Proj 2003 Import tool does'nt bring all data-rounds my duration/da

[Michael Balda]

Please help. When I export my Proj 2003 data using projects export functions
and saving my data as a text tab delimited file, it sends everything that I
want it to just fine. I change the data in a program just fine. BUT when I
use Proj 2003 to import the changed text tab delimited file, Proj 2003 rounds
up my tasks durations to whole number days, example a 4 hour task is now a 1
day duration, AND it also ignores the start dates of the tasks and puts all
tasks starting at the same time. The rest of my data appears to import just
fine, my links/predecessors, resources, various text field data is all there.
Proj is for some reason ignoring my duration and dates. I will happily
share my import data if anyone would like to see it.

 

[Michael Balda]

So what do I have to turn off or on in Proj so it imports my task durations
and start dates of the tasks OR what should I do differently to make it work
properly? I would expect project to use the exact dates I import and exact
task durations I import as well.

 

[Brian K - Project MVP]

Please help. When I export my Proj 2003 data using projects export
functions
and saving my data as a text tab delimited file, it sends everything that I
want it to just fine. I change the data in a program just fine. BUT when
I
use Proj 2003 to import the changed text tab delimited file, Proj 2003
rounds
up my tasks durations to whole number days, example a 4 hour task is now a
1
day duration, AND it also ignores the start dates of the tasks and puts all
tasks starting at the same time. The rest of my data appears to import
just
fine, my links/predecessors, resources, various text field data is all
there.
Proj is for some reason ignoring my duration and dates. I will happily
share my import data if anyone would like to see it.

Are the dates you are importing for this task the same date? Does it
include times? If not Project will default the start date time to 8am and
the finish date time to 5 pm. So if you have:
Start: 1.1.05
Finish: 1.1.05
Duration 2 days

it will override the duration and make it 1 day.

Include times and you will be fine.

 

[Michael Balda]

Thanks for responding Brian. Maybe I could email you the text document for
you to review? That might make it easier for you to see what Project is
doing???

Anyway, from your fist attempt to help me - if I do not import the start and
finish dates, Project does allow me to import a 4-hour task and not change it
to a 1-day task. So that addresses part of my problem.

However, for example – if I import a task that is to start on 8.15.05,
project sets the date to 8.12.05 (or whatever today’s date is) and also
rounds up the 4-hour task to a 1-day task.

What I am doing is exporting all 12000 tasks that I have, all resources that
I have, all skill sets, all dependencies, etc that I have set up in project
2003 to a program that will then assign resources to my tasks and will not
assign resources to work more then 8 hours in a day – thus it is leveled and
every task has a resource assigned to every task for me. Thus it saves me
trying to accomplish a daunting task in it own self. After that resources
are assigned to the tasks and dates are adjusted, I want to import the tasks
with the assigned resources and dates to project, along with all
dependencies, lag times, etc. and not have to try manually level that many
assignments either.

Do I need to export a time function and a date function and import a time
and date function? If I do, I do not see a time function to export from
project. Do you know what it is called, if that is the secret here?

Let me know if you want me to email you my text file to review the issue.
You have great bio and since you have worked with software development
companies like EA, I am sure you have had a similar problem like I have
working/trying to manage such a big project and would love to hear what other
tools you use to be successful managing so many tasks and trying to assign
resources while trying to be flexible when something changes. The project I
am working on is software development.

 

[Brian K - Project MVP]

Michael Balda wrote:

However, for example – if I import a task that is to start on 8.15.05,
project sets the date to 8.12.05 (or whatever today’s date is) and also
rounds up the 4-hour task to a 1-day task.

When you say 4 hour task what field are yo putting that 4 hour number
into? Duration or Work?

If Work then it is not really rounding. since you are not bringing in a
finish date or a duration the task becomes the default duration of 1 day.
Work would be 4 hours.

Do I need to export a time function and a date function and import a time
and date function? If I do, I do not see a time function to export from
project. Do you know what it is called, if that is the secret here?

Im not sure what you mean here. I mentioned times because it might have
been contributing to the issue if you did not specify a time.

Let me know if you want me to email you my text file to review the issue.
You have great bio and since you have worked with software development
companies like EA, I am sure you have had a similar problem like I have
working/trying to manage such a big project and would love to hear what
other
tools you use to be successful managing so many tasks and trying to assign
resources while trying to be flexible when something changes. The project
I
am working on is software development.

Thanks. I have a software dev management background for sure. But we are
not yet to the point with your stuff that this makes a difference. let
see how we go before I have you email anything.

 

[Michael Balda]

Brian,

1. I am exporting and then re-importing the duration column. If the
duration column is 4 hours, that is what I am referring to.

2. I mentioned a time-column because I thought maybe you were
referring/telling to me that I need to export/import a date field that
referenced a time of day a task would start or something... I was just
reading into or maybe expanding on your comments from before - sorry to have
confused you about my comment - not my intention.

3. Update, I did not export the finsh date from project and did not
re-import the finish date to project and it still ignored the new start date
I told project to use, it seems to default back to today's date.

4. Any other specifics you need?

 

[Brian K - Project MVP]

Brian,

1. I am exporting and then re-importing the duration column. If the
duration column is 4 hours, that is what I am referring to.

2. I mentioned a time-column because I thought maybe you were
referring/telling to me that I need to export/import a date field that
referenced a time of day a task would start or something... I was just
reading into or maybe expanding on your comments from before - sorry to
have
confused you about my comment - not my intention.

3. Update, I did not export the finsh date from project and did not
re-import the finish date to project and it still ignored the new start
date
I told project to use, it seems to default back to today's date.

4. Any other specifics you need?

When you reimport are you importing to a new project or merging with the
previous file? try merging and see what that does. Remember to specify a
Merge key on the import map dialog. To do this you may need to export the
task ID and reimport with that and use this ID as the merge key.

 

[Michael Balda]

"When you reimport are you importing to a new project or merging with the
previous file? try merging and see what that does." WHEN WE REIMPORT, WE
HAVE TRIED USING AS A NEW PROJECT AND AS A MERGE, THE DATES ARE STILL IGNORED
AND ARE RESET TO TODAYS DATE, IF WE IMPORTED A DATE AS 09.20.05 PROJECT SET
THE DATE TO 09.13.05

"To do this you may need to export the task ID and reimport with that and
use this ID as the merge key." WE EXPORT THE UNIQUE ID AND TASK ID BOTH.

WE HAVE ALSO TRIED EXPORTING ONLY THE WORK FIELD/COLUMN NOW AND NO CHANGES
EITHER.

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS?