Automate Excel Plan in MS Project

Budget: $10 - $30

I already track my software development schedule in Excel, complete with current %-completion figures. Now I need the whole plan rebuilt in Microsoft Project so I can see—at a glance—planned versus actual progress, slippage, and upcoming workload.

Here’s what matters to me:

• The task hierarchy, durations, dependencies, milestones, and resources must migrate accurately from the spreadsheet. • Baselines should be set so Microsoft Project’s built-in “% Complete” and variance fields display meaningful comparisons without manual tweaking. • Actual % values I already have need to feed in automatically (a one-click refresh or a simple macro is fine) so the chart stays live as my Excel table updates. • Any custom fields, formulas, or views you add should stay native to MS Project—no third-party add-ins—so I can share the file freely. • A concise hand-off note or short video showing how to update the link and read the variance dashboard will wrap it up.

Once finished I expect a single.mpp file, linked (or easily relinked) to my Excel source, displaying clear planned-vs-actual bars and percentage variances that match the figures in the spreadsheet. Accuracy and repeatability are the key success metrics.