Data-Driven Task Links for Primavera for Version 7.1

Introduction to Data-Driven Task Links for Oracle Primavera P6

OnePager Pro Enhancements for Data-Driven Task Links

OnePager Pro can now import Dependency values on tasks from Microsoft Project source plans where the syntax format for specifying predecessor relationships corresponds to the Microsoft Project standards.

OnePager Pro is designed to process Task Links that are specified as predecessors ONLY. OnePager Bundle when used with Microsoft Project source plan imported data produces the same results as OnePager Pro.

OnePager Pro's Template Properties and Chart Properties Forms

The implementation of Data-driven Task Links and enhancements made to manual Task Links required enhancements to the OnePager Pro Template Properties and Chart Properties form’s Event tabs. This Event Links tab is renamed as the Task Links tab in both forms with enhanced controls to support the new capabilities of Data-driven Task Links.

Before going further into this article, it is recommended that you first review the article at: Linking Task and Milestone Using Manual and Data-Driven Task Links (Portal) 19.0.1-71

The Template Properties Form's Task Links Tab for OnePager Pro

You have the ability to globally control the properties for all Task Links in OnePager’s Template Properties form before a chart is created. The Template Properties form’s Task Links tab for OnePager Pro is shown below:

P71-19_1_1-71-(1)-12082021.png

Controls for Importing Task Link Data

In the Template Properties form’s Task Links tab, the Import predecessors checkbox is normally unchecked or OFF meaning that the Data-driven Task Link import feature is turned OFF. OnePager Pro assumes that the Predecessors field from the Microsoft Project source plan is used for the Data-driven Task Link information source. OnePager Pro only imports predecessor data from the Microsoft Project predecessor field. Although OnePager does not import Successor data from your source plan, successor information is the inverse on predecessor information found in your source plan. This approach guaranties that all your Data-driven Task Links are based on valid information from your Microsoft Project source plan.

Template Properties Form’s Task Link Tab’s Controls

OnePager Pro supports the visual representation of all four Task Link Dependency Types including Finish-to-Start (FS), Finish-to-Finish (FF), Start-to-Finish (SF), and Start-to-Start (SS) with proper Begin and End point shape placement on the Predecessor and Successor task bars/milestone symbols. It is assumed that if Data-driven Task Links are imported, they are to be shown so the Show task links checkbox is checked ON in the Template Properties form's Task Links tab shown above. Additionally in the Default Task-Link Formatting control group shown above, there are established settings for Line Styles, Arrow Styles, and Font properties.

There are controls available to globally set the Horizontal Anchor positions for manual Task Link’s Begin and End point shapes for all Dependency Types along the Predecessor or Successor task bars/milestone symbol’s timespan as shown by the slider bars in the illustration above. For all Task Links (manual and Data-driven) you are able to globally set the Vertical Anchor positions of a Task Link’s Begin and End point shapes on the Top, Middle, or Bottom of the Predecessor and Successor task bar/milestone symbol. You can choose to let OnePager determine the Vertical Anchor positions by selecting the Auto options.

In the Data-driven Task Links control group shown above, the default setting for the Import predecessors checkbox is unchecked or Off. This is done so that new charts are not created with all available Data-driven Task Links information imported and shown unless you specifically direct such an action through the Template Properties form. You have the opportunity to import Data-driven Task Links information using the same controls in the Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab in the Data-driven Task Links control group after the chart is created.

When the Import predecessors checkbox is checked ON in the Template Properties form’s Task Link tab, you have the option to Show all data-driven Task Links or use the Task Link Filer Rules capability by clicking the Use Rules radio button. Selecting the Use Rules radio button enables the Manage Rules button which is used to access the Task Link Filter Rules form. This form allows you to establish a set of rules to govern how Data-driven Task Links are shown.

For more information on Task Link Filtering Rules, please see the article at: Using Task Link Filtering Rules for Showing/Hiding Task Links 19.2.1-71

The Chart Properties Task Links Tab for OnePager Pro

The Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab is almost identical to that in the Template Properties form and is shown below:

In the Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab’s Data-driven Task Links control group shown above, the Import and show links checkbox is normally unchecked or OFF. The Import and show links checkbox is disabled in the Chart Properties form until the Show task links checkbox at the top of the form is checked ON. Checking the Import and show links checkbox to ON when its enabled and then clicking the OK button imports the Data-driven Task Links from the Microsoft Project source plan and displays them in the chart. OnePager Pro assumes that the Predecessors field from the Microsoft Project source plan is used for Data-driven Task Links information.

