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EDIFACT message guide · Projects and construction

PROTAP Project tasks planning

The UN/EDIFACT message project parties use to exchange planning and scheduling information about tasks and resources.

Sent by
Contractor, project manager or client
Received by
Other project parties
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
806 Project Schedule Reporting

What is the EDIFACT PROTAP message?

PROTAP is the UN/EDIFACT project tasks planning message. The directory describes it as used in various industry sectors where all parties need to establish and exchange planning and scheduling information formally. The information describes the tasks and resources of the project, their dates and the relationships between tasks.

Large projects, such as defense programs or engineering contracts, often require contractors to report schedules in a standard form so clients can integrate them into a master plan. PROTAP carries the schedule, while project costs travel in PROCST.

How the EDIFACT PROTAP message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT PROTAP Project tasks planning message. Contractor, project manager or client sends it to other project parties. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by PROCST. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), GEI (Processing information) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control). 7 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT PROTAP message worksProject tasks planning: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangePROTAPSENDERContractor, projectmanager or clientRECEIVEROther project partiesCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYPROCSTProject cost reporting2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage PROTAPUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageGEIProcessing informationDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection control+ 7 conditional groups, starting with:RFFPNAEFIINDLINBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for PROTAP. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT PROTAP message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT PROTAP Project tasks planning message. Contractor, project manager or client sends it to other project parties. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by PROCST. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message), GEI (Processing information) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: UNS (Section control). 7 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT PROTAPmessage worksProject tasks planning: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangePROTAPSENDERContractor,project manageror clientRECEIVEROther projectpartiesCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYPROCSTProject cost reporting2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message PROTAP (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageGEIProcessing informationDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSUNSSection control+ 7 conditional groups, starting with:RFFPNAEFIINDLINBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for PROTAP.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends PROTAP, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around PROTAP and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Submitting a baseline schedule to a client
  • Reporting updated schedules and progress
  • Integrating subcontractor schedules

Where it fits in the message flow

This message PROTAP Project tasks planning
Usually followed by PROCST Project cost reporting

Structure

Mandatory segments in PROTAP (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the PROTAP message has 77 segment positions arranged in 25 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • GEI
  • DTM
  • UNS
  • UNT

Practical example

PROTAP in practice

A defense contractor reports its program schedule monthly. It sends the agency a PROTAP with each task, its planned and forecast dates, its dependencies and percentage complete. The agency loads the data into its master schedule and highlights tasks on the critical path that are slipping.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for PROTAP

  • Agree the task breakdown structure with the client.
  • Report task dependencies as well as dates.
  • Keep task identifiers stable between updates.
  • Align schedule reporting with cost reporting periods.

How ECOM helps

Automate PROTAP with ECOM

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

Supply Chain Visibility

Track orders, shipments and invoices across partners and catch exceptions early.

Solution

Enterprise Integration

Any-to-any integration across partners, systems, protocols, security requirements, formats and ERPs, in batch or real time.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

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All 14 projects and construction messages

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