In this article, we will review how to import Project Online tasks as Key Dates to the PPM Express project.
If you added a Project Online connection to PPM Express and linked the PPM Express project to the Project Online project, it is possible to import tasks from the Project Online project to the PPM Express project as Key Dates.
Please note: Only users who have permission to edit PPM Express projects can import Key Dates.
If the Project Online connection is not added and the Project Online project is not linked to the PPM Express project yet, then to be able to import Key Dates, it is required to have Manage Integrations and Edit Project permissions.
Please note: Milestones from Project Online are imported as Key Dates to PPM Express by default as soon as the connection is added, and the projects are linked.
Importing Project Online tasks as Key Dates
To import tasks from the Project Online project as Key Dates to the PPM Express project, perform the following:
1. Open the PPM Express project that is linked to the Project Online project and where you would like to import Key Dates.
2. Navigate to the Key Dates section of the project and select the Import Key Date option.
If you have any Key Dates added to the project already, then select the Import Key Dates option from the section header.
3. In the Import Key Date window, it is possible to search for the required Project Online task by Name, Type, or ID. Or you can just click in the search window and 10 Project Online project tasks will become available for selection. As you select to import them as Key dates, the next tasks will become available in the list.
4. To select the task you would like to import, just click on it, and it will be added to the list of the selected items. When you are ready with the selection, click Confirm to import the selected tasks to PPM Express as Key Dates.
You can delete the unnecessary items from this list or open them in Project Online.
5. As you click Confirm, the selected items will be added to the Key Dates section.
Please note: The statuses, due dates, and the names for the imported Key Dates are imported from Project Online and cannot be changed within PPM Express. If there are any changes to the tasks in the Project Online project, they will be applied to PPM Express Key Dates after data synchronization automatically. Only internal PPM Express fields and the Key Date type can be edited in the imported Key Dates.
Statuses will be set according to the tasks finish date, taking into account the current date:
- 'Done' will be set for the tasks that have 'Completed' status in Project Online.
- 'Critical' will be set for the tasks that are late >10 days and not completed.
- 'At risk' will be set for the tasks that are late <=10 days and not completed.
- 'On Track' will be set for all other cases for the tasks where the date field is greater than the current date (today).
Please note: These formulas will be applied unless the user changes the thresholds on the PPM Insights settings page.
The tasks imported as key dates can be opened in Project Online from the PPM Express Key dates section directly by clicking on the Project Online icon next to each Key date.
Deleting Project Online tasks imported as Key Dates
To delete the imported Key Dates perform the following:
1. Open PPM Express project where Project Online tasks were imported as Key Dates.
2. Select the Key Dates you need to delete from the list.
3. Click the Delete Key Date button.
4. Confirm that you would like to remove the Key Dates. The selected Key Dates will be deleted at once.
Please note: After data synchronization, the deleted Key Dates will not appear again in the Key Dates section automatically. If you need to add the deleted items again, it will be needed to import them following the steps described in the 'Importing Project Online tasks as Key Dates' section of this article.
If the PPM Express project is linked to Project Online and Planner or Azure DevOps and the Key dates are imported from both systems, then in the Import Key dates window, it will be possible to switch between these systems. Switching between the systems, you can review and manage the list of imported key dates for each system separately.