Clarity

I am a new user. My company has purchased the Clarity PPM. I have over 10 years experience with Microsoft project. I am having difficulty with the Uploading and downloading of project schedules. I was told in training that I should be able to create a Microsoft Project schedule with tasks, durations, and dependencies, and then upload them. As long as I do not try to assign resources I should be good. Is this true? And once my project schedule is created. Can I download and continue to modify in MS project?

Hi Floyd. Welcome!

    A great place I always start is with the documentation.

Here's a link to the Microsoft Project integration install documentation: 

Integrate CA PPM with Microsoft Project (MSP) or Open Workbench (OWB) - CA PPM - 15.3 - CA Technologies Documentation 

Here's a link to the Using Microsoft Project documentation: 

Manage Projects with Microsoft Project (MSP) - CA PPM - 15.3 - CA Technologies Documentation 

I can also recommend the CA Education Web Based Training modules: 

OnDemand CA PPM 15.x: Microsoft Project Integration 200 

HTH.

Ok I have completed all the steps mentioned for integration. I can create a MS project schedule and I can upload and down load it into CA. So here is my issue. First If I create a task in CA it defaults to a Milestone. I do not want to go to every task and uncheck the box. So how do I change the default? Next if I modify the MS project file and upload it I have had the CA app crash on me. Is there a way in CA PPM view to cut and paste a block of tasks?

My understanding is the currently tasks cannot be "grid posted" That only works in Cost plans.

Grid copy works in Firefox if you press Control key at the same time.

Check in Administration - Objects

Object: Task | Attribute: Milestone - Object Attribute

if the Milestone attribute has the default checked.

Chris – As mentioned I am new to CA PPM (is it no longer called Clarity?)

Let me describe my situation and maybe you can suggest the best way to resolve it.

First of all I work for a large Fortune 500 and we have offices in 19 countries. We are headquartered in Bellevue, WA. We are building a PMO to support IT operations worldwide. I am the Senior Infrastructure PM. I am working on a pilot of the PPM tool. We are primarily a Microsoft shop and have several hundred users who are familiar with MS Project.

So we would like to use Microsoft Project integration with CA PPM. I have successfully created a project schedule and uploaded it to CA. I also understand that CA manages the resources. So let me start with my first question – After creating the project as described can I download the project to MSP and make changes and then upload again?

Floyd Kershner, PMP

Senior Project Manager, IT Enterprise Program Management Office

Esterline Corporation

500 108th Avenue NE

Suite 1500

Bellevue, WA 98004

206-669-1382

Once you have successfully installed the CA PPM - MS Project connector yes you can download projects, make changes and save it back to CA PPM.

Thank you for the information. So I have the connector working. What is the best practice to create a project schedule?

1. Build the Schedule in MSP - Include all tasks, milestones, durations & dependencies but not any resources.

2. Upload to PPM.

3. Assign resources.

4. If there are changes or modifications Download to MSP to make changes & upload. do not touch Resources while in MSP.

If the changes are small can I make the changes in Gantt View? Are there any setting I need to be aware of for MSP? Manual scheduling?

Reading the Best practises documents helps to choose your way of doing things.

I usually think that when you have to do many similar things then the grid like functionality of MS Project (and OWB) is faster and more convenient. The CA PPM Gantt is catching fast though. When you make a limited number of changes or edits then you can do them fast enough in CA PPM.

Hi Floyd,

If you do make changes in the PPM Gantt versus MSP, one thing to be aware of if you are using the MSP new driver is that new tasks created in PPM will export to MSP without a date constraint, so if there are no dependencies, they'll export to MSP as the project start date. If you change the task dates in MSP instead, this automatically sets a date constraint. See: In the MSP New Driver, some task Start Dates change to the Project Start Date when exported to MSP for more information on this.

Also, here's some tips in getting started with the MSP new driver if that is the driver you are using: CA PPM Tech Tip: Getting Started with the MSP New Driver 

Whether using the legacy or new driver here's a KB that walks through the required and recommended MSP Settings: How to Configure Default Settings in Microsoft Project to use with PPM 

Regarding use of manually scheduled tasks, here's some more info on the impact of manually scheduled tasks: What are the recommendations for Auto Scheduled versus Manually Scheduled tasks working in Microsoft Project (MSP) with … 

Regards,

Kristin Schroer

I want to thank everyone for the support. I have found this discussion very useful. I have one last question - When I upload my schedule CA PPM is converting all my tasks to Milestones. Is there someone in CA that sets all tasks to default to Milestones when they are created?