ProjectWise Attribute Exchange with Microsoft Word [TN]


 

Overview

  ProjectWise provides a method to link ProjectWise attributes to a custom property of Microsoft Word files.  This is done by having the application integrated with ProjectWise through Idesktop integration and through the "Attributes Exchange Rules \ MS Office Attribute Support" which is accessed through the ProjectWise administrator.  In general, a "Word Template" is created that already have all the custom properties defined and bound to ProjectWise.  Using the template with the custom properties will make it easier for the user to create new word documents with the required information.

**Please note that this does not apply to ProjectWise SS4 or above.  The examples and templates are now delivered with the example dataset.  Please refer to the ProjectWise help file for instructions on importing the example dataset. **

Knowledge Level

This technote assumes that the user is familiar with ProjectWise attributes, environments, and the concept of attribute exchange. Please refer to the ProjectWise administrator help if you are not familiar with those concepts.

ProjectWise Administrator Preliminary Setup

 1. A ProjectWise environment containing Attributes will need to be created to allow users to add information about the document.

2. In the Attribute Exchange Rules, set the MS Office Attribute Support properties by "right click" and select Properties. This will control when the custom property field in the word document will be updated. Available options are:

Document is "Opened"

Document is "Checked out"

Document is "Copied out"

3. Expand MS Office Attribute Support, then Right Click the CustProperties section and select create a "NewàAttribute". NOTE: The name you give the attribute will be the same name that you will add to the documents custom properties section that will be described below.

4. A "New Attribute Wizard" will step you through creating the attribute and binding it to different Property types.

When binding to a ProjectWise Environment Property the information from the environment attribute will update the custom property field in the word document.

Please refer to the ProjectWise Administrator Help, for complete details of bindings.

5. Now that the Attributes and Bindings have been created you will want to copy the delivered sample file(s) into ProjectWise to create the template. The file(s) can be found in the default installation directory of ProjectWise, "C:\Program Files\Bentley\ProjectWise\doc" or "C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\ProjectWise\Samples". Copy the appropriate version of the Microsoft Word document you are using into a ProjectWise folder:

idAttributeExchangeConfig2007.docx (Word 2007)

 idAttributeExchangeConfig.doc (Word 2003)

6. After the files have been copied to ProjectWise, open the file via ProjectWise with the appropriate version of Microsoft Word and modify the file to your preferred template layout. NOTE: Each one of the files have information describing the process of attribute exchange. It is recommended that you use these delivered files to create your company/project templates.

7. When ready you will then create the custom property. NOTE: The name of the custom property needs to match the Attribute you created in the administrator, see step 3.

Steps to create a custom property and using the Insert Field command in word to display the ProjectWise Attribute.

  • Word 2010 Steps:

1. Click on the File tab. On the right side of the screen you will see the file properties

2. Select Document Properties pull down then Advanced Properties

3. Select the Custom tab. In the Name section create the name of the custom property and add any value to it. NOTE: This will aid in the next steps when inserting the custom property as a field. It will allow the field to be visible.

4. Exit out of the custom property.

5. On the Insert ribbon, in the Text group, click Quick Parts, then select Field.

6. In the Field names select box, locate the DocProperty item. When you select that option you will notice that your custom property you created will be added to the select box.

7. Select the custom property you created and then select the OK button. You should now see the custom property value where your cursor was located in the word document.

  • Word 2007 Steps:

1. Main menu select PrepareàProperties (If integrated properly the ProjectWise property dialog should open. Simply cancel that dialog to get the word properties)

2. Select Document Properties pull down then Advanced Properties

3. Select the Custom tab. In the Name section create the name of the custom property and add any value to it. NOTE: This will aid in the next steps when inserting the custom property as a field. It will allow the field to be visible.

4. Exit out of the custom property.

5. On the Insert ribbon, in the Text group, click Quick Parts, then select Field.

6. In the Field names select box, locate the DocProperty item. When you select that option you will notice that your custom property you created will be added to the select box.

7. Select the custom property you created and then select the OK button. You should now see the custom property value where your cursor was located in the word document.

  • Word 2003 Steps:

1. File menu select Properties, (If integrated properly the ProjectWise property dialog should open. Simply cancel that dialog to get the word properties)

2. Select the Custom tab. In the Name section create the name of the custom property and add any value to it. NOTE: This will aid in the next steps when inserting the custom property as a field. It will allow the field to be visible.

3. Exit out of the custom property.

4. In the Insert menu, select the Field option.

5. In the Field names select box locate the DocProperty item. When you select that option you will notice that the custom property you created will be added to the select box.

6. Select the custom property you created and then select the OK button. You should now see the custom property value where your cursor was located in the word document.

Verify the attribute exchange is working 

1. Now that the custom property has been created, and the field inserted, save and check in the document.

2. Inside of ProjectWise, modify the documents properties attribute tab in the Environment that is bound to the custom property. (Right click the document; choose properties, then attributes tab. Be sure your interface is set correctly to allow you to see the attributes for the environment.)

3. Open the word document. You should now see the value of the field that you inserted change to the ProjectWise attribute value.

How to edit the property in Word and then update ProjectWise with the new value.

  1. Open the document from ProjectWise
  2. For Word 2010
    1. Go to File, then on the right side you see the properties of the file (got to step 4)
  3. For Word 2007
    1. On the Main menu select Prepare Properties (got to step 4)
  4. Click the pull down on Properties and choose advanced Properties
  5. On the Custom tab, highlight the custom property and then in the value section change the value, then click okay
  6. If you are editing more than one property click the modify button after each value change then click okay
  7. Back in the document, right click the field you modified and choose update field.  (This updates the document with the value you changed in the document properties dialog)
  8. Click the ProjectWise tab, then choose update Projectwise

 Trouble Shooting

Word has to be integrated with ProjectWise for this to work.  If you are having trouble with the Word Integration through the Idesktop Integration tool, integrate ALL of the Microsoft products save and exit.  Then go back and un-integrate the office applications you don't want to be integrated with ProjectWise

 

Word 2003

 

Word 2007

 

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