After Data-driven Task Links are imported and showing in the chart, you have the option with the Chart Properties form's Task Links tab to control the further showing or hiding of all Data-driven Task Links with the renamed Show data-driven links checkbox as shown below:

Checking the Show data-driven links checkbox On shows all imported Data-driven Task Links while checking this checkbox Off hides all Data-driven Task Links. If the Import predecessors checkbox is checked ON in the Template Properties form Task Links tab’s Data-driven Task Links control group, Data-driven Task Links are imported and the corresponding checkbox in the Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab is also checked ON.

Chart Properties Form’s Task Link Tab’s Controls

The controls in the Chart Properties form Task Link tab’s Default Task-Link Formatting control group are the same as the controls in the Template form Task Link tab’s Default Task Link Formatting control group for One Pager Pro. The differences in Task Links tab are only in the Data-driven Task Links control groups for OnePager Pro.

For more information on using the OnePager Chart Properties form's Task Links tab's controls, please see the article at: Editing Task Links with the Chart Properties Form 19.3.1-71

To skip the following sub-sections on OnePager Express, please click this link: OnePager’s Data-Driven Task Link Import Process 19.1.1.1-71

OnePager Express Enhancements for Data-Driven Task Links

OnePager Express can now import Dependency values on tasks from Microsoft Excel source plans where the syntax format selection for specifying predecessor relationships corresponds to the Microsoft Project standards or the syntax format selection used by Oracle’s Primavera P6.

OnePager Express is designed to process Task Links that are specified as predecessors ONLY. OnePager Bundle when used with Microsoft Excel source plan imported data produces the same results as OnePager Express.

OnePager Express' Template Properties and Chart Properties Forms

The implementation of Data-driven Task Links and enhancements made to manual Task Links required enhancements to the OnePager Express Template Properties and Chart Properties form’s Event tabs. This Event Links tab is renamed as the Task Links tab in both forms with enhanced controls to support the new capabilities of Data-driven Task Links.

Before going further into this article, it is recommended that you first review the article at: Linking Task and Milestone Using Manual and Data-Driven Task Links (Portal) 19.0.1-71

The Template Properties Form's Task Links Tab for OnePager Express

The Template Properties form Task Links tab for OnePager Express is a little different from that of OnePager Pro since Microsoft Excel source plans do not have a unique field defined for Predecessors or Successors. In the Template Properties form’s Task Links tab, the Import predecessors checkbox is normally unchecked or OFF meaning that the Data-driven Task Link import feature is turned OFF. For Microsoft Excel source plans, you must tell OnePager Express which field in your source plan to use and what syntax format selection to use for the Predecessors field’s format.

The Template Properties form’s Task Link tab for OnePager Express is shown below with the dropdown menu of possible Predecessor source plan fields:

X71-19_1_1_2-71-(1)-12082021.png

The OnePager Express Template Properties form Task Link tab picks up the list of possible Predecessor fields if a Microsoft Excel source plan is loaded. Otherwise the dropdown list is minimized if no source plan is loaded.

There are two syntax format selections for Microsoft Excel source plans. These are:

1) The standard Microsoft Project Predecessor/Successor field syntax, or

2) The Oracle Primavera P6 Predecessor syntax.

OnePager Express assumes that the designated Predecessors field from the Microsoft Excel source plan is used for the Data-driven Task Link information source. OnePager Express only imports predecessor data from the designated Microsoft Excel predecessor field. Although OnePager Express does not import Successor data from your source plan, successor information is the inverse on predecessor information found in your source plan. This approach guaranties that all your Data-driven Task Links are based on valid information from your Microsoft Excel source plan.

