Migrate from BigTime to Microsoft Project

BigTime Projects map to Microsoft Project files or Project Online projects. We carry over Project Name, Status (Active/Completed/Archived), Start Date, End Date, Planned Budget, and any Custom Fields. Archived Projects migrate with a status flag set to Complete so that historical reference is preserved without cluttering the active portfolio. BigTime Custom Fields on Projects map to Microsoft Project enterprise custom fields on Project Plan 3 and above or local custom fields on Project Plan 1/Standard.

BigTime's two-level task constraint means every project has a flat parent-child list with no grandchildren. We import each BigTime task as a Microsoft Project task with the outline level set to 1 (summary) or 2 (subtask). If BigTime records contain any depth beyond two levels, we flatten the chain and apply a parent-reference naming convention (ParentName > ChildName) so that the hierarchy is visible in Task Name even if the outline structure is flattened. The customer rebuilds the correct nesting depth in Microsoft Project after migration.

BigTime Time Entries carry hours logged by a staff member against a task on a specific date. We aggregate hours by task and staff member and write them as assignment Work on the corresponding Microsoft Project task assignment. Billable/non-billable flags from BigTime do not have a native Microsoft Project equivalent; we preserve the flag in a custom field on the assignment (mspt_billable__c) or as a flag column in the delivered CSV. Microsoft Project has no native time entry UI for staff; firms requiring staff time entry on the destination side should evaluate Microsoft Project Online with Timesheet or a third-party PSA connector.

BigTime Staff records map to Microsoft Project Resources. We carry over name, role, department, billable rate (Max Rate), and cost rate. Staff with a department assignment become Resources grouped by department in the Resource Sheet. BigTime cost rates migrate as Cost Rate Table entries on the Microsoft Project Resource. If a BigTime staff member is assigned to a project but does not yet exist as a user in the destination Microsoft 365 tenant, we flag the unresolvable Resource for manual provisioning before cutover.

BigTime Clients are the billing entity and do not have a native Microsoft Project equivalent because Project has no concept of client or account. We map Client Name to a custom Project-level text field (mspt_client__c) so that project-to-client association is preserved. If the destination is Project Online connected to a Dynamics 365 or SharePoint environment with a CRM, we can map Client to the corresponding Account lookup if the customer configures that integration separately.

BigTime Expenses carry an amount, expense code, and project association. We map expenses to Microsoft Project task Cost fields where each expense maps to a single task, or to Resource Cost where the expense represents a recoverable cost tied to a staff member. Expense codes do not map directly to any Microsoft Project field; we preserve the original expense code in a custom text field (mspt_expense_code__c) and recommend the customer configure a cost category mapping in Project Online if detailed cost coding is required for reporting.

BigTime's Scheduled vs. Actual report captures planned hours/cost against tracked values. We migrate this as a linked dataset rather than a native Microsoft Project object. The planned values write to Microsoft Project Baseline fields (Baseline Work, Baseline Cost), and the actual values write to the Assignment or Task Work and Cost fields. The Tracking Gantt in Microsoft Project then displays the variance natively. If BigTime variance records span multiple time periods, we create a multi-baseline snapshot (Baseline1, Baseline2) so that the customer can compare the original plan against mid-project revisions.

BigTime Invoice records, including unsent drafts, do not migrate to Microsoft Project because Project has no invoicing capability. Draft invoices that reference time entries already imported create a double-billing risk if they remain open on the destination. We extract invoice metadata (invoice number, client, amount, status, line items) as a written inventory document and recommend the customer either closes the billing cycle in BigTime before cutover or migrates invoice history to a separate accounting tool. QuickBooks integration reconnection for invoicing is outside the Microsoft Project scope.

BigTime staff assignments to projects with scheduled hours map to Microsoft Project Resource Assignments. We carry over the staff member reference, project reference, and scheduled hours as Assignment Units or Assignment Work depending on the allocation model. If BigTime uses a capacity-based allocation (percentage of FTE), we convert to Microsoft Project resource Units on the assignment row. Multi-project resource leveling across a portfolio requires the customer to configure a shared Resource Pool in Microsoft Project separately.

BigTime Custom Fields on Projects support text, dropdown, checkbox, monetary, and URL value types. We map text to Microsoft Project text custom fields, checkboxes to flag custom fields, and monetary values to cost custom fields. Dropdown fields require the customer to pre-configure the lookup table in Microsoft Project (Project Plan 3 or Project Online) before migration because the picklist values must exist on the destination before records can reference them. Custom Field labels migrate as field names with a mspt_ prefix to avoid collision with Microsoft Project built-in fields.

BigTime Workflows (approval chains, notification rules, data-routing rules on Advanced and Premier tiers) are platform-specific automation constructs with no Microsoft Project equivalent. Project desktop has no native workflow builder, and Project Online workflows require separate Power Automate configuration. We deliver a written inventory of every active BigTime Workflow listing its trigger, conditions, and actions, with a Power Automate equivalent recommendation for each. The customer's admin or a Microsoft partner rebuilds these post-migration.

BigTime's QuickBooks Online and Desktop integration is a platform-specific OAuth credential and sync rule configuration that cannot be transferred to Microsoft Project. We document the existing integration scope (which clients, expense codes, labor codes, and chart of accounts sync bidirectionally) and deliver a written integration requirements document. The customer configures a new QuickBooks connection to their accounting system using Microsoft Power Automate, a dedicated connector app, or a third-party integration tool post-migration.