Projects with Duplicate Workitems

Feb 2, 2008 3:30am

idyll 2 post(s)

What I mainly have to work with are many projects with the same recurring workitems. EX: Building many houses takes the same steps. Is there a way to copy and paste workitems from one project to another? OR routinely assign the same set of workitems to a category of project?

I admit I haven’t banged my head to the fullest extent against your (lovely looking) software, but this feature is the deal-maker for me, so I thought I’d just ask.

Feb 4, 2008 4:50pm

Adam Sanderson administrator 111 post(s)

This sounds like a place where using import would be very useful.

Take the steps that you have to repeat for each project and make a text file, you can use something like Notepad even. Create a file that looks something like this (keep in mind, my houses are probably not structurally sound):

Task Name, Low, High
Buy Gingerbread, 1 day, 2 days
Buy Frosting, 0.5 days, 1 days
Call Friends, 1 days, 2 days
Assemble Gingerbread House, 2 days, 3 days

Save that, or something much better. You can also use something like Excel, just make sure you choose to save the file as CSV. The key here is that there is header line which labels what each thing is, in this case a Task Name followed by a Low and a High Estimate. Each field is then separated with a comma.

Log into LiquidPlanner and go into your space. Under the actions menu, you can choose ‘Advanced > Import Data’. Follow the instructions there, and you should be importing your data.

Now hold onto that file, and every time you need to build a gingerbread house, or a real house for that matter, you can just import that file again.

For more information on import, take a look at:
Help: Import

Feb 5, 2008 4:32am

idyll 2 post(s)

Thank you Adam – most helpful!!

Feb 13, 2008 6:26pm

Duncan 9 post(s)

I had a similar challenge with one set of projects. The import works rather well with two exceptions.

(Very minor, but a definite nuisance) The first challenge is the import container. – if I don’t set an import container, then I can’t autoset the project owner. But if I setup an import container, it becomes a sub-container and then I have to change levels of my container and delete the parent import container.
The second challenge is the added import-related text – not only do I not need to know that the information was imported, or when it was imported, there is more text about the import than there is text in any of my tasks, and since it comes first, I have to either manually delete it (really kinda defeats the purpose) or make my columns wider, but then columns fall out of view due to screen width. I’m sure some individuals would benefit from having the import info, but I’m certainly not one of them. Is there anyway to exclude all the extraneous import related text?

Feb 13, 2008 8:49pm

Adam Sanderson administrator 111 post(s)

Hey Duncan, I’m not entirely sure I follow your points. Do you mind if I contact you over email so we can shuttle some screen shots back and forth perhaps?

Feb 14, 2008 6:05pm

Bruce P. Henry administrator 55 post(s)

@ idyll

Note that you can also Export one of your existing LiquidPlanner projects and then import it back into LiquidPlanner multiple times to quickly create copies of an existing project. Take a look at Melinda’s excellent Importing Data help topic for more info.

We obviously need a help topic on exporting data, but until we get one written, you can get to the export option on the advanced actions selection of the actions menu:

Feb 2, 2008 3:30am idyll 2 post(s)	What I mainly have to work with are many projects with the same recurring workitems. EX: Building many houses takes the same steps. Is there a way to copy and paste workitems from one project to another? OR routinely assign the same set of workitems to a category of project? I admit I haven’t banged my head to the fullest extent against your (lovely looking) software, but this feature is the deal-maker for me, so I thought I’d just ask.

Feb 4, 2008 4:50pm Adam Sanderson administrator 111 post(s)	This sounds like a place where using import would be very useful. Take the steps that you have to repeat for each project and make a text file, you can use something like Notepad even. Create a file that looks something like this (keep in mind, my houses are probably not structurally sound): `Task Name, Low, High Buy Gingerbread, 1 day, 2 days Buy Frosting, 0.5 days, 1 days Call Friends, 1 days, 2 days Assemble Gingerbread House, 2 days, 3 days` Save that, or something much better. You can also use something like Excel, just make sure you choose to save the file as CSV. The key here is that there is header line which labels what each thing is, in this case a Task Name followed by a Low and a High Estimate. Each field is then separated with a comma. Log into LiquidPlanner and go into your space. Under the actions menu, you can choose ‘Advanced > Import Data’. Follow the instructions there, and you should be importing your data. Now hold onto that file, and every time you need to build a gingerbread house, or a real house for that matter, you can just import that file again. For more information on import, take a look at: Help: Import

Feb 5, 2008 4:32am idyll 2 post(s)	Thank you Adam – most helpful!!

Feb 13, 2008 6:26pm Duncan 9 post(s)	I had a similar challenge with one set of projects. The import works rather well with two exceptions. (Very minor, but a definite nuisance) The first challenge is the import container. – if I don’t set an import container, then I can’t autoset the project owner. But if I setup an import container, it becomes a sub-container and then I have to change levels of my container and delete the parent import container. The second challenge is the added import-related text – not only do I not need to know that the information was imported, or when it was imported, there is more text about the import than there is text in any of my tasks, and since it comes first, I have to either manually delete it (really kinda defeats the purpose) or make my columns wider, but then columns fall out of view due to screen width. I’m sure some individuals would benefit from having the import info, but I’m certainly not one of them. Is there anyway to exclude all the extraneous import related text?

Feb 13, 2008 8:49pm Adam Sanderson administrator 111 post(s)	Hey Duncan, I’m not entirely sure I follow your points. Do you mind if I contact you over email so we can shuttle some screen shots back and forth perhaps?

Feb 14, 2008 6:05pm Bruce P. Henry administrator 55 post(s)	@ idyll Note that you can also Export one of your existing LiquidPlanner projects and then import it back into LiquidPlanner multiple times to quickly create copies of an existing project. Take a look at Melinda’s excellent Importing Data help topic for more info. We obviously need a help topic on exporting data, but until we get one written, you can get to the export option on the advanced actions selection of the actions menu:

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