PPM - Object Links

Question

Hi All,
The possible mapping for the scenario mentioned below?
1)     Create Portfolio
2)     Create Bucket Structure for the Portfolio
3)     Assign three Initiatives EX. IN1, IN2, IN3.
4)     Create One Item for each Initiative IT1, IT2, IT3.
5)     No Auto PS Project has to be created for this.
6)     Create a PS Project manually with three top WBS Elements with subordinates and linking those WBS Elements
                     each to IT1-W1, IT2-W2, IT3-W3.  (By std we can only assign one project definition to the portfolio Item). I
                     assigned this through Object Links
7)     Now the dates, status and Planned/Actual Costs/Budgets should transfer to Portfolio items and also dates/status
                     should also get synchronized between WBS Elements and Items.
How this scenario will be possible. Is there a possiblity to synchronize the dates/status of Object linked WBS element to portfolio Item?
PS: I can create only on PS Project because of Synergy planning.
Rgds
Rambo

Answer 1

Hi John,
valid questions.
re 1 (using 'object links' without DFM): I would think that you need to develop the attribute synchronization more or less from scratch in that case. We have done this for other customers before (e.g. in 4.5 when the DFM functionality was not availble for PS yet). Depending on the exact requirements, the effort can become quite significant.
re 2 (object synchronization structure): this customizing is only relevant when you use DFM. And even then I would rather not change anything there. Basically the customizing activity allows you to use different input/output structure for DFM (that might be interesting when you connect multiple ERP systems with different releases to PPM through DFM). BUt so far I had never the need to change the structures.
I hope this helps you at least a bit (even though it is not a straightforward answer).
Best regards
Thorsten