TPG PSLink® – A Leading Middleware Product for Multi-Directional Data Exchange in the Project Environment

Oracle Primavera is a powerful software for planning and managing large-scale projects and programs in the construction, engineering, aerospace, and other industries. Large-scale projects often begin as programs and are subdivided into sub-projects. A range of project management tools is often used, either within a single company or between the company and its external suppliers. For example, program planners use a tool such as Oracle Primavera for scheduling, but the sub-project manager uses Microsoft Project or. Project Online in the Cloud – or vice versa.

Coordinating hundreds or even thousands of tasks over the course of a multi-year project is a real challenge. It is very tedious and time-consuming to reconcile data, find and correct data transfer errors and handle the resulting long reporting cycles.

Having professional middleware software to efficiently handle the data sharing solves this problem.

For over 20 years, TPG PSLink has served as a proven middleware solution for sharing data between enterprise systems and diverse project management tools. By doing so, it supports the bidirectional integration with Oracle Primavera. The high degree of configuration flexibility enables it to handle all possible use cases. With a range of default configurations, the product can be quickly and easily implemented.

YOUR BENEFITS

Integration of Oracle Primavera with Microsoft Project

  • Simplified project management processes, even beyond corporate boundaries
  • Data sharing with Primavera on-premises via the cloud
  • Elimination of data entry duplication
  • More reliable and consistent data among all the systems involved
  • Better decision-making support for project managers, financial controllers, and management, thanks to more dependable data
  • Project planning, financial controlling, collaboration and document management are integrated

Use Case 1: Integrating Oracle Primavera with Microsoft Project

Here’s how it works: In Primavera and Microsoft Project, the processes to be included in the data exchange are marked as such. The project name, task name, start and finish dates of these tasks are synchronized by the TPG PSLink middleware in a SharePoint list. From this hub, the data in the other system can be selected from a dropdown menu and imported to the correct spot in the schedule.

Discrepancies between the deadlines in your own plans and those of your business partners are clearly indicated in both systems by the split bars: one showing your plan and one showing that of the external project (see the following graphic). Deviations are immediately recognizable and can be promptly discussed with those responsible.

If the collaboration extends beyond corporate boundaries, an integration that avoids the problems associated with access permissions is especially advantageous.

Further Benefits of Integrating Primavera with Microsoft Project

  • No media break due to the use of different tools
  • Free choice in the selection of tool and tool version for both the sub-project and the supplier
  • Eliminates the need for manual exports and imports by any party
  • Real-time synchronization
  • Restricted publication of project plan data
  • Avoidance of permission problems with external projects
  • (Sub-)project manager and program planner maintain control over their plans
  • One single “source of truth” on the SharePoint hub
  • Fast reporting cycles

Use Case 2: Integrating Primavera with SharePoint

Further information about the following use case is available here: SharePoint Integration.
 

Master Data in SharePoint and Other Systems

In some cases, SharePoint can act as an intermediate stop at which users can edit and supplement the master data (e.g. project opportunities from Microsoft CRM or resources from Microsoft Dynamics AX) as well as update the data in other systems (e.g. Primavera). Lists like these can be read from the source system and imported into the target system (such as the selection lists for Primavera fields) using TPG PSLink.
 

Reporting the Status of Work Packages in SharePoint

Using TPG PSLink, you can make work package data available in SharePoint. The data maintained there can then be imported into Primavera or the ERP system.
 

Linking SharePoint Checklists with Other Systems

TPG PSLink lets you automatically create and allocate checklists for a project in Primavera based on SharePoint templates. These are updated with information from the project plan (e.g. milestone deadlines). The updated checklist items are synchronized with project milestones and phase-related fields in Primavera (e.g. completed phase milestone, change of status, etc.).


TPG PSLink Features

  • Standard use cases enable a rapid implementation
  • Highly configurable product designed for handling complex data exchanges
  • Middleware with web client and MS Project add-in
  • Extensive test mechanisms for ultimate reliability
  • Synchronization can be performed either manually or via its own scheduled job queue
  • Multilingual user interface
  • A proven product for over 20 years with numerous reference customers

Compatible with the Following Systems

  • Primavera P6
  • Microsoft Project Server 2013 and higher
  • Microsoft Project Online
  • Microsoft SharePoint 2013 and higher
  • Microsoft SharePoint Online
  • Microsoft TFS
  • Atlassian Jira
  • SAP ERP and SAP PPM

Common questions regarding TPG PSLink middleware

Find answers here

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