Microsoft Project 2007 (New is not necessary better)

FLAWS & SHORTFALLS

First we dissect up Microsoft Project 2007

There are a couple of problems importing data into Microsoft Project 2007.

The first one is that importing an Excel 2007 file (in the new .xlsx format) does not work. The import appears to get hung up on some of the header information and from there you are stuck. The work-around for this is simple. Save from Excel into Excel 2000-2003 format and open that file in Project.

The second relates to importing .MPX files from other applications. At least a couple versions back, Microsoft started walking away from the .mpx format in favor of using xml as a standard exchange format. However, there are still other tools using it to exchange data and Project 2007 can open but not write .mpx files. If there are some records specifying correct calendars in the file then it will crash. For an explanation of what is happening and how to fix it, the best source is the ever helpful Adrian Jenkins who writes:

What I've found that if the file you're importing doesn't have a record type 20 and if at least one of the record type 20's calendar name doesn't match what's in record type 30, then the crash happens. Here's an example of what you may find in your MPX file:

MPX,Integration Tool Name,4.0
11,3,0,3,9,45
30,Project Name,,,,,,,1/17/2007
41,40,49,1,2,3,42

Importing an MPX file where record type 20 is missing and where the project's calendar name isn't identified in record 30 will cause the crash.

With record type 20 added, it'll look like this:

MPX,Integration Tool Name,4.0
11,3,0,3,9,45
20,Standard
30,Project Name,,,,,,,1/17/2007
41,40,49,1,2,3,42

In addition to record type 20, record type 30 also needs to specify the project's base calendar name and it should match the name in at least one of the type 20 records. Therefore, the MPX with the addtional information in record type 30 will look like this:

MPX,Integration Tool Name,4.0
11,3,0,3,9,45
20,Standard
30,Project Name,,,Standard,,,,1/17/2007
41,40,49,1,2,3,42

If you add this information to your MPX file, it should stop the crash from happening. You *may* see an additional import error, but you can click No to prevent the error(s) from appearing and the file should open.

P.S. With such problems Analyse Timescale in Excel is going to be messy. That too if you can find the Analyse Timescale in Excel icon to begin with .... its missing from its original position

Suggestion

Keep to Microsoft Project 2003 or its Professional brother, with Microsoft it never pays to be the First to have it