Microsoft Project Connector Manual - Amazon S3Project... · 2015-09-21 · Microsoft Project...

Microsoft Project Connector Manual 2013

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Microsoft Project Connector For Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013

Produced and Distributed by: Cost Control Software, Inc. 12409 Old Meridian Street

Carmel, IN 46032

Phone: (317) 846-6025



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Table of Contents

Application Description…………………………………. 3

Installation………………………………………………….. 6

Setup…………………..…………………………………….. 7

Workflow…………………….………………………………..11

Support………………………………………………………. 33



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Application Description

Objectives “Project Connector for Job Manager” is designed to transfer scheduling data from “Job Manager” for Dynamics NAV (formally Navision) to Microsoft Project. Project Connector uses Automation, the RIM Tool, and Excel Maps to transfer “Scheduling” information to and from MS Project. A Preview Journal is populated in Navision with the desired data to be sent to MS Project. Upon the user’s approval, a “Create Project” button is pushed and the entire Project is created automatically in MS Project. From within MS Project the user can change time scales or filters, Print, Change Start or Finish Dates, re-assign resources, View Graphs, Level Tasks, and more. Optionally, the user can return any schedule changes made in Project back to the Preview Journal in Navision. If approved, the revisions to the schedule can be updated to the Job Schedule in Job Manager for Navision. This tool is designed to help you plan the future. You can not plan the past. FEATURES: Build a “Preview” of the data to be exported to Project. Create Project(s) directly for Navision. Within Project: Edit Plan, Print Plan, “Level” Over Allocations, Move Tasks, View Progress (Hours, Costs, Percent Complete), View Charts and Calendars,… Optional: (Back to Navision) Upon Completion of changes; Run your Macro to freeze schedule change and generate an XLS Data Set for sending results back to Navision. From Navision, pull the revised schedule (Job.XLS) into the “Preview” Window for review, edit, or printing.



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Upon approval of any changes, “Update” the Job’s Router Lines with any Resource changes or Date changes that were made in Project. BENEFITS: View ALL Jobs, not just a single Job The “Graphical” nature of Project Replace your scheduling “white board” or “magnet board” Auto Leveling enabled by Project Examples of businesses that could use Project Connector are: Industrial Equipment Manufactures Research and Development Firms Service Businesses Machine Shops Tool and Die Shops Metal Fabrication Shops Maintenance and Repairs Custom Packaging Electronic Assemblers Vehicle Converters Audio Visual Projects Subcontractors Niche Product Manufactures Water and salt delivery services Lawn Care Services Equipment Refurbishing Swimming pool service companies Trash pickup services Remanufactures Custom Manufacturing Project Costing and Tracking And many more.



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Installation

Install Instructions for Microsoft Project Connector:

1) Download Objects from either our FTP site or from an email.

2) Unzip the downloaded objects.

3) Create and Open your target NAV database. (Provided by your NAV Reseller)

4) You can import any object in the 14 million and/or 37 million range with no conflict. For Objects in the NAV Object Range, decisions need to be made. If the Database is “unmodified” then you can just import our FOBs. If the Database is “modified”, then you will hand integrate the FOBs. (Cost Control does provide an integration service if you prefer to have someone else do the hand integration.)

5) If you ordered a “Database”: we will send FOBs and a Company Backup too. The Company Backup will contain 2 Companies: - The first company is the CRONUS company that we used for testing. This company is also good for your “Practice” and “Learning” as it has practice data installed. - The second Company is our enhanced RapidStart Company. The RapidStart Company will have most of the setup finished for you. Just re-name the RapidStart Company to “Your Company Inc.” (your real name), add your Customers, Vendors and Items. Start using NAV.

Always feel free to contact us with questions: (317)846-6025



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Menu Suite 1060 Change:

Added Job Project Connector to Navigation Pane Home on Job Manager Role Center



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Continued edit to Job Manager 1060 Menu Suite……

Now Project Connector Setup will appear on the Departments – Jobs menu

From Project Connector Setup Add a Template MSP_EXPORT (see more below)

Use CreateGroup

for folder then

CreateItem for Page

Page 14004502



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After setting up the Template, you need to setup Batch Names (see DEFAULT below)

Click OK to save changes



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The Job Project Connector is also delivered with a Job Project Profile.

Import this Profile into your database.

Select Import Profile. Select the Job Project Connector Profile.xml file NAV will just import, no messages. Now go to Lists…. Profiles (see able in the Departments menu) And look for the new JOBPROJECT PROFILE

It is possible to import a Profile that is

also flagged as the “Default” Role

center.

