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How do I save a MS 365 Project as an MPP file?

Anonymous
2023-08-17T15:40:27+00:00

I'm new to project and created a file with out Microsoft 365 online version. I need to collaborate with other team members outside our organization and they would like to import our project schedule into their master schedule. I'm told the easiest way to do that would be to send them our MPP file. I however cannot find an option to save our project schedule as an MPP file. I can see that there's an option to export as an excel file, but that isn't what we are looking for.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Project | Other | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-01-10T04:56:03+00:00

    Rob --

    The tool which you refer to as the Microsoft 365 online version is officially named Project for the Web. As it currently exists, you can IMPORT an MPP file from the Microsoft Project desktop INTO Project for the Web, but you cannot export a Project for the Web project to an MPP file for Microsoft Project. The closest you can come, and it takes a lot of work, is to export the Grid view to a Microsoft Excel workbook, and then copy and paste the relevant data from the Excel workbook into a Microsoft Project file. And when I say "lot of work", I have tested this, and it IS a lot of work. But I could encourage you to try this and see what your own experience is. Hope this helps.

    It's a pity it wasn't clearer (IMO) that project web was knee capped by not being able to save mpp files or even sensible/adjustable pdf output format.

    I have wasted time importing and editing what I assumed was an mpp file I could download.

    So now I am getting Project client and take more unnecessary effort to recover from this mess.

    Dataverse? What a pile of manure. How fundamental is it to be able to save a file.

    Just like the British East India Company - hopefully one day MS will just collapse under the weight of its own hubris.

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  2. Dale Howard [MVP] 29,860 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2023-08-17T18:03:55+00:00

    Rob --

    The tool which you refer to as the Microsoft 365 online version is officially named Project for the Web. As it currently exists, you can IMPORT an MPP file from the Microsoft Project desktop INTO Project for the Web, but you cannot export a Project for the Web project to an MPP file for Microsoft Project. The closest you can come, and it takes a lot of work, is to export the Grid view to a Microsoft Excel workbook, and then copy and paste the relevant data from the Excel workbook into a Microsoft Project file. And when I say "lot of work", I have tested this, and it IS a lot of work. But I could encourage you to try this and see what your own experience is. Hope this helps.

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  3. Dale Howard [MVP] 29,860 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-01-10T17:50:46+00:00

    Paul --

    I feel your pain and disappointment with Project for the Web. I do not work for Microsoft, so I take no responsibility for the features they opted to include and exclude in Project for the Web. I can offer some insight, however, as to why users cannot EXPORT a Project for the Web file to Microsoft Project desktop. The reason is that Microsoft wanted everyone to abandon the Microsoft Project desktop application and to migrate to using Project for the Web instead. To facilitate this migration, Microsoft added the functionality that allows users to IMPORT a Microsoft Project desktop file (*.mpp file) into Project for the Web. But the migration process was intentionally programmed to be a one-way process (FROM Microsoft Project desktop TO Project for the Web, and NOT the other way around).

    With the announcement at the Ignite conference a couple of months ago, it is pretty obvious that the world did not abandon Microsoft Project in favor of Project for the Web, since Microsoft announced continuing support for Microsoft Project and Project Online through at least the year 2030. In March, Project for the Web will be rolled into the Planner app, which is a low end task management tool.

    Your decision to go back to the Microsoft Project desktop application is sound, albeit painful. At least you know that in the Microsoft Project desktop application, you will have all of the features you need to be able to plan and manage your projects. And speaking of Microsoft Project, have you taken a look at the videos on my YouTube channel? You might find these videos encouraging and might even get some ideas on how to use Microsoft Project more effectively:

    https://www.youtube.com/@DaleHowardProjectMVP

    Hope this helps.

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  4. Dale Howard [MVP] 29,860 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2023-08-17T18:05:00+00:00

    Ajibola --

    The name of the tool in question is NOT Project Online. The official name of the tool referenced by the user is Project for the Web. Project Online is a totally different tool. Just wanted to make sure you knew the difference. Hope this helps.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-08-17T16:33:23+00:00

    Hey there, my name is Ajibola and I'm excited to help you out today!

    Microsoft Project Online (part of Microsoft 365) doesn't provide an option to directly save or export a project as an MPP file from the online interface.

    If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please feel free to ask. I'm here to help!

    If the reply was helpful, please don’t forget to upvote or accept it as an answer, Thank you

    Kind regards

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