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From P3e to MS Project then back to P3e

9 replies [Last post]
Tue, 2006-11-21 13:14
Doug Bunch
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I am very new to project controls, Primavera, and MS Project. I have been asked to check into exporting a schedule into MS Project so a user can adjust dates and % complete himself, then import the schedule back into P3e.

The things I have run into so far:
-P3 won’t accept the activity ID from P3e. I can save the activity ID into a text1 field during the P3e to .MPX export and I can tell the system not to import the line numbers when pulling form the MPX back into P3e, but then I can’t seem to mak the activity code back tot he right spot. The system just assigns a totally new one.

- When I export to an mpx from P3 and then without changing anyhting, import it back in, the WBS is all screwy.

Has anyone succesfully done this? Is there some tool that would allow this to work?
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Replies

Fri, 2006-12-08 09:36
#1
Doug Bunch
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I’ve had to sideline this effort for a little while. I’ll post back when I’ve a chance to try some of the suggestions.

Thanks All

Doug
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Fri, 2006-12-08 09:33
#2
Amir Dadbakhsh
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In last posts that I have read, I agreed with most of the Alex’ opinions and found them useful, thanks Alex.
Doug, It’s very easy to do that you just need to create 3 UDF ( I call them start date, finish date, % complete) then export Actual start, Actual Finish and Activity % Complete to the above UDFs from MS project by using interface (such as Excel) .
After exporting by running a global change you can put new data in your time schedule .
be sure that after you prepared good global change, it doesn’t take more than 30 minutes each time you want to update your time schedule.
good luck
amir
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Mon, 2006-11-27 19:03
#3
Alex Wong
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Doug

your answer is stuff the one who want to play with his date and end of each month you give him the schedule to update and give you back the progress and date.

Thats should be how a progress update should be not fiting the schedule with unrealistic dates.

Look @ your process instead of tool

Good Luck

Alex
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Mon, 2006-11-27 13:42
#4
DANG CORP
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hi Doug,

I have prepared a detailed step by step demostration, on how you can export the data from P3e into an MS Pro file,
let your users update it, then export the data into an excel format, that my DangCorp ToolBox understands (very simple format, well, it is the only format that is the simplest i can think of).

the steps by step in this doucmentation, documents down the concept of how one may get external data into a UDF and then update any activities fields, using the global change in p3e.

please let me know how it helps you and if you think there is a better idea of doing this, please let me know.

also one note: i have clients who got so used in using the ToolBox for years now that they actually remembers the concept behind which data they need to provide to the "ToolBox" datasheet to get it workiing. i think you will find yourself knowing the same, after a few times of using the ToolBox.

hope to hear from you soon on the progress. the download for the doco is here.

This concept is quite simple and straight forward, i like to keep things very simple.



http://web.dangcorp.com/vudang/product/DangCorp_Documentation_ToolBox200...

its on page 34

Kind regards,

Vu Dang
www.dangcorp.com
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Mon, 2006-11-27 10:41
#5
Doug Bunch
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Right now, we sit down at the end of each month and status the schedule. Then we check our dates and we sit at my desk playing with dates until the schedule is back in line with our shutdowns and milestone dates.

This one user wants to be able to do his playing around with dates/durations at his own desk using MS Project. I think we would still sit down together at my desk and do the actual % completes, but he wants to play with dates at his desk so he can have ready access to his reference material, I think.

Doug
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Sun, 2006-11-26 19:15
#6
Alex Wong
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Doug

What I suggest is to look @ your data flow and processes and you may able to find the solution without additional tool.

If you can share the entire process flow with us (Or PM me) I can give you some solutions

Cheers

Alex
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Wed, 2006-11-22 08:13
#7
DANG CORP
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hi Doug and Paul,

Here is a few solutions that works for my clients.

1-prepare all of your schedule etc in p3e first. (as you said)
2-export it out to MPX for your ms project users-to do all of there stuff like updating progress etc?.
3-above steps is all standard ok.
4-When the MS project users is ready to import back.instead of importing the MPX back to the same project, (if you do that, ---> you will get all of your IDs mess up etc).
5-prepare an EXCEL file that have all of the fields you need to update back into the P3e. --> put all these fields in User defined fields, so you can do a global change later.
6-use a tool to load these EXCEL data into a UDF fields.
7-do a global change inside p3e to update all of your data.
7.1-Global change can update any fields in from UDF values.
8-you will get a perfect update, everytime, remember to save your GLOBAL change for next time usage.
9-look at my video on my website for detailed information on doing this.


--------
how to get load data into your Activities UDF?

1-if ALL of your activities is in 1 project (which from my experience is not ALWAYS), then use the build in import/export excel.
2-if your activities is from all different project (then use a tool called "DangCorp ToolBox" ---- i build this tool especially for this purpose, asked by my clients.
http://www.dangcorp.com/toolbox.htm
for more info.




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Wed, 2006-11-22 04:02
#8
Paul Naughton
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Doug,

It is possible but not that practical. You are going to loose any activity codes and you will need to map your ID into UDF’s to use after import. I can run through how I managed it but it is long winded and not really good enough for regular transfers.

If anyone knows a simple way to do this it would be useful.

Paul
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Wed, 2006-11-22 09:44
#9
Doug Bunch
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Wow.. that sounds promising. I only have one user who wants to do this and it only involves one project. I guess he might make changes in start/finish dates, completion %, Predecessors and successors.

Which video is the one that might show me what I need? The video will show me how to get from Project to Excel?

It sounds like you are saying the toolbox is not required in my situation?

We have 18 or 20 other projects and might end up finding a use for the toolbox anyway, but if I can handle mine without, that would really be great.

Thanks

Doug
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