Documents and Integration
Unit Overview
This chapter provides an overview of different integration options for cProjects. This chapter covers the integration with the Document Management System of an SAP system and how the individual objects from cProjects (such as the phase) are linked to objects of an assigned SAP system (such as work breakdown structure element). Furthermore, the integration with cFolders is also described.
Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to: • Create an object link
• Describe the advantages of object links • Manage documents directly in cProjects
• Describe the integration to the Document Management System of SAP • Name the advantages of collaborations in cProjects
• Describe to which project objects collaborations can be assigned
Unit Contents
Lesson: Object Links ...164 Exercise 16: Object Links ...167 Lesson: Documents ...170 Exercise 17: Documents ...175 Lesson: cFolders in cProjects ...178 Exercise 18: cFolders in cProjects ...181
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Lesson: Object Links
Lesson Overview
This lesson provides an overview of links between cProjects project objects and objects of an R/3 system.
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to: • Create an object link
• Describe the advantages of object links
Business Example
In your project, you use the cost integration of cProjects. cProjects has already generated an internal order. You now want to edit this internal order. Use the object link to call up editing directly from cProjects.
Introduction
Business objects that are relevant to a project in cProjects can be distributed over several systems. As it is important to have an overview of these objects directly in cProjects, you can link these objects to project objects in cProjects. These connections are called object links. You can create object links starting from the following project objects: • Project definition • Phase • Checklist • Checklist item • Task
The standard system already contains a range of predefined object types to which object links can be created, for example, work breakdown structure elements, network, internal order but also other projects in cProjects. The “Object Links in the Application” figure shows a screenshot of the maintenance of the object links of a project definition in cProjects. Here, a link has been established to an internal order in an SAP system. The order can be displayed and edited from cProjects. The extent to which editing is possible depends on the settings in the Customizing of cProjects. You can also change or delete the object links from here. The lower section of the screen shows the jump to the assigned editing transactions.
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PLM510 Lesson: Object Links
Figure 57: Object Links in the Application
Hint: Sometimes the object to which a link is to be established is still unknown or does not exist yet. In such a case you can set the “Identify Later” indicator. During the later, actual link you have to delete the indicator again. Even though many settings for objects links are already prepared in the standard system, you still have to make supplementary settings. The “Settings for Object Links” figure shows a screenshot of the corresponding settings in Customizing. Here, you have to make two settings. First, you specify transactions that are possible in general and store the connection data for the respective SAP system. For example, in the standard system, transaction “Define Project Definition” is stored as a service. For example, you have to know the message server of the SAP system for the connection data.
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Figure 58: Settings for Object Links
In the second part, you have to activate this object link for the individual object types for which a link is to be established. In order to be able to use these, you have to define the RFC destinations for the respective SAP R/3 system. If cProjects is installed on the same system, select destination NONE. Following this, the different services (that is, the transactions) are assigned. For more details on the settings of the Customizing of the object links, refer to the configuration guide of cProjects. You can download the guide from the SAP Help Portal.
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PLM510 Lesson: Object Links
Exercise 16: Object Links
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to: • Create an object link
Business Example
In your project, you use the cost integration of cProjects. cProjects has already generated an internal order. You now want to edit this internal order. Use the object link to call up editing directly from cProjects.
Task:
In this exercise you will analyze the object link to the internal order and to the project definition of an SAP system.
1. Open your project and search for the number of the internal order that you have created in the context of the cost integration of cProjects.
2. Create an object link between the project management phase and the internal order. Can you edit the internal order?
3. Create another object link to project definition E-9990.
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Solution 16: Object Links
Task:
In this exercise you will analyze the object link to the internal order and to the project definition of an SAP system.
1. Open your project and search for the number of the internal order that you have created in the context of the cost integration of cProjects.
a) Open your project and choose the Accounting tab page. In the Order field of the overview, you find the number of the replicated internal order. If you cannot see an internal order here, accounting integration has not been used yet. In this case set the status “Flag for Replication”, save and start the task over. Make a note of the number of the internal order.
2. Create an object link between the project management phase and the internal order. Can you edit the internal order?
a) Choose the Structure tab page, select the project definition and select the Object Links tab page. Choose Create and Link to Internal Order R/3. Enter the number of the internal order and select “Continue”. With the Open pushbutton you now have several services available for editing and displaying the internal order.
3. Create another object link to project definition E-9990.
a) Proceed as described in the exercise. However, choose Link to Project Definition R/3. Enter the data and choose Continue.
4. Display the project definition. What was the planned start date of this project? a) Choose Open then the Show Project Definition. A logon screen appears. Enter your data. You get a detail screen of the project definition, which contains the required data in the lower section.
