EASY WAY TO IMPORT WBS FROM EXCEL TO PRIMAVERA P6

WITHOUT THE SDK

Creation of the schedule in Primavera P6 usually begins from WBS.

The easiest way of creation WBS in P6 is its import from Excel, which can be made with use of
SDK or without its use.
Here we will consider the easy and effective way to import WBS from Excel to Primavera P6
without the SDK.
So, suppose that Planner in cooperation with project team created WBS Codes and Descriptions
in following format:
A Engineering
A.1 Project Engineering
A.2 Process Engineering
A.3 Piping Engineering
A.4 Mechanical (Rotating) Engineering
A.5 Mechanical (Static) Engineering
A.6 Civil Engineering

At first there has to be WBS Code further the WBS Description through gap.
This list can be created in Word or any other text editor.
It is necessary to remember the following restrictions during creation of such list:
1. By default In Primavera P6 maximum length of WBS Code cannot exceed 20 characters.
However if necessary, you can increase it in Admin settings:
Admin-> Admin Preferences …-> ID Lengths
2. Maximum length of WBS Description cannot exceed 98 characters.

Therefore, now we will describe steps, which need to be made for import WBS from Excel to
Primavera P6:
1. We open Excel file called “Import WBS from Excel to P6” (download link in end of this article).
2. Paste WBS Codes & Descriptions in above described format starting from green highlighted
cell A5.
In the picture given below we used as an example of WBS for petrochemical plant revamp
project scope included design and engineering, purchasing of equipment and materials and
construction of furnace and compressor areas:
3. Open Primavera P6.
4. Create dummy Project: Projects -> Ctrl+N -> Select EPS -> Finish
5. Open Project: Ctrl+O -> Open
6. Export Project to your PC.
7. Open xer file with Notepad:
8. To clear the last line containing “%E”: Ctrl+End -> Press Backspace 3 times
9. To put the cursor for the line containing "%T To PROJWBS": Press Up Arrow 3 times
10. Ctrl+Shift+End
11. Go back to Excel file and click on green highlighted cell P2.
12. Paste Text

13. Ctrl+Shift+End -> Ctrl+C

14. Go back to Notepad and Ctrl+V
15. Close and Save Notepad.
16. Import xer file to same Project in P6.
 Enjoy!

Downloads:
Full-function demo version of Excel file “Import WBS from Excel to P6” (maximum 100 WBS
descriptions):
https://app.box.com/s/mi27im4pdywzcro5rblxqb03kwms8fzq

Sample WBS for Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Project.

source Word file:
https://app.box.com/s/9yo225yjfywtig0iba5vnz3alsmx3rdv
xer file obtained after import to P6:
https://app.box.com/s/v4matc0ssbxs4igwrwh9jwm6fa3o599h

Tofik Nazirov
Planning and Project Controls Professional

Email: tnazirov@gmail.com
Mobile: +994557579912

+994557579912

+994557579912