In Microsoft Project, customers can use the XML file generated by Sciforma and import it into their system. The treatment of the XML file upon import is entirely managed by Microsoft Project.
In Microsoft Project (at least in version 2010 and later) the user is prompted with three options for importing a project via XML.
As a new project | Creates a new project from the XML file. |
Append the data to the active project | Appends the project data in the XML file to the existing project that is currently active in Microsoft Project Professional. When Project 2007 appends XML data to an existing project, the unique ID of the appended summary task is incremented from 0 to the next available integer. For example, if the project to which you are appending XML data has three tasks with the unique IDs 1, 2, and 3, the appended summary task is assigned the unique ID of 4. Microsoft Project then increments the unique IDs of all tasks in the appended project. Using the same example, tasks 1 and 2 of the appended project are assigned the next available unique IDs, 5 and 6. |
Merge the data into the active project | Merges the project data in the XML file into the project that is currently active in Project Professional. When Project 2010 merges XML data to an existing project, tasks in the project file that are currently active in Project Professional are overwritten by tasks in the XML file that share the same unique ID. |
The project can be modified in Microsoft Project independently. Task fields, including duration can be changed, and assignments can be created or removed. Tasks can also be freely deleted or created, and link definitions can be modified.
When the modifications to the project have been completed in Microsoft Project, the project can be exported to an XML file to update the original Sciforma tasks with the changes made in Microsoft Project.