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Import Excel - Unique Resource Ids

23 replies [Last post]
Mark Chapman
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I am importing Resource assignments into P6 v2.1 but P6 will not import the same resource id twice. This may sound as if it’s an in built function. However, within P6 you can add the same resource many times to one activity so why can’t I do this via import.

The error message is:
Excel Import log started : 25-Jun-10
INFO: Importing Global Data...
INFO: Importing Project Data...
INFO: Importing:
INFO: Saving:
ERROR: Failed to find a matching object for Activity Resource Assignment
ERROR: Failed to find a matching object for Activity Resource Assignment
INFO: Saving Data to Database...
INFO: Deleting Unreferenced Data...

Replies

Steven Auld
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No problem.
Glad I could help.
Bellota Castaneda
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Thanks Steven,

 

this is what i ended up doing and it worked... thanks for the reply!

 

-B

Steven Auld
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Have you thought of using a global change to save these values instead of excel export / import.

Would require 2 global changes to complete - 1 to save the values into a UDF field, then the other to set them back again after the update is complete.

Just a thought!

Steven
Bellota Castaneda
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They all have a linear curve.

 

-B

Zoltan Palffy
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if you are using A LOE you need to make sure that you assign a resource curve to the resource for each activity

Bellota Castaneda
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Hi Steven,

you are correct, the duration type is set to "Fixed Duration & Units", this is due to company's procedure, that's why we created this little procedure (of export, update schedule, import) which should, in theory, work just fine and solve the issue... but now it's not working and we are looking into redefining the procedure but in the meantime all projects are set like this.

Zoltan, all resources have "calculate cost from resources" unchecked.

I have added ALL columns to check what's different on the resources and all I could find is that some have the option "Auto Compute Actuals" checked and some have not (on activity level this is set to be unchecked); however, those that have it cheked and not does not correlate with those that are updated and those that give the error.

I think I have ran put of options here :/

 

-B

Zoltan Palffy
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Steven that is correct.

mark look at the john doe resource see what is different on thsi on from all of the others

make sure that CALCULATE COST FROM RESOURCES IS NOT CHECKED.

Steven Auld
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Check the duration type for these activities.
If they are set to fixed units then Primavera will recalculate the units/ time.
Not at my computer to check so Zoltan, please correct me if I am incorrect.
Check the ones that import correctly against the ones that don’t.
Steven.
Bellota Castaneda
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Hi Steven, Zoltan,

I do have the TASKRSRC tab in the excel file. I am actually not updating the field in the excel file, just exporting to "save" the remaining units and then reimporting to set them back after I schedule and move my data date.

I have my resources in Level of Effort activities. For example, John Doe was budgeted to be in the project 100%, but now we know he will only be 90% for the remaining of the project:

Resource    Budgeted Units/Time     Remaining Units/Time

John Doe    100%                          90%

When I do my monthly updates, BEFORE f9'ing, I export the resources. When I f9, John Doe's remaining goes up to 91.48%, 87.17%, or something crazy like that because of the changes in the schedule. But it shouldn't matter, after I f9, I import my exported file and update back to 90%.

OK, this was working just fine, and then suddenly it stopped working, not it says that John Doe cannot be assigned twice.

To make it more strange John Doe gives me the mistake but Jane Doe updates just fine. Both resources are as far as I can see identical.

The columsn I'm exporting are:

Activity ID, (*) Activity Status, Resource ID, Role ID, Cost Account ID, Remaining Units time (%), (') Budgeted Units Time (%)

I don't update any of these columns. Should I add more columns?

In the Calculations tab I have selected "Substract Actual from At Completion" and "Link actual to date and actual this period units and costs"; everything else is unselected.

But since I get this error in some resources and not all, wouldn't this be a problem on the resource level?

 

-B

Zoltan Palffy
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please list the fields that you are exporting what columns ? I think you are missing a few that you need for impoting 

also in the PROJECTS directory under your project what are your settings under the calculations tab 

also make sure that you have the admin rights to update this 

Steven Auld
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If you are importing from Excel, does the original excel export include the Resource Assignments option (TASKRSRC on generated excel sheet)?