Template Properties Form’s Task Link Tab’s Controls

OnePager Express supports the visual representation of all four Task Link Dependency Types including Finish-to-Start (FS), Finish-to-Finish (FF), Start-to-Finish (SF), and Start-to-Start (SS) with proper Begin and End point shape placement on the Predecessor and Successor task bars/milestone symbols. It is assumed that if Data-driven Task Links are imported they are to be shown so the Show task links checkbox is checked ON. Additionally in the Default Task-Link Formatting control group shown above, there are established settings for Line Styles, Arrow Styles, and Font properties

There are controls available to globally set the Horizontal Anchor positions for manual Task Link’s Begin and End point shapes for all Dependency Types along the Predecessor or Successor task’s timespan as shown by the slider bars in the illustration above. For all Task Links (manual and Data-driven) you are able to globally set the Vertical Anchor positions of a Task Link’s Begin and End point shapes on the Top, Middle, or Bottom of the Predecessor and Successor task/milestone.

You can choose to let OnePager determine the Vertical Anchor positions by selecting the Auto options. In the Data-Driven Task Links control group shown above, the default setting for the Import predecessors checkbox is unchecked or OFF. This is done so that new charts are not created with all available Data-driven Task Links information imported and shown unless you specifically direct such an action through the Template Properties form. You are given the opportunity to import Data-driven Task Links information using the same controls in the Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab in the Data-Driven Task Links control group after the chart is created.

When the Import predecessors checkbox is checked ON in the Template Properties form’s Task Link tab, you have the option to Show all Data-driven Task Links or use the Task Link Filer Rules capability by clicking the Use Rules radio button. Selecting the Use Rules radio button enables the Manage Rules button which is used to access the Task Link Filter Rules form. This form allows you to establish a set of rules to govern how Data-driven Task Links are shown.

Controls for Importing Task Link Data

In the Template Properties form’s Task Links tab, the Import predecessors checkbox is normally unchecked or OFF meaning that the Data-driven Task Link import feature is turned OFF. The OnePager Express Chart Properties form Task Links tab picks up the list of possible Predecessor fields if a Microsoft Excel source plan is loaded.

It makes an attempt to pick an available Microsoft Excel field that most closely resembles a predecessor field for the chart.

The same two syntax format selection choices for Microsoft Excel source plans are available in the Chart Properties form Task Links tab. These are:

1) The standard Microsoft Project Predecessor/Successor field syntax, or

2) The Oracle Primavera P6 Predecessor syntax.

For more information on Task Link Filtering Rules, please see the article at: Using Task Link Filtering Rules for Showing/Hiding Task Links 19.2.1-71

The Chart Properties Task Links Tab for OnePager Express

The Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab is almost identical to that in the Template Properties form and is shown below:

In the Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab’s Data-driven Task Links control group shown above, the Import and show links checkbox is normally unchecked or OFF. The Import and show links checkbox is disabled in the Chart Properties form until the Show task links checkbox at the top of the form is checked ON. Checking the Import and show links checkbox to ON when its enabled and then clicking the OK button imports the Data-driven Task Links from the Microsoft Excel source plan and displays them in the chart.

Checking the Import and show links checkbox ON also enables the from and using windows so that you can tell OnePager Express the source of Task Link data to be imported. After Data-driven Task Links are imported and showing in the chart, you have the option with the Chart Properties form's Task Links tab to control the further showing or hiding of all Data-driven Task Links with the renamed Show data-driven links checkbox as shown below:

Checking the Show data-driven links checkbox ON shows all imported Data-driven Task Links while checking this checkbox OFF hides all Data-driven Task Links. If the Import predecessors checkbox is checked ON in the Template Properties form Task Links tab’s Data-driven Task Links control group, Data-driven Task Links are imported and the corresponding checkbox in the Chart Properties form’s Task Links tab is also checked ON.

Chart Properties Form’s Task Link Tab’s Controls

The controls in the Chart Properties form Task Link tab’s Default Task-Link Formatting control group are the same as the controls in the Template Properties form Task Link tab’s Default Task Link Formatting control group for One Pager Express. The differences in Task Link tab are only in the Data-Driven Task Links control groups for OnePager Express.

For more information for using the OnePager Chart Properties form's Task Links tab's controls, please see the article at: Editing Task Links with the Chart Properties Form 19.3.1-71