Create a link to an existing Microsoft Project file

This topic describes how to create a link to an existing Microsoft Project file. If you are creating a link to a new Microsoft Project file, follow the instructions found in Microsoft Project Link.

Use DOVICO Timesheet's Microsoft Project Link to link project and task assignments created in Microsoft Project to DOVICO Timesheet. When a link is created, employees use DOVICO Timesheet to track time on the task assignments created in Microsoft Project. When time entries are submitted and approved, the actual hours worked are updated in Microsoft Project files.

Click here to see an overview of the information transferred using the Microsoft Project Link.

This topic describes the 3 fundamental steps required to setup and synchronize data from Microsoft Project to DOVICO Timesheet. Details on how to send time entries from DOVICO Timesheet to Microsoft Project are described in Send time to Microsoft Project.

STEP 1: Create a resource pool (list of employees) from the existing Microsoft Project plan.

STEP 2: Share the resources between both files using Microsoft Project.

STEP 3: Use DOVICO Timesheet to synchronize projects, employees and task assignments from the Microsoft Project file.

Prerequisite:

The Microsoft Project link requires ActiveX controls and therefore only web browsers capable of supporting Active X controls can be used to link Microsoft Project files to DOVICO Timesheet. The Mozilla Firefox browser does not support ActiveX (verified January 2008).

Notes:

DOVICO Timesheet can link with Microsoft Project 2007, Microsoft Project Server 2007, Microsoft Project 2003, Microsoft Project Server 2003, Microsoft Project 2002 and Microsoft Project Server 2002.
The Microsoft Project Link and the Microsoft Project Server Link cannot be used together on the same DOVICO Timesheet database.
Microsoft Project must be installed on the computer or workstation where the Microsoft Project Link option is used.
If the ActiveX control fails to load either due to the browser’s security settings or due to the browser’s ability, a message is displayed at the bottom of the view.

STEP 1: Create a Resource Pool

To prepare employee project and task assignment files used for time entry, you must first create a list of employees who will be assigned to those projects and tasks. The employee list is created using a resource pool in Microsoft Project. Resources (or employees) entered in the pool can be shared between all Microsoft Project projects. When a Microsoft Project resource pool is linked to DOVICO Timesheet, employees are automatically added to the DOVICO Timesheet database.

Warning: If an employee entered in the Resource Pool already exists in DOVICO Timesheet, that employee will be duplicated in DOVICO Timesheet the first time the link is created.

Start Microsoft Project.
Open the existing Microsoft Project file.
Select View, Resource Sheet.
Copy all rows within the Resource Sheet.
Open a new Microsoft Project file.
Select View, Resource Sheet.
Paste the resources into this new file. Resource names must include both a first and last name to be successfully imported into DOVICO Timesheet. Resource names should be entered as First Name then Last Name.
Save the new file (i.e. resources.mpp). If this resource pool file is to be shared, if should be saved on a network accessible to all managers using DOVICO Timesheet.

STEP 2: Share the resources between both files

Open both the existing project file and the newly created resource pool file.
Select the existing project file.
Select Tools, Resource Sharing, Share Resources.
Select the Use resources option and select the resource file (the same file opened in the previous step) from the drop-down list and click OK.
Now Save both Microsoft Project files.
Then exit Microsoft Project.

STEP 3: Create a link in DOVICO Timesheet

When a link is created:

The project (with an mpp extension) is added to the list of projects in DOVICO Timesheet. You can edit project information in DOVICO Timesheet without affecting the link or Microsoft Project files.
The employees are added to the list of employees in the DOVICO Timesheet database.
Tasks are not added to the list of tasks in DOVICO Timesheet. However, the tasks are displayed in the Project Assignments view and are available to employees entering time.

Exit Microsoft Project if it’s already running. This step is very important to ensure that the link is properly created.
Select Microsoft Project from the Integration section of the side navigation bar.
Select the Project Link tab.
Click the Add Resources button located below the Resource list box.

Note: If resources are already listed in the Resources list box, the label on this button will read Get Resources and clicking it will cause the resources list to be updated.

Locate and open the resource file.

Windows 2000, 2003 or XP
In the Look in box, use Network Neighborhood or My Network Places to find and open the resource file created in the previous steps. Do not use a Mapped Network Drive to locate the file. Using Network Neighborhood or My Network Places creates a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) and ensures that the file is accessible by everyone.

Windows Vista
Use Network to find and open the resource file. Do not use a Mapped Network Drive to locate the file.

Click Open.

The employees listed in the resource pool file are displayed in the Resource list and are added to the Project Assignment view's employee list.

Microsoft Project		DOVICO Timesheet
Resource first name		Employee first name
Resource last name		Employee last name
Resource email address (optional)		Employee email address

For each employee added, you will need to edit their User ID and Password information as random data is entered in these fields when a new employee is added from the resource pool. You will also need to modify the Software access field for each new employee as 'None' is selected by default. Use either the Project Assignment view's employee list or the Items List - Employees view to edit the information.

The employees have now been imported into DOVICO Timesheet. The next steps involve importing the Microsoft Project project file and its tasks assignments.
Click the Add Project button located below the Project list box.
In the Look in box, use Network Neighborhood or My Network Places to find and select the project file created in the previous steps. Do not use a Mapped Network Drive to locate the file. Using Network Neighborhood or My Network Places creates a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) and ensures that the file is accessible by everyone.

Click Open. The project, its tasks and assignments are added to DOVICO Timesheet. The project (with the mpp extension) and its tasks are displayed in the Project Assignments view. You cannot add or edit assignments using the Project Assignments view.

Microsoft Project		DOVICO Timesheet
Projects		Projects
Tasks		Tasks
Resource Assignments		Task Assignments
Work		Estimate hours
Assignment Start and Finish dates		Assignment Start and Finish dates
WBS code (optional)		WBS code

The project assignments are now created in DOVICO Timesheet and employee can begin tracking their time against this project.

Click here to learn how to send time from DOVICO Timesheet to the Microsoft Project file.

Notes:

If you edit a project plan file in Microsoft Project, you will need to re-synchronize by selecting the file from the Project List box and clicking Get Assignments.
If you rename or move the Microsoft Project file, the link will be broken and you will receive an error message when trying to send time. To repair a broken link, select the project from the Project List box and click the Change Link button to locate the file. Only one project should be selected from the Project List box before the Change Link button is used.