Automatically Indent Project Plan from Microsoft Project (MPP) 2007 to Excel (XLS) 2007

Problem:

When you copy Project tasks of a Project Plan from Microsoft Project to Excel, You lose all the beautiful indention. The below images illustrates the problem

Project Plan in MS Project:

Same Project Plan when pasted in Excel:

Solution:

 

I have created this Excel template where you can paste your MPP tasks and it will automatically be perfectly indented. Here are the solution steps

• · Download the Excel Template from here.
• · Show your desired level of task details in Microsoft Project by clicking "Show" Drop down on Formatting Toolbar
• · Make sure you have "Outline Level" Column shown in Micorosft Project. (insert -> Column -> Outline Level)
• · Copy whole tasks column from MPP in Cell H2 of Excel
• · Copy whole Outline Level column from MPP in Cell I2 of Excel
• · You're Done ;). Check Column A

 

Indented Plan should look like:

Optionally you can,

· Hide Column H,I,J & K in excel Sheet

· Configure the Indentation width from Cell K2

· Paste as many additional columns from MPP to Excel as you want (e.g. Duration, Resources etc)

· Copy/paste the indented columns from Excel to Word if you want to use project plan in MS Word

 

How I achieved this:

· Indention have been achieved using the formula "=REPT(" ",Identation_Width*I2) & H2" in Column A

· Summary Tasks have been made bold using Conditional formatting formula (I1>I2)on Column A.