How to Import Project Data From MS Excel File

You can import information into the project from MS Excel workbook using the entered fields - fields in which you can enter or edit information as opposed to calculated fields.

Run ConceptDraw PROJECT.
Select the command Import in the File menu and choose MS Excel.
Navigate to the folder that contains the file you want to import, select the file in the file list and click Open.
In Microsoft Excel workbook window, select the columns you want to import into your project file and define the appropriate columns of the project schedule. Click OK.

Typically a source Excel file contains project tasks outline and a list of resources assigned to these tasks. Documents made in MS Excel can be imported into ConceptDraw Project, the following column naming and required information needs to be filled out correctly.

Note: When you create an Excel document, the same naming of columns is prohibited, only the first name will be taken into account, the duplicate column names will be ignored.

Table of ConceptDraw Project and MS Excel columns compliance (Sheet1 — Tasks)

CD Project Column	MS Excel Column	Excel Column Format
#	#	Task number is an optional column. Integer. Should be filled with unique numbers (starting with 1) for proper filling of links in Predecessors. It is allowed to not fill all the task numbers or to not create such a column. In this case, tasks should be written in a row without blank lines. task numbers in links should be names as following: # of order in MS Excel + 1 (shift is due to the headers)
Name	Task Name Task Task Name	Task name. Line. The column should be named for first-level tasks only. For all further levels, column name is not indicated.
Duration	Duration	Task Duration. If exists, then represents the number of days added to Start, to get Finish in result.
Priority	Priority	Task Priority. Integer from 1 to 5. By default : 3.
Start	Start	Date of task start. Date or Date+Time in MS Excel “Date” format, Or ConceptDraw Project (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss) format. Do not fill out for phases.
Finish	Finish	Date of task finish. Date or Date+Time in MS Excel “Date” format, Or ConceptDraw Project (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss) format. Shouldn’t be filled out for phases. f «Finish Date» is not indicated, it will be calculated based on Start and Duration.
Complete	Complete	Task Completeness in % Number from 0 to 100. By default: 0.
Deadline	Deadline	Deadline (date and/or time), by which the task should be completed Date or Date+Time in MS Excel “Date” format, Or ConceptDraw Project (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss) format. Is empty by default.
Milestone	Milestone	Milestone in Project Management is a control point, a significant, a key point (for example, switch to a new stage or new phase of work). «Yes» or «No» should be filled with 0 or 1. By default: 0.
Predecessors, Successors	Predecessors	List of Predecessors tasks separated with comma.
Baseline cost	Baseline cost	Baseline cost. Number. By default: Empty.
Baseline start	Baseline start	Date or Date+Time in MS Excel “Date” format, Or ConceptDraw Project (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss) format. By default: Empty.
Baseline finish	Baseline finish	Date or Date+Time in MS Excel “Date” format, Or ConceptDraw Project (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss) format. By default: Empty.
Resources	Resources Name Resource Resource Name	Resource. Line. Resources from the Sheet2 should be entered Column always should be named for the first resource. If there are more resources for this task, then the next columns shouldn't be named. If there is no second sheet with resources, or this section contains a resource that doesn't exist on the second sheet, this resource will be added to the project.
Note	Note	Line
Hyperlink	Hyperlink	Line with hyperlink. Column always should be named for the first hyperlink. If there are more hyperlinks for this task, then next columns shouldn't be named.
Outline Level		Outline Level. Calculated based on the column number with name of the task. First-level tasks - in the first column, tasks of the following levels in the following columns with shift.
Outline Number		Outline Number. Calculated based on the column number with name of the task considering order and tasks outline level mentioned on the list above (with smaller numbers).

Table of ConceptDraw Project and MS Excel columns compliance (Sheet2 — Resources)

CD Project Column	MS Excel Column	Excel Column Format
#	#	Integer. Always should be filled out.
Name	Resource Name Resource Resource Name	Line. Always should be filled out.
Type	Type	Line. Always should be filled out. The value from ConceptDraw Project resource types.
Cost	Cost	Number. Always should be filled out. It defines the value of labor costs per hour for the Work type or the value of 1 Material type resource.
Group	Group	Group name. Optional. Fill out if needed.
E-Mail	E-Mail	E-Mail. Optional. Fill out if needed.
Notes	Notes	Line. Optional. Fill out if needed.

Result: MS Excel data will be transferred to a project task list in ConceptDraw PROJECT Gantt Chart view. Resource Sheet in the project will contain a list of resources transferred from the Resources column of the source file. Project will have the same name as Excel spreadsheet. Now you can make a detailed project plan based on primary data from MS Excel workbook.