The TRS (Time Registration System) software is used to record the time employees spend on various activities. It can specifically be used to track working time in projects.
Hadrone PPM software enables reporting working time in projects, broken down by competencies and individuals, within assigned tasks and for the overall project. So why integrate Hadrone PPM with an external TRS system?
There are typically two scenarios that justify the implementation of such integration:
- The organization has a dedicated TRS system, in which working time is reported, regardless of the type of activities performed (e.g., operational activities and tasks within projects).
- The organization uses another system to manage tasks (e.g., JIRA), in which working time is also reported.
Below, we describe an example of the integration logic for both of the above scenarios.
Integration with a dedicated TRS system
The integration of Hadrone PPM with the TRS system aims to ensure the project/schedule element context during time reporting, without additional manual work. This way, the organization will have information on what the reported working time pertains to (which project and optionally which schedule element of the project). It may also eliminate errors in time reporting, such as reporting time on a project/schedule element that the person is not involved in or on a project that has already finished or has not yet started.
The TRS system can obtain information about the project/schedule context in two ways:
- ad-hoc, when the user adds a time entry,
- on a specific cycle.
In the first case, when the user wants to report working time, the TRS system connects to Hadrone PPM, retrieves information about the projects the user is assigned to, optionally about the schedule elements of those projects and optionally about the competency in which the user may be involved (the scope of the data will depend on the Client's needs). The user selects the project and optionally the schedule element and competency, then registers the working time. This registered time entry can also be sent by the TRS system to the project in Hadrone PPM, allowing the project manager to control planned vs. actual working time in the project in one place.
The second case (a defined cycle) occurs when the TRS system cannot connect to Hadrone PPM online when adding a time entry by the user to retrieve information about the project and schedule element/competency. In such a situation, cyclic (e.g., daily or hourly) transfers of information from Hadrone PPM to the TRS system regarding individuals' involvement in projects are used. The actual time entry by the user is handled the same way as in the first case. Transmitting the reported working time from the TRS system to Hadrone PPM projects can happen as in the first case (i.e., at the time of adding the time entry) or for all entries cyclically (e.g., once a day, at night).
The communication between the TRS system and Hadrone PPM can use the Hadrone PPM REST API. If the TRS system cannot independently communicate with Hadrone PPM, intermediary software (e.g., Apache Airflow) should be used to transfer data between the systems, utilizing the APIs of both systems and applying the data scope and business logic specific to the organization.
Integration with a Task Management System where working time is registered
The integration of Hadrone PPM with an external task management system, in which working time is also reported (e.g., JIRA), aims to ensure the project/schedule element context during time reporting, without additional manual work. This way, the organization will have information on what the reported working time pertains to (which project and optionally which schedule element of the project). It may also eliminate errors in time reporting, such as reporting time on a project/schedule element that the person is not involved in or on a project that has already finished or has not yet started.
The logic for associating tasks and reported working time in the external task management system with projects in Hadrone PPM will greatly depend on that external system. Just like with TRS systems, the project/schedule context can be provided either online (during time registration) or cyclically.
The communication between the external task management system and Hadrone PPM can use the Hadrone PPM REST API. If the external task management system cannot independently communicate with Hadrone PPM, intermediary software (e.g., Apache Airflow) should be used to transfer data between the systems, utilizing the APIs of both systems and applying the data scope and business logic specific to the organization.
Who executes and maintains the integration of the TRS system and Hadrone PPM?
The integration of the TRS system with Hadrone PPM software is usually carried out by the internal team responsible for maintaining and developing this solution (or an external partner assigned to these tasks). Our role, in this case, is to support this team in terms of communication methods with Hadrone PPM (i.e., using appropriate REST API methods).
The Client can also commission us to carry out such an integration. In that case, we select a technical partner who is familiar with both the Hadrone PPM software and the TRS system used by the Client.
It is important to remember that integration between systems is not a one-time event. Integrations require maintenance work, which includes:
- monitoring the proper functioning of the integration,
- responding to errors that occur in the integration processes,
- modifying integration rules and scope due to changes made within the organization and in the systems that have been integrated.
Depending on the client's needs, maintenance of the integration may be the responsibility of an internal team or an external provider.
