Handling Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets Containing Multiple Projects For OnePager Live

Overview

8.3.1-OPL Not Edited Beyond this Point.

Representing multiple projects originating in a single Microsoft Excel plan can be easily done using the Rows and Swimlanes feature.

Multi-Project Excel Spreadsheet

One method is to add a column to your Microsoft Excel plan with a column name of Project. This name is recognized by OnePager Express (OPX) and is utilized in OPX multi-project templates shipped with the product. An example spreadsheet with the Project column is shown below:

After configuring your Microsoft Excel plan with the Project column and the necessary multi-project schedule data, you may create a useful multi-project project view by following the steps below:

Procedures

1) Launch OPX from the desktop icon and click the NEW button on the OnePager Express Start form. This will bring up the OnePager choices (OPC) form where you should click the Select button and navigate to the multi-project Microsoft Excel file desired as shown below:

Setting up the Template for a Multi-Project Graph

2) Clicking the Open button on the Open form will bring up the expanded OPC form where you can confirm the Microsoft Excel source file, provide a name for your project view, and confirm the snapshot date. Additionally, you need to change the template to a multi-project template which is done by clicking the Change button in the Starting Template group of the form as shown below:

3) When you click the Open button on the Open form shown above, OnePager will change the current template to the Multi-Project Gantt Chart – Detailed template.

Use the Microsoft Excel Source File to Create the Project View

4) At this point you are ready to create the multi-project project view. First, click the Next> button (shown above) which takes you to the second page of the OPC form where you can check your column mapping settings or make a template adjustment. When you are finished, click the Create new project view button on the second page and OnePager will generate a multi-project project view that looks like this:

5) The project view above represents two separate projects using the swimlanes to organize the tasks/milestones for each.

6) As the projects progress and additional projects are added, the additional swimlanes with their corresponding rows will be added to the project view in future snapshots.

Updating Project Views Created from Multiple Projects in a Single Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet

7) Eventually you will want to update your multi-project project view by either adding a snapshot or replacing a snapshot. To perform either the add or the replace snapshot, the processes described in the related links below can be used.

8) The key to making updated to multi-project project views from multiple-projects contained in a single Microsoft spreadsheet is the proper management of the Microsoft Excel data in the source packet. Recall that the source packet contains the file or files that are to be used to either create or update a project view. They are stored as file names and path names in the project view’s .TAM file, and can be accessed from the Data tab’s Selected file(s) button on the ribbon as shown below:

9) Validating the contents of the source packet and assuring that these are the Microsoft Excel source files that were updated is an essential step before proceeding to perform a project update.

Related Links

Creating a NEW Project View from Microsoft Project Server/Online 7.13.1-OP

REPLACING a Snapshot with Microsoft Project Server/Online 7.14.1-OPL

ADDING a Snapshot from Microsoft Project Server/Online 7.15.1-OP

(8.3.1-OPL)