Can I import data from Excel into Project?

[slwaite]

Can I import data from 1 master Excel Workbook that has multiple sheets?
Each sheet is a different ongoing job. I have multiple people working on
various pieces of a job. I track the hours that they spend on each piece and
compare it to the allotted hours for that piece. This gives me a total
number of hours used and hours left. I need to be able to import this info
into MS Project. Is this possible?

 

[davegb]

Can I import data from 1 master Excel Workbook that has multiple sheets?
Each sheet is a different ongoing job. I have multiple people working on
various pieces of a job. I track the hours that they spend on each piece and
compare it to the allotted hours for that piece. This gives me a total
number of hours used and hours left. I need to be able to import this info
into MS Project. Is this possible?

You can very easily copy and paste information from XL into Project. If
you want the data hot linked, you have to do an Edit, Paste Special,
Paste Link and select "Data". In many cases, if you are copying to a
field that doesn't already exist in Project, you'll have to create
matching custom fields and probably a custom table to paste data into.
Hope this helps in your world.

 

[JulieS]

Hi slwaite,

The short answer is "yes" you can import data from Excel into project.
Start Project and open the Excel file. It will launch the Import Wizard
that will step you through mapping the Excel data into Project.

However, with data (tasks) on multiple worksheets in a single workbook,
you'll need to import the data from each sheet on a separate pass, opening
the Excel file multiple times. You can append the second worksheet data to
the existing data in project.

On another note, you do need to be cautious about importing start and end
dates into project as it will create constraints on those tasks. Excel
doesn't have the capability of creating predecessor/successor relationships
between tasks.

If I understand what you are trying to accomplish (multiple jobs - same
people performing the work) you may also want to think about importing each
sheet as a separate project file and then creating a resource pool file..
You would then set the separate project files to share their resources from
the pool. By using the pool file and sharer files, you can also get
information on what people are doing across multiple projects and whether
you may have a problem with the same person needed to do multiple tasks
during the same time.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[slwaite]

Hi JulieS,

My next question is if I update my information in Excel ...will it
automatically change the info in Project when I open the Project file that it
is imported to?

Thanks for your help with this.
slwaite

 

[JulieS]

Hi slwaite,

No sorry. The import from Excel to Project does not link the data. As Dave
mentioned you can paste link data from Excel to Project but those links are
fragile and may easily become corrupt.

You can track the hours spent working on tasks within Project directly
instead of tracking in Excel and trying to transfer the data back to
project.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie