External Scheduling Interface (tppss2231m000)

Use this session to export a project to an external scheduling package, such as Microsoft Project, using an XML file and to import the scheduling information back to LN (after optimizing the project planning in the external scheduling package).

  • You can set the parameters for the external scheduling interface using the Project Planning Parameters (tppss0100s000) session.
  • You can import or export multiple projects from or to an external scheduling package. The equipment availability type also can be exported or imported.
  • Network planning results like the earliest and latest start and finish dates and the free and total float time can also be included in the XML file during the Import or Export process.
  • You can only export the calendars defined in the Calendars for External Packages (tcccp0181m000), Employees (tccom0501m000), Trade Groups (tppdm0530m000) and the Equipment (tppdm0112s000) sessions.
Note: The values in the Activity Code Custom Field Text, Activity Description Custom Field Text, and Activity Primary Key Custom Field Text field must be different.
Note: You can view the fields in the Options tab and the Selection tab only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

Field Information

Selection
Action
Export/Import

The direction of flow of the XML files.

Allowed values

  • Import: The XML file is imported.
  • Export: The XML file is exported.
Selection
Selection

Indicate whether a single project or multiple projects must be imported from/ exported to an external scheduling package.

Allowed values

  • Single Project: You can import or export only a single project from or to the external scheduling package.
  • Multiple Projects: You can import or export multiple projects to an external scheduling package simultaneously. Note: This option is enabled only if the Multiple Import/Export check box is selected in the Project Selection (tppss2140m000) session.
Note: 

You can link only one project to an XML file.

Infor LN sets this field to Single Project, if the Multiple Import/Export check box is cleared in the Project Selection (tppss2140m000) session.

Export
Project

The code that uniquely identifies the project.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Export.
Description

The description or name of the code.

Connection Node

The activity or node of the Infor LN Project that must be connected to the activity or node of a project in the external scheduling package. If you link a complete project in Infor LN to a project in the external scheduling package, this node is not specified.

For example, if a project planner manages all the engineering activities in the office and another planner manages all the onsite construction activities. You can split the project accordingly and each planner can control their respective responsibilities to optimize the project. The application also allows each planner to use a different external scheduling package.

Note: 

To select an activity as the connection node, these are the constraints:

  • The child activity of a project cannot be selected as the connection node, if the related higher level or lower level activity is selected as the connection node by another planner in the external scheduling package.
  • No two planners can use the same connection node.
  • The selected connection node cannot be a milestone.
Use Specific Server Location

If this check box is selected, you must specify a specific location of the server where the XML file is exported.

Specific Server Location

The specific location on the server where the XML file is exported.

Note: 
  • This field is enabled only if the Use Specific Server Location check box is selected.
  • When this value is specified, Infor LN replaces the Repository Location specified in the Project Planning Parameters (tppss0100s000) session with this value.
XML path

The path of the XML file that is exported. This field is displayed based on the type of user interface that is used.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import.
XML file

The name of the XML file that is exported.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import.
Start Application

If this check box is selected, LN starts the external schedule package application, after the XML has been created. This field is displayed based on the type of user interface that is used.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Export.
Application

Starts the external schedule package application. This field is displayed based on the type of user interface that is used

Note: This field is enabled only if the Start Application check box is selected and if the Export/Import field is set to Export.
Import
Project

The code that uniquely identifies the project.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import.
Description

The description or name of the code.

Use Specific Server Location

If this check box is selected, you must specify a specific location of the server where the XML file is imported.

Specific Server Location

The specific location on the server where the XML file is imported.

Note: 
  • This field is enabled only if the Use Specific Server Location check box is selected.
  • When this value is specified, Infor LN replaces the Repository Location specified in the Project Planning Parameters (tppss0100s000) session with this value.
XML path

The path of the XML file that is exported. This field is displayed based on the type of user interface that is used.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import.
XML file

The name of the XML file that is exported.

Note: This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import.
Project Number Group

The number group of the project. This is a display field.

Series

The first free numbers of the project linked to the imported XML file.

Note: 
  • This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import and the Selection field is set to Single Project.
  • You must specify the project series in this field when a new project must be created in Infor LN based on the data from the XML file.
  • The data of the series, for the project, is defaulted based on the user profile.

However, the application does not support all possible scenarios. For example, the series or task codes in a XML file can be more than the 16 characters but the file cannot be successfully imported. This is because LN limits the number of characters that can be used for a series code to 16 characters.

Project Management Office

The project management office to be used when a new project is created in LN.

Description

The description or name of the code.

Enterprise Unit

The enterprise unit of the project linked to the imported XML file.

Note: 

This field is enabled only if the Export/Import field is set to Import.

You must specify the enterprise unit in this field when a new project must be created.

Planning
Regenerate XML file

If this check box is selected, LN regenerates the XML file.

Note: 

Information entered in an External Scheduling Package and stored in an XML file but not stored in LN could be lost.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

This field is enabled only if the Action field is set to Export.

Use LN Calendars

If this check box is selected, Infor LN calendar data is exported to the external scheduling interface and you can perform the planning using the calendars in the external scheduling package (ESP). It is recommended to use this option, since Infor LN uses these calendars as well.

If this check box is cleared, Infor LN calendar data is not exported to the external scheduling interface. Effectively, the size of the calendar data in the exported XML file is reduced. Planning date and the duration are scheduled in the external scheduling package (ESP), based on the external scheduling package (ESP) calendar.

