Troubleshooting the Replicon add-in for Microsoft Project

Refer to the sections below for workarounds and solutions to some issues that can occur when using the Replicon add-in for Microsoft Project.

Unable to connect to MS Project Server. Invalid Account error occurs when launching Microsoft Project Integration Manager

The following error message is seen while launching Replicon Integration Manager for MS Project server:

Unable to connect to MS Project Server. Invalid Account

This error displays despite the user entering the correct credentials.

Cause:
When you launch the Integration Manager for Microsoft Project Server, under Project server account option you are expected to select either Use Windows user account or Use a Project Server account.

When you have Windows user account option selected on MSPI (Microsoft Project Integration Manager), then the domain account used to access MS Project server and Windows domain credentials used to log onto the computer, should be the same. The error message usually pops up if there is a mismatch.

Solution:
Either you have to create a new windows account which matches the MS Project server domain account.

Or

Create a new domain account on MS Project Server which matches your windows login credentials.

Error: Could not find the folder C:\Program Files\Replicon Inc\Microsoft Project Integration

Upon launching the Microsoft Projects Integration manager the application starts checking for updates after which it downloads and installs the new updates. In specific scenarios after the download has completed the installer tries to install the new updates and it fails with the error message 'Could not find the folder C:Program FilesReplicon IncMicrosoft Project Integration'.

Resolution:
This error occurs if sufficient sharing permissions are not assigned to the folder Microsoft Project Integration. In order to assign the permissions you will need to follow these steps:

• Log into the workstation or server where the Microsoft Project Integration Manager is installed.
• Click Start in Windows and then click Run.
• In the Run command box enter the the path C:\Program Files\Replicon Inc.
• Right-click on the folder Microsoft Project Integration.
• Select Properties.
• In the Microsoft Project Integration Properties window, select the Sharing tab.
• Click Share.
• In the File Sharing window, type the name of the user who makes use of the Microsoft Project Integration Manager application.
• Click Share and then click Done.

Error: Invalid argument length or argument length out of array

Administrator is transferring Project's from Replicon to Microsoft Project 2010, with time entered against the tasks. The transfer of data fails. The log file shows the following error message:

'Invalid argument length or argument length out of array'

However, the same Project's, with time entered against it can be transferred without any error, into Microsoft Project 2007.

Cause:
This issue usually occurs because of a feature in Microsoft Project 2010, which allows the tasks to be created in Manual Schedule Mode. When a task is created with Manual Schedule Mode it would not be possible to update time against these tasks.

Resolution:
The issue can be resolved following any one of the two methods given below:

2010. Download and install Microsoft Service Pack 1for Microsoft Project 2010.
      B. Changing the Task Schedule Mode from Manual to Automatic which allows the Integration Manager to update the time phased data in Microsoft Project 2010.

Method A:
Download and install Microsoft Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Project 2010 which allows time to be updated when the task is in Manual Schedule Mode. Follow the steps given below:

• Go to the website: https://www.download3k.com/Install-Microsoft-Project-Professional.html
• Download project2010sp1-kb2460052-x64-fullfile-en-us.exe which is the Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Project 2010.
• Alternatively, depending on the version of Microsoft Project i.e. 32 bit or 64 bit, the Microsoft KB Article 2460052, provides the download link for Microsoft Project 32 Bit Service Pack 1 package or Microsoft Project 64 Bit Service Pack 1.
• To download either Microsoft Project 32 Bit Service Pack 1 package or Microsoft Project 64 Bit Service Pack 1 refer to this link: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/2460052
• Once downloaded, install it on the client machine.

Method B:
To change the task Schedule Mode follow the steps given below:

• Launch Microsoft Project 2010.
• Click on File in the top menu.
• Click on Options in the drop down list.
• Locate Scheduling options for the affected project.
• Click on the drop down button located on the right side of the New task that has been created, and change it to Auto Scheduled.
• Click OK.

Error: You do not have sufficient permissions to perform this action

Only the Assignment Owner will be able to enter time assignment against projects. The Assignment Owner field, contains the name of the user who is responsible for entering status in Microsoft Project, for the current assignment.

To resolve the issue change the Assignment Owner in 'MicroSoft Project Server'. To change the Assignment Owner on a task, follow these steps:

1. Make sure you are in the Gantt chart view.
2. RIGHT Click in the empty gray box, in the upper left corner of the Gantt table, where the column and row headers meet.
3. Choose “…Assignment Owner” from the list of available tables.
4. LEFT Click to select the table. You will see the columns in your table change.
5. Find the appropriate task row that you want to change and Double Click on any cell in that row. This will bring up the Task Information window.
6. On the Task Information window click the “Resources” tab.
7. In the “Assignment Owner” column use the dropdown menu to choose the new Assignment Owner. Your choices will be limited to those resources you recruited to this project team from the Global Resource Pool.
8. Click “OK”. The name will change in the “Assignment Owner” field in the project. from the Global Resource Pool.
9. Continue to apply this method to change any other Assignment Owner on specific tasks, if necessary.
10. When finished changing the data in the “Assignment Owner” field, return to the original Gantt chart view.
11. Save, publish, and check-in the project.

