Importing a file
Prerequisites
- Access to the Management > Project planning (PR011) menu.
- Project export file in .mpp, .mpx, or .xml format.
Introduction
Importing files makes it easier to add projects in the system, which allows for uploading data directly from files in .mpp, .mpx, or .xml format.
To ensure compatibility, the file must be generated through the export of a project from the system so that it is guaranteed that all information will be structured correctly for the import.
This article will demonstrate how to use this resource in order to expedite the creation process and maintain the integrity of project data.
Importing a file
1. Access the Management > Project planning (PR011) menu.
2. Expand the 
button and click on Create project using wizard.
3. On the creation wizard screen, select the Import file option.
4. In the File upload section, add the .mpp, .mpx, or .xml file from which the project will be created.
5. The Language field may be displayed when a .mpx file is uploaded. In this case, define the language of the project that will be imported. The selected language must be the same as the one defined during the creation of the file.
6. In the Project type field, select the type that will classify the project being created.
7. The Audit category field may be displayed if the selected type has been configured with SoftExpert Audit automation. In this case, select the category that will classify the audit to be created from the project.
Only the categories whose form of execution is set as "Project" in the "Step" section of their data screen will be available for selection.
8. Click on the Next button.
9. In the Project data step, enter an ID #, a name, a responsible party, and a priority for the new project.
- Do not forget that, if the project type has been configured with the use of an identification mask, at the time of generating the automatic ID #, the respective mask will be shown. Remember that the ID # generated through the mask can only be edited if the "Enable ID # change" option is checked on the project type data screen. If the use of an identification mask is not configured, but the general parameters have the "The project ID # is read-only" option checked, the ID # cannot be changed.
- The Priority field will only be displayed if there is no default priority defined in the Configuration > Priority (PR031) menu.
10. The View profile field will be displayed if there is no default view profile defined in the project type. In this case, select the view profile that will be applied to the project schedule visions.
11. The Import resource hours allocation option will be displayed if a .mpp file is uploaded. Enable it in order for the allocations of the resources linked to the tasks contained in the file to be imported.
12. Enable the Keep the actual values of the tasks in import in order for the project to be imported directly in the execution step, that is, in order for it not to go through planning. The actual percentage of the tasks contained in the file will be maintained.
13. The Add new revision option will be displayed if the selected project type does not have the approval step configured. In this case, enable this option so that a new revision is generated for the project being created.
14. The Customers/Suppliers field will be displayed if, in the project type, it has been configured that associating customers or suppliers with the project will be required.
15. Click on the Next button.
16. The steps below may be displayed, depending on the project type. Insert their data, if necessary:
Attribute
This step will be displayed if, in the Attribute tab of the project type, attributes checked as required have been associated and/or if the attribute associated with the type is used to compose the ID # of the project (that is, it is used by the identification mask applied to the project).
In this case, fill out the displayed attributes. The way to fill out attributes varies according to the configurations set during their creation.
- If an attribute editing/viewing restriction has been configured, attributes will be available according to the granted permission.
- Note that attributes that are not required and/or are not used in the identification mask of the project will not be displayed in this section, and their values can be defined later, when project data is edited.
- If the project is executing a request, and the attributes of the request and of the project are the same, the system will ask if you wish to copy the request values to the project. Click on OK to perform this operation.
Approval
This tab will be displayed if, in the Approval tab of the project type, it has been defined that the approval route type is "Variable" or "Fixed", and the Route field has not been filled in.
Through this section, it is possible to define the parties responsible for approving the planning and the revisions of the project, according to the configurations set in its type.
For more details about the approval resource, click here.
APQP/PPAP
This step will be displayed if automation with SoftExpert APQP has been configured in the project type.
In this case, select the type that will classify the APQP created from the template in the APQP/PPAP type field.
Define the item involved in the APQP that will be created.
According to the selected item, it will be possible to select the item revision that will be used in the APQP.
If the item has more than one customer associated, select the customer that will be used in the APQP.
Reference requirement
This section will be displayed if automation with SoftExpert Audit is configured in the project type and if the "Audit requirement" option is enabled in the "Scope" tab of the category of the selected audit.
Use this option to associate the requirements that will compose the audit created from the project.
Scope
This section will be displayed if automation with SoftExpert Audit is configured in the project type and if the "Audit requirement" option is enabled in the "Scope" tab of the category of the selected audit.
Use this section to define the focus of the audit created from the project and parameterize the details referring to the extension of the audit work.
Auditor
This section will be displayed if the project type has automation with SoftExpert Audit configured.
Use this section to select the parties responsible for executing the audit.
Risk and control plan
This section will be displayed if automation with SoftExpert Audit is configured in the project type and if the "Audit risk and control plan" option is enabled in the "Scope" tab of the category of the selected audit.
Use this section to associate the risk and control plans (with Risk/Process scope) that will be used as basis for the scope.
Configuration
This section will be displayed if automation with SoftExpert Audit is configured in the project type and if the "Audit risk and control plan" option is enabled in the "Scope" tab of the category of the selected audit.
Use this section to define which evaluation method will be used for each element of the plan. Note that the displayed options will vary according to the associated plans.
Audited object
This section will only be displayed if automation with SoftExpert Audit is configured in the project type and if the "Audit risk and control plan" option is enabled in the "Scope" tab of the category of the selected audit.
This section displays the elements of the associated risk and control plans. Determine which elements will be audited and which will not be.
17. After filling in the necessary fields, click on the Finish button.
18. The Summary step will display a project creation overview. Click on the Project data option to edit the data of the project, and on the Project schedule option to edit its structure.
When a project is imported, the following information will be imported as well:
- Task names.
- Start and end dates.
- Duration (calculated according to the imported start and end dates and considering the project calendar). The duration is given in days and integer numbers.
- Milestones.
- Predecessor restrictions between tasks: finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-finish, and lag.
- Resource allocation (if the file is .mpp and if the "Import resource hours allocation" option is enabled). Even if there are allocated resources that do not exist in the system, they will be added automatically.
- Task restriction types: As late as possible, As soon as possible, Start no earlier than, Finish no earlier than, Start no later than, Finish no later than, Must finish on, and Must start on.
- The actual percentage of the tasks (if the "Keep the actual values of the tasks in import" option is enabled).
- Description.
It is important to point out that, when an import is performed:
- The ID # of the tasks will be a sequential value generated by the system.
- If a default task type is configured in the project type, the configured type and, consequently, its configurations, such as attributes, execution approval, etc., will be applied to the tasks that have not been finished yet.
- The WBS is generated again, regardless of the custom MS Project® value.
- If there is any actual percentage entered, the task is imported as "Must start on".
- The first resource in the Resources tab on the MS Project® task data screen is imported as the party responsible for the task, provided that the ID, name, or login is the same. Otherwise, the responsible party will be the same as that of the project;
- If the project is set in hours, the effort, fixed effort, and duration controlled by effort fields will be imported.
- The lag is imported as duration in days and only integer values.
- The tasks with manual calculation are imported with automatic calculation.
- The calendar will not be imported. In this case, the calendar of the project defined in SoftExpert Suite will be used.
- The project baselines will not be imported either.
- If the file used in the import is corrupted or, for some reason, is not valid, the project will not be created.
- If the project file does not have tasks, that is, if it is empty, the project will not be created.
Conclusion
If you have any doubts about editing project data, read the content of the Planning a blank project article. As for doubts about editing the project structure, refer to the Adding tasks to the schedule article.