Website Upgrade Incoming - we're working on a new look (and speed!) standby while we finalise the project

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

HELP! Need help converting Primavera file into MS Proj

12 replies [Last post]
Thu, 2006-07-27 07:54
Simon C.
User offline. Last seen 18 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 7
Groups: None
Can anyone help me?
Our contractors have Primavera, while my employee has MS Project. I need to convert the Primavera file sent me to (.xer extention) into either .MPP or .MPX so that I can open it in my MS Project.
Anyone with skills and the software out there that can help me convert this file would be of great help.

I can e-mail the file to you. Please help!

Million Thanks,

Simon
idimitro@yahoo.com
Top

Replies

Fri, 2006-07-28 13:30
#1
Philip Jonker
User offline. Last seen 15 years 51 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 7 Nov 2004
Posts: 852
Groups: None
Yes can do, but only on monday, contact me via the private message system, and I might have one of my people working on the weekend, who can do it for you. With a bit of luck, I might go to the office tomorrow, but don’t bet on it.
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 12:44
#2
Simon C.
User offline. Last seen 18 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 7
Groups: None
Hi Philip,

thank you for the advice. If I send you via e-mail the .XER file i received, would you be able to open it in your PC and save it as an .MPX extension and send it back to me?
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 12:34
#3
Philip Jonker
User offline. Last seen 15 years 51 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 7 Nov 2004
Posts: 852
Groups: None
Hi Simon,
There is a simple answer to your problem, if you upgrade to Primavera V5, which I believe might still be free if you have a vlid P3, with a maintenance contract. You can actually view MSP file directly in Primavera V5, or import them, with no problems. the only condition is that you have to have both program in stalled on your computor, ie P v5 and MSP. Hope this is of assitance.
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 11:40
#4
Simon C.
User offline. Last seen 18 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 7
Groups: None
Charleston

I used to work for the DHS and could very much tell you that Federal government has nothing in common with local government. DHS was efficient. The county here is managed by half wits. It’s sad but true and it is eating alive the talents of many of my co-workers. We are stuck with it. The local economy has nothing to offer in terms of jobs except in the field of health care or infrastructure and so we are all stuck to take it like the men that we are...
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 10:14
#5
Charleston-Joseph...
User offline. Last seen 3 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 1347
Groups: None
Hello Simon,

I cant believe what you telling here in PP.

The US of A, in some county is backward.

Please be careful, your homeland security may be tapping PP.

Or the BAD GUYS out there may use this remark for propaganda, you know, same as cold war.

Cheers,

Charlie
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 10:07
#6
Simon C.
User offline. Last seen 18 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 7
Groups: None
Ron,

Thanks. Unfortunately, my current position with the county does not allow me to dictate application purchasing - only recommendations. I’m much removed from the contracts that were signed with the Contractors years ago. As a matter of fact, I’ve recently been thrown into what I could only describe as a chaos. Contractors submitting schedules printed on paper for status reporting? Is this America, or are we living on the moon? How can one determine actual schedule or cost variance from a piece of paper. I’ve been trying to get the administrator to ’get with the program’ of looking for an analytical tool, something to show the real picture. But it’s like pooling teeth. People look at me like I need to shot - "Why do we need to do things differently?" I find myself beginning for files that should be given to us without even a request.
I gotta tell you - I seriously miss the private sector. Such gross negligence on the part of the local government is despicable.
Baselines? They didn’t even know about baselines till I started working here - now they choose to call them pay-out curves. I almost got assaulted during a meeting trying to explain the importance of baselines...good Lord...
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 08:15
#7
Ronald Winter
User offline. Last seen 3 years 37 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 4 Jan 2003
Posts: 928
Groups: None
Simon,

Might I caution to you to consider more that just the file conversion process. Imagine that your project goes to arbitration or even court. Imagine if you need to review an impacted delay analysis. As yourself the question, “Are you were looking at the same schedule as the contractor?” If you are converting it, from P5 to MS Project, then the answer is, “No, you are not.” Once you get away from the baseline stage, these two software platforms operate very differently.

What does your contract specify? If no particular software is listed, then might I also suggest that the contractor is using the correct software and you are at a definite disadvantage. You need to be using something that understands retained login and out-of-sequence progress. You need to use the data date and not have uncompleted activities “stuck in the past.”

Ask your counterparts in other counties and at the state and federal level what they are using. They are not using MS Project to run real construction projects. The only large federal-level group still using MS Project is the Corps, and you must know how badly they track and control projects.

Switch to something like SureTrak (which is CHEAPER than MS Project, by the way.) Use something that does more than just make pretty barcharts; something that understands the data date and out-of-sequence progress. Good luck!
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 07:49
#8
Charleston-Joseph...
User offline. Last seen 3 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 1347
Groups: None
Hi Simon,

Relax. If it is only less than 5,000 activities, then, yo can just make your own programme in MS PRoject. MSP is vey user friendly and simple to prepare programme.

Cheers,

Charlie

Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 07:42
#9
Simon C.
User offline. Last seen 18 years 17 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 7
Groups: None
Guys,

Thank you all for the info. It makes me so angry that I have no control over the Contractors (I work for a County Government and the bureaucracy is maddening).
I sent an e-mail to them asking them for the original file. So far I’ve only obtained the .xer file. Can one of you open it if I sent it to you. Thinking about it, this is ridiculous. I’m in Florida asking someone in Europe or Asia to open a file for me...Jesus, what’s the heck is going on...I need another job...
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 07:32
#10
Mario Sanvitale
User offline. Last seen 12 years 43 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 139
Groups: None
Hannes, this is a P3e file (.xer), not a P3 file, and what Stephen suggests is the best approach, exporting either as .mpp or .mpx format.
Top
Fri, 2006-07-28 01:55
#11
Hannes de Bruyne
User offline. Last seen 2 years 11 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
Posts: 154
Groups: None
The best way to to this is use P3WIN\ra\samples\excel\activity.xls. With this file you can read your Primavera file into Excel. The next step is copying it by hand to MSP.
I’m automizing these steps with a macro, bus did not finish it yet - you’r some weeks to early with your question

Hannes
Top
Thu, 2006-07-27 08:10
#12
Steven Oliver
User offline. Last seen 12 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 8 Nov 2002
Posts: 313
Groups: None
Easiest way, would be to ring up your contractor, tell him politely how stupid he is and let him know in no uncertain terms, that he must submit his plans in *.mpx format.

Which is a standard format from P3e.
Top