Copy MSP4W Project Using a Power Automate Flow

[klarson]

Hi,  

My company has recently started using Microsoft Project For the Web pretty intensively. We have created a project template that we use as the basis for all projects, and currently we use the "copy project" functionality within a project to duplicate the template when creating a new project.  I would like to be able to trigger a flow that will automatically create a new schedule by copying the existing template when we update a sharepoint list item column for "Ready to Schedule" from the default "no" to "yes." It seems like this should be possible, but I don't know where to start. If anyone can help offer insight to this, I would greatly appreciate it!

I've uploaded a screenshot to demonstrate the manual process we are currently using.

Thanks,

Kirstin 

[FLMike]

Hello,

Well met. I am not sure where you want to start, so Ill start at the beginning.

First, we want to create an Automated Flow at make.powerautomate.com

Also here are some project templates: Project Online | Microsoft Power Automate

Connector Documentation: Project Online - Connectors | Microsoft Learn

Now we need to create a trigger. In our case we want when an item is Created or Modified.

I don't know if they can be "created" in state of yes or not. If not, then we can simply use the when an item is modified (SharePoint).

Point the trigger at your SharePoint and List. If you ONLY need that one column or only a couple I would use the Advanced option to only list the ones you need, don't pull back data you dont need.

Next you need a condition to check the status of that field if its still no (in which case exit) or Yes and continue processing. Just an example. I compare a string to a string. You would compare your Choice or string or whatever to Yes and either go into No and Terminate(exit) or Yes(keep processing)

For the next part I am not 100% sure I understand what you are asking for. 

I would like to be able to trigger a flow that will automatically create a new schedule by copying the existing template when we update a sharepoint list item column for "Ready to Schedule" from the default "no" to "yes.

You say copy the template, but do you mean create a copy and rename it to like "This schedule" to reflect the schedule needed for the Item we just triggered? Essentially do the step you described about using templates, automatically?

Here are our actions we can do for Project Online, but none of these allow you to do what you asked, which is to use a template.

So that means we have to look at using the APIs. Now, I know this used to work great. I havent' shared it in a while so I cannot say if it does anymore or if a new one exists, but I would try this.

Creating new Projects based on EPTs in #Office365 #ProjectOnline using #MicrosoftFlow #PPM #PowerPla...

Cheers
If you like my answer, please Mark it as Resolved, and give it a thumbs up, so it can help others
Thank You
Michael Gernaey MCT | MCSE | MCP | Self-Contractor| Ex-Microsoft
https://gernaeysoftware.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgernaey

[SerkInVista]

I too am in a similar position, trying to create a simple flow that copies an existing P4W project.

@FLMikethe connector you are using is for Project Online which is different to Project for the web.

P4W requires DataVerse connections.

Some references to work with:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/project-operations/project-management/dev-copy-project

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/project-operations/project-management/scheduling-apis-...

https://www.mpug.com/can-i-use-power-automate-with-project-for-the-web/

I have a basic flow that sends a CreateProject action that succeeds, returning a newly created project and projectid.
Then running the CopyProjectV3 action that returns an error "We are unable to complete copying your project because the destination project is in an invalid state."

Apologies for the hijack, but there is no clear answer on any forum on how to execute the CopyProject action within power automate and the required arguments.

There's also a CopyProjectV4 action, but no documentation anywhere on the use.

[klarson]

FLMike, Thank you so much for your reply. It's been a busy week, so I'm just getting back to this. Unfortunately, I am not using Project Online, I am using Project for the Web. 

SerkInVista - thank you for weighing in. It is helpful to me to know that others are seeking to do the same thing. I am connected to the Dataverse (I don't think you can work in P4W without that), but the automation portion has stumped me.  I'm also interested in a flow that would export the project to an excel file and save it in a team.  You can export a project to excel manually from P4W, so the capability already exists....I just can't figure out how to automate that.  I hope this post continues to get views, and maybe eventually get someone who has more insight into this. 

[SerkInVista · Accepted solution]

I have now figured it out.

You must import / create your project that you wish to be the template in project for the web.
The next step is to mark the project as inactive (read-only). It seems the CopyProjectV3 action will only accept a project to copy from that is in an "inactive" state.
Navigate to your Dynamics 365 App, click the "Dynamics 365 - Custom" Title.

Select Project.

You should now be looking at a list of "active" projects.

Check the project that is to become the template and deactivate it:

While you are there, grab the projectid by clicking the project and copying from the URL:

This will be the the project ID that is used in the power automate flow field.

Next is to create your power automate flow.
Begin a new flow with whatever trigger you desire, in your instance klarson, you will need to create the trigger "When an existing item is modified".

Then add a step "Get changes for an item or a file (properties only)" using the ID from the trigger.

Add a Condition step to check if "Ready to schedule" is equal to "Yes".

If Yes > Add a new step "Perform a bound action", the action being "msdyn_CreateProjectV1".

Fill in the subject, and any other details you want to pass through for creation of the new project.

Add a new step "Perform a bound action", this time the action being "msdyn_CopyProjectV3".

The Row ID should be the ID from the newly created project.

Scrolling down, the "msdyn_project msdyn_projectid" field should be the project template ID we obtained at the beginning.

I set "ReplacedNamedResources" to yes and viola. You now have a new project that contains all the tasks, etc from the previously created template project.

Let me know if you need further details on any of the steps and I'll try to help.

Enjoy!

[klarson]

SerkInVista, thank you so much for sharing your solution.  I built my flow using your instructions.  A slight modification is that the first action under "Yes" I changed to being "perform an UNbound action," because "msdyn_CreateProjectV1" was not available under "perform a bound action".  Otherwise, once built I got it to run successfully, but the output is not viable.  The shell of the project seems to be created, but no tasks are created.  Here is the error message I got:

I wonder if it is because I didn't really populate any of the fields in the first action?  Here is a screenshot of literally the only field (besides the action name) I populated in the unbound action: 

This solution is very close to working, so thank you again so much for your help. Let me know if you have additional tips that will get me across the finish line!!

  I wasn't sure how to populate any of the fields in this action. I tried getting some of them from the project table in the dataverse (example, UUID string), but  that gave me an error message and caused the flow to fail.

[klarson]

My error was that I failed to set "ReplacedNamedResources" to yes . Once I udpated my flow to change that field from no to yes, the solution worked perfectly.

[3radReese]

I've looked for months for guidance on this, and it works perfectly. Thanks! Do you have any idea on how to change the start date of the project as part of the flow? I tried using utcnow() in both msdyn_scheduledstart and msdyn_taskearlieststart and it shows those values at the project level, but I want to actually change the start date of the first task in the newly copied project.