How to create a new user in Replicon if the user does not exist, while transferring resources from MS Project?

If a resource you are transferring from Microsoft Project does not yet exist in Replicon, you can choose to create that user in Replicon. You must have permission to add new users in Replicon to carry out this transfer.

• To ensure that all necessary information is transferred during the update process
• To prevent update delays while you wait for the necessary information to be added.
• If you enable this option, you must supply the default authentication type and domain (if applicable) that you would like assigned to the new user. Only authentication types enabled in Replicon will be available for selection.

Understanding settings assigned to newly created users:

The following settings are automatically assigned to new users created in Replicon.

• Permissions: Non Exempt – Time and Time Off permission and Project & Billing seat assignment (and Time & Attendance, if available)
• Password (if applicable): Each new user created in Replicon will be assigned the password 'password'
• First Name: A first name based on the $FirstName from the resource name formula, if available. If not available, the first name will be set to the $LoginName included in the formula.
• Last Name: A last name based on the $LastName from the resource name formula, if available. If not available, the first name will be set to the $LoginName included in the formula.
• Authentication type: Each new user created in Replicon will be assigned the authentication type selected in the Integration Manager.
• Log in name: If SAML authentication are selected, the Windows Account log in name value as their Replicon log in name.
• If Windows Account is not available, the Replicon login name will be set to the $LoginName included in the formula. If $LoginName is not included in the formula, the log in name will be set to $FirstName$LastName.
• Domain (if applicable): The domain from the user’s Windows Account, if available. If not available, the user will be assigned the domain selected in the Integration Manager. This value can be reset manually after transfer if different domains are required in Replicon and Project.

How to create customized fields in Microsoft Project?

Customized fields contain specific information and values you need to display in your project and that are unique to your organization. You can use custom fields to include formulas that incorporate existing Project fields and other custom fields to calculate data. Custom fields can also contain graphical indicators to alert you when specified conditions are met.

When you create a custom field, you're actually altering an existing Project field. Much like fields, custom fields are either part of a table, a form, or the time phrased area of a usage view.

How are custom fields used in Replicon?

Custom Field in Microsoft Project are used for mapping when Project information is transferred from Replicon to Microsoft Project, it's same as User Defined Field in Replicon.

For Example: To map Task Code in Microsoft Project with Replicon it should be Custom Field (Task Type).

To create a customized field in Microsoft Project:

1. On the Tools menu, point to Customize, and then click Fields.
2. Click Task if you want the field to be available in task views, or click Resource if you want the field to be available in resource views.
3. Select the type of field you are customizing from the Type list.
4. Click Rename to permanently rename the field in this project. Type the new name in the dialog box that appears, and then click OK.
5. Under Custom Attributes, choose how you want the data in the field to be entered.
6. If you want the custom field to use a list — for example, to create a list of different cost centers in your organization — click Lookup. In the dialog box that appears, enter each list item in the Value column, choose whether you want one of the list items to appear by default, and then click Close.
7. If you want the custom field to be populated using a formula, click Formula. In the dialog box that appears, use the Field and Function boxes to build a formula, and then click OK.
8. Under Calculation for task and group summary rows, choose how you want the values in your custom field to roll up. That is, how the values are summarized at the task and group summary levels for this custom field. Note: Outline code and text fields do not roll up. Also, the Use formula option is only available if you have defined a formula for the field, under Custom Attributes.
9. Under Calculation for assignment rows, choose how you want the values in the custom field to be distributed.
10. Click None if the contents of this custom field are not to be distributed across assignments.
11. Click Roll down unless manually entered if the contents of this custom field are to be distributed across assignments, for example, in the Task Usage view or Resource Usage view. In this case, data is divided among the assignments unless data is manually entered into an assignment row.
12. Under Values to display, choose how you want the data in the custom field to be displayed.
13. Click Data to display the actual data in the field contents in all views in which the field appears.
14. Click Graphical Indicators to specify the criteria and associated indicator images to be displayed in the field in place of data.

If you are updating the fields in Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 with the new custom field that displays an indicator, you may need to refresh [that is “change” ] information in the column once to see the new indicator in a view in Microsoft Office Project Web Access.