OfficeSheet

The primary purpose of OfficeSheet for MsProject (OS4MSP) is to provide a rich interface into the various data elements that are available in Ms Project.

OfficeSheet for MsProject (OS4MSP) combines a program-level interface to MsProject with a powerful but flexible data engine that is specifically designed to provide a bridge between structured information and unstructured or semi-structured information.

Using the Microsoft Automation Interface for MsProject, OS4MSP is able to access internal MsProject data structures and invoke MsProject commands in a defined and repeatable manner. These Microsoft standard Automation Interfaces are rich, powerful and very complicated, but OS4MSP simplifies all this into a series of simpler, parameterized end-user functions.

To leverage the data and functionality made available by the MsProject Automation Interface we use the “AppSheet” application engine, which combines many of the benefits of highly-structured database management systems with the benefits of user-centric, highly-interactive productivity software such as MsProject and other MsOffice applications.

The “AppSheet” engine enables users to “cache” data acquired in MsProject so that it can be processed, transformed and analysed using functions or approaches not available in MsProject. The results of these transformations can be applied to other downstream systems or returned to MsProject for further use there.

Within OS4MSP data is managed in two internal forms as “cached” data from multiple sources: MsProject, other AppSheet applications and external sources.

OS4MSP provides many functions that manipulate this data, and from there it can be:

• Returned to MsProject
• Saved for later use
• Printed or Published in a variety of media;
• Converted to other data formats;
• Distributed via email

Note: transparent round-trip data management between MsProject and OS4MSP is not provided. Data is acquired from MsProject, manipulated in OS4MSP and “pushed” back to MsProject in three easy to use, but very discrete steps. 

OS4MSP provides many capabilities and functions, including:

• MsProject Application management: from OS4MSP, you can start and stop the MsProject application, and control its window visibility using standard windows concepts such as Minimize, Maximize, Hide, and Show. OS4MSP adds a new windowing mode called “Underlay”, where the MsProject application is positioned immediately under the OS4MSP window, but offset up and to the left of OS4MSP to provide access to the MsProject menus and to see the workbooks and worksheet data that is being selected.
• MsProject Internal Data and Document Integration: when Ms Word is activated, OS4MSP detects the documents that are open, and represents these in a special control called the MsOffice Navigator (or “OfficeNav”).
• MsProject File Management: from the OS4MSP application window, you can directly open and close MsProject files, individually or in groups. OS4MSP provides extensive capabilities to manage groups of files as a group using a file specification collection called a “FileList”. This powerful feature can either explicitly refers to multiple files, or can reference a pattern, including file attributes such as size or modified date. For example, if you regularly work with a number of reports that you download on a periodic basis, the File List can be specified to open the most recently saved file(s) that match a certain name pattern. 
• MsProject Data Management: OS4MSP enables you to rapidly perform numerous functions using data from open documents, or to create data in documents in MsProject. There are four modes for data management: Get, Put, Report and Manage (not all are available in all editions of OS4MSP, but all are described below):

1. Get: enables you to rapidly acquire data from MsProject documents, and interpret underlying metadata or formats such as tables structures, styles, fonts and colors
2. Put: enables you to transfer data from OS4MSP back to MsProject in either standard Task or Resource layout.
3. Report: the reporting capability enables data in OS4MSP to be generated into MsExcel files using MsExcel templates and variable substitution. This gives the most flexibility in terms of creating MsExcel output files from MsProject data.
4. Manage: from the OS4MSP application window, you can perform functions on MsProject document structures, for example “bursting” individual projects using internal document structures (e.g. Textx columns).

• Data Analysis, Filtering, Summarization & Transformation: OS4MSP provides a number of features for analysing, summarising and transforming data using methods that are not readily available in MsExcel or MsProject. Many of these functions are typically only found in database solutions, but are available in OS4MSP for application “on the fly” without the overhead of defining database structures and creating tables.
• Export & Publishing: OS4MSP enables you to rapidly format data in visually appealing layouts many of which are not readily available in MsProject, but without the overhead of a fully-blown reporting tool. For most office or enterprise applications, the visual reporting and publishing capabilities are more efficient than MsProject or other tools.
• Communication: having summarized, transformed or formatted your information, OS4MSP provides extensive capabilities for using this information to communicate with your colleagues and partners.
• Automation via Scripting: OS4MSP Enterprise Edition also includes a Scripting capability that enables you to write and execute multiple commands in sequence. The Scripting engine is based on Microsoft’s VBScripting engine with over 100 additional commands added, all representing functions that can be performed via the OS4MSP User Interface.

All of OS4MSP’s functions are designed to provide you with additional data transformation and management capabilities in information-intensive environments where MsProject documents are common means of information distribution and dissemination. OS4MSP dramatically simplifies the process of assimilating the information from multiple documents and distilling and communicating the relevant information to your key work colleagues and partners.