Migrate from BigPicture to Microsoft Project

Jira Projects are standard BigPicture containers. We migrate them 1:1 as MS Project files (.mpp or .xml). Each Jira project becomes a distinct MS Project file unless the customer requests consolidation, in which case we merge into a single programme-level MS Project with summary tasks representing each source Jira project. Project-level metadata (name, description, key) migrates as MS Project Project Summary fields.

Jira issues carry all BigPicture task data. We migrate them with Jira-native fields (Summary, Description, Status, Priority, Assignee, Reporter, Created, Updated, Due Date) mapped to their MS Project Task equivalents. Fix Versions migrate as Milestones or Summary Tasks depending on the customer's scoping decision. Custom Jira fields require pre-migration validation of field types to ensure MS Project supports equivalent data types.

BigPicture creates its own custom fields for resource and timeline data (capacity percentages, allocation flags, risk scores). We map these to MS Project custom task fields (Text1-30, Number1-10, Flag1-20) or Enterprise Custom Fields depending on the MS Project edition. Date-range fields and percentage fields require transformation to MS Project-compatible types. Field mapping configuration is documented per Jira project in the migration handoff.

Boxes are BigPicture's primary portfolio-level containers holding Jira projects or selected issues. MS Project has no native Box equivalent. We decompose each Box into a summary-task hierarchy or a separate MS Project file, with child Jira projects represented as subprojects or grouped tasks. The Box-to-structure mapping is documented in the handoff with the original Box name, linked Jira project keys, and scope configuration for the customer's PMO to rebuild the programme view if needed.

Gantt bars in BigPicture are driven by Jira issue dates and BigPicture timeline constraints. We extract Start Date, Finish Date, Duration, and Constraint Type for each task and set these as MS Project task fields. Constraint dates from BigPicture (Finish-No-Earlier-Than, Start-No-Earlier-Than) map to MS Project task Constraint Type and Constraint Date. The original BigPicture timeline view configuration is preserved as a reference document rather than as executable configuration.

BigPicture stores issue-linkage and Gantt dependency configurations. We export all predecessor relationships (Finish-to-Start, Start-to-Start, Finish-to-Finish, Start-to-Finish) and set MS Project PredecessorLink records accordingly. Lag time migrates as a positive duration value; negative lag is flagged as a gotcha because it may not survive round-trip through MS Project XML. Cross-batch dependencies (dependencies that span the 2,000-task export boundary) are flagged and resolved manually during reassembly.

Resource capacity and workload data lives in BigPicture modules, not Jira issues. We extract resource assignments from BigPicture modules and map them to MS Project Resources with Max Units, Peak, and Work values. Jira Assignee maps to the Resource Name field. If the customer uses BigPicture's resource management features, we pre-create the MS Project resource pool before task import so that assignment lookups are satisfied at migration time.

BigPicture risks are tracked in a dedicated module with custom fields (probability, impact, status). We extract them as structured records and map to MS Project tasks with a Risk flag and custom fields for probability and impact, or to a separate Risks sheet if the customer's MS Project template includes one. The original risk module structure is documented in the handoff for PMO rebuild.

BigPicture scope trees are BigPicture-specific hierarchical structures. We flatten them into MS Project task outline hierarchies, preserving parent-child relationships through indentation. The original scope tree structure is preserved as a reference document. Epic-to-story breakdowns from Jira map cleanly; cross-project scope trees require decomposition into their constituent Jira project hierarchies.

Attachments on Jira issues are standard Jira attachments. We extract them through Jira's file export path and attach them to the corresponding MS Project tasks via a document reference field (hyperlink) pointing to the extracted file location. Actual binary embedding inside the MS Project file is not attempted for performance reasons; hyperlinks preserve the attachment link for the customer's file storage location.

Work logged on Jira issues carries through Jira's standard export. We map Jira worklog entries to MS Project Actual Work on tasks, using the Jira user's display name as the MS Project resource assignment. Jira worklog timestamps set the Actual Start and Actual Finish on tasks where the logged work represents completed duration. If the customer uses BigPicture's time-tracking extensions, those entries are extracted from the BigPicture module separately.

Jira issue comments migrate as MS Project Task Notes, preserving author, timestamp, and body text. Rich text formatting is converted to plain text or basic HTML depending on the MS Project version. For Project Online, comments may be stored in a SharePoint list linked to the project plan rather than inside the MPP file.