MSPS 2007: How to add custom field (LOV) in MPP and MSPS?

Question

We have created a custom field in MPP called ‘Standard Code’ mapped with ‘Text 1’. Now we want to publish this MPP on MSPS (Project Server).

Since we want new MPP also to contain ‘Standard Code’ with certain list of values therefore we have created a custom filed ‘Standard Code’ on Project Server with same list values in lookup table. When you create a new MPP with MSPT then it contains ‘Standard Code’ with defined LOV.

But when we publish existing MPP then PS is not able to recognize ‘Standard Code’ and it says there is conflict due to same name exiting in PS and in MPP.

Any suggestion to get through this?

Kangkan

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Kangkan Goswami |Technical Architect| Blog: http://www.geekays.net/
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Answer 1

Hi Kangkan--

If you have any custom field/ Lookup value already in project server & you have a MPP file where you have the similar local fields, you may get the message as your mentioned.

You may need to open the plan in MS project & then insert the local field & Enterprise field. Copy the values from Local fields to Enterprise field, Delete the Local field from the plan & publish the same.

Hope that help.

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If you found this post helpful, please “Vote as Helpful”. If it answered your question, please “Mark as Answer”. Thanks, Amit Khare |EPM Consultant| Blog: http://amitkhare82.blogspot.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/amitkhare82

Answer 2

It looks as though you do have the same field name defined twice - once as a local field in the project(s) and once in the list of Enterprise fields in PWA. You'll need to change one or other of these field names - which you choose depends on how much effort it will be to make the change. If there's only one project with the local field, change that. If there are many projects with the local field and you have only just started setting up the Enterprise field values, change the Enterprise field name.

In any case it is good practice to give your Enterprise defined items (views, tables, fields, filters, etc.) a unique feature (e.g. PMO as a prefix in the name) so that project managers don't get caught out when they try to define a local field that is already named in the Enterprise set.

Graham

Answer 3

What we wish is to keep a single field. This is a custom attribute to the Tasks. We want this enterprise field to be available when a project is created and the project managers be able to choose one of the many values (LOV) for the standard code.

The issue is that we are migrating from a different system(not MSPS, but it is Digite) where the Standard Code is already defined. So when we export the MPP from Digite (the existing system), the MPP contains the Standard Code and when we try to upload and publish it to MSPS, there is a conflict.

So, I shall like to have a process to retain the data and map it to the enterprise custom field.

Can you help?

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Does that helps?
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Thanks,
Kangkan Goswami |Technical Architect| Blog: http://www.geekays.net/
http://in.linkedin.com/in/kangkan

Answer 4

Hi there--

You can import the local field with Lokup values as enterprise field using the Add field to Enterprise option from MS Project & later in the project (s) then you can open the plan in MS project & then insert the local field & Enterprise field. Copy the values from Local fields to Enterprise field, Delete the Local field from the plan & publish the same.

Here is the setp by step article:
http://ntrajkovski.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/importing-local-fields-as-a-custom-enterprise-fields-in-ms-project-server-2010/

Hope that helps.

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If you found this post helpful, please “Vote as Helpful”. If it answered your question, please “Mark as Answer”. Thanks, Amit Khare |EPM Consultant| Blog: http://amitkhare82.blogspot.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/amitkhare82

Answer 5

Hi Amit,

Though the suggestion you are giving works, it has the worst downside of loosing data. Think of an MPP having the field filled up already. If I need to remove that field from the MPP and then import, I loose the data in that field. What I wished to have is importing the MPP without data loss. It is a migration task.

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Does that helps?
--------------------------------------------------------
If you found this post helpful, please “Vote as Helpful”. If it answered your question, please “Mark as Answer”.
Thanks,
Kangkan Goswami |Technical Architect| Blog: http://www.geekays.net/
http://in.linkedin.com/in/kangkan

Answer 6

Hi Kangkan--

if we already have the data (Custom Field/Lookup values), first we need to import the fields as per the article I sent in my earlier reply. Once the field is imported as enterprise field, We need to make sure all the field/values are correct. Later we need to close the MPP file & exit from MS project. Again open to see if everything is fine & then we insert the enterprise field & copy the data from local to enterprise field & then delete the local custom field.

Please try this on a Dev/test instance & let us know if you see any issue.

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If you found this post helpful, please “Vote as Helpful”. If it answered your question, please “Mark as Answer”. Thanks, Amit Khare |EPM Consultant| Blog: http://amitkhare82.blogspot.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/amitkhare82

Answer 7

Amit,

It seems, my post could not present the point clearly. Let me write down the steps below:

1. We have n number of MPPs in a current system (that is not MSPS).

2. In the current system, we have the custom field.

3. We took the steps that you referred to in the blog link.

4. So, we have the Enterprise Custom Field in the target MSPS instance.

5. We have Local custom field in n number of MPPs.

6. When we import any of these MPPs, there is a conflict between the fields (as they have the same name).

7. We can drop/rename the local field from all of these MPPs and after import, fill in the values of the Enterprise Field manually looking at the original column.

All I wished to have some way to accept the imported MPP and replace the local field with enterprise field without loss of data and avoid the manual work.

Could I present the issue?

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Does that helps?
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Thanks,
Kangkan Goswami |Technical Architect| Blog: http://www.geekays.net/
http://in.linkedin.com/in/kangkan

Answer 8

Kangkan--

You will have to open each MPP file & insert the Enterprise CF & copy the data from local field & delete the local one, later need a save/publish.

You can automate the process using the VBA code that might reduce the manual work but to be a safer side,I would prefer to do manually for small no of project & having verified by PMs before PM/I delete the  local one.

Thanks,

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If you found this post helpful, please “Vote as Helpful”. If it answered your question, please “Mark as Answer”. Thanks, Amit Khare |EPM Consultant| Blog: http://amitkhare82.blogspot.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/amitkhare82