Primavera XML & XER Export Options dialog

You use the Primavera XML & XER Export Options dialog to specify the way in which you want to export the current project into XML or XER format, so that it can be opened in Primavera® software.

Exporting a project into XML or XER format enables you to share project information with colleagues who have access to Primavera software but do not have access to Asta Powerproject. However, note that due to the limitations of these file formats, some of the information from your Asta Powerproject project may be lost as not all data cannot be exported to XML or XER format.

There are advantages and disadvantages of using XML and XER format to transfer data between Asta Powerproject and Primavera software. A key advantage of using XML format is that any baselines are included in the import or export; they are not included if you use XER format to transfer data. Another advantage of using XML format is that Unicode character information can be included, which is useful if you use text in a variety of languages in your projects. A key advantage of using XER format is that XER files define the project's currency unit in their header; there is no way of specifying this in XML format, so you have to assume that the base currency in the Primavera database is the same as the default currency unit in the project you are importing or exporting.

If you want to export a project so that it can be opened in Primavera Cloud - which uses a different data format to Primavera P6 - you must export the project in XML format and select the Oracle Primavera Cloud check box when exporting.

Explanation of the fields and buttons on the dialog

Field/Button	Description
File	The path and file name that you have chosen for the exported project. You can either type a file location, name and extension directly into this field, or click Browse to specify a file.
Browse	Click this button to specify a path and file name for the exported project. Alternatively, you can type a file location, name and extension directly into the File field.
XML	Click this radio button to export the current project so that it can be opened in Primavera software in XML format. The appropriate radio button is selected automatically, based on the file extension of the export file you specify.
Oracle Primavera Cloud	Select this check box to export the current project in XML format so that it can be opened in Primavera Cloud, or clear the check box to export it in XML format so that it can be opened in Primavera's non Cloud-based software, for example Primavera P6. Primavera Cloud's data format is different to that of Primavera P6.
XER	Click this radio button to export the current project so that it can be opened in Primavera software in XER format. The appropriate radio button is selected automatically, based on the file extension of the export file you specify.
XER version	When exporting to XER format, specify a version of XER in this field if you need to export using an earlier version of XER; in most cases, you can leave this field set to the default version number. Other than the XER version number in the header of the resulting XER file, there is no difference in the exported data.
Select baselines	When exporting to XML format, select the baselines that you want to include in the export. Any baselines you select will be available when you open the XML file in Primavera software. It is not possible to include baselines when exporting to XER format.
Natural order	Click this radio button to create a work breakdown structure in the exported project based on the natural order hierarchy of charts and summary groups.
WBS	Click this radio button to create a work breakdown structure in the exported project based on the WBS in the project you are exporting.
All	Click this radio button if you want to export the whole of the current project.
Branch	Click this radio button if you only want to export the current branch of the project.
Predecessor	Click this radio button to apply the calendar that is applied to the task at the start of a link to link lags in the exported project. How lead/lag is handled when you export to another project management application
Successor	Click this radio button to apply the calendar that is applied to the task at the end of a link to link lags in the exported project. How lead/lag is handled when you export to another project management application
24 hour	Click this radio button to apply a standard 24 hour calendar to link lags in the exported project. How lead/lag is handled when you export to another project management application
Resource roles	Select this check box to export the folders in your permanent resource hierarchy as a hierarchy of roles in the exported project, or clear the check box if you want to export only the resources in the project, with no reference to skills or roles. Exporting projects to Primavera software
All demands	Click this radio button to export all demand resource allocations. Note that choosing to export demand resource allocations that have been satisfied may give you unexpected results, as a separate allocation will be created in the exported project for both the demand and the scheduled allocation - resulting in two separate and unassociated allocations - so choosing to export only pending demand resource allocations will make more sense in most cases.
Pending only	Click this radio button to export only those demand resource allocations that do not have a corresponding scheduled resource allocation.
None	Click this radio button to export scheduled resource allocations only.
Currency unit for export	Select the currency unit into which all amounts will be converted in the exported project. If you are exporting to XML format, you must select the base currency of the Primavera database; if you are exporting to XER format, the short name of the currency is encoded in the XER file header.
Export calendars as project calendars	Select this check box to export this project's calendars as project-specific rather than global calendars. You should do this if you have identically-named calendars in different projects to prevent Primavera software from confusing them. Note that even if you choose to export calendars as project-specific, all calendars that are assigned to a resource will be exported as global calendars as resources are global in Primavera software, and the elapsed calendar is always exported as a global calendar.
Export code libraries as project activity codes	Select this check box if you want to export this project's code library entries as project-specific rather than global activity codes. You should do this if you have identically-named code library entries in different projects to prevent Primavera software from confusing them.
Add constraint flags to tasks with no incoming links	Select this check box if you want to add a start constraint flag to all tasks with no incoming links in the exported project. You may want to do this in order to prevent Primavera software from automatically moving such tasks to the start date of the project.

