Excel to Proj Mapping -> Can't get col of data to map to Proj - Why?

[bborman120]

Hello,

This should be intuitively easy, but I think there is something fundamentally incorrect about my understanding of MS Proj mapping.  See images in doc attached to help with explaining my problem.

I am able to successfully map a small test file with several columns of data.  However, I can't get Assignment_Owner in excel to map successfully show information using the Assignment_Owner option in the field selection for MS Proj.  Why?

I changed the Excel field name to be exactly the same as the MS Proj field name, but can't get the data in there. 

Also I noticed that for another column of info, I had to hunt and peck to find the correct Mapping field name that would pull in my column labeled 'Task Name'.  It ended up being 'Name'.  

Now why on earth should it matter because as I expected this to work is that anything that has a text type should be able to pull in a column with text information in it?  That doesn't seem to happen.  Also, I tried using simply 'Text1' as a mapping label and then rename it later, but that didn't work either.  What is the decoder ring for the field names for Mapping?

What am I missing?  I have not been able to find a resource telling me specifically what restrictions there are when mapping data.  If there is a resource or link I would be really appreciative.

[#2]

ex. is meant "orf" and is only available in read only and is too a project requirement to be resident of the location not where it is rehabilitation respectfully. Because you are "col" it is invalid .0 & Final.

[#3]

@ex-gs-workstudy-425-1-435 I am sorry.  I didn't understand most of that.  

My challenge is what drop down map categories are text types, and also (forgot to mention this) why does the Preview in Import Wizard not show actual results in the Project.  Preview seems kind of useless.

[#4]

In text because the person does not know how to configure it correctly.

[#5]

How do I 'configure correctly' the text? Is there a document that shows how to do that or tutorial? Thanks.

[#6]

Also define useless. Are you suggesting a task to be listed under taskkill because this operation is not available to even the senior level and is not looked upon for the internet of things in the best practices. I would advise you to insure that the security of the text is first not already in its end-user point because the application driving and pushing this text can only be advising your profession that it is in violation for retrieving it.

[#7]

Don't even know what 'taskkill' is. Question is also not about 'internet of things' best practices.

I simply want to import excel to MS Project and the categories don't work except for a few which I have listed in my original post along with pictures in the document. The preview shows that the category I chose pulls in the correct information but when I hit 'Finish', no data.

[#8]

@bborman120,

Your first mistake was assuming it would be "intuitively easy", nothing about importing data from Excel to Project using an import map is intuitive or easy.

To answer your first question, are you using Project Online or Project Web App? If not (i.e. you are using a stand alone version of Project), then the Assignment Owner field is not available.

The main reason it is challenging to import Excel data into Project is that Excel is an "open-format" spreadsheet. In Excel cell data can be whatever you want it to be whereas in Project, fields are very strictly defined and there are separate and independent fields with the same name that are properties of tasks, resources, and assignments (e.g. task Text1 is not the same as Resource Text1 or Assignment Text1). This means that even though you can represent several pieces of information about a task on a single row or column in Excel, you may need to break that data into multiple field maps for Project (i.e. task data, resource data and assignment data).

Also be aware that the Predecessor field in Project is directly dependent on how the dependencies between tasks is set up and will normally not follow the row number that task occupies on the Excel spreadsheet.

I'm sure there are articles written about using import maps but I don't have any ready reference. I find the most reliable way to get data from Excel to Project (and vice versa) is through VBA.

John

[#9]

@John-project 

Thank you.  It is as I suspected; strict compliance within Project and different fields have different types.  I appreciate the info.  Will keep futzing with it.  Take care.

[#10]

Oh I love it when users talk technical (i.e. "futzing") 🙂

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.
John