Importing one project into another

[Linda]

Hi all,
We have Enterprise 2003 server and Project 2003 on the desktop(s).... We
have a a vendor we are using who has sent us a .mpp file with their tasks and
I need to import their piece into an existing published project... is there
any other way better than copy and paste I should be using?

The Enterprise import feature doesn't address this, or is not obvious enough
to me in how to use... I know how to import a project into Enterprise, but
not combine one with another with this feature.

Thanks much

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Linda,
Insert / Project / Insert from file....

Gérard Ducouret

 

[RickD]

I'd suggest you import the plan into MPS. After importing, highlight the 2
projects in PWA Project Centre and press Open to open them in Pro. Put
whatever dependencies there are between the 2 plans and save back to MPS. It
will create a "virtual" master project.

 

[Linda]

Thanks, but it imbedes the project into the enterprise one... which I
understand reflects the changes made on both.. and so not what I am looking
for exactly... I would prefer to import (like copy/paste) the vendors tasks
into the project instead of having it linked into the enterprise project to
prevent having to store two projects.

The vendor will not have access to our project server or the project he
sends to us... he will be making his updates on his copy... so no reason for
me to have two projects --

Sorely confused (?) and maybe too new to this idea --
Linda

 

[Linda]

Wow... there's an idea I did not consider... would you be more specific about
the steps please? In my previous reply to Gerard I am not interested in
maintaining two projects, but instead want to incorporate the vendor's tasks
into the already published enterprise one, so we have control over changes,
etc..

Could be I am missing a valuable concept here, so am interested to learn
more...

Thank you,
Linda

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Linda,

When you have inserted the .mpp file :
Double Click on its row
Click the Advanced tab
Uncheck the "Link to project" checkbox

Gérard

 

[Linda]

OK, that was just too cool... !!!!! I really hate this newness stage....
thanks for your patience...

 

[Chris Marriott]

Hi Linda

As Rick says highlight both plans in the Project Centre (selecting the grey
left hand column) you can CTRL and select if the two projects are not together

Click the Open in the action bar which has the Microsoft Project icon....

This will launch Project and insert both projects into a "temporary virtual
plan"

You can link tasks between the two projects as you would if they were in the
same plan.

When you have created all of your links you need to close the "temporary
virtual plan" ...

Important close formally by using File > Close

You will be asked if you want to save the temporary project ... select no

You will then be prompted whether you want to save the other projects e.g.
the projects that were contained.. you can select yes to all if you would
like to save all of your links

If you attempt to catch the save on exit, you will be prompted to save the
temp file ... when you say no .... all projects are closed without saving
..... use File > Close

You now have dependencies between projects .... you will have a ghost task
in each of the project plans ...e.g. the predecessor or successor task that
makes the link

Hope this helps
--
Regards


Chris Marriott - PMP MCSE MCDBA
UK - EPM Consultant & Trainer

 

[Linda]

Thanks Chris, sounds very cool, I will certainly give it a try...

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Linda:

One word of caution, if you decide to actually merge the tasks into one
plan, *do not cut and paste full rows,* rather, copy textual data only. It's
a real pain, but copying by row can create a bunch of other problems.

 

[Linda]

Great advice.... but I tried your other method of import and then unchecking
the Link to project and find that be a very smooth way of handling this...
great advice all around.. thank you sooooooooo much...

I still want to try the other method that Rick talks about, but don't see
offering it up to anyone other than an advanced user, of which there is maybe
1 out 15 right now...

Thanks again...

 

[Mike]

Gary,

Do you know why copying and pasting the full rows does not work? I'm trying
to create a master schedule based on four other project schedules, using the
copy and paste as a link option to bubble up important tasks from each of the
four project schedules. Some of my bubbled up tasks link to the correct data,
but some do not. Any idea why?

Thanks,

Mike

Linda:

One word of caution, if you decide to actually merge the tasks into one
plan, *do not cut and paste full rows,* rather, copy textual data only. It's
a real pain, but copying by row can create a bunch of other problems.

 

[John D.]

If there is any info on why this does not work and how to fix it, that would
be great. When I try to copy paste a summary task group on a sub project
while on line, I lose the dependencies. Real bummer.

Work around is to save the project to a local file, do the copy paste work,
then save it back over the server copy of the project.

We have multiple PMs so this is getting a little tricky but not impossible.

Best,
John