It is important that NAV only

have one default role center,

so it is important that you

remove all default role centers

checks except one.

Leave the JOBPROJECT profile set as

the default or assign it to a user. If

JOBPROJECT becomes the default

role center, uncheck the

JOBMANAGER role center as default.



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Setup: 1. Setup Templates as shown below: MSP Preview Journal Template Setup: The Templates can represent the “type” of data that is being worked with or the particular department using the connector. Even though the processes are the same the Templates can separate the type of information being analyzed. Navigation Pane: Jobs, Setup, MS Preview Templates.

MSP Preview Journal Batch Name Setup: (Setup access from Template button) The Batch Name should represent the person doing the work. The batch name will allow for several users to use the connector without interfering with another user’s process. Selecting the Batch: Use the lookup for the Batch Name. Make sure that you have a path on your computer that corresponds to the data that you see in the batch name table or change the path to correspond to your computer configuration.



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Automation Drivers within Objects: If you get an automation error or you find that the objects will not compile due to an automation driver not finding the control within you computer system. It is possible that you may be on a different version of Microsoft Project or Microsoft Excel. In some cases this will require you to change the Automation drivers within the Microsoft Project connector. Please contact your supporting solution provider to assist you. If you have access to the code area of Object 14004501 you can follow along below to understand how Microsoft – NAV creates an interface to an outside resource. For example below you will see that xlapp2 (4th line) is being setup exactly like XlApp (1st line). First the line is designated as an Automation DataType. Doing a lookup from the Subtype field will bring you to the Automation Object List. Next you do a lookup on the Automation Server.



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Once you select the available version of the External Program Source (Automation Server) you will be presented with the available classes. Selecting the class and then OK will put the “Automation Server name.class” value in the Subtype column.



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Workflow This section will discuss the typical “workflow” and “how to use” the Project Connector. Concept: Project is a Task Scheduler. Project can have Templates and Maps for Import & Export. Project is great at displaying Date Sensitive info in a Gantt chart. Project is great a printing the Gantt representation of the data. Project can optionally display and calculate other data: Estimated Cost, Actual cost, Contract Amounts, Resources Assigned, loads, and more. Mission: Transfer a “Snapshot” of the Job Schedule to Project. Enable the Planner to View the Plan. Enable the Planner to Adjust the Plan with a Drag & Drop Format. Optional: Transfer the “Revised Date Schedule” back to Navision into a “Preview” Screen. Upon approval of the changes, “Update the Job Schedule on Router Lines and Job Header”.

Error Handling: After running the Job Update, click on the MSP Preview Journal. The lines that were successfully updated will go away. Lines that remain are “problem” lines. Something about the line caused the system to not update. IE: A step was deleted in Navision while the schedule had the snapshot. So, the update has no place to post the date values so the values will stay in the MSP Preview Journal.



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There will be a new Form: “MSP Preview Worksheet” (Tabular F14004501). This form is the CORE of the process. You will pull into this form the data you want to send to project. You will also use this form to review the data returned from Project before it is updated to the Jobs.



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Sample Export Mapping:

NEW as of NAV version 7.0 (NAV 2013) you don’t have to map the import. You can simply save the Microsoft Project Chart as a (.mpp) file and execute the import



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Sample Import Mapping: (MSP to NAV) Note: Creating an Import Map is ONLY needed when you plan to save the Microsoft Project Chart as an Excel (.xls) file. Note: With Office 2010 the “First Data Row” for the import is on line 2 as the excel file will now contain a header row.



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Workflow Steps - Summary:

1. Function “Get Job Data” – Pull Job Manager’s Job Data into the Preview Journal.

2. Function “Create New MS Project” – Automatically create a Microsoft Project. If you get an error then you may have problem data or a problem map. If you are using the demo Job Manager Database then your data and map should be setup and ready to run without a problem.

3. Work with the data in Microsoft Project. (Training and Support on MS Project will be handled by your MS Project vendor)

4. In MS Project you can optional “Save” the Project for later review and editing, but it is not necessary. The primary flow of data will be from NAV to Project, so you will be re-generating new MS Projects each time you export. (It is not “update” project, it is create a NEW project.)

5. In Project (File, Save as) the MPP to a XLS format, saving changed Dates and Resources. You can simplify this process by creating a Macro in Project to save the project to the “Job.xls”. (****See instructions later in manual.****)

Example: Save as: C:\MS_Project\Job.xls We recommend you just always use this name and replace it each time you save back to “Job Manager”.

6. (Optional) Function, “Open Excel Import Worksheet” – Enables you to view

the raw data stored in the incoming XLS file.

