Import/export module

Configuration – exporting , step 1: define an export task

• Go to Import/Export
• In the section Export tasks, click “+” to create a new task

• In the pop-up, fill in the required information and Save
  • Name, Description and Owner
  • Data Type
  • Destination Type (File on server or File in Document List)
  • Destination (eg C:\Documents\Projects_PTB.CSV)
  • Export Format (CSV or XML)

Configuration – exporting , step 2: select the data to be exported

• Go to the tab Filter
• Under View, select columns and (if applicable) a filter
• The screen shows the result: the data that will be exported
• When u are finished, click on Close

Configuration – exporting , step 3: execute the export task

• Go to the tab General, click on Execute Now, or:
• in the section Export Tasks, select the line of the task that you want to execute, and click on ExecuteNow

Configuration – exporting , step 4: check the job log

• In Import/Export, go to the tab Log, or:Open the export task and go to the tab Log

Note: large tasks may take some time; if the task is not listed in the log, check again after a few minutes.

Configuration – data import, step 1: define an import task

• Go to import/export
• In the section Import Tasks, click “+” to create a new task
• In the pop-up, fill in the required information
  • Name, Description and Owner
  • Data Type
  • Import Format (CSV or XML)
  • Source Type (File on server or File in Document List)
  • Source (eg. PTB_Actual_Costs.csv) This must be equal  to the import file name!

Configuration – data import, step 2: create an import file

• Create the import file in Excel. Comply to requirements (slide 5)
• Save the Excel file as ‘Excel Workbook’. Later adjustments can be done here.
• Open the Excel file and save it as a CSV (MS-DOS) file*.
• Do a visual check for inconsistencies by opening the CSV file in Notepad. Update the Excel file if necessary.
• Upload the CSV file in the import task.
• Importing data, note on importing special characters
  • In the Save As dialog, click on Tools, click on Web options. In the pop-up go to Tab Encoding, select Unicode (UTF-8). Click on Save.
  • Note: Use Notepad++ to check if the UTF-coding is indeed applied; if not, go to tab Coding, click on ‘convert to UTF8’, click Save

Configuration – data import, step 3: select the import file

• Option 1: File on Server
  • Make certain that the file is available
  • The file must be accessible by Fortes Change Cloud
    • (on-premise: à windows user where the Tomcat server is started with)

• Option 2: File on Document List
  • Go to the tab Document List Click on “+”, select the file, and click OK

Configuration – data import, step 4 configure field mapping & set import condition

• Specify the ‘type of import’ and the (unique) reference
• Depending on the data type of the import task, different types of import are available , e.g.
  • For entries: always create a new entry/ if the entry already exists, first create contra entry, then create new entry/ if an entry already exists, then skip
  • For portfolio-items: always create a new item/ create a new item if there is no match to an existing one/ if there is no match, do not create a new item

Importing data, step 4: configure field mapping: new entries

• Select the Source Field column, the column names from the import file
• Fields marked with a * are mandatory
  • –>  à choose a fixed value if it is not present in the file, such Owner

• Reference* refers to the unique match needed to import data correctly.
• Source field holds the unique feature for each imported data row in the import file (ussually provided by the application where the data originates form)
• Matching Reference object type refers to the object type (project, product, entry, etc.) to which the unique matching Reference Field belongs.
• Matching Reference Field is the PTB field that corresponds to the Source Field. Unique values are required, the use of the field ‘ID’ is considered best practice.
• Required Match: exact match between Source and Reference Field is needed for the import of a specific row to proceed. 

• Data will be imported based on the reference
• Example: adding actuals as entries on plan-items
  • Projects have a project code (custom field Project Code)
  • The (relevant) plan-items have a cost center (custom field Cost Center)
  • The project code and cost center are included in the file to import

• To update existing entries a unique reference is necessary
• If an entry does not exist yet, a new entry is added
• When an entry already exists,
  • a contra entry will be made (existing value)
  • a new entry will be made (value in import file)

• Additional setting: the required reference

• Example: updating actuals on plan-items
  • Projects have a project code (custom field Project Code)
  • The (relevant) plan-items have a cost center (custom field Cost Center)
  • The project code and cost center are included in the file to import
  • Entries have a unique reference (custom field Booking Number)

• Don’t forget to import the reference field in theFieldMapping!

Configuration – data import, step 5: execute the import task

• Go to the tab General, click on Execute Now, or:
  • in the section Import Tasks, select the line of the task that you want to execute, and click on Execute Now

Configuration – data import, step 6: check the job log

• In Import/Export, go to the tab Log, or: open the import task and go to the tab Log
  • Note: large tasks may take some time; if the task is not listed in the log, check again after a few minutes.

Example 1: Importing new portfolio-items

• In the tab Field Mapping, select “Imported Portfolio Items will always be created as a new Portfolio Item”
• Specify the parent match for importing into the right portfolio
• Specify the field mapping for importing the available date in the import file

Example 2: Importing actual costs on Projects

• Choose data type: Entry
• Set Import condition
  • Always create new enties
  • Update existing entries (contra entries)
  • Existing entries will be skipped

• Set field mapping. Mandatory fields:
  • Reference (ensures the entry is linked to the correct PTB object)
  • Timeline Unit (f.e. Money or Hours)
  • Type (Actual, Budget, Committed, etc.)
• The import can be rolled back by removing the logging.