PLANTA Project Interface to MSP

 

Overview

 

Built around a database, PLANTA Project is a high performance multi-project management system which can also be used for rapid and simple planning of individual projects. Where it is desired to use both MS Project and PLANTA Project, the two systems can be integrated with the help of the optional component PLANTA-MSP Link.

 

Experience shows that companies make use of various project management systems. To achieve company-wide project management in spite of this often requires that the various systems are integrated or exchange data.

 

In numerous organizations, MS Project is already established for the purpose of generating local date objectives for individual projects. In order to effect uniform date tracking, resource management, cost control or to make cross-project analyses, professional multi-project management systems such as PLANTA Project are used.

 

Your advantages

 

·         Integration and use of existing project management software

·         Use of the respective strengths of MS Project and PLANTA Project

·         Organization-wide planning of dates, resources and costs, including where different project management systems are used

·         Flexible forwarding of project information

 

Notes on the integration

 

PLANTA Project and MS Project are based on different project management philosophies. As a result, when both systems are being used certain restrictions must be observed. The most important differences are:

·         Duration: MS Project permits durations of less than 1 day. However, as this is the smallest unit in PLANTA Project, when the systems are integrated the shortest duration must be a day.

·         Structure of the tasks in a project: In MS project there can be up to 12 levels, in PLANTA Project there is no restriction.

·         Links to tasks in other projects

·         Multiple links between the tasks

·         Maximum conditions for links

 

Scenarios

 

To permit an exchange of data between PLANTA Project and MS Project, various scenarios can be implemented using PLANTA-MSP Link.

 

Scenario 1:

Project data is copied from MS Project to PLANTA Project, to permit the generation of summaries of the dates for projects and tasks, for use by management in monitoring dates and progress. The display takes the form of barcharts, which reflect the hierarchical structure of the projects. There is no need for rescheduling in PLANTA Project.

·         To effect this, the MS Project users export their project data to PLANTA Project. There is no need for any feedback of the data to MS Project.

·         Because PLANTA Project utilizes more comprehensive planning strategies, any replanning may produce different results. The dates calculated by MS Project are retained for comparison purposes.

 

Scenario 2:

The project data is copied from PLANTA Project to MS Project, where it is broken down into sub-projects corresponding to the different execution phases. This procedure is encountered particularly where the projects are complex.

·         For this purpose, the PLANTA Project users export their project data to MS Project. There is no need for any feedback of the data to PLANTA Project.

·         Scenarios 1 and 2 do not permit any cyclic interchange of data. Any changes will be lost when the data is fed back.

 

Scenario 3:

The project data is copied from the operating level in MS Project to the strategic level in PLANTA Project, from where it is fed back to MS Project in order to update the project data there. A cyclic exchange of data takes place until the project comes to an end.  

·         MS Project users and PLANTA Project users can export and make use of the project data.

·         The project data which can be exchanged between MS Project and PLANTA Project comprises the data about the project, tasks, task texts, resource assignments and links. Calendars and resource availabilities are not exchanged.

It is not possible to exchange the project data in its entirety because, although it is possible to adapt PLANTA Project so that all the MS Project fields are supported, MS Project does not support all the fields required for the enhanced functionality of PLANTA Project.