Importing a project for use as a baseline
There may be occasions when you want to import a project for use as a baseline. For example, you might book out part of a project, edit it, then import it back into the original project for use as a baseline. There may also be times when you want to import a baseline back into its project, for example, if you accidentally delete a baseline and need to import a backup copy. The project or baseline that you import obviously needs to be a version of the project you are working with - it makes no sense to import a completely different project and attempt to use that as a baseline.
The types of file that you can import for use as a baseline
The types of file you can import for use as a baseline, and the way in which the files are treated once they have been imported, depends on the type of project or programme you are working with:
| Type of project or programme | Can import the following types of file as a baseline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone Asta Powerproject project | Standalone Asta Powerproject project or baseline; XER file | The resulting baseline is linked to the project and will appear as a baseline until you choose to delete it. If you are importing a standalone project or baseline, you can choose whether or not to embed the resulting baseline. Importing an XER file always results in an embedded baseline. |
| Asta Enterprise project | Standalone Asta Powerproject project or baseline; project located on an Enterprise server; XER file | The resulting baseline is linked to the project and will appear as a baseline until you choose to delete it. If you are importing a project or baseline, you can choose whether or not to embed the resulting baseline; if you choose not to embed the baseline, you must ensure that it is in a location that is accessible by the Enterprise server. Importing an XER file always results in an embedded baseline. |
| Programme checked out from Asta Vision | Standalone Asta Powerproject project or baseline | A copy is taken of the project or baseline and the resulting baseline is not linked to the Asta Vision programme; you can use the baseline until you check in the programme, at which time the copy of the baseline is deleted from your computer. You cannot import XER files for use as a baseline with programmes that have been checked out of Asta Vision. |
| Programme downloaded from Asta Vision | Standalone Asta Powerproject project or baseline | A copy is taken of the project or baseline and the resulting baseline is not linked to the Asta Vision programme; you can use the baseline until you decide to delete the downloaded programme and its baseline from your computer. You cannot import XER files for use as a baseline with programmes that have been downloaded from Asta Vision. |
| Programme checked out from Asta Vision to an Enterprise server | Standalone Asta Powerproject project or baseline; project located on an Enterprise server | If you are importing a standalone project or baseline, you must ensure that it is in a location that is accessible by the Enterprise server. A copy is taken of the project or baseline and the resulting baseline is not linked to the Asta Vision programme; you can use the baseline until you check in the programme, at which time the copy of the baseline is deleted from your computer. You cannot import XER files for use as a baseline with programmes that have been checked out of Asta Vision. |
| Programme in an Asta Vision collaboration session | Standalone Asta Powerproject project or baseline | A copy is taken of the project or baseline and the resulting baseline is not linked to the Asta Vision programme; you can use the baseline until the collaboration session ends, at which time the copy of the baseline is deleted. You cannot import XER files for use as a baseline with programmes that are under collaboration. |
You cannot import baselines that are already displayed in the project, and you cannot import a project into itself. If you want to import a project (for example a booked out project) back into itself, rename the project before importing. Importing a project or baseline cannot be undone but you can delete an imported baseline in the same way as deleting other baselines.
In some circumstances when you import a project or baseline, you can specify whether you want to embed the project or baseline you are importing into the active project file, or whether you want to import it as a separate file. If you choose to embed the project or baseline you are importing, you must specify how to map the tasks in the imported project or baseline with tasks in the active project. This is because when a project or baseline is imported and embedded, its internal object IDs are changed. You can map tasks using internal object IDs - the ID that is assigned to each object automatically by Asta Powerproject when the object is created - or using unique task IDs. The default mapping method is to use internal object IDs, but if you use unique task IDs to identify objects in your projects, you may prefer to map using unique task IDs.
If you choose to map tasks using unique task IDs, tasks in the project or baseline you are importing are linked to the tasks in the active project that have identical unique task IDs. Despite their name, unique task IDs do not have to be unique within a project; this depends on the way in which they are configured in the project. If the mapping process encounters more than one task with the same unique task ID, it examines the parent chart or summary group to identify which one to map; if there are still duplicates - ie if there is more than one task in a chart or summary group with the same unique task ID - the first task from the set of tasks with duplicate IDs is mapped.
If you import an XER file as a baseline, you do not specify how to map tasks in the XER file with tasks in the active project; tasks are always mapped using unique task IDs in this situation.
Importing a project as a baseline and importing a baseline
To import a project or baseline:
- On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Baseline Manager. The Baseline/What If Manager appears.
- Click Import; if you are using Asta Enterprise, click the arrow to the right of the Import button and select Local or Enterprise, depending on whether you want to import a local project or baseline, or one that is located on an Enterprise server. A dialog appears.
- Choose the project or baseline that you want to import, then click Open or OK. The Baseline Import Options dialog appears.
- Select the Embed baseline check box to embed the project or baseline you are importing into the active project file, or clear the check box to import the project or baseline as a separate file, with a .PPB file extension.
In some cases, the Embed check box is selected automatically and you cannot choose to import the project or baseline as a separate file. - If you choose to embed, click the appropriate radio button to specify the way in which to map tasks in the project or baseline you are importing with tasks in the active project.
- Click OK. The project or baseline is imported.
If you have chosen to map tasks using unique task IDs and more than 80% of the tasks in the file you are importing do not match tasks in the active project, a warning appears, asking whether you want to continue or cancel the import. This may happen if you accidentally attempt to import the wrong file.
Importing an XER file as a baseline
To import an XER file as a baseline:
- On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Baseline Manager. The Baseline/What If Manager appears.
- Click Import; if you are using Asta Enterprise, click the arrow to the right of the Import button and select Local. A dialog appears.
- Choose the XER file that you want to import, then click Open. The Primavera XML & XER Import Options dialog appears.
- Specify which calendar has been applied to link lags in the project that you are importing into Asta Powerproject.
- Click OK. The XER file is imported as a baseline.
If more than 80% of the tasks in the file you are importing do not match tasks in the active project, a warning appears, asking whether you want to continue or cancel the import. This may happen if you accidentally attempt to import the wrong file.
Once the import is complete, the imported project, baseline or XER file is added to the list of baselines in the Baseline/What If Manager. A graphical indicator - 
- is displayed in the Name column in the Baseline/What If Manager dialog for any baselines that are embedded. This makes it easy to identify which baselines are embedded and which exist as separate files. Use the Baseline tab on the
Format Bar Chart dialog to display the new baseline.
Merging new and changed data into existing baselines
Associating different baselines with individual projects
Displaying baseline information in the bar chart
Displaying baseline information in the spreadsheet
Opening a baseline as a separate project