Articles on: Scheduling
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Scheduling


System Requirements: Microsoft Project System Requirements


Scheduling with MS Project

Scheduling with MS Project is used to centrally manage milestones as target dates and to consistently reschedule dependent elements (e.g., Tasks & Topics) consistently. This prevents the due dates of linked elements from being arbitrarily moved. Synchronization between Microsoft Project and buildagil occurs automatically when the file is saved.


Synchronization with buildagil following scheduling changes may take up to 2 minutes after saving.


Important points to keep in mind when working with a linked calendar:

  • Synchronization between MS Project and buildagil occurs automatically when you save the file. It's better to save it one too many times than one too few.
  • If MS Project reports a synchronization conflict, you should always select "Keep Project Version"



  • Tasks should not be moved within the hierarchy by copying and pasting, as this may cause the link to the task in buildagil to be lost. Tasks should always be moved using the crosshairs.
  • The schedule in MS Project can only be edited by project administrators and project coordinators. For more information on visibility and permissions for tasks and scheduling, see the following article: Visibility & Permissions for Task and Scheduling
  • If milestones are deleted directly in the MS Project file, they are not automatically deleted from buildagil as well and must be deleted manually there


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Importing an Existing MS Project Scheduling

An empty scheduling schedule has already been saved and synchronized for a project. Tasks from an existing scheduling schedule can be manually selected, copied, and pasted into the existing scheduling schedule. The tasks in the existing scheduling process can be selected in their entirety in the top-left corner of the table. Afterward, the tasks can be copied using CTRL + C, the synchronized scheduling process can be opened via buildagil, and the tasks can be pasted using CTRL + V.


Due to technical limitations, it is not possible to upload an existing scheduling system.



Editing the Scheduling

The schedule can be opened directly from buildagil in MS Project.



When you open the calendar, the following message may appear; you can confirm it.



Once the schedule is open, you can define the tasks. To ensure that the task appears in the timeline and also in the buildagil schedule, right-click on the task and select "Add to Timeline." To display the task as a milestone, you must first “Add to Timeline” and then select “Use as Target Date.” This allows the Milestone to be synchronized with buildagil. Milestones created directly in buildagil cannot be synchronized with MS Project retroactively.


For the task to be recognized as a milestone, its duration must be set to 0 days.



The milestones will then appear on the timeline for Task planning.



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Manual Planning with Milestones

If an MS Project plan is not used, Milestones can be created manually in the task planning. Tasks can then be aligned with these target dates. A new milestone can be created directly in the Task planning.



Scheduling with Multiple Timelines

Additional timelines can be created and named in MS Project as extra views. In buildagil, these can be made visible if desired. By default, the first timeline is displayed.



In the "Additional Views" options, you can define a new single view.




Here, you can select the timeline in the "Screen" column and name it in the "Name" column. You can now assign any tasks and milestones to the timeline.



To display additional timelines on buildagil, please contact Support. To do so, we'll need the timeline. We'll be happy to set up the timeline display for you.



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Using macOS

It is not possible to open a scheduling session in MS Project on a macOS device because MS Project is not available for macOS. However, there are a few alternative methods for using MS Project on a Mac.


One option is to use a virtual machine on a Microsoft server. A Windows environment can be set up on a virtual machine, which allows access to MS Project.


Another option is to use Parallels Desktop for Mac. This software allows you to run a Windows environment directly on your Mac, so you can use MS Project just as you would on a Windows PC. For more information and to download the software, visit the Parallels website: Parallels for Windows on Mac.


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Troubleshooting


If the following troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue, please feel free to contact Support.



Troubleshooting Problems Opening MS Project

If nothing happens when you try to open an MS Project file, there could be several reasons for this. MS Project may not be installed, you may not have the necessary permissions, or the required licenses may be missing. In such cases, you should first verify that the System Requirements requirements are met and that the correct licenses are available. For information on visibility and permissions for task and scheduling, see the following article: Visibility & Permissions for Task and Scheduling.


Troubleshooting an Error Message When Opening an MS Project File

When opening an MS Project file, the message "Project cannot open the file" may appear. In this case, the file cannot be loaded even though it exists. This behavior occurs when different Microsoft accounts are used for buildagil and MS Project. Make sure the file is opened using the correct account.



Troubleshooting Failed Synchronization of the Task List with SharePoint

If the message "Unfortunately, we were unable to synchronize the task list with the SharePoint website" appears when opening the file, the file will open in read-only mode. This can happen if you do not have project coordinator or project administrator permissions in buildagil. The problem can be resolved by assigning the appropriate permissions.



Troubleshooting Issues When Opening a Local MS Project Scheduling File

Sometimes, when you open the schedule, a local version may load instead of the most recent online version. In this case, you can try the following steps: Open MS Project and, under "File" > "Open," remove the file in question from the list of recently used files.



In addition, you can check the following paths to find the file that is opening incorrectly. To do this, open the paths using the Run dialog (Windows key + R):


%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.MSO


%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Office\Recent


%LOCALAPPDATA%\Temp\AutoRecovery Save of Schedule_Name


If the file is located in one of these folders, it can be deleted from there.


Troubleshooting Issues When Saving MS Projects

If an MS Project file does not appear in buildagil or changes to the timeline are not updated in buildagil, this may be because the edited file is not—or is no longer—synchronized with buildagil. You can check the "File" tab under "Information" to see if the "Save and Synchronize Project" option and the path to the SideAssets are displayed.



If the option and path are not visible, the file has not been synchronized with buildagil.


Troubleshooting When Timeline Formatting Is Not Displayed

If you have adjusted the formatting of the timeline and the associated tasks in MS Project and these changes are not displayed in buildagil, the reason is as follows: When formatting the timeline, only the color scheme of the tasks can be applied. If, for example, the date format is changed, this adjustment cannot be displayed. This is because this information cannot be transferred via synchronization.


Troubleshooting When the Timeline Is Not Displayed

If events have been added to the timeline but do not appear in buildagil, this may be because the path to the timeline is not being updated correctly. In this case, it may help to completely rename the timeline (not just modify it). This forces the path to the timeline to be reloaded.


In this case, please contact Support so that the new name for the timeline can be saved.


MS Project error: Cannot open file; access denied

Updated on: 16/07/2026