21st May 2015

How To: Export Microsoft Project Tasks to an iPhone

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This blog addresses a common questions how do you Export Microsoft Project Tasks to your iPhone calendar? 

This makes perfect sense so I’ve created some simple steps. If you have key dates and milestones in your or your teams’ smartphones then how can the project fail (if only Project Management were that simple)!

The steps below are, I believe, suitable for any smartphone that has Outlook integration software and open the use of Project to a wider audience. I used these steps to export my daughters GCSE revision time-table from MS Project into her iPhone; since GCSE’s (UK exams) are all about covering the material this worked really well, 10 A/A*’s :). Here goes…

 

  1. First setup iCloud integration in Outlook.

If you’ve not setup iCloud integration on your PC, navigate to the following Apple web site (https://www.apple.com/uk/icloud/setup/pc.html). With iCloud integration you can access your iCloud Calendars from within Outlook (See the screen shot below)

Once you have iCloud access from Outlook you can create a separate iPhone calendar for each project export or export into your main iPhone Calendar depending on your preference.

 

  1. Add a calendar for your MS Project exports (optional)

You can export to your main iPhone calendar but there are some advantages in using a separate iPhone calendar; the main one is that you can easily filter out information you don’t want to see.

To create a Calendar:

1 Open the Calendar app on the iPhone

2 Depending on your version Tap the “Calendars” option to view the current calendars

3 Tap “Edit”

4 Tap “Add Calendar…”

5 Enter the project name and pick a colour

6 Tap “Done”

See http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/973188 for instructions with pictures…

 

  1. Export using P2O

When you export using P2O it will allow you to select any of your iPhone calendars, including the one created in step 2 (if you created one).

When you view appointments you will be able to use the calendar colour to identify the project -or- click the appointment and you will see the Calendar name in the appointment details (it will be your project name).

This approach would work on any device that can integrate with Outlook. Let me know how you get on Android users 🙂

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John Licorish

John is currently working as a Project Management contractor and runs a small software development company (LicorSoft) which provides software to improve project management processes. A professional consultant with over 15 years of project management experience in various industries, John has delivered both IT and business projects for a number of companies including Vodafone, Securitas and The Nielsen Company.

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