Transferring project data to and from Microsoft Project

The Replicon add-in for Microsoft Project allows you to transfer projects and time between Microsoft Project and Replicon. Once installed, the add-in is available directly within Microsoft Project.

You can download the lastest version of the add-in from here:

About the transfer workflow

The overall process for transferring data is as follows:

  1. The project manager creates a project in Microsoft Project, including defining tasks and assigning resources.
  2. The project manager syncs the project with Replicon. During the first sync, the project is automatically created in Replicon and the following is transferred:
      • Project details, including start/end dates and estimates
      • Tasks and their details
      • Resource task assignments
      • Placeholder task assignments (for customers using RepliconPSM or RepliconPPM)

Allocations are not transferred when syncing.

  1. The project manager continues to manage the project in Microsoft Project.

Changes to the project, tasks, and assignments should only be made in Microsoft Project. Any changes made in Replicon will be overwritten during subsequent syncs.

  1. Project resources enter time against the project in Replicon and the time is approved.
  2. On a regular basis, the project manager re-syncs the project. During each sync:
      • The approved time is transferred to Microsoft Project as actuals
      • Any changes to the project, tasks, or assignments are transferred to Replicon
  1. The project manager views the actuals in Microsoft Project to track project progress.

What data is transferred? What fields will data display in?

When syncing your projects, data from Microsoft Project fields is transferred to fields in Replicon. The default field mappings are listed below. Each Replicon field can only be mapped to one Microsoft Project field.

Additional field mappings can be created to meet your custom requirements. Ask your administrator to contact Replicon for additional mappings.

Transferring projects from Microsoft Project to Replicon

The following fields are copied when transferring a project to Replicon. The person doing the transfer will be set as the Project Manager.

Microsoft Project field

Replicon field

File name (eg Office Move.mpp)

Name

Comments

Description

Start

Start Date

Finish

End Date

Duration

Estimated Hours

Transferring tasks from Microsoft Project to Replicon

The following fields are copied for the tasks included in the project. All tasks are set to allow time entry in Replicon.

Microsoft Project field

Replicon field

Name

Name

Start

Start Date

Finish

End Date

Notes

Description

Duration

Estimated Hours

Inactive

Closed

Transferring assignments from Microsoft Project to Replicon

If a resource or placeholder is assigned to the project in Microsoft Project, they will be added as a team member in Replicon. Team members are assigned the project rate by default.

In addition, all of the resource and placeholder task assignments are copied to Replicon. (Placeholders only apply for those using RepliconPSM or RepliconPPM.)

Resources are only transferred if there is a matching user in Replicon. Placeholders are only transferred if there is a matching Project Role in Replicon. Be sure to spell your resources and placeholders with the same names as the corresponding users and roles in Replicon.

Transferring time from Replicon to Microsoft Project

Only approved time is transferred from Replicon to Microsoft Project. The following fields are set when the time is transferred.

Replicon field

Microsoft Project field

Sum of approved hours for each task

Actual Work

Actual Time Entry Start Date1

Actual Start

Actual Time Entry End Date1

Actual Finish

1 These fields are available in Replicon’s project-related reports. They indicate the date of the first and last time entry against the project/task.

FAQs

What versions of Microsoft Project are supported?

The Replicon add-in works with the following versions of Microsoft Project:

  • Microsoft Project Pro for Office 365
  • Microsoft Project Standard 2013 and 2010
  • Microsoft Project Professional 2013 and 2010
  • Microsoft Project Server 2016, 2013, and 2010

The add-in is compatible with both 32- and 64-bit versions of the above.

How does the add-in work with Project Server?

The add-in will only sync the local data; it does not transfer any data directly to or from the Project server. To use the add-in with Microsoft Project Server, open your project and sync it with the server as needed. Then launch the add-in and sync to Replicon.

Do I have to enter durations in hours in Microsoft Project?

You can enter the Duration in days and it will automatically be converted to hours when transferred to the Estimated Hours fields in Replicon. The conversion assumes 8 hours per day. For example, 2 days in Microsoft Project is converted to 16 hours in Replicon.

How can I view the time in Microsoft Project?

If you have entered time in Replicon and synced the project, add the Actual Work column in Microsoft Project to see the total time entered for each task.

Where do I enter Comments for the project?

The Comments field in Microsoft Project is transferred to the project’s Description field in Replicon. To set the Comments field for the project:

  1. Open the project and click the File tab in the toolbar.
  2. On the right-hand side, click the Project Information drop-down and select Advanced Properties.

  1. Enter the Comments in the dialog that opens.

Will new resources be automatically created in Replicon?

The add-in will only transfer resource assignments if those resources already exist as users in Replicon. If you have added new resources in Microsoft Project, you must create them as users in Replicon before syncing your project. Otherwise, the sync will complete with errors.

Who can use the add-in? How do my permissions impact the sync process?

If you are set up as a Project Manager in Replicon, you can use the add-in. However, in order to transfer data to or from Replicon, you must have access to add or edit that same data directly in Replicon. For example, to transfer Duration as the task estimate, you must have permission to set estimates when manually creating projects in Replicon. If you don’t have access to one of the fields that is transferred, an error will be logged during the sync.

Related links

Installing the Microsoft Project add-in
Syncing a project with Microsoft Project
Troubleshooting Microsoft Project sync errors
Integrating with Replicon
Troubleshooting the replicon add in for Microsoft Project
Using data import to mass add, update, and delete data