We've recently gotten a few questions from customers as to how to seamlessly synchronize your MS Project (2003-2007) file with the IBN-CS.  For those of you who don't know, the IBN-CS has the ability to upload/export MS Project Files, which allows everybody on a project to essentially goto a webpage to look at the schedule, update their schedules/tasks and get auto notification as to when their tasks are due - essentially publishing a MS Project File online, allowing everybody (with permission) to modify on-the-fly.

In any event, here are the quick steps to importing in the MS Project file:

  1. In MS Project, use the "Save As" feature to save the file in an .XML format
  2. Log into your IBN-CS 4.5 instance
  3. Pick the project you'd like to use this MS Project file for
  4. Click the "Actions" button on the upper right hand corner and select "MS Project Data Exchange"
  5. In the Import area, either type or "Browse" the file name, and the click the [Import] button
  6. A series of question will pop up asking you to link references in the MS Project File to people in the IBN-CS system, as well as other possible connections you might want between the MS Proejct File and existing IBN-CS entities.
And that's it - you're ready to roll.  You final result should look something like what is being shown below.  At this point, people will start receiving automatic notification in either instant messages or e-mails about all of the things that they said they would do, but haven't yet.  (publisher's note - I'd love to hear if anybody has broken Mark's record of missing 38 consecutive milestones - as far as we know, a world record)