Problem in MSP file migration to Primavera version

The time scale in MSP is by hour while P3 is by day as default.

In MSP, the default value is 8 hour per day. If no change in calendar or working hour in MSP, after import in P3, either multiple or divide the duration related fields by 8 will fix the problem.

The problem stems from the set up in MSP. What happens is that for some reason P3 converter in creases the durations during the importation. The remedy is simple, you have to export the activity ID’s and durations to a dbf file and open this file in excel. Then copy the same info into excel from MSP and then copy the MSP durations to the P3 duration field. Sure the MSP durations is in days. Also make sure you check the lags in the relationships, as the same problem exists there.
A hint if you have not used not used d-base files before, is not to name the files with more than eight characters, a rule from the old dos days. Further do not try to use Wk1, wks or prn files as P3 does not like when you try and import these formats. The reason for this is that the engine behind P3 is a database engine.
Hope this helps.

There is a simpler solution - transfer it correctly in the first place. Before you transfer from MSP to P3, go to MSP and set all display settings to days only (no hours.) You do this in Tools/Options. If done correctly, P3 will read the schedule as days and convert the durations to days for you. Good luck!

It is not quite that simple Ronald as I normally make sure the MSP file is correctly set-up, however, I still encounter the problem of incremental increases. ie. 3days become 4, 7days 9, etc. It is obviously a bug somewhere, and the solution is fix it.

Hi! Anu,
Philip is right but if the file is large then it is not suggested to check the duration of each activity. I can say you can export p3 file in excel after converting from MSP. Then copy the duration column from MSP and paste it in excel sheet and then import duration in P3. But if your file is not so big you just can edit manually.

Hi Raj,
I agree.

My first experience with MSP was, in 1994, where the company I was with was using Open Plan Dos version four and the client was using MSP. Because we needed an integrated schedule, and there was no conversion facility we had to figure out how to transfer via database files and spreadsheets. It turned a fairly simple operarion, of changing field names act copying. The more difficult task was converting the logic files, this had to be done manually as MSP puts its logic in one field, and where multiple logical links occur they had to be turned into single records, and the same with the resources. A handy manual to get is of of the old open plan manuals in which they describe how the databases is set up in planning programs. P3 works in the same way. Should you be interested, contact me and I will scan in the relvant sections, and forward them to you.

Regards

Philip