7. (Optional) Function, “Import Excel Import Worksheet” The function brings in the Project date into the MSP Preview Journal from the JOB.XLS file.

8. (Optional) Function, “Update Job Schedule” – This process updates the Job(s) with any new data from MS Project.



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Typical Workflow: From the MS Project Connector menu, the desired Template and Batch will need to be selected. Use the “Get Job Data” function to populate the Preview Worksheet. All or selected ranges. Use “Create MS Project” from Preview Window. The user now has a complete Gantt Chart of the Job(s) Schedule. The user can edit the Start or Finish Dates of any Task in Project. (Not at Job Level) We recommend you only change dates on specific tasks (Welding, Painting,..), not at the Job or Project level. The Job and Project Dates will respond to adjustments on the task level. The user may also re-assign a different resource. At this time we only support 1 resource per Router Line. MPP enables multiple, but we have no way of writing them back. If changes need to be sent back to Navision, an Export File will be created. Its own MAP will be pre-defined and saved globally. (MSPToNAVISION) See MAP Definition below. I suggest you also create a MACRO to Run the Export! From MPP a new XLS will be created with the revised Project Data. (Replace the existing) A new NAV Map will be created that reads the Export XLS from MPP. (see above definition) The “Data” will be pulled into the “Preview” Table. The Data can be reviewed for accuracy and printed if needed. All or Selected Lines will be used to “Update” the Job’s Router Lines. The following explains how the Job Router lines are updated: Dates : If either the Step Start date or the Step Finish date are changed the

router dates will be changes.



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Resource: If the Step Resource is changed than the new Resource will be put on the router line. The change of Resource will not change the original estimated cost. The Resource Load detail will be changed to reflect the new Resource.

Hours : If the duration (Hours) of the step has changed the job update will reallocate the Resource load hours with the new hours. The Setup time, Run time and the Total Est. Router Hours will not change.

If errors are found during the update, (ie: Router line no longer exists, or Router line has been flagged as finished) then the Journal Line will remain in the journal table. You will need to manually delete the lines as needed. The Journal Lines that have successfully updated the router will be removed and will disappear once you click back onto the Journal. Usually all lines will clear to indicate a successful update has been completed.



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Creating Microsoft Project xls format. After you have edited any Start or Finish Dates in Project, you may want to return those changes to “Job Manager” for Dynamics NAV. To do this you just save the Project in an “XLS” format, then form “Job Manager” import the raw data stored in the XLS. Project provides a Wizard to speed up the process of creating the desired XLS format. Let’s walk through the Wizard to map to the xls format. Step 1: File, Save As, “job.xls” (Save to your c:\MS-Project folder)

Since you are constantly using the same file name (job.xls) you will need to replace the old XLS with this new XLS.



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Step 2: The Export Wizard will automatically launch.

Use “Selected Data” as shown above.



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Step 3: Create the New Map. (Or Edit your existing map)

Step X: Select the type of data you want to export. (Always just Tasks!)

With Office 2012 you need to select the Export includes headers option. (above)



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Step XX: Define what fields from MS Project we want to move to the XLS form.

See entire list below.



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Complete map list:

MSPtoNavision Map Definition Worksheet Name = MSP_EXPORT

(save in xls format) (returns to MSP Preview Jnl)

MSP Columns Navision Field Names Text4 Project Template Code Text5 Project Batch Name Unique ID Entry No. Text1 Job No. Text2 Master Job No. Text3 Job Task No. Name Task Description Outline Level Outline Level Start Start Date Text Finish Finish Date Text Resource Names Step Resource No. Duration Est Work Hrs from MSP

Step XXX: Save your Map Definition as “MSP to NAVISION”. I recommend the upper case to make it stand out on the list of Maps.



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We recommend you SAVE your export Map for future use. It will be saved in the Global Project Files for future use.

Save Map

Click Finish



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Step X: Finish. This option will create the XLS transfer file. If it exists from a previous generation, just do a replace.

You can also expedite the export workflow by creating a Macro to save the project in the xls format.

Start the Recorder and do the File “Save As” but shorten the steps by selecting the template you just made.



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When you get to this Wizard form change it to “Use existing map”

Save the Macro with a name such as “MSP to NAV”. Next time just “Run” the macro. This will remember all your key storkes and create the XLS transfer file.



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MS Project Connector Q&A Question: How do I add other specific fields to the MS Project Connector (export). Answer : There are three(3) steps.

