Import TeamPulse Tasks into your Outlook Calendar

Outlook Calendar allows importing tasks from a .csv file, so this can be combined with the TeamPulse feature to export work items (including tasks) into the same format.

Thanks to this straight-forward export/import process, a portion or all of your project related tasks can be synchronized with any device using Outlook Calendar and you can always keep an eye on your assignments.

In order to import your tasks from TeamPulse into Outlook Calendar you need to have the TeamPulse R2 2013 version.

This TeamPulse version supports both export/import of work items to a .csv file and the creation of custom fields for any work item.

Then it is a matter of following 3 easy steps.

Pre-conditions:

In order to create or import a calendar appointment you’d need as a bare minimum the following tasks properties in TeamPulse:

1. Title
2. Start Date

The following are not mandatory but nice to have:

1. Description
2. Start Time
3. End Date
4. End Time

From the ones above, “Title” and “Description” already exist, but for the rest, you’ll need to create custom fields as follows:

Step1: Create a “Start Date” field

Start TeamPulse and go to Settings >> Work Items >> Manage Custom Fields >> add “New Field”

Then configure the custom field attributes as per the example below:

Step2: Create a “Start Time” field

This is how the modified tasks would look like in TeamPulse. Note that in the “Start Time” field you can choose whether to use AM/PM format or not.

Step3 [Not Mandatory]: Create “End Date” and “End Time” using the existing examples

Step4: Export the tasks from TeamPulse

The fastest way to do it is to create “New View” in TeamPulse, filter to display type = task and you’ll get a list of all your tasks. Filter any further if you want to narrow the data. Then click on “Export” and choose either of the options.

IMPORT TEAMPULSE TASKS INTO OUTLOOK CALENDAR

The example below is from Outlook 2010, but later versions are supported as well

Step1: Start Outlook and go to File >> Open >> select Import

Step 2: Follow the wizard in order to choose the exported .csv file

Step3: Browse for the .csv file

Step4: Choose “Calendar” as a destination folder

Step5: Click on “Map Custom Fields” before finishing the Wizard

The fields from the .csv file are displayed on the left, while the corresponding ones in Outlook are on the right. By default “Start Date” and “Start Time” are mapped. You need to drag a field on from the left (e.g. “Name”) and drop it into the corresponding field on the right (e.g. Subject)

Step6: Click “OK” and then “Finish” to begin the import

This is how the imported tasks will look in Outlook calendar:

Import TeamPulse Tasks into Outlook Calendar

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