Microsoft Project Integration for Classic Projects

Windchill ProjectLink supports an optional Microsoft Project plug-in component to support seamless exchange of plan information, such as tasks and resources. Project or program managers can import and export plans between Microsoft Project and Windchill. They can also edit plan information within Microsoft Project and then save it to Windchill. All project or program members can export Windchill plans.

In order to import and export plans, your version of Microsoft Project must be compatible with Windchill. For more information, see “Windchill Client Components” in the Windchill 10.1 Software Matrices.

Project or program managers can also exchange plan information between Microsoft Project 2002 and 2003 through the Microsoft Project XML format. This type of exchange is not as seamless but does not require the installation of a plug-in component. Windchill is able to directly import and export the Microsoft Project XML format.

Project Item	Microsoft Projects	Classic Windchill Projects
Terms: activity/task/assignment	A Microsoft Project task is the same as a Windchill activity. A Microsoft Project assignment is the same as a Windchill task.	A Windchill activity is the same as a Microsoft Project task. A Windchill task is a work object that is optionally (and automatically) created and delivered to a resource associated with an activity. The creation of tasks is not enabled by default.
Milestone behavior	Milestones can be associated with child milestones or activities.	Milestones cannot be associated with child milestones or activities.
Deliverables	Deliverable objects are not supported in Microsoft Project.	Supports deliverable objects that can be associated with Windchill activities and milestones.
Calendar	Uses separate calendars associated with the project or program as a whole and with each resource in the project or program	Uses a single system calendar for all schedule and cost calculations across all projects or programs and all resources.
Duration and effort	Combines working days and work effort. Supports various units for expressing duration and effort.	Separates the concept of working days (duration) and work effort. Activity duration can only be expressed in days, and work effort can only be expressed in hours. All activities are defined as fixed duration.
Resources	Exposes overtime rates for resources, and calculates total costs at start or finish.	Does not expose overtime rates for resources, and all costs are immediately calculated when entered.
Precedence relationships and date constraints	Supports multiple precedence relationships and date constraints	Supports only finish-to-start (FS) precedence relationships and “start-no-earlier-than” date constraints between activities.