Unable to use properties from settings spreadsheet in PropertyGroup's and ItemGroup's or Target

[chrashna]

I have followed the below blog to use property from SettingsFile xml

https://www.biztalk360.com/blog/understanding-the-biztalk-deployment-framework/

However I am always getting the filed as blank in my btdfproj file. Pls advise. Even I tried the samples from Biztalk which is also unable to read property from SettingsFile

Note: I have included the property in PropsFromEnvSettings and using latest BTDF..

Biztalk 2016
VS 2015

[chrashna]

any help wth the above issue pls