Can I update MSP actual hours using an Excel spreadsheet?

[bavigil]

Can I update MSP actual hours using an Excel spreadsheet? I am not using
project central.

 

[JackD]

What exactly do you mean?
The answer is yes, but generally it will require writing some code to do
this.
If you are more specific about what you want to do, then it is easier to
give a more detailed answer.
-Jack

 

[David B]

Apologies bavigil for hijacking this thread, however I too have a simillar
issue. I have @ 26 resources each supplying weekly timesheets to a set format
in MSExcel. The timesheet format tracks actuals hours worked per day on
assigned tasks, date completed and ETCs. Task names are manually typed into
the MSExcel timesheet using the MSP task name as reference.

What I would like to do is automate the process of pulling actual hrs
worked, ETC and where appropriate Actual date completed from each MSExcel
timesheet and inserting this data into the correct cells within MSProject
2000.

As a bonus I would also like to pull specific tasks for each resource out of
MSP and into the MSExcel timesheet...

All suggestions will be much appreciated.."frugality is preventing the
Central option :-("

 

[John]

David,
Since the data is timescaled, the simple method of using an export map
will not work (except for the Task Names). However as Jack suggested in
his reply to the original post, a VBA macro can readily automate data
going both ways.

You mentioned that the Task Names are manually typed into Excel. Manual
entry is always scary because it is prone to human error. You also
mentioned a bonus option you would like. Since resources and their
assignments (i.e tasks) are static information, an export map can be
used to transfer Task Names and resources with selected assignments. For
more information on export maps look at the help file under "export
information to Microsoft Excel"

However even if an export map can be used for some of the data transfer
you need, it still will not address the timescaled data. In my opinion,
the best approach for doing everything is through VBA. A macro can
automate transfer of data from Project to Excel (e.g. Task Names on the
timesheet and specific resource assignments to the timesheet) and the
same macro or a different one can transfer the timesheet data from Excel
to the appropriate fields in Project.

Hope this helps.

John
Project MVP