If you have to transfer multiple projects between Primavera P6 databases, exporting/importing multiple projects is easy. Transferring one at a time quickly becomes laborious though when you have numerous files to transfer. Here we explore a more efficient way to transfer multiple projects.
The Primavera P6 Professional export/import features work well to transfer single project files between databases. This becomes a tedious process, however, when you have a multitude of projects to transfer. But fear not! Primavera P6 Professional is fully capable of exporting/importing multiple projects in a group.
This article demonstrates a quick tip detailing the process of exporting/importing multiple projects between databases using a group.
In Figure 1 we have a screen shot of our enterprise project structure (EPS).
Figure 1
We have selected four projects we want to transfer. Projects must be open to transfer them, so we open all four projects, Figure 2.
Figure 2
Figure 3 is the EPS including our four open projects.
Figure 3
Start the export process by selecting File | Export, Figure 4.
Figure 4
In Figure 5 we choose to export our projects as XER files, and we also select version 8.2.
Figure 5
Our four open projects are all listed in the export dialog, Figure 6.
Figure 6
Select next, Figure 6. We want to save our projects in the group ‘Government Contracts FY2017.xer’, Figure 7.
Figure 7
Again, select next and Finish, Figure 8.
Figure 8
Perfect! Our files have now all been exported in the group ‘Government Contracts FY2017.xer’.
Now we go to our target database and select File | Import, Figure 9.
Figure 9
In the import file dialog, Figure 10, we select the XER file representing our group, again, ‘Government Contracts FY2017.xer’.
Figure 10
The import dialog now appears listing all projects associated with our group, Figure 11.
Figure 11
Determine which projects are imported, Figure 12, by selecting either ‘create new project’ or ‘ignore this project’ import actions for each project.
Figure 12
We also specify which EPS node (GOV CONTRACTS) we want each project imported to, again, Figure 12. In Figure 13 we go with the default configuration for our import.
Figure 13
In Figure 14 we have the results of our labor: three projects imported to the Government Contracts EPS node.
Figure 14
Summary
Transferring numerous project files between databases does not have to be an onerous process in Primavera P6 Professional. The steps to exporting multiple projects are as simple as opening all your respective projects and proceeding through the export process. All your associated open projects appear listed in the export dialog, which you save to a single XER file.
When you import the files to your target Primavera P6 database, all the projects in your group appear listed in the import dialog. It is then possible to select the projects you want imported and others you want ignored during the import process. So, the process of exporting/importing multiple projects between databases is not difficult. As shown in this article, simply knowing that files can be grouped and exported/imported is most the effort.