Executing Portfolio Planning work in PPM

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Executing Portfolio Planning work in PPM

    This content explains how to facilitate the execution of work planned in ServiceNow's Portfolio Planning within the Project Portfolio Management (PPM) application. It guides customers on importing, exporting, and managing planning items between Portfolio Planning and PPM to ensure seamless execution and tracking of projects.

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    Key Features

    • View PPM planning items directly within Portfolio Planning.
    • Import planning items from PPM to Portfolio Planning and export items from Portfolio Planning to PPM.
    • Bi-directional synchronization of updates between linked planning items in both systems, including real-time changes.
    • Track progress, status, costs, resources, risks, and issues of linked planning items from Portfolio Planning.
    • Support for waterfall and traditional project management methodologies using PPM Standard without requiring Agile 2.0 or SAFe.

    Practical Guidance for ServiceNow Customers

    • When to use PPM for execution: Choose PPM Standard for traditional waterfall projects, infrastructure work, or conformance-driven initiatives. Portfolio Planning can be used standalone for prioritization without needing PPM installed.
    • Installation: Only install the PPM Standard plugin if your teams will execute work in PPM. Portfolio Planning does not require PPM for planning activities.
    • Data synchronization: Planning item attributes such as name, description, owner, goals, budget, priority, and timeline sync from Portfolio Planning to PPM. Status, progress, actual costs, resource assignments, and risks sync back from PPM to Portfolio Planning.
    • Common use case: For example, infrastructure teams plan in Portfolio Planning and execute projects like data-center migration in PPM Standard with full project management capabilities. Progress and updates automatically reflect back in Portfolio Planning.

    Troubleshooting Tips

    • If planning items do not appear in PPM, ensure the execution plugin is installed, items are prioritized (not backlog), and users have the appropriate execution roles.
    • If changes in PPM are not reflected in Portfolio Planning, verify bi-directional sync is enabled, links between planning items and PPM projects/epics are correctly set, and review integration transformation mappings for errors.

    Facilitate execution of the work planned in Portfolio Planning in ServiceNow Project Portfolio Management application.

    Import, export, and manage your planning items between Portfolio Planning and PPM.
    Figure 1. Integrating Portfolio Planning and PPM
    Real-time sync of planning items between Portfolio Planning and PPM.

    Key benefits of Portfolio Planning with PPM

    • View available PPM planning items in Portfolio Planning.
    • Import planning items from PPM to Portfolio Planning.
    • Export planning items from Portfolio Planning to PPM.
    • Synchronize updates for linked planning items of Portfolio Planning with PPM.
    • Track the progress of the linked planning items in Portfolio Planning.

    To get started on integrating Portfolio Planning with PPM, see Configuring Portfolio Planning with PPM.

    Frequently asked questions about execution integration

    Can I use PPM Standard for project execution without Agile 2.0 or SAFe?
    Yes. If your teams follow waterfall or traditional Project Management methodology, use PPM Standard (Project Portfolio Management) as your execution system. Planning items created in Portfolio Planning can be exported to PPM as projects. Changes in PPM (project status, costs, resources) sync back to Portfolio Planning automatically.

    Use case: Infrastructure team plans in Portfolio Planning, executes data-center migration project in PPM Standard with Gantt charts, task dependencies, and resource management.

    When do I use PPM for execution?
    Base your decision on team methodology and org scale: PPM Standard: For waterfall projects, traditional PM teams, infrastructure work, conformance-driven initiatives.
    Should I install PPM Standard to use Portfolio Planning?
    No. Install PPM Standard if your teams actually uses it. Portfolio Planning works standalone for planning and prioritization. Add the PPM plug-in when teams are ready to execute work in this system.
    What data syncs between Portfolio Planning and PPM?
    Bi-directional sync includes:
    • From Portfolio Planning → execution: Planning item name, description, owner, goals, budget, priority, timeline.
    • From execution → Portfolio Planning: Status, progress %, actual costs, resource assignments, risks/issues.
    • Real-time updates: Changes in either system appear in both within seconds.

    Common execution scenarios

    Scenario: PPM only organization (waterfall projects)
    1. Portfolio managers create planning items in Portfolio Planning.
    2. After prioritization, export planning items to PPM Standard as projects.
    3. Project managers build WBS, create tasks, assign resources, manage timeline in PPM.
    4. Portfolio Planning shows project status, costs, risks automatically

    Troubleshoot execution integration

    • Issue: Planning item not appearing in PPM
      • Verify the execution system plugin is installed and activated.
      • Check that planning item state is Prioritized (items in the Backlog state don't export).
      • Confirm user has required role in execution system (project_manager, scrum_admin, safe_admin).
    • Issue: Changes in PPM not syncing back to Portfolio Planning
      • Verify bi-directional sync is enabled in integration configuration.
      • Check that the planning item and PPM project/epic are properly linked (primary planning item field is populated).
      • Review transformation maps for any table, field, or choice mapping issues.