I want to import information from an Access database into MS Project. This is a problem for the Work Completed and Work fields - for these fields, the numbers that are imported are completely wrong. I can import the same information into a number field, and it works just fine. Is there a way to import this information directly into Work Completed and Work fields?? Thanks!
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Import data to "Work" field - URGENT!
- Thread starter di2000
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Hi - thanks for the quick response, but that can't be the problem. I've already tried converting the numbers to and from minutes, hours, days, and months (every possibility). In addition, the numbers seem to be random. A 526 was changed to a 1, a 676 to 1, a 1592 to 2, many 0s to 1s, also many small numbers (between 10 and 30ish) to 0s - I can't find a pattern. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Well ... look at the creation of the data base: where does the data come from and was it both accurate and correctly transferred from the source to the destination tables.
If you created the database by using Project to save the information into an Access database and then processed it before reimporting it into Project then perhaps the processing updated the wrong fields.
If you created the database by using Project to save the information into an Access database and then processed it before reimporting it into Project then perhaps the processing updated the wrong fields.
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Hi - i didn't create the database; it's a company database that was created in access, so it's not the problem.
The numbers in the access database are saved as long intergers (there is no way to save them as days, etc., as far as i know - is there??), so that might be a problem.
But, i know i am importing the data correctly because i can import it into a number field correctly . . . it's only with work fields that I am having problems.
Maybe this is a problem that can't be solved?? Let me know if u have any more ideas though!! =)
The numbers in the access database are saved as long intergers (there is no way to save them as days, etc., as far as i know - is there??), so that might be a problem.
But, i know i am importing the data correctly because i can import it into a number field correctly . . . it's only with work fields that I am having problems.
Maybe this is a problem that can't be solved?? Let me know if u have any more ideas though!! =)
Well ... a quick test shows that using Project to export to an Access database saves "Work" as a double so possibly the process that moves the data into your corporate Access database does it in a way that is causing you grief or, of course, the way you are defining and processing it is the source of your problem.
(We're *almost* at the "email your stuff to me and I'll see if I can figure out the problem" -- but not yet.)
(We're *almost* at the "email your stuff to me and I'll see if I can figure out the problem" -- but not yet.)
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hmmm, so what happens if YOU export some numbers from access (saved as long integers . . . or you can try other settings too - these numbers represent days, though, just fyi) into a work field in project? Do they show up correctly or are they also "distorted"?
I have tried setting MS project to show work in minutes, hours, days, and months (before I import the data from access). After the import, different numbers show up in the work field for each of these different settings (the numbers are generally larger when work is set to be shown in minutes or hours rather than days or months, though). But none of the numbers can be converted to the right numbers by changing work to be shown in any of the other options. Does that make sense?
And thank you for spending so much time trying to figure this out! I appreciate it a lot!
I have tried setting MS project to show work in minutes, hours, days, and months (before I import the data from access). After the import, different numbers show up in the work field for each of these different settings (the numbers are generally larger when work is set to be shown in minutes or hours rather than days or months, though). But none of the numbers can be converted to the right numbers by changing work to be shown in any of the other options. Does that make sense?
And thank you for spending so much time trying to figure this out! I appreciate it a lot!
When I export/import (Project -> Access database; same Access database -> Project) it will always work because I haven't "played" with the underlying data.
I don't have the time right now (maybe over the weekend) but a quick bit of "playing around" showed that P98 (when exporting to an Access database) using the "Default Task Information" map exports Duration as an integer and Work as a Double.
I have a different release at home so I'm curious to see what happens there.
BTW, what release are you using?
So ...
1. How is your Access database data (not the table definitions) created/updated/maintained?
2. How do you import the data from Access into Project?
3. It could still be the Corporate database, btw. Since we're talking a data issue, you should go back to the very beginning of the process to see where the data comes from and how it is actually placed into the fields. I'm not an Access guru but I've worked with other databases (mostly Oracle) and I know it's possible to coerce a given data format even though the underlying field definition is different. In other words, it is possible to force a character string into a Double.
<Greybeard alert> I've seen lots of subtle issues that had nothing to do with the logic of the processing but were, instead, caused by the logic of the data storage/retrieval code. </>
I don't have the time right now (maybe over the weekend) but a quick bit of "playing around" showed that P98 (when exporting to an Access database) using the "Default Task Information" map exports Duration as an integer and Work as a Double.
I have a different release at home so I'm curious to see what happens there.
BTW, what release are you using?
So ...
1. How is your Access database data (not the table definitions) created/updated/maintained?
2. How do you import the data from Access into Project?
3. It could still be the Corporate database, btw. Since we're talking a data issue, you should go back to the very beginning of the process to see where the data comes from and how it is actually placed into the fields. I'm not an Access guru but I've worked with other databases (mostly Oracle) and I know it's possible to coerce a given data format even though the underlying field definition is different. In other words, it is possible to force a character string into a Double.
<Greybeard alert> I've seen lots of subtle issues that had nothing to do with the logic of the processing but were, instead, caused by the logic of the data storage/retrieval code. </>
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