How do I convert an MS mpp Project file to Planner?

ince Microsoft Project for the Web has been retired and is now transitioning to Microsoft Planner, the direct import functionality for .mpp files has also changed. The ability to import an .mpp file is no longer a native feature within the new Planner application. However, you can still perform this conversion using a specific solution within the Microsoft ecosystem.

The Solution: Planner Power App

The official method for converting an .mpp file to a Planner plan is by using the Planner Power App. This is essentially the same tool that was part of the Project for the Web ecosystem but is now the designated way to handle .mpp imports.

Here's how the process works:

Access the Planner Power App: This app is a component of the Power Platform and is where the import functionality now lives. You may need to access it through a specific URL or the Power Apps portal.

Import the .mpp file: Within the app, you'll find an option to import from a Project desktop file. You will select your .mpp file and the app will begin the conversion.

Review the conversion: The import process will create a new plan in Planner. Be aware that some features from the traditional Project desktop are not supported in Planner and may be lost or altered during the conversion. This includes certain constraints, formulas, resources, and custom fields beyond a limited number.

Finalize in Planner: Once the import is complete, you can open the new plan in the regular Planner interface to view, edit, and collaborate on your tasks.

Why the Change?

Microsoft's goal is to unify its work management tools. By moving Project for the Web into the new, unified Planner platform, they are consolidating features into a single solution. While this makes the user experience simpler for many, it means that certain specialized functionalities, like direct .mpp file import, are now handled by a dedicated, more technical tool (the Planner Power App) rather than a simple in-app button.

If you don't have access to the Power Apps environment or find this process too complex, a workaround is to export your Project plan to Excel. You can then manually create a new plan in Planner and use Power Automate to import the tasks from the Excel file. This method is more involved but gives you more control over which data fields are mapped and imported.

Wow, Serhii, that works. For others, know that you might have to change your "Environment" to the "Default" one of your company, NOT your own environment. Also, it says "Planner", not "Project". The rest of your 2nd image is correct: "...", then Import..MPP. Thank you so much!!!

2 additional things to note:

-It was slow to import a test file: My project was 275 rows (but no comments or attachments) and took ~5-10 minutes. Be patient.

-As they say, we "won the battle but lost the war". We now have a way to convert MS Project to Planner, but my company decided Planner Premium was still in its infancy, and we switched to another software. From what I've seen - unless we are doing this incorrectly:

1. Planner Premium has no "View Only" access - so anyone with your plan can change (though you can "track changes", you can't prevent them.) (A deal breaker.)
2. Managing Planner access rights also seems difficult, but maybe that is due to how my company set it up. I have to give access to Planner to "Groups" of people, but our Projects do NOT need to be accessible the same by all group members. Confidential projects need limited access and I don't want to have to create custom SharePoint groups (through IT) for each project, ongoing.
3. Planner's Portfolio Mgt is still in its infancy - using basically Power Apps to "force a very basic Portfolio". Another software we are using makes rolling up many project simple, putting Projects into Portfolios and even Portfolios into Portfolios - so you can roll up your entire company's initiatives for the year.