Links from MS-Project to Exel

[Jean_F]

Hi,

I have established links from MS-Project to Excel by copying in
MS-Project and using the Paste Special function in Excel specifying Paste
Link so I can refresh my Excel file with new data from Project.

I noticed that each link in excel is identified by a special identifier
of the form LINK_## starting at LINK_2 and incremanting by one each time I
had a new paste special item.

So in my MS-Project file there must be a link between that special
identifier (LINK_##) and the element itself I want to link. So for example
LINK_2 could be the project Start Date, LINK_3 the Actual Work, etc.

My question is how can I review the list of Link Items in my MS-Project
File ?

Thanks

Jean

 

[Jim Spiller]

Edit-Links...

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jim and Jean,

I don't believe Edit> Links will help Jean out here. If I understand the
question correctly, Jean has links from a Project file to an Excel file.
The Edit links command would show source data from another program (such as
Excel) linked to a Project file.

Jean, in brief testing I cannot see a method from within Project to view the
links to the excel file. Sorry, I'll keep experimenting and post back
if/when I find an answer.

For what it is worth, I think the inability to see where data is going from
the source file is not possible in any program. It is the destination file
(Excel in your case), that maintains information about the source of the
data.

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

Julie

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

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

Jim,

I think that only works for "incoming" links, not ones which are going out.
At least that is how it behaves for me in Project 2000 and Excel 2003.

I always urge caution in doing this sort of linking. It has caused people an
enormous amout of grief because the links can be fragile and are hard to
audit.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[Jim Spiller]

Julie/Jack,

Oops, didn't read that close enough... Yes, from Project to elsewhere
Edit-Links won't work. As far as I know Julie is right in that you can't see
links *to* other programs.

 

[John]

Hi,

I have established links from MS-Project to Excel by copying in
MS-Project and using the Paste Special function in Excel specifying Paste
Link so I can refresh my Excel file with new data from Project.

I noticed that each link in excel is identified by a special identifier
of the form LINK_## starting at LINK_2 and incremanting by one each time I
had a new paste special item.

So in my MS-Project file there must be a link between that special
identifier (LINK_##) and the element itself I want to link. So for example
LINK_2 could be the project Start Date, LINK_3 the Actual Work, etc.

My question is how can I review the list of Link Items in my MS-Project
File ?

Thanks

Jean

Jean,
This has always been a deficiency with paste links. The best you can do
is to go to Edit/Links in Excel, select the desired link and then hit
"Open source". That will take you to the field cell in Project which is
the link source. Using this rather laborious technique you could build a
separate link map on an Excel spreadsheet.

Another method that I have used is to keep source link data in a spare
field in Project. So let's say for example that the Duration field of
task Unique ID 25 is the source of a link to an Excel cell C3. Then in
spare Text1 of Project [at Unique ID 25] put something like the
following: XL.TrackFile.Sh1.C3. If you set up this identifier scheme
when the link is first made, the "link track" will be relatively easy to
follow.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Jack, paste links are very fragile and
require a great deal of discipline to set up and maintain. If you are at
all lax, you are going to end up with corrupt files. Been there, done
that.

John
Project MVP

 

[Jean_F]

Hi,

I guess that answers my question: Paste from Project to Excell are
fragile !!!

Thanks to all for your support

Jean

Hi,

I have established links from MS-Project to Excel by copying in
MS-Project and using the Paste Special function in Excel specifying Paste
Link so I can refresh my Excel file with new data from Project.

I noticed that each link in excel is identified by a special identifier
of the form LINK_## starting at LINK_2 and incremanting by one each time I
had a new paste special item.

So in my MS-Project file there must be a link between that special
identifier (LINK_##) and the element itself I want to link. So for example
LINK_2 could be the project Start Date, LINK_3 the Actual Work, etc.

My question is how can I review the list of Link Items in my MS-Project
File ?

Thanks

Jean

Jean,
This has always been a deficiency with paste links. The best you can do
is to go to Edit/Links in Excel, select the desired link and then hit
"Open source". That will take you to the field cell in Project which is
the link source. Using this rather laborious technique you could build a
separate link map on an Excel spreadsheet.

Another method that I have used is to keep source link data in a spare
field in Project. So let's say for example that the Duration field of
task Unique ID 25 is the source of a link to an Excel cell C3. Then in
spare Text1 of Project [at Unique ID 25] put something like the
following: XL.TrackFile.Sh1.C3. If you set up this identifier scheme
when the link is first made, the "link track" will be relatively easy to
follow.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Jack, paste links are very fragile and
require a great deal of discipline to set up and maintain. If you are at
all lax, you are going to end up with corrupt files. Been there, done
that.

John
Project MVP

 

[John]

Hi,

I guess that answers my question: Paste from Project to Excell are
fragile !!!

Thanks to all for your support

Jean

Jean,
You're welcome.
John

Hi,

I have established links from MS-Project to Excel by copying in
MS-Project and using the Paste Special function in Excel specifying Paste
Link so I can refresh my Excel file with new data from Project.

I noticed that each link in excel is identified by a special
identifier
of the form LINK_## starting at LINK_2 and incremanting by one each time
I
had a new paste special item.

So in my MS-Project file there must be a link between that special
identifier (LINK_##) and the element itself I want to link. So for
example
LINK_2 could be the project Start Date, LINK_3 the Actual Work, etc.

My question is how can I review the list of Link Items in my
MS-Project
File ?

Thanks

Jean

Jean,
This has always been a deficiency with paste links. The best you can do
is to go to Edit/Links in Excel, select the desired link and then hit
"Open source". That will take you to the field cell in Project which is
the link source. Using this rather laborious technique you could build a
separate link map on an Excel spreadsheet.

Another method that I have used is to keep source link data in a spare
field in Project. So let's say for example that the Duration field of
task Unique ID 25 is the source of a link to an Excel cell C3. Then in
spare Text1 of Project [at Unique ID 25] put something like the
following: XL.TrackFile.Sh1.C3. If you set up this identifier scheme
when the link is first made, the "link track" will be relatively easy to
follow.

But I agree wholeheartedly with Jack, paste links are very fragile and
require a great deal of discipline to set up and maintain. If you are at
all lax, you are going to end up with corrupt files. Been there, done
that.

John
Project MVP