Excel Import/Export

[George]

I had the idea that if I exported a project to an Excel file, and then
imported again into a blank project, I would get the same (or very similar)
result. I get the correct tasks and resources, but the activities have all
changed.

My vision for doing this was that I could export the project info to admins,
and have them update actual costs and hours and remaining work.
___
That was a reasonable notion and question. Now you will think I'm insane:
I'm trying to use MS Project as a mechanism for inflicting standards on
users preparing budgets. (They use Excel but build messy naive inelegant
complicated spreadsheets).
Using MS Project for budgeting, all my tasks are Fixed Duration and Not
Effort Driven, and the work contours are mostly flat.
MS Project lets users assign Resourses to Tasks, and then apply Units (e.g.,
Full-Time Equivalents). Project calculates hours based on the calendar, and
cost based on the rates. But my expectation is that everything is spread
over the Fixed Duration Project Period.
____
So, to reiterate the original question:
What fields should I export to Excel, such that when I import them, I get
the same spread over the project period. And, when I import specified
actuals, and remaining work, I'd like the remaining hours spread over the
remaining time.

Does that make sense?

Thanks to you all for providing this community.
George

 

[Jack Dahlgren MVP]

George,

My advice is to only export the information that you need people to update
AND to include the task unique ID field.
Then when you re-import use the "merge" function and use the task unique ID
field as the key.

This will preserve the basic structure of the project file (dependencies,
calendars, lags, etc.) but will allow you to update the fields (actual costs
etc.) which you want changed.

-Jack

 

[George]

Good advice.
In short, abandon my expectation that importing from an exported Excel file
should give me the project I exported.
Got it.
Thank you.