8Exporting tasks from Project into your Outlook

calendar
BY BEN HOWARD, ON OCTOBER 27TH, 2011

<Guinness>

This is something that in the past I have done manually, but due to a discussion on a
Web2.0 application somewhere I had the idea that it would be possible to semi automate
this.

<Update 8th October 2014 this is now available as a fully fledged and supported add-in to
Project see here>

I guess the 1st thing to ascertain is why we might want to do this for me it is basically the
requirement to view both my programmed work from multiple projects (held in single MPP
plans) and Outlook, (where I plan other things such as personal commitments which in turn
often determine which location I need to be in (eg I need to be home for certain social
commitments)). As a consultant, its important to be able to tell a client whether I can be
onsite and away from home during a certain period, and if Im working for multiple clients,
then I need to consolidate several schedules. Within each schedule I might be known as
Ben, Ben Howard, Consultant or any other such name, and so there would be little
consistency for putting them in a Master Plan. Of course, its much easier if Im driving the
schedule, but sometimes Im just the hired hand when Im driving all of my schedules, I
just stick them in Project Server!

So, thats my excuse for this foray into Project, Excel and Outlook, whats yours?

Note that Im using Project 2010, Excel 2010 and Outlook 2010, but this should work in all
formats commonly used.

Here is the overall process.

PROJECT 2010

So the first thing I need to do is to save the file in Excel 2003 format. We need to save it to
2003 format because for some reason Outlook doesnt have an option to import items from
2010 versions of Excel!

Due to the usual security concerns, we specifically need to change the settings to allow
saving in an older format.

Open up Project, go to the Backstage | Options | Trust Center | Trust Center Settings |
Prompt when loading files with non-default file format.

The file Ive chosen to use for this blog is the "Wine tasting fundraiser template from
Office.com.

Click on File | Save As and choose Excel 97-2003 format. Saving this to Excel 97-2003
format gives the following warning.
Next you are taken through the Export Wizard. The goal of this wizard is to choose the data
to export from Project. We simply need the resource, task name start and finish dates. You
can optionally put the work in.

Ill list all the screen shots so you can follow it completely
Now we can begin to select the data. We need assignment data, and we will include the
headers (titles or column names) in our output.
Next, select the fields you want to export from Project. For me they are Resource Name,
Task Name, Work, Start & Finish. Suggested names will be created in the Excel field you
can rename these as required.
Once this is completed, you have the opportunity to save the map you have created this is
a sensible idea if you are going to do this more than once! You can see that I called mine
Export for Outlook Calendar import
So, onto the next stage

Excel 2010.
I now have an Excel 97-2003 Worksheet, with a single workbook called Assignment_Table1.
Opening it up gives the following

I now need some VBA to do the following

1. Remove all the rows (assignments) that are not mine.

2. Add the number of hours work to the task name. This is because Outlook calendars dont
have a work value field, and so Im going to add them to the task name so I can have an
idea of how much work I have to do. Note that this value is the assignment work so if I
have multiple assignments to a task the work value is correct.
3. Split the Start and Finish time values from the start and finish dates so that the
appointment is entered correctly into my calendar (08:00, 13:00 etc).

The following VBA performs the above actions note that is comes with no warranties etc;
and the columns and resource names are hard coded. You will need to modify this to work
for your exact map of exported items from MSProject.

Sub Format_Dates()
Ben Howard www.applepark.co.uk October 2011
Excel VBA to modify our

Dim TimePart As String

Dim n As Integer
Dim rowNum As Integer
Dim colNum As Integer

Insert a new column to hold the start time

Columns("E:E").Select
Selection.Insert Shift:=xlToRight, CopyOrigin:=xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove

Removes rows with the name not equalling Chairperson in column A

Set myRng = Range("A1").CurrentRegion

FirstRow = myRng.Row
Lastrow = FirstRow + myRng.Rows.Count 1
For rw = Lastrow To FirstRow Step -1
If Cells(rw, "A") <> "Chairperson" Then Rows(rw).Delete
Next

rowNum = 1
colNum = 2

While Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value <> ""

contactenate the Name and work value
colNum = 2
Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value = Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value & " " &
Cells(rowNum, colNum + 1).Value
split the start and finish time.
colNum = 4
n = InStr(1, Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value, " ")
TimePart = Right(Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value, Len(Cells(rowNum,
colNum).Value) n)
Cells(rowNum, colNum + 1).Value = TimePart
colNum = 6
n = InStr(1, Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value, " ")
TimePart = Right(Cells(rowNum, colNum).Value, Len(Cells(rowNum,
colNum).Value) n)
 Cells(rowNum, colNum + 1).Value = TimePart
rowNum = rowNum + 1
Wend

End Sub

(thanks to http://excel.bigresource.com/track/excel-lplxvLaM/ and some others for

publishing their code which I have shamelessly copied and modified)

Once you have run the VBA, your Excel file should now look like the following

The Outlook import needs to find a named range, so highlight the rows and columns to be
imported, go to the Name Range cell, and type OutlookImport and hit return.
Save and close Excel note for some reason Excel chose to default to 5.0/95 format whilst
saving, so you might have to Save As a 97-2003 format.

Outlook 2010

Open Outlook2010, and if the Import & Export command isnt available, then add it either
the the Quick Access Toolbar, or put it on the ribbon.
Once its on the ribbon, select the Import & Export icon. Its an easy wizard so Ive just
included most of the screen shots for you to follow.
Choose the file to import, and select your relevant options.

Choose the calendar to import the file into. I always set up a new calendar for each project
Im working on.
Select the appropriate named range to import

Map the fields from the Excel chart to Outlook. You do this by dragging and dropping items
from the left to the right. There is no need to map the hours or name.
The items are imported to the calendar with the correct start and finish times and the
correct subject. Using Outlooks Calendar Overlay feature, I can see my normal calendar
alongside the project one. I can do this for multiple calendars it really is a great feature.