Learn How to Convert your Microsoft Project to Excel

In Project Management and Data Analysis, MS Project and Excel have emerged as essential tools that offer immense benefits and capabilities. But have you ever thought about a combination of the two? By converting your files from Microsoft Project to Excel, you can leverage the strengths of both tools and make your project data more accessible and user-friendly.  

Not sure how to convert MS Project to Excel? Worry no more. Read this blog to learn what MS Project and Excel are, their uses, and How to Export Microsoft Projects to Excel. 

Table of contents 

1) Understanding Microsoft Project and Excel 

2) Step-by-step guide: Converting Microsoft Project to Excel 

    a) Exporting Microsoft Project data 

    b) Importing data into Excel 

    c) Formatting and manipulating data in Excel 

3) Conclusion 

Understanding Microsoft Project and Excel 

Before we delve into the conversion process, let’s briefly understand the key features and functions of Microsoft Project and Excel.  

MS Project is a specialised Project Management software that allows users to create, organise, and manage efficiently. It provides tools for defining tasks, assigning resources, setting dependencies, and tracking progress. Further, with its Gantt chart view, critical path analysis, and resource allocation capabilities, the software offers a comprehensive planning and management solution.  

On the other hand, Excel is a versatile spreadsheet application that enables users to perform complex calculations, analyse data, and create visual representations. Excel also offers various functions, formulas, and formatting options. This makes it a comprehensive data manipulation, modelling, and reporting tool.  

Such integration offers a powerful combination of Project Management and Data Analysis capabilities. By converting such data into Excel, users can leverage the advanced analytical features of Excel. They can also gain deeper insights, perform complex calculations, and efficiently create visually appealing reports and dashboards.  

This integration enhances the overall Project Management experience, allowing managers and analysts to make informed decisions, identify trends, and communicate progress effectively.


 

Step-by-step guide: Converting Microsoft Project to Excel 

After you have read about Project and Excel in detail, it’s time to learn how to convert data from MS Project into Excel. Here’s a step-by-step guide that will walk you through the entire conversion process: 

Exporting Microsoft Project data 

While MS Project offers in-built reports to represent data, exporting the files to MS Excel can provide in-depth analysis and visualised reporting. The various features of Excel, such as PivotTables, charts and many others, help visualise more efficiently.  

But firstly, it is crucial to know how to leverage the benefits of these features. Here’s how you can, follow the below-mentioned steps to learn how to export Microsoft Project data to Excel: 

a) Open the project file that you want to convert to Excel   

b) Go to the “File” menu  

c) Click the “Save As” or “Export” option  

d) Select the location on your system to store the exported file  

e) Select “Excel” or “CSV” as the file format for exporting   

f) Adjust any export options or settings as per your preferences   

g) Now, the Export Wizard Dialogue box will appear   

h) Choose a Project Excel Template from the dialogue box   

i) Further, apply the default settings or Selected Data option to customise the output   

j) Lastly, you will have your output as an Excel Workbook 

Note: To view your exported data, open the workbook in MS Excel. 

Importing data into Excel 

Users can not only export but also import data into Excel. The various features of Excel bring external data sources into their spreadsheets for analysis, manipulation, and reporting. Excel provides various data import methods, offering users flexibility and convenience. Let’s explore the different ways to import data into Excel. 

a) Open Excel on your computer  

b) Go to the “File” menu 

c) Click on the “Open” or “Import” option 

d) Go to the location where you have saved the exported file from MS Project  

e) A Wizard dialogue box will appear. Here you can specify how the data should be imported and organised within Excel 

f) Review the imported data in Excel, ensuring that it matches your project data  

g) Select the file and click the “Open” or “Import” option  

Note: Follow any import Wizard or prompts, if applicable, to specify the import settings 

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Formatting and manipulating data in Excel
 

Formatting and manipulating data in Excel are crucial for organising, cleaning, and presenting data effectively. With Excel’s powerful features, you can enhance data readability and facilitate analysis. Here are some of the key techniques:  

a) Cell formatting: The users can change font, size, and colour and apply bold or italic formatting. They can also choose to format cells and explore other formatting options. 

b) Conditional formatting: Excel allows highlighting the data based on conditions. The users can do so through the Home tab and by invoking the Conditional Formatting to apply visual cues.  

c) Sorting and filtering: Data Analysis is also possible by sorting it in ascending or descending order. Users must click the “Sort” button under the “Data” tab. Further, they can apply filters to display specific data using the “Filter” button. 

d) Formulas and functions: The users can utilise built-in functions for calculations, text manipulation, data extraction, etc. Excel provides suggestions and auto-complete options as well. 

e) Pivot tables: Pivot tables are another feature used to dynamically summarise and analyse large datasets. The users can create a pivot table by selecting data, going to the “Insert” tab, and clicking on the “PivotTable” option. 

f) Data validation: Data validation means setting rules and restrictions for data entry to maintain accuracy. This can be done by accessing the “Data Validation” option under the “Data” tab. 

g) Text-to-column transformation: This feature allows the users to split a text into separate columns based on delimiters. To do so, they can use the “Text to Columns” feature under the “Data” tab. 

Conclusion 

Converting your Microsoft Project to Excel can significantly enhance the accessibility and versatility of project data. Following the steps mentioned in this blog enables easier collaboration, better analysis, and customised reporting. 

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