How to Import Excel Worksheet into Microsoft Project

Question

I want to import the following Microsoft Excel worksheet into Microsoft Project (2010):

Basically, the worksheet comprises columns A for tasks and subtasks, B for start dates, and C for finish dates. The start and end dates are used to determine the conditional highlighting you see. The spreadsheet is saved as a standard Excel workbook because there are no macros—only formulas.

I tried using Project to open the workbook. Although it successfully locates the name of the source worksheet, it is unable to identify any fields to map to. See the illustration below:

What can I do to resolve this? I've never used Project before, but I would like to be able to import the "Key Milestones" and "Subtasks", along with their respective "Start" and "Finish" dates. Any help is much appreciated.

Answer 1

Wizard's preliminary settings:

• New map
• As a new project
• Tasks, Resources, Assignments: all selected
• Import includes headers

Sheet names: "Sheet1"... as by default: OK.

While "Sheet1" renamed to:

"#2 MacroPlan": Not OK
"2 MacroPlan": Not OK
"MacroPlan": OK
"#2_MacroPlan": Not OK
"2_MacroPlan": OK

Hence: Use "_" instead of space, don't use "#" and probably other odd symbols (didn't test more).