tab, check the Move non-performed Activities after the report date box to move them from the past into the present/future. Activities that are not set to reschedule manually will shift to the right side of the current date line automatically.

4. Consider simplifying any calendar anomalies. For example, it is possible in Tilos to have a period of 1 day that repeats day after day, but in MSP, a calendar period must have 7 days per week.

5. Back in Tilos, select File > Export.

6. Select the Microsoft Project (XML) file format and click Next.

7. Click Select, browse to specify a file path, add a file name, and click Next. The default is C:\ProgramData\Tilos\Tilos10-Data\Exchange\Data\*.xml

8. To export additional data, check any of these boxes:

   • Export links - Maintain predecessor and successor dependencies between the exported Activities.

   • Export resource allocation - Include used resources and maintain their relationships to Activities

   • Export only used library items - Exclude unused library data types from the exported file.

   • Export calendars – Include Tilos calendars so you can use them in MSP.

9. To map data fields (tokens) between Tilos and MS Project by editing the exchange profile, click Additional Settings.

10. Click + to add a row.

11. Click in a cell under Tilos Field and use the drop-down arrow to select from available data types.

12. Click in the adjoining MS Project Field cell and select the field to which you want to map the Tilos data (e.g., data fields that map from the Tilos token to the MSP token).

13. Check/uncheck boxes to define which data types to export and make available for re-import from MSP.

14. To clear the current mapping and start fresh with the recommended fields (Start and End Distance, Template Name, UID, and Order), click Set Default Fields.

Note:  If you are exporting categories, and select Category path as one of the additional properties to include, a Category group field appears at the bottom of the dialog so you can select the correct one.

Note:  Other data types, such as currencies, units, and equations, can be exchanged by mapping to other MSP user-defined fields. In MSP, the fields mapped from Tilos will show the associated Tilos field name (see step 14 below).

15. Click OK when you are done

16. Click Finish. Your settings are remembered for the next time you use the wizard.

    • Note:  If you receive an export-related error message, see Export exclusions below.

17. In MS Project, select File > Open, and navigate to the XML file you exported from Tilos, which might be under C:\ProgramData\Tilos\Tilos10-Data\Exchange\Data\.xml.

    • Note:  You may need to select XML Format (*.xml) in the list to see your file.

18. Choose the appropriate import mode (typically you would import As a new project), and click Finish.

19. Select an Activity and press Control+Shift+F5 to zoom into the related bar in the Gantt chart.

20. Click New Activities at the bottom of the screen and choose the Activity mode that matches your Tilos project: Manually Scheduled or Auto Scheduled.

21. When you have an Activity that is automatically planned, but has no predecessor, then it goes back to the start date of the project (no predecessor makes it start later). Manual Activities are not rescheduled by pressing F9; they have to be rescheduled manually. Automatically scheduled Activities move depending on their predecessor, successor, link types, etc.

22. Press F9 to reschedule the project so it has the correct summary Activity data.

23. Confirm that you see the same data (Activities, links, dates, names, summary Activities, progress, resources, etc.) as in Tilos.

24. If you mapped Tilos data to custom fields, you can take data from those fields and assign it to different activities in MSP so they re-import into Tilos properly. Data fields that were mapped from Tilos contain a parenthetical in the name that shows the associated Tilos field name.

25. Make changes in MSP, save as Project’s native XML Format (*.xml), and re-import the file into Tilos using the steps below.

Export exclusions

• NonStop working period is longer than seven days – MSP can only handle periods of seven days, otherwise, you need to select Project Data > Calendars > Calendars tab and modify the periods See Calendar, Tab Periods for more information on editing project calendars.

• Hammock Activity - In Tilos, there are unique Activity types (such as a hammock Activity) that MSP does not have. If you export a hammock Activity to MSP, the hammock Activity appears there as a normal Activity and the Activities that the hammock summarized in Tilos do not appear with the hammock (it exists elsewhere in the schedule and would have a duplicate Activity ID). On re-import from MSP into Tilos, any Activities that were associated with the hammock in Tilos when exported are not re-added to the hammock when re-imported. Basically, once exported to MSP, all hammock Activities become normal, standalone Activities.

• Working/non-working time splits - In Tilos, you can split a day into working and non-working times an 'unlimited' number of times. In MSP, under Project > Change Working Time, you can also record working time versus non-working time, but you cannot create multiple splits, only specific work times; the options in MSP are much less granular. The non-working times can be created in MSP, but not used as they are in Tilos. Therefore, you may have to simplify your Tilos calendar to configure calendars in exactly the same way in both programs.

Import a native MS Project XML file into Tilos

1. In MSP, select File > Save As.

2. Specify your file path and name, select Project’s native XML format (*.xml) for the Save as type, and click Save.

3. In Tilos, open a new project or one into which you want to import the MSP data with a compatible project template.

4. Select File > Import.

5. Select Microsoft Project (XML) and click Next.

Note:  Click Reset import run to 1 if you need to…

6. Click Select, browse to the file you want to import, and click Next. The default path is C:\ProgramData\Tilos\Tilos10-Data\Exchange\Data\*.xml.

7. Check specific boxes to import additional data:

• Import links - Maintain predecessor and successor dependencies between the imported Activities.

• Import resource allocation - Include used resources and maintain their relationships to Activities.

• Import calendars – Include periods and other MSP calendar settings for the project.

8. If you have more than one project in your Tilos file, click in the Project for import list and select the project into which you want to import the MSP data.

9. To map data fields between MS Project and Tilos by editing the exchange profile, click Additional Settings.

   1. Click + to add a row.

   2. Click in a cell under MS Project Field, and use the drop-down arrow to select from available data types.

   3. Click in the adjoining Tilos Field cell and select the field to which you want to map the MSP data (e.g., data fields that map from MSP token to Tilos token).

   4. Check/uncheck boxes to define which data types to export and make available for re-import from MSP.

Note:  Resources from MS Project are always imported to the first resource level in Tilos because MSP does not provide a resource tree.

Note:  If you are importing categories, and select Category path as one of the additional properties to include, a Category group field appears at the bottom of the dialog so you can select the correct one.

Note:  Other data types, such as currencies, units, and equations, can be exchanged by mapping to user-defined MSP fields.

10. Click OK when you are done

11. Click Finish.

12. Press F9 to reschedule the project.

13. Confirm that you see the same data (activities, links, dates, names, summary activities, progress, resources, etc.) as in MSP.

Import exclusions

• Lag types - Lag types should never be imported, unless the link does not exist in Tilos. Then the lag-type Working time of the predecessor should be used.

Export a generic XML data file

Exchanging data using this exporter means that you export data from one application to an XML file and then import it from the XML file to the other application. This exchange is controlled by common profiles that set the exchange scope for objects, as well as for field attributes. In MSP, this work is done based on a macro that is delivered along with your Tilos installation and needs to be initialized. Exchange profiles are stored in Program data > Tilos > Tilos 10 Data… > Exchange > Profiles. In MSP, you cannot just open this XML file type; you have to import it using a View > Macros > Run Tilos Exchange macro (which has to be installed first).

Changing the scope of data exchange

To create and change distance, sector, or time profiles, open the Profile Editor by right-clicking Project data > ... > Distance/Sector/Time Profile in the Tilos Explorer. There you will find instructions on how to set up a profile.

Note:  The macro uses its own paths for the XML files. If you have started Tilos before the first activation of the macros, then the Tilos default values are copied.

Initializing the MS Project Exchange Macro

Warning:  The macro works only in MS Project 2007 and MS Project 2010-. For MS Project 2003, a limited feature scope is exchanged (no calendars and no resource and cost allocations).

When you set up XML add-ons first, the initialization is done automatically. If not, perform the setup manually:

1. Double-click the Tilos-MSProject-XML-Install.mpp file in your installation folder.

   • If you are running MS Project 2007, a new menu entry called Tilos data exchange is automatically created.

   • If you are running MS Project 2010, you need to create a entry in the quick launch by yourself

2. Run Customize Quick Access Toolbar and click More commands.

3. Select Macro in the list Choose Commands from.

4. Select the macro: RunTilos7Exchange and click Add.

The system is now ready for data exchange with Tilos. To exchange data later, load your project file, and execute the macro by selecting Tilos8 exchange on the menu in MSP. There you will receive further instructions on using the help system for the macro.

Macro security

To run the macros, your program's Trust Center settings should be: Disable all macros with notification. This allows you to run macros, those you trust. To reach the settings, select File > Options > Trust Center. A certificate is delivered along with the macro. To certify the macro after initializing it, click Install certificate" ( or double-click the file LinearProject.cer in the folder where the macro is installed (default is C:\Program Files\Tilos\Tilos7\Exchange\MSProject).

When installing the certificate, always use the option: Place all certificates in the following store, and click Browse to navigate to and select the store: Trusted Root Certification Authorities. This is important because, otherwise, the macro will not work. When running the macro for the first time, you need to click: Trust all documents from this publisher. The macro will then be certified.