Best practices with MS Project Importing

[JR Laprime]

We are looking for guidance on best practices for importing Microsoft Project files into ServiceNow. Specifically, we are interested in:

• Individual project importing best practices
• Batch MS Project file importing via MS Project Server and/or Project Online
• Scheduled import process for all active projects

While I recognize ServiceNow has significantly improved the usability and end-user experience with the new Project Workspace, our organization will be relying on MS Project for detailed project schedules due to advanced schedule analysis requirements (such as Monte Carlo simulations, SRA Schedule Risk Analysis, and DCMA 14-point schedule assessments) and ServiceNow user licensing limitations.

However, we want to leverage the new Resource Assignments functionality to project WBS/tasks records to improve our resource forecasting abilities as compared to legacy Resource Management.  Therefore, synchronizing schedules between MS Project and ServiceNow SPM will be key.

Additional Context:

• We are not yet using the new Project Workspace in ServiceNow.
• We are interested in implementing a standard MS Project import process to synchronize project schedules between MS Project and ServiceNow improving resource forecasting based on new features with Resource Assignments.
• We have advanced schedule analysis requirements, such as Monte Carlo simulations, SRA Schedule Risk Analysis, and DCMA 14-point schedule assessment.

Any insights or guidance from the community on best practices with MS Project Importing would be greatly appreciated!

[StephanieN]

I would be interested as well. Especially with MS Project Professional and Planner roadmap for Microsoft is changing.

[MattA1]

Hi all - did either of you ever find a solution?  Now that MS Project Server is being retired, we would like to use ServiceNow instead but the missing link here is the automated uploading of projects to whichever tool you are using to manage your portfolio.

I'm sure it's possible but looking for an OOTB or recommended solution if possible 🙂

[TroySasso]

Hey everyone!

Best practice moving forward is to use the ootb Servicenow import tool provided with SPM Standard/Project Workspce that uses defined MPP mappings to place the bulk of the MPP info into Project and Tasks within your WBS (Work breakdown structure).  The tool works well.

The issue that @Servicenow_1 needs to address is how the project import capability drops mappings you add to the tool that are meant to read other associated data you want brought into the Project and Tasks such as a 'Resource' associated to a MPP Task does NOT get brought over by the tool to the out of box Task assignment or custom task fields in Servicenow.