Project Online - CSOM - How to update TimePhase for multiple resources

Question

We have always updated timephased data in Microsoft Project using PSI (impersonation) and are trying to mimic this solution with CSOM to allow integration with Project Online. Much to our dismay we have yet to find a solution due to security restrictions with timephased data.

We can read TimePhase quite well:

//create context...
var context = new ProjectContext(ProjectSite);

//login...
var securePassword = new SecureString();
foreach (char c in user.Password)
securePassword.AppendChar(c);
context.Credentials = new SharePointOnlineCredentials(userName, securePassword);

//load web...
context.Load(context.Web);

//load enterprise resources...
context.Load(context.EnterpriseResources);
context.ExecuteQuery();

//read timephase for enterprise resource...
var timePhase = context.EnterpriseResources[0].Assignments.GetTimePhase(start, end);
context.Load(timePhase.Assignments);
context.ExecuteQuery();

/*
NOTE: this will fail (GeneralSecurityAccessDenied) if the enterprise resource is not associated to the context user, however, if the context user is the assignment owner we seem to be able to read the TimePhase regardless of who the enterprise resource is.
*/

//update and submit actual work on timePhase...
timePhase.Assignments[0].ActualWork = "12h";
timePhase.Assignments[0].SubmitStatusUpdates("CSOM Update");
SessionManager.ProjectOnlineContext.ExecuteQuery();

/*
NOTE: this will fail (GeneralSecurityAccessDenied) if the enterprise resource is not associated to the context user and we have not found a way around this.
*/

We have the following issues:

• TimePhase data can only be read for the Context User or for assignments where the Context User is the Assignment Owner
• TimePhase data cannot be updated for resources other than the Context User.

Our solution requires connecting to Project Online as one user to update timephased data for all resources in any given project. The security restrictions prevent us from performing this kind of integration.

Anyone have any thoughts, solutions, or workarounds?

Answer 1

Unfortunately there is not a way to bulk submit status updates on the behalf of other users. An app can only update the status of the task as the user who is authenticated with Project Online.

Chris Boyd

Principal PM Manager, Microsoft Project Team

Answer 2

I have actually discovered how to accomplish this task although it is really not intuitive and more difficult than it needs to be.

I have been discussing this in another post:

Add resource assignment work by day

Basically, to update timephased data (status assignments) for other resources the context user must be the assignment owner. If the context user is the assignment owner we can load status assignments, for the context user, that includes the assignments for other resources. This really is not intuitive because all these assignments appear to be assignments for the context user when really they include assignments for other resources.

Answer 3

I've created an UserVoice entry to add support to create, read, update and delete other user's task and timesheets data with CSOM (timephased Statusing and Timesheeting).

Please vote here:

https://microsoftproject.uservoice.com/forums/218133-microsoft-project/suggestions/32981722-impersonation-support-for-csom-to-read-other-user

Thanks, John