The Projman Application

Import Activity Data Set Window

This window enables you to import a SAS data set that contains project activity information. Projman assumes that the selected data set is in the format appropriate for input to the CPM or PM procedure.

When you select the data set that you want to import, you must identify certain variables within that data set. Projman attempts to recognize the variables by searching for some standard names; however, it is likely that you will need to select the required variables. When all the necessary selections have been made and the activity data set is imported, a new project is created.

Standard Import Options

The following set of options are common to several different import windows.

Library

This list contains all currently defined SAS library names. Use this list to select the library that contains the data set that you want to import. Selection of a library automatically populates the Data Set list.

Data Set

This list contains the names of all SAS data sets that currently reside in the selected library. When you select the data set that you want to import, the Variables list is populated automatically. When a data set is selected, some automatic variable selection may also take place.

Variables

This list contains the names of the variables that currently exist in the selected SAS data set. To import variable selections, select the desired variable or variables in this list and click the appropriate button.

Import

When all necessary selections have been made, clicking this button causes the selected data set to be imported. If additional selections are required, an attention window is displayed.

OK

Clicking this button accepts the current selections and closes the window.

Cancel

Clicking this button cancels the current selections and closes the window or aborts the import process if it is selected in the primary import window.

Reset

Clicking this button causes all variable selections in the current window to be cleared.

Remove

When the Remove check box is selected, clicking a variable button causes the corresponding import variable selection to be cleared. You can click the Reset button to clear all import variable selections in the current window.

Secondary Windows

Progress / Baseline

Clicking this button opens a window that enables you to specify variables that contain activity progress information and baseline schedules. This information is optional. For information on this window, see the section "Progress/Baseline Information".

Resources

Clicking this button opens a window that enables you to identify the variables that contain resource requirement information for the activities. You can also specify which variable contains the activity work rate. This information is optional. For information on this window, see the section "Resource Information".

Additional Info

Clicking this button opens a window that enables you to specify variables that contain information about activity target (alignment) dates, limits on activity delay, activity priorities for resource scheduling, and activity splitting. This information is optional. For information on this window, see the section "Additional Information".

Basic Activity Information

This window is used to identify variables that contain basic activity information. For a description of standard import options, see the section "Standard Import Options".

Activity

The Activity variable should contain values that represent the names of the activities of the project. These names are assumed to be unique for each activity. This variable can contain either character or numeric values. If Successor variables are specified, the format must be the same as the Activity variable. An Activity variable is required.

Successors

The Successor variables should contain values that represent the names of the successor activities of the project. This variable can contain either character or numeric values. If Successor variables are specified, the format must be the same as the Activity variable.

Description

The Description variable normally will contain values that provide more detailed information (that is, longer name) about the activity. This variable can be either character or numeric.

Project

The Project variable should contain values that represent the names of the parent (project) activities of the project. In other words, this variable indicates the parent-child (supertask-subtask) relationship between the activity named in the Project variable and the activity named in the Activity variable. This variable should be in the same format as the Activity variable.

Duration

The Duration variable should contain values that represent the duration of each project activity. The unit of duration is assumed to be the same for each activity. This variable must be numeric.

Lead / Lag

The Lead / Lag variables should contain values that represent the lags (or nonstandard precedence relationships) between the activities specified in the Activity and Successor variables. Although it is not required, the number of Lead / Lag variables should match the number of Successor variables. The lag values are required to follow the same naming convention as that used by the CPM procedure.

Calendar

The Calendar variable should contain values that represent the name of the calendar that the activity is to follow. Projman assumes that the calendars will be defined after the activities are imported. At that time, you can create the calendars manually or import a calendar data set. This variable can be either character or numeric.

Details

The Details variables can be used to import nonstandard information about the activities that is stored in the import data set. For instance, you may want to import information stored in variables representing the phase of the project or the department that is responsible for the activity. These variables can be both character and numeric.