Easily import projects and resources from spreadsheets into Meisterplan by using copy and paste.

• General
• Required User Access Rights
• Supported Formats
• How to Import Your Data
• Importing Projects from Spreadsheets
• Importing Resources from Spreadsheets
• Testing the Import with Sample Data
• Impact on Existing Data
• Update Existing Projects and Resources
• Data Import and Project Fields

General

Required User Access Rights

For importing projects or resources as described in this article, your user account needs the following access rights:

• Access Level: User or higher
• User Rights:
• When Importing projects:
  • Either the Edit Plan of Record right or edit rights for the scenario you want to edit
  • Add Projects and Programs
• When importing resources:
  • Use Resource Pool and Edit Absences

Supported Formats

You can import data from all common spreadsheet formats, such as Microsoft Excel (both the desktop application and the Office 365 version) or Google Spreadsheets.

How to Import Your Data

Importing Projects from Spreadsheets

Follow these steps to import projects from spreadsheets. If a project already exists in Meisterplan, it will be updated provided it can be clearly identified. Projects that are not yet in Meisterplan will be added. Find a detailed overview of when a project can be updated here.

First, select the Plan of Record or scenario where you would like to import your projects.

Then, click Import and Export and select Import Projects:

Step 1: Prepare

Copy the desired project data from your spreadsheet.

Please note: Meisterplan cuts off your texts if they exceed the character limit. For an overview of the character limits in the various fields, see the Manage Project Fields article.

Step 2: Paste & Preview

Paste the data from your clipboard. In this step, you can copy and paste different project data as often as you like.

Step 3: Assign Fields

If your imported column name matches an existing field in Meisterplan, Meisterplan will save you the effort and assign it automatically. If you’d like to change a field assignment, you can just drag and drop it to the desired location.

Step 4: Validate & Edit

In this step you can validate and edit your data before import. Simply edit the highlighted field by clicking on it. New projects will be added to Meisterplan. Projects already existing in Meisterplan will be updated.
If your spreadsheet contains a column with respective project managers, Meisterplan can only import them if the name matches an existing resource. Find a detailed overview of when a project can be updated here.

Finally, click Import, and your projects will be available in the Plan of Record or the selected scenario.

It depends on your user account's access rights where the imported projects are placed in the portfolio: If you have the Change Project Rank right, they are placed right above the red Cut-Off line. If not, they are placed right below the Cut-Off line.

Would you like to test the import? Download our sample project list and import it into your Meisterplan.

Importing Resources from Spreadsheets

Follow these steps to import resources from spreadsheets. If a resource already exists in Meisterplan, it will be updated provided it can be clearly identified. Resources that are not yet in Meisterplan will be added. Find a detailed overview of when a resource can be updated here.

Click Import and Export, and then select Import Resources:

Step 1: Prepare Data

Copy the desired resource data from your spreadsheet.

Step 2: Paste & Preview Data

Paste the data from your clipboard. In this step, you can copy and paste different resource data as often as you like. 

Step 3: Assign Fields

If your imported column name matches an existing field in Meisterplan, Meisterplan will save you the effort and assign it automatically. If you’d like to change a field assignment, you can just drag and drop it to the desired location.

Step 4: Validate & Edit Data

In this step you can validate and edit your data before import. Simply edit the highlighted field by clicking on it. New resources will be added to Meisterplan. Resources already existing in Meisterplan will be updated. Find a detailed overview of when a resource can be updated here.
If your spreadsheet contains new values which are not yet in Meisterplan, for example roles or departments, they will be added during import:

Finally, click Import. Your resources are now available in the Resource Pool.

Would you like to test the import? Download our sample resource list and import it into your Meisterplan.

Testing the Import with Sample Data

Easily test the import with the help of our sample spreadsheets. You can download them in Meisterplan at the start of the spreadsheet import:

Or download the sample spreadsheets here and start the import in Meisterplan:

Download: Sample project list
Download: Sample resource list

With only a few clicks, you will complete all steps, get a feeling for the data preparation and what to pay specific attention to during the import.

Your existing data will not be overwritten or deleted by the test import!

Impact on Existing Data

Update Existing Projects and Resources

If projects or resources from your spreadsheet already exist in Meisterplan, they will be updated on import. This is possible only if the names of the projects or resources in your spreadsheet exactly match the names of the projects or resources in Meisterplan. Please note that, while Meisterplan generally supports having multiple projects or resources with the same name, updating such projects through the import described here is not possible.
See here a detailed overview of when projects and resources can be updated:

Projects are identified by their name.

Resources are identified by either their email address or, if there is no email address, by their first and last name (written "first name last name").

Possible Data Loss by Shortening the Project Duration

If a project is shortened by changes to the start or finish date, milestones and allocations that are thereby shifted to after the project finish date will be deleted. This happens if

• the start date is moved back and the finish date remains the same.
• the start date remains the same and the finish date is moved forward. 
• the start date is moved back and the finish date is moved foward.

If a project is extended, there will be no changes to the milestones and allocations.

Data Import and Project Fields

If you want to import project data that doesn’t have a corresponding project field in Meisterplan yet, you’ll need to add the field before importing the data. The Manage Project Fields article shows you how to do this.

If you assign project data to a “Lookup” project field during import, the field values not yet in Meisterplan will automatically be added during import.

For example, let's say your Meisterplan has a project field called “Status” with Lookup Values “No issues” and “Critical”:

If you then import a project with “Watch List” as its status, “Watch List” will automatically be added as a new Lookup Value for the “Status” project field in Meisterplan.

Please note: If you export your projects as an MS Excel file in the Project List and edit them, you can then import your changes back into Meisterplan quickly and easily by using this copy and paste import. Please be aware that this import feature does not recognize all fields from the Project List and therefore will not import unrecognized fields.