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Update schedule through Excel

14 replies [Last post]
Thu, 2008-03-06 04:48
K D
User offline. Last seen 15 years 28 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 247
Groups: None
Hi all.
My company setting up a process to updating Primavera schedule through excel.
Can anyone who has experience on this can give me some advice?
What step should I start from scratch?

Thanks & regards
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Replies

Sun, 2008-04-13 06:48
#1
Jerry Lan
User offline. Last seen 10 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Sep 2006
Posts: 37
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi Dieter,

I tried to export into excel and import as an exercise. It did not touch the WBS this time,if I do not ammend the excel file at all. I will post into another thread what I did if it happens again. Let’s try to solve KD’s problem in this thread...yes you are right KD..using the SDK seem to be problematic too...I often get errors when clicking "Set" button....The "Get" button works well...

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Thu, 2008-04-10 04:59
#2
DANG CORP
User offline. Last seen 8 years 33 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Oct 2004
Posts: 71
Groups: None
Hi K D,

thanks K D, try out best to make it simple yeah.

I totally understand your comment,

I experience the same first impression as u too mate,

but once the company seen what it can do,
they convince themselve, as in ,,, if a company that is using Primavera, the project they managing are in not little baby projects, its massive,,, and with massive projects comes high risk if late and so on...

so instead of monthly report, which i know most company do, due to lack of resource in punching in data, etc...

u can do it in bi-weekly, etc...

in summary
----------
i dont think the costs is the issue, 2000 is small potatoes for any project that is already using primavera.
its more of like, they see it first, and they are convince themselves...


Hopefully it can reach VN one day.
======================
?
K D, u can purchase it globally.


Vu Dang



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Wed, 2008-04-09 21:57
#3
K D
User offline. Last seen 15 years 28 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 247
Groups: None
Hi VuDang.
I just have a look at the UserGuide manual. It’s quite easy to use.
But in VN market ,it’s really tough to convince a company pay another 2000 for this module.
Hopefully it can reach VN one day.
Regards
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Wed, 2008-04-09 08:41
#4
DANG CORP
User offline. Last seen 8 years 33 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Oct 2004
Posts: 71
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HI K D,

I dont think it is expensive, hehe

i can assure you, in the first few days of its usage, it pays for itself...

it loads all the data for you, leaving u time to do more important things, such as get ur plan right.

and stream lining it, re-programming it to meet ur deadline,
so u can finish ur project earlier etc...

i think that is valuable tool,,, it already saving u in hiring a clerk to enter data.


- please try out the software from the website and let me know your opinion. cause i think it is useful for everyone!

Vu Dang
www.dangcorp.com
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Tue, 2008-04-08 22:16
#5
K D
User offline. Last seen 15 years 28 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 247
Groups: None
HI Vu Dang.
Do you think your toolbox is too expensive? 2000 AUD.
I have no idea what it can do but the price make me impressive.

Regards
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Tue, 2008-04-08 13:58
#6
DANG CORP
User offline. Last seen 8 years 33 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 Oct 2004
Posts: 71
Groups: None
Hi there,

If you really want to save time in updating the plan,

I find the built in import/export quite cumbersome and not straight forward.


You might want to consider using the ToolBox

i am currently using it nearly everyday, and once you discover, how it can easily import data,
assign codes etc... you will never turn back again.

http://www.dangcorp.com/toolbox.aspx


don’t think this is a sale pitch, just want to share my trade secret so that our industry doesnt waste time in data-entry, beacuse it saves me heaps of time,
giving me more time to analyse the plan,
because the place i am working now, we get heaps of data from managers, and no time to enter them. :) as usual!

so we use it practically daily. for all kind of purpose ok.


Vu Dang
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Thu, 2008-04-03 04:10
#7
Dieter Wambach
User offline. Last seen 7 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 1350
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, TILOS
Hi Jerry
I didn’t have this problem and I never heard of it. There is no explanation. We use P6.
Did you run "check project integrity" (unter Tools)?
Did you empty the column WBS-Code in EXCEL. Was in addition "hide if empty" selected und "Group & Sort"? There might be the reason because as far as I know the import doesn’t touch the WBS.
What did the hotline support say?
Regards
Dieter
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Thu, 2008-04-03 03:07
#8
Jerry Lan
User offline. Last seen 10 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 12 Sep 2006
Posts: 37
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hi Dieter,

I remembered when I did the steps you mentioned previously, all my wbs structure simply disappeared. And this was not good. So careful there!.. The version I am using is P5.


Regards,
Jerry
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Thu, 2008-03-13 05:49
#9
K D
User offline. Last seen 15 years 28 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 247
Groups: None
Hi.
Those symbol used of keep a number value in text format.
Even a number was enter in a cell it still be considered a text.
Maybe Primavera want to keep all data in text format in Excel.
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Thu, 2008-03-13 05:43
#10
Oliver Melling
User offline. Last seen 4 years 30 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 595
Groups: The GrapeVine
When exporting/importing in P5 have you noticed that some columns put a ’ before the information?

Do you know what this is or if it serves a purpose?
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Wed, 2008-03-12 03:06
#11
Dieter Wambach
User offline. Last seen 7 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 1350
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, TILOS
Hi
This process is basically the same as in P3.
1. Create an export with the data you want to update.
2. Select the groups you want to update: activities in any case, may be + relationships or assignments.
3. The export file will create an EXCEL-file with one table for each group.
4. You’ll modify the data or add new records
5. Import
6. Modifications will be updated in the project, new records attached.
Until now I couldn’t find any mistake, but did not check to create new resources by import - there first was a bug in P5 or delete records.
You must not modify the structure of the EXCEL-file.
We use P6.
Regards
Dieter
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Tue, 2008-03-11 22:38
#12
K D
User offline. Last seen 15 years 28 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 247
Groups: None
HI Jerry.
SDK is just a platform used to connect the database to 3rdparty application. It does not help in the way we work.
So I need some reality experience ,I can create a good process.
Regards
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Fri, 2008-03-07 03:43
#13
K D
User offline. Last seen 15 years 28 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 247
Groups: None
Hi Muhammad.
Wow, that’s great.
I’m using Primavera verion 6.0, the lastest one.
Regards
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Thu, 2008-03-06 05:50
#14
Muhammad Waseem, PMP
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Joined: 17 Nov 2006
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Hi K D

I think before giving advice we must know which version of Primavera r u using then I be better able to give u advice b/c i have such experience of updating the primavera schedule in all the version that Primavera has produces.
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