All Collections
Master Schedule Alignment Tool
Step 1: Create External Master Schedule Template (Microsoft Project Users)
Step 1: Create External Master Schedule Template (Microsoft Project Users)

Build and Download a Template from Microsoft Project

Carly Griffin avatar
Written by Carly Griffin
Updated over a week ago

The first step to using the External Master Schedule Alignment tool is to build a template file in Microsoft Project. This will require Creating Custom Fields as shown below (Note: the names of the fields must match exactly as shown below).

The next step will be to Create a Filter called Touchplan Differences to show activities where the Touchplan Finish Date is different than the Microsoft Project Finish Date.

Now follow these next steps to create an .XLSX File Export. Click File, select Save As, choose the folder you want the newly exported file to reside in. Before saving, change the file type from Project to Excel Workbook and then give the file a name. This will be the file that you use as a template for Touchplan.

Next, using the Export Wizard, indicate you want to export the Selected Data and select Next. You'll need to create a New Map the first time you export in Microsoft Project. Subsequent times you'll be able to select this map to use moving forward.

Once you Create A New Map, follow the steps below to set it up correctly:

  1. Export Tasks and Export Includes Headers and click Next.

  2. Include ID, WBS, Name, Finish, Touchplan Finish, and Touchplan Ticket URL then select Finish

  3. Save your map and name it something you'll remember for future use. (i.e. Touchplan Export)

Once this step is complete, select Finish to export the final template. Next, open the excel file and match the Headers of each Column to the naming conventions below:

  1. Activity ID

  2. WBS Code

  3. Activity Name

  4. (*)Finish

  5. Touchplan Finish

  6. Touchplan Ticket URL

Now that the headers match, add a row above these headers. Then copy your headers and paste them into the new row at the top. There should be TWO header rows at the top of the excel file when complete.

Then Rename the Tab labeled 'Task_Table' to be 'TASK' in all capital letters. After that click the '+' sign at the bottom to add a new Tab and name it 'USERDATA.' In the new tab, paste table entries from the table below in Column A, Rows 1-3. 

user_data
UserSettings Do Not Edit
"DurationQtyType=QT_Day
ShowAsPercentage=0
SmallScaleQtyType=QT_Hour
DateFormat=m/d/yyyy
CurrencyFormat=US Dollar"

Now, jump back into the TASKS tab and Select the entire (*)Finish Column. Convert the (*)Finish Column to a Date Format and apply the format to the entire column. Once that's selected, Click Data and select Text to Columns from the menu. Click Finish when done.

Once this is complete save the file and follow the steps in Export Touchplan Tickets to export Touchplan tickets onto your Microsoft Project Template.

Did this answer your question?