PPM Express allows synchronizing additional data between PPM Express and Project Online instances using fields mapping feature.
Prerequisites and limitations
PPM Express – Project Online mapping prerequisites and limitations:
- Fields mapping is applied per PWA;
- PPM Express does not allow to map read-only fields, in case synchronization is set up to the system in which the needed field is read-only;
- Lookup Table/Choice field values will be synchronized in case values in both systems are identical;
- Fields of identical types should be mapped;
- One field can be selected for mapping once per each PWA, i.e. one field cannot be mapped to 2 fields in the opposite system;
- To synchronize data to/from the Owner field in Project Online, the “Owner ID” field should be selected in the Configure mapping section;
- Data in Project Online and PPM Express will be updated after each manual or by schedule synchronization;
- Correct data synchronization is expected in case the Project Online instance and user local machine are in the same time zone.
Fields mapping setup
To set up mapping, perform the following:
1. Navigate to Configure Connections menu of the linked/imported Project.
2. Use the Configure Mapping 
button to open the corresponding menu.
3. Select the PPM Express field, Sync Type and Project Online field.
- PPM Express field – any OOB or custom field can be selected
- Sync Type – defines the sync direction:
- To PPM Express
- To Project Online - Project Online field - any OOB or custom field can be selected
4. Click the Save Mapping button.
Project Online fields mapping allows updating information in both directions, depending on the fields Sync Type selected ('To PPM Express' or 'To Project Online'). Thus, if the Azure DevOps system was linked to the PPM Express Project after Project Online and fields mapping is established for the same fields for Azure DevOps as for Project Online, the information for the fields will be overwritten in PPM Express Project. Also, the information will be overwritten in the Project Online system if the mapping is established for the same fields and Sync Type selected is set to 'To Project Online'.
Project Statuses mapping setup
PPM Express provides an ability to map Project statuses to/from Project Online.
PPM Express provides an automatic status recalculation and update that is based on other Project fields. PPM Express Project statuses can be automatically updated in Project Online as well if the statuses mapping is configured.
It is possible to map the statuses in one direction only from PPM Express to Project Online or from Project Online to PPM Express.
To configure Project statuses mapping perform the following:
1. Open the PPM Express Project where you would like to set us status mapping.
2. Click on the Connect button.
3. Click on the Configure mapping button.
4. On the Configure Mapping page select the required status from the PPM Express field.
5. Select the sync type (from PPM Express to Project Online in our case).
6. Select the Project Online statuses custom field.
7. Navigate to the fields section and click on the gear-like button to open the configure transformation rules window.
8. In the configure transformation rules window map the values for the statuses names in PPM Express and Project Online.
Project Online custom field may be a color indicator or a text field.
9. Click Ok and the Save Mapping button to save the changes.
Perform the same actions to set up mapping for other PPM Express Project statuses if required.
If PPM Express – Project Online fields mapping is established, and then a user links the same PPM Express Project to Azure DevOps, and mapping is established there as well for the same fields, the information for the fields will be populated from the latest linked system. The previous information will be overwritten with the data taken from the latest linked system (either Project Online or Azure DevOps).