Create MS Project Explorer Option

The Create MS Project Explorer option enables you to transfer the details of a request, as well as its associated tasks and approvals to Microsoft Project.

You can export information relating to the request – the start date, end date and even dependencies. This option therefore enables you to use Microsoft Project to implement procedures such as scheduling or resource utilization analysis.

Integration between Microsoft Project and ASM Core is not simply limited to Microsoft Project. Integration is possible with any application that complies with ActiveX automation.

Before you start

For Microsoft Project integration to work properly, you may need to change your Internet Explorer security settings on the client machine. To change your settings:

• Open an Internet Explorer browser.
• Select Tools > Internet Options.
• Click the Security tab within the Tools menu.
• Click on the Local Intranet icon on the Security tab to select as the web content zone.
• Click Custom Level as your security zone. The Security Settings window appears.
• Scroll through the Settings box until you reach the heading “Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe”.
• For the set of options specified under this heading, select Prompt. This means that, whenever you initialize Microsoft Project, a dialog box will be displayed, asking you to confirm whether you would like to use ActiveX controls.
• You can select the Enable option instead. This will remove display of the dialog box. However, the Prompt option is recommended for security reasons
• Click OK to save your security settings.

If you access ASM Core over the Internet, you should also change your Internet Explorer settings. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 above and instead click the Internet icon to select as the web content zone. Continue with Steps 5 to 8 to implement your custom security settings.

ASM Core supports integration with Microsoft Project 2008 and its later versions.

 

1. Select the Take Action button on the Request Details window if necessary to allow you to work on the request.
2. In the Explorer pane, expand Data, then select Create MS Project.
3. You can also export request and task information into MS Project from the Requests Outstanding and Request Search windows.
4. The Microsoft Project application opens and displays all the information about the request, its associated phases and linked tasks.

Recursive links from the Reject branch of an approval task are considered when exporting to MS Project. All other recursive links in your workflow are not exported into MS Project; they are discarded.

 

The table below indicates which ASM Core Request and Task fields are exported to Microsoft Project and the equivalent name.

A number of these fields may be displayed in the Microsoft Project Task Information window, which can be accessed by double-clicking the icon for that particular task in the first column on the Microsoft Project application.

When exporting a request to Microsoft Project, the dates specified on the project file may differ from those on the ASM Core request. The request start date, end date and duration are calculated by Microsoft Project when the request is exported, rather than directly picked up by ASM Core. Furthermore, the task end date is automatically calculated by Microsoft Project based upon the task start time and task duration.

 

Request/Task field in ASM Core	Equivalent field in Microsoft Project
Request Title	Task Name
Request Manager	Task Resource
Request Created Date	Date 1
Target Date	End Date
Authorization Date	Start Date   If the Authorization Date field is null, the start date will be set to the Request Created Date
User	Notes
Organization	Notes
Location	Notes
Request Description	Notes
Request Ref	Notes
Request Type	Notes
Request Status	Notes
Request Priority	Notes
Request Risk	Notes
Request Current Phase	Notes
Task Order	Task Name
Task Title	Task Name
Task Type	Task Name
Task Description	Notes
Fwd/Assign to Analyst	Task Resource
Planned Start Date	Task Start Date
Planned Time	Task Duration (in hours)
Task State	% Complete If the task state is: Closed, Approved, Rejected or Closed Redundant, % Complete is 100%. Active, % Complete is 50%. Suspended or Inactive, % Complete is 0%.
Task Dependencies	Predecessors
Task Created Date	Date1
Task Phase	Text 1
Task Priority	Text2
Task Type	Text3
Task Entity Type	Text4
Task State	Text5
Task Status	Text6
Task Number	Number1
Phase Reference	Number2
Summary line (Phase Name)	Flag1 Flag1 is set to true. When you export task data to Microsoft Project, phases are converted to summary tasks. A summary task uses the start and end time of its child tasks to determine the total duration it spans.

Task End date is not imported into MS Project. It is automatically calculated by MS Project based upon the task start time and task duration.

Creating a project for multiple requests

You can generate an MS Project file for multiple requests.

1. Search for the requests that you want to use for creating the project. Requests that match your search criteria are displayed in the Results pane.
2. Select the button from the toolbar. The requests are displayed in MS Project. The following request fields are displayed:

Request/Task field in ASM Core	Equivalent field in Microsoft Project
Request No, Title	Task Name
Request Manager	Task Resource
Request Created Date	Date 1
Target Date	End Date
Authorization Date	Start Date If Authorization Date is NULL, start date will be set to request created date
User	Notes
Organization	Notes
Request Description	Notes
Request Ref	Notes
Request Type	Notes
Request Status	Notes
Request Priority	Notes
Request Risk	Notes
Request Current Phase	Notes

 

Internet Explorer Settings

For MS Project integration to work properly, you may also need to change some Internet Explorer settings on the client machine.

1. Click on the Tools Menu and select Internet Options.
2. Go to the Security tab.
3. Click on the Local Intranet icon.
4. Click Custom Level.
5. Scroll through the settings box to the option "Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe"
6. Select the Prompt option. This will popup a confirm dialog box whenever MS Project is initialized (selecting Enable will remove the dialog but having the dialog is recommended for security reasons).
7. Click OK.

If accessing ASM over the Internet, click on the Internet icon and repeat steps 4 - 7.