Getting Started

With an account in OpenAir and Microsoft Project software installed, you can download Projects Connector and begin using them together to plan and manage projects. Perform the following steps.

Step 1: Download Projects Connector

Sign in to your OpenAir account. Go to Administration > Global Settings > Integration: Add-on services. Locate OpenAir Projects Connector and download it. Refer to Installing Projects Connector for more information.

Step 2: Set up a project plan

Identify the tasks that need to be accomplished, when, and by whom. You can do this in either the Projects module in OpenAir or Microsoft Project.

Step 3: Track progress

Track progress on an ongoing basis. Modify the project plan in OpenAir or Microsoft Project. There are different methods you can use.

Establish a project in Microsoft Project and push it to OpenAir. Lock it in OpenAir and continue to modify it in Microsoft Project. When updated, push it as an existing project to OpenAir.
Establish a project in OpenAir and pull it into Microsoft Project. Lock it when you pull it, make modifications to it in Microsoft Project, and push the updated project back to OpenAir.
Establish a project in OpenAir and pull it into Microsoft Project to use as a base for a new project. Do not lock it when you pull it and modify it in Microsoft Project. Push it to OpenAir as a new project.

You can exchange information between software products and use OpenAir resources and timekeeping capabilities. The following information may help you decide when you want to lock a project in OpenAir.

Action	Enables you to...
Push and Lock Microsoft Project to OpenAir	View project information in OpenAir, but not edit it. Hours worked, approved, and billed for that project are registered in OpenAir as usual, but you must make project plan changes to the name, planned hours, tasks, and assignments by modifying the project in Microsoft Project and pushing it to OpenAir. Locking the project ensures you can continue to push it from Microsoft Project to OpenAir.
Push and Do Not Lock Microsoft Project to OpenAir	Edit project information in OpenAir. Hours worked, approved, and billed for that project are registered in OpenAir as usual, and you can make project plan changes to the project name, planned hours, tasks, and assignments in OpenAir. You can pull the project to Microsoft Project as a new project to review progress. Note: If a project is pushed to OpenAir as Not Locked, a Microsoft Project file cannot be used subsequently to make changes to the originally created project in OpenAir.
Push into an empty project in OpenAir	Push existing Microsoft Project to empty unlocked project in OpenAir. (Empty projects in OpenAir do not have tasks or phases.)
Pull Project from OpenAir and Lock the OpenAir Project	Edit project information in newly pulled Microsoft Project, and since you locked the project in OpenAir, you can push updates back to the original project in OpenAir. You can view project information in OpenAir, but not edit it there until you unlock it. Note: You can pull any project from OpenAir into Microsoft Project, but only unlocked projects in OpenAir can be locked and linked to the newly created Microsoft Project file.

Step 4: Exchange project plan information

Use Projects Connector to enter account settings, pull resources, and push or pull a project. Refer to the following procedures.

Note:

When a new version of Projects Connector becomes available, you will be prompted to download it. Refer to Installing a New Version for more information.