prim18777:What is Project Link?

Overview

The Microsoft Project Plugin allows users to use Microsoft Project (MSP) as their daily tool to status projectsand at the same time allow the data to appear in project manager.It also allows them to use the resource pool from project manager.Project Manager users can see but not make changes to projects managed in MSP.

For installation instructions, please see:

Solution PRIM20373:  How to install Project Link

Details:

The project toolbar will be added to MSP and contains options to Open from Primavera, Save to Primavera and Access Resources from primavera.Users will also be able to logout and set some options.Here is a screen shot of the new toolbar.

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When first accessing the Enterprise database the user will be prompted to login to Project Manager:

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When selecting Open from Primavera users will see only MSP managed projects they have access to.

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When saving to primavera, if the project is new,the user will choose an EPS to save the project under.A template can be selected containing the import options the user wishes to use.We will not honor the Activity/Task ID settings, schedule after import, export notebooks. When saving an existing project, the EPS node will be grayed out.

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Restrictions:

Projects must be saved locally in MPP format before sending to primavera, and if the project is open in PM, we cannot save the project.The user must have rights to import global data and must have rights to the EPS Node the project is under.Only one user can check-in/check-out a project at a time.Most items will be read only in Project Manager.  WPs/Docs and Codes are the only items that can be changed in Project Manager.

Project Management

A new flag visible in the projects view displays whether a project is PM managed or MSP managed.You can change from MSP to PM managed but can never go back.For MSP managed projects the MPP file is stored as blob in DB.It uses the work location (where the project was saved to locally), the Project ID and the Project GUID to match projects when saving changes.

When checking out a project, the user and date are stored.When saving MSP managed projects we will use the MSP task ids as the Activity ID in Project Manager so that we can match the following activity level items: Global Activity codes, activity WPs & Docs, Project Codes, and Project WPS and Docs.These assignments will not be removed during the save.WBS will be matched on WBS Code and Parent WBS

Security

Privileges needed to access MSP Managed project in PM:

Global:Edit Global Activity Codes, Edit Project and Resource Codes

Project:Edit project details except financials, edit project work products and docs, edit project WBS except financials, add/edit project activities except relationships, edit project activity codes, edit EPS except financials (to edit WP and Docs at WBS level)

Privileges needed to import/ check in MSP managed project via the plug-in:

Global:Import Global Information

Project:Create project within EPS, Checkin/Checkout project

Privileges needed to open an MSP managed project via the plug-in:

Global and project: View Only

Privileges needed to add Resources via the plug-in: Global:Edit Resources

Version 4.1:
To use Project Link, there must be a Team Member license assigned in Admin/Users/Licensing tab within Project Manager (as shown below).

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To find out if there is a license for Team Member, go to Help/About/System in Project Manager and scroll down to the “License” section.  You must have a “Timesheet Entry” license.  This will enable you to select “Team Member” in the Licensing tab within Project Manager. 

Ex:  Timesheet Entry NU(10), CU(0), No Expiration Date

If there is not a license for Team Member (Timesheet Entry) the following error will be displayed:  “Team Member – Total Named Uses exceed Licensed maximum users.”

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