Exporting a project from Microsoft Project 2007 to Excel is a fundamental skill for professionals managing complex schedules and reporting requirements. This process allows you to leverage the robust calculation and formatting capabilities of Excel for detailed analysis, creating custom dashboards, or sharing data with team members who may not have Project installed. While the transition between the two programs appears straightforward, understanding the nuances of data mapping and field selection ensures the exported information remains accurate and actionable.
Initiating the Export Process
The first step involves preparing your project file within the Microsoft Project 2007 environment. Ensure that the view is set to the specific table containing the data you wish to transfer, such as the Entry table or the Task Usage view. This initial configuration is critical because the export function captures the current view, determining which columns and rows are sent to the Excel workbook. Taking a moment to filter out unnecessary data at this stage prevents clutter and streamlines the analysis later.
Accessing the Export Utility
Once the project is ready, navigate to the File menu located in the top-left corner of the application. From the dropdown menu, select the "Save As" option, which opens the traditional file save dialog box. Within this dialog, you will find a dropdown menu labeled "Save as type" or "File type." Selecting "Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xls)" from this list triggers the specific conversion process designed for the 2007 format, signaling the start of the data translation.
Configuring the Data Translation
After choosing the file type, a distinct dialog box titled "Export Project to Excel" appears, presenting the core configuration options. Here, you must decide whether to export the entire project or just the currently selected rows, which is vital for handling large datasets efficiently. The "Entire Project" option provides a comprehensive snapshot, while the "Selected Rows" option offers precision for targeted analysis, allowing you to isolate specific phases or resources.
Mapping Fields and Formatting
Beneath the selection choice lies the crucial "Formatting" section, where you determine how the data structure is interpreted in Excel. Checking the "Create an Excel table" box is highly recommended, as it formats the output as a dynamic table, enabling easy sorting, filtering, and the use of structured references. Furthermore, the "Use direct formatting" option preserves the visual cues from Project, such as background colors and fonts, providing immediate visual recognition of status indicators like slippage or completion percentage.
The process continues with the "Outline Level" setting, which dictates the hierarchical depth of the tasks. Setting this to "1" flattens the project, listing all tasks sequentially without indentation, whereas higher values maintain the indented outline structure, preserving the parent-child relationships between summary tasks and subtasks. For integration with other systems, you might explore the "Output only resource information" setting, which strips away task details to focus solely on resource allocation and availability.
Execution and Integration
Upon clicking the "OK" button, Microsoft Project 2007 launches Excel and imports the data according to your specifications. The resulting workbook often contains multiple worksheets; one sheet holds the raw task data, while another might contain a resource sheet or a PivotTable report, depending on the export settings. It is at this moment that the integrity of the export is confirmed, as you verify that durations, dependencies, and custom fields have transferred without corruption.
Best Practices for Maintaining Data Integrity
To ensure a smooth transition, professionals should adhere to specific best practices before initiating the export. Reviewing the project calendar is essential, as Excel does not inherently understand non-working days defined in Project, which can skew timeline calculations if not adjusted manually. Additionally, saving the Excel file with a descriptive name that includes the export date creates a clear audit trail and prevents accidental overwriting of historical data.