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PLM510 Lesson: Object Links
Lesson Summary
You should now be able to: • Create an object link
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Lesson: Documents
Lesson Overview
This lesson provides an overview of the different options for assigning documents to a project.
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to: • Manage documents directly in cProjects
• Describe the integration to the Document Management System of SAP
Business Example
You are working on a project and using cProjects. In the context of your project, dozens of descriptions, procedures and so on have been created already. However, the corresponding data is distributed over different computers and cannot be accessed centrally. Use the document management of cProjects to make documents available centrally.
Overview
Many documents are often created over the course of a project. They can include specifications, checklists, drawings, photos, performance data, and many other types. This information should be available as structured as possible. The data should be easily accessible for authorized persons and hidden from unauthorized persons. By now, most documents are available in digital form. So it makes sense to summarize these documents centrally and to control access this way. cProjects intends two options for managing documents. You can manage your documents in cProjects with cProjects own document function or with the Document Management System (SAP DMS). The type of management that is actually used depends on the respective system settings. The project type of your project determines whether you use cProjects own management and/or the DMS.
Documents in cProjects
You can assign documents to any project object. Every single project object has a “Documents” tab page. It enables you to assign documents at every level of the project and to assign certain authorizations for these. For this, the documents are structured in document folders. The “Documents in cProjects” figure shows a screenshot of the maintenance of the documents of a task in cProjects. To edit documents, select the
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PLM510 Lesson: Documents
affected project object in the structure maintenance and then choose the “Documents” tab page. You then see the document folder that is highlighted in the figure. The actual folder can be subdivided into several levels. You could do this, for example, to get a better overview or to grant authorizations in a structured form.
Within the document folder, you can also create existing files as new documents, but you could also merely create a link to the file. Instead of using existing files, you can also generate new documents. You can use document templates to do this. These in turn are processed in the template maintenance of cProjects. The documents can be changed as soon as they exist. For this, they are first checked out, then edited and then checked in again. During checking in you can either create a new version of the document, a content version, or overwrite the existing version.
Figure 59: Documents in cProjects
If there are several content versions, you can edit these using the corresponding tab page. You can use status management to set whether the document is still supposed to be used or not.
If a content version of a document is to be edited, then this version is usually checked out. However, checking in and out is only possible if the corresponding indicator has been set in the user-defined settings. The indicator is located on the “Technical Settings” tab page and is called “Plug-in for Documents”. This setting activates a Java applet that enables the editing of the documents. If the indicator is not active, checking in and out is not possible. However, in this case you can store the document
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on the hard drive of your own computer for editing and then assign the document again, once you have finished editing. However, this is only a workaround in case the Java applet cannot be activated or causes an error.
Documents in DMS
You can manage your documents with the Document Management System (SAP DMS) and exchange documents between the SAP DMS and cProjects. SAP recommends this procedure in the following cases:
• If you already use DMS and want to have access to existing DMS documents • If you want to exchange your documents between SAP R/3 and cProjects • If you want to classify your documents
• If you want to map your project structure using the DMS structure
In all other cases it suffices to manage the documents directly in cProjects (see above). The integration of the SAP DMS in cProjects offers additional advantages: You can create new document master records from cProjects. You can establish links to document structures by assigning the corresponding document master record. This way, you can edit not only the document master record but also the document structure and its items.
Integration with Microsoft Windows File Explorer
With this function, you can manage the documents in your projects (cProjects) or your collaborations (cFolders) using the Microsoft® Windows File Explorer. Here, the storage still happens in cFolders or cProjects. If you use the integration, you see an empty directory “SAP cProject Suite” in your File Explorer at first. As soon as you have called the File Explorer from cProjects or cFolders, the initial objects are generated with the corresponding data. All documents of an initial object are always displayed, a selection is not possible. Every initial object is a separate folder that might contain subordinate folders. In cProjects initial objects can be:
• Project definition • Phase
• Checklist • Checklist item • Task
There is a separate folder for each subordinate object in the initial object. The folders map the project structure and contain the data that has been assigned to them. The same authorizations as in cProjects apply to the individual folders and files. You
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PLM510 Lesson: Documents
can copy documents from a folder by means of drag and drop. This is also possible between cProject Suite’s own folders and folders not belonging to cProject Suite. If you add new files to a cProject Suite folder, these are automatically loaded to cProjects.
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PLM510 Lesson: Documents
Exercise 17: Documents
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to: • Manage documents directly in cProjects
• Describe the integration to the Document Management System of SAP
Business Example
You are working on a project and using cProjects. In the context of your project, dozens of descriptions, procedures and so on have been created already. However, the corresponding data is distributed over many different computers and cannot be accessed centrally. Use the document management of cProjects to make documents available centrally.