How do I...

... export the current project to Primavera software?

Specify details of the exported project file either by typing a file location, name and extension directly into the File field, or by clicking Browse to specify a file. The XML or XER radio button is selected automatically, based on the file extension of the export file you specify.
If you want to export the project so that it can be opened in Primavera Cloud - which uses a different data format to Primavera P6 - export the project in XML format and select the Oracle Primavera Cloud check box.
If you are exporting to XER format, specify a version of XER in the XER version field if you need to export using an earlier version of XER; in most cases, you can leave this field set to the default version number. Other than the XER version number in the header of the resulting XER file, there is no difference in the exported data.
If you are exporting to XML format, select the baselines that you want to include in the export in the Select baselines field. Any baselines you select will be available when you open the XML file in Primavera software.
Click the appropriate WBS radio button to specify whether you want to create a work breakdown structure in the exported project based on the natural order hierarchy of charts and summary groups, or based on the WBS itself.
Click the appropriate Export scope radio button to specify whether you want to export the whole of the current project, or just the current branch.
Click the appropriate Calendar for link radio button to specify which calendar to apply to link lags in the exported project. Although this is configurable on a link-by-link basis in Asta Powerproject, it is a global setting in Primavera software, so the same setting must be applied to each link during the export.
Primavera software has separate hierarchies of resources and skills (also known as roles). Select the Resource roles check box to export the folders in your permanent resource hierarchy as a hierarchy of roles in the exported project, or clear the check box if you want to export only the resources in the project, with no reference to skills or roles.
Click the appropriate Demand allocations radio button to specify which resource allocations you want to export: select the All demands radio button if you want to export all demand resource allocations, select the Pending only radio button if you want to export only those demand resource allocations that do not have a corresponding scheduled resource allocation, or select the None radio button if you want to export scheduled resource allocations only.

Note that choosing to export demand resource allocations that have been satisfied may give you unexpected results, as a separate allocation will be created in the exported project for both the demand and the scheduled allocation - resulting in two separate and unassociated allocations - so choosing to export only pending demand resource allocations will make more sense in most cases.
Select the currency unit into which all amounts will be converted in the exported project in the Currency unit for export field. If you are exporting to XML format, you must select the base currency of the Primavera database; if you are exporting to XER format, the short name of the currency is encoded in the XER file header.
Select the Export calendars as project calendars check box to export this project's calendars as project-specific rather than global calendars. You should do this if you have identically-named calendars in different projects to prevent Primavera software from confusing them. Note that even if you choose to export calendars as project-specific, all calendars that are assigned to a resource will be exported as global calendars as resources are global in Primavera software, and the elapsed calendar is always exported as a global calendar.
Select the Export code libraries as project activity codes check box if you want to export this project's code library entries as project-specific rather than global activity codes. You should do this if you have identically-named code library entries in different projects to prevent Primavera software from confusing them.
Select the Add constraint flags to tasks with no incoming links check box if you want to add a start constraint flag to all tasks with no incoming links in the exported project. You may want to do this in order to prevent Primavera software from automatically moving such tasks to the start date of the project.
Click OK.