Exporting and Importing from Excel

[Jeff - JDSSE]

I use MS Project 2003 and Excel 2003. I export my project plan to Excel,
update the Excel spread sheet from various sources and then re import the
Excel spread sheet back into the plan (merge). One of the fields I update is
the Notes field. However, even though the Notes field can contain more than
the 255 characters most other fields are limited to, the export (and import)
only processes the first 255 characters.

How do I overcome this issue please and use more tnan the 255 characters
that the Notes field allows?

Many thanks

 

[JulieS]

Hello Jeff,

I believe the only way to get the full notes out are through VBA or
some other script. If you look on your computer for the PJDB.HTM
file it contains a sample script for extracting the notes (RTF)
field out.

Larry Duff (Microsoft) also has a post on his blog about pulling
from the Project Server db that you may find helpful. See:
http://blogs.msdn.com/lduff/archive/2006/08/24/719222.aspx

You may also wish to repost your question to the project developer
newsgroup. Someone there may be able to point you in the right
direction to get started with VBA code to extract

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

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[Jeff - JDSSE]

Julie,

Thanks for this information. It is pointing me in the right direction. I
am hoping I can access to .mpp file from VB inside the excel sheet to extract
this information. I might have a challenge getting it back into the .mpp
file again but I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

Again thanks.

Jeff x

 

[Rob Schneider]

Jeff,

While not in the MPP file (which may make "transport" of the info more
difficult) what I have done in the past is to put a URL in the MPP which
points to a specific file on a file or web server. One time I even
remember automating the Unique ID of the task (which does not change)
into the file name. That simplifies things and if connected to a file
storage place that does version check out/in, you gain an added benefit.

Excel and Project and everything else has then access to the data and
you aren't messing with problems of synchronisation, VBA, and all that.

--rms

 

[JulieS]

You're most welcome Jeff and thanks for the feedback. When you get
to the point of 'crossing that bridge' you may want to post out to
the developer newsgroup with any questions. The code folks hang out
there and may be able to point you in the right direction.

Julie

 

[Michael.Tarnowski]

I use MS Project 2003 and Excel 2003. I export my project plan to Excel,
update the Excel spread sheet from various sources and then re import the
Excel spread sheet back into the plan (merge). One of the fields I update is
the Notes field. However, even though the Notes field can contain more than
the 255 characters most other fields are limited to, the export (and import)
only processes the first 255 characters.

How do I overcome this issue please and use more tnan the 255 characters
that the Notes field allows?

Many thanks

Hi Jeff,
a most important issue is to assign an Unique ID to each task.
The Task Numbers (as well as the resource numbers) are dynamic. If the
user inserts, deletes or moves tasks, the Standard ID numbers
associated with tasks below that spot in the list will change. This
can be problematic as tasks are often referred to in conversations and
written communications by their ID number. In addition, the ID numbers
can be used for recording Dependency relationships in a rows and
columns style view.
There is another ID number that is not, by default, shown on any of
the Views. It is the Unique ID. This is a number that the software
assigns to each new task as it is added to the file and then never
changes. It is much like a data base record number.

The unique ID will be fix by exporting and re-importing MPP files.

For more information google "unique id ms project" or have a look at
http://www.dbcrane.com/ms-project-tips.htm

Have fun,
Michael