Method, system, and storage medium for integrating project management tools

• US 20040083238A1
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: LaBlanc, Michael Robert, Louis, Tom St., Kornfein, Mark Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US10/278,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for integrating project management tools. The method includes obtaining a first instance from a first project management application; obtaining a second instance from a second project management application; translating data fields and values from the first project management application and the second project management application into a common format; comparing the values of the data fields against a most recent synchronized data and data fields; and performing a synchronization action in response thereto. Synchronization actions include adding a project task, updating a project task, deleting a project task, and resolving conflicts among data values. The synchronization action can be initiated automatically in response to predetermined events or in response to a user request. The invention also includes a system and a storage medium.

Claims

1. A method for integrating project management tools, comprising:

obtaining a first instance from a first project management application;

obtaining a second instance from a second project management application;

translating data fields and values from said first project management application and said second project management application into a common format;

comparing said values of said data fields against a most recent synchronized data and data fields; and

performing a synchronization action in response to said comparing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronization action is initiated automatically in response to predetermined events.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronization action is initiated in response to a user request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing a synchronization action includes:

evaluating a type of action being requested;

determining a project task level for said type of action;

determining which project management application to update; and

determining whether a confirmation is required before executing said synchronization action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said type of action includes adding a project task to said first instance and said second instance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronization action includes updating a project task in said first instance and said second instance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronization action includes deleting a project task from said first instance and said second instance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said type of action includes resolving conflicts in data field values detected in said first instance and said second instance, said conflicts detected via a comparison work area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said resolving conflicts in said data field values includes:

generating a confirmation dialog box, said confirmation dialog box including conflict data and check boxes operable for selecting a preferred data value;

presenting said confirmation dialog box to a designated individual over a communications network; and

upon receiving a response from said designated individual, updating said first instance and said second instance according to said response.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said synchronization action occurs bi-directionally between said first project management application and said second project management application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said translating data fields from said first project management application and said second project management application into a common format includes:

extracting data fields and corresponding values from said first project management application and said second project management application; and

placing said data fields and corresponding values into a comparison work area.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said translating data fields from said first project management application and said second project management application into a common format includes:

matching individual data fields from said first project management application to corresponding data fields of said most recent synchronized data and data fields; and

matching individual data fields from said second project management application to corresponding data fields of said most recent synchronized data and data fields.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing values of said data fields is performed via an algorithm.

14. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for integrating project management tools, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

obtaining a first instance from a first project management application;

obtaining a second instance from a second project management application;

translating data fields and values from said first project management application and said second project management application into a common format;

comparing said values of said data fields against a most recent synchronized data and data fields; and

performing a synchronization action in response to said comparing.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said synchronization action is initiated automatically in response to predetermined events.

16. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said synchronization action is initiated in response to a user request.

17. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said performing a synchronization action includes:

evaluating a type of action being requested;

determining a project task level for said type of action;

determining which project management application to update; and

determining whether a confirmation is required before executing said synchronization action.

18. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said type of action includes adding a project task to said first instance and said second instance.

19. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said synchronization action includes updating a project task in said first instance and said second instance.

20. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said synchronization action includes deleting a project task from said first instance and said second instance.

21. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said type of action includes resolving conflicts in data field values detected in said first instance and said second instance, said conflicts detected via a comparison work area.

22. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said resolving conflicts in said data field values includes:

generating a confirmation dialog box, said confirmation dialog box including conflict data and check boxes operable for selecting a preferred data value;

presenting said confirmation dialog box to a designated individual over a communications network; and

upon receiving a response from said designated individual, updating said first instance and said second instance according to said response.

23. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said synchronization action occurs bi-directionally between said first project management application and said second project management application.

24. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said translating data fields from said first project management application and said second project management application into a common format includes:

extracting data fields and corresponding values from said first project management application and said second project management application; and

placing said data fields and corresponding values into a comparison work area.

25. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said translating data fields from said first project management application and said second project management application into a common format includes:

matching individual data fields from said first project management application to corresponding data fields of said most recent synchronized data and data fields; and

matching individual data fields from said second project management application to corresponding data fields of said most recent synchronized data.

26. The storage medium of claim 14, wherein said comparing values of said data fields is performed via an algorithm.

27. A web-based integration system for integrating project management tools, said integration system in communication with a first project management application, a second project management application, and a plurality of central processing units including memory, a communications medium, and a user interface, the integration system comprising:

a first instance associated with said first project management application;

a second instance associated with said second project management application;

a comparison work area operable for receiving data fields and corresponding values from said first instance and said second instance and a most recent synchronized data and data fields;

a transaction table; and

a conflict resolution table.

28. The web-based integration system of claim 27, wherein said corresponding values of said data fields are synchronized in said first instance and said second instance via said transaction table.

29. The web-based integration system of claim 27, wherein said corresponding values of said data fields are synchronized in said first instance and said second instance via said conflict resolution table.

30. The web-based integration system of claim 29, further comprising a confirmation dialog box, wherein upon detecting conflicting values between corresponding data fields, said data fields and conflicting values are transmitted to a project leader via said confirmation dialog box for resolution.

31. The web-based integration system of claim 30, wherein said confirmation dialog box contains data values for corresponding data fields from said first instance and said second instance and a request to delete at least one value from said data fields.

32. The web-based integration system of claim 28, wherein synchronization is performed in near real time.

33. The web-based integration system of claim 28, wherein said synchronization is performed bi-directionally between said first project management application and said second project management application.