Overview
In the Project Synchronization paradigm, there are 2 distinct schedules:
- The MPP file that is managed with the Microsoft Project Desktop tool
- The Cloud Schedule that is managed with the Microsoft Planner Premium or the Microsoft Project Operations
Both schedules remain separate, but Project Sync helps the Project Manager to see the changes that occurred in any of the schedules in the pair and to transfer these changes to another schedule.
Configuring the synchronization requires the following steps:
- Selecting a Cloud Project connected to an MPP schedule
- Defining the Calendar Synchronization Settings
- Performing the initial synchronization
The subsequent synchronizations are initiated by a Project Manager and include the following steps:
- (if configured) Automatic Calendar settings synchronization
- Analysis of the changes/differences between the synchronized schedules
- Differences visualization for the Project Manager with the recommended actions pre-selected
- Applying the selected actions
- First, updating the Cloud Schedule
- Second, updating the local MPP file
In case there are no conflicting changes and no other synchronization complications, it is also possible to skip the differences preview and apply the default pre-selected updates automatically by clicking the Auto-Synchronization button.
Calendars Synchronization
Calendar synchronization is an important part of the process since the Calendar settings are crucial for the scheduling mechanisms on both ends of the synchronization. Having different day start/finish times or different non-working days may lead to different dates or durations in synchronized tasks, as well as in drift in other parameters.
Although the Schedule synchronization process is bi-directional and allows the preview of the changes, Calendars are only synchronized in one direction with no preview.
Base Scenarios
- Synchronize an Existing Cloud Project
- Start a New Project with Project Sync
- Synchronize an Existing MPP File