Tuesday Brief: Microsoft Project users are being pushed toward cloud solutions faster than the platforms can replicate desktop functionality. While Planner Premium offers collaboration benefits, the transition typically means sacrificing workflow efficiency and losing project intelligence you've built over time. This week, we explore practical solutions that let you leverage both platforms without compromise.
August 18, 2025
In This Issue:
Featured Article: Migrate to Project for the web without complexity with Project Data Suite
Video Tutorial: Project sync scenarios - Three powerful ways to bridge your workflow
Community Discussion: Solving Complex Scheduling Logic in MS Project
Live Event (8/20): Bridge the Gap - ProjectData.io's EZ Import for Planner Premium
PM Best Practices: Visual Reference Strategy
Featured Article: Migrate to Project for the web without complexity with Project Data Suite
The transition from Project Online to Project for the Web doesn't have to mean weeks of manual data transfer and lost project history. Project Data Suite (PDS) transforms what used to be a complex migration process into a streamlined workflow you can complete in under a workday.
What makes PDS different: Strategic project selection lets you choose which projects to migrate rather than forcing an all-or-nothing approach. Your Enterprise Project Types, Custom Fields, and Workflow phases transfer as a PowerApps Solution, preserving the project intelligence you've built over time. The migration runs on PDS servers, so you can continue working while your data transfers seamlessly.
The guided five-step process handles the technical complexity while you focus on selecting projects and configuration elements that matter most to your organization.
P.S. Join us + ProjectData.io live tomorrow (Wednesday, August 20) at 12pm ET + earn 1 PDU.Register here - open to all!
Video Tutorial: Project sync scenarios - Three powerful ways to bridge your workflow
You don't have to choose between Microsoft Project Desktop's robust planning capabilities and cloud-based team collaboration. This demonstration reveals three practical sync scenarios:
complete desktop-to-cloud migration with full data integrity
real-time bidirectional synchronization that keeps teams aligned across both platforms
selective stakeholder sharing that maintains your desktop control while enabling targeted cloud collaboration
See how PDS Sync eliminates typical platform transition disruptions.
Forum Discussion: Solving Complex Scheduling Logic in Microsoft Project
A PM in our community is working through advanced scheduling exercises has discovered Microsoft Project's limitation with multiple relationship types between the same tasks. When you need both Start-to-Start and Finish-to-Finish relationships between activities (like excavation and foundation work), MS Project only allows one link per task pair.
The original workaround uses dummy milestones to create the dual relationships, but this approach clutters the schedule with extra tasks. Another community member has jumped in with several alternative strategies, including using summary tasks as logic consolidators, custom fields for documentation, and strategic task splitting approaches.
What's your approach to complex scheduling logic in Microsoft Project?
Have you encountered similar dual-relationship scenarios?
Do you use dummy milestones, or have you found cleaner workarounds?
How do you balance scheduling accuracy with visual clarity?
P.S. New to the MPUG Community Discussion Forum? MPUG membership credentials provide instant access. Simply log into your account, hover over "Resources," and click "Discussion Forum." Not a member? Join now.
Live Event (8/20): Bridge the Gap - ProjectData.io's EZ Import for Planner Premium
Tomorrow's session addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing Microsoft Project users: how to maintain productivity when organizational requirements push you toward Planner Premium. Isidro Ávila from ProjectData.io will demonstrate EZ Import, a free browser-based solution that eliminates the workflow disruption typically associated with platform transitions.
What You'll Discover:
How EZ Import restores workflow continuity between Project Desktop and Planner Premium
Advanced migration capabilities with EZ Import Premium for complete assignment and resource transfer
PDS Sync's bidirectional synchronization that keeps both environments perfectly aligned
Strategic approaches for leveraging M365 and Copilot across your project portfolio
Isidro brings 25+ years of global project leadership experience and specializes in transforming project management into strategic engines through data-driven IT solutions. This practical session shows exactly how to bridge the gap between desktop power and cloud collaboration.
🗓️ Wednesday, August 20 🕛 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT 📍 Live on Zoom 🏅 1 PMI PDU: Ways of Working
MPUG host live events with leading experts on Wednesdays from 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET! MPUG members get access to live events where you get direct access to industry leaders, actionable insights, hands-on training, and opportunities to earn PDU's.
Learn more and register for upcoming events:
8/20: Bridge the Gap: Seamlessly Connect Microsoft Project to Planner Premium with ProjectData.io’s EZ Import | Learn More / Register Here
Before any platform switch: Take screenshots of your most-used screens and save them in a "quick reference" folder. When you're learning the new tool, these visual reminders help you find equivalent features faster than hunting through help documentation.
