dspTrack™ and MSProject Integration

dspTrack™ is a task execution tool and should be used to monitor tasks as they move through a workflow. It should not be used as a project management tool. Updates to project data should be maintained in MSProject or Microsoft Excel.

To update project data for a dspTrack™ plan:

  1. Export the data from dspTrack™

  2. Import the data into MSProject.

  3. Update the data in MSProject

  4. Import the updated data into dspTrack™ to update the existing plan.

NOTE: The critical path in dspTrack™ can be updated from MSProject without requiring an export and import of data. Refer to Calculate the Critical Path for a Plan for more information.

Data can pass between dspTack™ and MSProject when:

Refer to Required Column for Import and Export a Project File for more information about which columns are imported into and exported from dspTrack™.

MSProject File is Imported into dspTrack™ to Create a Plan

When a project file created in MSProject is imported into dspTrack™ to create a new plan, all data comes from MSProject.

dspTrack™ sets the task status for each task. Refer to Task Status on Import for more information.

Refer to Import Project Files into dspTrack™ for more information.

MSProject File is Imported into dspTrack™ to Update an Existing Plan

Every time an MSProject file is imported in this case, the following update occur in dspTrack™:

  • Any task created in MSProject that does not exist in dspTrack™ is created in dspTrack™
  • If a resource assignment in MSProject is updated for a task and that resource is registered in the platform, the resource assignment for the task is updated in dspTrack™
  • If a resource assignment in MSProject is updated for a task that exists in dspTrack™ and that resource is not registered in the platform, the resource must be registered on the Register Unregistered Users page. After the user is registered, dspTrack™ assigns this user to a task.
  • If a MS Project plan has resource names assigned to tasks that do not exactly match the corresponding user IDs in the platform, the Resource Synonym page can be used to map the resource names to the platform user IDs.
  • If a task was deleted in MSProject, dspTrack™ does not delete the task.
  • If a task is in a status of Complete in dspTrack™ and is not complete in MSProject (i.e., there is no date in the Actual Finish Date field when imported) there is no change to the task in dspTrack™. The task status will remain Completed.
  • dspTrack™ will notify the resource(s) assigned to a task using a workflow message and/or a notification if:
    • The task is not complete, and
    • The planned start date, planned finish date, actual start date or actual finish date are updated in the MSProject file.

Refer to Receive Workflow Messages for more information.

If data for any other imported field has been updated in the MSProject file, that data will be updated in dspTrack™.

Refer to Import Project Files into dspTrack™ for more information.

A project file is Exported from dspTrack™ and Imported into MSProject to Update MSProject Data 

All data exported from dspTrack™ updates MSProject data when it is imported into MSProject.

Refer to Export a Project File for information about which columns are exported from dspTrack™.

A project file is Exported from dspTrack™ and Imported into MSProject to Create project  in  MSProject

If a dspTrack™ project is exported and the name of the project does not exist in MSProject, a new project is created in MSProject when the project is imported.