1. First add the fields to the MSP Preview Worksheet table # 14004500 called “MS Project Preview Lines”

You should also “design” the new fields onto the MSP Preview Worksheet to see

the results of Step #2. Also Copy and Paste the same two fields into the Mapping table # 14004504



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2. Next edit the code inside the processing report that collects the data from the jobs for the MSP Preview Worksheet. This is Report # 14004500 called “Generate MSP Data”

I have indicated adding the Task Description field but you will find that the Task Description is already coming into a field called Project Task Name. If you want the Job.”Salesperson Code” to show up on every task line then you will need to place the code on the Phase and Task sections. Code in Master Job Section: MSPDataT."Outline Level" := 1; MSPDataT."Project Level Code" := 'MASTERJOB'; MSPDataT."Project Task Name" := COPYSTR(Job.Description,1,30); //MSP1.3 MSPDataT."Start Date Text" := FORMAT(Job."Starting Date"); MSPDataT."Finish Date Text" := FORMAT(Job."Ending Date"); MSPDataT.Duration := Job."Work Days to Produce" + 1; //MCS MSPDataT."Salesperson Code" := Job."Salesperson Code"; // Code in Sub Job Section: MSPDataT."Outline Level" := 2; //<-- 2 = Sub job MSPDataT."Project Level Code" := 'SUBJOB';



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MSPDataT."Project Task Name" := COPYSTR(SubJobT."Description 2",1,30); //MPS4SP2.2 MSPDataT."Start Date Text" := FORMAT(SubJobT."Starting Date"); MSPDataT."Finish Date Text" := FORMAT(SubJobT."Ending Date"); MSPDataT.Duration := SubJobT."Work Days to Produce" + 1; //MCS MSPDataT."Salesperson Code" := SubJobT."Salesperson Code"; // Code in Phase Section: MSPDataT."Outline Level" := 3; //<-- 3 = Phase Line MSPDataT."Project Level Code" := 'PHASE'; MSPDataT."Project Task Name" := COPYSTR(JobSpecificRTPhase."Phase Description",1,30); //MSP1.3 //<-- ?? MSPDataT."Start Date Text" := FORMAT(JobSpecificRTPhase."Start Date"); //<-- may not be this easy MSPDataT."Finish Date Text" := FORMAT(JobSpecificRTPhase."Step Finish Date"); //<-- may not be this easy MSPDataT.Duration := JobSpecificRTPhase."Working Days" + 1; //MCS MSPDataT."Salesperson Code" := SubJobT."Salesperson Code"; // Code in Task Section: MSPDataT."Outline Level" := 4; //<-- 4 = Task Line MSPDataT."Project Level Code" := 'TASK'; MSPDataT."Project Task Name" := COPYSTR(JobSpecificRTPhase."Task Description",1,30); //MSP1.3 //<-- ?? MSPDataT."Start Date Text" := FORMAT(JobSpecificRTPhase."Start Date"); //<-- may not be this easy MSPDataT."Finish Date Text" := FORMAT(JobSpecificRTPhase."Step Finish Date"); //<-- may not be this easy MSPDataT."Step Resource No." := JobSpecificRTPhase."Step Resource No."; //MCS MSPDataT."Salesperson Code" := SubJobT."Salesperson Code"; MSPDataT."Task Description" := JobSpecificRTPhase."Task Description";



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IMPORTANT: There are two places in the code for each occurrence that you see above. See the results of Step #2.

3. Next Map the new field(s) in the Export Mapping setup from the MSP

Preview Worksheet :

Add the field(s) that you wish to move to MS Project. Set the value to Text 8. Text 8 is a particular field name in MS Project.



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You can now create the MS Project. Once in Project, Click on the Title bar and right click to add a column. And select Text8.



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See results:



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Support

Congratulations on your purchase of Microsoft Project Connector! We couldn’t be more thrilled for you. Soon, you will be on your way to enjoying and utilizing the features and functionality of this product.

On behalf of NAV Software, NAV Solution Centers and NAV Service Providers, we thank you for your business. Most importantly, Cost Control Software sincerely appreciates your trust in our products.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding our product, we encourage you to contact your local NAV Solution Center (NSC). Please also contact your NSC if you are considering modifications or seeking new software functionality.

Cost Control Software provides many add-on products that may be just the solution you were looking for. Your NSC can provide you with our complete list of add-ons. You may also check out our website to see available add-on products as well.

Visit: www.costcontrolsoftware.com for more information.

Produced and Distributed by:

Cost Control Software, Inc.

15443 Oak Road

Carmel, IN 46033

Phone: (317) 846-6025

http://www.costcontrolsoftware.com/

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