In this article, we will review how to import Key Dates from the Planner plan to the PPM Express Project.
If you have added a Planner connection to PPM Express and linked the PPM Express Project to the Planner plan, it is possible to import tasks from the Planner plan to the PPM Express Project as Key Dates.
If the Planner task was imported to PPM Express as a Key Date and after this Due date was deleted from the Planner task in Planner, this Key Date will not be automatically deleted from PPM Express Key Dates after data synchronization. A warning will be shown for such Key Dates, notifying that this item was deleted in Planner (or the item has no dates set).
If the Planner connection is not added and the Planner plan is not linked to the PPM Express Project yet, then to import Key Dates, it is required to have Manage Integrations and Edit Project permissions.
Importing Planner tasks as Key Dates
To import tasks from the Planner plan as Key Dates to the PPM Express Project, perform the following:
1. Open the PPM Express Project linked to the Planner plan 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.
3. In the Import Key Date window, it is possible to search for the required Planner task by Name, Type or ID. Or you can click in the search window and 10 Planner tasks will become available for selection. As you select to import them as Key dates, the following tasks will become available in the list.
4. To select the tasks 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 Planner.
5. As you click Confirm, the selected items will be added to the Key Dates section.
The field values imported from Planner cannot be changed within PPM Express. If these values are changed in Planner, they will be applied to PPM Express Key Dates automatically after data synchronization. Only custom PPM Express fields can be edited for the imported Key Dates.
Statuses will be set according to the task due date, taking into account the current date:
- 'Done' will be set for the tasks that have 'Completed' status in Planner.
- '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).
The tasks imported as key dates can be opened in Planner from PPM Express Key dates section directly by clicking on the Planner icon next to each Key date.
The Baseline can be set for all PPM Express Key Dates. To set the baseline, select the Key Dates and click the Set Baseline button (the Baseline is created for the Date field).
The Baseline tab becomes available if you open the Key Date for editing.
To remove the Baseline mark from the timeline view, click on the 'Style' option and disable the Show Baseline option.
Deleting Planner tasks imported as Key Dates
To delete the imported Key Dates, perform the following:
1. Open the PPM Express Project where Planner 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.