This article
This article describes the settings for exchanging data between portfolio items and projects. The article is intended for functional administrators and requires some knowledge about setting up the Fortes Change Cloud.
Portfolio Items and Projects
In a portfolio, portfolio items (change items) are created. These can be implemented as projects. Once that happens, there are two objects namely a ‘Portfolio item’ and a ‘Project’. These two are of the same object type namely ‘Project’. Therefore, they have the same fields available. The two objects are interconnected so that data can be exchanged between them. E.g. the value of fields, the overall planning of the project, logbook information or progress information about the execution of the project;
Field Synchronization and Publication
Data exchange takes place between the portfolio item and the project in two ways, namely:
- Field synchronization: settings how data of the same field is exchanged between portfolio item and its associated project. Once set, each field change is immediately synchronized in the set way.
- Publication: this is a mechanism to periodically report data from the project to the corresponding portfolio item. Publishing is performed by the project manager. This by pressing a button in the project. This transfers validated data from the project to the portfolio item at the discretion of the project manager. With publication, the portfolio item can be updated with data from fields, the project schedule but also subsets of log items, financial data such as the Forecast and the contribution made so far to a particular objective (Benefit realization).
So with field synchronization, information is synchronized immediately when data changes. While at publication data-exchange not immediately takes place, but as soon as the project leader wants it by means of a button press.
In doing so, it is possible for ‘field-sync‘ two sides on data exchange: from portfolio item to projects and vice versa. Whereas publication involves unilateral data exchange: from project to portfolio item
Therefore, when setting up the Fortes Change Cloud, it is important that you consider which fields require data to be exchanged immediately and which fields require it only upon publication. That requires a different field setting: see section on Field Synchronization.
Field synchronization
Synchronization involves whether or not the value of a field in a portfolio item equals the value of that same field in the linked project.
The Fortes Change Cloud includes standard fields (such as name, description, start date, etc.). In addition, your own fields can be added. We call these “Proprietary fields” (or Custom fields). The method of synchronization can be set for both fields. The default fields have a default setting that can only be changed for some fields. Proprietary fields also have a default setting but can all be changed.
Where can field synchronization be set
It is best practice to set the field synchronization in the portfolio model. As a result, field synchronization works identically for all portfolios created with that portfolio model.
The field synchronization can also be set in a portfolio. This overrides the set field synchronizations in the portfolio model for that single portfolio.
Who can set up field synchronization
Adjust field synchronization in the portfolio model:
- Manager and Supporter: the user who has rights as a manager or supporter on the Organizational Unit in which the portfolio model resides can change the field sync.
- System Administrator: in addition, the users who have System Administrator rights in the Fortes Change Cloud (FCC) can modify it.
Customize field synchronization in a portfolio:
- Manger and Supporter: in a portfolio, those with Manager and Supporter rights on that portfolio can modify the field synchronization.
- System Administrator: in addition, the users who have System Administrator rights in the Fortes Change Cloud (FCC) can modify it.
Method for setting up field synchronization
- Open the portfolio model: the portfolio model are within an Organizational Unit on the ‘Models’ tab.
- In the portfolio model, go to the ‘Reporting’ tab;
- Click the “Change Field Configuration” button: at the top right of the screen
- Choose the appropriate tab:
There are two tabs. One tab contains the “Own fields” (custom fields), the other tab contains the System fields (the standard FCC fields).
- Edit: put the tab in edit-mode
This by clicking on the icon with the pen.
The following section shows which settings are possible for field synchronization.
! Setting the field synchronization in a portfolio works identically: only you start at step 2.
What field synchronization settings are possible
Own fields can be assigned a category-name. This is useful because in various places in the FCC, fields with the same category name are displayed together. Also in the field synchronization settings, the category name is shown and the fields are sorted accordingly.
The following settings for field synchronization are possible:
- A change to the portfolio item automatically affects the project
The value entered in a field in the portfolio item is copied into the same field in the project. It is not possible with this setting to modify the value of the field in the project: read only.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | Available | Modifiable | Customized | Available | Not modifiable | Synchronized |
- A change at the project automatically affects the portfolio item
This one works exactly the opposite way from setting 1. Now the project is leading and the field in the portfolio item follows the value chosen in the project. The field cannot be completed or modified in the portfolio item.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | Available | Not modifiable | Synchronized | Available | Modifiable | Customized |
- A field is modifiable at the portfolio item until the project is started. Then a change at the project automatically works its way into the portfolio item
A variation on 1 and 2 is that as long as there is no project yet the value in the portfolio item can be modified but as soon as a project is started at this portfolio item the value can only be modified by the project. Change in value in the project is passed to the portfolio item.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | Available | Modifiable before project start | Synchronized after project start | Available | Modifiable | Customized |
- Changes are not synchronized
This setting is used in conjunction with ‘Publication’. The field in the portfolio item may have a different value than the same field in the project. If this field is included in the (monthly) report, the value in the portfolio item is overwritten as soon as the (monthly) report is published in the project. Values from the model are also taken into account.
Note that if you have this setting for fields that not are included in the (monthly) reporting then the values between the portfolio item and the project may start to differ permanently from each other!
Tip: if you are using publication then it is wise to check in the canvas on the portfolio side that the field is NOT editable.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | Available | Modifiable | — | Available | Modifiable | — |
- Field not available in the Portfolio item or project
Then there is no synchronization or publication
A field may only be relevant on one side. Then you can mark this field as unavailable. If you are using canvases then you can already choose to show or not show a field. This setting then does not add much.
In the example below, the field is only available in the portfolio item and not available in the project.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | Available | Modifiable | — | Not available | Not modifiable | — |
Adjustments directly in the portfolio: i.e., not in the model
As mentioned, it is recommended to adjust the field synchronization in the portfolio model. Should you have chosen to make the adjustments to a specific portfolio anyway, it works in the same way as described above.
There is one difference: you can return by field to the setting as it is in the portfolio model. This by selecting ‘No local configuration’.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | No local configuration | No local configuration | No local configuration | No local configuration | No local configuration | No local configuration |
Once you save this setting, the text “No local configuration” disappears and the setting of this field as it appears in the portfolio model is displayed.
Publication: from Project to Portfolio item
In addition to field synchronization, data from a project can also be written to a portfolio item through publishing. This requires using the built-in reporting function.
With this method of reporting, only validated information comes from the project to the portfolio: after all, the project manager must deliberately press the “Publish to Portfolio” button.
In the portfolio model, you can set up reports: e.g., a monthly report.
On that report you place the fields and components (such as risks, issues, contributions to objectives) that need to be synchronized to the portfolio item through publishing from the project.
| Portfolio | Project | ||||||
| Category | Internal name | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior | Availability | Modifiability | Behavior |
| Fortes | Department | Available | Modifiable before project start | Customized | Available | Modifiable | Customized |
Note: Only the fields included in the report are published to the portfolio item. This also applies to e.g.:
- Risico’s, issues
- Planning
- Data from the financial grid
Good to know
Always the ‘Publish to portfolio’ button available
Once a report request is sent to a project from a portfolio, the button ‘Publish to portfolio” available. After ‘published’ this button disappears until a new report request is sent from the portfolio. If you want to keep this button permanently available so that you don’t have to send a report request every time, then in the ‘Advanced System Settings’ enter the following toggle: Feature.EnableAlwaysPublishToPortfolio à Custom value = true
Only the System Administrator can perform this!
Publish logs, plan items and finances
In reporting from project to portfolio, logit items, plan items and finances can also be published. See other notes made specifically for this purpose.
