The document discusses converting a project plan from Excel to MS Project in 5 easy steps. It explains that project managers often start plans in Excel but can benefit from additional features in MS Project, such as task scheduling and critical path analysis. The 5 steps are: 1) Open Project and select Excel format, 2) Use the import wizard, 3) Select import options, 4) Map Excel fields to Project tasks, and 5) Finish and save the import mapping for future use. MS Project streamlines project planning by reducing the time to transfer data from Excel.

1. When do you Need Project?
The main issue we are addressing is how to
easily create a project plan in MS Project.
The ultimate goal is for the project manager
to be able to utilize unique features within
the Project that Excel itself does not allow.
C/D/H consultant Doug MacNEIL presents Excel to Project in 5 Easy Steps at
PMIGLC 2014 Symposium

2. Why Choose Excel over Project?
End users utilize Excel as the starting point
for a work breakdown structure, or task list.
Converting from Excel to Project allows the
project manager to use the end user’s
preliminary list and simplify the conversion to
MS Project. (i.e. no re-entering data!)

3. What are the Benefits?
Project managers are overburdened and
under loved.
MS Project reduces PM time moving data
from one app (Excel) to the other (Project).

4. Going from Excel to Project
• Direct conversion to and from Project
• Allows you to share with “accidental” Project
Managers
• Project can open and save files in the
following file formats:
Microsoft Project Plan (MPP) Microsoft Excel Microsoft Project Template (MPT)
Microsoft Project 2007 file Microsoft Project Database (MPD) Microsoft Project Exchange (MPX)
Microsoft Project 2000-2003 file Microsoft Access Database (MDB) Portable Document Format (PDF)
Microsoft Project 98 file
Open Database Connectivity
(ODBC)
XML Paper Specification (XPS)
Text-only or ASCII Comma-separated values (CSV)
Extensible Markup Language
(XML)

5. Excel to Project:
In 5 Easy Steps
Open File
Import Wizard
Import Options
Task Mapping
Finish

6. Step 1 – Open Project
• Open Project
• Change File type to Excel Workbook
from Project

7. Step 2 – Import Wizard
• Follow import steps
• Map
– Aligning fields from Excel to Project using:
• New
• Existing
• Specify import mode
– New project
– Import (add into an existing project)
– Merge (append to end of existing project)

9. Step 3 – Import Options
• Import options
– Data type (the data type may be specified as
one of the following)
• Tasks
• Resources
• Assignments
• All

10. Tips and Tricks for Importing
• Use no spaces in Worksheet names
• “2014Testplan” not “2014 Testplan”

11. Step 4 –Task Mapping
• Excel options
– Whether
content
should
include field
headers or
not
– Whether
tasks should
have
assignments

12. Step 5 – Finish
• Finish
• Save Map
– Should the process ever need to be repeated,
Save Map allows you to use these specific
steps on future projects.

13. Project Management – WBS
Work breakdown structure
• Done in Excel
– Can be a list of activities that need to be
accomplished
• Done in Project
– Manageable and can be used as a tool in
Project Management
– Can be done with “Cut and Paste”

14. Work Breakdown – Excel

15. Work Breakdown – Project

16. Project Management – Tasks
Task assignment
• Done in Excel
– Lists resources that can be applied to a task
• Done in Project
– Manageable and can be used as a tool to track
and monitor resource utilization

17. Task Assignment – Excel

18. Task Assignment – Project

19. Project Management – Resource
Scheduling
Resource scheduling
• Excel
– Great spreadsheet program but it is not made
for planning and scheduling
– Limited Gantt Chart development
• Project
– Allows visibility into task calendars and
resource allocation

20. Resource Scheduling – Excel

21. Resource Scheduling – Project

22. Project Management – Critical Path
Critical path analysis
• Series of tasks (or even a single task) that dictates
the calculated project start or finish date
• If a task is late on the path, the project will be late
• Excel
– Allows listing of tasks but offers no assistance with identification and
tracking of critical path
• Project
– Allows visibility into the critical path
– Highlight the critical path
– Show only the critical path
– Show a single critical path for multiple projects
– Calculate multiple critical paths

23. Critical Path – Excel

24. Critical Path – Project

25. Project Management – Costs
Cost estimating
• Excel
– Allows cost rollup and what if scenarios with
extensive development
• Project
– Allows presentation of costs and budgets from
stock reports and offers multiple rates and
overtime rates

26. Cost Estimating – Excel

27. Cost Estimating – Project

28. Cost Estimating – Project

29. A Tool, a Process, or Both?
Both!
• This is the application of a process using
the tools provided within MS Project.

30. Get Started!
• Ask me how to sign up for a free trial!