Exchange Data with Primavera

Use the Primavera P6 screen on page 3 of the Import/Export Wizard to specify exchange parameters unique to Primavera P6. Tilos contains a complete data exchange concept with Primavera. The native XML format from P6 is used. To import or export data you need an active Tilos license. Please check if a license is available in the License manager.

Unlike previous Primavera Data Exchanges, the Primavera API is no longer needed. To exchange data from Tilos to P6, you need first to export the data from Tilos. The created XML file can be imported to P6 using the File / Import function in Primavera.

In Primavera, please refer to the help system provided there.

Ways to access

• Start at Import/Export - Step 1. Then select the Primavera P6 exchange formats and proceed.

• In the menu, select File > Export > Primavera P6 (native Primavera XML) file format.

Progress exchange notes

Both applications have different methods to show and evaluate progress:

• If progress information should be exchanged from P6 to Tilos then in Tilos only the "simple progress method" can be applied. Tilos takes from P6 the value PercentageCompleted.

• If progress information should be exchanged from Tilos to P6, the value's actual duration and remaining duration are calculated in Tilos and transferred to Primavera. Based on these data fields P6 calculated its own % completed value.

• Update progressed Activities in Tilos: Activities with "progress split" models cannot be updated from Primavera.  One P6 Activity needs to update multiple Tilos Activities and there is no correct assignment possible.

• Update progressed Activities in P6: The split Activities in Tilos get grouped into one activity and the calculated percentage value for this group gets transferred.

Exchange scope

Activities

All Activities from all subprojects in the opened Tilos project will be exported. A Subset of Activities can be controlled by using an Activity Filter. These are standard Tilos filters that can be applied to the export. For Impr

WBS

If this option is checked, the WBS of Tilos gets matched with the WBS of P6. The WBS Structure and the Activity assignments get exchanged.

Activity codes/Category

Tilos Categories match with P6 Activity codes. If category data should be exported then check the Option: Export Category Data. All categories will be exported, that have the option "Export to XML" set. The P6 Activity code type that should be used can be set in the Categories.

All types of Activity Codes can be exchanged: Global, EPS, and Project Activity Codes. The type is set in the Tilos library.

Links

If this option is checked, the links between the Activities are exchanged. Only basic links attributes will be exchanged such as link type and time lag. The Tilos advanced attributes (distance links) are not exchanged.

Resource allocations

If this option is checked then resources are also exchanged. As the P6 resources need a  calendar to be assigned, enter the name of the calendar that should be used. The calendar has a flag: Global. If this is set, then the calendar from Tilos becomes a global calendar in P6. Resource calendars have to be global calendars.

Note:  In the P6 settings for the import you can define how the resources should be handled during import. For this, you need special privileges in the user rights.

The resource allocations are exchanged in a simplified way: Only the total Effort/Quantity (goes to budget units) and the total cost (goes to budget costs) is exchanged and exported to Primavera. If the data gets reimported to Tilos, then only the simple Tilos model gets set: (Fixed values).

Cost allocations

This works in a similar way to resources, but sets expenses in P6. Income is handled as negative costs and therefore shown in P6 in ().

Activity templates

Activity templates in Tilos are setting the appearance of an Activity. This minimizes the effort on importing Activities from P6 as all Activities of the same kind (e.g. paving, cut, fill) appear with the same line style or color in Tilos.

As P6 as now activity template library, there are multiple ways of exchanging this information with P6:

• No - The Activity template information gets not exchanged.

• UDF - If UDF is selected, then the name of the UDF should be entered in the field below. This gets created in the P6 database on the first import. The name of the template then gets stored in this field.

Note:  This does not work for a template ID; the Tilos Activity template NAME must be imported into this field as it does not work for TEMPLATE ID if you use a UDF. If you need to import/export a Tilos Activity template to Primavera and choose to store the information in a UDF (Primavera: User Defined Field) you have to use the Activity template´s name and not its ID.

• Code - If one of the 3 code types is selected, the Tilos Activity template library will be converted to a code in P6. There can be Project, EPS or Global codes. We recommend always using a Project code, unless the company has a global Activity template library created across all projects.

The Tilos Activity template reference became a code assignment in P6. If an item is added to the P6 library, then a new entry in the Tilos Activity template library is created. To get the newly created Activities in Tilos a corresponding appearance: Edit colors and shape attributes in the Activity Template library.  After the change of the Template, click the Adjust all assigned Activities button.

Sector Profile

Because P6 is no time distance planning software, we usually need to add 2 UDF data fields where we enter the Tilos distance coordinates.

Sectors in Tilos can be used to describe the sections of the distance axis. If a sector is assigned to an Activity in the Tab - Coordinates the Activity gets its distance coordinates from the coordinates of the sector assigned.

The conversion works similarly to templates. Use a UDF field or a code entry to get the sector assignment for the Activity on import to Tilos. This will set the distance coordinates. As Tilos can have multiple sector profiles, the UDF text field needs to be edited in the following way: UID of sector Profile, then a dot "." followed by the name of the profile line item (MyProfile.MySection).

If there is in P6 a code library describing sections along the distance axis, this can be used to simplify the work of adding distance values to the Activity.

The code must have 2 Levels:

• Level 1 - This is the Tilos sector profile containing the profile line entries.

• Level 2 - These are the profile line entries.

In Tilos, you will get from the situation above 2 sector profiles. After import, all distance start and distance end values are 0 and you need to edit them

Layers

Layers are used in Tilos to show or hide information. In the same way as Activity templates, layers can be exchanged with Tilos using a UDF or code library entries.

Filtering data

Export only used items

If this export option is set, then only used library items get exchanged. The collection is not reduced by the filter applied during export. It works on the not filtered data scope.

Filter (only for export)

For exporting data to Tilos, any Activity Filters can be applied to reduce the data scope for the export.

Filter data on import (only for import)

P6 always exports the whole project to XML without the ability to set a filter. To allow a simple filter you can specify a UDF and enter a value. Only text fields can be used for filtering.

In this case, activities are imported where the tag "TilosExchange" = "yes". This assumes that a UDF field is created in the P6 database. This field can be set manually or by using a global change command. If the filter is not set, all Activities in the XML file get imported.

Additional Field Mapping

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