Replay the Webinar

XOG Best Practices Topics:

• Batching XOG Files
• Using XSLT with XML
• XSLT examples
• Fixing Dates, (Language, NLS settings)
• Unicode vs ANSI
• Auto numbering with XOG
• Complete=True
• Delete=True
• TSV and XOG
• Query API
• WSDL URL
• CA PPM tools and add-ons: XOG & Query Client

XOG Best Practices Questions and Answers Transcript:

Q – Can we get API to XOG action items?
A – Ask our Expert Support Team, and they will send you the API call for updating Action items.

Q – What is Federico using for running the XOG? I only have used command prompt to this point. #caxog
A – We will ask Federico your question shortly, thanks. #CAXOG We have a free to use CA PPM XOG and Query Client tool that he is using:http://www.itroisolutions.com/xog-sql-query-ca-ppm …

Q – Is the web-based CA PPM XOG client version of this tool available at no cost?
A – Yes it is, here you go http://www.itroisolutions.com/xog-sql-query-ca-ppm also if you are in the US, I
have a Desktop version I can mail you – if in Europe CQC solutions has some they can mail if you like. Or, you can download the XOG & Query Bridge desktop version here.

Q – Twitter link request – #CAXOG Feedback page for the CA PPM Tool -XOG & QueryBridge: http://www.itroisolutions.com/xog-query-ca-ppm-feedback … Thanks for sharing!

Q – How can you identify which XOG field will take NULL or blank?
A – There is no clear definition on precisely how to do this, like Federico’s analogy during the webinar “ZOG is like poker – 5 minutes to learn and a life time to master”, this is one of those life time to master things. It’s not clearly defined, so it will be trial and error, but either one of the two will work.

Q – Is the XOG & Query tool CA PPM on-Demand compliant? 
A – Everything with on-Demand must be done via a supported platform. XOG is just SOAP calls, so our tool utilizes API’s, hence making it on-Demand complaint.

Q – How do you load documents for on-Demand?
A – See minute 33:25 of the webinar for the detailed answer.

Q – Can we transform the XML with the XSLT in CA PPM other than the web based tool that was just shown.
A – Absolutely – XSLT is common and there are free tools readily available, there limitations on size though. Luis Palacios mentioned that some XSLT tools can also choke CA PPM, so make sure to split your XOGs.

Q- Can you explain what cannot be ZOGed?
A – See minute 36:50 of the webinar for the detailed answer.

Q – Is there a way to XOG Action Items? 
A – Yes they are XOG able, CA Clarity v12 (possibly Global Delivery) came up with a mobile App and they added the API for Action Items. Action items can only be manipulated, added, or removed  for yourself, you can’t change the status of Action Items for somebody else.

Q – Are there any XOG Bridge Examples and Documents on the site we can start with?
A – #CAXOG Here is the link to the XSLT Examples and Tips & Tricks file: http://www.itroisolutions.com/xog-sql-query-ca-ppm

XOG Services and Web Services Descriptive Language (WSDL)

The Web Services Description Language (WSDL) describes the available XOG services
and indicates how to communicate with the services. WSDL is used with SOAP and the
XML schema to provide web services over the internet. You can connect to a web
service and read the appropriate WSDL file to learn what functions are available on the
server.

Managing CA PPM allocations or grid based data in web applications can be tedious and time consuming, specially when you need to work on multiple projects at the same time.

This video tutorial looks at a case study for a resource manager who has been tasked to change the Allocations to a project that has been deprioritized. The Allocations need to be dropped by 90%.

The functional CA PPM tool, the PPM Excel Interface allows Allocations data to be updated and pushed back to CA PPM more efficiently because everyone is used to using Microsoft Excel’s familiar UI. Also the technical know-how normally required to do the job is removed with IT-ROI’s automated XOG technology that the PPM Excel Interface provides.

Watch the brief video and see how it’s done.

MP4 version (Opens in a new window)

Steps Performed to Change CA PPM Allocations for a Project Using the PPM Excel Interface

1) Get all the Allocations data from your CA PPM environment by selecting the “Allocations” Interface from the “Get” drop down button.

2) Then the “Get Data With Filters” window will display. This will populate all the Allocation data in an Microsoft Excel sheet after you select the desired filters for the specific project data you want to update.

3) Edit and Update the Allocations data you desire, you can use Excel’s out-of-the-box functionality to save time (Drag & Drop, Cut & Paste, and Auto Complete).

4) Once your updates are complete, Validate the data, and correct any typo mistakes that are highlighted in yellow.

5) If mistakes were found, validate once more to ensure all the data is correct before sending back to CA PPM.

6) Send or load your work back into CA PPM by simply clicking on the “Load” button.

7) Done.

Check out other business challenges and roles that the PPM Excel Interface helps solve.

We are happy to provide a customized demo on how the PPM Excel Interface can perform in your CA PPM environment.

The power of Microsoft Excel is positively dynamic when working with XOG conversions for CA PPM. In case you haven’t heard, IT-ROI continually tries to make PPM simpler, whether it’s small scale to help out worker bees like us or large scale enterprise solutions that we prvide. Everyone wants to save time in their work day, so here is a way to save some of that precious time via Microsoft Excel and IT-ROI’s free-to-use XOG client.

Check out the video tutorial and the 10 steps on how to generate and build your XML files to be able to XOG them directly into CA PPM.

Can’t view YouTube videos?  Watch it Here

10 steps on how to automatically generate XML files via Microsoft Excel and XOG them directly into CA PPM

(from the tutorial video):

1)      Ensure that your tool bar in Excel has the Developer Tab enabled. If not, follow these steps to enabled it:

1.        In Microsoft Excel > File > Options > Customize Ribbon (in the right menu).
2.        Now make sure that the Developer Tag is checked, then click OK.

2)      Now that you have the Developer Tab enabled and selected, you need to select the XML file you want to work with. To do this, click on ‘Source’ in the Developer Tab. This will ask for an XML file. It is critical that you have at least two tags in the XML file, if you don’t, Excel won’t consume and display it correctly.  (XML example shown in the tutorial video).

3)      Click on ‘XML Maps’ located on the right side at the bottom in the XML Source box. In the subsequent pop-up box, click on ‘Add’. Now navigate to the XML file you want to use, and click ‘OK’. This will build the XML schema for you on the right hand side.

4)      Now we decide what parts of the XML file we want to Map.  Don’t map any of the header because that stays static. You want to Map everything that is inside of the Project tag (as seen in the tutorial).

5)      Drag & drop all the Project data into cell A1 (notice that this will put all the data in that column).

6)      Then right click on any cell in the newly formatted column, then go to XML > Refresh XML Data > click ‘OK’ (this brings in the data that is in the XML file).

7)      Now you can create any new records that you want for CA PPM swiftly, using Excel’s fantastic click & drag and drag & drop functionality.

8)      When your updates are complete, and you’re ready to generate your new XML file, go back to the Developer Tab and click on ‘Export”. Name your new file and save it where you please.

9)      To verify your work, you can go back to the new file and open it in Notepad or Notepad++ and you’ll see that it generated a new line for each project (in reference to the tutorial video) that was created.

10)     Once the XML files are created, you can copy them and paste them into our free-to-use XOG client (XQ)to XOG them directly into CA PPM.

Congratulations! What lovely XOG files you just created.