To update resource units I include the Activities & Resource assignment options of the excel export options, with Original Duration and Budgeted Units included in the Resource Assignment options.

Update the Duration & Units in the TASKRSRC tab of the generated excel file against each resource for the activitiy - remember that the number for these values needs to be a text value & not a number format - by default numbers will be shown aligned to the right, whilst text will show on the left of the cell.

By updating the Resource Assignments in the excel file it should now allow you to import the new resources, although will still have issues if duplicate resources are assigned to the same activity, as only 1 will get updated unless there is a different cost account or role assigned as mentioned below.

If you were just showing the budgeted units against the activity (TASK) table & updating this value, then it will not import the updated values & will show an error message on import, as the budgeted units needs to be allocated to each resource.

Hope this helps,

Steven

Bellota Castaneda
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Thx Zoltan,

I have checked this checkbox, and indeed it added the resources twice, but I don't want the resource to be added twice (therefore, I deleted the second instance), I only want the remaining units/time of the already existing resource to be updated from an excel file that I have previously exported. But this is what is giving me the error and would not let me update the resources that are already there.

I hope this makes sense, any other ideas? Thx!

 

-B

Bellota Castaneda
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Thx Zoltan,

I have checked this checkbox, and indeed it added the resources twice, but I don't want the resource to be added twice (therefore, I deleted the second instance), I only want the remaining units/time of the already existing resource to be updated from an excel file that I have previously exported. But this is what is giving me the error and would not let me update the resources that are already there.

I hope this makes sense, any other ideas? Thx!

 

-B

Zoltan Palffy
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it will import the same resource twice go to the projects directory make sure that your project is highlighted 

go to the resources tab on the lower right under Resource Assignment make sure that Resources can be assigned to the same activity more than once IS CHECKED 

Bellota Castaneda
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OMG,

it's been 2 years and I cannot solve this issue, (i.e. when I try to update my resources it says I cannot "assign the same resource more than once"; but I'm not trying to add it twice, just update the existing one). I googled it and voila! I get back to my old question, haha.

Thanks for the idea Zoltan, but I have all "Calculate costs from units" unticked and still didn't work. I know the issue must be on the resource level since I don't get the error on ALL resources, just some, and so far it seems random.

Anyone else out there with this error?

 

-B

    
Zoltan Palffy
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make sure that calaculate budget form units is not checked if it is run a global change to change ot from yes to no then import the excel file. 

Bellota Castaneda
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Hi!

I'm having the opposite problem, I'm trying to update the Remaining Units / Time on my already existing resources. I do an export, update and then import. But when I try to import it says that:

Error: Cannot assign the same resource: RSRC XXXX ... more than once.

But I don't want to add a resource, I want to update the existing one. Any ideas on this one? Much appreciated!

-B

 
Mark Chapman
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Thanks Rodel - that worked. I used Cost Account.
Rodel Marasigan
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Mark,
P6 don’t import duplicate resource as it was not unique otherwise you cannot update the value of each resource if no unique identifier. It will just keep updating the resource and will carry the last resource value for same resource. You can import duplicate resource by assigning different roles or cost accounts to each resource to make it unique. Cost accounts and roles must exist on the database otherwise it will not work. I normally used excel SDK for this purpose because SDK carry the unique resource code and update base on resource code and not resource id.
Mark Chapman
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Hi Mumhammad,
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I already have this ticked and this is why I can enter the resource twice in P6. Is there something similar for importing? Or is this a bug?
Cheers,
Mark
muhammad anwar
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Mark,

Click project icon and select your project and on project detail window shown on the bottom select Resource tab. On the right hand side lower half has Resoucs Assigment. Here you check the box
’Resouces can be assigned to the same activity more than once’
This will let you import resource multiple time for same activity. But to view resources refresh your project by closing and reopening.
Hope this will help.

Regards

Muhammad
Mark Chapman
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Thanks - what setting is that? Plus it already allows me to do this when in P6 for the project/activity.
D Artagnan
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You may check the settings whether the project is allowed to assign two same resources to an activity.