Note: 

By default, this check box is selected.

This field is enabled only if the Regenerate XML file check box is selected.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

Calendar

The code of the calendar that you want to make available to external scheduling packages.

Note: 

Infor LN defaults this value from the following sessions based on this priority sequence:

  • The calendar code and availability type specified for the Enterprise Unit in the Project (tppdm6600m400) session.
  • Addresses (tccom4530m000)
  • Companies (tcemm1170m000).
Description

The description or name of the code.

Availability Type

The default availability type that the external scheduling package uses.

Note: This value is defaulted from the Calendar Parameters (tcccp0100m000) session.
Description

The description or name of the code.

Procedure
Show Warnings

If this check box is selected, LN displays warning messages when there is an error in executing the integration the process.

Status

The status of the XML file when you import/ export to an integration external schedule package.

Status

The description of the status.

Options
Transfer Resource
Material

If this check box is selected, LN exports the material cost objects (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Note: This field affects the performance of the CPU and the database growth if several resources are transferred.
Labor

If this check box is selected, LN exports the labor cost objects (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Employees

If this check box is selected, LN exports only the employee labor cost objects (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Trade Group

If this check box is selected, LN exports only the trade group labor cost objects (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Labor Cost Object

If this check box is selected, LN exports all labor cost objects (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Equipment

If this check box is selected, LN exports the equipment cost objects (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Subcontracting

If this check box is selected, LN exports the subcontracting cost (including price, hours and quantity) of the project to an external schedule package.

Sundry Cost

If this check box is selected, LN exports the sundry costs of the project to an external schedule package.

Transfer Assignment
Material

The assignment level of material cost objects (resources) exported to the activities/budget lines (tasks) of the external schedule package.

Allowed values

Resource - Sub Task

Budget lines are transferred to the ESP and displayed as tasks. The resources are directly linked to budget lines.

No Transfer

Budget lines and resources are not transferred to the ESP.

Labor

The assignment level of labor cost objects (resources) exported to the activities/budget lines (tasks) of the external schedule package.

Allowed values

Resource - Sub Task

Budget lines are transferred to the ESP and displayed as tasks. The resources are directly linked to budget lines.

No Transfer

Budget lines and resources are not transferred to the ESP.

Equipment

The assignment level of equipment cost objects (resources) exported to the activities/budget lines (tasks) of the external schedule package.

Allowed values

Resource - Sub Task

Budget lines are transferred to the ESP and displayed as tasks. The resources are directly linked to budget lines.

No Transfer

Budget lines and resources are not transferred to the ESP.

Subcontracting

The assignment level of subcontracting cost objects (resources) exported to the activities/budget lines (tasks) of the external schedule package.

Allowed values

Resource - Sub Task

Budget lines are transferred to the ESP and displayed as tasks. The resources are directly linked to budget lines.

No Transfer

Budget lines and resources are not transferred to the ESP.

Sundry Cost

The assignment level of sundry costs to be exported to an external schedule package.

Allowed values

Resource - Sub Task

Budget lines are transferred to the ESP and displayed as tasks. The resources are directly linked to budget lines.

No Transfer

Budget lines and resources are not transferred to the ESP.

Task
Task Name based on

The activity related data on which the task name of the ESP is based.

Allowed values

Code

Based on Activity codes and Budget line cost object.

Description

Activity descriptions and Budget line cost object descriptions.

Note: 

Default value is Code.

This field is enabled only for the new imports/ exports, and exports that are regenerated.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

For import related to new projects and new lines, the activity code in ESP must be specified in:

  • The Task Name field in the ESP, if this field is set to Code or
  • The specific Text field in the ESP which is mapped to the Activity Code Custom Field Text field. Example, if the value in the Activity Code Custom Field Text field is 25, then the Activity Code/ Budget Line Object Code must be specified in the ESP custom Text 25 field.
Activity Code Custom Field Text

The custom text field in the ESP in which the activity code is specified. Example, if the value in this field is 2, the Activity Code/ Budget Line Object Code must be specified in the ESP custom Text 2 field.

Note: 

Default value is 2.

This field is mandatory.

This field is enabled only for the new imports/ exports, and exports that are regenerated.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

Activity Description Custom Field Text

The number of the custom text field in ESP in which the activity description must be specified. Example, if the value in this field is 2, then the Activity Description/ Budget Line Object Description must be specified in the ESP custom Text 2 field.

Note: 

Default value is 3.

This field is mandatory.

This field is enabled only for the new imports/ exports, and exports that are regenerated.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

Activity Primary Key Custom Field Text

The custom text field in the ESP in which the primary key related to the activity is specified. Example, if the value in this field is 2, the Activity Primary Key/ Budget Line Object Primary Key must be specified in the ESP custom Text 2 field.

Note: 

Default value is 1.

This field is mandatory.

This field is enabled only for the new imports/ exports, and exports that are regenerated.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

OBS

The code of the organization breakdown structure defined for the activity that is linked to the project.

Note: You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.
Export OBS

If this check box is selected, the organization breakdown structure data of the project is exported to the external scheduling package.

Note: 

By default, this check box is cleared.

Infor LN selects this check box if the Export OBS check box is selected in the Project Planning Parameters (tppss0100s000) session.

You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.

OBS Outline Code

The outline code of the external scheduling package that must be mapped with the organization breakdown structure code in Infor LN.

Note: You can view this field only if the Selection field is set to Single Project.