Excel Predecessor - "A" to Project Predecessor - "1" Is this possi

[EProject]

Hey all,

I've got an excel spreadsheet that I want to import into project. The
problem is that the predecessor field in excel is in WBS form that doesn't
import directly into task ID numbers in Project. So is it possible to do so?

Example:


ID: Name: WBS: Pred:
1 Research Widget A01
2 Buy Widget A02 A01

I'd like that A01 Pred to translate to "1" in projects Predecessor field.

Thank you for any help you can give.

 

[JulieS]

Hi EProject,

As far as I know, Project cannot translate A01 to 1.

You could parse the data in Excel first (I'd use Text to columns and
separate at the letter) and then import the correct column into the
Predecessor field in Project.

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

Julie

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

 

[John]

Hey all,

I've got an excel spreadsheet that I want to import into project. The
problem is that the predecessor field in excel is in WBS form that doesn't
import directly into task ID numbers in Project. So is it possible to do so?

Example:


ID: Name: WBS: Pred:
1 Research Widget A01
2 Buy Widget A02 A01

I'd like that A01 Pred to translate to "1" in projects Predecessor field.

Thank you for any help you can give.

EProject,
You basically have two choices. First, you can modify your spreadsheet
so the predecessor cells use the ID values instead of WBS values, or you
can use a VBA procedure to export/import the data. The first option is
the obvious choice if you do not have any VBA experience. The second
option can be done with either a VBA procedure in Excel or in Project.

John
Project MVP

 

[Rob Schneider]

Hey all,

I've got an excel spreadsheet that I want to import into project. The
problem is that the predecessor field in excel is in WBS form that doesn't
import directly into task ID numbers in Project. So is it possible to do so?

Example:


ID: Name: WBS: Pred:
1 Research Widget A01
2 Buy Widget A02 A01

I'd like that A01 Pred to translate to "1" in projects Predecessor field.

Thank you for any help you can give.

I'm sure there is a way in Excel to do this. I don't know it. Perhaps
ask in the Excel newsgroup as this is just a data munging task.

What I'd do is import the Excel data into a database (probably Microsoft
Access), and do a simple query that the joins the Predecessor_WBS field
with the WBS Codes, and outputs the three fields ID, Name, and WBS where
are then needed for the map file import into Project (which needs to
know the predecessor via the ID field).

 

[John]

EProject,
You basically have two choices. First, you can modify your spreadsheet
so the predecessor cells use the ID values instead of WBS values, or you
can use a VBA procedure to export/import the data. The first option is
the obvious choice if you do not have any VBA experience. The second
option can be done with either a VBA procedure in Excel or in Project.

John
Project MVP

EProject,
Just a follow-on comment. Using the WBS as a link identifier is a very
poor choice. WBS is a financially based identifier and has nothing to do
with schedule logic. For example, let's say the electrical design effort
is under WBS A123. Now, let's also say that this project has a couple of
tasks named: "Design Correlator" and "Design RF Synthesizer"
respectively. Since these are both design tasks, they will both have a
WBS of A123. Now comes the problem. If "Build Correlator" and "Build RF
Synthesizer" are follow on tasks to the design effort, then how does a
link work if it is based on the WBS? Answer, it doesn't.

John

 

[davegb]

EProject,
Just a follow-on comment. Using the WBS as a link identifier is a very
poor choice. WBS is a financially based identifier and has nothing to do
with schedule logic. For example, let's say the electrical design effort
is under WBS A123. Now, let's also say that this project has a couple of
tasks named: "Design Correlator" and "Design RF Synthesizer"
respectively. Since these are both design tasks, they will both have a
WBS of A123. Now comes the problem. If "Build Correlator" and "Build RF
Synthesizer" are follow on tasks to the design effort, then how does a
link work if it is based on the WBS? Answer, it doesn't.

John

I'm very surprised, John, that you have a WBS scheme that doesn't have
a unique identifier for each task. Everyone I've ever seen did. For
example, for the tasks you mentioned in your post, they'd be A123.1 and
A123.2, or something like that. Not so in your system?

 

[John]

I'm very surprised, John, that you have a WBS scheme that doesn't have
a unique identifier for each task. Everyone I've ever seen did. For
example, for the tasks you mentioned in your post, they'd be A123.1 and
A123.2, or something like that. Not so in your system?

Dave,
No, not so in the systems I'm used to dealing with. In our system the
WBS identifies a certain level of functional breakdown. Individual
efforts within each WBS are further broken down into specific charge
numbers - the actual number an employee uses on his timecard/timesheet
when he works a specific task. The financial system tracks to the
individual charge number but the project plan only tracks to the WBS
level. Therefore, many tasks in any given schedule may have the same WBS.

But even if a WBS goes down to the detail task level, I still feel it is
poor practice to link schedule logic using a financially based ID. Call
it "purity of preference" if you will.

John