Task:
In the following exercise you will analyze a document in cProjects and reassign it within the structure.
1. Open your project and take a look at the “Coordination” task. 2. How many documents are assigned?
3. Is DMS used for these documents?
4. Optional: Create a new document in cProjects. To do so, use any Microsoft Office file that happens to be on your computer.
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Solution 17: Documents
Task:
In the following exercise you will analyze a document in cProjects and reassign it within the structure.
1. Open your project and take a look at the “Coordination” task.
a) Expand the entire project structure. Then search for the task above. Select it in the navigation area and then choose the “Documents” tab page. 2. How many documents are assigned?
Answer:
3. Is DMS used for these documents? Answer:
4. Optional: Create a new document in cProjects. To do so, use any Microsoft Office file that happens to be on your computer.
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PLM510 Lesson: Documents
Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Manage documents directly in cProjects
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Lesson: cFolders in cProjects
Lesson Overview
This lesson provides an overview of the integration of cFolders in cProjects. It describes how collaborations are created and used in a project in cProjects.
Lesson Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Name the advantages of collaborations in cProjects
• Describe to which project objects collaborations can be assigned
Business Example
Your company already carries out projects using cProjects. You also use the documents in cProjects. Your employees can access and edit individual documents. However, more and more external employees are involved in the project. Here, the exchange of documents has not been implemented yet. In future, use cFolders to exchange documents.
cFolders in cProjects
cFolders is a web-based application for interenterprise collaboration in virtual teams. cFolders are used especially for the simple exchange of objects that are to processed together within a project team as well as with internal or external partners. These objects that are to be edited together are stored in a folder hierarchy, in collaborations. Within projects, it is often necessary to exchange documents of all types. For this reason, collaborations can also be stored directly in cProjects. The figure “cFolders in cProjects” shows a screenshot of the assignment of an existing collaboration to the project definition of a project in cProjects. Instead of assigning existing collaborations, you can also create new collaborations.
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PLM510 Lesson: cFolders in cProjects
Figure 60: cFolders in cProjects
You can create collaborations for the following project objects: • Project definition
• Phase • Checklist • Checklist item • Task
In addition to the prerequisite that cFolders is installed in your system, further conditions must be met for the integration. The project type of the project must permit collaborations and, in the Customizing of cProjects, an RFC destination (Remote Function Call) must be set up for cFolders.
The following chapters provide further information on the functions of collaborations and the settings required in cFolders. Even if there is no explicit reference to cProjects, the chapters also apply to collaborations created from cProjects.
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PLM510 Lesson: cFolders in cProjects
Exercise 18: cFolders in cProjects
Exercise Objectives
After completing this exercise, you will be able to: • Name the advantages of collaborations in cProjects
• Describe to which project objects collaborations can be assigned
Business Example
Your company already carries out projects using cProjects. You also use the documents in cProjects. Your employees can access and edit individual documents. However, more and more external employees are involved in the project. Here, the exchange of documents has not been implemented yet. In future, use cFolders to exchange documents.
Task:
In the following task you will be asked some questions on the understanding of the integration of collaborations in cProjects.
1. Can collaborations also be used without cProjects?
2. For which project objects can you create collaborations? Choose the correct answer(s).
□ A Work breakdown structures □ B Project definition
□ C Phase
□ D Internal order □ E Checklist item
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Solution 18: cFolders in cProjects
Task:
In the following task you will be asked some questions on the understanding of the integration of collaborations in cProjects.
1. Can collaborations also be used without cProjects?
Answer: Yes, collaborations can also be used as stand-alone solutions. However, you have additional options in connection with projects. For example, resource planning of people involved; structured transitions from one phase to the next and so on. In turn, integration also has the advantage that documents belonging to a project can also be edited in distributed teams.
2. For which project objects can you create collaborations? Answer: B, C, E, F
The answers “work breakdown structure” and “internal order” are wrong. Both are objects in an SAP R/3 system. They can be connected to project objects from cProjects by means of object links but collaborations cannot be assigned.
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PLM510 Lesson: cFolders in cProjects
Lesson Summary
You should now be able to:
• Name the advantages of collaborations in cProjects
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Unit Summary
You should now be able to: • Create an object link
• Describe the advantages of object links • Manage documents directly in cProjects
• Describe the integration to the Document Management System of SAP • Name the advantages of collaborations in cProjects
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PLM510 Test Your Knowledge
Test Your Knowledge
1. Do you have to set up SAP DMS to manage documents in cProjects?
2. What are the advantages of the integration of documents in cProjects with DMS?
3. Can collaborations also be used without cProjects?
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Answers
1. Do you have to set up SAP DMS to manage documents in cProjects? Answer: No, in cProjects you can also create, check in, check out, and edit