Work with Microsoft Project

MindManager can export tasks from a map to Microsoft Project, and import tasks from Project into a map.

• You must have Microsoft Project 2003 or later installed on your system to use these features.  

The Project import and export is a one-time operation, and no link is retained between the Project tasks and the MindManager topics.

When you begin the Project export, MindManager will prompt you for some Export Format Settings.

When MindManager imports a set of tasks from Project, it translates the task information from Project into the corresponding MindManager Task Info, and creates a new map with one topic for each task.

• Prepare the map for export
• Export an entire map to a Microsoft Project file
• Export selected topics to a Microsoft Project file
• Import an entire Project file
• Import only selected Project tasks

Prepare the map for export

Project uses the MindManager Task Info to fill in the task details, but your topics are not required to have task info defined for them. In other words, you can export a basic set of tasks from MindManager and fill in the information for them in Project.

• MindManager's Project export does not use task due dates when it creates new tasks in Project. You should assign a Start Date and Duration value to the task in MindManager. Tasks that contain only Start Dates and Due Dates will result in "0 hrs duration" tasks when exported to Project.

Export an entire map to a Microsoft Project file

1. Open the map in MindManager.

2. Only visible topics are exported. This means you can apply a filter to hide topics you don't want to include in the project.

2. Do one of the following:

• Click the File tab, click Export, and then click Export Task Info to Microsoft Project.

• Click the File tab, click Save As, and in the Save as type list select Microsoft Project Files.

Mindjet Catalyst
You can save the Project file to a workspace by using the Save As command: click Save in Mindjet Catalyst, and then select a workspace.

3. In the export dialog, the default name for the project will be the map name, but you can change this and the location where it is saved.

4. Click Save.

5. A dialog appears with the export settings. Check the options you want to use.    

A new Project file is created. You can Open the project to check it, Open Folder where it was saved or Close to return to MindManager.

Export selected topics to a Microsoft Project file

1. In Project, open the file that you want to add the tasks to. If no project is opened, a new project will be created.

2. In MindManager select the map topics to export.

3. Right-click, click Send to, and then click Microsoft Project.

4.  If you do not see Microsoft Project on the File tab Export menu, or in the Save as type list, or in the shortcut menu under Send To, see Troubleshooting Office add-ins.

The topics will be exported and added to the end of current project.

The Project export is a one-time operation, and no link is retained between the Project tasks and the MindManager topics. If you export tasks from Project and then make changes to the tasks in MindManager you cannot export the tasks back to Project to update them there. Instead, you can delete the old tasks, then export again. The exported tasks will be added at the end of the project as new tasks.

Import an entire Project file

1. Click the File tab, click Import, and and then click Import Microsoft Project File.

2.  If you do not see Microsoft Project in the list, see Troubleshooting Office add-ins.

2. Select the file you want to import and click Open.

3. A dialog appears to let you customize the Import Settings. Once the settings have been adjusted to your liking, click Import.

You'll see a status message appear as the file is processed, then the new map will appear.

Import only selected Project tasks

1. To add the tasks to an existing map, open the map in MindManager and select a target topic if desired.

2. Select the tasks in Project.

3. Click the Send to Mindjet MindManager button on the Project Ribbon, or click File, click Send to, then click MindManager. MindManager will start and open a new map if its not already active.

4. If you do not see the Send to Mindjet MindManager button on the Project Ribbon, see Troubleshooting Office add-ins.

4. A dialog appears to let you customize the Import Settings. Once the settings have been adjusted to your liking, click Import.

The Project import is a one-time operation, and no link is retained between the Project tasks and the MindManager topics. If you import tasks from Project and then make changes to the tasks in MindManager you cannot export the tasks back to Project to update the existing Project tasks. Instead, the existing tasks will remain and the exported tasks will be added at the end of the project as new tasks.

See also:

Work with Microsoft Office

Task info