Batch Create Multiple Projects

Use this procedure as a guideline for batch importing projects into Project Center. Two templates are required to batch create projects - a project template and a master template.

1   You must be a Project Center administrator to perform this procedure.

1. Create a project template

1   The syntax for the project template is located in C:\Program Files\Newforma\Tenth Edition\Project Center\Templates\Project Template.xlsx.

●        Create a project in Project Center using the Create Project dialog box using your company's standards.

●        After the project is created, export it to a template.

●        Embed SQL queries into the template using special <sql connection> and <sql table> template tags. For more information on SQL queries, see Embed SQL Queries in Project Center Templates. SQL queries are not mandatory.

●        The project template contains:

●        Generic project settings tailored to an organization.

●        SQL queries to retrieve data from a data source. SQL queries are not mandatory.

2. Embed SQL queries in the project template (optional)

●        Add <sql connection> and <sql table> tags to your project template. An example of what the <sql connection> and <sql table> tags should look like can be found in the SQL Grammar tab in C:\Program Files\Newforma\Tenth Edition\Project Center\Templates\SQL Template.xlsx.

●        Create a connection string in the <sql connections table> with the correct database host and username and password to connect to the database.

●        Create SQL queries in the <sql table>. Any parameters that are needed can be added in the columns starting at the <p0> tag. Identify that a parameter is required by adding a ? to your SQL query where the parameter should be substituted. You can add references to other cells as values for the parameters.

3. Create a master template

The master template is used for batch project creation in four different modes:

1   The syntax for the master template is in C:\Program Files\Newforma\Tenth Edition\Project Center\Templates\Batch Project Creation Template.xlsx.

●        <template table>

●        This is a list of static project templates from which to create projects. The referenced project templates typically do not have embedded SQL within them and are constructed manually.

●        <defaults> + <template table>

●        This is a list of static project templates from which to create projects. The templates themselves can share common settings in a static defaults template. The referenced project templates typically do not have embedded SQL. However, they are simpler than those found in the <template table> option above in that most settings have been moved to a common defaults template.

●        <defaults> + <overrides table>

●        This is a list of property values to override in the defaults template. Each row results in a project template to create projects from. This mode is intended for embedded SQL queries in the defaults template. However, SQL queries are not mandatory in this mode.

●        The overrides table is used for overriding specific properties within the defaults template during batch project creation. The overrides table can only override single-value template properties. Table (multi-value) template properties cannot be overridden using the overrides table. For example, it is possible to override the <project number>, <project name>, <primary project folder>, and other similar properties using the overrides table. It is not possible to override the <xref path table> or other multi-valued properties using the overrides table.

●        <defaults> + n4 project create -k [project number]

●        Similar to the <overrides table> above but only overrides the <project number> property from the command line. This mode is intended for embedded SQL queries in the defaults template.

●        The master template contains:

●        A reference to a default project template (above).

●        A list of project numbers to import. The project numbers go into an overrides table, and other project specific information can also be added if needed.

4. Test batch project creation

1   You must test on a machine with Microsoft Excel installed.

Log into the Project Center Server. Open the Newforma Command Utility Project Center shortcut from Start > All Programs > Newforma. This launches a command line to the correct location for running N4.

Test templates one project at time using the following command:

n4 project create –t [master template.xls] -d -i -u -k [project number]

●        The -t [master template.xls] flag is the location of the master template.

●        The -d flag runs n4 in debug mode where a dialog box displays the results of the SQL queries.

●        The -i flag executes n4 in interactive mode and displays various warning messages as popup dialogs.

●        The -u flag can optionally update a project if it already exists.

●        The -n [project number] flag is used to specify the WBS1 value for a project.

5. Batch create projects

1   You must run batch creation on a machine with Microsoft Excel installed.

You can specify multiple project numbers with an overrides table in the master template:

●        Specify a <project number> column in the overrides table.

●        Specify the project numbers for all of the projects to be created.

Log into the Project Center Server. Open the Newforma Command Utility Project Center shortcut from Start > All Programs > Newforma. This launches a command line to the correct location for running N4.

Batch create projects with the following command:

n4 project create –t [master template.xls] –i

●        The -t [master template.xls] flag is the location of the master template with an overrides table specifying projects to create by project number.

●        The -i flag executes n4 in interactive mode and displays various warning messages as popup dialogs.